“A false witness shall not be unpunished” Part 3

(Pro 19:21-29)

[Study Aired October 2, 2025]

Pro 19:21  There are many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.
Pro 19:22  The desire of a man is his kindness: and a poor man is better than a liar.
Pro 19:23  The fear of the LORD tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.
Pro 19:24  A slothful man hideth his hand in his bosom, and will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.
Pro 19:25  Smite a scorner, and the simple will beware: and reprove one that hath understanding, and he will understand knowledge.
Pro 19:26  He that wasteth his father, and chaseth away his mother, is a son that causeth shame, and bringeth reproach.
Pro 19:27  Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge.
Pro 19:28  An ungodly witness scorneth judgment: and the mouth of the wicked devoureth iniquity.
Pro 19:29  Judgments are prepared for scorners, and stripes for the back of fools.

Christ is the true witness within God’s elect who causes us to stand (Eph 6:10-18, Php 2:12-13), and only Christ can be Christ, and so if we have this unction, this anointing of God, then we are witnesses of these things (Rev 11:3, Luk 24:48) as His power gives us victory over our flesh by little and little (Deu 7:22), making it possible to die daily and see the Lord increase as we decrease (Joh 3:30).

There is no part of these verses (Eph 6:10-18) that do not confirm the fact that we must be actively about our Father’s business, fulfilling His will, working out our own salvation with fear and trembling (Heb 5:7, Eph 5:30, Joh 4:32, 1Jn 4:17, Heb 13:10), knowing that “it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure”, and it is God’s good pleasure to give us the kingdom that will be obtained by our Father giving us the will to put on the whole armour of God so we can stand (Eph 6:11-18).

We’ve all been false witnesses as described in these verses in the book of John (1Jn 2:1-20), with words that confirm and remind us of what a false witness looks like in this world as well as a true witness, a disciple indeed of God (1Jn 2:1-29). These confirming verses declare God’s faithfulness toward the body of Christ, and they help set the stage for these last few proverbs that will look at in chapter 19.

1Jn 2:17  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof:[false witness] but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever [true witness].
1Jn 2:18  Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; [false witness] whereby we know that it is the last time.
1Jn 2:19  They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: [true witness] but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
1Jn 2:20  But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. [true witness]

[John contrasts the true witness of Christ within the elect with those who were false witnesses coming as angels of light but were yet in darkness (2Co 11:14), again more contrast of what is happening in the lives of the true witnesses and the false witnesses of this world, that must be burnt out of us (Php 3:13-21)]

1Jn 2:21  I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.
1Jn 2:22  Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. (conversely we read Joh 17:3, Joh 14:20)
1Jn 2:23  Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father:(Joh 17:3) (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.
1Jn 2:24  Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.(Joh 17:3)
1Jn 2:25  And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.(Joh 17:3)
1Jn 2:26  These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.

Pro 19:21 There are many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.

God made mankind to have many devices^H4284 in his heart, devices that deceive us into thinking that we have free moral agency when the truth of the matter is “nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand” whether that is light or darkness, peace or evil, the Lord is working it all according to the counsel of His own will, all the devices, the laws, and the vices that flesh is subject unto (Isa 63:17, Isa 45:7, Eph 1:11, Rom 8:28, Eph 1:12, Rom 8:18-21, Jas 4:12).

Rom 8:20  For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,

Jas 4:12  There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?

“devices” H4284 machăshâbâh  machăshebeth makh-ash-aw-baw’, makh-ash-eh’-beth
From H2803; a contrivance, that is, (concretely) a texture, machine, or (abstractly) intention, plan (whether bad, a plot; or good, advice): – cunning (work), curious work, device (-sed), imagination, invented, means, purpose, thought.

Pro 19:22 The desire of a man is his kindness: and a poor man is better than a liar.

God’s love that is shed abroad in our heart (Rom 5:5-8) far exceeds the “kindness” and even sacrificial spirit (Rom 5:7) that He has given mankind to be able to express in this life and so the contrast is drawn with the “poor man” who represents those who are of a poor and contrite spirit formed by God’s love being shed abroad in us (Rom 8:9, Heb 12:6), against those who cannot help but lie to themselves thinking they are responsible for their many wonderful works, their kindnesses to others (Mat 7:22). We unknowingly lie to ourselves until the man of perdition is destroyed by the brightness of Christ’s coming into our heavens (2Th 2:8), to then be able to give Him all glory for whatever kindness we express in this life, as we go forward in that process dying daily (1Co 15:31, Act 14:22).

We are to be kind and do good unto all men, especially unto the household of faith, and it is only the elect who can truly see that any goodness that is expressed in our lives is from the Father and not of our own, even as Christ told us of himself (Joh 5:30, Mar 10:18).

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

Pro 19:23  The fear of the LORD tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.

This is the whole duty of man, to fear God and work righteousness, “The fear of the LORD tendeth to life” (Isa 41:10 , Act 10:34-35, Ecc 12:13-14), so that we won’t “be visited with evil”. God’s desire has never changed toward His children, “that we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ” (Eph 1:12).

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

The fear of the LORD is a gift from God that leads to a lifetime of abiding in the light of God’s word (1Jn 3:3) that satisfies our souls and keeps us from being visited with evil (3Jn 1:2, Joh 4:23-24, Jer 29:11).

1Jn 3:3  And every man that has this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

3Jn 1:2  Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

Joh 4:23  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
Joh 4:24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. [If we must it’s because we will as His children (Php 2:13)]

Jer 29:11  For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil [“he shall not be visited with evil”], to give you an expected end.

Pro 19:24  A slothful man hideth his hand in his bosom, and will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.
Pro 19:24 The slothful man buries his hand into the dinner-bowl, Yet he does not bring it back to his mouth.”[CLV]
Pro 19:24  The sluggard burieth his hand in the dish, And will not so much as bring it to his mouth again. [ASV]

The spiritually slothful man is the man of perdition who must be destroyed by the brightness of Christ’s coming into our lives (2Th 2:3-12). We know that Judas is a type of the man of perdition (Mat 26:23) who is within all of mankind who are not able to see the dominion that sin has over us being blinded by the god of this world (2Co 4:4), especially regarding the spirit of self righteousness, that abounds at the end of the age (Mat 24:12), and can only be overcome through Christ alone.

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

2Co 4:4  In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Mat 24:12  And because iniquity (Eze 33:13, Pro 3:5-8) shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

Pro 19:25  Smite a scorner, and the simple will beware: and reprove one that hath understanding, and he will understand knowledge.

The scorner within me needs to be smitten so that the singleness that is in Christ can again be understood (2Co 11:3). It is God’s word that is reproving us and rebuking us with all longsuffering (2Ti 4:2, 1Co 9:27, and faithful are the wounds of a friend who reproves us, that friend being Christ in each of us our hope of glory (Col 1:27))

2Co 11:3  But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity^G572 [singleness] that is in Christ.

2Ti 4:2  Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

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.

Pro 19:26  He that wasteth his father, and chaseth away his mother, is a son that causeth shame, and bringeth reproach.

The prodigal son wasted his father’s inheritance and he represents the elect who, at their appointed time, chase away his mother, meaning we all must lose our first love, and cause shame and bring reproach unto God as the prodigal son did, and then by the brightness of Christ’s coming into our lives when we are at our lowest point, we begin to see the true purpose of all our trials and suffering in this life and how it is all to the glory of God, who will have all men to be saved in time (1Jn 2:2, 1Ti 2:4, 1Co 15:22). This story perfectly illustrates the false witness that we all are at first, that must be destroyed by the humbling experiences that the Lord gives us, to then renew us into something glorious in His service and purpose for all of mankind (Luk 15:13, 18-21).

Luk 15:13  And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.

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.

Pro 19:27  Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge.

This proverb is another admonition unto the elect to “come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you” (2Co 6:17). When we stop listening to the vain babbling of Babylon (2Pe 2:19), we are no longer going to err or be in bondage from those supposed words of knowledge, that by God’s grace we can now see through (Luk 8:10, Rom 11:25, Eph 4:14, Rom 11:32).

Luk 8:10  And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.

Rom 11:25  For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

Eph 4:14  That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
Eph 4:15  But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
Eph 4:16  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

Pro 19:28  An ungodly witness scorneth judgment: and the mouth of the wicked devoureth iniquity.

When someone is an ungodly witness they will not be able to bring forth fruit meet unto repentance as we see in these verses (Mat 3:8, Mat 7:18, Joh 15:16).

Mat 3:8  Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:

Mat 7:18  A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

Joh 15:16  Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. [Eph 2:10]

What they do bring forth is a hunger and thirst, “the mouth of the wicked devoureth iniquity”, to keep the man of perdition on the throne of their hearts, thinking they are the masters of their own destinies, in matters of sin and not sinning, exposing that they are yet a false witness, whose iniquity which is self-righteousness (Eze 33:13, Eze 33:18, Eze 18:26) is in full display keeping the beast on the throne of their hearts and not Christ who rightly belongs there (Mat 7:22).

Mat 7:22  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? [strong delusion]
Mat 7:23  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Pro 19:29  Judgments are prepared for scorners, and stripes for the back of fools.

God has devised a means to deal with his banished [all the world] (2Sa 14:14), just as He did with the elect at first, who are the first to trust in God to his glory (Eph 1:12) as we receive the necessary “stripes for the back of fools” which will cause blueness (Pro 20:30) that symbolizes the healing that God’s chastening grace brings (Tit 2:12-13) to those who are blessed in this life to believe and suffer for his name sake (Php 1:29,  Php 3:7-9, Mat 10:22).

2Sa 14:14  For we must needs die (Tit 2:12-13, Joh 12:24), and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; neither doth God respect any person: yet doth he devise means, that his banished be not expelled from him (Rom 11:32).

Php 1:29  For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;

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

“Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth:
much more the wicked and the sinner” Part III

(Pro 11:24-31)

Lord willing we will be about our Father’s business in this life, as Christ was (Jas 4:12-15, Luk 2:49, 1Jn 4:17), and it is in this labour of love that God makes possible through Him (Php 2:12-15), that we will be “recompensed in the earth: much more the wicked and the sinner” of (Pro 11:31).

By God’s grace we overcome “the wicked and the sinner” within ourselves via the process of judgement [3] that is upon our “earth”, the church (Jer 22:29). It is that cleansing process throughout our entire life which makes it possible for the elect to inherit the earth (Mat 5:5), as we become zealous for the things of God, seeking His kingdom first and his righteousness so that all these things can be added unto us of (Mat 6:33). The city we are seeking in this section of James (Jas 4:13), where we will be ‘one year buying and selling and getting gain’, represents the city, the church, Jerusalem above (Gal 4:26), which we will find if we seek for her with all our hearts (Mat 6:33, Jas 4:12-15, Jer 29:11-14)

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

Jer 29:11  For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
Jer 29:12  Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.
Jer 29:13  And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.(Mat 6:33)
Jer 29:14  And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.

The liberality we have in Christ (Gal 5:13), and the abundant life that God gives us through him, are being considered in these last few verses we’re looking at today (Pro 11:24-31), and encourage us to trust that we are His workmanship that was ordained to be so from the foundation of the world (Eph 2:8-10).

Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Pro 11:24 There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.

This opening two-sided proverb shows two ways of life, one that will bring great increase in our lives and the other that will lead to poverty. The subject at hand is spiritual prosperity verses spiritual poverty, which must both be experienced in the lives of believers whose productivity and spiritual increase are a gift of God (Rom 8:14-16) that will tend to the needs of the body of Christ and all men that the Lord calls us to serve in this life as we have opportunity (1Co 3:6-7, Gal 6:10).

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

These verses which we read in (2Co 9:1-15) also demonstrate this principle in the church (“There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty”).

2Co 9:2 For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many. [“There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth”]
2Co 9:3 Yet have I sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this behalf; that, as I said, ye may be ready:
2Co 9:4 Lest haply if they of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be ashamed in this same confident boasting.
2Co 9:5 Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness.
2Co 9:6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. [“There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty”]
2Co 9:7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
2Co 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:
2Co 9:9 (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.
2Co 9:10 Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;)
2Co 9:11 Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.
2Co 9:12 For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God; [Heb 13:15]
2Co 9:13 Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men;
2Co 9:14 And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you.
2Co 9:15 Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.[Php 1:19]

Php 1:19 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

In the story with Ananias and Sapphira, we learn that when we withhold “the price of the land”, we are withholding our life [the land] in Christ from one another, and that will lead to spiritual poverty as was the case with this couple (Act 5:1-6).

Act 5:1 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,
Act 5:2 And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
Act 5:3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
Act 5:4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.
Act 5:5 And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.
Act 5:6 And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him.

This is the ultimate example of “and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty” leading to physical and spiritual death in this instance. Ananias and Sapphira were sacrificed for the elect’s sake, and remind us to fear God, and not withhold “the price of the land”, which represents our bodies. We are commanded to bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, the tithe representing our whole life (Act 5:5, Luk 12:5, Mal 3:8-12).

Luk 12:5 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.

Mal 3:8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
Mal 3:9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.
Mal 3:10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
Mal 3:11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.
Mal 3:12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.

Pro 11:25 The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.

God will provide for those who He has given to seek the kingdom of God first (Mat 6:33) and His righteousness and this is how “The liberal soul shall be made fat”, as He adds all things that we need in this life, supplying our every need through Christ (Php 4:19).

As those needs are met by the Lord as a result of our seeking the kingdom of God first, we will learn the way of life God has called us unto, and we will be richly rewarded for putting others first, both physically and spiritually as we bring our whole life into the temple that belongs to God, and Christ (1Co 6:20, Gal 3:13, Heb 10:29, Rev 12:11), and to each other (Gen 4:9).

1Co 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body [Eph 5:30], and in your spirit, which are God’s.

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

Heb 10:29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

Rev 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

The second part of this verse, “he that watereth shall be watered also himself”, reminds us that we’ve been called unto a way of life where we can believe that God will give us increase in our lives when we look not just to our own needs, but to the needs of others as well, “he that watereth shall be watered also himself”(1Co 3:6-8, Php 2:4-8).

1Co 3:6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
1Co 3:7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
1Co 3:8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.

Php 2:4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
Php 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Php 2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
Php 2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
Php 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.(Heb 5:8)

Pro 11:26 He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him: but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it.

Going back to the example of Ananias and Sapphira, it is clear that Satan was used of God to bring them to withhold or keep back a part of the land, and that is exactly what the devil is always trying to do with God’s little flock as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, by telling us that we don’t need to wholeheartedly obey God and keep His commandments (1Pe 5:7-8, Gen 3:1-5).

1Pe 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you
1Pe 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

Gen 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman [the church], Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

Thanks be to God we’ve been given to be more than conquerors through Christ (Rom 8:37) who tells us that yes, the devil will try to sift us like wheat, but Christ has prayed for us so that we will not fail in God’s service (Luk 22:31-32).

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

Luk 22:31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:
Luk 22:32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

It is His blessing, His unction upon our heads, that gives us the mind of Christ that blesses the body of Christ as we freely receive His corn, and give it (Mat 10:8) to those who God causes to have a hunger and thirst for it, “but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it.” (Mat 5:6, Mat 24:45-46).

Mat 10:8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

Mat 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

Mat 24:45 Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?
Mat 24:46 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.

Pro 11:27 He that diligently seeketh good procureth favour: but he that seeketh mischief, it shall come unto him.

God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Heb 11:6, Mal 3:10), “He that diligently seeketh good procureth favour”, and if we do not cleave to God and we do not resist the devil (Jas 4:7-10) our natural fleshly tendency will be to “seeketh mischief”, and the devil will be used of God to see to it that “it shall come unto him”.

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

Jas 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Jas 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
Jas 4:9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
Jas 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

Pro 11:28 He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the righteous shall flourish as a branch.

This proverb, “He that trusteth in his riches shall fall”, reminds us of (Rev 3:17) which reads, “Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked”. The only way to become “the righteous shall flourish as a branch” is then explained in the next verse (Rev 3:18), which describes the pruning process which we must go through in order to “flourish as a branch”(Joh 15:2-4).

Rev 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

Joh 15:2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
Joh 15:3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
Joh 15:4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

Pro 11:29 He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart.

We’ve all troubled our own house and inherited the wind like the Corinthian fornicator, however if God is working with us, that experience of evil and the buffeting process of Satan will be used to chasten and scourge us and bring us back. We need to realize that we are the fool at first who was made this way so that we could one day be a “servant to the wise of heart”, who represents Christ and his Christ and those prodigal sons that God mercifully drags to His son to be presented as a living sacrifice (Luk 15:17-21, Joh 6:44, Rom 12:1).

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! “He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind”
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. [the fool being acknowledge who is now blessed to be “servant to the wise of heart”]
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.

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

Our fruit in this life is dependent upon our being connected to the “tree of life” (Joh 15:4-14) and abiding in that relationship so that we will be able to save ourselves and those who hear us (1Ti 4:16).

Joh 15:4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
Joh 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
Joh 15:6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
Joh 15:7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
Joh 15:8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
Joh 15:9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
Joh 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.
Joh 15:11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
Joh 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
Joh 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Joh 15:14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

1Ti 4:13 Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.
1Ti 4:14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.
1Ti 4:15 Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.
1Ti 4:16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

Pro 11:31 Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: much more the wicked and the sinner.

Our last verse is what the majority of all these proverbs in chapter eleven have been pointing to, and that is the simple fact that by abiding in Christ’s truth and continuing in it “the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: much more the wicked and the sinner” (Joh 8:31-32, 1Jn 2:24-25)

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.

1Jn 2:24 Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.
1Jn 2:25 And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.

Ezekiel 47:1–23 The Water that Flows from the Temple

[Study Aired Feb 10, 2025]

Introduction

In today’s study, the Lord showed Ezekiel the water emerging from beneath the threshold of the temple, its depth and rise, together with its healing virtue. The study also focuses on the trees growing along the banks of the river and the fruits they produce on a monthly basis.

After this the focus of the study is turned to the inheritance of the people of Israel and the extent of the land the Lord has apportioned to them. The Lord also gave instructions on how strangers dwelling among the people of Israel should be treated regarding the inheritance of the people of Israel.

This water issuing out of the temple, together with the inheritance of the people of Israel apply to us as we look at the spiritual significance of today’s study.

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

The Water flowing from the threshold of the Temple

Eze 47:1  Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront of the house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under from the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar. 

Being brought unto the door of the house on a positive note implies having the privilege to be given the treasure of the kingdom of heaven. In other words, it means being given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven or being shown the way to become an overcomer as seen in the story of Naaman when he went to the door of the house of Elisha.

2Ki 5:9  So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha.
2Ki 5:10  And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean. 

Gen 43:19  And they came near to the steward of Joseph’s house, and they communed with him at the door of the house,

Gen 43:23  And he said, Peace be to you, fear not: your God, and the God of your father, hath given you treasure in your sacks: I had your money. And he brought Simeon out unto them.

The Lord bringing Ezekiel, a type of the Lord’s elect to the door of the house is therefore to let us know the way to become an overcomer. It was at the door that Ezekiel saw waters coming out of the threshold of the house. This water is the truth of the word of the Lord which is able to save us. The house here is the temple where we gather as the Lord’s elect. It is from our gathering together as the church of the firstborn or Jerusalem above that we see this water or the truth of the word of the Lord right at the very beginning of our walk with the Lord in the spirit.

James 1:21 So get rid of all uncleanness and all that remains of wickedness, and with a humble spirit receive the word [of God] which is implanted [actually rooted in your heart], which is able to save your souls. (AMP)

The fact that the water flows from the right side of the house is significant. The right side of the house is the assembly of the elect as shown in the following verses:

Eze 10:3  Now the cherubims stood on the right side of the house, when the man went in; and the cloud filled the inner court.

Mat 25:34  Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 

The cherubims represents the Lord’s elect. This water is therefore what every joint supplies to nourish us to grow up unto him in all things.

Eph 4:11  And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
Eph 4:12  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
Eph 4:13  Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
Eph 4:14  That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
Eph 4:15  But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 
Eph 4:16  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. 

The water flowing eastward is to let us know that this water is available to those whom the sun, which represents Christ is rising in their lives. On a positive note, the south side of the altar where the water is coming out of the temple signifies the truth of the word of the Lord which is able to turn again our captivity in Babylon or the churches of this world.

Psa 126:4  Turn again our captivity, O LORD, as the streams in the south. 

Jdg 1:15  And she said unto him, Give me a blessing: for thou hast given me a south land; give me also springs of water. And Caleb gave her the upper springs and the nether springs. 

Eze 47:2  Then brought he me out of the way of the gate northward, and led me about the way without unto the utter gate by the way that looketh eastward; and, behold, there ran out waters on the right side. 

It is the Lord who leads us through the north gate and around the outer east gate. The north signifies the Lord’s judgement of our old man or flesh. As indicated, the east refers to the rising of our Lord or the sun within us. We are therefore being told that it is those whom the Lord is establishing His kingdom within them who are being judged. As shown earlier, the right side represents the Lord’s elect. It is the through the Lord’s elect that we are shown the truth of the Lord’s words.

Jer 1:13  And the word of the LORD came unto me the second time, saying, What seest thou? And I said, I see a seething pot; and the face thereof is toward the north.
Jer 1:14 Then the LORD said unto me, Out of the north an evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land.

Jer 4:6  Set up the standard toward Zion: retire, stay not: for I will bring evil from the north, and a great destruction.

Eze 47:3  And when the man that had the line in his hand went forth eastward, he measured a thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the waters were to the ankles. 

The man having the measuring line is Christ. The man going eastward means the Lord coming to His people to establish His kingdom within them. It is the Lord who brings us through the waters. That means it is the Lord who comes to us with His words. The Lord measuring a thousand cubits (1000 = 10x10x10) of distance is to let us know that it is when our flesh has reached its fulness (significance of the number ten) that our Lord comes to us with His judgement to bring us to spiritual maturity (the significance of the three tens). The water reaching only our ankles signify that at this point of our walk in Christ, we are used only to the milk doctrines of His words, which we are admonished to move on to spiritual maturity through eating the meat of His words.

Heb 5:13  For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 
Heb 5:14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. 

Heb 6:1  Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, 
Heb 6:2  Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. 
Heb 6:3  And this will we do, if God permit.

Eze 47:4  Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through the waters; the waters were to the knees. Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through; the waters were to the loins. 
Eze 47:5  Afterward he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass over: for the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed over. 

These verses show us that there are stages in our walk with the Lord in truth and in spirit. These stages are defined by a thousand cubits. As explained earlier, the number one thousand consists of three tens (1000 = 10x10x10). The number ten signifies the fulness of our flesh and the number three is about the process of spiritual maturity through judgement. This implies that we become spiritually mature in our walk with the Lord through the Lord’s judgement, as our eyes and ears are opened to understand more of the truth of His words represented here by the rise in the level of water from the ankle to the knee, to the loins, until we cannot walk in the water but swim in it.

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

Swimming in the water means that all our human endeavor has abated and that we are fully resting in the Lord to carry us along in our walk with Him. Our spiritual maturity is therefore defined by our spiritual insight which causes us to become more obedient to His words as we surrender our lives wholly to our Lord.

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

We know from the word of the Lord that we are able to understand the Lord’s eternal power and even the Godhead through the things that are made. This brings to mind what we learnt in Physics class during our schooling days. It is called upthrust or buoyancy and it is defined as an upward force exerted by a fluid that opposes the weight of a partially or fully immersed object. This force is what causes us to float in water. The larger the volume of water, the more the upthrust, making it easier to float. This implies that the more we come to understand the mysteries of the kingdom, the more we are given the power to rest in the Lord.

Rom 1:20  For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 

Eze 47:6  And he said unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen this? Then he brought me, and caused me to return to the brink of the river. 
Eze 47:7  Now when I had returned, behold, at the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other. 
Eze 47:8  Then said he unto me, These waters issue out toward the east country, and go down into the desert, and go into the sea: which being brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed. 
Eze 47:9  And it shall come to pass, that everything that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live: and there shall be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come thither: for they shall be healed; and everything shall live whither the river cometh. 

The many trees on either side of the bank of the river represent the people of the world who shall be saved by the river that issues out of the temple as the river brings life to wherever it flows. The river flowing into the desert and into the sea, to make the sea fresh is another way of saying that all humanity shall be saved by the word of the Lord since the sea represents the flesh of humanity. Again, the very great multitude of fish also symbolize the people of the world.

Mar 8:24  And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking.

1Ch 6:33  Then shall the trees of the wood sing out at the presence of the LORD, because he cometh to judge the earth.

Mat 4:18  And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.
Mat 4:19  And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. 

Verses 7 to 9 of Ezekiel 47 therefore show us the salvation of all men through the word of the Lord which shall take place in the lake of fire age.

2Sa 14:14  For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; neither doth God respect any person: yet doth he devise means, that his banished be not expelled from him. 

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. 

1Ti 4:9  This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation.
1Ti 4:10  For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.  

Eze 47:10  And it shall come to pass, that the fishers shall stand upon it from Engedi even unto Eneglaim; they shall be a place to spread forth nets; their fish shall be according to their kinds, as the fish of the great sea, exceeding many. 
Eze 47:11  But the miry places thereof and the marishes thereof shall not be healed; they shall be given to salt. 

In verse 10, the fishers standing upon the brink of the river from Engedi even unto Eneglaim represent the Lord’s elect, who shall be the Lord’s vessels to administer the word of the Lord (the river) to all humanity to usher in the salvation of all men during the lake of fire age. Engedi means the fount of the kid and that of Eneglaim means the fountain of two calves. The reference to Engedi and Eneglaim is therefore to let us know that we shall serve as witnesses of the truth of the word of the Lord represented here as a fountain in dragging all humanity to Christ.

It is instructive to note that the miry places and the marishes in verse 11 shall not be healed. The miry places and the marshes represent clay or earth mixed with water. They signify the false doctrines which comes from our traditions and human wisdom. These false doctrines being given to salt means that they shall be burnt out or destroyed from all humanity, as salt can signify the fire of the word of the Lord, as shown in the following verses:

Mar 9:49  For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt.

Deu 29:23  And that the whole land thereof is brimstone, and salt, and burning, that it is not sown, nor beareth, nor any grass groweth therein, like the overthrow of Sodom, and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboim, which the LORD overthrew in his anger, and in his wrath:

Eze 47:12  And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine. 

In verse 12, we are told that the trees shall grow as meat and that they shall bring forth new fruits according to their months as they are nourished by the water that comes forth out of the sanctuary. This is to let us know that in the fulness of time, all humanity shall become like Christ who is the tree of life having the full understanding of the word of the Lord which brings healing to all nations. We find this verse also mentioned in Revelation chapter 22 as we are given additional information of the trees bearing twelve manner of fruits as follows:

Rev 22:1  And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. 
Rev 22:2  In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 
Rev 22:3  And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:
Rev 22:4  And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.
Rev 22:5  And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.

The trees bearing twelve manner of fruits is the same as saying that all humanity shall be like Christ, as the number twelve is the number of Christ.

Our Inheritance

Eze 47:13  Thus saith the Lord GOD; This shall be the border, whereby ye shall inherit the land according to the twelve tribes of Israel: Joseph shall have two portions. 
Eze 47:14  And ye shall inherit it, one as well as another: concerning the which I lifted up mine hand to give it unto your fathers: and this land shall fall unto you for inheritance. 

In these verses, we are dealing with our inheritance as the Lord’s elect. In a positive sense, we are the twelve tribes of Israel. Joseph in this case represents our Lord Jesus Christ. It is our Lord Jesus Christ who has been given a double or two portions for being the firstborn of all creation.

Col 1:15  Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 

Deu 21:15  If a man have two wives, one beloved, and another hated, and they have born him children, both the beloved and the hated; and if the firstborn son be hers that was hated:
Deu 21:16  Then it shall be, when he maketh his sons to inherit that which he hath, that he may not make the son of the beloved firstborn before the son of the hated, which is indeed the firstborn:
Deu 21:17  But he shall acknowledge the son of the hated for the firstborn, by giving him a double portion of all that he hath: for he is the beginning of his strength; the right of the firstborn is his. 

The Lord has assured us of an inheritance as He lifts His hand in verse 14 to make us overcomers. In view of this inheritance which is the joy that is set before us, we are required to endure to the very end, just as our Lord Jesus Christ endured the cross and is sitting on the right hand of the throne of God.

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. 

Eze 47:15  And this shall be the border of the land toward the north side, from the great sea, the way of Hethlon, as men go to Zedad; 
Eze 47:16  Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim, which is between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath; Hazarhatticon, which is by the coast of Hauran. 
Eze 47:17  And the border from the sea shall be Hazarenan, the border of Damascus, and the north northward, and the border of Hamath. And this is the north side. 

Here in these verses, we are given the characteristics of our inheritance in Christ. Hethlon means a hiding place. Other names mentioned are Zedad which means a mountain side and Hamath which indicates fortress. These names are all to show us about the surety or safety of our inheritance in Christ. This is what the Lord says about our inheritance which is consistent with these names of the northern boundary of Palestine:

Mat 6:19  Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
Mat 6:20  But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 
Mat 6:21  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Other names of the cities on the northern border such as Berothah which means wells and Hazar-enan signifying village of fountain are to show us the availability of water which signifies the word of the Lord which will sustain us in Him. This is the river that proceeds from the throne of God and of the Lamb to nourish us.

Rev 22:1  And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. 
Rev 22:2  In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
Rev 22:3  And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:

The surety of our inheritance and the word of the Lord to nourish us is what gives us a double-fold hope which is the meaning of Sibraim, a city also on the northern border of Israel’s inheritance.

Eze 47:18  And the east side ye shall measure from Hauran, and from Damascus, and from Gilead, and from the land of Israel by Jordan, from the border unto the east sea. And this is the east side. 
Eze 47:19  And the south side southward, from Tamar even to the waters of strife in Kadesh, the river to the great sea. And this is the south side southward. 
Eze 47:20  The west side also shall be the great sea from the border, till a man come over against Hamath. This is the west side.

The key cities on the eastern border were Hauran which means cave land and Gilead which indicates a rocky region. The names of these cities are to show us the safety of our inheritance in Christ. The Jordan River serves as the border between Gilead and the land of Israel. Again, this Jordan river on a positive note is the word of the Lord which nourishes us in Him.

The southern border starts from Tamar and continues to the waters of contention or strife at Kadesh. To the people of the world and our brothers and sisters in Babylon, the word of the Lord which nourishes us is contentious or produces strife. That is to say that for those who are dying, the word of God is foolishness but to us, His elect, it is the power of God.

1Co 1:18  For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. 
1Co 1:19  For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. 

The city on the boundary of the western border is Hamath which means fortress. That implies the surety of our inheritance in Christ who is a fortress for us. It is instructive to note that the sea is mentioned as part of each of the borders. This is to remind us of our rule over the flesh of humanity as part of our inheritance. When Joshua was leading the people of Israel in their attack of Jericho, he told the people the following:

Jos 6:16  And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the LORD hath given you the city. 

Indeed, the Lord has given us victory over the flesh.

Eze 47:21  So shall ye divide this land unto you according to the tribes of Israel. 
Eze 47:22  And it shall come to pass, that ye shall divide it by lot for an inheritance unto you, and to the strangers that sojourn among you, which shall beget children among you: and they shall be unto you as born in the country among the children of Israel; they shall have inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel. 
Eze 47:23  And it shall come to pass, that in what tribe the stranger sojourneth, there shall ye give him his inheritance, saith the Lord GOD. 

Dividing the land according to the tribes of Israel means the Lord calling His elect from all the nations of the world to inherit His promise.

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 verse 22, we are told that our inheritance is by lot. This implies that it is the Lord who has predetermined us for an inheritance. As we are aware, the Lord has selected His overcomers even before the foundation of this world.

Jos 14:2  By lot was their inheritance, as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses, for the nine tribes, and for the half tribe.

Pro 16:33  The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD. 

In modern times, this is what Proverbs 16:33 means: we may throw the dice, but the Lord determines how they fall. It implies that it is the Lord who has chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world to possess an inheritance.

Eph 1:4  According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 
Eph 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

In verses 22 and 23, strangers sojourning among the people of Israel are also entitled to an inheritance among the people of Israel. The children born by these foreigners among the people of Israel are regarded as part of the people of Israel. We, who are classified as Gentiles by the people of Israel are now no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God. We, His elect, are therefore entitled to an inheritance as we represent the spiritual Jews.

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

Eph 2:12  That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
Eph 2:13  But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
Eph 2:14  For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
Eph 2:15  Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
Eph 2:16  And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

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

We thank the Lord for showing mercy to us to be counted as fellow citizens of the household of God. May His name be praised. Amen!!

Ezekiel 45:1–25 Our Portion as Priests

[Study Aired January 27, 2025]

INTRODUCTION

This study today continues with the vision that Ezekiel saw which deals with the Lord’s instruction to the people of Israel to set apart, part of the land of their inheritance when they return from captivity, as a present to the Lord. This portion of land would be designated as holy district and the priests that attend to the services of the temple shall be beneficiaries of part of this holy land.

The Lord also commanded the princes to show justice. The rest of the chapter deals with the sacrifices the princes were to offer and the princes’ part of these oblations especially in the beginning of the year, the Passover and the feast of tabernacles.

The Inheritance of the Saints

Eze 45:1  Moreover, when ye shall divide by lot the land for inheritance, ye shall offer an oblation unto the LORD, an holy portion of the land: the length shall be the length of five and twenty thousand reeds, and the breadth shall be ten thousand. This shall be holy in all the borders thereof round about. 

On one hand, we must understand that the land that the Lord had promised to the people of Israel represents our bodies. On the other hand, the land signifies our inheritance as the Lord’s elect. Our inheritance, as revealed by the Lord, refers to our reign over the kingdoms of this world and our role as judges in the lake of fire that will usher in the salvation of the whole of the human race. Since we are talking about inheritance here in these verses above, the focus is therefore on the joy that is set before us which is our inheritance as we overcome.

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.

In verse 1, we are told that our inheritance is by lot. This implies that it is the Lord who has predetermined those who qualify to obtain an inheritance. As we are aware, the Lord has selected His overcomers even before the foundations of this world.

Jos 14:2  By lot was their inheritance, as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses, for the nine tribes, and for the half tribe.

Pro 16:33  The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD. 

In modern times, this is what Proverbs 16:33 means: we may throw the dice, but the Lord determines how they fall. It implies that it is the Lord who has chosen us in Him before the foundations of the world to possess an inheritance.

Eph 1:4  According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 
Eph 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

In verse 1, we are also told that when the people of Israel allot the land as an inheritance, they shall set apart for the LORD a portion of the land as a holy district. We know from the word of the Lord that we are His portion. Therefore, what is being said about the Lord’s portion being the holy district is referring to us, His elect.

Deu 32:9  But the LORD’s portion is his people, Jacob his allotted heritage.

The measurement of the land designated as the Lord portion of 25,000 by 20,000 cubits is let us know that our inheritance entails being given to rule over the nations. The number 25,000 consists of the following: 25x10x10x10. The number 25 means the beginning of our rulership and the fact that there are three tens signifies that our rulership is based on being brought to spiritual maturity through the Lord’s judgement after our sins have reached their fulness. The number 10,000 is 10x10x10x10. The fact that there are four tens is to let us know that it is the whole of the Lord’s elect whose sins have reached their fulness because of their flesh. All of these measurements are to make us aware that if we are to overcome to receive an inheritance, then we must go through the Lord’s judgement because of our sins.

2Ki 14:2  He was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem.

2Ki 18:2  Twenty and five years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Abi, the daughter of Zachariah.

2Ki 23:36  Jehoiakim was twenty and five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Zebudah, the daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah.

As indicated, the Lord’s portion is the Lord’s elect. Therefore, the fact that the Lord’s portion of the land must be holy means that we should be holy, that is, we must be separated for the Lord’s purpose, even as the Lord is holy.

1Pe 1:15  But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
1Pe 1:16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. 

Eze 45:2  Of this there shall be for the sanctuary five hundred in length, with five hundred in breadth, square round about; and fifty cubits round about for the suburbs thereof. 
Eze 45:3  And of this measure shalt thou measure the length of five and twenty thousand, and the breadth of ten thousand: and in it shall be the sanctuary and the most holy place. 

The measurement of the sanctuary was five hundred cubits in length and five hundred cubits in width. The number five hundred consists of the following: 500=5x10x10. Five signifies grace through faith and the fact that there are two tens suggest that we are witnesses of the fact that our sins, because of our flesh, has reached its fulness or the heavens. The measurement of five hundred cubits in both length and breadth is to tell us that obtaining an inheritance is dependent on grace through faith. It is this grace which chastens us when we bear witness to the fact that the sins of our flesh have reached the heavens.

Rom 5:1  Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
Rom 5:2  By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Rev 18:5  For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. 

Rev 18:8  Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.

The sanctuary being a square is to tell us that regardless of our experience or background, we all go through the same experience of receiving grace through faith when our sins have reached the heavens.

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

The measurement of fifty cubits roundabout of the open area is to show us the liberty we have in Christ when we are privileged to go through His judgement.

Gal 5:1  Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

Gal 5:13  For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

In verse 3, we are reminded that the measurement of twenty-five thousand cubits in length and ten thousand in width is of the Lord’s portion which is the sanctuary and the most holy place. As shown earlier, we are the Lord’s portion here in this life.

Deu 32:9  But the LORD’s portion is his people, Jacob his allotted heritage. 

The twenty-five thousand and ten thousand cubits means that it is the whole of the Lord’s elect whose sins have reached their fulness because of their flesh and therefore are being judged as a prerequisite to reigning with Christ.

Eze 45:4  The holy portion of the land shall be for the priests the ministers of the sanctuary, which shall come near to minister unto the LORD: and it shall be a place for their houses, and an holy place for the sanctuary. 

We, the Lord’s elect, are the priests that minister in the Lord’s sanctuary and represent the holy portion of the land. That is to say that it is in us that the Lord has His habitation. Our hearts and minds are the most holy place that the Lord sits on His throne. The fact that the sanctuary shall be our home indicates that our inheritance or possession is Christ. That is to say that Christ’s inheritance is our inheritance. This assures us of our reign with Christ over the kingdoms of this world and as saviors of the whole of humanity through the lake of fire.

Psa 16:5  The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot. 
Psa 16:6  The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.

Eze 45:5  And the five and twenty thousand of length, and the ten thousand of breadth, shall also the Levites, the ministers of the house, have for themselves, for a possession for twenty chambers. 
Eze 45:6  And ye shall appoint the possession of the city five thousand broad, and five and twenty thousand long, over against the oblation of the holy portion: it shall be for the whole house of Israel. 

An area of twenty five thousand cubits in length and ten thousand cubits in width will belong to the Levites who serve in the temple. It will be given to them so that they have cities to dwell in for a possession. We can see that the measurement of the area designated for the Levites is the same as that for the Lord’s elect. To understand verse 5 therefore, we need to look at the negative application of the number twenty five thousand. The number twenty five thousand in a negative sense signifies those who have fallen away as a result of deception through false doctrines.

Jdg 20:35  And the LORD smote Benjamin before Israel: and the children of Israel destroyed of the Benjamites that day twenty and five thousand and an hundred men: all these drew the sword.

Jdg 20:46  So that all which fell that day of Benjamin were twenty and five thousand men that drew the sword; all these were men of valour.

The number ten thousand here in verse 5 symbolizes those depicting the fulness of the flesh who shall be judged in the fulness of time. We can see that the reward or inheritance of the Levites is that they shall dwell in cities. A city represents a church and in this verse, we are dealing with the negative context of cities, which means the physical churches of this world or Babylon.

Verse 6 is telling us that the people of Israel will be given an area of the city measuring 5,000 cubits broad and 25,000 cubits long. Here the people of Israel signify the people of the world. The fact that the area demarcated for them is 25,000 cubits means that they too have fallen into the deception of the enemy through false doctrines of worshipping the created instead of the creator. The 5,000 suggests that it is by grace through faith that they shall be saved through judgement when their sins have reached their fulness because of their flesh.

The Portion for the Prince

Eze 45:7  And a portion shall be for the prince on the one side and on the other side of the oblation of the holy portion, and of the possession of the city, before the oblation of the holy portion, and before the possession of the city, from the west side westward, and from the east side eastward: and the length shall be over against one of the portions, from the west border unto the east border. 
Eze 45:8  In the land shall be his possession in Israel: and my princes shall no more oppress my people; and the rest of the land shall they give to the house of Israel according to their tribes. 

Verse 7 depicts the portion of the inheritance that the Lord has assured the princes of Israel of. It is the land that extends from the western border to that of the eastern border. In the scriptures, the extent of the east from the west has been used to signify the Lord’s elect as overcomers with Christ. The following verses bear witness:

Mat 8:11  And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.

Isa 43:5  Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west;

Zec 8:7  Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country;

Psa 103:12  As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

Isa 45:6  That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else.

Isa 59:19  So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun (east). When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.

Thus, here in verse 7, the Lord is showing us, His princes, that in this life, our portion is that we shall be overcomers even as He overcame to receive the joy that was set before Him. Our portion as overcomers means reigning with Him and also becoming saviors of the whole of the human race.

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

In verse 8, this theme of becoming overcomers in this life continues, as we shall possess the land in Israel. Possessing the land in Israel means possessing our bodies as a living sacrifice to the Lord. It is insightful to note that in verse 8, we are told that we shall give the rest of the land to the house of Israel. This implies that we shall teach the rest of humanity, represented by the house of Israel, to also possess their bodies as a living sacrifice to the Lord. This will take place in the lake of fire in an age to come. In bringing the rest of humanity to salvation, we shall not oppress them, as indicated in verse 8.

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

Eze 45:9  Thus saith the Lord GOD; Let it suffice you, O princes of Israel: remove violence and spoil, and execute judgment and justice, take away your exactions from my people, saith the Lord GOD. 
Eze 45:10  Ye shall have just balances, and a just ephah, and a just bath. 
Eze 45:11  The ephah and the bath shall be of one measure, that the bath may contain the tenth part of an homer, and the ephah the tenth part of an homer: the measure thereof shall be after the homer. 
Eze 45:12  And the shekel shall be twenty gerahs: twenty shekels, five and twenty shekels, fifteen shekels, shall be your maneh. 

Here in these verses we are being shown our sins as the Lord’s elect and the need for us to conform to the Lord’s standards. In verse 9, the Lord is telling us that He’s had enough of us, as His elect. We should stop violence and looting of the Lord’s people and do what is fair and right. This is reminding us of our time in Babylon or the physical churches of this world, when we had the form of godliness but denied the power of the Lord to transform us into His image. Like David said, we were in a miry clay before the Lord came to us with the spirit of His mouth and His judgement to deliver us from our captivity to the flesh and to establish us on the rock, which is Christ.

2Ti 3:5  Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

Psa 40:1  To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
Psa 40:2  He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. 
Psa 40:3  And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.

In verse 10, we are commanded by the Lord to have just balances, a just ephah and a just bath. The balances refers to a pair of scales for weighing, the ephah was a measure for grain, and the bath was a measure for liquids. All of these forms of measurement were used principally for food and precious minerals such as gold and silver which all signify the word of the Lord. The fact that we were using false forms of measurement spiritually indicates that we were not given to test the spirits to see if they are of God. Our skewed or distorted way of measurement means that we were genuinely deceived during our time in Babylon.

1Jn 4:1  Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 
1Jn 4:2  Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
1Jn 4:3  And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

The fact that we should have one measure for the ephah and the bath in verse 11 is to tell us that if we are to test the spirits properly, we should have the same mind of Christ and the same judgement.

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. 

The maneh in verse 12 refers to a fixed weight in reference to the measurement of shekels. The fixed weights were twenty gerah, twenty shekels, twenty five shekels and fifteen shekels. The twenty gerah or shekels signifies our readiness to wage war with the flesh as we are able to test the spirit to see if it is of God. The twenty five shekels symbolize our readiness to reign over the flesh. The number fifteen signifies being assured of the Lord’s deliverance from Babylon. Therefore, measuring correctly fifteen shekels signifies coming to see the Lord’s promise of deliverance from Babylon.

Isa 38:5  Go, and say to Hezekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years. 
Isa 38:6  And I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria: and I will defend this city.

Hos 3:2  So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley:
Hos 3:3  And I said unto her, Thou shalt abide for me many days; thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be for another man: so will I also be for thee. 
Hos 3:4  For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim:
Hos 3:5  Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days. 

Making an Offering to the Lord

Eze 45:13  This is the oblation that ye shall offer; the sixth part of an ephah of an homer of wheat, and ye shall give the sixth part of an ephah of an homer of barley: 
Eze 45:14  Concerning the ordinance of oil, the bath of oil, ye shall offer the tenth part of a bath out of the cor, which is an homer of ten baths; for ten baths are an homer: 
Eze 45:15  And one lamb out of the flock, out of two hundred, out of the fat pastures of Israel; for a meat offering, and for a burnt offering, and for peace offerings, to make reconciliation for them, saith the Lord GOD. 
Eze 45:16  All the people of the land shall give this oblation for the prince in Israel.
Eze 45:17  And it shall be the prince’s part to give burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and drink offerings, in the feasts, and in the new moons, and in the sabbaths, in all solemnities of the house of Israel: he shall prepare the sin offering, and the meat offering, and the burnt offering, and the peace offerings, to make reconciliation for the house of Israel.  

In these verses, the people of Israel are required to make an offering to the Lord. We must understand that the people of Israel in this case represent Babylon or the physical churches of this world. The offering here is in regard to wheat, barley, oil and a lamb and are not according to the law of Moses. For example, regarding the wheat and barley, they are to offer a one-sixtieth part and for the olive oil, they are to offer one percent using the standard measure. What these mean is that all the work that is done in Babylon in terms of the resources available to help one understand the word of the Lord is for our sake so that we can offer a better sacrifice to the Lord with our offerings.

As shown in these verses, although the work done by our brothers and sisters in Babylon does not make us see the truth, they help us to understand what the Lord is saying to us. This is to show us that unless the Lord opens our eyes to see and our ears to hears, there is no way of coming to know the truth. It is when we are given to know the mysteries of the kingdom that we get more insight from the work of our brothers and sisters in Babylon.

Mat 13:11  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. 
Mat 13:12  For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.

Mat 13:16  But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. 
Mat 13:17  For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

It is worth noting in verse 15 that one lamb out of every two hundred sheep is taken from the choicest sheep being fed, out of the fat pastures of Israel. This lamb here signifies the Lord’s elect. We are the ones that are feeding on the fat pastures of Israel that are offered to the Lord to make reconciliation for the people of Israel in the fulness of time. This indicates our role as saviors as we shall reconcile the lost sheep of the house of Israel to the Lord.

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

In verse 16, we are told specifically that all of these offerings must be made to the prince of Israel, who represents our Lord Jesus Christ. However, if we are to understand these verses, then we are to note that the prince here represents Christ and can also represents us, His elect. What we are therefore being told is that all the work that our brothers and sisters in Babylon do is for our sake. That is, to help us offer the required sacrifice to the Lord at His appointed feasts, as shown in verse 17. Again, in verse 17, we are assured of our reconciliation role to bring the house of Israel through our offerings to the Lord.

Eze 45:18  Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the first month, in the first day of the month, thou shalt take a young bullock without blemish, and cleanse the sanctuary: 

The young bullock offered on the first day of the first month is our Lord Jesus Christ who was without sin and offered Himself for our sins. The bullock being young signifies the Lord offering Himself at a tender age of 33 for our sins.

Heb 10:8  Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;
Heb 10:9  Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.
Heb 10:10  By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Heb 10:11  And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:
Heb 10:12  But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God;
Heb 10:13  From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.
Heb 10:14  For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified.

Eze 45:19  And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering, and put it upon the posts of the house, and upon the four corners of the settle of the altar, and upon the posts of the gate of the inner court. 
Eze 45:20  And so thou shalt do the seventh day of the month for every one that erreth, and for him that is simple: so shall ye reconcile the house. 

It is Christ, who as a priest, offered His own blood to cleanse us. The fact that the cleansing of the temple together with the vessels of the ministry shall be carried out on the seventh day for everyone that errs is to remind that the blood of Jesus cleanses us not only for the sins we commit today, but the complete period of our lives here on earth.

Heb 9:11  But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;
Heb 9:12  Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
Heb 9:13  For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:
Heb 9:14  How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

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

The Seven Day Feast

Eze 45:21  In the first month, in the fourteenth day of the month, ye shall have the passover, a feast of seven days; unleavened bread shall be eaten. 

The first of the month here represents the beginning of our deliverance by the Lord from our bondage to sin. The number fourteen signifies our spiritual progression. Therefore, having a feast of seven days where we eat unleavened bread starting from the fourteenth day of the month means that our spiritual progression in Christ is dependent on us feasting on the truth of His word (unleavened bread) throughout the complete period of our walk with Him (significance of the number seven).

Eze 45:22  And upon that day shall the prince prepare for himself and for all the people of the land a bullock for a sin offering. 
Eze 45:23  And seven days of the feast he shall prepare a burnt offering to the LORD, seven bullocks and seven rams without blemish daily the seven days; and a kid of the goats daily for a sin offering.

The prince here is Christ and it is the Lord who prepared Himself to be our sin offering. The prince offering to the Lord over the seven day period of the feast seven bullocks, seven rams without blemish and a kid of the goat daily for a sin offering indicates that the Lord’s offering of Himself as a sin offering is complete in the sense that it cleanses us of the sins we commit on daily basis throughout the complete period of our walk with Him in this life.

Heb 9:25  Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;
Heb 9:26  For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
Heb 9:27  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
Heb 9:28  So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

Eze 45:24  And he shall prepare a meat offering of an ephah for a bullock, and an ephah for a ram, and an hin of oil for an ephah. 
Eze 45:25  In the seventh month, in the fifteenth day of the month, shall he do the like in the feast of the seven days, according to the sin offering, according to the burnt offering, and according to the meat offering, and according to the oil. 

An ephah is a dry measurement for volume and it is usually used for the measurement of flour, barley and roasted grain. A feast in the Bible is a time of eating and drinking as shown in the following verses:

Gen 19:3  And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.

Gen 26:30  And he made them a feast, and they did eat and drink.

It is insightful to note that the study is based on the return of the Israelites from their captivity. Our walk with Christ in this life after our deliverance from Babylonian captivity is described as a feast of seven days where we feed on the truth of the word of the Lord.

The bullock or the ram represents Christ or His word. In verse 24 therefore, the Lord preparing a meat offering of an ephah for a bullock and that of a ram indicates the Lord feeding us with His words in this feast of the Lord. As we are aware, oil indicates the spirit. The hin of oil for an ephah as part of the meat offering is to let us know that the Lord is granting us the grace to understand the spiritual significance of His words. The fact that all the bullock, the ram and the oil are measured using an ephah means that the revelation of the Lord is a process. That is to say that our understanding of the truth of the word of the Lord is step by step. 

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

The seventh month in verse 25 symbolizes the complete period of our walk after leaving Babylon. As shown earlier, the number fifteen signifies being assured of the Lord’s deliverance from Babylon such that we shall not go back during this complete period of our walk with Him in this life. The recurrence of the sin offering, the burnt offering and the meat offering and that of the oil is to let us know that the provision of the Lord during this period of our lives here on earth will not fail, for His provisions are renewed every morning.

Lam 3:21  This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
Lam 3:22  It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 
Lam 3:23  They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. 
Lam 3:24  The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.

May His name be praised for His wonderful work of salvation towards us, His beloved. Amen!!

Ezekiel 36:1-21 – Prophecy to the Mountains of Israel

[Study Aired Nov 4, 2024]

INTRODUCTION

Today we are going to look at the prophecy to the mountains of Israel. To understand what the Lord is showing us here in this chapter, we need to know what the mountains of Israel signify. The reason for the mountains of Israel to be the target of Ezekiel’s prophesy was because almost all the mountains or high places of Israel had become places of idol worship. Worshipping idols in high places was how the Moabites worshipped, as shown in the following verses:

Isa 16:11  Wherefore my bowels shall sound like an harp for Moab, and mine inward parts for Kirharesh.
Isa 16:12  And it shall come to pass, when it is seen that Moab is weary on the high place, that he shall come to his sanctuary to pray; but he shall not prevail.

These mountains in Israel used to be the mountains of the Lord. However, over time, the Israelites were influenced by the Moabites’ form of worship of idols on these mountains.

Isa 11:9  They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

Isa 65:11  But ye are they that forsake the LORD, that forget my holy mountain, that prepare a table for that troop, and that furnish the drink offering unto that number.

Num 33:51  Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye are passed over Jordan into the land of Canaan;
Num 33:52  Then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their pictures, and destroy all their molten images, and quite pluck down all their high places:

Lev 26:30  And I will destroy your high places, and cut down your images, and cast your carcases upon the carcases of your idols, and my soul shall abhor you.

The mountains therefore used to be the New Jerusalem but these holy mountains had been defiled over time and therefore represent Babylon. When Christ first came to us, we were like the New Jerusalem, but we took the Lord’s words (gold and silver) and turned them into the wisdom and traditions of men when we were in Babylon.

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

The Lord speaking to the mountains and the hills is the Lord speaking to us, His elect, about the fact that we are to face judgement.

Mic 6:1  Hear ye now what the LORD saith; Arise, contend thou before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice.
Mic 6:2  Hear ye, O mountains, the LORD’S controversy, and ye strong foundations of the earth: for the LORD hath a controversy with his people, and he will plead with Israel.
Mic 6:3 O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against me.

The mountain therefore signifies the house of the Lord, which is the same as His temple, which we are. Thus, the judgement of the Lord regarding the mountains refers to our judgement since we are the temple of the Lord.

Isa 2:2  And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.
Isa 2:3  And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

Mic 4:1  But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it.
Mic 4:2  And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

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.

With this in mind, let’s look at the prophesy to the mountains of Israel to know what the spirit is teaching us today about how the Lord is dealing with us.

Prophesy to the Mountains of Israel

Eze 36:1  Also, thou son of man, prophesy unto the mountains of Israel, and say, Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the LORD: 
Eze 36:2  Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because the enemy hath said against you, Aha, even the ancient high places are ours in possession: 

Verse 1 saying that the mountains of Israel should hear the word of the Lord is another way of saying that the Lord’s people who are represented by the earth, should hear or pay attention to the word of the Lord.

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

Verse 2 shows us our situation in Babylon when we are overcome by the flesh that is empowered by the devil, our enemy. The ancient high places refer to our hearts and minds which serve as the temple of the Lord. When our flesh dominates us, then our temple is in the possession of our enemy, the devil. It is in this deplorable state that we find ourselves, that the Lord comes to speak to us to let us know His plans for us.

Jer 29:11  For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
Jer 29:12  Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.
Jer 29:13  And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
Jer 29:14  And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.

Eze 36:3  Therefore prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because they have made you desolate, and swallowed you up on every side, that ye might be a possession unto the residue of the heathen, and ye are taken up in the lips of talkers, and are an infamy of the people: 

A simpler rendition of this verse is as follows:

Eze 36:3  therefore prophesy, and say, Thus says the Lord GOD: Precisely because they made you desolate and crushed you from all sides, so that you became the possession of the rest of the nations, and you became the talk and evil gossip of the people, (ESV)

The enemy making us desolate and crushing us from all sides means that we are totally under the sway of our old man or flesh. Becoming the possession of the rest of the nations implies that we became just like the people of the world as we live by the standard of this world. In this sense, the people of this world blaspheme the name of the Lord because of us.

Rom 2:19  And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness,
Rom 2:20  An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law.
Rom 2:21  Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?
Rom 2:22  Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?
Rom 2:23  Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?
Rom 2:24  For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.

Eze 36:4  Therefore, ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD; Thus saith the Lord GOD to the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys, to the desolate wastes, and to the cities that are forsaken, which became a prey and derision to the residue of the heathen that are round about; 

In verse 4, we are again made aware that what the Lord is saying is directed towards His elect who are under the dominion of the enemy and as a result, they are not able to hear the word of the Lord. During our time in Babylon or the physical churches of this world, we were of our father the devil and therefore we could not understand the Lord’s words. It is this period of our lives that the Lord comes to us with the spirit of His mouth and His brightness to cause us to see and hear what He is saying to us as He judges us.

Joh 8:43  Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
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.
Joh 8:45  And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.

Again in verse 4, the Lord is showing us that the enemy, represented by the flesh, was in total control of our lives as He sits in our temple, signified by the mountains, hills and valleys, claiming himself to be God. He also polluted the truth we have received from the Lord with false doctrines (made our rivers desolate) and made the harlot woman to dominate us, that is, our cities forsaken. As a result, we became prey and were mocked by the people of the world.

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

Eze 36:5  Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Surely in the fire of my jealousy have I spoken against the residue of the heathen, and against all Idumea, which have appointed my land into their possession with the joy of all their heart, with despiteful minds, to cast it out for a prey. 

As we established in the previous chapter, Idumea is the same as Edom and it represents our flesh. The rest of the nations, and Edom taking over the land of the people of Israel with wholehearted joy and contempt with the view to make its pastureland a prey, is another way of saying that our old man or flesh had taken possession of our lives as he sits in the temple of God, exalting himself as God. We have therefore became a prey to the fowls of the air. This picture is what the Lord is showing us through the parable of the mustard seed and the leaven.

Mat 13:31  He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field.
Mat 13:32  It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”
Mat 13:33 He told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.” (ESV)

Eze 36:6  Prophesy therefore concerning the land of Israel, and say unto the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I have spoken in my jealousy and in my fury, because ye have borne the shame of the heathen: 
Eze 36:7 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; I have lifted up mine hand, Surely the heathen that are about you, they shall bear their shame. 

Verse 6 shows us how the Lord is jealous over us, His elect, as He speaks in His jealousy and fury, which signify the Lord coming to us with His judgement to destroy our old man or flesh. We are also given the reason why the Lord is judging us, that is, to deliver us from the shame of the heathen. This shame of the heathen refers to the sins we commit against the Lord. It involves turning His words into false doctrines of man’s wisdom and tradition.

Psa 4:2  O men, how long shall my honor be turned into shame? How long will you love vain words and seek after lies? Selah

Hos 4:7  The more they increased, the more they sinned against me; I will change their glory into shame.(ESV)

Hos 4:17  Ephraim is joined to idols; leave him alone.
Hos 4:18 When their drink is gone, they give themselves to whoring; their rulers dearly love shame. (ESV)

The Lord lifting up His hands in verse 7 is to assure us that He will deal with our temple which is represented by the mountains, hills and valleys, and also the false doctrines signified by rivers.

Eze 36:8  But ye, O mountains of Israel, ye shall shoot forth your branches, and yield your fruit to my people of Israel; for they are at hand to come. 

It is important to note that we, His elect, are the branches of a tree, while the Lord is the stem which feeds the branches and causes them to grow and bear fruit. When we abide in Him, then we are the branches that shoots forth and bear fruit.

Joh 15:4  Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
Joh 15:5  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
Joh 15:6  If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
Joh 15:7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

It is through the Lord’s judgement of our old man or flesh that we are able to abide in Him and shoot forth our branches and yield our fruit to the Lord’s people. The shooting forth of our branches implies that we have come to abide in Him through His judgement. Yielding fruit to the people of Israel means we become part of what every joint supplies. Our supply of the truth of the word of the Lord is what nourishes the body of Christ.

Eph 4:15  But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
Eph 4:16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

It is instructive to note that in verse 8, the Lord is assuring us that what He is saying regarding shooting forth our branches and yielding of our fruit, both are going to happen shortly in our live (for they are at hand to come). This is not different from the Revelation that John received about Christ when he was told that what he was being shown must shortly come to pass.

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:

The question is, when is the time that the Lord is going to carry out what He has said? The answer is given to us by the Lord, as follows:

Mat 24:15  When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand: )
Mat 24:16  Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:
Mat 24:17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take anything out of his house:

Seeing the abomination of desolation stand in the holy place is to show us that the Lord has started to accomplish that which He has said He will do. What is the abomination of desolation? It is when we come to see the beast within us sit in the temple of the Lord and claiming to be God. In other words, it is when we see that all our lives, we are under the dictates of our flesh. When we are blessed to see that all our lives we are under the dictates of our flesh, then it means that the Lord has started His work in us of becoming His branch and bearing fruit.

2Th 2:3  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
2Th 2:4  Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
2Th 2:5  Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
2Th 2:6  And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
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 Matthew 24:16, we are told that when we come to see the beast within us occupying the Lord’s place in our hearts and minds, we should flee from Judea to the mountains. Judea here represents Babylon and the mountains signify the assembly of the Lord’s elect. It is in the midst of the Lord’s elect that we are kept by what every joint supplies. Being at the house top in Matthew 24:17 is being unhindered by the shade of the house of Babylon, such that we begin to see clearly the Sun which represent our Lord Jesus Christ. That is why we are admonished not to go into the house of Babylon to take anything that will hinder what the Lord has begun to do in our lives.

Eze 36:9 For, behold, I am for you, and I will turn unto you, and ye shall be tilled and sown: 

It is heart-warming to note that the Lord is for us and will turn unto us so that we become tilled and sown. This means that the Lord will use all His available resources to bring us to an expected end. Being tilled implies being judged. It is through the Lord’s judgement that He sows His words in our hearts and minds.

Eze 36:10  And I will multiply men upon you, all the house of Israel, even all of it: and the cities shall be inhabited, and the wastes shall be builded: 

Here in verse 10, the Lord is assuring us that He will fill the house of Israel as well as the deserted cities with men. The house of Israel, or the cities to be inhabited here, on a positive note, signify the church of the firstborn or the assembly of His elect, which the Lord will bring us into.

Heb 12:22  But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
Heb 12:23  To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
Heb 12:24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
Heb 12:25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:

The wastes being rebuilt is another way of telling us that we were marred in the hand of the Lord (potter) and therefore He is making us again into another vessel fit for His purpose.

Jer 18:3  Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.
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.

Eze 36:11 And I will multiply upon you man and beast; and they shall increase and bring fruit: and I will settle you after your old estates, and will do better unto you than at your beginnings: and ye shall know that I am the LORD. 

The Lord is also declaring to us in verse 11 that He will multiply on us both man and beast so that we increase and become fruitful. The man here refers to our new man which will increase after the image of the Lord. The beast here literally refers to the increase in domestic animals in the cities that the Lord shall rebuild. What this means is that we shall increase in spiritual riches in Him, to become fruitful in the Lord’s vineyard. The Lord has also promised us to be settled after our old estates. The old estates of the people of Israel refers to the land of Canaan when they were in captivity in Babylon or Assyria. The Lord settling us after the old estates implies being liberated from bondage to the physical churches of this world or Babylon and being given to possess our bodies.

Psa 124:6  Blessed be the LORD, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth.
Psa 124:7  Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped.
Psa 124:8 Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.

Verse 11 also shows us the Lord’s promise to do more good to us than ever before. The Lord is showering all these blessings on us so that we shall come to know who He really is.

Eph 4:24  And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Col 3:10  And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

1Co 1:4  I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ;
1Co 1:5  That in everything ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge;
1Co 1:6  Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you:
1Co 1:7 So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:

Eze 36:12  Yea, I will cause men to walk upon you, even my people Israel; and they shall possess thee, and thou shalt be their inheritance, and thou shalt no more henceforth bereave them of men. 
Eze 36:13  Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because they say unto you, Thou land devourest up men, and hast bereaved thy nations; 
Eze 36:14  Therefore thou shalt devour men no more, neither bereave thy nations any more, saith the Lord GOD. 
Eze 36:15 Neither will I cause men to hear in thee the shame of the heathen any more, neither shalt thou bear the reproach of the people any more, neither shalt thou cause thy nations to fall any more, saith the Lord GOD. 

In verse 12, the Lord is telling us that He will cause us, His elect, to overcome our flesh such that our flesh becomes our heritage. That means that overcoming our flesh is what will guarantee our inheritance. The statement “Thou shall no more henceforth bereave them of men” shows us that our children shall no longer be possessed by our flesh. Our children here refers to the doctrines of Christ which shall not be contaminated by the false doctrines of man’s wisdom and tradition.

Verses 13 and 14 are telling us that the saying that our land devours up men as we continue to loss our children to the nations, will no longer be true. As we are aware, land signifies our bodies and therefore the land that devours up men refers to how we are destroyed when our old man or flesh controls us, as we end up being deceived by false doctrines. It is through the Lord’s judgement when He comes to us with the spirit of His mouth and His brightness, that our flesh shall no longer devour us as we come to appreciate the truth of the Lord’s words and therefore avoid false doctrines.

As indicated earlier, the shame of the heathen refers to sins committed against the Lord. Verse 15 is therefore assuring us that the Lord will deal with our flesh such that we do not continue to sin against the Lord. As a result, we shall not bear the reproach of the people nor stumble again.

Mal 4:2  But unto you that fear my name shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing in its wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.
Mal 4:3 And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I make, saith Jehovah of hosts.

The Lord’s Concern for His Holy Name

Eze 36:16  Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 
Eze 36:17  Son of man, when the house of Israel dwelt in their own land, they defiled it by their own way and by their doings: their way was before me as the uncleanness of a removed woman. 
Eze 36:18 Wherefore I poured my fury upon them for the blood that they had shed upon the land, and for their idols wherewith they had polluted it: 

During our time in the physical churches of this world or Babylon, when we were dominated by our flesh, we went astray from the Lord’s ways through the false doctrines that we imbibed. As a result, we put a stumbling block of iniquity before us when we harbored idols in our hearts which prevented us from knowing the truth. We therefore ended up hating the Lord’s elect who came to us to bring us the good tidings of His salvation.

1Jn 3:15  Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

Eze 14:3  Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them?
Eze 14:4 Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the LORD will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols;

In His mercy, the Lord came to judge us so that we can learn righteousness.

Eze 36:19  And I scattered them among the heathen, and they were dispersed through the countries: according to their way and according to their doings I judged them. 
Eze 36:20  And when they entered unto the heathen, whither they went, they profaned my holy name, when they said to them, These are the people of the LORD, and are gone forth out of his land. 
Eze 36:21 But I had pity for mine holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen, whither they went. 

Being scattered among the heathen and dispersed through the countries implies conforming ourselves to the standards of this world such that we were not different from the people of this world. We therefore became worse off as we dishonored the name of the Lord. Going forth out of our land in verse 20 means we lost complete control of our bodies as our flesh sits in our temple, claiming to be God.

2Th 2:3  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
2Th 2:4  Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
2Th 2:5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?

Verses 19 and 20 therefore, show us what it means to be marred in the hands of our Lord Jesus Christ. However, in the acceptable year of the Lord, He had pity on us and came to us with His judgement to cause us to learn righteousness so that we do not continue to drag His Holy name through the mud. Verse 21 therefore shows us the mercy of the Lord as He makes us again into another vessel as it seems good to the potter (our Lord Jesus Christ).

Jer 18:1  The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,
Jer 18:2  Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.
Jer 18:3  Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.
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.

Looking back, we cannot help, but offer ourselves to our Lord as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to Him as He delivers us from the miry clay and sets our feet upon the rock. May His name be praised. Amen!!

Exiles in the Bible: Born into Exile

[Study Aired October 17, 2024]

6: Characters in the bible who typify the spiritual zeal and Godly strength needed from Him to endure through the exile and come out of it, typifying how God’s elect will go onto perfection through Christ.

Chapter eleven of Hebrews gives us a very bright snapshot of what typifies the faith of Christ that is given to His people in order to break free from the sin of self righteousness, taking us out of exile. We must be given power to miraculously put off our flesh, and so boasting is excluded by the law of faith (Rom 3:27), as the Lord works in us both to will and to do of God’s good pleasure, which is to give us the kingdom (Luk 12:32), becoming persuaded (Heb 11:13) that we have been apprehended by Christ (Php 3:12-14) and are bound to the altar (Psa 118:27) by God’s grace and the faith of Christ (Eph 2:8), and that nothing can separate us from the love of God toward us (Rom 8:35-39).

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

Php 3:12  Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
Php 3:13  Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
Php 3:14  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

The first verse in Hebrews eleven sets the stage for all the typical events of overcoming (1Pe 1:12, 1Co 10:11) that are going to be discussed, and what we are told is this:

Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

It is not seen but it is hoped for, and this statement typifies for us the hope of glory within us, the spirit of God that bears witness that we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us (Col 1:27, Rom 8:16 , Col 3:3 , Gal 4:9).

Col 1:27  To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

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

Col 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.[“the hope of glory within us”]

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

These stories in Hebrews chapter eleven are typical of the life of Christ within the few called and chosen (Mat 22:14) in this age, whose lives are greater than John the Baptist’s life simply because it is Christ’s life in us now that makes our lives of great value to our Father (Mat 11:11 , Mat 10:29-31):

Mat 11:11  Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

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

Mat 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Mat 10:29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father [“two” being a witness that Christ’s sparrows cannot be destroyed spiritually, our life and death are in His hands, our soul and our body (Rom 14:8)].
Mat 10:30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
Mat 10:31 Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows (Mat 22:14).

As we reflect on some of the verses in this eleventh chapter, let’s consider how the faith given in each different situation typifies for God’s elect today how we can become more than conquerors through him who loved us, as we come out of spiritual exile through the faith of Christ (Rom 8:37, Eph 2:8).

Heb 11:2  For by it the elders obtained a good report.

The elders, by God’s grace in this age, will obtain a good report that can only be accomplished through Christ, and that report is described for us in these verses (1Ti 3:2-9):

1Ti 3:2  A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
1Ti 3:3  Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
1Ti 3:4  One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
1Ti 3:5  (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
1Ti 3:6  Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
1Ti 3:7  Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
1Ti 3:8  Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;
1Ti 3:9  Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.(1Jn 2:1, 1Jn 4:4)

1Jn 3:21  Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.
1Jn 3:22  And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
1Jn 3:23  And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
1Jn 3:24  And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.(Col 1:27, Rom 8:29, Rom 8:16, 1Jn 4:5-7).

Heb 11:3  Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

What does the typical language of this third verse mean for God’s elect today? The ‘worlds that are framed by the word of God’ is not only the physical world and universe being discussed, but infinitely more importantly, they represent the “things which are seen [that] were not made of things which do appear“, and were created so that we can compare spiritual with spiritual using the physical worlds that God framed for our sakes (1Co 2:13).

All the exiles typify for us physical events that tell us something spiritual (Rom 1:20). If Christ is in our ‘world’ within (Col 1:27), then that spirit is there for the express purpose of building the temple or house of God that we are “things which are seen [that] were not made of things which do appear” (Psa 127:1 , Heb 11:27). This phrase is a physical representation of what God is doing spiritually within the bride via Christ: “the worlds were framed by the word of God”.

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

Rom 1:20  For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

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

Heb 11:27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

Heb 11:4  By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.

Had Abel not been given this gift of faith, he would not have been able, in type and shadow, to present his life a living sacrifice to God. Having the gift of faith to offer a more excellent sacrifice reminds us that our lives are only acceptable unto God through the faith of Christ that gives us the ability to reflect his righteousness that testifies of his workmanship in us. With the faith of Christ within us we learn that our lives are predestined to bring forth fruit (Joh 15:16, Eph 1:4), and the words “he [Abel] being dead yet speaketh” typifies for us today, as God’s children, that we are dead to sin yet alive in Christ (Rom 6:11), who speaks through each joint that supplies in love (Eph 4:16). This power that God gives his children is what gives us victory to come out of the exile that we all must first go into.

Joh 15:16  Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

Eph 1:4  According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

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

Eph 4:16  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

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

When our ways please God we will not see death, which is what the wages of sin brings to us. We are “not found” because we are ‘translated’ by God, telling us that we are hidden in Christ (Col 3:3) and the world cannot perceive the work that God is doing in His people who He is giving power to come out of her my people, come out of spiritual exile. We overcome by being baptized into Christ’s death (Rom 6:3) which is the only way that we can please God as we are accepted through Christ only. We cannot be “translated”, or moved by the power of God’s spirit from a place of exile without the “testimony” where we are glorifying God in all our thoughts and actions. We ‘please God’ therefore, because of the pleasing work that He is doing in us through Christ (Php 2:12-13).

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

With the faith of Christ, we can believe that God is ever present and a rewarder of those who diligently seek him. Conversely, without that faith, we cannot see or hear spiritually the words of God or have the desire to continue in the truth that will set us free (Joh 8:31-32) from the bondage and exile that sin wants to constantly keep us captive to (Gen 4:7).

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.

Gen 4:7  If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

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

This verse tells us so much regarding the attitude that God’s elect are to have today in order to escape the exile, the bondage to sin that the whole world lies in today, being deceived of the devil (1Jn 5:19, 2Co 4:4).

1Jn 5:19  And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.

2Co 4:4  In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

It is with the faith of Christ that we can heed the admonitions of God today and, “being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear” as God works in us (Heb 11:1). What this tells us is that we are being saved by hope, the hope of glory within, “things not seen as yet” (Col 1:27), enduring in seeing him who is invisible (Heb 11:27) as we’re given the power to move with fear and trembling (Php 2:12-13) ‘to the preparing of the ark’, which ‘ark’ is a symbol of the church, which is the body of Christ, the bride of Christ who are promised will be made ready (Rev 19:7).

Col 1:27  To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

Heb 11:27  By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

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

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

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

Here are more great verses that demonstrate how we are to come out of exile in order to receive our inheritance (Heb 11:8), and it is the typical faith of Abraham that represents the key to our overcoming in this life which happens by the faith of Christ whose faith (Eph 2:8, Rom 3:27) alone can give us the power to quench all the fiery darts of the adversary (Eph 6:16) making it possible for us to be led of the spirit of God (Rom 8:14) and “go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance“. That place is “Jerusalem above” that we go to (Eph 2:6, Gal 4:26), a ‘country’ we continue to seek and strive to enter into, through obedience (Heb 11:14), and if we are granted to continue to die daily, we ultimately will be led to the fullness of that inheritance, which will be found in the first resurrection (Act 5:32, Rev 20:6).

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

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

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

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.

We are going out into this new country with the attitude that it is entirely up to God whether we will prosper, and so the comment regarding Abraham’s “not knowing whither he went“, reminds us that we don’t know what is on the morrow (Jas 4:13-15, Php 2:12-13) yet we are told that through the faith of Christ we can have absolute confidence in what God has promised us as the generation who has no confidence in the flesh (Php 3:3 , Heb 10:35).

Jas 4:13  Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:
Jas 4:14  Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
Jas 4:15  For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.

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

Php 3:3  For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

Heb 10:35 Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.

The promise land that ‘Abraham sojourned in by faith’ represents how we sojourn in this life in bodies that are likened unto tabernacles (temporal dwelling places), and ‘being heirs of the same promise as Isaac and Jacob’ remind us that in order to inherit the fullness of this inheritance, it will be accomplished through judgement, represented by the number ‘three’ or the three men Abraham, Isaac and Jacob who are typical heirs of the same promise.

The city we are seeking as the body of Christ is one that we know is being built by God (Heb 10:11, Psa 127:1), and so we know our labours are not in vain and that God will reward those who lose their life in pursuit of this new life (Mat 16:25), this new city, that will have a sure foundation that is built upon the rock, Jesus Christ (Mat 16:18).

Heb 11:10  For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

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

Mat 16:25  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

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

Heb 11:11  Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.

Being a child in a womb is a form of exile until we are delivered (Rev 12:5, Luk 2:6-7), and Sara, who represents the church, was given supernatural strength “to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age“, typifying for God’s elect how God does this miraculous work of deliverance within those who are the weak of the world who make up the church, whose hope is in Christ. Because of the faith of Christ we are able to judge “him faithful who had promised“, being convinced by God’s grace and faith (Eph 2:8) that He who has begun a good work in us will finish it through Christ (Php 1:6, 1Jn 3:3). It takes the faith of Christ and the strength of Christ within us to be Sara to one another, joints that edify and supply in love what we each need in order to grow unto maturation. Christ is performing this work of faith through each of us and for one another, is what this powerful section of scripture is reminding us.

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.

Luk 2:6  And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
Luk 2:7  And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

Php 1:6 having this same confidence, that He Who undertakes a good work among you, will be performing it until the day of Jesus Christ:” (CLV)

1Jn 3:3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifies himself, even as he is pure.

Heb 11:12 Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.

This verse talks about the inheritance of the saints, and we are Christ’s inheritance and Christ is our inheritance, but the world also is our inheritance “as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable” (Gal 4:26-28).

Gal 4:26 Yet the Jerusalem above is free, who is mother of us all.”
Gal 4:27 For it is written, “Be glad, barren one, who art not bringing forth! Burst forth and implore, thou who art not travailing! For many are the children of the desolate, Rather than of her who has the husband.”
Gal 4:28 Now you, brethren, as Isaac, are children of promise.” (CLV)

An ‘exile’ can be likened unto the birthing process (being delivered) and ‘God has called his son out of Egypt’ applies to both Christ and his Christ as these verses demonstrate, showing us that salvation is a process that comes about through a growth process that is accompanied with much tribulation, just like the maturation process of a child in a mothers womb (Hos 11:1, Mat 2:13-15, Act 14:22). There are other examples of typical exiles in the book of Hebrews, but I’ll stop at verse twelve.

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

Mat 2:13  And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.
Mat 2:14  When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:
Mat 2:15  And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.

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

Next week, Lord willing, we will continue with what will be our last section of this mini study on “Exiles in the Bible”.  The focus will be on Christ’s own examples of preaching to the captives, and what that means for God’s elect today as we continue in the truth, the exceedingly great and precious promises (2Pet 1:4) that we learn from our Lord through the church (Eph 3:10) that we pray that we will be granted to continue in, setting us free from these bodies of death (Joh 8:31-32 , Rom 7:24-25).

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,

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.

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.

Rev 7:4-8 – Part 2-A, Who are the 144,000?

[Study Aired June 14, 2024]

Rev 7:4  And I heard the number of them which were sealed: [and there were] sealed an hundred [and] forty [and] four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.
Rev 7:5  Of the tribe of Juda [were] sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben [were] sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad [were] sealed twelve thousand.
Rev 7:6  Of the tribe of Aser [were] sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nepthalim [were] sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses [were] sealed twelve thousand.
Rev 7:7  Of the tribe of Simeon [ were] sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi [were] sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar [were] sealed twelve thousand.
Rev 7:8  Of the tribe of Zabulon [were] sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph [were] sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin [were] sealed twelve thousand.

Introduction

We have seen that the ‘144,000 virgins who are not defiled with women’ is a spiritual statement about a spiritual group who can be and are numbered. We saw what is and what is not a Jew, and we learned that a Jew is only a Jew if he “is one inwardly.” We saw that being a Benjamite of the stock of Israel is true only in a spiritual sense, and that being a physical Benjamite of the physical stock of Israel is to be counted as nothing more than dung. We have seen that it is only those who are in Christ who are now the children of promise and are counted for the seed of Abraham. We saw that those who can be counted are the same as the 144,000 who, in Christ, are counted for the seed of Abraham. We saw that Gentiles and Jews are now both part of the commonwealth of Israel, in Christ. We saw that Paul called the Corinthians, the Galatians and the Ephesians part of the commonwealth of Israel, in Christ. We saw that the “much in every way… advantage” held by being a circumcised Jew is only an advantage when one is a Jew inwardly and is circumcised of the heart, in the spirit. We saw that when Christ declared that “the flesh profits nothing”, He was teaching Paul and us that being an Israelite is no longer a physical matter but is now a matter of the heart in the spirit.

We saw that all of Christ’s words were in parables for the purpose of taking away from those with an understanding according to man’s wisdom, even what they had with that outward understanding. We have seen that the words of this book of the revelation of Jesus Christ are words which have been spoken by Christ, and because of that they are spiritual words which man’s wisdom cannot discern or receive. We have seen that according to Christ, “If we have seen Christ, then we have seen the Father.” We have seen that the 144,000 of each of the twelve tribes are just as spiritual as are the spiritual tribes of Judah and Benjamin, which we have been told must be in Christ if they are to be counted as the 144,000 seed of Abraham.

Finally, we saw the verses of scripture which revealed that the ‘virgins which follow the Lamb… being firstfruits’ (Rev 14:4) is a direct reference to those of both Jew and Gentiles who are said to be “a chaste virgin, espoused to Christ” (2Co 11:2,) who are “followers of Christ” and who are said to be “the firstfruits of the spirit” (Rom 8:23), and “a kind of firstfruits” (Jas 1:18).

So now, let us get this all straight:

1) The promises are made only to “one seed”, and that “one seed… is Christ”.

Gal 3:16  Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.

2) If we are “in Christ”, either Jews or Gentiles, only then are we “counted for the seed.”

Rom 9:8  That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

3) “WE are the circumcision…” There is no other ‘circumcision.

Php 3:3  For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

4) “WE… are the children of promise.” There are no other “children of promise.”

Gal 4:28  Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.

5) “WE are not the children of the bondwoman, but of the free.”

Gal 4:31  So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.

6) “[WE] are… the children of God…”

Gal 3:26  For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

7) We are “the Israel of God”.

Gal 6:15  For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.
Gal 6:16  And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God. (KJV)

Gal 6:15  Certainly, it doesn’t matter whether a person is circumcised or not. Rather, what matters is being a new creation.
Gal 6:16  Peace and mercy will come to rest on all those who conform to this principle. They are the Israel of God. (GWV)

The one thing that should be clear to ‘him that hath wisdom’ is that the 144,000 are “the firstfruits unto God”, and the ‘firstfruits’ are “of all the tribes of the children of Israel.”  “In Christ Jesus neither circumcision [being physically circumcised or physically descended from Abraham] availeth anything, nor uncircumcision [those who are not physically descended from Abraham] but a new creature” [is all that counts], and “as many as walk according to this rule [that both are one, and a “new creature” is all that matters in Christ] peace be on them and on THE ISRAEL OF GOD.” Obviously the ‘Israel of God’ has nothing to do with physical descent or physical ‘outward’ circumcision. Those counted for the seed of Abraham and counted as the symbolic 144,000 are those who are “in Christ”, the “one seed” of Galatians 3:16.

Here is Galatians 6:15-16 in the MSG Version:

Gal 6:15  Can’t you see the central issue in all this? It is not what you and I do – submit to circumcision, reject circumcision. It is what God is doing, and he is creating something totally new, a free life!
Gal 6:16  All who walk by this standard are the true Israel of God – his chosen people. Peace and mercy on them!

Because it will always be the focus of the natural man, and because you and I will be persecuted for standing for this Truth, we will now consider what is the “promise made to Abraham” to which we are now heirs, and we will ask what are…

‘All the promises [which are] of God [are only] in Christ?”

2Co 1:20  For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.

Remember, the only way to be an heir of the promise made to Abraham is to “be Christ’s.”

Gal 3:29  And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Do “all the promises of God” mentioned by Paul to Gentile Corinthians, mean only the promises of God made to the Gentiles? If we believe what we have just been told, then the truth is that ‘in Christ we are Abraham’s ONE seed.’

Gal 3:16  Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.

If that is true, then how could there possibly be any ‘promises of God’ made to Gentiles? No, there are NO PROMISES made to “the bondwoman and her son.”

Gal 4:30  Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.

If you have any doubt about what promises Paul has in mind when he says ‘all the promises of God’, notice what he says on this same subject in this same book:

2Co 7:1  Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Which promises are “these promises?” They are the three promises Paul had just quoted in the previous chapter.

To whomsoever these promises are made, it will once again reveal to us who Paul and the holy spirit consider to be “the Israel of God” to whom “all the promises of God in Him are yea, and in Him Amen.” Notice what these promises are and to whom they are made. Were they made to Israel, or were they made to these Corinthian Gentiles to whom Paul is writing? Let us see what the scriptures reveal. Here are the promises to which 2Corinthians 7:1 refer:

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.

“I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” To whom was this promise made???

Lev 25:1  And the LORD spake unto Moses in mount Sinai, saying,
Lev 25:2  Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land which I give you, then shall the land keep a sabbath unto the LORD.

Lev 26:11  And I will set my tabernacle among you: and my soul shall not abhor you.
Lev 26:12  And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people.
Lev 26:13  I am the LORD your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, that ye should not be their bondmen; and I have broken the bands of your yoke, and made you go upright.

“And the Lord spake unto Moses in mount Sinai, saying, speak unto the children of Israel and say unto them… And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people.” This promise is made only to Israel! Yet Paul says we are “the Israel of God”, and he applies this promise to the Gentile Corinthians who were ‘in Christ.’

2Co 6:17  Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

To whom is this promise made?

Isa 52:9  Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the LORD hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.

Isa 52:11  Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD.
Isa 52:12  For ye shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight: for the LORD will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your rereward.

“Depart ye… go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord… The Lord hath comforted His people, He hath redeemed Jerusalem … the God of Israel will be your rereward.” This promise is made only to “His people” Jerusalem and Israel. Yet Paul says that physical “Jerusalem that now is… is in bondage” and “Jerusalem which is above… is the mother of us all“, and he goes on to apply this promise also to the Gentile Corinthians.

Gal 4:25  For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
Gal 4:26  But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

2Co 6:18  And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

Once again, let us ask, “To whom is this third promise made?”

Jer 31:1  At the same time, saith the LORD, will I be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people.

Jer 31:9  They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.

Let me summarize these two verses like this: “I… will… be the God of all the FAMILIES OF ISRAEL, and THEY shall be my people… for I am a Father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.” Once again, this promise is made only to the families of Israel.’ Once again, Paul applies it to the Gentile converts.

Yes, if ever there was a “replacement theologian,” the apostle Paul was that theologian.

Does this mean we will inherit the land?

Yes, indeed it does, if one understands what “the land” is. While the whole orthodox Christian world understands Egypt to symbolize the world and all the things of this world; while the whole orthodox Christian world sees the coming out of Egypt as coming out of the world and beginning to serve God; while the whole world understands that the giants in the land symbolize the inward more spiritual struggles we face even after coming out of Egypt, that seems to be the limit of spiritual understanding for most orthodox Christians. Even those who do see beyond that point seem to find it impossible to accept and apply the scriptural truth that “He is NOT a Jew which is one outwardly.” The truth of scripture is that “the land” is our bodies which we are commanded to present to Christ as “a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God…” Physical land, like being a physical Jew, is no more than dung in the eyes of God.

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

Rom 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.

Php 3:8  Yea doubtless, and I count all things [of the flesh] 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,

Understanding what is “the land” makes these statements much more meaningful:

Deu 24:4  Her former husband, which sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after that she is defiled; for that [is] abomination before the LORD: and thou shalt not cause the land to sin, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for] an inheritance.

Jer 3:9  And it came to pass through the lightness of her whoredom, that she defiled the land, and committed adultery with stones and with stocks.

Why are the tribes of Ephraim and Dan not mentioned?

There are two revealing facts in this 31st chapter of Jeremiah:

1) This is the chapter in which it is revealed that God has divorced Israel “according to the flesh,”

Jer 31:31  Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
Jer 31:32  Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day [that] I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:
Jer 31:33  But this [shall be] the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

2) Here in Jeremiah 31 we are told “Ephraim is my firstborn.”

Jer 31:9  They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.

Yet in Revelation 7:1-8 in the enumeration of the symbolic twelve tribes, neither Ephraim nor Dan are mentioned. Ephraim was the name given to the entire northern nation, also known as Israel, after Solomon’s death. So in reality, only eleven of the twelve tribes are mentioned in Revelation 7. Dan is left out, and his name is replaced by “the tribe of Joseph.” Joseph, of course, was actually the father of both Ephraim and Manasseh. Yet Ephraim, the single largest tribe in Israel is not even mentioned. These facts simply point to the symbolism with which we are told up front, in the first verse of the first chapter, when we read this book is “SIGNified.”

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:

While there are no doubt other reasons why the tribes of Ephraim and Dan are not mentioned, one purpose the omission of the names of these two tribes serves is to demonstrate that “144,000 of all the tribes of Israel” is not to be taken physically, but it is to be understood spiritually as all who are in Christ, chosen from “before the world began” to be His elect.

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

Tit 1:2  In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

These omissions demonstrate that this book is a book of “signified” symbols which the natural man will never understand in this age.

Now let’s look at the other Biblical listings of “all the tribes of Israel” and see what “the sum of God’s Word” on this subject can teach us “comparing spiritual things with spiritual.” The first place we see all twelve tribes listed where all twelve are first mentioned in the order of their birth is Genesis 29-30 and Benjamin in chapter 35. The order of their birth is:
Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, Benjamin.

In Genesis 49, Jacob blesses all of his sons just prior to his death, and the order is different:
Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Zebulun, Issachar, Dan, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, Joseph, Benjamin.

In Numbers 13 Moses sends one man from each tribe to spy out the land:

Num 13:1  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Num 13:2  Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them.
Num 13:3  And Moses by the commandment of the LORD sent them from the wilderness of Paran: all those men [were] heads of the children of Israel.
Num 13:4  And these [were] their names: of the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur.
Num 13:5  Of the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori.
Num 13:6  Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh.
Num 13:7  Of the tribe of Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph.
Num 13:8  Of the tribe of Ephraim, Oshea the son of Nun.
Num 13:9  Of the tribe of Benjamin, Palti the son of Raphu.
Num 13:10  Of the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel the son of Sodi.
Num 13:11  Of the tribe of Joseph, [namely], of the tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi the son of Susi.
Num 13:12  Of the tribe of Dan, Ammiel the son of Gemalli.
Num 13:13  Of the tribe of Asher, Sethur the son of Michael.
Num 13:14  Of the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi the son of Vophsi.
Num 13:15  Of the tribe of Gad, Geuel the son of Machi.
Num 13:16  These [are] the names of the men which Moses sent to spy out the land. And Moses called Oshea the son of Nun Jehoshua.

Here is the order of this list:
Reuben, Simeon, Judah, Issachar, Ephraim, Benjamin, Zebulun, Joseph of Manasseh, Dan, Asher, Naphtali, and Gad. Levi is not included in this list.

There is yet another order in the blessing of Moses on the twelve tribes in Deuteronomy 33. In this list Simeon is omitted, just as Dan is omitted in Revelation 7, but the names of Joseph and his two sons are all mentioned. If we take Joseph’s sons as the two tribes of Joseph, we again have twelve tribes. This is their order in this list:
Reuben, Judah, Levi, Benjamin, Joseph, Ephraim, Manasseh, Zebulun, Issachar, Gad, Dan, Naphtali, Asher.

In the division of Canaan in Joshua 13–19, Levi is omitted, because Levi had no inheritance in the land.

Jos 13:14  Only unto the tribe of Levi he gave none inheritance; the sacrifices of the LORD God of Israel made by fire are their inheritance, as he said unto them.

Jos 13:33  But unto the tribe of Levi Moses gave not any inheritance: the LORD God of Israel was their inheritance, as he said unto them.

In 1Chronicles 4-8 both Zebulun and Dan are omitted, and Manasseh is mentioned twice. Here is the order of that list:
Judah, Simeon, Ruben, Gad, Manasseh, Levi, Issachar, Naphtali, Manasseh, Ephraim, Asher, Benjamin.

In Ezekiel 48, there are two more lists of the twelve tribes. These two lists differ from each other, and they also differ from all the previous lists. In Ezekiel 48:31-34, Levi is reckoned as one of the twelve tribes, and Joseph is reckoned as only one. In Ezekiel 48:1-28, the subject is the division of the land, and Levi, who had no heritage in land, is included anyway, while Ephraim and Manasseh are counted as two different tribes.

Eze 48:1  Now these [are] the names of the tribes. From the north end to the coast of the way of Hethlon, as one goeth to Hamath, Hazarenan, the border of Damascus northward, to the coast of Hamath; for these are his sides east [and] west; a [portion for] Dan.
Eze 48:2  And by the border of Dan, from the east side unto the west side, a [portion for] Asher.
Eze 48:3  And by the border of Asher, from the east side even unto the west side, a [portion for] Naphtali.
Eze 48:4  And by the border of Naphtali, from the east side unto the west side, a [portion for] Manasseh.
Eze 48:5  And by the border of Manasseh, from the east side unto the west side, a [portion for] Ephraim.
Eze 48:6  And by the border of Ephraim, from the east side even unto the west side, a [portion for] Reuben.
Eze 48:7  And by the border of Reuben, from the east side unto the west side, a [portion for] Judah.
Eze 48:8  And by the border of Judah, from the east side unto the west side, shall be the offering which ye shall offer of five and twenty thousand [reeds in] breadth, and [in] length as one of the [other] parts, from the east side unto the west side: and the sanctuary shall be in the midst of it.
Eze 48:9  The oblation that ye shall offer unto the LORD [shall be] of five and twenty thousand in length, and of ten thousand in breadth.
Eze 48:10  And for them, [even] for the priests, shall be [this] holy oblation; toward the north five and twenty thousand [in length], and toward the west ten thousand in breadth, and toward the east ten thousand in breadth, and toward the south five and twenty thousand in length: and the sanctuary of the LORD shall be in the midst thereof.
Eze 48:11  [It shall be] for the priests that are sanctified of the sons of Zadok; which have kept my charge, which went not astray when the children of Israel went astray, as the Levites went astray.
Eze 48:12  And [this] oblation of the land that is offered shall be unto them a thing most holy by the border of the Levites.
Eze 48:13  And over against the border of the priests the Levites [shall have] five and twenty thousand in length, and ten thousand in breadth: all the length [shall be] five and twenty thousand, and the breadth ten thousand.
Eze 48:14  And they shall not sell of it, neither exchange, nor alienate the firstfruits of the land: for [it is] holy unto the LORD.
Eze 48:15  And the five thousand, that are left in the breadth over against the five and twenty thousand, shall be a profane [place] for the city, for dwelling, and for suburbs: and the city shall be in the midst thereof.
Eze 48:16  And these [shall be] the measures thereof; the north side four thousand and five hundred, and the south side four thousand and five hundred, and on the east side four thousand and five hundred, and the west side four thousand and five hundred.
Eze 48:17  And the suburbs of the city shall be toward the north two hundred and fifty, and toward the south two hundred and fifty, and toward the east two hundred and fifty, and toward the west two hundred and fifty.
Eze 48:18  And the residue in length over against the oblation of the holy [portion shall be] ten thousand eastward, and ten thousand westward: and it shall be over against the oblation of the holy [portion]; and the increase thereof shall be for food unto them that serve the city.
Eze 48:19  And they that serve the city shall serve it out of all the tribes of Israel.
Eze 48:20  All the oblation [shall be] five and twenty thousand by five and twenty thousand: ye shall offer the holy oblation foursquare, with the possession of the city.
Eze 48:21  And the residue [shall be] for the prince, on the one side and on the other of the holy oblation, and of the possession of the city, over against the five and twenty thousand of the oblation toward the east border, and westward over against the five and twenty thousand toward the west border, over against the portions for the prince: and it shall be the holy oblation; and the sanctuary of the house [shall be] in the midst thereof.
Eze 48:22  Moreover from the possession of the Levites, and from the possession of the city, [being] in the midst [of that] which is the prince’s, between the border of Judah and the border of Benjamin, shall be for the prince.
Eze 48:23  As for the rest of the tribes, from the east side unto the west side, Benjamin [shall have] a [portion].
Eze 48:24  And by the border of Benjamin, from the east side unto the west side, Simeon [shall have] a [portion].
Eze 48:25  And by the border of Simeon, from the east side unto the west side, Issachar a [portion].
Eze 48:26  And by the border of Issachar, from the east side unto the west side, Zebulun a [portion].
Eze 48:27  And by the border of Zebulun, from the east side unto the west side, Gad a [portion].
Eze 48:28  And by the border of Gad, at the south side southward, the border shall be even from Tamar [unto] the waters of strife [in] Kadesh, [and] to the river toward the great sea.
Eze 48:29  This [is] the land which ye shall divide by lot unto the tribes of Israel for inheritance, and these [are] their portions, saith the Lord GOD.

Levi had a sanctuary “in the midst of… Judah,” but was not part of the inheritance in the land, and so is omitted. The order here is:
Dan, Asher, Naphtali, Manasseh. Ephraim, Reuben, Judah, Benjamin, Simeon, Issachar, Zebulon, Gad.

The next list of the twelve tribes in this same 48^th chapter of Ezekiel concerns the names of the twelve tribes on the twelve gates of the New Jerusalem. Once again the names differ from the list immediately preceding which concerned the division of the land:

Eze 48:30  And these are the goings out of the city on the north side, four thousand and five hundred measures.
Eze 48:31  And the gates of the city shall be after the names of the tribes of Israel: three gates northward; one gate of Reuben, one gate of Judah, one gate of Levi.
Eze 48:32  And at the east side four thousand and five hundred: and three gates; and one gate of Joseph, one gate of Benjamin, one gate of Dan.
Eze 48:33  And at the south side four thousand and five hundred measures: and three gates; one gate of Simeon, one gate of Issachar, one gate of Zebulun.
Eze 48:34  At the west side four thousand and five hundred, with their three gates; one gate of Gad, one gate of Asher, one gate of Naphtali.
Eze 48:35  It was round about eighteen thousand measures: and the name of the city from that day shall be, The LORD is there.

The fact that there are so many lists of the twelve tribes of Israel which differ from each other demonstrates that the names are not the point as much as the meaning of the number twelve which denotes the foundation of the kingdom of God, and Christ and His Christ are that foundation.

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

Rev 7:4-8 – Part 1B, Who are the 144,000

[Study Aired June 9, 2024]

The multitudes who are “not given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God’ are even now being deprived of gleaning any spiritual knowledge from outward words, outward physical healing and outward physical miracles. Even Christ’s miracles, like turning water into wine and feeding the multitudes, or even the physical raising from the dead which Christ performed on more than one occasion, are nothing more than a history lesson to those from whom is taken even what little spiritual understanding they once had. Such “carnal… babes” (1Co 3:1-4) can’t even discern that “he is not a Jew which is one outwardly, but he is a Jew which is one inwardly.” We have all first lived for many years in our outward natural state without the benefit of spiritual eyes and spiritual ears, and for most of “the multitudes” who come to Christ, that outward understanding is the way this entire life will be lived. “I will bless them that bless you, and I will curse them that curse you” will always apply to outward Jews and outward circumcision.

Gen 12:1  Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
Gen 12:2  And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
Gen 12:3  And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

Christ and Paul were both so called ‘replacement theologians’ who both taught that ‘neither at Jerusalem nor at Samaria would anyone worship God because God is seeking those who worship Him in spirit and in Truth’:

Joh 4:21  Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
Joh 4:22  Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
Joh 4:23  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

Paul taught the same so-called ‘replacement theology’ with these words:

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.

Failure to understand and believe these words of Christ is why we see such humbling displays of spiritual blindness in theatrical religious productions such as the popular “Left Behind” series in which dramatic physical devastations and physical plagues upon the planet, and even physical fire coming out of the mouths of the two physical witnesses of Revelation 11, were portrayed. Truly “Even that [understanding] he hath shall be taken away from him.”

Luk 19:26  For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not [much spiritual understanding], even [what little] that he hath shall be taken away from him.
Luk 19:27  But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.

Luke 19:26  is just another way of saying “the flesh profits nothing.” Understanding God’s Words physically, profits nothing. That is the doctrine of Christ concerning how few are given spiritual understanding of the “mysteries of the kingdom of heaven.” That is how few will ever really understand who these 144,000 firstfruit virgins are who follow Christ wherever He goes.

Whose are the Words of this Book?

Who happens to be the person who is “opening His mouth in parables” to give us this revelation of Jesus Christ? There is no need to speculate. This is:

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:

There it is. This revelation is “the revelation of Jesus Christ… signified by His angel unto His servant John.” That being so; Christ being the author of this book, then this book, too, must be a book of signs and symbols, because:

Mat 13:34  All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:

We will not at this point explain all the symbolism involved in the revelation of Jesus Christ, but here is a rather extreme example of how this book is written, and how it must be understood. That includes these “144,000 of all the tribes of Israel.” Just look at the symbolism of these verses in chapter 17.

Rev 17:7  And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.
Rev 17:8  The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
Rev 17:9  And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.
Rev 17:10  And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.

“The mind that has wisdom” is being told how to see and understand this mystery, this secret… “I will tell you the mystery…” To “the mind that has wisdom” these verses are perfectly clear. “The mind that has wisdom” understands clearly what all the symbols are which are involved when it reads that “the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits… and there are seven kings.”  Here we have a parable within a parable, and the mind that has wisdom can see clearly what is being said because “the time has come” that Christ is no longer speaking in a parable to those who are now “being shown plainly of the Father” the spiritual significance of each of these symbols. He is now “speaking to us [all] plainly,” if we have been granted “eyes that see and ears that hear… the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven.”

Joh 16:25  These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father. [“I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns” (Rev 17:7)].

When would “the time come” for Christ to show His disciples “plainly of the Father?” Was that to happen only after the resurrection? If so, then which resurrection? Apparently Christ was speaking of His physical resurrection and after the coming of the holy spirit on the day of Pentecost.  Spiritually He was speaking of the downpayment, “earnest of the spirit” form of being resurrected in Christ, because these are Christ’s own words:

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

Christ’s yet unconverted disciples still could not comprehend how they “had seen Him” and said the same thing then that all of Christ’s yet unconverted disciples say to this very day.

Joh 14:8  Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
Joh 14:9  Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?

You and I have never seen the physical Christ, any more than Philip and the eleven other apostles had physically “seen the Father.” Until this very day, for most professing Christians, the ability to spiritually see the True Christ of scripture and to “hear His voice” is “not given.” Otherwise, any carnal mind could understand what ‘seven mountains’ are, and there would be no need in scripture for phrases like “whoso reads let him understand…let him that hath wisdom count…” and “here is the mind that hath wisdom…”

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.

Look at this verse in Matthew 13.

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

Those who are given to understand the parables of Christ understand the symbolism of each parable, and they understand that each parable means what it means and not what it says. If a parable meant what it said, then it would not be a ‘parable.’

To determine who the 144,000 “of all the tribes of Israel” are, we must remember what physical Israel itself symbolizes in scripture. Nevertheless the natural man within us all will still ask, if this is a spiritual group, then why is each individual tribe mentioned? In answer to that question, it is instructive to know that the spiritual significance of the number 12 is ‘foundational’ and ‘foundations.’

Ishmael had twelve princes as the foundation of all the nations which spring from him:

Gen 25:16  These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their towns, and by their castles; twelve princes according to their nations.

Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel, also had twelve sons who became 12 foundational tribes of the physical nation of Israel:

Gen 49:28  All these are the twelve tribes of Israel: and this is it that their father spake unto them, and blessed them; every one according to his blessing he blessed them.

Why are “all the tribes of Israel” mentioned individually?

The reason why each tribe is mentioned individually is the same reason for any parable. It is designed to hide the true spiritual identity of these symbolic 144,000 “firstfruits unto God and the Lamb” (Rev 14:4). The mention of each tribe keeps the carnal mind focused on the physical 12 tribes of Israel. It is very instructive to notice that while the tribe of Dan is not listed in Revelation 7, The tribe of Manasseh is listed, but the far more populous tribe of Ephraim is not mentioned and is replaced with the phrase “the tribe of Joseph.” The message has nothing to do with the names of the tribes as much as the fact that ‘the firstfruits unto God and the Lamb’ come out of every nation and tongue of mankind and are the very foundation upon which the entire family of God is built.

Could it possibly be that the fact that the tribes are listed individually means that the real Jew has to be descended ‘outwardly’ from Abraham before he can be one of these “12,000 firstfruits from all the [outward] tribes of Israel?” How irresistibly tempting it is for the natural man to revert to such reasoning. How quickly we all tend to forget that Paul has just told us that “they which are the [outward] children of the flesh, these are NOT the children of God, but the children of promise are counted for the seed?:

Rom 9:7  Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
Rom 9:8  That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

Has not Ephesians 2:11-14 answered this question once and for all? Does not Ephesians 2 explain to us that being of Israel, and being of the entire commonwealth of all the 12 tribes of Israel, is now all a matter of spiritually being “in Christ?” Does not Ephesians 2, to this very day, explain to us that the true spiritual “commonwealth of Israel” now consists of both Jews and Gentiles who are “both… in Christ?” Does not Ephesians 2 tell us that Gentiles “in Christ” are no longer Gentiles? Let’s read those verses again, and if ever you tend to forget this, then go back and read them again.

Eph 2:11  Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
Eph 2:12  That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
Eph 2:13  But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
Eph 2:14  For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;

“Who hath made both one…” The word ‘both’ refers to those who “were in times past Gentiles,” and “that which is called Circumcision in the flesh made by hands.” The word ‘both’ refers to “the commonwealth of Israel” and “aliens from the commonwealth of Israel.” What is God doing with these two groups according to the pen of the spirit here?

Eph 2:15  Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
Eph 2:16  And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

God is not making ‘of twain two new men.’ He is “making of twain ONE new man.” So much for the false ‘two administrations’ doctrine which is based upon a misunderstanding of the events of Acts 15 and the fact that all the events of Acts 15-Acts 21 were “the time of reformation”, during which the Jewish Christians were indeed temporarily retained under the law of Moses while the Gentiles were not.

Christ’s life in the flesh demonstrated for us that the days, months, times and years of Judaism, the priesthood of Judaism, the animal sacrifices of Judaism and the letter of the laws of Judaism, were all a wall of enmity which is now “abolished in His flesh” and in the example He has left for us to follow. Now we Gentiles are no longer Gentiles but part of the very commonwealth of the twelve tribes of Israel, and those who are “called circumcision” are now no more than Gentiles if they are not “in Christ Jesus.”

Eph 2:17  And came and preached peace to you which were afar off [Gentiles], and to them that were nigh [Jews].
Eph 2:18  For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
Eph 2:19  Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners [From the commonwealth of Israel], but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

Now Biblically, in Christ the Gentiles who are “His inheritance” (Eph 1:18) are a part of the 12-tribe commonwealth of Israel. Ephesians 2 means what it states when Paul says “that at one time [in the PAST] we WERE Gentiles in the flesh, who are CALLED uncircumcision by that which is CALLED the circumcision IN THE FLESH made by hands.” (Eph 2:11). “He IS NOT A JEW which is one outwardly” (Rom 2:28-29), cannot be twisted to mean that ‘outward Jews are now God’s physical chosen people’, as the whole world wants us to believe. That is a lie because the holy spirit clarifies and qualifies that statement in Romans 2:28-29 to mean that “He is making of twain one new man…” (Eph 2:15). This is The Truth and let “every man be a liar” (Rom 3:4):

Eph 2:13  But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
Eph 2:14  For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
Eph 2:15  Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
Eph 2:16  And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

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.

The Lord is not making twain of twain. He has but “one body.” He is not “divided” into a Jewish body and a Gentile body. Yes, it is true, as Acts 15 demonstrates, that for decades after the day of Pentecost, the Jewish Christians continued to observe the law of Moses. Here is the reason they did that, and as you read these words realize that the Lord spoke these words to His apostles on the very night He was apprehended to be crucified:

Joh 16:12  I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
Joh 16:13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

Christ’s “one body” will not call “circumcision in the flesh, made by hands” a spiritual Jew nor a spiritual Israelite. Rather, His ‘one body’ will always declare the Truth, which is… “he is NOT a Jew which is one outwardly, and circumcision is [now spiritually only] of the heart, in the spirit.” Paul repeats this same doctrine when writing to the Philippians:

Php 3:3  For we are the circumcision [Gentile Philippians], which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

Who is ‘the true circumcision?’ Who is ‘the true Jew?’ Who are ‘the true children of God?’ Who is ‘the commonwealth of Israel?’ There can be no doubt. According to the scriptures, they are only those “which worship God in spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh.”

Let’s look at the verses of scripture which demonstrate who these 144,000… Virgins…are which follow the Lamb… being firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb (Rev 14:4).

As we pointed out at the beginning of this study, the 144,000 are mentioned once again in the book of Revelation in chapter 14. Here we read:

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 14:4  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.

Surely the Gentiles converts are never called virgins, are they? The answer to that question just happens to be, “Yes.” They are called virgins in 2 Corinthians 11.

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

John tells us of this 144,000 “These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth…” Do Gentiles in Christ follow Christ wherever He goes? Yes, Gentile converts are followers of Christ “wherever He goes.”

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

Php 3:12  Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after[Christ], if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.

1Th 1:6  And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:

1Th 2:14  For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews:

Finally, it is said of these 144,000 “of all the tribes of the children of Israel,” [that] “these were redeemed from among men being the FIRSTFRUITS unto God and to the Lamb” (Rev 14:4). Yes, once again Paul tells us that Gentile Roman converts of Christ, “ourselves also… have the firstfruits of the Spirit.”

Rom 8:23  And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

There is but one “firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb”. There are not Roman, Gentile ‘firstfruits’ and a separate Jewish ‘firstfruit.’ The naming of the twelve thousand from each tribe is simply symbolic of the foundational function of these ‘blessed and holy… firstfruits’ (Rev 20:6).

James, who was well aware of these truths, despite what Martin Luther or any of our modern purveyors of that false ‘two administrations’ doctrine might say, tells us this:

Jas 1:18  Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

James was one of the apostles who heard Peter say these words:

Act 15:5  But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them [the Gentiles] to keep the law of Moses.
Act 15:6  And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.
Act 15:7  And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.
Act 15:8  And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;
Act 15:9 And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
Act 15:10  Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
Act 15:11  But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, EVEN AS THEY.

In spite of all men’s doctrines to the contrary, Peter was brought to believe that “we [Jews] shall be saved even as they [the Gentiles].” So when James addressed his epistle “to the twelve tribes scattered aboad”, James knew what he meant by that, whether we know that Christ “has made of twain, one new man” or not.

Jas 1:1  James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.

Those in Christ, are until this very day “scattered abroad.” Nevertheless, all who are “in Christ” are still to this very day “the commonwealth of Israel.”

Summary

Let’s review what we have seen in the scriptures today.

1) As always we reminded ourselves that these words are not words which man’s wisdom teaches, but they are words which the holy spirit teaches comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

2) We saw a few of the many verses which demonstrate who it is who now, in Christ, constitutes a true Biblical ‘Jew’.

3) We saw the scriptures which show us who is now considered by God to be the true circumcised Israelite, and we saw that Paul considered himself, as a physical Benjamite, to be a spiritual Jew and a spiritual Israelite, and that he considered his physical heritage from Abraham to be nothing more than dung.

4) We saw that the listing of the names of the 12 tribes serves to draw the attention of the carnal mind to the carnal, physical nation of Israel and away from the fact that being “in Abraham” and bring in “the commonwealth of Israel” are no longer a matter of physical pedigree, but ‘Israel’ is now a spiritual commonwealth consisting of both physical Jews and Gentiles who are “in Christ.”

5) We saw that Romans 9:8 and Ephesians 2 reveal in great detail that the only requirement for being “counted for the seed of Abraham” is that we must simply be “in Christ Jesus.”

6) We considered whether the first two verses of Romans 3 contradict the last two verses of Romans 2, and we saw that Paul was simply explaining in the first two verses of Romans 3 that the advantages of being a circumcised spiritual Jew are the only advantages that matter. Both being circumcised and being Jewish are now “of the heart, in the spirit and not in the letter.”

7) We saw that Paul’s doctrine concerning the transfer of all of the blessings of physical Israel to a new spiritual “Israel of God” is in complete accord with Christ’s own doctrine, as He Himself revealed it to the Samaritan woman at the well.

Joh 4:21  Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
Joh 4:22  Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the [spiritual] Jews.
Joh 4:23  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
Joh 4:24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

8) We saw that it is through Christ’s symbolic spiritual words that “even [what] they have” is taken away from them” refers to those who are “not given to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven.”

9) Finally, we took note that “without a parable” Christ never spoke to the multitudes, and we applied that verse to this present study concerning who these 144,000 firstfruit virgins are who follow Christ wherever He goes.

There is much more we need to discuss concerning these firstfruit, virgin 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel. We need to know why they are enumerated as they are with 12,000 being from each tribe. We need to consider why the tribes of Dan and Ephraim are not even mentioned. We also need to know which of the promises made to Abraham apply to these spiritual 144,000, of all the tribes of Israel, and finally we need to know exactly when the scriptures actually teach that all of physical Israel will be saved. Lord willing, we will cover all of those questions and more, in our next study.

Numbers 36:1-13 Marriage of Female Heirs

[Study Aired January 15, 2024]

Introduction

Chapter 36 is the last chapter of the Book of Numbers, and it focuses on how we can guarantee our inheritance through marriage with Christ. In Chapter 27, we encountered the five daughters of Zelophehad who came to Moses to demand the inheritance of their father. Their father Zelophehad did not have a son but only five daughters. This is how the story unfolds in Numbers chapter 27: 

Num 27:1  Then drew near the daughters of Zelophehad the son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh, from the clans of Manasseh the son of Joseph. The names of his daughters were: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.
Num 27:2  And they stood before Moses and before Eleazar the priest and before the chiefs and all the congregation, at the entrance of the tent of meeting, saying,
Num 27:3  “Our father died in the wilderness. He was not among the company of those who gathered themselves together against the LORD in the company of Korah, but died for his own sin. And he had no sons.
Num 27:4  Why should the name of our father be taken away from his clan because he had no son? Give to us a possession among our father’s brothers.”
Num 27:5  Moses brought their case before the LORD.
Num 27:6  And the LORD said to Moses,
Num 27:7  “The daughters of Zelophehad are right. You shall give them possession of an inheritance among their father’s brothers and transfer the inheritance of their father to them.
Num 27:8  And you shall speak to the people of Israel, saying, ‘If a man dies and has no son, then you shall transfer his inheritance to his daughter.
Num 27:9  And if he has no daughter, then you shall give his inheritance to his brothers.
Num 27:10  And if he has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his father’s brothers.
Num 27:11  And if his father has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to the nearest kinsman of his clan, and he shall possess it. And it shall be for the people of Israel a statute and rule, as the LORD commanded Moses.’”

Zelophehad means ‘firstborn.’ From the scriptures, we know that the Lord is the firstborn of creation. What this implies is that Zelophehad symbolized our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Col 1:15  Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

What we need to understand is that during the Lord’s life here on earth, He did not convert anybody and therefore died without having sons. However, after His death, the church was born when the Holy Spirit descended on the disciples to endow them with power on the day of Pentecost. We can therefore say that at the Lord’s death, He left us the church of the firstborn. The five daughters of Zelophehad therefore represent the church. Being five daughters means that the church is born by grace through faith, which is the significance of the number five.

Luk 22:31  And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: 
Luk 22:32  But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

The names of the daughters of Zelophehad reveal to us the process the church goes through to become mature to receive an inheritance. The first daughter’s name “Mahlah” means ‘disease.’ We start our walk with the Lord being diseased. That is, we were burdened by sin. The second daughter’s name is “Noah” which means ‘rest’ or ‘relief.’ It is when Christ comes to us that we begin to experience relief or rest in Him. The third daughter’s name is “Hoglah” which means ‘a partridge’, a kind of bird. It is when we find rest in Him that we are likened to a bird that has escaped from the snare of the fowler.

Psa 124:6  Blessed be the LORD, who has not given us as prey to their teeth! 
Psa 124:7  We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we have escaped! 
Psa 124:8  Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.

The fourth daughter of Zelophehad is called “Milcah” which means ‘Queen.’ Since the Lord is the king of Kings, being His bride means we are queens. The fifth daughter is called “Tirzah” which means ‘Delight.’ On the day that we shall sit on thrones with our Lord Jesus Christ, that will be a delight!!

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

The daughters of Zelophehad told Moses and Eleazer that their father did not have sons and was not part of those who rebelled against Moses and Aaron. However, he died in his own sin. The statement “he died in his own sin” must be interrogated. According to Strong, the statement can mean sin or the punishment for sin. Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB) also affirms that the statement could also mean punishment for sin as shown below:

H2399
חטא
chêṭ’
BDB Definition:
1) sin
1a) sin
1b) guilt for sin
1c) punishment for sin

As we indicated, Zelophehad symbolizes the Lord Jesus Christ. As shown in verse 4, Zelophehad did not rebel against Moses and Aaron. This implies that our Lord Jesus Christ never rebelled against God the father who is symbolized by Moses and Aaron. As explained, Zelophehad dying in his own sin means that our Lord Jesus Christ died as a result of the punishment of sin as the sins of the whole world were laid on Him. As indicated, Zelophehad having no sons implies that while Jesus was here on earth, He did not convert anybody.

Luk 22:31  And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: 
Luk 22:32  But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

The daughters of Zelophehad petitioned Moses and Eleazer to consider giving them an inheritance since it was not the fault of their father for not having sons but only daughters. At His death, the Lord gave birth to the church, which is represented by the five daughters. However, before He died, not any of the disciples was converted to become a son.

One good thing about Moses is that he consulted the Lord in everything. When this matter was brought before him by the daughters of Zelophehad, he did not use his own discretion to judge the matter. As the Lord’s elect, we need to depend wholly on the Lord for guidance and not rely on our own understanding.

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

The bride of Christ or the church of the firstborn, represented by the daughters of Zelophehad shall surely be rewarded with an inheritance. Verses 9 to 11 all say the same thing but in different perspectives. We, His elect, are Jesus’ brethren, His sons and at the same time, His kinsmen that are next to Him of His family and therefore are destined to receive an inheritance. 

Heb 2:11  For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, 
Heb 2:12  Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.

The time the church of the firstborn shall receive an inheritance is when the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ. That is at the time of the first resurrection.

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.

With all these in mind, let’s look at today’s study which shows us what we must do to maintain our inheritance.

The Request not to Marry from Other Tribes

Num 36:1  And the chief fathers of the families of the children of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of the sons of Joseph, came near, and spake before Moses, and before the princes, the chief fathers of the children of Israel:
Num 36:2  And they said, The LORD commanded my lord to give the land for an inheritance by lot to the children of Israel: and my lord was commanded by the LORD to give the inheritance of Zelophehad our brother unto his daughters.
Num 36:3  And if they be married to any of the sons of the other tribes of the children of Israel, then shall their inheritance be taken from the inheritance of our fathers, and shall be put to the inheritance of the tribe whereunto they are received: so shall it be taken from the lot of our inheritance.

The elders of the families of Manesseh, the son of Joseph, came to Moses concerned that if the daughters of Zelophehad married men from the other tribes of Israel, they shall lose their inheritance to other tribes over time. As a result, the inheritance of the families of Manesseh which they received by lot will diminish. The inheritance signifies the reward we shall receive in the fullness of time. Receiving our inheritance by lot means that it is the Lord who does all the work through us to make us worthy of a reward or prize. 

Pro 16:33  The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.

These verses bring to our attention the fact that our reward is not guaranteed. The Bible has in several places warned us about not being able to receive the reward. That is the same as being disqualified for the prize or crown.

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

Rev 3:3  Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.

Heb 6:7  For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. 
Heb 6:8  But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned.
Heb 6:9  Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation.

In these verses under discussion, we are made aware of one of the specific reasons why we may fall short of receiving the prize – through marriage. In other words, if the daughters of Zelophehad marry men from other tribes, they run the risk of losing their inheritance. That is to say that we must avoid being unequally yoked. It is not only in marriage that we become unequally yoked. When we find ourselves still under the dictates of the flesh, even though the light of Christ has shown forth in our hearts, then we are unequally yoked. 

2Co 6:14  Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? 
2Co 6:15  What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever?
2Co 6:16  What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
2Co 6:17  Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you,
2Co 6:18  and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.”

In the Bible, a typical example of a man who lost it even though he started well is Solomon. No wonder his name is absent from Hebrews chapter 11 which talks about the hall of fame of faith. That is, those who had persevered in faith. The reason for Solomon’s fall was due to being unequally yoked. 

1Ki 11:1  Now King Solomon loved many foreign women, along with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women,
1Ki 11:2  from the nations concerning which the LORD had said to the people of Israel, “You shall not enter into marriage with them, neither shall they with you, for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods.” Solomon clung to these in love. 
1Ki 11:3  He had 700 wives, who were princesses, and 300 concubines. And his wives turned away his heart.
1Ki 11:4  For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.
1Ki 11:5  For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.
1Ki 11:6  So Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the LORD and did not wholly follow the LORD, as David his father had done.

These things are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come.

1Co 10:11  Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. 
1Co 10:12  Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

Num 36:4  And when the jubilee of the children of Israel shall be, then shall their inheritance be put unto the inheritance of the tribe whereunto they are received: so shall their inheritance be taken away from the inheritance of the tribe of our fathers.

The Jubilee year is the fiftieth year. It is the time that liberty is proclaimed throughout the land of Israel as each person returns to his property and to his clan. It is a time that the people of Israel rest from their labors and slaves are set free. This time of Jubilee is when the inheritance of the daughters of Zelophehad shall be added to the inheritance of the tribes that they marry other than their tribe. Spiritually, we are being told that it is during the first resurrection that we come to see those who had lost their reward during their time here on earth.

Lev 25:8  “You shall count seven weeks of years, seven times seven years, so that the time of the seven weeks of years shall give you forty-nine years. 
Lev 25:9  Then you shall sound the loud trumpet on the tenth day of the seventh month. On the Day of Atonement you shall sound the trumpet throughout all your land. 
Lev 25:10  And you shall consecrate the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you, when each of you shall return to his property and each of you shall return to his clan. 
Lev 25:11  That fiftieth year shall be a jubilee for you; in it you shall neither sow nor reap what grows of itself nor gather the grapes from the undressed vines. 
Lev 25:12  For it is a jubilee. It shall be holy to you. You may eat the produce of the field.

Num 36:5  And Moses commanded the children of Israel according to the word of the LORD, saying, The tribe of the sons of Joseph hath said well.
Num 36:6  This is the thing which the LORD doth command concerning the daughters of Zelophehad, saying, Let them marry to whom they think best; only to the family of the tribe of their father shall they marry.
Num 36:7  So shall not the inheritance of the children of Israel remove from tribe to tribe: for every one of the children of Israel shall keep himself to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers. 
Num 36:8  And every daughter, that possesseth an inheritance in any tribe of the children of Israel, shall be wife unto one of the family of the tribe of her father, that the children of Israel may enjoy every man the inheritance of his fathers.
Num 36:9  Neither shall the inheritance remove from one tribe to another tribe; but every one of the tribes of the children of Israel shall keep himself to his own inheritance.

In these verses, the daughters of Zelophehad are required to marry within the tribe of their father in order to keep their inheritance. That is another way of saying that we must marry only those who are in the Lord. Marrying anyone who does not share in our common faith or being unequally yoked is a sure way to lose our crown.

1Co 7:39  A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord.

We can easily become unequally yoked by association. We can depart physically from Babylon, but if we continue to retain in our heavens their false doctrines, then they can become false idols which will eventually cause us to lose our inheritance. 

Eze 14:1  Then certain of the elders of Israel came to me and sat before me. 
Eze 14:2  And the word of the LORD came to me:
Eze 14:3  “Son of man, these men have taken their idols into their hearts, and set the stumbling block of their iniquity before their faces. Should I indeed let myself be consulted by them? 
Eze 14:4  Therefore speak to them and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: Any one of the house of Israel who takes his idols into his heart and sets the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and yet comes to the prophet, I the LORD will answer him as he comes with the multitude of his idols, 
Eze 14:5  that I may lay hold of the hearts of the house of Israel, who are all estranged from me through their idols.

Num 36:10  Even as the LORD commanded Moses, so did the daughters of Zelophehad: 
Num 36:11  For Mahlah, Tirzah, and Hoglah, and Milcah, and Noah, the daughters of Zelophehad, were married unto their father’s brothers’ sons:
Num 36:12  And they were married into the families of the sons of Manasseh the son of Joseph, and their inheritance remained in the tribe of the family of their father. 
Num 36:13  These are the commandments and the judgments, which the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses unto the children of Israel in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho.

At the Lord’s command, the five daughters of Zelophehad all married their cousins to retain their inheritance within the tribe of Manasseh. We can see that it is what the Lord wants that is important and not what we desire. The five daughters may have had their preferences in terms of who to marry which may be outside their tribe. However, they set their desire aside to be obedient to the Lord since they value their inheritance more than their lives here on earth. Moses also was looking forward to the reward as He considered the reproach of Christ greater than the treasures of Egypt or the world. Our Lord Jesus Christ set us the ultimate example of focusing on the joy that was set before Him as He despised the shame of what He was to go through.

Heb 12:1  Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
Heb 12:2  looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Heb 11:24  By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 
Heb 11:25  choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.
Heb 11:26  He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.

Talking about how we can guarantee our reward or inheritance, we are also told through the word of the Lord to keep our bodies under subjection.

1Co 9:24  Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.
1Co 9:25  Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we, an imperishable.
1Co 9:26  So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air.
1Co 9:27  But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. (ESV)

The question is how do we keep our bodies in subjection? The word of the Lord tells us that if we walk in the spirit, then we do not come under the dictates of our flesh or bodies. The “walk” in this case means being ‘occupied with’ according to Strong’s Dictionary. The word of the Lord is spirit, and as we desire to live by His word or become occupied with His words, the Lord enables us to obey His words and therefore we are able to walk in the spirit.

Gal 5:16  But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
Gal 5:17  For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.
Gal 5:18  But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

May the Lord help us to focus on the joy that is set before us just as our Lord did and is seated on the right hand of God!! Amen!!

Numbers 34:1-29  The Borders of the Land of Canaan

[Study Aired January 1, 2024]

Introduction

Our study for today highlights the boundaries of the land of Canaan that the Lord has given to the Israelites for inheritance. The chapter also focuses on the leaders the Lord has chosen to help apportion the land to the people of Israel. This land, with its boundaries, which the Lord has given to the people of Israel as an inheritance, is where they would be free to worship the Lord as their king, rest from their labors and enjoy the produce of the land.  It signifies the kingdom of the Lord within us which shall become outside (to be seen) when the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ.

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

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.

In this chapter we are reviewing, the Lord gave the boundaries, or the limitations of the land, He was going to give to the people of Israel. These boundaries are given based on the assumption that the people of Israel had defeated the occupants of the land which signifies our flesh. It is when our flesh has started its journey of death that the kingdom of the Lord becomes established within us. In other words, as our old man or flesh dies, our new man after the image of Christ gains ascendency resulting in the establishment of the kingdom of the Lord within. 

Col 3:10  And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

As we are aware, the death of our old man or flesh is made possible through the fiery trials we endure which teach us righteousness. This is exemplified by the war the Israelites waged to dispossess the people of the land. Our fiery trials symbolize the war with the flesh the Lord is waging on our behalf.

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

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.

As we go through the study for today, we shall come to understand the limitations of the kingdom of the Lord within us and its characteristics. 

Mar 4:30  And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it? 
Mar 4:31  It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth: 
Mar 4:32  But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.

These verses show us what the kingdom of the Lord within and without are like. Being a grain of mustard seed, which is less than all kinds of seed, signifies the kingdom of God within us which is not visible to the world. In the fullness of time when this kingdom grows and becomes outward, that is, the kingdoms of this world becoming the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, it will be seen by all and will encompass all the people of the world – both good and evil.

In another perspective, the land of Canaan to be divided among the people of Israel represents the reward we shall receive if we overcome. In other words, it represents the joy that is set before us as we walk as strangers in this world.

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.

With all these in mind, let’s now take a look at the boundaries of this kingdom of God:

Num 34:1  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 
Num 34:2  Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land of Canaan; (this is the land that shall fall unto you for an inheritance, even the land of Canaan with the coasts thereof:)

These verses show us how the Lord speaks those things which are not as though they were. The Israelites had not yet come to the land of Canaan to begin the conquest of the people living in the land and yet the Lord had given command to Moses regarding the boundaries of their inheritance. 

Rom 4:17  (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.

As indicated in the introduction session, the land is where we are to live to worship the Lord as our king and therefore represents the kingdom of the Lord. In these verses therefore, the Lord was showing us the limitations of the kingdom of the Lord which is first within us. Paul in his letter to the Romans, defines the kingdom of God. 

Rom 14:17  For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. 
Rom 14:18  For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.
Rom 14:19  Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

The rendition of these verses in the Message makes it clearer.

Rom 14:17-19 God’s kingdom isn’t a matter of what you put in your stomach, for goodness’ sake. It’s what God does with your life as he sets it right, puts it together, and completes it with joy. Your task is to single-mindedly serve Christ. Do that and you’ll kill two birds with one stone: pleasing the God above you and proving your worth to the people around you. So, let’s agree to use all our energy in getting along with each other. Help others with encouraging words; don’t drag them down by finding fault. (The Message)

We can see clearly that the kingdom of God has to do with what God does with us to make us righteous. We know from His words that becoming righteous is through the judgment of our old man or the flesh. As we learn righteousness, we automatically have peace with God and man as the Holy Spirit fills us with joy. 

The Southern Boundaries

Num 34:3  Then your south quarter shall be from the wilderness of Zin along by the coast of Edom, and your south border shall be the outmost coast of the salt sea eastward: 
Num 34:4  And your border shall turn from the south to the ascent of Akrabbim, and pass on to Zin: and the going forth thereof shall be from the south to Kadeshbarnea, and shall go on to Hazaraddar, and pass on to Azmon: 
Num 34:5  And the border shall fetch a compass from Azmon unto the river of Egypt, and the goings out of it shall be at the sea.

The south is always the route to the sea of flesh. In verse 3, the southern border starts from the wilderness of Zin along the coast of Edom toward the salt sea, which is usually referred to as the dead sea. The word “Zin” means flat. Edom means red which is the color of the earth. The Edomites are the descendants of Esau, the elder brother of Jacob and therefore can be regarded as part of the flesh of the people of Israel. The salt, or the dead, sea signifies the spiritually dead state of humanity. What we are being told spiritually is that even though the kingdom of God is within us, we can easily drift (flat plain, not mountainous) towards the flesh (Edom). The end result is that we become spiritually dead (the salt sea). 

In verses 4 and 5, the eastern part of the southern border which starts at the salt sea goes up to Akrabbim (Scorpion pass), continues on to Zin and ends up at Kadesh Barnea (holy). After Kadesh, the southern border stretches to Hazar Addar (Enclosure of glory) and then to Azmon (Strong). At this point it turns to the river of Egypt and ends up at the sea.

This implies that we are given power to tread on scorpions (Akrabbim) and over the powers of the enemy to become holy (Kadesh) as the kingdom of God within us is being built. That is when we see the glory of the Lord and become stronger in Him. However, there is always the tendency to drift easily to false doctrines (river of Egypt) which gradually cause us to become like the people of the world (sea).

Luk 10:19  Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
Luk 10:20  Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. 

Mat 16:6  Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
Mat 16:7  And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread.
Mat 16:8  Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread?
Mat 16:9  Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?
Mat 16:10  Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? 
Mat 16:11  How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees? 
Mat 16:12  Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

The Western and the Northen Boundaries

Num 34:6  And as for the western border, ye shall even have the great sea for a border: this shall be your west border.
Num 34:7  And this shall be your north border: from the great sea ye shall point out for you mount Hor:
Num 34:8  From mount Hor ye shall point out your border unto the entrance of Hamath; and the goings forth of the border shall be to Zedad:
Num 34:9  And the border shall go on to Ziphron, and the goings out of it shall be at Hazarenan: this shall be your north border.

The western boundary is the coast of the Great Sea. In other words, the kingdom of God within us operates within the confines of the flesh. This means that if we do not pay attention to the truth of the Lord’s words, we shall easily be influenced by the flesh. 

Heb 2:1  Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. 
Heb 2:2  For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; 
Heb 2:3  How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;
Heb 2:4  God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?

The northern border stretches from the great sea through Mount Hor (mountain or part of) to the entrance of Hamath which means fortress. Proceeding from there, the northern border continues to Zedad (mountain side), passes through Ziphron (fragrance) and ends up at Hazar Enan (village of fountain). This signifies that although the kingdom of God within is bounded by the flesh, it is the Lord’s fragrance or presence which keeps us like a fortress, just as the mountains surround Jerusalem. This is made possible as the Lord upholds all things through His words (village of fountain). 

Psa 125:1  A Song of degrees. They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth forever.
Psa 125:2  As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the LORD is round about his people from henceforth even forever.
Psa 125:3  For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity.

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

The Eastern Boundary

Num 34:10  And ye shall point out your east border from Hazarenan to Shepham:
Num 34:11  And the coast shall go down from Shepham to Riblah, on the east side of Ain; and the border shall descend, and shall reach unto the side of the sea of Chinnereth eastward: 
Num 34:12  And the border shall go down to Jordan, and the goings out of it shall be at the salt sea: this shall be your land with the coasts thereof round about.

The eastern border starts from Hazer Enan (village of fountain) and goes to Shepham (Bare spot) and then to Riblah (Fertility) which was on the eastern side of Ain (spring). The implication here is that as we feed on the truth of the word of the Lord (Hazer Enan and Ain), all the fallow grounds or bare spots (Shepham) within us become fertile (Riblah) and produce a hundredfold of fruit.

Mat 13:23  As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

The border continues to the shoulder of the sea of Chinnereth (Harps) on the eastern side and stretches down to the river Jordan (descender or the river that rushes down) which empties into the salt sea or the Dead Sea. This signifies that as His elect, we are the first to be chosen among the sea of flesh or humanity to worship the Lord in truth and in spirit as we play harps before the Lord. Later, in an age to come, the truth of the word of the Lord (river Jordan) shall rush down to all humanity who are spiritually dead, signified by the emptying of river Jordan into the Dead Sea. What this means is that in this age, the kingdom of God within is only given to the elect. That is the boundary of the kingdom of God in this age. 

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.

The Land to be Divided as Inheritance

Num 34:13  And Moses commanded the children of Israel, saying, This is the land which ye shall inherit by lot, which the LORD commanded to give unto the nine tribes, and to the half tribe: 
Num 34:14  For the tribe of the children of Reuben according to the house of their fathers, and the tribe of the children of Gad according to the house of their fathers, have received their inheritance; and half the tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance:
Num 34:15  The two tribes and the half tribe have received their inheritance on this side Jordan near Jericho eastward, toward the sunrising.

In verse 13, the land was to be divided among the families for an inheritance by lot. The lot here signifies that everything we do to possess our inheritance is the work of the Lord. All we have to do is to believe that He is able to drag us to the finish line!!

Pro 16:33  The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.

Joh 6:28  Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” 
Joh 6:29  Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

In verses 14 and 15, we are told that the tribes of Reuben, Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh were not to be given inheritance among the people of Israel in the land of Canaan since they had received their inheritance already on the east side of the river Jordan in the land of Gilead and Bashan. As indicated in a previous study about the settlement of the tribes of Reuben and Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh on the east side of the land of Canaan, these tribes represent our brothers and sisters in Babylon who want their reward now in this life. As a result, they have received their reward already. They are never going to share in our inheritance.

Mat 6:2  Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

Mat 6:5  And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

The Names of the Leaders of the Various Tribes in Israel

Num 34:16  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 
Num 34:17  These are the names of the men which shall divide the land unto you: Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun.
Num 34:18  And ye shall take one prince of every tribe, to divide the land by inheritance.

These verses show us that from every tribe and kindred of every nation, the Lord is picking His elect to be saviors of the world in assisting the whole humanity, represented by the people of Israel, to obtain their inheritance in Christ in the fullness of time. These leaders are the elect of every generation representing the one hundred and forty-four thousand chosen from the twelve tribes of Israel.

Rev 7:4  And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.
Rev 7:5  Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand.
Rev 7:6  Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nepthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand. 
Rev 7:7  Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand. 
Rev 7:8  Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand. 

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

The names of the twelve leaders from every tribe show us what it takes to become His elect. The first two names of the leaders mentioned are Eleazer and Joshua. Eleazer means ‘God is helper’ and that of Joshua means ‘Jehovah saved.’ This implies that the salvation of the Lord is His work. Of our ownselves, we can do nothing. It is the Lord who is able to save us because He comes to help us obtain the standard He requires. He starts the work and finishes it. 

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:

Num 34:19  And the names of the men are these: Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh. 
Num 34:20  And of the tribe of the children of Simeon, Shemuel the son of Ammihud. 
Num 34:21  Of the tribe of Benjamin, Elidad the son of Chislon.
Num 34:22  And the prince of the tribe of the children of Dan, Bukki the son of Jogli. 
Num 34:23  The prince of the children of Joseph, for the tribe of the children of Manasseh, Hanniel the son of Ephod.
Num 34:24  And the prince of the tribe of the children of Ephraim, Kemuel the son of Shiphtan. 

The name Caleb means ‘dog’ and Shemuel means ‘His name is El’ (God). Elidad signifies ‘my God has loved’ and Bukki means ‘wasteful.’ The next two names are Hanniel (Favored of God) and Kemuel (Raised of God). We were called and chosen by the Lord’s grace and not because we had anything to offer. We were like dogs (the meaning of Caleb) just like the woman of Canaan in the sight of the Lord, but He (Shemuel) showed mercy to us. 

Mat 15:25  Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. 
Mat 15:26  But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs. 
Mat 15:27  And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table. 

1Co 1:26  For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: 
1Co 1:27  But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world (dogs) to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 
1Co 1:28  And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 
1Co 1:29  That no flesh should glory in his presence.

Even though we were wasteful (Bukki) just like the prodigal son, the Lord loved us (Elidad). We therefore received favor in His sight (Hanniel) as He raised us up (Kemuel) to sit with Him in heavenly places.

Luk 15:11  And he said, A certain man had two sons: 
Luk 15:12  And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.
Luk 15:13  And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. 
Luk 15:14  And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.
Luk 15:15  And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
Luk 15:16  And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. 
Luk 15:17  And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! 
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. 

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:
Eph 2:7  That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

Num 34:25  And the prince of the tribe of the children of Zebulun, Elizaphan the son of Parnach. 
Num 34:26  And the prince of the tribe of the children of Issachar, Paltiel the son of Azzan. 
Num 34:27  And the prince of the tribe of the children of Asher, Ahihud the son of Shelomi. 
Num 34:28  And the prince of the tribe of the children of Naphtali, Pedahel the son of Ammihud. 
Num 34:29  These are they whom the LORD commanded to divide the inheritance unto the children of Israel in the land of Canaan. 

The final four leaders of the various tribes of the people of Israel were as follows: Elizaphan (God is treasure); Paltiel (Deliverance of God); Ahihud (Brother of Majesty) and Pedahel (Ransomed by God). These names signify that through the deliverance of the Lord (Paltiel), we are ransomed by God (Pedahel) to have God as our treasure (Elizaphan) as we become His brothers (Ahihud). 

Heb 2:10  For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
Heb 2:11  For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,
Heb 2:12  Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.

May the Lord continue to establish His kingdom within us as we see the day approaching. Amen!!