Gemstones: Foundations of New Jerusalem, Part 1

Introduction

[Study Aired January 13, 2026]

When the apostle John received the revelation of New Jerusalem descending from heaven, he witnessed the culmination of God’s eternal purpose—a city whose very foundation stones declared the completed work of redemption. God showed him that great city: “And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst” (Revelation 21:14, 19-20).

These twelve foundations constitute the final major context where gemstones appear in Scripture. The High Priest’s breastplate displayed twelve jewels bearing the names of Israel’s twelve tribes (Exodus 28:15-21), symbolizing Christ bearing His people before the Father. The anointed cherub in Eden was covered with nine precious stones (Ezekiel 28:13), representing natural humanity’s created carnal state facing judgement. Now, in New Jerusalem’s foundations, we witness the eternal fulfillment: not the old covenant’s twelve tribes, not the natural man’s covering and judgement, but the twelve apostles of the Lamb upon whom Christ builds His church.

As we know, the number twelve consistently marks divine government and foundational authority—a pattern we will examine more fully later in this study. Christ promised His disciples, “Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Matthew 19:28), establishing their governmental authority as foundational to His kingdom. Paul confirmed this spiritual architecture: “built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone” (Ephesians 2:20).

Understanding these foundations requires recognizing the progression from natural to spiritual that pervades all Scripture. Paul declares, “Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual” (1 Corinthians 15:46). The natural came first—Aaron bearing Israel’s tribes upon his heart. The spiritual follows—Christ and His apostles forming the eternal base of God’s true temple, the church of the living God.

The Apostolic Foundation

When God revealed New Jerusalem’s structure to John, He emphasized that its wall possessed twelve foundations bearing the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. This detail establishes the apostolic testimony as the permanent, unchanging bedrock upon which Christ builds His church. The Greek word for foundation (themelios, G2310) denotes that upon which a structure rests—the substructure supporting everything above. The word precious (timios, G5093) means valuable, honored, esteemed—revealing that these foundational gemstones possess both material worth and spiritual significance.

Paul uses complementary architectural language when instructing Timothy: “But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15). The church functions as the pillar and foundation of truth—not creating truth, but supporting and upholding it through apostolic testimony.

Christ established this truth when He declared to Peter: “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” (Matthew 16:18). The context reveals what rock Christ meant. Peter had confessed, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16). Christ responded, “Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 16:17). The rock is not Peter himself but the revelation Peter received—the testimony that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.

Paul explicitly confirms: “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:11). The foundation is Christ—yet the apostles proclaim Him, testify of Him, reveal Him. Their testimony becomes the essential bedrock because it declares Christ.

The Testimony of the Twelve

The twelve apostles of the Lamb received direct appointment from Christ during His earthly ministry. Their unique position as eyewitnesses to His resurrection qualified them to establish the church’s doctrinal foundation. Peter explains the criteria when selecting Matthias to replace Judas: “Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection” (Acts 1:21-22). This unique qualification could never be repeated, making the twelve apostles an unrepeatable foundation.

Their testimony possesses absolute authority because it derives from direct revelation. Paul declared, “But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ” (Galatians 1:11-12). The apostles received their doctrine directly from the Lord, establishing it as our unchanging standard.

John emphasizes the physical, tangible nature of their witness: “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life” (1 John 1:1). They testified to what they heard, saw, examined, and touched—the incarnate Word made flesh.

The permanence of their testimony finds expression in the twelve foundation layers. Jesus promised, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away” (Matthew 24:35). The apostles’ words, being Christ’s words communicated through them, possess the same enduring quality. Peter declares, “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever” (1 Peter 1:23). The apostolic word lives and abides forever, serving as the incorruptible seed producing new birth in every generation.

The Spiritual Significance of Twelve

The number twelve appears throughout Scripture as the number of governmental foundation and divine administration. God’s sovereign purpose operates through established numerical patterns, and twelve consistently represents complete government under His authority.

The pattern begins with Israel’s twelve tribes, descended from Jacob’s twelve sons. When Christ established the new covenant, He chose twelve apostles to form the governmental base of His church. Matthew records, “And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease” (Matthew 10:1). The twelve received authority to extend Christ’s ministry, representing complete delegation of His power.

New Jerusalem’s structure reinforces this governmental significance through multiple instances of twelve: twelve gates named for the twelve tribes, twelve angels at the gates, twelve foundations bearing the twelve apostles’ names, walls measuring twelve thousand furlongs, and the tree of life yielding twelve manner of fruits. This comprehensive use demonstrates that God’s eternal city operates under perfect government—nothing lacking, nothing excessive, all things ordered according to His wisdom.

The multiplication within twelve carries additional significance. Twelve equals three times four, combining these spiritually significant numbers. Three represents process, witness, and resurrection—Christ rising on the third day, Jonah in the fish’s belly three days and nights. Four represents universality and wholeness—the four corners of the earth, the four winds. When three (transformative process) multiplies by four (whole manifestation), the result is twelve (complete government through transformative process).

Christ as the Chief Cornerstone

While New Jerusalem’s wall possesses twelve foundations bearing the apostles’ names, Scripture emphasizes that Jesus Christ Himself functions as the chief cornerstone—the primary stone upon which all other stones rest and align. Paul declares, “And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord” (Ephesians 2:20-21). The apostolic foundation supports believers, yet Christ as cornerstone supports the apostolic foundation itself.

The cornerstone in ancient building practice served multiple critical functions. First, it established the structure’s precise location and orientation. Second, it joined two walls at a critical junction, binding them into one unified whole. Third, it bore extraordinary weight, supporting both walls simultaneously. Fourth, it determined the entire edifice’s shape.

Christ fulfills each aspect perfectly. He establishes the church’s location and orientation—positioned in heavenly places, oriented toward eternal realities. He joins disparate elements into one unified whole. Paul explains, “For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 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” (Ephesians 2:14-15). Christ as cornerstone joins believing Jews and believing Gentiles into one temple, one body, one new man.

He bears the full weight of God’s judgment and humanity’s sin. Isaiah prophesied, “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:4-5). The cornerstone bears what no other stone could support.

He determines the building’s perfect form. Believers are being “conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren” (Romans 8:29). Christ’s perfection establishes the pattern; the church’s transformation consists in being shaped according to His image.

Peter references the prophecy concerning this cornerstone: “Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner” (1 Peter 2:6-7). Those who build upon Christ find stability; those who reject Him encounter destruction.

This supreme position explains why Christ alone can save. Peter proclaimed, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). If Christ is the cornerstone—the foundation upon which all else rests—then removing Him collapses the entire structure.

The Twelve Precious Stones

The twelve foundations, garnished with gemstones of extraordinary beauty and value, declare specific spiritual realities concerning Christ’s redemptive work. God specified the precise order: jasper, sapphire, chalcedony, emerald, sardonyx, sardius, chrysolite, beryl, topaz, chrysoprasus, jacinth, and amethyst. While each stone receives comprehensive individual examination in separate articles within this series, their collective significance illuminates the complete picture of salvation.

The first foundation stone, jasper (iaspis, G2393), appears elsewhere in Revelation describing God’s appearance: “And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald” (Revelation 4:3). Jasper appears as both the first foundation stone and the stone describing God Himself, demonstrating that the foundation of all things is God’s own nature and character.

The second foundation, sapphire (sappheiros, G4552), recalls the pavement under God’s feet: “And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness” (Exodus 24:10). The sapphire’s heavenly blue represents divine authority and submission to God’s sovereign rule.

The complete sequence reveals a comprehensive gospel message. Beginning with jasper (God’s glory) and concluding with amethyst (royal priesthood), the progression reveals how God transforms carnal beings into glorified saints. The emerald’s vivid green testifies to resurrection power and new creation. The sardius, deep red as blood, points to the sacrifice that purchases redemption. The chrysolite’s golden-yellow speaks of divine light and illumination. Each stone contributes essential truth, and together they form an unbreakable foundation supporting God’s eternal purpose.

These stones differ from those on the High Priest’s breastplate—examined thoroughly in our two-part study ‘The High Priest’s Breastplate’—demonstrating the transition from old covenant to new. The breastplate’s stones bore the names of Israel’s twelve tribes, representing God’s people according to natural descent. New Jerusalem’s foundations bear the twelve apostles’ names, representing God’s people according to spiritual birth.

Conclusion

The twelve foundations of New Jerusalem, garnished with precious stones and bearing the names of the Lamb’s twelve apostles, declare God’s completed redemptive work. These foundations represent the culmination of a pattern established from creation—God’s purpose to transform natural humanity into spiritual maturity.

Though New Jerusalem descends from heaven as a future reality, its foundational truths apply immediately to us. The apostolic testimony supports our present standing, governs our current doctrine, and stabilizes our ongoing walk with God. Living according to apostolic teaching means submitting to Scripture’s authority in all matters of faith and practice. This future hope of the city’s complete manifestation sustains us through present trials, for Paul explains, “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18).

Christ Himself functions as the chief cornerstone upon which these foundations rest. The apostolic testimony derives its authority from Him, points exclusively to Him, and exists to reveal Him. No other foundation can be laid than that which is laid—Jesus Christ.

For us living in this present age, these foundations provide both immediate application and future hope. We stand currently upon the apostolic testimony, submitting to Scripture’s authority, maintaining doctrinal purity, and growing in grace through revealed truth. Simultaneously, we anticipate the city’s complete manifestation when we shall see God face to face and dwell in His presence forever.

The transformation God accomplishes operates through the foundation of apostolic teaching. This foundation cannot fail, for it rests upon Christ the cornerstone. It cannot change, for God’s word endures forever. It cannot prove insufficient, for it contains all things necessary for life and godliness.

In Part 2 of this article, we will examine how these foundations fulfill what the High Priest’s breastplate foreshadowed, explore the relationship between the twelve gates and twelve foundations, and discover how God’s glory fills this eternal city. Each precious stone will reveal additional layers of spiritual meaning, deeper appreciation for God’s wisdom, and fuller understanding of His redemptive purpose.

The foundations bearing the apostles’ names support the gracious invitation: “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely” (Revelation 22:17). May we, by His grace, be found standing upon this unshakeable foundation when New Jerusalem descends from heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

Exo 28:1-21 Instructions About Priests’ Garments

[Study Aired November 14, 2022]

Exo 28:1  And take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons.
Exo 28:2  And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty. 
Exo 28:3  And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron’s garments to consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office. 
Exo 28:4  And these are the garments which they shall make; a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat, a mitre, and a girdle: and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office. 
Exo 28:5  And they shall take gold, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen. 
Exo 28:6  And they shall make the ephod of gold, of blue, and of purple, of scarlet, and fine twined linen, with cunning work. 
Exo 28:7  It shall have the two shoulderpieces thereof joined at the two edges thereof; and so it shall be joined together. 
Exo 28:8  And the curious girdle of the ephod, which is upon it, shall be of the same, according to the work thereof; even of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen. 
Exo 28:9  And thou shalt take two onyx stones, and grave on them the names of the children of Israel: 
Exo 28:10  Six of their names on one stone, and the other six names of the rest on the other stone, according to their birth. 
Exo 28:11  With the work of an engraver in stone, like the engravings of a signet, shalt thou engrave the two stones with the names of the children of Israel: thou shalt make them to be set in ouches of gold. 
Exo 28:12  And thou shalt put the two stones upon the shoulders of the ephod for stones of memorial unto the children of Israel: and Aaron shall bear their names before the LORD upon his two shoulders for a memorial. 
Exo 28:13  And thou shalt make ouches of gold; 
Exo 28:14  And two chains of pure gold at the ends; of wreathen work shalt thou make them, and fasten the wreathen chains to the ouches. 
Exo 28:15  And thou shalt make the breastplate of judgment with cunning work; after the work of the ephod thou shalt make it; of gold, of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine twined linen, shalt thou make it. 
Exo 28:16  Foursquare it shall be being doubled; a span shall be the length thereof, and a span shall be the breadth thereof. 
Exo 28:17  And thou shalt set in it settings of stones, even four rows of stones: the first row shall be a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle: this shall be the first row. 
Exo 28:18  And the second row shall be an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond. 
Exo 28:19  And the third row a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst. 
Exo 28:20  And the fourth row a beryl, and an onyx, and a jasper: they shall be set in gold in their inclosings. 
Exo 28:21  And the stones shall be with the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a signet; every one with his name shall they be according to the twelve tribes.

This chapter deals with instructions about the making of priestly garments. In the Bible, garments have both positive and negative connotations. On a positive note, priestly garments represent the righteousness of Christ.

Isa 61:10  I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. 

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

The negative aspect of garments reflects the sinful deeds of the flesh during our walk in Babylon and the world.  That is why in the scriptures, we are admonished to change our garments when we come to Christ as shown in the following:

Mar 10:50  And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus.

Zec 3:3  Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. 
Zec 3:4  And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment. 
Zec 3:5  And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the LORD stood by.

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

What we need to know is that without these priestly garments which reflect our righteousness in Christ, we cannot enter into the presence of the Lord. In the parable of the prodigal son, when he came to himself and asked for forgiveness from his father, he received a new garment or robe.

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: 

In today’s study, we will learn the spiritual truth applicable to our walk with Christ regarding the making of these priestly garments that only the elect are required to wear.

Exo 28:1  And take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons.

Aaron and his sons represent the elect of every generation. All the Lord’s elect are priests before the Lord and are therefore required to serve or minister in the presence of the Lord.

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

A key requirement for us to minister or serve before the presence of the Lord is obedience. Just as our Lord learnt obedience by the things He suffered, we are also to learn obedience by our fiery trials or judgement in order to minister before the Lord.

1Sa 12:14  If you will fear the LORD and serve him and obey his voice and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, and if both you and the king who reigns over you will follow the LORD your God, it will be well.

Psa 101:6  I will look with favor on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me; he who walks in the way that is blameless shall minister to me.

Heb 5:8  Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;
Heb 5:9  And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; 

Exo 28:2  And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty. 

Though many priests served in the Tabernacle, there was only one acting High Priest at any given time. The first High Priest was Aaron, the brother of Moses. At his death, the office of High Priest was then transferred to the oldest son, down through the generations. As we are aware, we are the firstborn sons and therefore are entitled to wear these priestly garments as transferred to us by the Lord Jesus Christ.

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,

Here in verse 2, we are given two reasons why the elect must be clothed with the holy garments. It is for glory and for beauty that we are required to put on the holy garments. As explained earlier, the holy garments refer to the righteousness of Christ. The glory here refers to the glory of the Lord which represents the Lord Jesus Christ. What this means is that when we walk in righteousness (Put on the holy garments) then we can know Christ (see His glory). The other reason for putting on the holy garments is for beauty. This beauty spiritually means to worship the Lord in holiness.

1Ch 16:29  Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

Psa 96:9  O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth.

Verse 2 therefore suggests that it is when we walk in righteousness that we can worship the Lord in holiness.

Exo 28:3  And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron’s garments to consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office. 

The wise hearted refers to the elect. The making of the priestly garments that we, His elect, are to put on, is possible only when we are granted to be filled with the spirit of wisdom by the Lord. In the Bible, the spirit of wisdom is identical to understanding of the word of the Lord.

Isa 11:2  And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;

Dan 5:14  I have even heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee.

This understanding relates to being given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God through the Lord’s words. What this implies is that as we are being given to know Christ through His words, we are automatically putting on the priestly garments which qualifies us to consecrated to minister before the Lord as priests.

Eph 1:17  That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:

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. 

Our consecration (being sanctified or being made holy) is through the fiery trials or judgment we go through because of the word we have received.

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

Exo 28:4  And these are the garments which they shall make; a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat, a mitre, and a girdle: and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office. 

The priestly garments consist of the breastplate, an ephod, a robe, a broidered coat, a mitre (turban) and a girdle (belt). The ephod was a garment of great importance and was a type of apron. It was an object to be revered in ancient Israelite culture. The ephod of the high priest was very special because it had a chest of 12 jewels on its front which represent the twelve tribes of Israel. The ephod is worn as a ceremonial dress by the high Priest. We know that the High priest is our Lord Jesus Christ. From the scriptures, our Lord Jesus Christ’s garment that He wore represents Him. That is why when the woman with the flow of blood touched Jesus’ garment, Jesus said that someone has touched Him.

Luk 8:43  And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any, 
Luk 8:44  Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched. 
Luk 8:45  And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? 

What this means is that the spiritual significance of putting on the ephod garment is to put on Christ.

Rom 13:14  But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

The question is, “What does it mean to put on Christ?” The verse above shows us that to put on Christ means not to focus on gratifying the desires of the sinful nature. In the preceding verse of Romans 13:14, we are told that we have to wake up from our sleep by casting off the works of darkness and putting on the armour of light, which is the same as putting on Christ. These verses suggest that the works of darkness are the same as gratifying the desires of the flesh which bring us to spiritual sleep.

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

Since Christ’s garment represents Him, the dividing of His garment into four parts by the Roman soldiers after Jesus’ death on the cross is the divisions we see among the whole of the physical churches of this world. The coat of Christ which was not divided represents the elect who are not divided and are called and chosen by the casting of Lots. We must remember that the casting of lots which was common in the Old Testament was a way to know the Lord’s will. This means that we, His elect were called and chosen by God’s will and not by our own selves.

Jon 1:7  And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah.

Joh 19:23  Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. 
Joh 19:24  They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did.

The broidered coat is simply a tunic which is worn by the priest first after having washed in the laver at the outer court.

Lev 8:6  And Moses brought Aaron and his sons, and washed them with water. 
Lev 8:7  And he put upon him the coat, and girded him with the girdle, and clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod upon him, and he girded him with the curious girdle of the ephod, and bound it unto him therewith. 

The broidered coat was the innermost garment worn by the high priest, and the word seems to be derived from a verb meaning “to cover or hide.” The putting on of the broidered coat therefore signifies the birth of the hidden man in us who is Christ after we have left Babylon (outer court) to enter into the presence of the Lord (holy place). The coat, therefore, signifies our Lord Jesus Christ.

1Pe 3:3  Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; 
1Pe 3:4  But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

The robe is one of the sacred articles of clothing for the High Priest. It was worn under the ephod. The significance of the robe was the bells attached to it. Their sounding as a result of Aaron’s movement, is to alert those outside the Holy place that Aaron is alive and well. This robe is therefore a symbol of Christ. It is when we are in Him that we are spiritually alive. As we have indicated, this coat is the same as Jesus’ coat for which the Romans cast lots.

Exo 28:35  And it shall be upon Aaron to minister: and his sound shall be heard when he goeth in unto the holy place before the LORD, and when he cometh out, that he die not.

Putting on these priestly garments is no different from putting on the whole armor of God which is to help us stand against the wiles of the devil. The spiritual significance of the breastplate part of the priestly garment is not any different from the breastplate of the armor of God. The breastplate therefore signifies our righteousness or the righteousness of Christ. The girdle represents the truth of the word of the Lord, and the mitre or the turban is the helmet of salvation.

Eph 6:14  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;  

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

Exo 28:5  And they shall take gold, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen. 
Exo 28:6  And they shall make the ephod of gold, of blue, and of purple, of scarlet, and fine twined linen, with cunning work. 
Exo 28:7  It shall have the two shoulder pieces thereof joined at the two edges thereof; and so it shall be joined together. 

The ephod must be of fine linen and colored gold, blue, purple and scarlet. The color gold signifies the need to be refined just like gold refined in the fire. This is the judgement of our old man which brings us to learn righteousness. That is what will qualify us to put on Christ, the ephod.

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

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.

The color red or scarlet, symbolizes the first Adam being of the earth, while the color blue symbolizes the last Adam – Jesus Christ coming to be in our heavens. The colors purple and scarlet remind us of our sojourn in Babylon where our adamic nature became obvious while living under the law as shown in the following verses:

Rev 18:15  The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing,
Rev 18:16  And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! 

What this means is that to change our old garments of flesh to put on Christ our righteousness, we must first recognize our spiritual poverty (purple and scarlet linen) while in Babylon before we are turned into blue linen, that is, Christ coming to us. All humanity must pass through the same process to put on the righteousness of Christ.

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.

In order for the ephod to become complete, two shoulder pieces must be joined to its two edges.  As indicated earlier, the ephod represents Christ our Lord. The two shoulder pieces are the elect and the rest of humanity who are to be joined to Christ at different times to complete the work of Christ.

1Co 15:22  For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.
1Co 15:23  But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. 
1Co 15:24  Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power.

Exo 28:8  And the curious girdle of the ephod, which is upon it, shall be of the same, according to the work thereof; even of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen.

The girdle of the ephod must also be gold, blue, purple and scarlet. As indicated, the girdle represents the truth of the word of the Lord. What this means is that to be given to know the mysteries of Christ, we must come to understand our spiritual poverty in Babylon (signified by the colors scarlet and purple) before Christ comes to us (represented by blue) to refine us (symbolized by the color gold) to learn righteousness.

Mal 3:1  “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts. 
Mal 3:2  But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap. 
Mal 3:3  He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the LORD.

Exo 28:9  And thou shalt take two onyx stones, and grave on them the names of the children of Israel: 
Exo 28:10  Six of their names on one stone, and the other six names of the rest on the other stone, according to their birth. 
Exo 28:11  With the work of an engraver in stone, like the engravings of a signet, shalt thou engrave the two stones with the names of the children of Israel: thou shalt make them to be set in ouches of gold. 
Exo 28:12  And thou shalt put the two stones upon the shoulders of the ephod for stones of memorial unto the children of Israel: and Aaron shall bear their names before the LORD upon his two shoulders for a memorial. 

Two onyx stones are to be mounted in gold and fastened on the ephod’s shoulder pieces. These stones are to be engraved with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel with six names on one shoulder piece and six on the other. These stones represent the elect as we are fastened to the Lord’s shoulders. This means that when He comes to us, He carries us on His shoulders. Being carried on the shoulder means that it is the Lord who does the work – we are only resting on His shoulders as He does the walking (leads us).

Luk 15:4  What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? 
Luk 15:5  And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 

Exo 28:13  And thou shalt make ouches of gold;
Exo 28:14  And two chains of pure gold at the ends; of wreathen work shalt thou make them, and fasten the wreathen chains to the ouches. 

Moses was instructed to make two gold settings. In addition to this, two chains of pure gold twisted like cords must be made and attached to the settings. The gold chains are to be used to fasten the two upper corners of the breastplate to the upper corners of the ephod. The significance of this chain, which was made of gold, is to let us know that as we are refined through our fiery trials, we learn righteousness to become the breastplate of righteousness, and it is through this righteousness that we remain secured or fastened to Christ who is the ephod.

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. 

Exo 28:15  And thou shalt make the breastplate of judgment with cunning work; after the work of the ephod thou shalt make it; of gold, of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine twined linen, shalt thou make it. 
Exo 28:16  Foursquare it shall be being doubled; a span shall be the length thereof, and a span shall be the breadth thereof.

The breastplate was one of the sacred priestly garments to be worn by the High Priest. As a breastplate, its primary spiritual significance is that it stands for the righteousness of Christ.

Eph 6:14  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

In verse 15, however, it is called the breastplate of judgment in connection with the attachment of the Urim and Thummim. The judgment here relates to knowing the mind of Christ concerning issues brought before the Lord. We can therefore see that it is only when we put on the righteousness of Christ that we can know the mind of Christ. That is to say that it is when we offer our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to the Lord that we are able to know the will of God in our lives.

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.

The breastplate was to be made of fine twined linen of gold, blue, purple and scarlet. As indicated earlier, this refers to the process we must go through to put on the righteousness of Christ. What this means is that we must come to understand our spiritual poverty in Babylon (signified by the colors scarlet and purple) before Christ comes to us (represented by blue) to refine us (symbolized by the color gold) to learn righteousness.

The fact that the breastplate must be four squared in shape is to let us know that all humanity must obtain the standard of the righteousness of Christ, but each in his own order. This is also another way of saying that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. No man can come to God without Christ.

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

Exo 28:17  And thou shalt set in it settings of stones, even four rows of stones: the first row shall be a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle: this shall be the first row. 
Exo 28:18  And the second row shall be an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond. 
Exo 28:19  And the third row a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst. 
Exo 28:20  And the fourth row a beryl, and an onyx, and a jasper: they shall be set in gold in their inclosings. 
Exo 28:21  And the stones shall be with the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a signet; every one with his name shall they be according to the twelve tribes. 

These precious stones represent the elect. They were arranged in four rows and three columns on the breastplate of judgement. The fact that the precious stones were arranged in four rows and three columns is to let us know that the whole of the Lord’s elect of every generation (Significance of the number four) must suffer or be judged as part of the process of becoming spiritually mature (significance of the number three).

The most significant aspect of the breastplate is its use in connection with the Urim and Thummim which help the High Priest to know the mind of God. To have the mind of Christ is a sign of spiritual maturity. What this means is that every elect must have the mind of Christ or becoming spiritually mature through the judgement of our old man.

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

May the Lord continue to be merciful to us to have the mind of Christ as we become spiritually mature through our fiery trials. Amen!!

Isa 49:18-26 Kings Shall bow Down to Thee with Their Face Toward the Earth - Discussion

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Isa 49:18-26 Kings Shall Bow Down to Thee with Their Face Toward the Earth

Isa 49:18  Lift up thine eyes round about, and behold: all these gather themselves together, and come to thee. As I live, saith the LORD, thou shalt surely clothe thee with them all, as with an ornament, and bind them on thee, as a bride doeth.
Isa 49:19  For thy waste and thy desolate places, and the land of thy destruction, shall even now be too narrow by reason of the inhabitants, and they that swallowed thee up shall be far away.
Isa 49:20  The children which thou shalt have, after thou hast lost the other, shall say again in thine ears, The place is too strait for me: give place to me that I may dwell.
Isa 49:21  Then shalt thou say in thine heart, Who hath begotten me these, seeing I have lost my children, and am desolate, a captive, and removing to and fro? and who hath brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these, where had they been?
Isa 49:22  Thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people: and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders.
Isa 49:23  And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me.
Isa 49:24  Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered?
Isa 49:25  But thus saith the LORD, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children.
Isa 49:26  And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I the LORD am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.

This prophecy is the word of the Lord to each of us as His elect. Its primary application is within us. It is the new man and his knowledge of Christ and his Father who is taken captive by our “mighty… old man”. Our new man is “the prey and lawful captive” of our carnal-minded “old man” and his “father the devil” (Joh 8:44). Throughout this prophecy of Isaiah, the Lord is telling us as His elect that in spite of our weak, earthly composition and our sinful and rebellious nature, and the fact that we have turned our backs on Him, He will not do the same to those whom He has placed in spiritual “mount Sion” and whom He has chosen to be His “firstfruits unto God and the Lamb”:

Rev 14:1  And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.

Rev 14:4  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.

As always, we need to be reminded that these words are, at this time, only for those who are given eyes that see and ears that hear the things of the spirit:

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

Isaiah foretold this spiritual condition, which Christ tells us is the same spirit which to this very day afflicts the multitudes who come to Him:

Isa 6:10  Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed. 

Mat 13:10  And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto [the multitudes] in parables?
Mat 13:11  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to [the multitudes] it is not given.
Mat 13:12  For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
Mat 13:13  Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
Mat 13:14  And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
Mat 13:15  For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

Being blind and deaf is our natural, dark, lost condition to which the Lord has first appointed us all, as we were told in the last five verses of our previous study:

Isa 49:13  Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the LORD hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted. 
Isa 49:14  But Zion said, The LORD hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me.
Isa 49:15  Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. 
Isa 49:16  Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.
Isa 49:17  Thy children shall make haste; thy destroyers and they that made thee waste shall go forth of thee.

The Lord has given us “exceeding great and precious promises” to such an extent that Paul declares:

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

Peter says this of what we have been given already:

2Pe 1:3  According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 
2Pe 1:4  Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

There are many such “great and precious promises” to which Peter refers. Here is but one example:

Isa 43:4  Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life. 
Isa 43:5  Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west;
Isa 43:6  I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth;
Isa 43:7  Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.
Isa 43:8  Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears. [Mat 13:10-15]

In Matthew 13 Christ had just told the multitudes who had come to Him a parable, which is known as ‘the parable of the sower’. Here is that parable:

Mat 13:1  The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.
Mat 13:2  And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.
Mat 13:3  And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; 
Mat 13:4  And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
Mat 13:5  Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:
Mat 13:6  And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
Mat 13:7  And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: 
Mat 13:8  But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
Mat 13:9  Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

The disciples then ask Christ why He is teaching in parables the multitudes who come to Him, and He gives them an amazing answer:

Mat 13:10  And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them [the multitude of verse 2] in parables?
Mat 13:11  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. 
Mat 13:12  For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
Mat 13:13  Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 
Mat 13:14  And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
Mat 13:15  For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
Mat 13:16  But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. 

[Isa 43:8  Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears.]

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.

The parables are given, “Lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.” Christ Himself is telling us He speaks to the multitudes who come to Him in parables so they will “Not understand… and [will] not perceive”.

The parables are serving their purpose until this very day, because any Sunday school teacher will tell you, “Christ spoke in parables to make His meaning clear to the agrarian people to whom He spoke.”

This is the exact opposite of the reason Christ gives us for why He spoke to the multitudes in parables. However, He did explain their meaning to His elect disciples:

Mat 13:18  Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.
Mat 13:19  When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.
Mat 13:20  But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;
Mat 13:21  Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
Mat 13:22  He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
Mat 13:23  But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

We are indeed blessed to see and hear things which the “many prophets and righteous men… desired to see… and to hear… and have not heard them”:

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.

In his first epistle, Peter also agrees with Paul that all these blessings come to us only through “much tribulation” and through “fiery trials”:

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.

Our last study ended with the Lord causing us to feel rejected by the Lord just before He blesses us beyond our wildest dreams. It is a picture of the beginning of the death of our fleshly, earthly old man, followed by being resurrected into a new life as a new man with new promises and new blessings. Our study today continues with those “great and precious promises” of which we are now, in Christ and in earnest, the recipients.

Isa 49:18  Lift up thine eyes round about, and behold: all these gather themselves together, and come to thee. As I live, saith the LORD, thou shalt surely clothe thee with them all, as with an ornament, and bind them on thee, as a bride doeth.
Isa 49:19  For thy waste and thy desolate places, and the land of thy destruction, shall even now be too narrow by reason of the inhabitants, and they that swallowed thee up shall be far away.
Isa 49:20  The children which thou shalt have, after thou hast lost the other, shall say again in thine ears, The place is too strait for me: give place to me that I may dwell.

‘After you have lost the other' refers to the death and destruction of the children of our old man, “the kingdom of this world”, which is destroyed within us at “the brightness of His coming”. That blessed event is also called “war in [our] heavens” as the scriptures reveal:

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 [G2722, Greek: katecho, ‘restrains’] that he might be revealed in his time.
2Th 2:7  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth [G2722, Greek: katecho, ‘restrains’] 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:

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

The next chapter of the revelation of Jesus Christ sets the stage for the day when “the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and His Christ:

Rev 12:7  And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
Rev 12:8  And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
Rev 12:9  And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. 
Rev 12:10  And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
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.

Every heresy which attempts to infect the body of Christ provokes this spiritual warfare within His body, and we, as “soldiers” of Christ, must engage in that inward war within the heavens of our hearts and minds. Having come out of Babylon we are said to have “lost” all the doctrines of the kingdom of Babylon. Those false doctrines are the tares sown in our heavens by what Christ called “an enemy”:

Mat 13:24  Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:
Mat 13:25  But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
Mat 13:26  But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.

This is speaking of “the kingdom of heaven”. It is Christ and His Christ who have “sown good seed in His field”. This parable is not about the kingdom of Babylon. The kingdom of Babylon is a field of nothing but tares. The whole stay of bread and the whole stay of water has been taken away from that harlot system:

Isa 3:1  For, behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the staff, the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water,

Just as ‘Adam’ is both an evil “old man… the first man Adam”, before he begins to be destroyed by the brightness of the coming of Christ’ (2Th 2:8) and “made again another vessel” (Jer 18:4), so it is with ‘Jerusalem which now is and is in bondage with her children’ and ‘Jerusalem above which is the mother of us all’:

Gal 4:21  Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?
Gal 4:22  For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. 
Gal 4:23  But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.
Gal 4:24  Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.
Gal 4:25  For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
Gal 4:26  But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

“Jerusalem which is above… which is the Mother of us all” is “all [who are] in Christ” and does not yet include “Jerusalem which now is and is in bondage with her children”, and those whose judgment is in “the lake of fire/second death” (Rev 20:14-15).

Yet the Lord Himself has ordained that “there must be heresies among [us]”:

1Co 11:19  For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.

These “heresies among [us]” are the children and doctrines of the enemy who comes at the appointed time “while men slept”. They come with the spirit of “Jerusalem which now is and is in bondage with her children” to sow those tares in and among the good seed and among the truths of the kingdom of God within us, as the second parable of a sower in Matthew 13 demonstrates:

Mat 13:24  Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:
Mat 13:25  But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.

The presence of these ‘tares’ among us are not at first apparent to any of us. Indeed, it is not until “the time of the harvest” that it becomes obvious to all who have eyes that see and ears that hear that there is no spiritual fruit at all upon these tares:

Mat 13:26  But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.

While we all just naturally want to root out and pull up the tares immediately, that is not the mind of our Lord, and so we must live by His words and acknowledge that He has decreed “there must be heresies among [us] that they which are approved may be made manifest among [us]” as we have already noted:

1Co 11:19  For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.

Christ’s explanation of the parable of the tares ties that parable into our study today here in Isaiah 49 which refers to the ‘children’ we are given after we lose all the ‘children’ we had while we were in the Babylonian harlot system. Notice closely how Christ explains this second parable of the ‘sower’ and the meaning He gives us of the good seed sown by Christ and His Christ, as contrasted with the seed sown in the Lord’s field by an enemy.

Here us that second parable of a sower in its entirety:

Mat 13:24  Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: 
Mat 13:25  But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
Mat 13:26  But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
Mat 13:27  So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? 
Mat 13:28  He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
Mat 13:29  But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
Mat 13:30  Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

This is what Christ is telling us is the meaning of 'children' in this second parable of the sower:

Mat 13:36  Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field. 
Mat 13:37  He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; 

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

Mat 13:38  The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;
Mat 13:39  The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world [Greek G165: aion, eon, age]; and the reapers are the angels.
Mat 13:40  As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world [Greek G165: aion, eon, age]. 
Mat 13:41  The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; 
Mat 13:42  And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
Mat 13:43  Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Who are these “men [who] slept” and gave the enemy the opportunity to sow the tares among the good seed the Lord had sown in His field? The Lord Himself tells us who they are:

Mat 25:1  Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
Mat 25:2  And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
Mat 25:3  They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
Mat 25:4  But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
Mat 25:5  While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

I am chief of sinners, and I have been caught napping every time we have discovered heresies among us. We “all slumber and sleep”, but those who have “oil in their vessels” are those of us who know the voice of the True Shepherd even in the middle of the night, meaning in the middle of the false doctrines and lies
which ‘midnight’ and ‘lamps without oil’ symbolize.:

Mat 25:6  And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
Mat 25:7  Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
Mat 25:8  And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
Mat 25:9  But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
Mat 25:10  And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. 
Mat 25:11  Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
Mat 25:12  But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. 
Mat 25:13  Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

Is it not “foolish” to fall asleep when we are expecting the bridegroom at any moment? Of course, it is! It is especially humiliating when we do so twice:

Mar 14:32  And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray.
Mar 14:33  And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy;
Mar 14:34  And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch.
Mar 14:35  And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.
Mar 14:36  And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.
Mar 14:37  And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour? 
Mar 14:38  Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak. 
Mar 14:39  And again he went away, and prayed, and spake the same words.
Mar 14:40  And when he returned, he found them asleep again, (for their eyes were heavy,) neither wist they what to answer him.
Mar 14:41  And he cometh the third time, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: it is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
Mar 14:42  Rise up, let us go; lo, he that betrayeth me is at hand.

That is the same message of the parable of the ten virgins. We all let our Lord down by giving in to the need of our flesh to seek rest from our trials. The five wise virgins are ‘five’ because we are all “saved by grace through faith”, just as the five foolish virgins will also be saved. Both groups are what they are by the Lord’s sovereign decree and not because of anything they of themselves have done. Nevertheless, the five wise virgins are given to attend the marriage while the five foolish ones are told “I know you not”.

If we are not given to know the True Shepherd’s voice, it is because we have no oil in our lamps, because “the dream is one”, and the oil and the Shepherd’s voice are both the Word of God, His doctrines.

As we have demonstrated, His doctrines are His children and the doctrines of the enemy are the enemy’s children whom we have all been at our appointed time:

Eph 2:1  And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
Eph 2:2  Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
Eph 2:3  Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

If and when we are given to come out of Babylon, we lose the doctrines and the children of Babylon. As that begins taking place within us, we are given far more understanding of the true mind of Christ and His doctrines as we lose the doctrines of the enemy:

Isa 49:21  Then shalt thou say in thine heart, Who hath begotten me these, seeing I have lost my children, and am desolate, a captive, and removing to and fro? and who hath brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these, where had they been?

As we saw in the two parables of the two sowers, in the first parable the seed being sown by the sower is explained by none other than Christ Himself as “the Word”:

Mat 13:22  He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
Mat 13:23  But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

Does anyone question that the sower in both parables is “the Son of man”?

Mat 13:37  He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; 

But Christ Himself tells us:

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

God Himself has ordained that His elect speak for Him, and for the sake of any doubters about that point, it is again none less than the Lord who makes that point perfectly clear:

Joh 17:20  Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
Joh 17:21  That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
Joh 17:22  And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:

The fact there are 40,000 different, conflicting Christian denominations does not change the fact that those who know the voice of the True Shepherd are all of one mind and one judgment:

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.

Losing all those 40,000 children is the very point of this part of our study today. While the ‘seed’ sown by “the Son of Man” is explained as symbolizing “the Word” in the first parable of the sower in Matthew 13, that very same seed is explained as representing “the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children  of the wicked one; [and] the enemy that sowed them is the devil…”

Mat 13:38  The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;
Mat 13:39  The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world [Greek G165: aion, eon, age]; and the reapers are the angels.

As Joseph told the Pharaoh, “the dream is one” and “the children of the kingdom [and] the children of the wicked one” are both the doctrines of their respective ‘fathers’, “the Son of Man” being the Father of the children of the kingdom, and “the devil” being the father of “the children of the wicked one”.

This gives us the knowledge we need to understand the last few verses of this 49th chapter of Isaiah:

Isa 49:22  Thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people: and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders.
Isa 49:23  And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me.

The “two hundred thousand, thousand” lies and false doctrines will be destroyed, and all those who subscribed to those false lying doctrines will bow down before the feet of those who know the Lord and His Christ:

Rev 3:9  Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. 
Rev 3:10  Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

These words accord with the two parables of the sower which demonstrate that “the children of the kingdom” are those who “keep the word of [Christ’s] patience”. While all the “children of the wicked one” were his “prey” now being taken from “the wicked one”, who is “the devil”, and are now through the agency of “the Lord’s Christ”, His “firstfruits… very elect”, being given to “the children of the kingdom who will also become the agency of their deliverance, just as they have been the agency of all “who have believed on [Christ] through their words” until this very day (Joh 17:20):

Isa 49:24  Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered?
Isa 49:25  But thus saith the LORD, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children.
Isa 49:26  And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I the LORD am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.

Inwardly these words must be fulfilled within the lives of each of God’s elect in “this present time”. Dispensationally, these words will be fulfilled in “all flesh… [in the great white throne judgment/lake of fire/second death] and all flesh shall know that… the Lord is [our] Saviour and [our] redeemer the mighty One of Jacob”.

We are “the prey… and lawful captives of the mighty… wicked one… the devil” who are being “delivered… in this present time” to show to others the mercy we have been shown in “this present time”:

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

While we wait upon the Lord to be used in that way, we are the Lord’s special “jewels”, and we are under His protection as “the apple of His eye”.

Psa 17:8 Keep me as the apple of the eye; Hide me under the shadow of thy wings,
Psa 17:9 From the wicked that oppress me, My deadly enemies, that compass me about.

Zec 2:8 For thus saith Jehovah of hosts: After glory hath he sent me unto the nations which plundered you; for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.

At the appointed time everyone will know who loved and obeyed the Lord and who actually spat upon Him and His commandments:

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

That is the message the Lord is giving us in this 49th chapter of Isaiah.

Here now are the verses for our next study which will be in Isaiah 50:

Isa 50:1  Thus saith the LORD, Where is the bill of your mother's divorcement, whom I have put away? or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves, and for your transgressions is your mother put away.
Isa 50:2  Wherefore, when I came, was there no man? when I called, was there none to answer? Is my hand shortened at all, that it cannot redeem? or have I no power to deliver? behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness: their fish stinketh, because there is no water, and dieth for thirst.
Isa 50:3  I clothe the heavens with blackness, and I make sackcloth their covering.
Isa 50:4  The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.
Isa 50:5  The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.

The Prophecy of Isaiah - Part 25 Discussion

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Isa 6:1  In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
Isa 6:2  Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.
Isa 6:3  And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory

What are "the seraphims"?

We spent our entire last study discussing why it was "in the year Uzziah died", that Isaiah was given to see the Lord's high and lifted up throne within His temple, which was filled with His train. We saw in our study that we are the Lord's temple and that Isaiah as a type of us, was given to see the Lord's throne in the year Uzziah died because Uzziah was a presumptuous king whose way produced a leprous king. As such Uzziah typifies our own leprous condition as the presumptuous, proud, self-righteous, rejected anointed of the Lord who we all are before we die to that old man of sin.

King David signifies God's "very elect", but he is preceded by King Saul who symbolizes the Lord's rejected anointed. This is what David said to King Saul while David, God 'very elect' was fleeing for his life from King Saul, God's rejected anointed:

1Sa 26:23  The LORD render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness: for the LORD delivered thee [King Saul] into my hand to day, but I would not stretch forth mine hand against the LORD'S anointed.

King Saul had been told that God had rejected him and would replace him because of presumptuously disobeying the Lord's commandment to destroy all that pertained to the enemy of Israel. King Saul did not want to give up his kingdom just because he had presumptuously rebelled against the Lords commandment. Our old man within us does not want give up his kingdom and die. He really does not want to lose his kingdom, and he will not willingly die.

1Sa 15:22  And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.
1Sa 15:23  For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king. 

We saw in the story of presumptuous King Uzziah another example of the Lord's rejected anointed. King Uzziah was stricken with leprosy and was cast out of the temple by the Lord's faithful priests. The message we are being given here is that those who see the Lord's throne within His temple are only those 'priests' who do not tolerate the presumptuous false doctrines of all who do not "tremble at the word" of God. Those few 'priests' who are granted to oversee the Lord's temple must be able and willing to "try the spirits" and to say boldly with Christ and with His Christ, "We are of God, he that knows God hears us: he that is not of God hears not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth and the spirit of error":

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.
1Jn 4:4  Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
1Jn 4:5  They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.
1Jn 4:6  We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

The message in those verses is the same as the doctrine of Christ when He told the established apostate church leaders of His day:

Joh 8:55  Yet ye have not known [the Father]; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying.

Those in whom the Lord dwells are His temple, and they are also those who make up His train, because His train is who He is, and this is who He tells us He is:

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

Act 22:7  And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
Act 22:8  And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest. 

Christ knows God. It is He Himself who tells us that He is living His life in us. Therefore the 'Jesus of Nazareth' who Saul of Tarsus was persecuting can boldly say with Christ: "We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error." Those who know God also know and recognize who are those who are not speaking the words of God, because they "try the spirits to see whether they are of God", and if they find any who are not speaking the words of  Christ, then they flee from that prophet who is spreading that false spirit, that false doctrine.

Joh 10:5  And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

Those who are the temple of God, those who make up His train, know His voice, and the verses about these 'seraphims' we are examining today typify those who know how to distinguish the spirit of truth from the spirit of error, and like Christ and John, they do not hesitate to say "We are of God: he that knows God hears us; he that is not of God hears not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth and the spirit of error."

The different symbols of God's elect

Those who "know God" are symbolized by the temple in which God dwells, they are symbolized by His train, and they are also symbolized by the seraphims, the cherubims and the four and twenty elders which are within His temple and are around His throne.

Isa 6:1  In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
Isa 6:2  Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.
Isa 6:3  And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.

The books of Ezekiel and the book of Revelation speak of ' four living creatures' and 'four beasts' being around the throne of God:

Eze 1:4  And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire.
Eze 1:5  Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man. 
Eze 1:6  And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings. 

These 'four faces' are the same 'four faces' of the same 'four living creatures' which are also called 'cherubims', both here in Ezekiel and in Revelation:

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

In Ezekiel 10 these same "four living creatures" are called "cherubims":

Eze 10:1  Then I looked, and, behold, in the firmament that was above the head of the cherubims there appeared over them as it were a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne.

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

Just as in Isaiah's vision of the seraphims, the visions of Ezekiel in Ezekiel chapters one and ten and in the book of Revelation, all concern what is on and about "the throne" of God.

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

Eze 10:1  Then I looked, and, behold, in the firmament that was above the head of the cherubims there appeared over them as it were a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne.

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

It is in Revelation 5 that these "four beasts", as well as "the four and twenty elders", inform us whom they symbolize:

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

That is both an inward and an outward promise:

1Co 6:2  Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the [inward and outward] world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
1Co 6:3  Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?

I remember as a child hearing of these 'seraphims' in the sermons which were preached in the church, and I asked my father, who at that time seemed to me to know so much about the Bible, "What is the difference between the cherubims and the seraphims? Both are said to be located in the presence of God. Both are in or near the throne of God, both have six wings, and both say "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts." Why", I asked my father, "is one called 'seraphims', and the other is called 'cherubims'???"

Let's notice what we read here in Isaiah six about these 'seraphims' which we are told are "Above... the throne". "Above it stood the seraphims..." This is not to be taken as the seraphims themselves being more prominent or being superior to the Lord's throne. The Hebrew word translated here as the English word 'above' is 'maal', H4605, and it is the same word translated as "on high" in this verse:

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

So it is with these 'seraphims'. It is "the throne... the mercy seat" which is the center of the attention of these seraphims, and their entire existence centers "around the throne" just as do the 'cherubims' of Revelation 5.

Now let's notice how similar these words describing "the seraphims" here in Isaiah 6 are to what we are told about the "four beasts" in the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ:

Rev 4:7  And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.
Rev 4:8  And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come 

Both are "around the throne, [both have] six wings, [and both] say, Holy, holy, holy."

In seeking to know "the sum of [God's] word" (Psa 119:160) on this subject, going back to Ezekiel one, this is what we read of these exact same four beasts round about the throne of God in the book of Ezekiel:

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

Each beast has with him an accompanying wheel, with which we are told:

Eze 1:14  And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning. 
Eze 1:15  Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold, one wheel [was] upon the earth beside the living creatures, for each of the four faces of it.
Eze 1:16  The appearance of the wheels and their work was like a beryl. And those four had one likeness, and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel within a wheel. 
Eze 1:17  When they went, they went in their four directions. They did not turn when they went. 
Eze 1:18  As for their rims, they were high and fearful. And those four had their rims full of eyes round about. 
Eze 1:19  And when the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them. And when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up.
Eze 1:20  Wherever the spirit was to go, they went; there the spirit was to go. And the wheels were lifted up beside them, for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

All of that: "Wherever the spirit was to go, they went... for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels... a wheel within a wheel... running and returning as the appearance of a flash of lightning", has been interpreted so many different ways down through the years. Some who are not given spiritual eyes that see and spiritual ears that hear interpret "a wheel within a wheel [moving] as the appearance of a flash of lightning" to be some kind of a heavenly UFO operating as a gyroscope. Such speculations are as numerous as the individual imaginations of those who express their own interpretive speculation. A much more Biblical understanding of what we are being told here is this simple spiritual Truth:

Joh 14:20  In that day ye will know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.

Ezekiel one tells us of these four living creatures, "they had the likness of a man".

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

But we are also told they each had four faces: "...they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle." Chapter ten reiterates that each cherubim had "four wings", but instead of the word "ox" we are told one of the faces was the face of a cherub:

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

What this tells us is that the face of a 'cherub' of chapter ten, is the same as the face of the 'ox' of chapter one. 'Wealth', we are told, ' is by the strength of the ox', and the ox was the ultimate sacrifice one could offer to God. That is very likely why Israel made a golden calf in the wilderness and why Jereboam made two golden calves, one in Dan, in the north of his kingdom, and one at Samaria, in the south of his kingdom, to entice Israel into idolatry and to keep them from returning to Jerusalem and the temple there.

In Ezekiel chapter ten we are also told that both the wheels which were by the cherubims as well as the cherubims themselves were "full of eyes..." and the cherubims having "the form of a man's hand under their wings" is reiterated in both chapters:

Eze 10:8  And there appeared in the cherubims the form of a man's hand under their wings. 
Eze 10:9  And when I looked, behold the four wheels by the cherubims, one wheel by one cherub, and another wheel by another cherub: and the appearance of the wheels was as the colour of a beryl stone.
Eze 10:10  And as for their appearances, they four had one likeness, as if a wheel had been in the midst of a wheel. 
Eze 10:11  When they went, they went upon their four sides; they turned not as they went, but to the place whither the head looked they followed it; they turned not as they went.
Eze 10:12  And their whole body, and their backs, and their hands, and their wings, and the wheels, were full of eyes round about, even the wheels that they four had.

These creatures are capable of looking all around in every direction within as well as looking all around in every direction without.  Here is the spirit full of eyes which is within these four creatures and their four wheels. Here is also the meaning of "a wheel within a wheel":

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

Christ in us is the mystery of  "a wheel within a wheel... full of eyes" within us. It is Christ who tells us so:

Joh 14:20  In that day ye will know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.

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

When Christ is in us we are "full of eyes... [within and without], seven eyes... the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth."

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

Eze 10:20  This is the living creature that I saw under the God of Israel by the river of Chebar; and I knew that they were the cherubims.
Eze 10:21  Every one had four faces apiece, and every one four wings; and the likeness of the hands of a man was under their wings.
Eze 10:22  And the likeness of their faces was the same faces which I saw by the river of Chebar, their appearances and themselves: they went every one straight forward.

Christ and all in whom He dwells are single-minded in their obedience to His and our Father. "They [go] every one straight forward... [they] turn not to the right hand nor to the left":

Deu 5:32  Ye shall observe to do therefore as the LORD your God hath commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.

2Ch 34:2  And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the ways of David his father, and declined neither to the right hand, nor to the left. 

Pro 4:27  Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.

If these "four creatures" are Christ in us, then we will "remove [our] feet from evil... in this present evil world", and in time we will be given spiritual bodies as "the redemption of the purchased possession" at the resurrection, then we will be capable of 'running and returning as the appearance of a flash of lightning':

Eze 1:14  And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.

Even now, through His Father's spirit, Christ is within His people the world over. "As He is, so are we in this world" (1Jo 4:17). In Him we, too, are where we are needed, and we are there, and we return "as the appearance of a flash of lightning".

1Co 5:3  For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,
1Co 5:4  In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
1Co 5:5  To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. 

Why do the seraphims call to each other, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord?

Isa 6:3  And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.

This is the spiritual meaning and the spiritual benefit of us telling each other that our holy Father is sovereign over all His creation, and that He is a loving heavenly Father who is working all things together for good after the counsel of His own will (Rom 8:28 and Eph 1:11). This is what that does for us.

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

Isa 3:21-22 The Changeable Suits of Apparel

Isa 3:21  The rings, and nose jewels,
Isa 3:22  The changeable suits of apparel, and the mantles, and the wimples, and the crisping pins,

We are blessed to continue to see what the Lord is taking away from us as He is judging us. What we are learning about His judgment upon the kingdom of our old man is called “His wonderful works to the children of men”:

Psa 107:1  O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Psa 107:2  Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;
Psa 107:3  And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south.
Psa 107:4  They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in.
Psa 107:5  Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them.
Psa 107:6  Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses. 
Psa 107:7  And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation.
Psa 107:8  Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! 
Psa 107:9  For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness. 
Psa 107:10  Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron;
Psa 107:11  Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High: 
Psa 107:12  Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help.
Psa 107:13  Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses. 
Psa 107:14  He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder.
Psa 107:15  Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

We only “cry unto the Lord ” when we are in the troubles which He sends to us for our good, to cause us to cry out to and acknowledge Him.  Only then does “He save [us] out of [our] distresses”. Here is another more succinct way of saying the same thing:

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. 

Judgment is always very humbling, but it is followed by the rewards of the glory given to those who have been chastened of the Lord in this age, and it carries with it these rewards:

Psa 149:5  Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds.
Psa 149:6  Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand;
Psa 149:7  To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people; 
Psa 149:8  To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron;
Psa 149:9  To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the LORD.

It is “the saints [who will] execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people;” with the two-edged sword of the word of God. But we will do so only after we have all of our own possessions, and all of our own righteousnesses, taken from us.

As we saw in last week’s study:

Isa 3:18  In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of their tinkling ornaments about their feet, and their cauls, and their round tires like the moon,

Let’s continue from where we left off  and see what else must be taken from us before we can enter into the temple of God in heaven (Rev 15:8]:

Isa 3:21  The rings, and nose jewels, 

The rings

Here is the Hebrew word translated as “the rings”:

H2885
טַבַּעַת
ṭabba‛ath
tab-bah’-ath
From H2883; properly a seal (as sunk into the wax), that is, signet (for sealing); hence (generically) a ring of any kind: – ring.
Total KJV occurrences: 49

Here are the only two ways this word is translated.

H2885
טבּעת
ṭabba‛ath
Total KJV Occurrences: 49
rings, 40
Exo_25:12 (3), Exo_25:14-15 (2), Exo_25:26-27 (3), Exo_26:29, Exo_27:4, Exo_27:7, Exo_28:23-24 (3), Exo_28:26-28 (4), Exo_30:4, Exo_35:22, Exo_36:34, Exo_37:3 (3), Exo_37:5, Exo_37:13-14 (3), Exo_37:27, Exo_38:5, Exo_38:7, Exo_39:16-17 (3), Exo_39:19-21 (4), Num_31:50, Isa_3:21
ring, 9
Gen_41:42, Exo_26:24, Exo_36:29, Est_3:10, Est_3:12, Est_8:2, Est_8:8 (2), Est_8:10

As we can see, the only variation is the plural and the singular – rings and ring.

Here are two examples of what this word means and what must be taken from us:

Gen 41:41  And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.
Gen 41:42  And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph’s hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck;
Gen 41:43  And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt.

Est 3:8  And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from all people; neither keep they the king’s laws: therefore it is not for the king’s profit to suffer them.
Est 3:9  If it please the king, let it be written that they may be destroyed: and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver to the hands of those that have the charge of the business, to bring it into the king’s treasuries.
Est 3:10  And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews’ enemy.

After our old man has the ring taken away, it is then given to our new man:

Est 8:1  On that day did the king Ahasuerus give the house of Haman the Jews’ enemy unto Esther the queen. And Mordecai came before the king; for Esther had told what he was unto her.
Est 8:2  And the king took off his ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.

It is very interesting that it was “the king” who ordered both the destruction and the salvation of the Lord’s people.

It is almost as if:

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

The power of the king’s ring is taken from our old man, and it is given by the same king to the new man who is willing to die to the lies and deception of the old man’s kingdom.

The next thing the Lord takes from the kingdom of our old man is:

The nose jewels

This phrase consist of two Hebrew words. The Hebrew word for ‘nose’ is:

H639
אַף
‘aph
af
From H599; properly the nose or nostril; hence the face, and occasionally a person; also (from the rapid breathing in passion) ire: – anger (-gry), + before, countenance, face, + forbearing, forehead, + [long-] suffering, nose, nostril, snout, X worthy, wrath.
Total KJV occurrences: 276

Here is how the various translations of this Hebrew word in the King James break down:

H639
אף
‘aph
Total KJV Occurrences: 278
anger, 172
Gen_27:45, Gen_30:2, Gen_44:18, Gen_49:6-7 (2), Exo_4:14, Exo_11:8, Exo_32:19, Exo_32:22, Num_11:1, Num_11:10, Num_12:9, Num_22:22, Num_22:27, Num_24:10, Num_25:3-4 (2), Num_32:10, Deu_6:13-15 (3), Deu_7:4, Deu_9:19, Deu_13:17, Deu_29:20, Deu_29:23-24 (2), Deu_29:27-28 (2), Deu_31:17, Deu_32:22, Jos_7:1, Jos_7:26, Jos_23:16, Jdg_2:14, Jdg_2:20, Jdg_3:8, Jdg_6:39, Jdg_9:30, Jdg_10:7, Jdg_14:19, 1Sa_11:6, 1Sa_17:28, 1Sa_20:30, 1Sa_20:34, 2Sa_6:7, 2Sa_12:5, 2Sa_24:1, 2Ki_13:3, 2Ki_23:26, 2Ki_24:20, 1Ch_13:10, 2Ch_25:10 (2), 2Ch_25:15, Neh_9:17, Job_9:5, Job_9:13, Job_18:4, Job_21:17, Job_35:15, Psa_6:1, Psa_7:6, Psa_27:9, Psa_30:5, Psa_37:8, Psa_56:7, Psa_69:24, Psa_74:1, Psa_77:9, Psa_78:21, Psa_78:38, Psa_78:49-50 (2), Psa_85:3, Psa_85:5, Psa_90:7, Psa_90:11, Psa_145:8 (2), Pro_15:1, Pro_15:18, Pro_16:32, Pro_19:11, Pro_21:14, Pro_27:4, Isa_5:25 (2), Isa_7:4, Isa_9:12, Isa_9:17, Isa_9:21, Isa_10:4-5 (2), Isa_10:25, Isa_12:1, Isa_13:3, Isa_13:9, Isa_13:13, Isa_14:6, Isa_30:27, Isa_30:30, Isa_42:25, Isa_48:9, Isa_63:3, Isa_63:6, Isa_66:15, Jer_2:35, Jer_4:8, Jer_4:26, Jer_7:20, Jer_10:24, Jer_15:13-14 (2), Jer_17:4, Jer_18:23, Jer_21:5, Jer_23:20, Jer_25:37-38 (2), Jer_30:24, Jer_32:31, Jer_32:37, Jer_33:5, Jer_36:7, Jer_42:18, Jer_44:6, Jer_49:37, Jer_51:45, Jer_52:3, Lam_1:12, Lam_2:1 (2), Lam_2:3, Lam_2:6, Lam_2:21-22 (2), Lam_3:43, Lam_3:66, Lam_4:11, Eze_5:13, Eze_5:15, Eze_7:3, Eze_7:8, Eze_13:13, Eze_20:8, Eze_20:21, Eze_22:20, Eze_25:14, Eze_35:11, Eze_43:8, Dan_9:16, Dan_11:20, Hos_8:5, Hos_11:9, Hos_13:11, Hos_14:4, Joe_2:13, Amo_1:11, Jon_3:9, Jon_4:2, Mic_5:15, Mic_7:18, Nah_1:3, Nah_1:6, Hab_3:8, Hab_3:12, Zep_2:2-3 (3), Zep_3:8, Zec_10:3
wrath, 42
Gen_39:19, Exo_22:24, Exo_32:10-12 (3), Num_11:33, Deu_11:17, 1Sa_28:18, 2Ki_23:26, 2Ch_12:12, 2Ch_28:11, 2Ch_28:13, 2Ch_29:10, 2Ch_30:8, Ezr_8:22, Ezr_10:14, Job_14:13, Job_16:9, Job_19:11, Job_20:23, Job_20:28, Job_32:2-3 (3), Job_32:5, Job_36:13, Job_40:11, Job_42:7, Psa_2:5, Psa_2:12, Psa_21:9, Psa_55:3, Psa_78:31, Psa_95:11, Psa_106:40, Psa_110:5, Psa_124:3, Psa_138:7, Pro_14:29, Pro_24:18, Pro_29:8, Pro_30:33
face, 19
Gen_3:19, Gen_19:1, Gen_24:47, Gen_48:12, Num_22:31, 1Sa_20:41, 1Sa_24:8, 1Sa_25:41, 1Sa_28:14, 2Sa_14:4, 2Sa_14:33, 2Sa_18:28, 2Sa_24:20, 1Ki_1:23, 1Ki_1:31, 1Ch_21:21, 2Ch_20:18, Isa_49:23, Eze_38:18
nostrils, 13
Gen_2:7, Gen_7:22, Exo_15:8, Num_11:20, 2Sa_22:9, 2Sa_22:16, Job_4:9, Job_27:3, Psa_18:8, Psa_18:15, Isa_2:22, Lam_4:20, Amo_4:10
nose, 11
2Ki_19:28, Job_40:24, Job_41:2, Pro_30:33, Son_7:4, Son_7:8, Isa_3:21, Isa_37:29, Isa_65:5, Eze_8:17, Eze_23:25
angry, 4
Psa_76:7, Pro_14:17, Pro_22:24, Pro_29:22
longsuffering, 4
Exo_34:6, Num_14:18, Jer_15:15 (2)
faces, 3
Gen_42:6, 2Ch_7:3, Neh_8:6
before, 2
Deu_33:10, 1Sa_25:23
no, 2
Zec_10:2, Mal_1:10
countenance, 1
Psa_10:4
forbearing, 1
Pro_25:15
forehead, 1
Eze_16:12
noses, 1
Psa_115:6
snout, 1
Pro_11:22
worthy, 1
1Sa_1:5

Of the 278 times this word appears in the Old Testament, it is translated as ‘anger’ or ‘wrath’ 214 times. This Hebrew word ‘aph‘ means ‘nose’, but because our nostrils flare when we are angry, it is most commonly translated with a word which demonstrates our wrath against what God is doing with mankind. One thing which will certainly be taken from us all is “the wrath of man”:

Jas 1:20  For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

When we look at the root of this word, it, too, is concerned only with anger.

H599
אָנַף
‘ânaph
aw-naf’
A primitive root; to breathe hard, that is, be enraged: – be angry (displeased).
Total KJV occurrences: 14

Of the 14 times this word appears it is translated in the King James as:

H599
אנף
‘ânaph
Total KJV Occurrences: 14
angry, 13
Deu_1:37, Deu_4:21, Deu_9:8, Deu_9:20, 1Ki_8:46, 1Ki_11:9, 2Ki_17:18, 2Ch_6:36, Ezr_9:14, Psa_2:12, Psa_85:5 (2), Isa_12:1
displeased, 1
Psa_60:1 (2)

It will be through God’s wrath that the wrath of man will be taken from us:

Isa 9:19  Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts is the land darkened, and the people shall be as the fuel of the fire: no man shall spare his brother. 

Lam 3:1  I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.

We should always take these words first and primarily as applying to the kingdom of the beast within us, but we must never deny that the day is coming when these words will have an outward and dispensational application. We are admonished to always consider that time as our time:

2Pe 3:4  And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. 
2Pe 3:5  For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
2Pe 3:6  Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:

That is not the mind we are to have. Christ Himself told us to maintain a spirit of vigilance:

Mat 16:2  He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red.
Mat 16:3  And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?

Mat 24:32  Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:
Mat 24:33  So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. 

The jewels

These jewels are the next thing to be taken from us.

The Hebrew word translated as ‘jewels’ is:

H5141
נֶזֶם
nezem
neh’-zem
From an unused root of uncertain meaning; a nose ring: – earring, jewel.
Total KJV occurrences: 17

Here are those 17 entries, and we will just note that 14 of the seventeen entries for this word are translated as ‘earring’ in the singular and ‘earrings’ in the plural.

H5141
נזם
nezem
Total KJV Occurrences: 17
earrings, 9
Gen_35:4, Exo_32:2-3 (2), Exo_35:22, Jdg_8:24-26 (4), Hos_2:13
earring, 5
Gen_24:22, Gen_24:30, Gen_24:47, Pro_25:11-12 (2)
jewel, 2
Pro_11:22, Eze_16:12
jewels, 1
Isa_3:21

The only times this word is not translated as ‘earrings’ are:

Pro 11:22  As a jewel [H5141: nezem] of gold in a swine’s snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion.

Isa 3:21  The rings, and nose [H639: aph] jewels [H5141: nezem],

Eze 16:12  And I put a jewel [H5141: nezem] on thy forehead [H639: aph – nose], and earrings in thine ears, and a beautiful crown upon thine head.

God is telling us, His ‘Israel’ here in Ezekiel 16:12, that He will put a ring in our nose, not “a jewel on [our] forehead”, as the King James reads.

The point being made is that when God covers us with His jewels, we are His delight, but when we take His jewels to ourselves and  use them to glorify ourselves and to prove our false doctrines, He will take all our jewels away from us and destroy them. That message is to be found right here in the same 16th chapter of Ezekiel:

Eze 16:10  I clothed thee also with broidered work, and shod thee with badgers’ skin, and I girded thee about with fine linen, and I covered thee with silk.
Eze 16:11  I decked thee also with ornaments, and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a chain on thy neck.
Eze 16:12  And I put a jewel on thy forehead, and earrings in thine ears, and a beautiful crown upon thine head.
Eze 16:13  Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver; and thy raiment was of fine linen, and silk, and broidered work; thou didst eat fine flour, and honey, and oil: and thou wast exceeding beautiful, and thou didst prosper into a kingdom.
Eze 16:14  And thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty: for it was perfect through my comeliness, which I had put upon thee, saith the Lord GOD.
Eze 16:15  But thou didst trust in thine own beauty, and playedst the harlot because of thy renown, and pouredst out thy fornications on every one that passed by; his it was.

Almost all Christians take great pride in “pouring out their fornication with everyone that passes by”. They call it ‘love and inclusiveness’, and anyone who is not ‘tolerant and inclusive’ is to be rejected and despised as a ‘cult’ by all those who are more ‘ecumenical’. This is just what we all first do:

Eze 16:16  And of thy garments thou didst take, and deckedst thy high places with divers colours, and playedst the harlot thereupon: the like things shall not come, neither shall it be so.
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,
Eze 16:18  And tookest thy broidered garments, and coveredst them: and thou hast set mine oil and mine incense before them.
Eze 16:19  My meat also which I gave thee, fine flour, and oil, and honey, wherewith I fed thee, thou hast even set it before them for a sweet savour: and thus it was, saith the Lord GOD.
Eze 16:20  Moreover thou hast taken thy sons and thy daughters, whom thou hast borne unto me, and these hast thou sacrificed unto them to be devoured. Is this of thy whoredoms a small matter, 
Eze 16:21  That thou hast slain my children, and delivered them to cause them to pass through the fire for them?

When Christ tells us “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”, what He is telling us is that He has given us His words, His wonderful truths of what He is doing to save all men, and we have taken His words of Truth, and we have fashioned those words of Truth, His “gold, silver, and precious stones”, into false doctrines which He calls “images of men”, false doctrines of men. He also calls these false doctrines “wood, hay and stubble” in this verse:

1Co 3:12  Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones [The Truth], wood, hay, stubble [lies and false doctrines];

But God is sovereign, and as such He has ordained that even our whoredoms and sins and our spiritual promiscuity are to be taken from us and burned up in His fiery judgments. It is He who has ordained it all to bring forth a new man in “every man” who has ever lived:

1Co 3:12  Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
1Co 3:13  Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try everyman’s work of what sort it is.
1Co 3:14  If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
1Co 3:15  If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. 

That “fire” is the trials by which all of our jewels and all of our broidered garments are taken from us, and we are brought to see that we are indeed “wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked” and in need of everything that only God can do for us:

Rev 3:17  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 
Rev 3:18  I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
Rev 3:19  As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 

As we just read in Ezekiel 16, it is because of our whoredoms that Christ will also take away:

The changeable suits of apparel

That entire phrase, “the changeable suits of apparel”, is translated from one Hebrew word”:

H4254
מַחֲלָצָה
machălâtsâh
makh-al-aw-tsaw’
From H2502; a mantle (as easily drawn off): – changeable suit of apparel, change of raiment.
Total KJV occurrences: 2

Here are the two entries for this Hebrew word:

H4254
מחלצה
machălâtsâh
Total KJV Occurrences: 2
changeable suits of apparel, 1
Isa_3:22
change of raiment, 1
Zec_3:4

The first entry is our verse (Isa 3:22) we are looking at where we are being told that God will take away our changeable suits of apparel, and the only other entry is:

Zec 3:1  And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. 
Zec 3:2  And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? 
Zec 3:3  Now Joshua [you and I] was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel.
Zec 3:4  And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.

Notice that we are told here “Take away the filthy garments from him”. That is exactly what we are being told God is doing to us here in Isa 3:22. Our ‘filthy garments’ and all of our misappropriated jewels are one and the same thing. Joshua’s filthy garments are all the false doctrines we have believed and taught others in our self-righteousness. God is taking it all away.

Isa 3:18  In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of their tinkling ornaments about their feet, and their cauls, and their round tires like the moon,

The next thing taken from us is:

The mantles

This Hebrew word is:

H4595
מַעֲטָפָה
ma‛ăṭâphâh
mah-at-aw-faw’
From H5848; a cloak: – mantle.
Total KJV occurrences: 1

This word appears but once in the Old Testament, right here in Isa 3:22.

But the root of this word is:

H5848
עָטַף
‛âṭaph
aw-taf’
A primitive root; to shroud, that is, clothe (whether transitively or reflexively); hence (from the idea of darkness) to languish: – cover (over), fail, faint, feebler, hide self, be overwhelmed, swoon.
Total KJV occurrences: 16

This word appears 16 times in the Hebrew scriptures, and this is how it is translated in the King James Version:

H5848
עטף
‛âṭaph
Total KJV Occurrences: 16
overwhelmed, 5
Psa_77:2-3 (2), Psa_102:1, Psa_143:3-4 (2)
fainted, 2
Psa_107:4-5 (2), Jon_2:7
covered over, 1
Psa_65:13
covereth, 1
Psa_73:6
fail, 1
Isa_57:16
faint, 1
Lam_2:19
feeble, 1
Gen_30:42
feebler, 1
Gen_30:42 (2)
hideth, 1
Job_23:9
swoon, 1
Lam_2:11
swooned, 1
Lam_2:11-12 (2)

It almost appears as though there is a different translation for every entry of this word, but as we can see, the most common translation is the English word ‘overwhelmed’, which is the preferred translation of 5 of the 16 entries we find in the Old Testament. Looking at the remaining 11 entries we see that the next most common translation is ‘fainted’ and ‘faint’, accounting for three more entries. Of  the remaining 8 entries the words ‘swoon’ and ‘swooned’, which means the same as ‘faint’, can be added to the concept of fainting or being overwhelmed. The remaining six entries are ‘cover over, cover, fail, feeble, feebler’, and ‘hideth’.

The definition of this Hebrew word is to shroud, clothe or cover. Like every word of scripture, it can apply to a covering that is positive, such as it is used in this verse of scripture:

Psa 65:13  The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered [H5848: ataph] over with corn; they shout for joy, they also sing.

In its negative application it has the meaning of being an overwhelming covering, as in this verse:

Psa 77:2  In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted.
Psa 77:3  I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed [H584: ataph]. Selah.

So what does this ‘mantle’ do that it must be taken from us before we can enter into the Lord’s house? Here is why our mantle must be taken from us:

Psa 73:6  Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth [H5848: ataph] them as a garment. 
Psa 73:7  Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish.
Psa 73:8  They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily. 
Psa 73:9  They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.

That is the mantle that must be taken from us if we hope to be judged and learn the Lord’s righteousness in this age.

And it is by overwhelming our spirit this will all be accomplished:

Psa 107:25  For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.
Psa 107:26  They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble.
Psa 107:27  They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end. 
Psa 107:28  Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses. 

Here is the next thing that must go:

The wimples

The Hebrew word translated as ‘the wimples’ is:

H4304
מִטְפַּחַת
miṭpachath
mit-pakh’-ath
From H2946; a wide cloak (for a woman): – vail, wimple.
Total KJV occurrences: 2

This word appears in the Old Testament but twice:

H4304
מטפּחת
miṭpachath
Total KJV Occurrences: 2
veil, 1
Rth_3:15
wimples, 1
Isa_3:22

Besides being ‘the wimples’ which must be taken from us here in Isaiah 3:22, it appears again in:

Rth 3:15  Also he [Boaz] said, Bring the vail [H4304: mitpachath] that thou hast upon thee, and hold it. And when she held it, he measured six measures of barley, and laid it on her: and she went into the city.

Six measures is two and a half gallons of barley, so we certainly are not talking of a woman’s face veil.

The Hebrew word ‘mitpachath‘ comes from the Hebrew word:

H2946
טָפַח
ṭâphach
taw-fakh’
A primitive root; to flatten out or extend (as a tent); figuratively to nurse a child (as promotive of growth); or perhaps a denominative from H2947, from dandling on the palms: – span, swaddle.
Total KJV occurrences: 2

Here are the two entries for this root word:

H2946
טפח
ṭâphach
Total KJV Occurrences: 2
spanned, 1
Isa_48:12-13 (2)
swaddled, 1
Lam_2:22

In Isaiah 48, this root word is translated as ‘spanned’:

Isa 48:12  Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last.
Isa 48:13  Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned [H2946: taphach] the heavens: when I call unto them, they stand up together.

This word is translated as ‘swaddled’ in Lamentations:

Lam 2:21  The young and the old lie on the ground in the streets: my virgins and my young men are fallen by the sword; thou hast slain them in the day of thine anger; thou hast killed, and not pitied. 
Lam 2:22  Thou hast called as in a solemn day my terrors round about, so that in the day of the LORD’S anger none escaped nor remained: those that I have swaddled [H2946: taphach] and brought up hath mine enemy consumed. 

The wide cloak for a woman is a raiment with which we cover ourselves or swaddle our children. It is the same as the embroidered clothes we read of earlier in:

Eze 16:10  I clothed thee also with broidered work, and shod thee with badgers’ skin, and I girded thee about with fine linen, and I covered thee with silk.

Eze 16:13  Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver; and thy raiment was of fine linen, and silk, and broidered work; thou didst eat fine flour, and honey, and oil: and thou wast exceeding beautiful, and thou didst prosper into a kingdom.

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,
Eze 16:18  And tookest thy broidered garments, and coveredst them: and thou hast set mine oil and mine incense before them.

It is because we have taken everything God has given us and perverted it into our own false doctrines, described here as jewels and clothing, that Christ takes it all away from us, for the purpose of dragging us to Himself. We have taken the “broidered garments” He gave us, and we have covered our own false doctrines in those broidered garments, just as we have covered our idols with His silver and His gold, His words and His doctrines, and in doing so, we are saying “The Lord has spoken” when the Lord has not spoken:

Jer 23:21  I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied. 

Eze 13:7  Have ye not seen a vain vision, and have ye not spoken a lying divination, whereas ye say, The LORD saith it; albeit I have not spoken?

Beware when you hear the words, “The Lord told me such and such”. Try that spirit to see whether it is of the Lord (1Jo 4:1). It could be that someone is covering what is coming from their own heart with God’s Word, instead of dying to their own deceitful heart:

Jer 17:9  The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
Jer 17:10  I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

The next thing that must be taken from us is:

The crisping pins

H2754
חָרִט    חָרִיט
chârı̂yṭ    châriṭ
khaw-reet’, khaw-reet’
From the same as H2747; properly cut out (or hollow), that is, (by implication) a pocket: – bag, crisping pin.
Total KJV occurrences: 2

H2754
חרט  /  חריט
chârı̂yṭ  /  châriṭ
Total KJV Occurrences: 2
bags, 1
2Ki_5:23
crisping, 1
Isa_3:22

A ‘crisping pin’ does not sound like it would have anything in common with a ‘bag’. Nevertheless that is how this word ‘chariyt‘ is translated in this verse:

2Ki 5:22  And he [Gehazi, Elisha’s servant] said, All is well. My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there be come to me from mount Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets: give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of garments.
2Ki 5:23  And Naaman said, Be content, take two talents. And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags [H2754: chariyt], with two changes of garments, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they bare them before him.

This Hebrew word ‘chariyt‘ means “to hollow out”, but it also came to mean a hollow bag.

Here is the root of this Hebrew word ‘chariyt‘:

H2747
חֶרֶט
chereṭ
kheh’-ret
From a primitive root meaning to engrave; a chisel or graver; also a style for writing: – graving tool, pen.
Total KJV occurrences: 2

Here are the two verses of scripture where this word appears:

H2747
חרט
chereṭ
Total KJV Occurrences: 2
graving tool, 1
Exo_32:4
pen, 1
Isa_8:1

Exo 32:4  And he received them [their golden earrings] at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool [H2747: cheret] after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

Isa 8:1  Moreover the LORD said unto me, Take thee a great roll, and write in it with a man’s pen [H2747: cheret] concerning Mahershalalhashbaz.

That is what Isaiah was told to write with a man’s pen, a ‘cheret‘. 

“Mahershalalhashbaz” means:

H4122
מַהֵר שָׁלָל חָשׁ בַּז
mahêr shâlâl châsh baz
mah-hare’ shaw-lawl’ khawsh baz
From H4118 and H7998 and H2363 and H957; hasting (as he (the enemy) to the) booty, swift (to the) prey; Maher-Shalal Chash-Baz; the symbolical name of the son of Isaiah: – Maher-shalal-hash-baz.

This is a new-born son of Isaiah whose name means ‘hastening the enemy to the booty, swift to the prey’. That is what Isaiah is told to write with a pen, a ‘cheret’. And it is with our ‘pen’, given to us by our Lord, that we want to “fashion… a golden calf” and call it our God. It is with our ‘pen’, our ‘cheret‘, that we write the exact opposite of what God has written. Our old man does not want to hear that God is “hasting the enemy to the booty, swift to the pray”. The enemy of our old man is our new man. Our rebellious old man wants to keep living his life in direct rebellion against the commandments of God and be “hasting God’s rebellious people to the booty and the prey of their enemies”, our new man. We simply do not believe we will ever face the judgment of a just God. But what we believe does not change what has already been written in God’s book, which is what will be done (Psa 139:16 ASV). We all know this is so because we have all learned that our old man was “made to be taken and destroyed” (2Pe 2:12), not made to be blessed while openly rebelling against his Creator and God. We actually think we can continue to deny that God even exists, continue to live permissive, promiscuous, destructive lives, both physically in our society and spiritually in our churches and in our hearts, and we still think we will not reap what we are sowing.  But it will not be so. We will reap what we have sown spiritually and physically. We actually believe we can continue to declare that we have a will that is free from what God has planned for us, and that God will just have to learn to cope with our decisions.

This is who we are at that time in our walk:

Isa 14:14  I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

But it is not so, and we will be brought down to the grave:

Isa 14:15  Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell [Hebrew: sheol – grave], to the sides of the pit.

We will close with the reminder that all of this is being worked by God after the counsel of His own will for our good:

Rom 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Rom 8:29  For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

“The firstborn” are but the first “among many brethren”. The first resurrection is the harvest of those firstborn among many brothers, and a much greater harvest will be reaped after the thousand years and after the “little season” and during the great white throne judgment which is the lake of fire.

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

Eph 1:10  That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

Lord willing, we will finish chapter three in our next study.