Numbers 16:27-50 Korah’s Rebellion, Part 2

[Study Aired August 21, 2023]

Num 16:27  So they gat up from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side: and Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood in the door of their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their little children. 
Num 16:28  And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the LORD hath sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of mine own mind.
Num 16:29  If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then the LORD hath not sent me. 
Num 16:30  But if the LORD make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the LORD. 
Num 16:31  And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them: 
Num 16:32  And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods. 
Num 16:33  They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation. 
Num 16:34  And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also. 
Num 16:35  And there came out a fire from the LORD, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense. 
Num 16:36  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 
Num 16:37  Speak unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, that he take up the censers out of the burning, and scatter thou the fire yonder; for they are hallowed. 
Num 16:38  The censers of these sinners against their own souls, let them make them broad plates for a covering of the altar: for they offered them before the LORD, therefore they are hallowed: and they shall be a sign unto the children of Israel.
Num 16:39  And Eleazar the priest took the brasen censers, wherewith they that were burnt had offered; and they were made broad plates for a covering of the altar:
Num 16:40  To be a memorial unto the children of Israel, that no stranger, which is not of the seed of Aaron, come near to offer incense before the LORD; that he be not as Korah, and as his company: as the LORD said to him by the hand of Moses.
Num 16:41  But on the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, Ye have killed the people of the LORD. 
Num 16:42  And it came to pass, when the congregation was gathered against Moses and against Aaron, that they looked toward the tabernacle of the congregation: and, behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the LORD appeared. 
Num 16:43  And Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of the congregation. 
Num 16:44  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 
Num 16:45  Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces. 
Num 16:46  And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from the LORD; the plague is begun. 
Num 16:47  And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the congregation; and, behold, the plague was begun among the people: and he put on incense, and made an atonement for the people.
Num 16:48  And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed. 
Num 16:49  Now they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, beside them that died about the matter of Korah.
Num 16:50  And Aaron returned unto Moses unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the plague was stayed.

Introduction

The first part of chapter 16, which we went through in our studies last week, dealt with the rebellion of Korah. The second part of this study focuses on the result of the rebellion. As indicated in the previous study, rebellion comes up now and then in the body of Christ with the aim to let those who are called and chosen to be manifested. 

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

Throughout the history of the church there have been rebellions against the Lord’s anointed men by people who think they are also the Lord’s anointed and therefore have the legitimate right of leadership. We have all rebelled against the Lord during our walk with Him, but He has been merciful to us.

Isa 1:2  Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. 
Isa 1:3  The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider. 
Isa 1:4  Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward. 
Isa 1:5  Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. 
Isa 1:6  From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.

As this age is approaching the end, there will be more contention or rebellion as spoken of by Paul, John and Jude as follows:  

2Ti 3:1  This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2Ti 3:2  For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 
2Ti 3:3  Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 
2Ti 3:4  Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 
2Ti 3:5  Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 
2Ti 3:6  For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 
2Ti 3:7  Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 

People being disobedient to their parents spiritually means that they will rebel against those who have brought them up in the Lord, just as we see Korah and his men rebel against Moses and Aaron who led the people of Israel out of Egypt to serve the Lord. It is worth knowing that it is Babylon that has the form of godliness but denies the power of the Lord to transform people to become obedient children of the Lord. As stated in 2 Timothy 3:5, ‘from such turn away’ means that we must leave Babylon. In the next verse, it is Babylon (silly women) who are laden with sin and have been taken captive by their leaders.

A man called Diotrephes severely resisted the work of the Lord being carried out by Apostle John. This is Apostle John’s words regarding this rebellion:

3Jn 1:9  I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. 
3Jn 1:10  Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church. 
3Jn 1:11  Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.

Here, we are shown a key reason for rebellion. People rebel when they want preeminence among the Lord’s people. As a result, they are not prepared to humble themselves and accept their errors or mistakes. It is because they do not want to appear as weak before the Lord’s people, since they think submitting to leadership is weakness. On the contrary, admitting our faults or mistakes before the Lord’s people is strength.

Jer 3:12  Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the LORD; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the LORD, and I will not keep anger forever. 
Jer 3:13  Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the LORD. 

This is what Jude also has to say about this rebellious syndrome by the Lord’s people against leadership:

Jud 1:4  For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Jud 1:8  Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.

In the last study, we ended when Moses told the people of Israel to separate themselves from those who rebelled against him, otherwise they, too, would be swept away by the consequence of their actions. Inasmuch as we love our brothers and sisters who rebel against leadership, we have to separate ourselves from them, otherwise this canker will sweep us all away, thus destroying the whole body. 

Num 16:24  “Say to the congregation, Get away from the dwelling of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.”
Num 16:25  Then Moses rose and went to Dathan and Abiram, and the elders of Israel followed him.
Num 16:26  And he spoke to the congregation, saying, “Depart, please, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest you be swept away with all their sins.” (ESV)

Individually, we are to treat our brothers and sisters who rebel against authority as mere people of the world and not continue to have fellowship with them, otherwise we shall be swept away also.  

Tit 3:10  A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject (have nothing more to do with him); 
Tit 3:11  Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself. 

This brings us to our study today as we look at the consequence of rebelling against the Lord’s anointed. 

Num 16:27  So they gat up from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side: and Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood in the door of their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their little children. 
Num 16:28  And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the LORD hath sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of mine own mind.

The people of Israel separated from Korah, Dathan and Abiram and their families as instructed by the Lord. This does not mean that the people of Israel or Moses do not love these men. However, it is better to obey the Lord than to sacrifice our love for rebellious ones, thinking that we know better. This is what is happening in the world. For example, I do not think that anybody who is in Christ hate gays because we all know that we have contributed one way or another to the death of Christ which is more grievous offence than being gay. However, this does not mean that we should fellowship with them as some churches of this world do. Our stance makes the world hate us.

1Co 5:1  It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father’s wife.
1Co 5:2  And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you.

Verse 28 shows us the reason the Lord brings all these rebellions against leadership in the house of God. It shows us who are chosen and holy. Verse 28 of Numbers 16 is therefore another way of saying the following:

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

Num 16:29  If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then the LORD hath not sent me. 
Num 16:30  But if the LORD make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the LORD. 
Num 16:31  And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them: 
Num 16:32  And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.
Num 16:33  They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.

The common death that all humanity faces is when we release our last breath as we give up the ghost. That is not the end of those who rebelled against the Lord’s authority since everybody will die. What happens to those who rebel is that the earth opens her mouth to swallow them. The question is, what does it mean for the earth to open its mouth to swallow them? In the Bible, the earth signifies the Lord’s people who are not ready to hear the truth of the word of the Lord. In other words, the earth represents Babylon.

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

In the Book of Revelation chapter 12, after the woman has given birth to the man-child and he is taken up to heaven, the woman is pursued by the Devil to destroy her. The Devil spews out water like a river (flood) to overtake her to sweep her away with the torrent. However, the earth helps the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon has spewed out of his mouth.  These verses show us what it means for the earth to open its mouth to swallow our rebellious brothers and sisters.

Rev 12:13  And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child. 
Rev 12:14  And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. 
Rev 12:15  And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.
Rev 12:16  And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.
Rev 12:17  And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

We all know that the water that comes out of the mouth of the Devil is false doctrines, as he is the father of lies and nothing that comes out of his mouth is truth. It is these false doctrines spewed by the devil through his messengers that are taken in by Babylon (the earth). Since Babylon is taking in the flood from the devil, it means that the devil has deceived it, and therefore there is no need to destroy her as the Devil turns his effort to the Lord’s elect (Rev. 12:17).

Joh 8:44  Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

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.

So, the earth opening its mouth to swallow Korah, Dathan and Abiram and their families means that they are deceived by the devil’s lies and therefore become spiritually dead even though they still think they are spiritually alive. That is another way of saying that they are cast into outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Rev 3:1  And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. 

Mat 8:12  But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Mat 24:51  And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Here again, there is the need to understand the meaning of gnashing of teeth to understand what it means to be cast into outer darkness. There are two examples in the Bible which show us what it means to gnash our teeth. In both cases, it was when they saw the righteous blossoming (his horn being exalted with honor) that they gnash their teeth.

Psa 112:9  He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour.
Psa 112:10  The wicked shall see it, and be grieved; he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away: the desire of the wicked shall perish.

Luk 13:28  There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.

This means that to be thrown into outer darkness and gnashing our teeth is being in a position to see the horn of the righteous being exalted, but because of the spiritual darkness in which we find ourselves, there is no way we can find repentance. In their frustration, they gnash their teeth.

Heb 12:16  Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. 
Heb 12:17  For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

Num 16:34  And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also.
Num 16:35  And there came out a fire from the LORD, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense.

As indicated earlier, if we do not separate ourselves from our brothers and sisters who rebel against leadership, we will find ourselves being swallowed by the earth. We therefore need to flee from those who rebel.

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

The two hundred and fifty men who filled their censers with fire and incense at the command of Moses, to ascertain who really is chosen and holy ended up being burnt by fire. This fire from the Lord is the same as fire resulting from the word of the Lord.  As Jesus explained, the fire from the Lord signifies the tribulation or persecution that arises as a result of the word of the Lord. To the elect, this fire, which is our fiery trials, results in righteousness. To those who rebel against the Lord’s elect, the tribulation and persecution which come on them ends up making them offended, and therefore they become spiritually dead.

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.

This was what happened to the people of Israel when they left Egypt and were being pursued by the Egyptian army at the Red Sea. The pillar of cloud, which is Christ or His words, came between the Egyptians and the camp of the Israelites. To the Egyptians, it was a cloud and darkness. That is being in outer darkness. To the other, the word of the Lord becomes a light shining in darkness until the day dawns!! 

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

Num 16:36  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Num 16:37  Speak unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, that he take up the censers out of the burning, and scatter thou the fire yonder; for they are hallowed.
Num 16:38  The censers of these sinners against their own souls, let them make them broad plates for a covering of the altar: for they offered them before the LORD, therefore they are hallowed: and they shall be a sign unto the children of Israel.
Num 16:39  And Eleazar the priest took the brasen censers, wherewith they that were burnt had offered; and they were made broad plates for a covering of the altar:
Num 16:40  To be a memorial unto the children of Israel, that no stranger, which is not of the seed of Aaron, come near to offer incense before the LORD; that he be not as Korah, and as his company: as the LORD said to him by the hand of Moses.

Eleazer was told to collect the bronze censers brought by those who have been burned to death and to hammer them out to overlay the altar. This was to remind the Israelites that no one except the descendants of Aaron should come and burn incense before the Lord. Failure to do so will result in suffering the same fate as Korah and his followers. These verses show us that those who rebelled against leadership have in a way contributed to helping us offer our bodies as living sacrifice to the Lord before they went “rogue”.  Through their teachings, we were able to lay a good foundation to grow in Christ. This shows that we are not to take for granted our salvation. As David said concerning Ahitophel when he joined Absalom against David, they both took counsel together in the house of God. This means that those who rebelled were part of what every joint supplies before they fell.

Psa 55:13  But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance.
Psa 55:14  We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company.

This is the warning the Lord is giving to us as His elect:

Heb 6:4  For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
Heb 6:5  And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
Heb 6:6  If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
Heb 6:7  For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:
Heb 6:8  But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned. 
Heb 6:9  But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.

Num 16:41  But on the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, Ye have killed the people of the LORD. 
Num 16:42  And it came to pass, when the congregation was gathered against Moses and against Aaron, that they looked toward the tabernacle of the congregation: and, behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the LORD appeared.
Num 16:43  And Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of the congregation. 
Num 16:44  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 
Num 16:45  Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces.

If we continue to drink milk, as we were doing in Babylon, it becomes difficult to discern good from evil. However, as we grow past the milk of the word of the Lord and begin to eat strong meat, we are able to discern good from evil.

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

The people of Israel, who represent Babylon, were not able to distinguish between the elect, signified by Moses and Aaron, and the false messengers represented by Korah and his company. To them, Moses and Aaron have killed the men of God. In other words, they are calling evil good and good evil.

Isa 5:20  Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

When we cannot test the spirit to know who is of the Lord, we run the risk of losing all that we have gained in Christ, because there are many false messengers of Christ parading as the Lord’s elect.

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.

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

The whole story of the man of God from Judah, who came to Bethel to confront Jeroboam and the people of Israel about their way of worshiping the Lord and was deceived by an old prophet in that city and therefore lost his life, is to remind us to be cautious and always test the spirit to see if it is of the Lord. The man of God from Judah losing his life is to let us know how we can easily lose the treasures we have received and therefore miss the mark of His higher calling.

1Ki 13:1  And behold, a man of God came out of Judah by the word of the LORD to Bethel. Jeroboam was standing by the altar to make offerings.

1Ki 13:3  And he gave a sign the same day, saying, “This is the sign that the LORD has spoken: ‘Behold, the altar shall be torn down, and the ashes that are on it shall be poured out.’”
1Ki 13:4  And when the king heard the saying of the man of God, which he cried against the altar at Bethel, Jeroboam stretched out his hand from the altar, saying, “Seize him.” And his hand, which he stretched out against him, dried up, so that he could not draw it back to himself.
1Ki 13:5  The altar also was torn down, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign that the man of God had given by the word of the LORD.
1Ki 13:6  And the king said to the man of God, “Entreat now the favor of the LORD your God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored to me.” And the man of God entreated the LORD, and the king’s hand was restored to him and became as it was before.
1Ki 13:7  And the king said to the man of God, “Come home with me, and refresh yourself, and I will give you a reward.” 
1Ki 13:8  And the man of God said to the king, “If you give me half your house, I will not go in with you. And I will not eat bread or drink water in this place,
1Ki 13:9  for so was it commanded me by the word of the LORD, saying, ‘You shall neither eat bread nor drink water nor return by the way that you came.’”
1Ki 13:10  So he went another way and did not return by the way that he came to Bethel.
1Ki 13:11  Now an old prophet lived in Bethel. And his sons came and told him all that the man of God had done that day in Bethel. They also told to their father the words that he had spoken to the king. 

1Ki 13:14  And he went after the man of God and found him sitting under an oak. And he said to him, “Are you the man of God who came from Judah?” And he said, “I am.”
1Ki 13:15  Then he said to him, “Come home with me and eat bread.”
1Ki 13:16  And he said, “I may not return with you, or go in with you, neither will I eat bread nor drink water with you in this place, 
1Ki 13:17  for it was said to me by the word of the LORD, ‘You shall neither eat bread nor drink water there, nor return by the way that you came.’”
1Ki 13:18  And he said to him, “I also am a prophet as you are, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the LORD, saying, ‘Bring him back with you into your house that he may eat bread and drink water.’” But he lied to him.
1Ki 13:19  So he went back with him and ate bread in his house and drank.

1Ki 13:24  And as he went away a lion met him on the road and killed him. And his body was thrown in the road, and the donkey stood beside it; the lion also stood beside the body.

Our mandate as the Lord’s elect is the same as the man of Judah. We are not to eat anything from Babylon, and we are not to return the same way we came to Babylon. We came to Babylon from the world, and we are not to go back to the world.

Num 16:44  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Num 16:45  Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces.
Num 16:46  And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from the LORD; the plague is begun.
Num 16:47  And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the congregation; and, behold, the plague was begun among the people: and he put on incense, and made an atonement for the people.
Num 16:48  And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed. 
Num 16:49  Now they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, beside them that died about the matter of Korah.
Num 16:50  And Aaron returned unto Moses unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the plague was stayed.

As the Lord’s elect, we must show mercy in our dealings with everyone. In spite of the people of Israel accusing Moses and Aaron of killing their men of God, they were concerned about their welfare and intervened to stop the plague. The 14,700 people who died represents the whole of, or the complete number (significance of 4 and 7) of, our brothers and sisters in Babylon who are of one mind (significance of 1) against the Lord’s elect. This means that our brothers and sisters in Babylon are all spiritually dead, but they think they are spiritually alive in Christ. In the fullness of time, the elect will show mercy to all humanity to save all our brothers and sisters in Babylon.  

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.

May the Lord’s name be praised. Amen!!

Numbers 16:1-26  Korah’s Rebellion, Part 1

[Study Aired August 14, 2023]

Num 16:1  Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men:
Num 16:2  And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown: 
Num 16:3  And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD? 
Num 16:4  And when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face: 
Num 16:5  And he spake unto Korah and unto all his company, saying, Even to morrow the LORD will shew who are his, and who is holy; and will cause him to come near unto him: even him whom he hath chosen will he cause to come near unto him. 
Num 16:6  This do; Take you censers, Korah, and all his company; 
Num 16:7  And put fire therein, and put incense in them before the LORD tomorrow: and it shall be that the man whom the LORD doth choose, he shall be holy: ye take too much upon you, ye sons of Levi. 
Num 16:8  And Moses said unto Korah, Hear, I pray you, ye sons of Levi: 
Num 16:9  Seemeth it but a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself to do the service of the tabernacle of the LORD, and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them? 
Num 16:10  And he hath brought thee near to him, and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee: and seek ye the priesthood also? 
Num 16:11  For which cause both thou and all thy company are gathered together against the LORD: and what is Aaron, that ye murmur against him? 
Num 16:12  And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab: which said, We will not come up: 
Num 16:13  Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that floweth with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, except thou make thyself altogether a prince over us? 
Num 16:14  Moreover thou hast not brought us into a land that floweth with milk and honey, or given us inheritance of fields and vineyards: wilt thou put out the eyes of these men? we will not come up. 
Num 16:15  And Moses was very wroth, and said unto the LORD, Respect not thou their offering: I have not taken one ass from them, neither have I hurt one of them. 
Num 16:16  And Moses said unto Korah, Be thou and all thy company before the LORD, thou, and they, and Aaron, to morrow: 
Num 16:17  And take every man his censer, and put incense in them, and bring ye before the LORD every man his censer, two hundred and fifty censers; thou also, and Aaron, each of you his censer. 
Num 16:18  And they took every man his censer, and put fire in them, and laid incense thereon, and stood in the door of the tabernacle of the congregation with Moses and Aaron.
Num 16:19  And Korah gathered all the congregation against them unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto all the congregation.
Num 16:20  And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 
Num 16:21  Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment. 
Num 16:22  And they fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation? 
Num 16:23  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 
Num 16:24  Speak unto the congregation, saying, Get you up from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. 
Num 16:25  And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and Abiram; and the elders of Israel followed him. 
Num 16:26  And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins.

Introduction

This session of chapter 16 deals with rebellion that sometimes arises within the body of Christ. It also shows how we are hated by our brothers and sisters in Babylon who regard us as raising ourselves above the congregation of the Lord when we speak the truth of the word of the Lord regarding their spiritual state.  These controversies are necessary, as it shows us who are truly the children of the Lord who are chosen and holy.

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

Throughout the history of the church, the word of the Lord shows us that there have been several controversies that arise among the children of God. Right from the beginning, Cain hated his brother Abel because the Lord did not accept Cain’s offering and therefore rose up against Abel and killed him. Later on, there was contention between Lot’s herdsmen and those of Abraham, which resulted in the separation between Lot and Abraham. Lot and his herdsmen represent Babylon, who is being protected by the Lord until the time designated by the Lord for it to be destroyed. 

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

Rev 12:13  And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child. 
Rev 12:14  And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.

Abraham signifies the church of the firstborn. Lot seemingly chose the fertile land, and it is no wonder that the churches of this world are financially rich. On the other hand, Abraham had to walk by faith in the land of Canaan and went through a lot of suffering. At the end of the day, we saw that it was Abraham who was chosen, and Lot was the one rejected. 

Gen 13:7  And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram’s cattle and the herdmen of Lot’s cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land. 
Gen 13:8  And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren.
Gen 13:9  Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left.  
Gen 13:10  And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.
Gen 13:11  Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other. 
Gen 13:12  Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom.

Num 16:1  Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men:
Num 16:2  And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown: 
Num 16:3  And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD? 

These verses show us how Babylon, and sometimes our own brothers and sisters, rise up against the Lord’s elect in every generation. Here Korah, Dathan and Abiram, together with the two hundred and fifty princes, represent our own brothers and sisters who rise up against leadership and our brethren in Babylon. The church in Babylon has always considered itself as the true bride of Christ and therefore holy. The fact that there are signs and wonders among them makes them think they have the Lord’s presence with them. Any statement by the elect, contrary to the belief that they are God’s special people makes them feel that we, His elect, are lifting ourselves above the congregation of the Lord. This was what happened to Moses who represents the Lord’s elect.

It also happened to Jesus our Lord during His time here on earth as the Pharisees and the Sadducees (Babylon) taught that Jesus was lifting Himself above them as they accused Him of making Himself equal to God as He exposed their hypocrisy. Thinking that Jesus was making Himself equal to God is the same as thinking that Jesus was lifting Himself above the congregation of Israel, just like how Korah and his company accused Moses.

Joh 5:15  The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him. 
Joh 5:16  And this was why the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because he was doing these things on the Sabbath. 
Joh 5:17  But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.” 
Joh 5:18  This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God. 

As He is, so are we in this world. When we tell our brothers and sisters in Babylon the truth of the word of the Lord that living in Babylon is the way to death, they think we are lifting ourselves above the congregation of God.

Pro 14:12  There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

1Jn 4:17  By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world.

Num 16:4  And when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face: 

It is very disheartening when we realize that our brothers and sisters, instead of appreciating us since they also read the same word of the Lord, are up against us. This was what happened to Moses. Falling down on his face shows us the exasperation he went through, and that is the same thing we all go through when our brothers and sisters turn against us.

Gal 4:13  Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first. 
Gal 4:14  And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. 
Gal 4:15  Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me. 
Gal 4:16  Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth? 

Num 16:5  And he spake unto Korah and unto all his company, saying, Even tomorrow the LORD will shew who are his, and who is holy; and will cause him to come near unto him: even him whom he hath chosen will he cause to come near unto him. 

This age is regarded as one long night. Tomorrow in this verse refers to the coming of Christ with His elect when the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ. That is when the whole world will see who really are chosen and holy as we come with Christ. 

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. 

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

If we are blessed to see those who are chosen and holy in this age, then it means that Christ has come to us, and therefore we are also part of His elect. 

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

In this age, unless the Lord opens your eyes to see and ears to hear, it is impossible to see who is chosen and holy for the Lord. As the Lord said in the parable of the wheat, both the tares and the wheat are growing together, and in the fullness of time the whole world will be able to clearly know the difference between the wheat and the tares. 

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. 

Num 16:6  This do; Take you censers, Korah, and all his company; 
Num 16:7  And put fire therein, and put incense in them before the LORD tomorrow: and it shall be that the man whom the LORD doth choose, he shall be holy: ye take too much upon you, ye sons of Levi. 

As a test of whom the Lord chooses as holy, His servant, Moses, requested Korah and his company to present censers before the Lord with fire and incense in them. A censer is a pan for live coals or simply a firepan. Censers are part of the instruments or vessels that were used in the house of God.

1Ki 7:50  And the bowls, and the snuffers, and the basons, and the spoons, and the censers of pure gold; and the hinges of gold, both for the doors of the inner house, the most holy place, and for the doors of the house, to wit, of the temple.

As Paul told us, we are all vessels of either gold, silver or wood that are used in the house of the Lord. 

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

Censers or vessels that are made of gold and silver are vessels of honor, and they represent those who have purged themselves of the influence of the flesh and are therefore used in the house of God for special a purpose. This purging is not by our own actions. If we are called and chosen to be holy, then the Lord will cause us to be purged through our fiery trials. This means that Moses requesting Korah and his company to present censers filled with fire and incense is a test of who is a vessel of gold or wood of the earth. Filling our censers or vessels with fire and incense means going through fiery trials which produce a sweet aroma (incense) to the Lord. If we are called and chosen, then as gold or silver, we shall survive our fiery trials to become holy. On the other hand, if we are not called and chosen, that is, if we are made of wood and earth, then we shall not survive the fire from the Lord. As we shall see in the next study, the two hundred and fifty renowned men who rebelled through the instigation of Korah were burnt by fire.

Num 16:35  And there came out a fire from the LORD, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense.

Num 16:8  And Moses said unto Korah, Hear, I pray you, ye sons of Levi: 
Num 16:9  Seemeth it but a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself to do the service of the tabernacle of the LORD, and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them? 
Num 16:10  And he hath brought thee near to him, and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee: and seek ye the priesthood also? 
Num 16:11  For which cause both thou and all thy company are gathered together against the LORD: and what is Aaron, that ye murmur against him? 

Being a Levite, Korah was separated by the Lord to work in His tabernacle, but he was not content with what the Lord had given to him. He wanted the priesthood also. Korah here represents our brothers and sisters in Babylon who have been separated by the Lord from the world to do the leg work of leading us to Christ under the law of Moses. However, they want to lay claim to the priesthood, which is given to the called and chosen or the elect. Korah also signifies our brothers and sisters within our midst who also rebel against leadership from time to time. When we started our walk with Christ, we were also claiming the priesthood just as Korah and our brothers and sisters in Babylon and therefore rebelled against the Lord’s elect. However, the Lord had mercy on us.

Gal 3:23  But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. 
Gal 3:24  Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 
Gal 3:25  But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. 

This whole controversy about Korah’s rebellion is about who has the legitimate claim to the priesthood, and it is being played out in every generation. During David’s reign over the people of Israel, his son Absalom, who killed his brother Amnon and was pardoned by David to come back to him in Jerusalem, also wanted David’s kingship. He was not content with being close to his father David again in Jerusalem. He wanted the kingship. The word of the Lord shows us that the Lord’s elect are the royal priesthood. 

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 royal priesthood means that we are both priests and kings and the two cannot be separated. Thus, Absalom desiring the kingship of David is the same as desiring the priesthood just like Korah and our brothers and sisters in Babylon. Part of the suffering we go through is the result of our brothers and sisters rising up against us because of the priesthood. In our fellowship, we have experienced this over and over.

2Sa 14:23  So Joab arose and went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem. 
2Sa 14:24  And the king said, Let him turn to his own house, and let him not see my face. So Absalom returned to his own house, and saw not the king’s face.
2Sa 14:25  But in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty: from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him. 

2Sa 14:33  So Joab came to the king, and told him: and when he had called for Absalom, he came to the king, and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king: and the king kissed Absalom. 

2Sa 15:1  And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared him chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him. 
2Sa 15:2  And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it was so, that when any man that had a controversy came to the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and said, Of what city art thou? And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel. 
2Sa 15:3  And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee. 
2Sa 15:4  Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice! 
2Sa 15:5  And it was so, that when any man came nigh to him to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him. 
2Sa 15:6  And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

Absalom signifies Babylon who desires to have the priesthood. As 2 Samuel 14:25 says, Absalom was very beautiful to behold. The world represented by the people of Israel have been enchanted by the beauty of Babylon for a long time. Outwardly, looking from the perspective of a carnal man, it seems Babylon is without blemish, but inwardly, it is rotten!!

Mat 23:27  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.
Mat 23:28  Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

As the Age draws closer to an end, the people of the world will see the hypocrisy of Babylon and will destroy her as we see Absalom put to death later as a result of his rebellion. This hypocrisy of Babylon is already being seen as many people do not want to hear anything about churches. As we shall see later, Korah’s rebellion was stopped by the Lord. What we need to understand is the fact that all these rebellions are of the Lord. The Lord uses such rebellion to humble us and to show us who are truly the sons of the Lord who will inherit their father’s possessions.

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:

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

Num 16:12  And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab: which said, We will not come up: 
Num 16:13  Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that floweth with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, except thou make thyself altogether a prince over us?
Num 16:14  Moreover thou hast not brought us into a land that floweth with milk and honey, or given us inheritance of fields and vineyards: wilt thou put out the eyes of these men? we will not come up.

The hatred and the rebellious attitude sometimes exhibited by our own brothers and sister and also from Babylon is clearly shown here by the actions of Dathan and Abiram in refusing to come and meet Moses. Many blame the Lord’s elect for being the cause of all their woes. This belief will culminate at the end of the thousand-year reign when the whole world will surround the camp of the Lord’s elect thinking that, by eliminating the elect, the world will have peace. This is what the Lord says about the hatred for the Lord’s elect. 

Psa 2:1  Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? 
Psa 2:2  The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,
Psa 2:3  Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. 
Psa 2:4  He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. 
Psa 2:5  Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. 
Psa 2:6  Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.
Psa 2:7  I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. 
Psa 2:8  Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. 
Psa 2:9  Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.

The fiery trials we go through as a result of being hated by the world will win for us the right to rule over the heathen world as our inheritance (Psa 2:8-9).

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

Num 16:15  And Moses was very wroth, and said unto the LORD, Respect not thou their offering: I have not taken one ass from them, neither have I hurt one of them.

Moses was angry regarding the behavior of Dathan and Abiram for refusing to come to him when he summoned them. Such blatant rebellion against the work of the Lord’s elect surely has repercussions and must be rebuked. That is why Moses asked the Lord not to accept the offering of the rebellious Korah and his company. The same thing happened to Paul when Alexander the coppersmith did much evil to Paul by withstanding his words. Paul asked the Lord to reward him according to his works. 

2Ti 4:14  Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works: 
2Ti 4:15  Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words.

What Moses and Paul said regarding those who try to withstand the words of the Lord does not mean they were disobedient to the Lord’s teachings that we should not resist evil and that if someone shall smite us on the right cheek, we should turn to him the other cheek. One has to do with resistance to the Lord’s work, while the other relates to evil done against us.   

Mat 5:38  Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: 
Mat 5:39  But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. 
Mat 5:40  And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. 
Mat 5:41  And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
Mat 5:42  Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

Num 16:16  And Moses said unto Korah, Be thou and all thy company before the LORD, thou, and they, and Aaron, tomorrow: 
Num 16:17  And take every man his censer, and put incense in them, and bring ye before the LORD every man his censer, two hundred and fifty censers; thou also, and Aaron, each of you his censer. 
Num 16:18  And they took every man his censer, and put fire in them, and laid incense thereon, and stood in the door of the tabernacle of the congregation with Moses and Aaron.
Num 16:19  And Korah gathered all the congregation against them unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto all the congregation.

As indicated earlier, what distinguishes the Lord’s elect from the rest of humanity is the fact that our censers, which carry live coals with incense, produce a sweet aroma to the Lord. This is different from censers by our brothers and sisters which result in their spiritual death. As indicated earlier, we represent the censors. What shows that we are chosen and holy is the fact that we are going through judgment or suffering in this life which is producing righteousness as we have fire in our censers. All those who are not going through judgment in this life are not chosen and holy. The fire in their censers rather causes them to die spiritually as we shall see later in this chapter.

Num 16:35  And there came out a fire from the LORD, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense.

Num 16:20  And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 
Num 16:21  Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.
Num 16:22  And they fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation? 
Num 16:23  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 
Num 16:24  Speak unto the congregation, saying, Get you up from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. 
Num 16:25  And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and Abiram; and the elders of Israel followed him.
Num 16:26  And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins.

As indicated earlier, such controversies result in separation, which is all part of the counsel of the Lord as we see the Lord asked Moses to separate himself from among the congregation in verse 21. Moses later told the congregation to separate from the perpetrators of the rebellion in verse 26. In our fellowship, we have seen several people separating themselves from us, and over time we become aware who is on the Lord’s side.  It is really a painful and heart-breaking experience when our brothers and sisters whom we have come to love dearly rebel against us and therefore leave us. This was what David said about the bitter experience he went through when Ahithophel decided to leave him and join Absalom in the rebellion against him:

Psa 55:4  My heart is sore pained within me: and the terrors of death are fallen upon me. 
Psa 55:5  Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me. 
Psa 55:6  And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest. 

Psa 55:12  For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him: 
Psa 55:13  But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance. 
Psa 55:14  We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company. 
Psa 55:15  Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them. 
Psa 55:16  As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me.

As David said when his own friend rebelled against him, all we have to do is call upon the name of the Lord and He will surely come and deliver us. Amen!!

Jdg 12:1-15 Wherefore…Thou Fight Against the Children of Ammon, and Didn’t Call us to go With Thee?

[Study Aired June 21, 2021]

Jdg 12:1  And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and went northward, and said unto Jephthah, Wherefore passedst thou over to fight against the children of Ammon, and didst not call us to go with thee? we will burn thine house upon thee with fire. 
Jdg 12:2  And Jephthah said unto them, I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon; and when I called you, ye delivered me not out of their hands. 
Jdg 12:3  And when I saw that ye delivered me not, I put my life in my hands, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and the LORD delivered them into my hand: wherefore then are ye come up unto me this day, to fight against me? 
Jdg 12:4  Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim: and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said, Ye Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites, and among the Manassites. 
Jdg 12:5  And the Gileadites took the passages of Jordan before the Ephraimites: and it was so, that when those Ephraimites which were escaped said, Let me go over; that the men of Gilead said unto him, Art thou an Ephraimite? If he said, Nay; 
Jdg 12:6  Then said they unto him, Say now Shibboleth: and he said Sibboleth: for he could not frame to pronounce it right. Then they took him, and slew him at the passages of Jordan: and there fell at that time of the Ephraimites forty and two thousand. 
Jdg 12:7  And Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then died Jephthah the Gileadite, and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead. 
Jdg 12:8  And after him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel. 
Jdg 12:9  And he had thirty sons, and thirty daughters, whom he sent abroad, and took in thirty daughters from abroad for his sons. And he judged Israel seven years. 
Jdg 12:10  Then died Ibzan, and was buried at Bethlehem. 
Jdg 12:11  And after him Elon, a Zebulonite, judged Israel; and he judged Israel ten years. 
Jdg 12:12  And Elon the Zebulonite died, and was buried in Aijalon in the country of Zebulun. 
Jdg 12:13  And after him Abdon the son of Hillel, a Pirathonite, judged Israel. 
Jdg 12:14  And he had forty sons and thirty nephews, that rode on threescore and ten ass colts: and he judged Israel eight years. 
Jdg 12:15  And Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died, and was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the mount of the Amalekites. 

The second section of Judges Chapter 11 concerns the vow that Jephthah made, and as a consequence he had to sacrifice his daughter to the Lord. We came to the understanding that as human beings, we are not to vow simply because we do not control our own destiny. It is the Lord who causes us both to will and do His pleasure and so it is only Him who has the capacity to make a vow. 

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

The whole story about Jephthah making a vow is for us to appreciate how our Lord has sworn by Himself to deliver us from our enemies within and to bless us. 

Heb 6:13  For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself,
Heb 6:14  Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.
Heb 6:15  And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.
Heb 6:16  For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife.
Heb 6:17  Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:
Heb 6:18  That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:
Heb 6:19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;

Jephthah’s daughter’s willingness to be sacrificed for the defeat of the Ammonites speaks of our Lord’s ultimate sacrifice for us when He died on the cross for our victory. 

Isa 53:6  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Isa 53:7  He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
Isa 53:8  He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
Isa 53:9  And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
Isa 53:10  Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
Isa 53:11  He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

Jephthah’s daughter’s request to go up and down the mountains to bewail her virginity for two months symbolizes our Lord Jesus stripping off His glory to take up His cross of suffering while here on earth bearing witness to the truth. 

Luk 9:23  And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
Luk 9:24  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

As He is, so are we here on earth. We, too, like the daughter of Jephthah and our Lord Jesus Christ, must bewail our virginity for two months by taking up the cross and following our Lord Jesus in our lives here on earth as we bear witness to the truth.

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

Today’s review is in two parts.  The first part is to bring to our attention one of the cardinal dangers we face as His elect as we walk with Christ. The second part deals with the various judges who judged Israel for various periods.

Jdg 12:1  And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and went northward, and said unto Jephthah, Wherefore passedst thou over to fight against the children of Ammon, and didst not call us to go with thee? we will burn thine house upon thee with fire. 

As God’s elect, the biggest challenge we face is how to win this war against the flesh or the beast within as we walk with Christ here on earth. In other words, it is how to walk in the spirit and not fulfill the desires of the flesh. 

Gal 5:16  This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
Gal 5:17  For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
Gal 5:18  But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

Being led by the spirit is what wins the war.  It is when our eyes start seeing and our ears start hearing the word that we are being led by the spirit, and it is only in this way that we come out of the law – that is, overcome the flesh or the old man.

Another present danger we face as God’s elect is the heresies which rear their heads within the church of the first born. From verse 1 here, we see that the men of Ephraim were not happy that Jephthah did not consult them before going to war with the Ammonites. These men from Ephraim signify part of the commonwealth of God’s people who rise from within to confuse the people of God with heresies. They said to Jephthah that they will burn his house with fire. As we are aware, the positive application of fire is the word of God.  The negative application of fire is heresies. So what we are being told here is that within us will come men whose words are heresies which will destroy (burn down) the temple of God within us if not checked. 

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

Paul warned us of this in his farewell speech to the elders of Ephesus when he visited them for the last time. 

Act 20:28  Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
Act 20:29  For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
Act 20:30  Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.

What the men of Ephraim said to Jephthah is the same as what Korah and the two hundred and fifty princes of the people of Israel said to Moses. 

Num 16:2  And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown:
Num 16:3  And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?

“Ye take too much upon you” here in Numbers 16:3 is the same as saying, “Why go to war with the Ammonites without involving us?” The purpose for all these heresies among us is that God wants to make it clear to us who are the called according to His purpose.

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

In another spiritual perspective, the men of Ephraim can also signify Babylon. Our brothers in Babylon think they represent God here on earth and must be consulted on all spiritual matters here on earth. Babylon used to be our mother when we started our walk with Christ.

Jdg 12:2  And Jephthah said unto them, I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon; and when I called you, ye delivered me not out of their hands. 

This verse is to make it clear to us that this war with our flesh or old man must be fought individually. Our fellowshiping does provide us with the weapons to win this war, but this great strife against the Ammonites (our flesh) must be fought within by each of us alone. The statement “when I called you, ye delivered me not out of their hands” means that those who introduce heresies from within cannot help us to win the war with the flesh. It also means that when we were in Babylon, we thought that the church would help us to win this war, but rather, our servitude under the flesh became entrenched. 

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

Jdg 12:3  And when I saw that ye delivered me not, I put my life in my hands, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and the LORD delivered them into my hand: wherefore then are ye come up unto me this day, to fight against me? 

It was when our Lord Jesus came to us that we realized we cannot be helped by these heretics from within or the church system of this world, and therefore we make this statement, “And when I saw that ye delivered me not, I put my life in my hands.” This statement is another way of saying that we should work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. Of course, on our own, we can do nothing, but it is only through the enabling power of our Lord Jesus Christ that we can become victors. 

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

Jdg 12:4  Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim: and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said, Ye Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites, and among the Manassites.

Gathering together all the men of Gilead is the same as making known to the saints issues of controversy or heresies introduced from within by members of the church, just as Paul and Barnabas brought the issue of circumcision to the attention of the apostles and elders of the church in Jerusalem. 

Act 15:1  And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.
Act 15:2  When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.

Act 15:6  And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.

The statement “Ye Gileadites are fugitives” signifies that we have escaped from these heretics, or from Babylon, as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers.  

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

Jdg 12:5  And the Gileadites took the passages of Jordan before the Ephraimites: and it was so, that when those Ephraimites which were escaped said, Let me go over; that the men of Gilead said unto him, Art thou an Ephraimite? If he said, Nay;

The whole war with the Ephraimites is based on the crossing of the river Jordan. In other words, the whole controversy with the Ephraimites is about the word of God. We, the Gileadites (the elect), must be able to take possession of the crossing of the Jordan. Taking possession of the crossing of the Jordan is being able to understand the whole counsel of the word of God. That is the only way we may be able to fight or separate ourselves from the Ephraimites or Korah and the two hundred and fifty elders.

Act 20:20  And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house,
Act 20:21  Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

Act 20:27  For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.

Jdg 12:6  Then said they unto him, Say now Shibboleth: and he said Sibboleth: for he could not frame to pronounce it right. Then they took him, and slew him at the passages of Jordan: and there fell at that time of the Ephraimites forty and two thousand.

What we speak is what shows whether we are of Christ or not. Jesus said that by their fruits, we shall know them who are of the world. The fruits here are what comes out of a man, and it can be what we speak or what we do. That is how the “Ephraimites” among us are revealed – that is, by what they say. In this context, the Ephraimites are revealed by their inability to pronounce well the word “Sibboleth”. 

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

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.

1Co 2:6  Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:
1Co 2:7  But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:

1Co 2:15  But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.

Verse 6 of Hebrews 6 is a solemn warning to us of what happens if we end up introducing heresies among us after hearing the word of God. That is the same as bearing thorns and briars after receiving the rain which is the word of God.

Heb 6:4  For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
Heb 6:5  And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
Heb 6:6  If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
Heb 6:7  For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:
Heb 6:8  But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.

In the case of Korah and the two hundred and fifty elders who rose up against Moses, they were swallowed by the earth, and fire finally consumed them. To be swallowed by the earth means to become consumed by the Babylonian doctrines which result in spiritual death.  It is the same as being in outer darkness and awaiting the lake-of-fire judgment, which is the fire that will consume all that offends in all humanity.

Num 16:28  And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the LORD hath sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of mine own mind.
Num 16:29  If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then the LORD hath not sent me.
Num 16:30  But if the LORD make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the LORD.
Num 16:31  And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them:
Num 16:32  And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.
Num 16:33  They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.
Num 16:34  And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also.
Num 16:35  And there came out a fire from the LORD, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense.

Although we speak this way, we are assured by Paul that we have better things that accompany our salvation.

Heb 6:9  But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.
Heb 6:10  For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
Heb 6:11  And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:
Heb 6:12  That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Jdg 12:7  And Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then died Jephthah the Gileadite, and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead.

Jephthah judging Israel for six years is to tell us that the rule of Jephthah was not according to the spirit but is fleshly, as the number six is the number of man. The fleshly rule is being governed by the law of sin and death which cannot save us but is an experience of evil to bring us to Christ. 

Joh 1:17  For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

As indicated in a previous review, the name Jephthah means “He will open”. So Jephthah represents our Lord Jesus. Jephthah’s judgment of Israel for six years therefore refers to our lives when we were under the law of sin and death before Christ came to us to open our eyes to see and ears to hear.

The rest of Chapter 12 of Judges deals with the rule of various judges which tells us of the various stages of our walk with Christ here on earth as follows:

Jdg 12:8  And after him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel. 
Jdg 12:9  And he had thirty sons, and thirty daughters, whom he sent abroad, and took in thirty daughters from abroad for his sons. And he judged Israel seven years. 
Jdg 12:10  Then died Ibzan, and was buried at Bethlehem. 

The rule of Ibzan is to demonstrate to us the complete life (the number seven means complete) of an elect. According to Strong, the name Ibzan means ‘splendid’. Indeed the life of an elect is wonderful. The rule of Ibzan is therefore to tell us the splendid end of the elect.

Jas 5:11  Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

Both Joseph and David became kings at the age of thirty. The number thirty therefore symbolizes the time that our new man starts to reign in our lives as our old man has commenced the dying process. So the fact that Ibzan had thirty sons and thirty daughters is to tell us that Christ has started His work in us to judge us first in this life by beginning the process of putting the old man to death for the birth of the new man who is to reign in our lives. Outwardly, the rule of Ibzan is to tell us that the elect will reign over the world when the kingdoms of this world becomes the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ.

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

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

Num 4:23  From thirty years old and upward until fifty years old shalt thou number them; all that enter in to perform the service, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation.

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

Jdg 12:11  And after him Elon, a Zebulonite, judged Israel; and he judged Israel ten years. 
Jdg 12:12  And Elon the Zebulonite died, and was buried in Aijalon in the country of Zebulun. 

After Ibzan came Elon who judged Israel for ten years. The number ten signifies the fullness of the flesh. What is significant here is that Elon was a Zebulonite. The blessing that Jacob pronounced to the Zebulonites is this:

Gen 49:13  “Zebulun shall dwell at the shore of the sea; he shall become a haven for ships, and his border shall be at Sidon.” (ESV)

What therefore the rule of Elon symbolizes is that we spend a certain period of our lives manifesting the fullness of the flesh, which is the same as dwelling at the shore of the sea. However, this experience of evil is not in vain.  It is when we are dwelling at the shore of the sea that we see the beast rise up within us. In other words, that is when we see ourselves as the greatest of sinners, which eventually leads to our salvation.

Rev 13:1  And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads.
Rev 13:2  And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear’s, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority.
Rev 13:3  One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast.

Jdg 12:13  And after him Abdon the son of Hillel, a Pirathonite, judged Israel.
Jdg 12:14  And he had forty sons and thirty nephews, that rode on threescore and ten ass colts: and he judged Israel eight years.
Jdg 12:15  And Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died, and was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the mount of the Amalekites.

The name Abdon, according to Strong, means “Servitude”. He judged Israel for a period of eight years. Abdon came from Pirathon which means ‘chieftaincy’, and the number eight, on a positive note, means new beginnings or the new man. So what we are being told in these verses is that after we come to see who we really are at the end of the reign of Elon, we then come to serve Christ under the reign of the new man after the image of Christ. This will ultimately result in our reign (Chieftaincy) with Christ when the kingdoms of this world become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ.

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

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Isa 56:9-12 – They Are Shepherds That Cannot Understand

[Study Aired March 22, 2020]

Isa 56:9  All ye beasts of the field, come to devour, yea, all ye beasts in the forest. 
Isa 56:10  His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. 
Isa 56:11  Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter. 
Isa 56:12  Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and to morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant.

The subject of our study today is identified in our last study by telling us:

Isa 56:6  Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD, to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant; 
Isa 56:7  Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people. 
Isa 56:8  The Lord GOD which gathereth the outcasts of Israel saith, Yet will I gather others to him, beside those that are gathered unto him.

The subject of this study is those who cast out “the outcasts of Israel”. It is the shepherds of Israel who typify the shepherds of Christendom today:

Eze 34:1  And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 
Eze 34:2  Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks? 
Eze 34:3  Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock. 
Eze 34:4  The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them. 
Eze 34:5  And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered.

These verses, both in Isaiah 56 and in Ezekiel 34, are addressed to every minister who takes a salary from the Lord’s people while teaching the false doctrine of the tithing of incomes, demanding spiritual ‘usury’ of those in their charge, demanding their ‘pound of flesh’ with absolutely no regard for the financial condition of the poor flock they are fleecing with all of their false doctrines. They do so although the Lord’s sacrifice has already covered their own sins. Yet they tell others they must pay their tithes and do such and such in order to be saved. Inasmuch as we have supported such ministers and their “ministries”, we are as guilty as the false shepherds we supported.

Eze 14:10  And they shall bear the punishment of their iniquity: the punishment of the prophet shall be even as the punishment of him that seeketh unto him;

What we need to know is that this, too, is all a work of the Lord Himself to bring us to see what He is in the process of accomplishing with all of mankind. When He brings us to see who and what we are then we begin to see that we do not know who He is, and that we, by nature, do not truly fear Him. Oh yes, we may give Him lip service, but we do not love Him, and we do not fear Him, and the reason why that is true is that He has kept us from hearing His Words and He has blinded us from seeing who He is:

Deu 29:2  And Moses called unto all Israel, and said unto them, Ye have seen all that the LORD did before your eyes in the land of Egypt unto Pharaoh, and unto all his servants, and unto all his land; 
Deu 29:3  The great temptations which thine eyes have seen, the signs, and those great miracles: 
Deu 29:4  Yet the LORD hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day.

Isa 44:18  They have not known nor understood: for he [the Lord] hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand.

Rom 11:8  (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.

This same prophet, Ezekiel, tells us this of all prophets who have ever been deceived:

Eze 14:1  Then came certain of the elders of Israel unto me, and sat before me. 
Eze 14:2  And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 
Eze 14:3  Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them? 

“Idols of the heart [and] the stumbling block of their iniquity” are both spiritual figures for the believing and teaching of false doctrines:

Eze 14:4  Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the LORD will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols; 
Eze 14:5  That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me through their idols. 
Eze 14:6  Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations. 
Eze 14:7  For every one of the house of Israel, or of the stranger that sojourneth in Israel, which separateth himself from me, and setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to a prophet to enquire of him concerning me; I the LORD will answer him by myself: 
Eze 14:8  And I will set my face against that man, and will make him a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midst of my people; and ye shall know that I am the LORD. 
Eze 14:9  And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the LORD have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel. 
Eze 14:10  And they shall bear the punishment of their iniquity: the punishment of the prophet shall be even as the punishment of him that seeketh unto him; 
Eze 14:11  That the house of Israel may go no more astray from me, neither be polluted any more with all their transgressions; but that they may be my people, and I may be their God, saith the Lord GOD.

Notice that it is the Lord’s own people who have set up idols in their heart and have placed the stumbling block of their iniquities before their faces and then come and inquire of the Lord’s prophets. 

This is “the stumbling block of our iniquity”:

Isa 8:13  Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. 
Isa 8:14  And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 
Isa 8:15  And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken.

It is Christ Himself who ‘offends’ us and causes us to ‘stumble and be snared.

What, then, exactly is it about Christ which makes Him “the stumbling block of our iniquity”? Here specifically is what causes us to “stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken”:

Isa 28:13  But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

Notice how similar verse 13 here in chapter 28 is to:

Isa 8:15  And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken.

We are the ‘they’ of “they might go, and fall backward and be broken and be snared, and taken”, and we are the ‘them’ of “many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken and be snared, and be taken”. It is “the word of the Lord” which directly contradicts the “idols of [our] heart” which is “the stumbling block” of our iniquity. We ‘stumble’ at the “stumbling block and rock of offense… the word of the Lord”.

When we set up our idols in our hearts, then we symbolically find “two hundred and fifty [others] men of renown, famous among the people” and with them we ‘come to the prophet [with] the stumbling block of our iniquity and the spiritual idols we have set up in our hearts’, and we inquire of the Lord and seek His counsel with our minds already made up, just as Korah and Dathan and Abiram did long ago:

Consider that the rebellion of Korah and the 250 men of renown was less than two years after coming up out of Egypt. Israel leaves Sinai for Kedeshbarnea in the second month of the second year:

Num 10:11  And it came to pass on the twentieth day of the second month, in the second year, that the cloud was taken up from off the tabernacle of the testimony. 
Num 10:12  And the children of Israel took their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud rested in the wilderness of Paran.

This is just a little more than one year after all of the mighty works there in Egypt against the Pharaoh and after the parting of the waters of the Red Sea, which are a half mile deep in their most shallow place, which is right where the scriptures tell us Israel crossed over the sea on dry land. Israel left Sinai in the second month of the second year on the twentieth day of the month. They had just kept the second Passover on the fifteenth day of the first month, so they are leaving Sinai just a few weeks prior to the second Pentecost. What this tells us is that the rebellion of Korah was right around the time of the second feast of Pentecost, less than one year after having been given the law with the earth, quaking the trumpet sounding and all the mighty works of God at that momentous event:

Exo 19:16  And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled. 
Exo 19:17  And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount. 
Exo 19:18  And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly. 
Exo 19:19  And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice.

Moses had been up in the mount just 40 days before the people of Israel decided that they needed to make a golden calf to replace their relationship with Christ through Moses.

Three thousand people lost their physical lives at that first Pentecost as punishment for the golden calf idolatry and their lack of faith in the Lord who had brought them up out of Egypt. 

Exo 32:25  And when Moses saw that the people were naked; (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies:) 
Exo 32:26  Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the LORD’S side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him. 
Exo 32:27  And he said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour. 
Exo 32:28  And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men.

The physical death of those three thousand at the first Pentecost in the wilderness typified the spiritual death of the three thousand who were added to the church on the first Pentecost after the death and resurrection of Christ:

Act 2:38  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 
Act 2:39  For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. 
Act 2:40  And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. 
Act 2:41  Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

Those three thousand physical deaths on the first Pentecost at Sinai, portended the three thousand who would be added to the church at the first Pentecost at the birth of spiritual Israel there in Acts 2. It was three thousand in both cases because the Lord wants us to know that what He is doing is a process which is taking place and will continue, Lord willing, to be worked out in our lives “to the end” (Mat 10:22).

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

Demonstrating that we are a work in process, less than a year after three thousand lost their lives when Aaron and the people made a golden calf to worship, Korah and two hundred and fifty “princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown” decided they wanted to take over the priesthood of Aaron and replace both Moses and Aaron who typify Christ and His Christ. Moses and Aaron typified the kingdom of our new man, who has come to destroy the kingdom of our old man, and the Lord wants us to know that our old man, typified by Korah and company, loathes the loss of his kingdom and will not give it up without a mighty battle:

Num 16:1  Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men: 
Num 16:2  And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown: 
Num 16:3  And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?

These “two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown”, foreshadow the subject of our study today. These men, who have conspired with Korah to throw off the Lord and His doctrine, are a type of those who Isaiah says “are blind… watchmen” who are being devoured by the beast within themselves, and they are not even aware of what is taking place within themselves:

Isa 56:9  All ye beasts of the field, come to devour, yea, all ye beasts in the forest. 
Isa 56:10  His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.

Had Moses and Aaron “lifted [them]selves up above the congregation”? No! Of course they had not. This is the Truth about Moses which we learned just a few months earlier when Miriam and Aaron “spake against Moses”: 

Num 12:1  And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman. 
Num 12:2  And they said, Hath the LORD indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the LORD heard it. 
Num 12:3   (Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.)

No one in whom Christ dwells, which is what Moses and Aaron typify, takes the Lord’s glory to themselves.

“Why do you lift up yourselves above the congregation” is not really a question at all. It is a jealous accusation against the Lord’s anointed.

Christ, like Moses and Aaron, was slandered with this same accusation, and He endured this very same jealous spirit for simply acknowledging who He is. We, too, as ‘the Lord’s Christ’, will be hated of all men for the very same reason:

Joh 5:16  And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day. 
Joh 5:17  But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. 
Joh 5:18  Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.

This story of Korah seems to say that, in the end, most of the congregation was not swallowed up of the earth, and indeed the congregation did not perish at that moment with Korah, but as a commentary against a rebellious carnal mind, this is what happened the very next morning after the earth had opened up and swallowed up Korah and Dathan and Abiram:

Num 16:41  But on the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, Ye have killed the people of the LORD.

This foolish, rebellious act occasioned the death of an additional 4,700 people before this insurrection was put down. 

This is the Lord’s admonition to us against following a crowd to disobedience:

Isa 8:11  For the LORD spake thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying, 
Isa 8:12  Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid.
Isa 8:13  Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. 
Isa 8:14  And he shall be for a sanctuary [for His elect]; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 
Isa 8:15  And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken.

One and all, we seek a confederacy with like-minded rebels who also hate the doctrines of Christ. That just happens to include all men. That is why Babylon the great has over forty thousand harlot daughters. When we find someone who hates Christ in the same way we hate Him, we are being devoured by the great red dragon, and we don’t even know it. The one thing the great red dragon, the great whore, the false prophet and the beast all have in common is the fact that they all hate the doctrines of Christ.

These last four verses of Isaiah 56 typify who we all are while we are blinded by the false doctrines of Babylon and her daughters. Like Korah and company, we have been swallowed up by the earth, and yet we continue to rebel. Until we “come out of [Babylon]” (Rev 18:4), we don’t even know it, but we are being devoured by lions and beasts:

Isa 56:9  All ye beasts of the field, come to devour, yea, all ye beasts in the forest.

This invitation is to all men, but it is also speaking of those who are at one time part of the elect but are not granted to remain ‘faithful to the end’ to the words of the Lord’s prophets. They come to the Lord and His Christ, what Ezekiel calls “the prophet” with idols of their heart, and they tell the Lord’s prophet, “I do not care about a ‘multitude of counselors’ (which we are three times admonished to seek). Forget about that admonition to ‘be persuaded of your leaders and be deferring to them’. You have to see… you simply must see that what we are saying is true.” Any such demanding, unentreatable spirit is not of the Lord. 

This is the spirit of the Lord:

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

Pro 15:22  Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established. 

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

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

Heb 13:17 Be persuaded by your leaders, and be deferring to them, for they are vigilant for the sake of your souls, as having to render an account, that they may be doing this with joy, and not with groaning, for this is disadvantageous for you.”

This is the Lord’s answer to those who come to Him with a mind already set in its own false doctrine with no interest in the counsel of His prophet:

Eze 14:4  Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the LORD will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols; 

Christ and His doctrine are the only thing that we “must see”. He and His words are what give us His ‘fear’ and His ‘wisdom’:

Job 28:20  Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding? 
Job 28:21  Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close [Hebrew: H5641, ‘sathar’, hidden] from the fowls of the air. 
Job 28:22  Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears. 
Job 28:23  God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof. 
Job 28:24  For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven; 
Job 28:25  To make the weight for the winds; and he weigheth the waters by measure. 
Job 28:26  When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder: 
Job 28:27  Then did he see it, and declare it; he prepared it, yea, and searched it out. 
Job 28:28  And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.

If we are made to know the mind of the Lord, when the Lord sends an evil spirit to pressure us to agree with the ‘250 men of renown, famous in the congregation’, who despise governments and who think nothing of speaking evil of dignitaries, then we have become those to whom these verses are addressed:

Isa 56:10  His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. 
Isa 56:11  Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter. 
Isa 56:12  Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and to morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant.

Such shepherds are not even good guard dogs because they cannot bark when grievous wolves are coming and are scattering the Lord’s flock. One reason they cannot give warning to the people of the Lord is because they truly believe that “to morrow shall be as this day”. Their reason for making such an unbiblical statement is that they teach there is nothing about the Lord’s plan that is ordinal. Therefore, according to them, there will be no first resurrection, and even the thousand year reign will never really occur outwardly, because ‘the kingdom of God is within you, and it was never intended to be understood as something that would literally occur’. This false doctrine has the exact same effect upon the human mind as the false doctrine of an immortal soul and a secret rapture. The incentives of the promised kingdom, of judging this world in “the age to come”, and of judging angels in the lake of fire, are all missing, and the mind of the Lord is unknown because of the darkness of such lies.

Nevertheless the Truth is still the Truth, and this is the Truth concering the symbolic thousand-year reign of “the Lord and His Christ”:

1Co 6:2  Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the 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?

Rev 20:1  And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 
Rev 20:2  And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, 
Rev 20:3  And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. 
Rev 20:4  And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 
Rev 20:5  But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 
Rev 20:6  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

That is the “blessed and holy” promise given to those who are not shepherds which are dumb dogs unable to bark and warn the Lord’s flock. That is the blessing which is reserved for those who are given to receive it, and that is our study for today.

Here now are the verses we will be covering next week, Lord willing:

Isa 57:1 The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come. 
Isa 57:2  He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness. 
Isa 57:3  But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore. 
Isa 57:4  Against whom do ye sport yourselves? against whom make ye a wide mouth, and draw out the tongue? are ye not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood, 
Isa 57:5  Enflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys under the clifts of the rocks? 
Isa 57:6  Among the smooth stones of the stream is thy portion; they, they are thy lot: even to them hast thou poured a drink offering, thou hast offered a meat offering. Should I receive comfort in these? 
Isa 57:7  Upon a lofty and high mountain hast thou set thy bed: even thither wentest thou up to offer sacrifice.

Isa 32:1-8 By Liberal Things Shall He Stand

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Isa 32:1-8 By Liberal Things Shall He Stand

Isa 32:1  Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment.
Isa 32:2  And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.
Isa 32:3  And the eyes of them that see shall not be dim, and the ears of them that hear shall hearken.
Isa 32:4  The heart also of the rash shall understand knowledge, and the tongue of the stammerers shall be ready to speak plainly.
Isa 32:5  The vile person shall be no more called liberal, nor the churl said to be bountiful.
Isa 32:6  For the vile person will speak villany, and his heart will work iniquity, to practise hypocrisy, and to utter error against the LORD, to make empty the soul of the hungry, and he will cause the drink of the thirsty to fail.
Isa 32:7  The instruments also of the churl are evil: he deviseth wicked devices to destroy the poor with lying words, even when the needy speaketh right.
Isa 32:8  But the liberal deviseth liberal things; and by liberal things shall he stand.

Isaiah 30 and 31 make it very clear that we are all, by nature, rebellious against the mind and the laws of God. Even after we come out of the world we want to return to Egypt and rely on the world for our strength:

Isa 30:2  That walk to go down into Egypt, and have not asked at my mouth; to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of Egypt!
Isa 30:3  Therefore shall the strength of Pharaoh be your shame, and the trust in the shadow of Egypt your confusion.

Isa 31:1  Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the LORD!

In this chapter we are given the cure for our rebellious nature:

Isa 32:1  Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment.

Inwardly the "King [who] reigns in righteousness" is Christ within us, destroying the old man of sin within us and ruling over the kingdom of God which is increasing as the kingdom of our old man is decreasing within us in down-payment form at this time:

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

Joh 3:30  He [Christ] must increase, but I must decrease.

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

Eph 1:12  That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
Eph 1:13  In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Eph 1:14  Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

It is not just anyone who "rules in judgment". The only people who "rule in judgment" are those who are blessed to be those "who first trusted in Christ" and who will be in the "blessed and holy first resurrection". They alone "rule in judgment". That judgment begins now within, judging themselves while in bodies of "mortal flesh", as opposed to being judged after being "raised a spiritual body" and being "condemned with the world" to the second death:

1Co 11:31  For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
1Co 11:32  But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

2Co 4:7  But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
2Co 4:8  We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
2Co 4:9  Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
2Co 4:10  Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
2Co 4:11  For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

It is God's elect who "have this treasure in earthen vessels... in our mortal flesh". There is neither "earthen vessels" nor "mortal flesh" in the second death. Those who are granted to rule with Christ for a thousand years are "raised a spiritual body" having already been judged while they were in bodies of "mortal flesh". Those who are ruling with Christ during the thousand year reign have already overcome the wicked one while yet in earthen vessels of mortal flesh. If that were not the case they would not have been in the first resurrection. None of these things can be said of those who are raised a spiritual body which comes forth to judgment. None of these blessing bestowed upon those who are given to be in the "bless and holy... first resurrection" are bestowed upon them because of anything they did of themselves. It is all done "after the counsel of His own will". (Eph 1:11)

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

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.
Rom 8:30  Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

Not just anyone is predestinated to "be the firstborn among many brothers". Those over whom the second death has power are not nor ever will be "the firstborn among many brothers... also glorified" above their firstborn brothers. It is not possible to be both the firstborn among many, and also be the many who are not firstborn. Nothing is more basic to the promises of scriptures than the doctrine of a predestinated firstborn, who is rejected and hated of His brothers, all "according to [the Lord's] own purpose" to use the firstborn as the saviors of the many brothers. "Firstborn" is a spiritual word which means the Lord's few elect who will indeed be the first to be "born of the spirit" into "the redemption of the purchased possession", the resurrection of life, the "inheritance" of a kingdom reserved for the firstborn of God.

Luk 22:29  And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me;

Now let's read the words before and after that verse and discover what it means to have a kingdom appointed to us:

Luk 22:28  Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations.
Luk 22:29  And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me;
Luk 22:30  That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Those who continue with Christ in His trials are those who obey His words and who do the things He tells us to do in this life. Christ's trials were in a body of "mortal flesh.. made of a woman, made under the law... of the seed of Abraham." The scriptures make that very important distinction. It is presented to us as if it were a much greater struggle than "the nature of angels":

Heb 2:16  For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.
Heb 2:17  Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
Heb 2:18  For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

It is those few who are given to overcome in this age while struggling against both "mortal flesh [and] the wicked one" who are "appointed a kingdom". Those who "come forth to judgment" are not "appointed a kingdom [to] judge the twelve tribes of Israel". Those who come forth to judgment do so in "the nature of angels" as "a spiritual body".

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

Being judged while in "a natural body" is much to be preferred to being judged in "a spiritual body" at "the resurrection of judgment" (Joh 5:28-29). The positive application of "the twelve tribes of Israel" is the judgment which begins at the house of God in this age.

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

The negative application of the twelve tribes of Israel is as "the camp of Israel" which is forbidden to touch the holy things within the temple of God or to eat at the altar of the kings and priests who are made to reign with Christ over the twelve tribes. It is Israel who is first in opposing their Savior, thereby symbolizing the whole rebellious world yet to be judged in the second death.

Isa 32:1  Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment.

Here is another way of describing these "princes":

Eph 1:12  That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
Eph 1:13  In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Eph 1:14  Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

All things are being worked after the counsel of His own will (Eph 1:11). Nevertheless, scripturally it is "those who first trusted in Christ" who are predestinated to be "also glorified... unto the praise of His glory":

Rom 8:30  Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

The love and compassion shown by Joseph to his brothers, who had despised and rejected him, is described in our next verse:

Isa 32:2  And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.

This is a perfect description for how Christ has dealt with each of us. In our own time we have all hated and despised the mind of Christ. We have all denied we ever knew Him, and when our shame is revealed to us, we are definitely in need of a "hiding place from the wind, a covert from the tempest, water in a dry place, [and] as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land."

Mat 26:75  And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.

The night of Christ's apprehension by the Jews and the following morning were without a doubt the most miserable times of Peter's life, but it was at the same time the best day of Peter's life because it was the beginning of Peter being able to see himself and the whole world through the eyes and through the understanding of Christ:

Isa 32:3  And the eyes of them that see shall not be dim, and the ears of them that hear shall hearken.

This is how Christ repeats the message of this verse:

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

"The eyes of them that see" do so only because "it is given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven", and the only reason all the others do not see is that "to them it is not given".

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

We just naturally think that our own self-righteous deeds somehow make God indebted to us to bless us. Self-righteousness is the most insidious of sins, as demonstrated in Job 29 and in these New Testament verses:

Mat 7:21  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 7:22  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

When we, like Job and like Peter, are brought face to face with our own self-righteous, rebellious old man within us, then judgment has begun at the house of God, and then we can say:

Isa 32:4  The heart also of the rash shall understand knowledge, and the tongue of the stammerers shall be ready to speak plainly.
Isa 32:5  The vile person shall be no more called liberal, nor the churl said to be bountiful.

We justify our sins and count ourselves as doing the Lord a service even as we destroy His people within and without in committing our sins:

Joh 8:40  But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.

Joh 16:2  They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.

We are really just serving our own flesh, Egypt, the world which is still within us. Our most natural desire to trust in Egypt will, in time, bring us to regret that we did so as it did Peter. But 'trusting in Egypt' is not so easy to discern spiritually for a babe in Christ as we are clearly told:

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

Any parent knows that an immature child cannot discern milk from strong meat. Everything that comes along is put straight into a baby's mouth. It takes "them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil" to discern what is good spiritual food for the Lord's flock. None of us is an authority in spiritual matters unto himself. That is the very meaning of "the body is one body but many members':

1Co 12:12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
1Co 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
1Co 12:14 For the body is not one member, but many.
1Co 12:15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
1Co 12:16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
1Co 12:17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?
1Co 12:18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.

This 14th verse of Hebrews 5 indicates that our past understanding of "if they do not  hear the church" has been in grave error. We now understand by the principle of "the sum of thy word", by putting Matthew 18:15-17 together with Hebrews 5:12-14, 1Corinthians 3:1-4 and Paul's words to the Corinthians, which we will read below, that carnal babes are not commissioned to "discern both good and evil" in complicated doctrinal matters. It was the elders who made such decisions. That is true in Matthew 18:15-18. That is what was done in Acts 15, and that is true here in Hebrews 5.

This was the spiritual state of the church in Corinth:

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

The immature church in Corinth could not bring themselves to do so much as put out of their midst a blatant fornicator. Had that matter have been taken to the church without the admonition of the elders such as Paul, that fornicator would have been voted most popular, and the Corinthians would have continued to stay puffed up over their supposed 'loving' tolerance of his fornication in their midst. Let's read what kind of fruit was produced by letting the church decide how we ought to deal with either physical or spiritual fornication:

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

We will be ashamed of trusting in ourselves, which is trusting in Egypt and leaning to our own understanding. That is the exact opposite of trusting in the Lord and being obedient to His Words. An example is our current trial. If we reject "a multitude of counselors", as many have done, we are simply 'returning to Egypt', and it has brought us to shame. It is the word of the Lord which instructs us that our safety is in a multitude of counselors. The apostles agreed to the counselors in Jerusalem and lived for many years by that counsel. It is by the Lord's design Samson's parents gave their son a Philistine wife, and it was by the Lord's design that the apostles all lived under the law of Moses, making blood sacrifices and taking vows and keeping holy days, for many long years after the death and resurrection of Christ and after the giving of the holy spirit. This was all done as seemed good to the holy spirit for that time:

Act 15:28  For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;

It was the holy spirit who determined that the Jewish part of the body of Christ could not yet at that time receive the words of Peter right there in Acts 15:

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

In a letter to the Gentile part of the body of Christ at that time, the Gentiles were informed that only the Jews needed to keep the law of Moses. But it was also the holy spirit which opened the eyes of the apostles themselves, as a multitude of counselors, to later acknowledge the truth of Peter's words when many years later the holy spirit inspired Paul to affirm Peter's words in Acts 15 in his epistle to the Ephesians:

Eph 2:11  Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
Eph 2:12  That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
Eph 2:13  But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
Eph 2:14  For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
Eph 2:15  Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
Eph 2:16  And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

Both in Acts 15 and in Ephesians 2, along with "the sum of [God's] Word, it was by the multitude of counselors the Lord's purposes were established. It was and it is by that same multitude of counselors that the apostles waged spiritual warfare, and it is only by the multitude of counselors that we have any spiritual safety today.

But if and when we reject the Lord's words, we will be brought to shame, and these are the Lord's words which will keep us from being brought to shame. Three times we are told all the benefits of seeking to know the Lord's mind through "a multitude of counselors":

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

Pro 15:22  Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established.

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

These are first and foremost words of instruction to the kingdom of God within us. They are instructing us on how we are to establish purposes, make war and keep the Lord's flock safe from the snares of the wicked one. Peter and Paul were of the same mind, and in time, the words of Peter became the words of other apostles.

Here is just how aligned with the mind of Paul was the apostle Peter:

2Pe 3:15  And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
2Pe 3:16  As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
2Pe 3:17  Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.
2Pe 3:18  But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

Peter did not align himself with Phygellus, Hermogenes, Alexander and Hymaneaus and Philetus. Both Peter and John heard the voice of Christ in the words of Paul, even though they were a 180 degree change in doctrine.

If we are given to accept the new doctrine of Christ, then we are given to see how the holy spirit has always waited to give greater revelation, which at times contradicted earlier revelation. It is only with this knowledge that we can acknowledge the reformation of our Lord who told Moses "save alive nothing that breathes" and then reformed those words into "love thine enemies". These words were both spoken by the same Lord:

The law of Moses:

Deu 20:16  But of the cities of these people, which the LORD thy God doth give thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth:

Christ's new doctrine in "the times of reformation":

Mat 5:43  Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
Mat 5:44  But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

Heb 9:7  But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:
Heb 9:8  The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing:
Heb 9:9  Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;
Heb 9:10  Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.

The congregation, the camp of Israel, was not permitted to handle the holy things of the temple. The camp of Korah wanted to do so to the extent they turned on Moses and Aaron, and would have taken over the leadership of the Lord's people had the Lord not stepped in when He did and made the earth to swallow up those who opposed His ways and those who had opposed the God-given leadership of Israel. That is exactly what has happened in our midst of late. The Lord Himself is working to keep His people from returning to Egypt by giving up their crown of life and denying that the second death has no power over them. It was the Lord who stepped in and brought those heresies out into the open to be swallowed up by the earth.

Here is just how much the Lord, until this very day, distinguishes between those who can enter into the holy place and those to whom that honor is not given:

Heb 13:10  We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle.

Heresies brought into our midst are simply "they [who] have no right to eat" with us at our altar.

The obvious contradictions in the two Testaments served to help the Jews turn the multitudes against Christ, in spite of all of Christ's miracles and healings. To this day the multitudes hear the gospel, but very few indeed are given to accept a message from a God who tells one generation to hate its enemies and then tells the next generation to love its enemies. In the same manner, the holy spirit led the apostles to keep the law of Moses for many years after the death and resurrection of Christ and then the same spirit had them to reform their doctrine to say the exact opposite and tell the Jewish Christians that they no longer needed to offer blood offerings, pay tithes, keep holidays or consider themselves as in any way being different from the Gentile believers.

It was all foretold by the Lord Himself:

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

The principle of these words apply to all  of us as we "grow in the grace and the knowledge of our Lord" day by day. The wicked one will have us to believe that we are being carried about by every wind of doctrine when we turn away from the law of Moses, the law of the Gentiles and turn to the law of the Christ and the law of the spirit. Our friends and families will forsake us when we give up the doctrines of the trinity, the immortality of the soul, and its attendant doctrine of eternal torment and all the other doctrines of Babylon. That same evil spirit will also try to convince us that when we make needed corrections in our doctrine, we are being led astray of the adversary. But Christ's sheep know His voice, and a stranger they will not follow.

Joh 10:4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
Joh 10:5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

Even when we come out of Babylon we are still facing even more insidious false doctrines, emanating from within our very midst, which are called in the scriptures "heresies", and we are told that they are actually needful for the purpose of manifesting who is and who is not "approved among you":

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

This brings us to our next verse here in Isaiah:

Isa 32:6  For the vile person will speak villany, and his heart will work iniquity, to practise hypocrisy, and to utter error against the LORD, to make empty the soul of the hungry, and he will cause the drink of the thirsty to fail.

Heresies appeal to many, as the heresy of Korah and the 250 elders appealed to "the whole congregation, as Korah "uttered error against the Lord" in accusing Moses and Aaron of "taking too much upon themselves":

Num 16:1  Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men:
Num 16:2  And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown:
Num 16:3  And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?

How very familiar are the words, "Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?" Is that not exactly what has taken place in our very midst? The faithful among the Lord's people are always accused of the same thing, and it is always justified in the same way... "the congregation is holy, every one of them... why then do you lift up yourselves above the congregation?" This is the exact same spirit which had raised its ugly head in Israel just a few months earlier when Miriam and Aaron had done the very same thing to the Lord in rejecting the leadership the Lord had ordained:

Num 12:1  And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman.
Num 12:2  And they said, Hath the LORD indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the LORD heard it.
Num 12:3  (Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.)

"The man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth", and yet the accusation against him is the same. Moses is falsely accused of exalting himself above others simply because the Lord did not place the others above Moses.

Korah, Dathan, and Abiram took 250 princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation who were men of renown, and they took it upon themselves to falsely accuse the leader the Lord had given them of exalting himself above the people, claiming that everyone was just as qualified as Moses was to lead the Lord's people. It is obvious that none of these men were perceived by the  people as being churlish or evil or guilty of devising wicked devices which would destroy the poor with lying words. Nevertheless, this is exactly what took place when Korah and company falsely accused the leaders whom the Lord had placed over His flock:

Isa 32:7  The instruments also of the churl are evil: he deviseth wicked devices to destroy the poor with lying words, even when the needy speaketh right.

The true shepherds of the Lord's flock are not taken away "with lying words". The net effect of Korah's message was that all the congregation were on the same spiritual level. Does that not have a very familiar ring to it? Is that not the exact same message being foisted off on the Lord's flock by those who want to take our crown and give it to those over whom the second death is given power? Is that not the exact same spirit which teaches us that "the rest of the dead" are sins which still dominate the lives of the Lord's elect who are given to reign with Him during the millennium? Korah and company were promising all of Israel liberty from the leadership of Moses and Aaron who were in reality mere instruments in the Lord's hands to be a very liberal and generous blessing to all Israel.

So it is to this very day:

Isa 32:8  But the liberal deviseth liberal things; and by liberal things shall he stand.

The Lord's true shepherds want nothing more than to be a blessing to His flock. We constantly remind you:

2Co 1:24 Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.

We are quick to admonish us all to be aware that the devil is at large and wants nothing more than to rob the Lord's elect of the crown of life they have been given. Notice our crown of life is twice mentioned as something to be highly prized, and not to be considered as something which is being given to just everyone:

Rev 2:9  I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.
Rev 2:10  Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
Rev 2:11  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

Just as the Lord distinguished between Moses and Aaron and Korah and company, His promises also distinguish between those who are favored as His people today. Look at what is promised to those whom He gives to overcome the wicked one in  this age. Notice carefully what the devil attempts to do to the Lord's flock, and notice also the promises given to those who overcome the wicked one in this age:

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.
Rev 3:11  Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.
Rev 3:12  Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

In both of these churches, the purveyors of heresy are called "the synagogue of Satan", and we are told they want to take our crown from us. Like Korah saying 'the congregation is holy every one of them', that is exactly the same effect the false doctrine that those in the second death will experience the first resurrection has upon us today. It takes our crown of life and gives it to "every one of them" in the whole congregation of those over whom the second death is given power.

That is exactly what we are told the synagogue of Satan will attempt to do. It is the synagogue of Satan which wants to take our crown of life, and give it to everyone in the second death. I will conclude by pointing out that another thing the synagogue of Satan is doing is denying that we will not be hurt of the second death.

The voice of the True shepherd is a liberal, gracious voice with promises to the overcomers which make the sufferings of this present age pale in comparison to the glory to be revealed in the Lord's faithful elect overcomers of this age:

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.

This promise will never be made to those who are hurt of the second death. They will be given life, but they will never know "the glory which shall be revealed in us" if we are those few by whom the Lord "in the ages to come [will] show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward US through Christ Jesus".

Eph 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
Eph 2:7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

These are just some of the very "liberal" words which are for those who are suffering in "this present time". It is not for those over whom the second death is given power. Truly the Lord intends to show all men of all time just how special to Him are His elect overcomers of this age.

1Pe 1:9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
1Pe 1:10 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:
1Pe 1:11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
1Pe 1:12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
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:

Next week, if the Lord wills, we will continue our study of this 32nd chapter of Isaiah with these verses of warning against the churches which are at ease:

Isa 32:9  Rise up, ye women that are at ease; hear my voice, ye careless daughters; give ear unto my speech.
Isa 32:10  Many days and years shall ye be troubled, ye careless women: for the vintage shall fail, the gathering shall not come.
Isa 32:11  Tremble, ye women that are at ease; be troubled, ye careless ones: strip you, and make you bare, and gird sackcloth upon your loins.
Isa 32:12  They shall lament for the teats, for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine.
Isa 32:13  Upon the land of my people shall come up thorns and briers; yea, upon all the houses of joy in the joyous city:
Isa 32:14  Because the palaces shall be forsaken; the multitude of the city shall be left; the forts and towers shall be for dens for ever, a joy of wild asses, a pasture of flocks;
Isa 32:15  Until the spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest.
Isa 32:16  Then judgment shall dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness remain in the fruitful field.
Isa 32:17  And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.
Isa 32:18  And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places;
Isa 32:19  When it shall hail, coming down on the forest; and the city shall be low in a low place.
Isa 32:20  Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters, that send forth thither the feet of the ox and the ass.

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Awesome Hands – part 128

"That he be not as Korah"

January 19, 2018

It has been a common thread, in my recent studies, that we are all connected. We should be viewing the world through the eyes of God as He gives us the ability to do so.

I often do not know why the Lord is doing a work in others, and my natural tendencies are to judge them based on what I believe my personal standing with God is. The truth is, on a spiritual level, I am coming up against God in my thoughts a lot of the time.

I often find myself judging a matter based on the individual that is front of me versus the knowledge that God is working a work through them. We often read how God uses people to accomplish this will, and this includes the many people throughout the bible that are not of the household of God at that point in time.

My boss, my neighbor, my friends and my enemies are all examples of people who are used in my life to work the will of God. That vast majority have no clue what is happening in their lives and they chalk it up to the many things in the world that the world offers as reasons of why things happen.

In our study today, we are going to review the story of Korah and the men of renown, and how it is they came up against the people of God.

Memorial unto the children of Israel

While this story is very interesting as a history lesson, it has a very important lesson that we can all apply to our lives today. Our verse for consideration is found in Numbers 16:40.

Num 16:40  To be a memorial unto the children of Israel, that no stranger, which is not of the seed of Aaron, come near to offer incense before the LORD; that he be not as Korah, and as his company: as the LORD said to him by the hand of Moses.

This story is centered around the spirit which has come into the hearts of Korah, Dathan and Abiram. The following verses are from the ESV translation:

Num 16:2  And they rose up before Moses, with a number of the people of Israel, 250 chiefs of the congregation, chosen from the assembly, well-known men.
Num 16:3  They assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron and said to them, "You have gone too far! For all in the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?"
Num 16:4  When Moses heard it, he fell on his face,
Num 16:5  and he said to Korah and all his company, "In the morning the LORD will show who is his, and who is holy, and will bring him near to him. The one whom he chooses he will bring near to him.
Num 16:6  Do this: take censers, Korah and all his company;
Num 16:7  put fire in them and put incense on them before the LORD tomorrow, and the man whom the LORD chooses shall be the holy one. You have gone too far, sons of Levi!"

We aren’t told specifically why these three men stirred up the rest to rise up against Moses and Aaron, except for believing themselves to be as holy, but we do know that the Lord sends spirits to do His bidding. In this case, the spirit told Korah and the others that they were just as good as Moses.

This is the spirit I want to focus on in this study. I also caution everyone to beware of which person or which group you associate yourselves with before you consider how this story applies to you.

There are many times in our lives where we wonder to ourselves why the Lord has worked a work within someone else’s life or why we haven’t been placed in a position we think we should be in. I know this is true of me.

I have been in both Korahs and Moses positions, and I am sure you all can relate too.

The truth is, the Lord uses everyone according to His will. In this story, Korah and the group with Korah, were used to manifest to the children of Israel who was being drawn “near to the Lord”.

Aaron and his sons were all being used of the Lord for the priesthood, and Moses was being used “as a god” to Aaron as we were told earlier in bible. Yet, these all were just men in the flesh playing out various roles.

Jealousy is a very strong emotion as well as envy.

Numbers 16:7  put fire in them and put incense on them before the LORD tomorrow, and the man whom the LORD chooses shall be the holy one. You have gone too far, sons of Levi!”
Numbers 16:8  And Moses said to Korah, “Hear now, you sons of Levi:
Numbers 16:9  is it too small a thing for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself, to do service in the tabernacle of the LORD and to stand before the congregation to minister to them,
Numbers 16:10  and that he has brought you near him, and all your brothers the sons of Levi with you? And would you seek the priesthood also?

Moses poses a serious question to Korah and his gang of men when he asked them why they aren’t okay with their standing in the Lord. Moses didn’t ask them specifically this way, “why aren’t you okay with your standing,” but he asked them in a much stronger way.

Do you count it a small thing to yourself of the work the Lord is doing in your life? I am sure this is something we need to all consider from time to time.

We are all put in the body of Christ, in the kingdom of God and in the world we are in for very specific needs of the Lord.

If we consider ourselves being in these sorts of roles for specific reasons, we will indeed see just how alike we are to the Levites and to the priesthood.

Even though the Lord called and chose Aaron and his sons to be priests, they still had roles to fulfill within the job of being a priest. Likewise, the Levites all had specific things their particular group was responsible for doing.

So, do we count it a small thing the Lord is doing with and in us? If so, listen to Moses speaks to you and me when we think this way.

Numbers 16:11  Therefore it is against the LORD that you and all your company have gathered together. What is Aaron that you grumble against him?”

Indeed, who is Aaron or any other man woman that we grumble against them? Sure, people will given an account to God of how they are used in this life, but that never negates that it is the Lord holding them in His hand and using them as the tool that they have been created to be.

First we grumble, and then we outright disrespect what the Lord is doing in others lives. Once we know in our marrow that God is working in someone’s life, and we assume they are favored while ignoring how it is the Lord favors us, then we make accusations of others thinking they are better than we are.

Numbers 16:12  And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, and they said, “We will not come up.
Numbers 16:13  Is it a small thing that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, that you must also make yourself a prince over us?
Numbers 16:14  Moreover, you have not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, nor given us inheritance of fields and vineyards. Will you put out the eyes of these men? We will not come up.”
Numbers 16:15  And Moses was very angry and said to the LORD, “Do not respect their offering. I have not taken one donkey from them, and I have not harmed one of them.”

They all knew what the Lord had promised the children of Israel. They knew they were to inherent a land flowing with milk and honey. It had come by way of Moses mouth directly from the Lord. Yet, it is Moses they are murmuring against and angry with.

We don’t often see that Moses becomes angry. It is one of the moments of gravity where we can imagine that he was at the peak of his anger. After all, the holy spirit has seen fit that it be recorded for our history lesson here.

There are certainly times when we see that the Lord is working in a situation which is not pleasant to go through and it indeed angers us.

The difference with us and Moses is that we know that the Lord our God is working all things after the counsel of His own will. We know that the Lord is working it all, yet we are to still to call evil, evil and good, we are to call good.

Jesus Christ came only to do the will of His Father, yet He became angry when the temple of the Lord was turned into a den of thieves.

I see these trials and tests as just that. They are tests for our hearts and minds to show us where we stand. They show us where are thinking is or should be. So, it is appropriate to have righteous anger depending on the situation.

Moses had done nothing wrong according to verse 15, yet these men were coming to him as if he had done some terrible thing to them all.

Numbers 16:16  And Moses said to Korah, “Be present, you and all your company, before the LORD, you and they, and Aaron, tomorrow.
Numbers 16:17  And let every one of you take his censer and put incense on it, and every one of you bring before the LORD his censer, 250 censers; you also, and Aaron, each his censer.”
Numbers 16:18  So every man took his censer and put fire in them and laid incense on them and stood at the entrance of the tent of meeting with Moses and Aaron.
Numbers 16:19  Then Korah assembled all the congregation against them at the entrance of the tent of meeting. And the glory of the LORD appeared to all the congregation.

In the past, I seemed to have just read over this little piece of information. “The glory of the Lord appeared to all the congregation.” This certainly has escalated. Now, everyone is going to see the communion of the Lord with Moses. This indeed can and does invoke fear in the hearts of some. I say this confidently because now there is a change of heart for some.

Numbers 16:20  And the LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,
Numbers 16:21  “Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.”
Numbers 16:22  And they fell on their faces and said, “O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and will you be angry with all the congregation?”

God pulls no punches. He simply sets out to honor Moses request of “do not accept their offering” by killing those who are causing all this ruckus. It isn’t Moses request that does it though. It is the fact that these men have directly challenged what the Lord has decreed is the way things are to be.

After all, how can those that were slaves, being set free by a miraculous act, take it upon themselves to now say they are in charge of what is going to happen from here on out?

Numbers 16:23  And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
Numbers 16:24  “Say to the congregation, Get away from the dwelling of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.”
Numbers 16:25  Then Moses rose and went to Dathan and Abiram, and the elders of Israel followed him.
Numbers 16:26  And he spoke to the congregation, saying, “Depart, please, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest you be swept away with all their sins.”
Numbers 16:27  So they got away from the dwelling of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. And Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the door of their tents, together with their wives, their sons, and their little ones.

The Lord is not playing around when He tells us to follow Him and to do His commandments. When we ignore and then challenge the things we know have been instructed to us, we do so at our own peril.

Not only are these men going to die, but their entire households are going to be wiped out from the children of Israel. In other words, their inheritance is gone. There are many scriptures that talk about us as being “houses” or “households”.

The reason being is that the Lord wants us to know this is an all or nothing game. We cannot and will not be caused to ride the fence for very long. We must be either cold or hot for the Lord, but He will not look kindly on human games.

Revelation 3:15  “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot!
Revelation 3:16  So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.
Revelation 3:17  For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.

What happens next is recorded so that we can know what it is when we let our thinking cloud the commandments we know the Lord has given us.

When we chew the cud for too long, by mixing our own carnal reasoning with the commandments the Lord has given us, we are playing a very dangerous game. When we try to reason things out according to the ways of our own hearts, we will be swallowed up “by the earth”, just as these men are.

Anything that remains, will be judged and consumed in fire.

Numbers 16:28  And Moses said, “Hereby you shall know that the LORD has sent me to do all these works, and that it has not been of my own accord.
Numbers 16:29  If these men die as all men die, or if they are visited by the fate of all mankind, then the LORD has not sent me.
Numbers 16:30  But if the LORD creates something new, and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into Sheol, then you shall know that these men have despised the LORD.”
Numbers 16:31  And as soon as he had finished speaking all these words, the ground under them split apart.
Numbers 16:32  And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the people who belonged to Korah and all their goods.
Numbers 16:33  So they and all that belonged to them went down alive into Sheol, and the earth closed over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly.
Numbers 16:34  And all Israel who were around them fled at their cry, for they said, “Lest the earth swallow us up!”
Numbers 16:35  And fire came out from the LORD and consumed the 250 men offering the incense.

The message here is loud and clear.

Numbers 16:38  As for the censers of these men who have sinned at the cost of their lives, let them be made into hammered plates as a covering for the altar, for they offered them before the LORD, and they became holy. Thus they shall be a sign to the people of Israel.”
Numbers 16:39  So Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers, which those who were burned had offered, and they were hammered out as a covering for the altar,
Numbers 16:40  to be a reminder to the people of Israel, so that no outsider, who is not of the descendants of Aaron, should draw near to burn incense before the LORD, lest he become like Korah and his company—as the LORD said to him through Moses.

No outsider can do the work the Lord has only given to certain people to do. Does that sound treacherous or inflammatory? Does it sound high and mighty or as if I think of myself more than I should?

If you think that now, then you have missed the point. When we, as the body of Christm have been called to the marriage supper of the Lamb, as the BRIDE OF GOD, we do not SULK at the role the Lord has given us in His body.

We do not complain about the needs the Lord has for us in our lives, in the world and in our individual environments. We are ALL being raised up as kings and priests and our individual lessons are custom made for us individually, so that we can COLLECTIVELY do the work of the Lord.

Oh, how we do not learn our lessons easily! We seem to need lessons to be beat into us instead of spoken softly.

Numbers 16:41  But on the next day all the congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and against Aaron, saying, “You have killed the people of the LORD.”
Numbers 16:42  And when the congregation had assembled against Moses and against Aaron, they turned toward the tent of meeting. And behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the LORD appeared.
Numbers 16:43  And Moses and Aaron came to the front of the tent of meeting,
Numbers 16:44  and the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
Numbers 16:45  “Get away from the midst of this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.” And they fell on their faces.
Numbers 16:46  And Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer, and put fire on it from off the altar and lay incense on it and carry it quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them, for wrath has gone out from the LORD; the plague has begun.”
Numbers 16:47  So Aaron took it as Moses said and ran into the midst of the assembly. And behold, the plague had already begun among the people. And he put on the incense and made atonement for the people.
Numbers 16:48  And he stood between the dead and the living, and the plague was stopped.
Numbers 16:49  Now those who died in the plague were 14,700, besides those who died in the affair of Korah.
Numbers 16:50  And Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance of the tent of meeting, when the plague was stopped.

Our jobs in the body of Christ should come with thanksgiving always.

Before we end this study I want to encourage us all to fully understand what we are doing in this life we now live. When I say we have jobs in the body of Christ, I am of course speaking about the direct body of Christ internally, but I am also speaking externally.

My physical body is made up of many parts, yet I myself am seen as “Steven Crook” to the world. My physical body needs to function wholly, so that I can effectively live my life in the world as a productive citizen of my environment.

So, our role in the body of Christ is not only needed for the body of Christ, but it is needed for us to be lights in this world we live in. We are desperately needed by others just the same as we desperately need Jesus Christ, the Light of OUR WORLDS, to shine in us.

When we fully understand this bit of Truth in the core of our being, we will understand that just being a part of the body of Christ is immensely important for others.

Psa 87:1 A Psalm or Song for the sons of Korah. His foundation is in the holy mountains.
Psa 87:2 The LORD loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.
Psa 87:3 Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. Selah.
Psa 87:4 I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me: behold Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia; this man was born there.
Psa 87:5 And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her: and the highest himself shall establish her.
Psa 87:6 The LORD shall count, when he writeth up the people, that this man was born there. Selah.
Psa 87:7 As well the singers as the players on instruments shall be there: all my springs are in thee.

This week’s title reflects what God’s people are blessed to develop in their lives so that they can become “His foundation is in the holy mountains” spoken of in verse one.

In verse 2 we see Jacob as representing the elect who God loves (Mal 1:2, Rom 9:13), and has been/is being made the apple of His eye (Psa 17:8, Zec 2:8). Jacob or the elect are the “gate” that will lead to the salvation of the rest of the world (Oba 1:21) and God has set His love on us as a kind of first fruits so that this can be accomplished (Rom 11:16, Deu 18:4, Jas 1:18).

It is Zion whom God loves more than “all the dwellings of Jacob”, where these ‘dwellings’ represent the world out of which God’s people are called (Rev 18:4, Act 16:18, Eph 6:12). To confirm this point of where we all come from, God makes mention of “Rahab and Babylon” and of “Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia”, where we are born and originate.

From start to finish, this Psalm talks about the glorious work of the church, the body of Christ (Col 1:24), and how this “city of God” (Gal 4:26, Mat 5:14) will shine brightly for all the world to see, and it will give the world great pause “Selah” to stop and look and discern what God has done and how His righteousness was formed in this city (Mal 3:18, Jon 4:11, Eze 44:23, Mat 25:32).

One of the hardest lessons we have to learn, and the world will learn, is that God is the only one who can “establish her” (“her” being Zion). She is clothed in fine linen or the righteousness of the saints that God forms within “her”/us, through the purifying process that has been granted His people (Rev 19:8).

In this study we will look more closely at that purifying process and how our merciful Father brings us to a place of “rejoicing in hope; [and being] patient in tribulation; [and] continuing instant in prayer” (our title and Rom 12:12).

The “righteousness of the saints” is formed by the Master Potter, and here are some verses before we start our study that remind us of what it takes to form the “righteousness of the saints” which is “of the saints”.

First, let us look at how God has declared that “the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints ” who are a many membered body (1Co 12:12), who have come to greatly fear and reverence God through this life which humbles us under His mighty hand (Psa 10:17, Jas 4:10).

Dan 7:27 And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.

Psa 89:7 God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.

And here are more of the healthy signs of God working in His people, in the church, in the body “of the saints”:

Mat 27:52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, (dying daily to be raised in heavenly places 1Co 15:31, Eph 2:6).

1Co 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

1Co 16:15 I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,)

2Co 9:12 For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God;

Eph 4:12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: (2Pe 3:18).

Col 1:12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be (Eph 1:11) partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: (2Ti 2:21, Rev 19:7).

Phm 1:7 For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother (Php 2:1-2).

Rev 8:4 And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand (1Th 5:17).

Rev 13:10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

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

Rev 17:6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration. [our blood, which is the word of God that is typified by the precious blood of Christ (1Pe 1:19), is being sanctified (Joh 17:17) as we are purified in this life of much tribulation, whereas Babylon — where we come from and are coming out of — is unstable and drunk on that “blood of the martyrs of Jesus” because all she can do at this time is wrap His words around the idols of her heart. We are sacrificed for the world and our witness of martyrdom of the true gospel of Jesus Christ which tells us to lay down our life is what makes the woman, the churches of this world, the woman drunken with the blood (Rev 11:3)].

Rev 20:9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. [the end result of the witness of the saints is spoken of in this verse where the camp is compassed Rev 20:9, and is also mentioned in this parallel verse found in (Rev 11:7).

Psa 87:1 A Psalm or Song for the sons of Korah. His foundation is in the holy mountains.

Our prayer for his saints is that we can continue to rejoice always in the Lord and know that it is through Christ that we can be “rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer” (of Rom 12:12 and our title), and again I say rejoice as Paul says.

Php 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.
Php 4:5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
Php 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

Straight away we are reminded that this song is a “song for the sons of Korah” which is where we come from, and where we must die and go into the earth (Num 16:1-3, Num 16:4-16, Num 16:17-34) in order to come out and become that holy seed that will become “His foundation in the holy moutains”.

I’ve separated these verses of Numbers 16 to show three distinct parts that demonstrate in the end that the world (within and without) does not want to be swallowed up by the earth as stated in (Num 16:34), which parallels (Exo 20:18-19):

Num 16:34 And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also.

Exo 20:18 And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off.
Exo 20:19 And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die [In other words, we would rather remain under the law for the lawless (1Ti 1:9) than have to die daily and go on to perfection via the law of Christ (Gal 6:2)] (this is what keeps the world in that drunken spiritual state we talked about earlier)].

In the first three verses of Numbers 16 the heart of man is being revealed which is the wrong and faulty foundation that we all start off on and must be destroyed as this story will go on to demonstrate:

Num 16:1 Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men:
Num 16:2 And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown:
Num 16:3 And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then [why then] lift ye up yourselves above the congregation (Rev 12:5, Eph 2:6) of the LORD?

The answer to that type and shadow question, is that it is the Lord who raises us up for their sakes, and the patience and the faith of the saints is what is needed to endure until the end through Jesus Christ. It is in that raised up position that we can continue to be “Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer”.

The next verses are critical to helping us understand what it is that makes the events that are unfolding in Moses’ life as a type and shadow of that which is “of the saints”, and that is stated in verse 28 where Moses says “Hereby ye shall know that the LORD hath sent me to do all these works”: Hereby we know that we are of the Lord because we believe that we must live by every word of God and go into the ‘earth, earth, earth’ of (Jer 22:29) like Korah and then, by the grace and faith of Jesus Christ, “come out of her my people” (Eph 2:8).

Num 16:28 And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the LORD hath sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of mine own mind.
Num 16:29 If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then the LORD hath not sent me.
Num 16:30 But if the LORD make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the LORD.
Num 16:31 And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them:
Num 16:32 And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.
Num 16:33 They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.

The third section of Numbers chapter 16 parallels what we talked about in our last study where two distinct groups are discussed in the parable of the ten virgins. God shows us that there is a separation taking place between the congregation and Korah, Dathan, and Abiram in this instance (Num 16:24), and the imagery and use of censers is used to make this point evident regarding the parable of the ten virgins.

There is judgment that leads to death, and there is judgment that leads to life, and God shows us through all these stories that it is not enough to have the words of life as honey in the mouth (Eze 3:3-5), or coals (Isa 6:6) just sitting in that censer not kindled, rather they must be heated, burning and destroying everything that breathes within us which is contrary to sound doctrine. The heated coals are the same as the bitterness that must be in the belly of all of God’s people to give us those bowels of mercy which unite us with the same mind of Christ (Rev 10:10, Php 2:1).

Num 16:17 And take every man his censer, and put incense in them, and bring ye before the LORD every man his censer, two hundred and fifty censers; thou also, and Aaron, each of you his censer.
Num 16:18 And they took every man his censer, and put fire in them, and laid incense thereon, and stood in the door of the tabernacle of the congregation with Moses and Aaron.
Num 16:19 And Korah gathered all the congregation against them unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto all the congregation.
Num 16:20 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
Num 16:21 Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.
Num 16:22 And they fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation?
Num 16:23 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Num 16:24 Speak unto the congregation, saying, Get you up from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.
Num 16:25 And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and Abiram; and the elders of Israel followed him.
Num 16:26 And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins.
Num 16:27 So they gat up from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side: and Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood in the door of their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their little children.
Num 16:28 And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the LORD hath sent me to do all these works (1Co 11:19); for I have not done them of mine own mind.
Num 16:29 If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then the LORD hath not sent me. (to die the common death is to die in our sins (Joh 8:24), and to die the death to which God calls the elect is to come out of the earth, earth, earth by dying daily – Jer 22:29, 1Co 15:31).
Num 16:30 But if the LORD make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the LORD. (The “new thing” is the day of our visitation; the judgment that comes upon all those with whom the Lord is working in this age – Luk 19:44.)
Num 16:31 And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them:
Num 16:32 And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.
Num 16:33 They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.
Num 16:34 And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also.

Psa 87:2 The LORD loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.

I took some time with verse 1 to demonstrate what God is doing to create a foundation through the body of Christ that is a hidden foundation from the world and one that will one day manifest to all the world in a moment and in the twinkling of an eye (1Co 15:52, Isa 66:8, Oba 1:21).

The fear of the Lord is something God is developing within us, and if He loves us in this age (Rom 9:13), we will inevitably be experiencing that love in the form of chastening and scourging (Heb 12:6, Heb 6:4-9). It is that chastening and scourging which keeps us on the narrow path of knowing that it is His righteousness alone which can accomplish the work within us and does build the true foundation which is being laid for all the world with Christ as the chief cornerstone (Eph 2:20).

We read in Ezekiel (Eze 18:24) the witness to the verses in Hebrews 6:4-9 that are there for God’s people to be admonished and to heed in this age. Again, if God loves us, He is seeing to it we are drinking that cup of judgment of which we must be partakers if we are going to go on to perfection on the third day (Eze 18:24 in them shall he die the common death we spoke of Joh 8:24, Pro 24:16, Luk 13:32).

Eze 18:24 But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.

Heb 6:4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
Heb 6:5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
Heb 6:6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
Heb 6:7 For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:
Heb 6:8 But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
Heb 6:9 But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.

Psa 87:3 Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. Selah.

This is a humbling declaration of what God is able to do through His people as we go from glory to glory as His city set on a hill (2Co 3:18 ASV, Mat 5:14).

2Co 3:16 But whensoever it shall turn to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
2Co 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
2Co 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit. (ASV)

Mat 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid.

Having faces which are unveiled is symbolic language that tells us we no longer establish our own righteousness through the law, but rather through Jesus Christ (Rom 10:3, 1Ti 1:9, Gal 6:2).

Psa 87:4 I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me: behold Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia; this man was born there.

In this verse we are reminded from where we come and how it is by the grace of God that we are born there and then able to come out of her my people [Rahab-Babylon-Philistia-Tyre-Ethiopia] and endure until the end as the “not many noble” brethren, the weak of the world (2Co 6:17, 1Co 1:26) God uses to show that this is a work which is being accomplished, all to the glory of God (Rom 11:36) who is working all things according to the counsel of His will (Eph 1:11).

Rahab^H7294 (Jos 2:1-4). We are hidden in Babylon who is likened to a harlot while we are in the court, and God does not forget her kindnesses (Heb 11:31). The two men who spy the land represent Christ or the two witnesses or Joshua and Caleb, and the dream is one (Gen 41:25), as we all must go into Babylon to come out of her, which represents the world of sin within our members, that Christ himself had to come out of and why we are told that God’s son comes out of Egypt (1Jn 4:17, Hos 11:1).

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

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

Babylon^H894 We must go into Babylon to ‘come out of her my people’, and Babylon represents the world which we come out of (2Co 6:17).

Philistia^H6429 (Isa 14:29). We are being told in Isa 14:29 that God is going to raise seraphim (Rev 4:8) out of those who start off with Satan being their father.

Isa 14:29 Rejoice not thou, whole Palestina, because the rod of him that smote thee is broken: for out of the serpent’s root shall come forth a cockatrice, and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent.

Rev 4:8 And the four living creatures, having each one of them six wings, are full of eyes round about and within: and they have no rest day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come.

Tyre^H6865 (Zec 9:3-4) Tyre is where we become rich in the word but cannot properly discern the true gospel, as we make merchandise of our brothers at this time, buying and selling the truth as we try to make disciples by our own power in the sea of humanity, not truly fishers of men yet. We live out the parable of the rich young ruler in Tyre who cannot sell all that he thinks he has and come and follow Christ (Rev 18:11-13, Mat 19:21).

Ethiopia^H3568 Cush – (Gen 10:8, Isa 11:11)

Gen 10:8 And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth.

Isa 11:11 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord will set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people (Jdg 1:12), that shall remain, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.

Ethiopia is connected to Egypt which is connected to Babylon, and Isaiah is a token or sign against Egypt and Ethiopia, walking three years naked and barefoot, who witnessed to the fact that God saw Egypt and Ethiopia as being spiritually unclothed.

In Isa 11:11 we are reminded of the process that we all must go through to be twice plucked up^H3568 (Jdg 1:12) before we can truly come to know the true gospel of Jesus Christ.

Isa 20:3 And the LORD said, Like as my servant Isaiah hath walked naked and barefoot three years for a sign and wonder upon Egypt and upon Ethiopia;

Isa 20:5 And they shall be afraid and ashamed of Ethiopia their expectation, and of Egypt their glory.

Psa 87:5 And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her: and the highest himself shall establish her.

Psa 87:5 Yea, of Zion it shall be said, This one and that one was born^H3205 in her; And the Most High himself will establish her. (ASV)

We are chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be a little flock that is holy and without blemish before him in love (Eph 1:4, Luk 12:32). God has already determined that we be “born in her”, “Zion”, and boasting therefore is excluded by the law of faith which makes what God has determined possible (Rom 3:27, Heb 12:2). It is “the Highest Himself [who] shall establish (Exo 23:20, Gen 41:32, Isa 62:7, 1Ch 16:30) her”.

“Born^H3205 in her” is used 526 times in the KJV with that sense of being born or begotten, and is also very significantly noted three times as “midwife” in Gen 35:17, Gen 38:28 and Exo 1:16.

We understand the “travail” as painful, again confirming that it is not without the hope found in the title of our study (Rom 12:12) and so many other verses that are meant to coach and encourage us along that narrow Way (Joh 16:21).

Psa 87:6 The LORD shall count, when he writeth up^H3789 the people, that this man was born there. Selah.

All our days are numbered or counted and written in His book (Psa 139:16), and “he writeth up^H3789 the people” and is doing this to witness to the world the workmanship of His hands (Eph 2:10).

Here are some verses that describe what God has written up for His people:

Job 13:26 For thou writest^H3789 bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth.

Deu 31:22 Moses therefore wrote^H3789 this song the same day, and taught it the children of Israel.

Hab 2:2 And the LORD answered me, and said, Write^H3789 the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.

Pro 7:3 Bind them upon thy fingers, write^H3789 them upon the table of thine heart.

Jer 31:33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write^H3789 it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Psa 87:7 As well the singers as the players on instruments shall be there: all my springs^H4599 are in thee.

God reassures us that this body is well equipped with each joint supplying what is needed to accomplish the work that He has set before us (Eph 4:16). There are “singers as the players on instruments” and that speaks of a mindset of rejoicing and being thankful for this high calling in the Lord (Php 3:14).

The “springs”^H4599 that God calls us to are spoken of in type and shadow in the old covenant as the fountains^H4599 of the deep that are broken up in (Gen 7:11), as we are bruised and broken for the world so that it can become as it was in the days of Noah, with the entire earth being flooded by those springs or fountains (Mat 24:37, Hab 2:14) that will bring forth the living waters that will fill the earth and be a starting point of baptism just as the Israelites of old came under the cloud of witness, or like John the baptist who baptized with water and then the Lord with fire (Heb 12:1, 1Co 10:2).

H4599
– Definition:
1. spring
– Origin: from H5869 as a denominative in the sense of a spring) – TWOT entry: 1613a
– Part(s) of speech: Noun Masculine
– Strong’s: From H5869 (as a denominative in the sense of a spring); a fountain (also collectively) figuratively a source (of satisfaction): – fountain spring well.

Total KJV Occurrences: 23

•fountain, 9
Lev_11:36; Jos_15:9; Psa_74:15; Psa_114:8; Pro_25:26; Son_4:12; Son_4:15; Hos_13:15; Joe_3:18

•fountains, 7
Gen_7:11; Gen_8:2; 1Ki_18:5; 2Ch_32:4; Pro_5:16; Pro_8:24; Isa_41:18

•springs, 2
Psa_87:7; Psa_104:10

•well, 2
Jos_18:15; Psa_84:6

•wells, 3
2Ki_3:19; 2Ki_3:25; Isa_12:3

The world will once again come under that cloud of witness which will rule with a rod of iron (Rev 2:27); a people who will be prepared through that experience for the great white throne judgment in the lake of fire that will save all mankind (Rev 20:15, 1Co 15:22)…

Isa 12:3 … Rom_12:12
Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells^H4599 of salvation. Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer…

[Questions or comments can be directed to the author at anthocul@sympatico.ca]

The Prophecy of Isaiah - Part 24 Discussion

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Isa 6:1- What Is The Lord's Temple?

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.

This is the only verse we will be discussing in our study today, but I want to read this verse with the next two verses for the purpose of revealing the majesty and the spiritual significance of the timing of this vision and the spiritual significance of the Lord's throne, the spiritual significance of His train and the spiritual significance of the temple which was filled by His train.

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. 

It was "in the year King Uzziah died" that Isaiah saw this vision of the throne of God. In the year King Uzziah died, Isaiah "saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and His train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims". Next week, Lord willing, we will discuss what these seraphims are, and why we have seraphims here is this one chapter. But in our study today we will have time only to discuss the Biblical meaning of something Isaiah spoke of but did not himself understand. Isaiah did not know the spiritual meaning of the 'throne' upon which the Lord sat, nor did He understand the spiritual definition of the Lord's train or the Lord's temple, which was filled by His train.

All we will have time to discuss today is the spiritual significance of Isaiah being given this vision "In the year...Uzziah died", and the revelation given us by the holy spirit, through the pen of the apostle Paul, which settles once and for all, what is "the Lord's... throne... upon [which He is] sitting" and exactly where that throne and the temple housing that throne are spiritually located.  Lord willing, we will also see the great spiritual significance of being given this revelation of the Lord's throne, and the spiritual significance of being given the calling to be the Lord's temple, and the function of being in the Lord's temple. Then, once we see all of this, we will know what we will have to give account of as the temple in which the Lord dwells.

We will begin with:

Why Isaiah was given this vision in the year Uzziah died

When we consider closely this question, we discover that King Uzziah was generally considered to be a good king as kings of Judah go. King Uzziah is said to have "[done] that which was right in the sight of the Lord":

2Ch 26:3  Sixteen years old was Uzziah when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and two years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Jecoliah of Jerusalem.
2Ch 26:4  And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah did.
2Ch 26:5  And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper. 

Because he was a righteous king, the Lord blessed Uzziah and made him a very strong king. But like Job and like King Solomon before him, after he became a very strong king he also became proud, and like Korah, King Uzziah, in his pride, also wanted to assume the function of the priesthood, even though he knew the service of the priesthood was given only to the sons of Aaron. When Uzziah presumptuously attempted to take over the function of the priesthood, the true and faithful priests were given to withstand him and to cast him out of the temple. It was at that very moment that God Himself struck King Uzziah with leprosy which followed him to his death. It was just at that time, "in the year that King Uzziah died", Isaiah was given this great vision of the "high and exalted... throne of God", reflecting the good work of those priests who had kept the integrity of the Lord's house.

Here is the story of what brought about the leprosy which followed King Uzziah to his death:

2Ch 26:16  But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the LORD his God, and went into the temple of the LORD to burn incense upon the altar of incense.
2Ch 26:17  And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the LORD, that were valiant men: 
2Ch 26:18  And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the LORD, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honour from the LORD God. 
2Ch 26:19  Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the LORD, from beside the incense altar. 
2Ch 26:20  And Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked upon him, and, behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out from thence; yea, himself hasted also to go out, because the LORD had smitten him. 
2Ch 26:21  And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several house, being a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the LORD: and Jotham his son was over the king's house, judging the people of the land. 
2Ch 26:22  Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first and last, did Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, write.
2Ch 26:23  So Uzziah slept with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the field of the burial which belonged to the kings; for they said, He is a leper: and Jotham his son reigned in his stead.

Like Korah and the 250 renowned elders of Israel who sided with Korah and who perished with Korah, King Uzziah committed the sin of being presumptuous against the Lord's order. This is what the scriptures say of that particular sin:

Psa 19:13  Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.

2Pe 2:10  But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.

"Dignities" are those the Lord places as our leaders, both physically and spiritually. The sin of presumptuousness completely disregards the Lord's order declaring "the congregation is holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them". That may indeed be true, but it does not change the fact that the Lord has and keeps order in His creation and in His house.

Num 16:3  And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD? 

King Uzziah symbolizes the leprous 'king' who is sitting on God's throne "in the temple of God showing [himself] that he is God", and his story symbolizing that "man of sin... the abomination that makes desolate", being cast out of the temple by those who are faithful priests of the Word of God.

2Th 2:3  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

2Th 2:8  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:

We do not see this man of sin sitting on the throne of God within our hearts, this abomination that makes desolate, until the time appointed for him to be consumed with the spirit of [Christ's] mouth. So Isaiah tells us:

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.

The death of Uzziah is like the death of Jacob in Egypt. Joseph's ten brothers lived in mental torment until after their father, who typifies our old man, died in Egypt. Until that day Joseph's ten brothers who had sold him into Egyptian slavery were never delivered from the torment of believing Joseph was intent upon getting his revenge upon them. In this story of Joseph the death of Jacob typifies the death of the old man within us all. Jacob, like King Uzziah, could not bring himself to believe that he needed to bow down before God's elect, and Uzziah saw no need to submit to a priestly function which only the sons of Aaron were ordained to perform before God.

Gen 37:9  And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.
Gen 37:10  And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?

The lesson for all of us is that we will never see the throne of God or enter into His temple until after the death of our proud, self-righteous, rebellious, carnal-minded old man.

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

Now let's ask and answer the questions:

What and where is the throne of God?

"The invisible God", who is omnipresent, does not sit on a literal throne. But He does 'sit upon' a spiritual throne within a 'spiritual house', a spiritual temple, and this is what that spiritual temple is, and where that 'temple' and that 'throne' is spiritually located:

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

This is such an important point that Paul repeats this message to these Corinthians in his second epistle to the Corinthians:

2Co 6:16  And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

If "God... dwell[s with]in us, where then do we dwell? The answer to that question is a Truth which few are given to hear and receive, simply because it is physically impossible. Nevertheless this is the spiritual Truth of location of the spiritual temple in which Christ and His Father dwell:

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

It is not one person in a million who appreciates the significance of being "the temple of God" or of being the 'house' in which He dwells. It is of utmost importance that we come to appreciate just how significant it is to be God's home and the place of His dwelling.

We all know how comfortable we are within our own homes. We love to go on trips to be with friends or to see the wonders of nature. But the one thing that is even better than taking a trip to be with those we love, or to appreciate the wonders of this world, and that 'one thing' is coming home again to our own house, our own home and our own bed and our own familiar living quarters. That is what we are to our God, if He is dwelling within our hearts and minds. We are His own familiar living quarters in which He is most comfortable.

2Co 6:16  And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

We can better appreciate what all of this means if we understand why Aaron and His sons, the high priest and his priest sons, were commanded to "come out from among them" (2Co 6:17). When performing the service of the Lord and His house, Aaron and his sons were to separate themselves from the camp of Israel and keep themselves and the temple and the things of the temple from being defiled by the people and the things of the court of the people. They were commanded to be separated from and undefiled by the people and the things of the camp of Israel.

This is what God admonished Aaron and his sons, and this "is written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come" (1Co 10:11):

Num 4:5  And when the camp setteth forward, Aaron shall come, and his sons, and they shall take down the covering vail, and cover the ark of testimony with it:
Num 4:6  And shall put thereon the covering of badgers' skins, and shall spread over it a cloth wholly of blue, and shall put in the staves thereof.
Num 4:7  And upon the table of shewbread they shall spread a cloth of blue, and put thereon the dishes, and the spoons, and the bowls, and covers to cover withal: and the continual bread shall be thereon: 
Num 4:8  And they shall spread upon them a cloth of scarlet, and cover the same with a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put in the staves thereof.
Num 4:9  And they shall take a cloth of blue, and cover the candlestick of the light, and his lamps, and his tongs, and his snuffdishes, and all the oil vessels thereof, wherewith they minister unto it:
Num 4:10  And they shall put it and all the vessels thereof within a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put it upon a bar.
Num 4:11  And upon the golden altar they shall spread a cloth of blue, and cover it with a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put to the staves thereof:
Num 4:12  And they shall take all the instruments of ministry, wherewith they minister in the sanctuary, and put them in a cloth of blue, and cover them with a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put them on a bar:
Num 4:13  And they shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth thereon:
Num 4:14  And they shall put upon it all the vessels thereof, wherewith they minister about it, even the censers, the fleshhooks, and the shovels, and the basons, all the vessels of the altar; and they shall spread upon it a covering of badgers' skins, and put to the staves of it.
Num 4:15  And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation.

It was only Aaron and his sons who were permitted to enter into the temple and to handle "the instruments of ministry". "[Those] who served the tabernacle" were forbidden to so much as touch the things of the ministry of the temple, and they were also forbidden to eat with the priests, the sons of Aaron.

Heb 13:9  Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.
Heb 13:10  We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle.

"Different and strange doctrines" are the "meats which have not profited them that have been occupied therein". What Paul is telling us is that those "sons of Kohath", those Levites who were given to carry the things of the temple but were never given to so much as touch "the instruments of ministry", were also prohibited from eating with the sons of Aaron because the Kohathites, who were not permitted to eat with the priests, nor to touch "the instruments of ministry in the sanctuary" are the symbol of those who are "carried about with different and strange doctrines [partakers of] meats which have not profited them..."

The spiritual mantra of these spiritual 'Kohathites' is "Unity in the essentials, tolerance in the nonessentials, and love in all things". Their doctrine is this:

Num 16:3  And they [Korah and company] gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?

Believing there are 'nonessential words' "proceeding out of the mouth of God" is the very definition of being "carried about by every wind of doctrine". The sons of Aaron had an altar at which the Levites who served the temple "[had] no right to eat". The sons of Aaron were commanded to eat only in the holy place before the golden altar. No one else was permitted to eat in the holy place, which was and still is within the temple of God. It mattered not that they "served the tabernacle" and were working near the tabernacle in the court of the people; they still "[had] no right to eat [at the] altar... within the tabernacle".

The holy of holies, the ark of God, the mercy seat, the cherubims and "all the instruments of ministry" are all within the tabernacle and are completely off limits to "[those] which serve the tabernacle". So it is with us if we are in Christ and He is in us:

Heb 13:10  We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle.

That verse of scripture is one very despised doctrine, which will not be found on the table of devils.

Now we are able to see what we are told Isaiah could not see or understand.

1Pe 1:9  Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. 
1Pe 1:10  Of which salvation the prophets [including Isaiah] have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: 
1Pe 1:11  Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
1Pe 1:12  Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

This all sounds so 'elitist' and so 'exclusionary', and while God's elect are "meek above all men which [are] upon the face of the earth", yet in spiritual matters they must keep themselves pure and undefiled by all the things which are upon the face of the earth. Our Lord's throne is "high and lifted up". It is not down on the earth with those who are carnal minded, except to dwell within us. His throne is in heaven, and 'heaven' and 'His throne' are "high above the earth" in the hearts and minds of His people, if indeed Christ is dwelling within us.

Isa 55:9  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

2Co 4:7  But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

If He has truly taken up residence within us, then we are His heavenly "spiritual house":

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

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

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

Notice what we are told here in 1Pe 2:5. We are told that we are both the house of God, and at the same time we are "an holy priesthood", the priests who minister in and minister to the house of God. That is what we are, and that is what we do because that is what Christ is, and that is what He does:

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

1Jn 2:1  My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 
1Jn 2:2  And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

Christ lives within us, making us His place of abode. He tells us we are "Jesus of Nazareth" (Acts 22:8). At the same time He ministers to us.

We are not naturally born of the spirit of God. We are by nature "of [our] father the devil" (Joh 8:44), and we just naturally usurp the throne of God in 'heaven':

2Th 2:4  Who [our old man within us] opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he [we] as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

But if we are granted to become the "spiritual... house of God... ", then that "house of God" is where "judgment must begin" (1Pe 4:17). If judgment has begun within our lives, then in time we are granted in this age to be brought to our wits' end (Psa 107:27). Only then, after being brought to our wits' end, will we be brought to our desired haven (Psa 107: 30).

Did you know that we are told what that 'desired haven' is? Yes, we are told what and where that "desired haven" is. What we are told is that place of rest is Christ, that place of peace of mind, that haven, is Christ, into whom we are 'brought' and into whom we must 'enter'. Christ alone can give us rest. He alone is "the Lord of the sabbath", and He is also the "sabbath [which] remains... to the people of God".

Let's read it with our own eyes:

Psa 107:25  For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.
Psa 107:26  They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble.
Psa 107:27  They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits' end. 
Psa 107:28  Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.
Psa 107:29  He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.
Psa 107:30  Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven. 
Psa 107:31  Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

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

Heb 4:5  And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest [into Christ]. 
Heb 4:6  Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:
Heb 4:7  Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Heb 4:8  For if Jesus [Greek: Joshua] had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.
Heb 4:9  There remaineth therefore a rest [Christ and His doctrine] to the people of God. 
Heb 4:10  For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
Heb 4:11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

As the scriptures reveal, God does not just naturally dwell within us, but "each in his own order" (1Co 15:23) will experience the destruction of that "man of sin [who] sits in the temple of God, showing himself that he is [his own] god", and he will be "destroyed with the brightness of [Christ's] coming":

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 2:8  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:

And where are we when Christ enters into us? When Christ enters into us, we enter into Him:

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

God has a pattern by which His tabernacle, and "all the instruments of the ministry" within His temple, is measured and that pattern must, in time, be followed in every detail.

Exo 25:9  According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.

Exo 25:40  And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount. 

Here is the New Testament anti-type of that prophecy:

Rev 11:1  And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.

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

"Lightnings... voices... thunderings... an earthquake, and great hail." In other words, there was judgment beginning at the house of God. We are the temple of God. We are those who worship therein, and Christ's doctrines are our 'meat' which we 'eat' at our altar, our 'table' at which 'they who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat'. If we permit them to eat at our altar, at our table (1Co 10:21), then we are in reality eating at their altar, and we are partaking of their false doctrines, and we do not measure up to the pattern "which was shown [us] in the mount".

Heb 13:9  Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein. 
Heb 13:10  We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle.

Christ and His doctrines are "the ark of His testament". His doctrines are the lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and the earthquake, and the great hail which will wipe away the refuge of all the lies and false doctrines of "the table of devils... [of] different and strange doctrines" which we are forbidden to eat.  We have all partaken of "the refuge of lies" in our own time, and we must never again permit those lies to abide at our altar or be placed upon our table:

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

1Co 10:21  Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils.

Isaiah saw the Lord "high and lifted up" with his train filling the temple. His "train" is His clothing, and we are told the Lord's clothing is linen:

Dan 10:5  Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz:

Dan 12:6  And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?

What is the spiritual significance of linen? This is what the linen is. This is the spiritual significance of the Lord's train which fills His temple:

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

Isaiah himself confirms that "the fine linen is the righteousness of saints:

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.

Righteousness is inseparable from righteous doctrine, and unrighteousness is inseparable from false doctrines.

The "altar" at which we eat is located within the tabernacle, within that temple. If we tolerate false doctrines within the temple of God, upon "the Lord's table", then we are offering our Lord "the sacrifice of fools", and we simply will not long be His 'temple'. If we "partake... of the table of devils", then we will not long be "partakers of the Lord's table".

We have seen that God's throne is within His temple, and we have seen that we are that 'temple'. In other words we are in Christ, Christ is in us, and we are all within His Father, and we must be very careful to:

Ecc 5:1  Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil.
Ecc 5:2  Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.

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

What we are being told throughout the Word of God is that there are no "nonessentials" within the Words that proceed out of the mouth of God". Rather, we are to "try the spirits to see whether they are of God" (1Jo 4:1), and when we find any spirit, any doctrine, failing to measure up to "the pattern shown [us] in the mount", failing to measure up to the pattern Christ left us, then we are to "purge out... the old leaven" and "live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God":

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

Eze 20:38  And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me: I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

1Co 5:7  Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:

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.

That "Christ IS come in the flesh" is, was, and will be true, and what John is very clearly and very boldly telling us is this:

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.

Lest any of us miss the message of these verses and who "we" and "us" are, the meaning is made clear, and it is all reiterated in these words:

1Ti 3:14  These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly:
1Ti 3:15  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.

We are "the house of God", but we are not that house as individuals, outside of or apart from the other "spiritual stones" which make up the Lord's "spiritual house".

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

Only corporately are we the house and the body of Christ.

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

John does not tell us in 1 John 4:6, 'I am of God, he that knows God hears me'. The holy spirit inspired John to say "WE are of God: he that knows God hears US; he that is not of God heareth not US. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error." We are not the house of God as individuals independent one of another:

Only when we see that we are the house of God and that He dwells in us as a body with many members, will we able to:

Isa 6:1  [See] the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train fill[ing] the temple.