Ezekiel 31:1–18 Pharoah Shall Be Slain

[Study Aired September 9, 2024]

Introduction

Today’s study continues with the prophecy against Egypt with focus on Pharoah, the King of Egypt. As we have indicated in previous studies, Pharoah represents our old man or flesh. Today’s study compares Pharoah to the Assyrian who is likened to a cedar of Lebanon.

As we are aware, the Bible is full of metaphors and sometimes it compares our walk with the Lord with the growth of trees. A metaphor is a figure of speech that implicitly compares two unrelated things, typically by stating that one thing is another. For example, we, His elect, are likened to palm trees and cedars of Lebanon.

Psa 92:12  The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. 
Psa 92:13  Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God.
Psa 92:14 They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;

The house of the Lord is the same as the courts of our God. These verses therefore show us that it is when we are given to come into the assembly of the Lord’s elect, that is the house of the Lord, that we grow spiritually like trees as a result of what every joints supplies, that is, the water of the word.

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

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

Our growth spiritually, is dependent on our fellowship with our brothers and sisters as we all grow together in the unity of the faith. This unity of the faith means that we all have the same mind of Christ.

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

This dependence of our spiritual growth based on the fellowship of our brothers and sisters is given a witness in Proverbs which says that He who finds a wife, finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord. The wife here signifies the bride of Christ who represents the fellowship of the Lord’s elect.

Pro 18:22  Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD. 

The favor of the Lord here is being given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God which comes through being part of the bride, that is, finding a wife.

In Today’s study, the focus is on the cedars of Lebanon. To understand our discussion for today, we need to know some basic characteristics of cedars of Lebanon. They grow up to 120 feet tall (about 10-12 story buildings) and their branches are wide-spreading (about 30-50 feet from its truck). They are known in Biblical times as the kings of trees. They cast down their roots as deeply as is their heights upward.

Hos 14:5  I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.

According to Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary, his roots as Lebanon means the roots of the trees of Lebanon especially cedars. A tree with deep roots is able to survive in all kinds of conditions. Apostle Paul used this to tell us to be rooted and grounded in God’s love. In other words, we must be rooted and grounded in the resources the Lord provides for us because He loves us.

Eph 3:17  That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 
Eph 3:18  May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
Eph 3:19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

The Assyrian Compared to Cedars of Lebanon

Eze 31:1  And it came to pass in the eleventh year, in the third month, in the first day of the month, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 
Eze 31:2 Son of man, speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, and to his multitude; Whom art thou like in thy greatness? 

The number eleven signifies the ruin and disintegration of the perfection of the flesh and that of the number three is about the process of spiritual maturity through judgement. The number one shows us that everything is of God. With this in mind, the eleventh year in the third month of the first day of the month in which the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel in verse 1 signifies the coming of the Lord to His elect to start the process of spiritual maturity through His judgement of our old man or flesh.  This process entails the ruin and disintegration of our flesh. The time that our Lord comes to us with His judgement is when our sins have reached their fulness. In this case, the sins of Pharoah the King of Egypt, who represents our flesh or old man has become complete. In the Book of Revelation, it is when the sins of Babylon have reached their fulness or become complete is the time that the Lord shall come to judge her.

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

In verse 2, Pharoah refers to our old man or our flesh and his multitude represent the people of this world who are dominated by the flesh including our brothers and sisters in the churches of this world. It is this multitude that do evil as they are dominated by the flesh. 

Exo 23:2  Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment:

Exo 12:38  And a mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks, and herds, even very much cattle.

Here in verse 2, the Lord wants to show us the dominance and the destruction of our old man by seeking a comparison with one of the greatest empire in ancient times – the Assyrian empire. By comparing our old man or flesh (Pharoah) to the Assyrian empire, the Lord is showing us how He has resourced our flesh or old man to dominate us until the set time that He has appointed, to come and deal with him. In Second Thessalonians, Paul shows us how our old man or flesh has flourished as he dominates or is worshipped by every human being until the set time that the Lord has appointed, where He comes and deal with him with the spirit of His mouth and His brightness.

2Th 2:3  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
2Th 2:4  Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. 
2Th 2:5  Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
2Th 2:6  And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
2Th 2:7  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
2Th 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

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

Eze 31:3  Behold, the Assyrian was a cedar in Lebanon with fair branches, and with a shadowing shroud, and of an high stature; and his top was among the thick boughs. 
Eze 31:4  The waters made him great, the deep set him up on high with her rivers running round about his plants, and sent out her little rivers unto all the trees of the field. 
Eze 31:5 Therefore his height was exalted above all the trees of the field, and his boughs were multiplied, and his branches became long because of the multitude of waters, when he shot forth. 

In verse 3, the Assyrian is compared with a cedar in Lebanon. In the Bible, those who are rich or kings use cedar to build houses to live in. In this case, cedars of Lebanon represent our tabernacle or our flesh or bodies since we, His elect, are spiritually rich in Christ. Since the Assyrian in verse 3 was likened to a cedar of Lebanon, it implies that the Assyrian represent our flesh or old man.

2Sa 7:2  That the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains.

2Sa 7:7  In all the places wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel spake I a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people Israel, saying, Why build ye not me an house of cedar?

Son 1:17  The beams of our house are cedar, and our rafters of fir.

Here in verse 3, the Lord is showing us that our old man or flesh is like a cedar of Lebanon with a shadowing shroud, high stature and its top being among the thick bough. This implies that our flesh or old man is a formidable force to deal with and it is only in Christ that we can win the victory over him.

1Co 15:57  But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Being a formidable force within us is another way of saying that our flesh or the beast within us is such that no one can make war with Him.

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

Verse 4 focuses on the deep or the waters that makes our old man great as he sent out his little rivers unto all the trees of the field. The deep refers to the sea of mankind. The waters refers to the false doctrines of human wisdom and tradition which come from the sea of human flesh which nourish all mankind (except the Lord’s elect), signified here by the trees of the field. Our flesh from which comes the waters that nourish all mankind is another way of saying that our old man or flesh or beast is worshipped by all mankind.

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

Verse 5 is about how the height of the cedar tree is exalted above all the trees of the field and his branches are long because of the multitude of waters when it shoots up. As we are aware, it is Christ our Lord who is exalted above all humanity in the world. Verse 5 starts with “therefore”, meaning that it is the waters in verse 4 which causes our flesh or old man to be exalted, thinking that he is God. These waters refer to our false doctrines in our heavens which make us believe that we have our own freewill which is the prerogative of God alone. Thus, what is being said in verse 5 is that our flesh exalts himself to the status of God because he thinks he is the one in control of his own destiny.

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

Isa 14:13  For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 
Isa 14:14  I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
Isa 14:15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

Eze 31:6  All the fowls of heaven made their nests in his boughs, and under his branches did all the beasts of the field bring forth their young, and under his shadow dwelt all great nations. 
Eze 31:7  Thus was he fair in his greatness, in the length of his branches: for his root was by great waters. 

All the fowls of heaven making their nests in his boughs in verse 6 signify the devil being the empowering force behind our old man or flesh.

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

The beasts of the field signifies our flesh. All the beasts of the field bringing forth their young under his branches means within us or out of our flesh comes forth false doctrines of man’s wisdom and tradition.

Act 20:30  Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. 

When we are dominated by the flesh or spiritually dead, then it means that we have been given over to the fowls of the air and the beasts of the field.

1Sa 17:44  And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field.

In verse 6, we are also told that it is under the shadow of our old man that all great nations dwell which means that everyone not born of God is under the sway of our flesh.

1Jn 5:4  For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

1Jn 5:18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.

Verse 7 continues the description of our flesh by indicating that our flesh or old man is like cedar which is big and beautiful with its many branches. This is because its roots reach down to many sources of water.  Just as all the good and evil things that were created by the Lord serve the very purpose for which they were created, our old man being beautiful means he serves the purpose for which it was created. Being big with many branches means our flesh has a dominant influence on people of the world except the Lord’s elect. This dominance over mankind is due to many waters or sea of flesh that he is in contact with. This many waters represent the false doctrines emanating from the sea of flesh. That means false doctrines of man’s wisdom and tradition.

Gen 1:31  And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

Col 2:8  Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 

Mar 7:7  Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. 
Mar 7:8  For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.

Mar 7:13 Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.

Eze 31:8  The cedars in the garden of God could not hide him: the fir trees were not like his boughs, and the chesnut trees were not like his branches; nor any tree in the garden of God was like unto him in his beauty. 
Eze 31:9  I have made him fair by the multitude of his branches: so that all the trees of Eden, that were in the garden of God, envied him. 
Eze 31:10 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast lifted up thyself in height, and he hath shot up his top among the thick boughs, and his heart is lifted up in his height; 

The reference to the garden of Eden in verses 8 and 9, where the cedar is distinct in terms of its beauty among all the trees is to let us know that the flesh or our old man was the epitome of the Lord’s creation. That is to say that the Lord’s hands specifically formed our flesh or old man to be the excellence of His creation, just as the Lord’s hands formed the crooked serpent.

Job 26:13  By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; his hand hath formed the crooked serpent. 

In Isaiah 14:12, our old man or flesh is referred to as Lucifer, the son of the morning. The accolade “Lucifer” which means the shining one and son of the morning all describes our old man’s status as the excellency of the Lord’s creation. However, being worshipped by the whole world resulted in pride and therefore had to be brought down through the Lord’s judgement. This is all part of the Lord’s work as our flesh or the beast within was made to be taken and destroyed.

Isa 14:12  How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 
Isa 14:13  For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
Isa 14:14  I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
Isa 14:15  Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
Isa 14:16 They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;

2Pe 2:12  But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;

Jud 1:10 But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.

The Lord’s Judgement

Eze 31:11  I have therefore delivered him into the hand of the mighty one of the heathen; he shall surely deal with him: I have driven him out for his wickedness. 
Eze 31:12  And strangers, the terrible of the nations, have cut him off, and have left him: upon the mountains and in all the valleys his branches are fallen, and his boughs are broken by all the rivers of the land; and all the people of the earth are gone down from his shadow, and have left him. 
Eze 31:13 Upon his ruin shall all the fowls of the heaven remain, and all the beasts of the field shall be upon his branches: 

As indicated in verse 11, as a result of the wickedness of our old man or flesh, the Lord has come to judge him by giving him over into the hands of the mighty one of the heathens. The mighty one of the heathen signifies the devil whom the Lord has given over the kingdoms of this world. Thus, delivering our old man or flesh to the devil implies being judged, resulting in the death of our flesh or old man.  We must remember that the man who slept with his father’s wife and was therefore handed over to Satan was for the purpose of the destruction of his flesh.

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.

In verse 12, the Lord will use foreigners from the most ruthless nation to judge our flesh. The instrument of judgement here is the sword which the Lord shall cause every man’s sword to be against his brother.

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

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

As a result of the Lord’s judgement, its branches fell on the mountains and every valley with his broken branches falling into all the rivers of the land. In the Bible mountains and valleys can signify worship sites or the assembly of believers. This implies that it is through the assembly of the Lord’s elect and the word of the Lord that we come to see the destruction of our old man or flesh which prepares us to be manifested as the sons of God. That is what will result in the salvation of all humanity as the people of the earth come out of the shade of the flesh or old man.

Eze 6:3 Say this, ‘You mountains of Israel, listen to the word of the Almighty LORD! This is what the Almighty LORD says to the mountains and hills and to the ravines and valleys: I am going to attack you with a sword and destroy your worship sites.

Rom 8:19  For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. 
Rom 8:20  For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
Rom 8:21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

In verse 13, we are told that on its fallen trunk dwell all the birds of heaven and on its branches are all the beasts of the field. It is as we are judged that we come to see that our old man received his power from the devil. We also come to realize that we are indeed beast before our Lord.

Psa 73:22  So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee. 

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

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

Eze 31:14  To the end that none of all the trees by the waters exalt themselves for their height, neither shoot up their top among the thick boughs, neither their trees stand up in their height, all that drink water: for they are all delivered unto death, to the nether parts of the earth, in the midst of the children of men, with them that go down to the pit. 

As we have indicated, trees represent people. The judgement of the Lord together with His elect during the lake of fire age shall result in the salvation of all people of every age. This judgement shall destroy the pride in man and everything that mitigate against the rule of Christ in the lives of all humanity. It shall also destroy all the false doctrines of man’s wisdom and tradition which is signified here in verse 14 by the stopping of the flow of the many water sources. The old man of every man or woman shall be destroyed completely as symbolized by the trees being given over to death.

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

1Ti 2:3  For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
1Ti 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.  

In this age however, it is only the Lord’s elect that are being judged to become saviors of all mankind as judgement shall be given to them to judge the human race from every generation.

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?

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 20:4  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.

Eze 31:15 Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the day when he went down to the grave I caused a mourning: I covered the deep for him, and I restrained the floods thereof, and the great waters were stayed: and I caused Lebanon to mourn for him, and all the trees of the field fainted for him.

Here in verse 15, we are being told that the judgement of our old man or flesh as the Lord’s elect is an evil experience as we mourn during this process of His judgement. That is why the two witnesses in the Book of Revelation were clothed in sackcloth to symbolize the mourning of the Lord’s elect as we go through the Lord’s judgement in this age.

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

Verse 15 emphasizes the benefits of the Lord’s judgement as the Lord destroys all the false doctrines in our heavens by covering the waters from the sea and holding back the rivers to stop the many water sources from flowing in our hearts and minds.

Verse 15 also indicates that all those in Lebanon shall mourn the destruction of our flesh. Lebanon means white. On a positive note, white refers to the light of the truth of the word of the Lord. In other words, it is those whose garments are being made white who are given to know the truth of the Lord’s words. Thus, Lebanon being caused to mourn our old man’s destruction means that the Lord’s elect shall mourn as we go through the Lord’s judgement of our old man.

Ecc 9:8  Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment.   

Isa 1:18  Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

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.

In verse 15, we are made aware that all the trees of the field faint for the destruction of our old man. The word “faint” used in verse 15 means mourning according to Strong’s Dictionary. The trees of the field refers to all humanity who are not given to know Christ in this age. This implies that all humanity shall also mourn the death of their old man as they go through the Lord’s judgement during the lake of fire age.

Eze 31:16  I made the nations to shake at the sound of his fall, when I cast him down to hell with them that descend into the pit: and all the trees of Eden, the choice and best of Lebanon, all that drink water, shall be comforted in the nether parts of the earth. 
Eze 31:17  They also went down into hell with him unto them that be slain with the sword; and they that were his arm, that dwelt under his shadow in the midst of the heathen. 
Eze 31:18 To whom art thou thus like in glory and in greatness among the trees of Eden? yet shalt thou be brought down with the trees of Eden unto the nether parts of the earth: thou shalt lie in the midst of the uncircumcised with them that be slain by the sword. This is Pharaoh and all his multitude, saith the Lord GOD. 

It is instructive to note that in verse 16, the nations shall shake at the sound of the destruction of our old man. The nations mentioned here refers to non-Hebrew people. In other words, those who are not the Lord’s elect. The word “shake” is used most of the time in the Bible to indicate the Lord’s judgement as shown in the following verses:

Hag 2:7  And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts. 

Joe 3:16  The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.

The nations shaking at the noise of the destruction of the old man of the Lord’s elect therefore implies that the judgement of the Lord’s people or elect shall have repercussions on the rest of humanity as the Lord’s elect are being prepared to judge all humanity. In verse 16, the judgement of all humanity is what will result in the comforting of all trees of Eden, the choicest and the best of Lebanon as they all shall drink the water of life. All the trees of Eden, together with the choicest and the best of Lebanon refers to all humanity of God’s creation.

Rev 22:1  And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
Rev 22:2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

Verse 17 continues with the judgement of all humanity as it states that they (the nations) had gone down in the grave with the tree which represents our flesh or old man. All those who live in the tree’s shadow represent all those who are dominated by the flesh. They shall be judged by the Lord as indicated by their scattering among the nations.

In verse 18, we are made aware that Pharoah is the cedar of Lebanon who represents our flesh or old man and that the judgement of our flesh will surely be carried out by the Lord to lay waste our old man. This is to assure us that what the Lord has begun in us, He is able to bring to completion as He makes us His vessels of honor.

May His name be praised. Amen!!

1Ki 5:6-18 “I see men; I see that they walk as trees”

[Study Aired September 16, 2021]

1Ki 5:6  Now therefore command thou that they hew me cedar trees out of Lebanon; and my servants shall be with thy servants: and unto thee will I give hire for thy servants according to all that thou shalt appoint: for thou knowest that there is not among us any that can skill to hew timber like unto the Sidonians. 
1Ki 5:7  And it came to pass, when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly, and said, Blessed be the LORD this day, which hath given unto David a wise son over this great people. 
1Ki 5:8  And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, I have considered the things which thou sentest to me for: and I will do all thy desire concerning timber of cedar, and concerning timber of fir. 
1Ki 5:9  My servants shall bring them down from Lebanon unto the sea: and I will convey them by sea in floats unto the place that thou shalt appoint me, and will cause them to be discharged there, and thou shalt receive them: and thou shalt accomplish my desire, in giving food for my household. 
1Ki 5:10  So Hiram gave Solomon cedar trees and fir trees according to all his desire. 
1Ki 5:11  And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat for food to his household, and twenty measures of pure oil: thus gave Solomon to Hiram year by year. 
1Ki 5:12  And the LORD gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him: and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon; and they two made a league together. 
1Ki 5:13  And king Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel; and the levy was thirty thousand men. 
1Ki 5:14  And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by courses: a month they were in Lebanon, and two months at home: and Adoniram was over the levy. 
1Ki 5:15  And Solomon had threescore and ten thousand that bare burdens, and fourscore thousand hewers in the mountains; 
1Ki 5:16  Beside the chief of Solomon’s officers which were over the work, three thousand and three hundred, which ruled over the people that wrought in the work. 
1Ki 5:17  And the king commanded, and they brought great stones, costly stones, and hewed stones, to lay the foundation of the house.
1Ki 5:18  And Solomon’s builders and Hiram’s builders did hew them, and the stonesquarers: so they prepared timber and stones to build the house.

In the eighth chapter of the gospel of Mark (Mar 8:1-10), we see Christ’s interaction with His disciples, which is a type and shadow of how God’s elect will interact with the disciples God will draw to his elect during the thousand year reign (Joh 6:44) to ultimately bring those disciples to see men clearly, as the elect who are represented by Solomon already do at this point (Rev 20:6, 1Jn 4:17).

There are many things to glean from this parable in the book of Mark that parallel what we will look at in Kings (1Ki 5:6-18) tonight, that will help us see how the government of God will utilize the resources of humanity, of which some will be as our disciples, just as Christ who had a time in the earth when he dealt with His unconverted disciples (1Jn 4:17).

In this story in Mark, these not yet converted disciples of Christ are being shown through Him the example of a blind man being healed. This is how all the world will be healed through Christ via the greater works His disciples will do once they have the spirit of God given to them. The words uttered by the recently blind man who was healed by Christ, “I see men as trees, walking”, were words that were uttered for His disciples’ sake and for ours today (1Ti 4:16, 2Co 4:15).

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

The next event which transpired with Christ healing this blind man was typical of what will happen to the rest of the world in the great white throne judgment: “After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly” (Mar 8:24-25).

We cannot see God’s plan clearly at first, and it will take the feeding of the multitudes with the word of God to begin to shed light on His glorious purpose for all His creation, which is to have all men saved (1Co 15:22). During the thousand-year reign, the elect are like Christ was during His time on earth with His disciples. Without any expectation of bringing men to see clearly with spiritual eyes that see, we will nevertheless set the stage for that conversion in the lake of fire to happen by being given these exercises of rulership during that time with disciples who will be drawn to us for the express purpose of further bringing about the ultimate healing of men’s eyes that will transpire in the great white throne judgement when humanity will be restored, where every man will see clearly. God’s elect are tremendously blessed to experience that restoration in earnest now, awaiting the adoption, the redemption of our new bodies, having been given blessed eyes that see and ears that hear now (1Co 13:12, Rom 8:23, 2Co 5:17, Mat 13:16).

Mat 13:16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.

With these things in mind, let’s read through this section of Mark and then go into the verses of Kings which will further confirm these typical events written for our sakes upon whom the end of the ages are come.

Mar 8:1  In those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them,
Mar 8:2  I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat:
Mar 8:3  And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far.
Mar 8:4  And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness?
Mar 8:5  And he asked them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven.
Mar 8:6  And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people.
Mar 8:7  And they had a few small fishes: and he blessed, and commanded to set them also before them.
Mar 8:8  So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets.
Mar 8:9  And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and he sent them away.
Mar 8:10  And straightway he entered into a ship with his disciples, and came into the parts of Dalmanutha.

We’ve just read of how the Lord’s compassion was demonstrated in feeding the masses who had not physically eaten for three days. That time is significant as it reminds us that during the thousand-year reign (10X10X10=1o00) there is no stay of bread or water, until the third day when his disciples set before the multitude a few small fishes and seven loaves of bread. The fragments of fish after having been eaten produce “of the broken meat that was left seven baskets”, representing a complete feeding of God’s word that has taken place, along with seven loaves that miraculously fed “about four thousand”.

This event of feeding so many foreshadows how all the world, represented by “four thousand” – the whole (4), will be saved by the complete word of God (7), living upon every word that proceeds from the mouth of God which miraculously grows and matures in our heavens, symbolized by the miracle that happened to this physical food.

In our study of 1Kings 5:6-18, Solomon, who typifies the elect, will have many participate in the physical building of the temple and be made to witness to how “From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness?” Such satisfaction in life comes from knowing God and His Son Jesus Christ, through the knowledge of God that is manifested through the church, the temple that we are, and that temple which Solomon built unto the Lord was typical of John 17:3 and Ephesians 3:10).

The world will see and participate in many wonderful works during the thousand years, of which works none will convert anyone but will be used to bring the whole world into remembrance of what those physical events reveal spiritually for those who have been given eyes to see and ears to hear. Christ’s rhetorical question will be our rhetorical question to all of humanity in the second resurrection: “Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember? When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve. And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? And they said, Seven.” (Mar 8:18-20).

Note that there are “five loaves among five thousand” and “the seven among four thousand“. That’s twelve loaves that were given to lay a foundation of truth that will produce all the fragments of humanity who will come up in the second resurrection to finally receive the spiritual nourishment these events of feeding typified. The “five loaves among five thousand” is a witness that typifies the grace by faith process that all humanity must be saved by (Eph 2:8).

The total amount of people who were fed is about 9000, and that is significant because there is only one way into the holy of holies, and that is to give an accounting through the body of Christ, the church, whose accounting or judgment is unfolding now (Col 1:24, 1Pe 4:17). The four thousand and the five thousand represent all the world which must be dragged to Christ’s pillars in order to come to worship God in spirit and in truth (Joh 4:23). Five is grace and faith, and four is the whole of humanity. Together they add up to nine; judgment that commences with the body of Christ, who are judged so they can become those nine pillars in God’s temple, five at the entrance (the door to the tabernacle) and four at the back (at the veil between the holy place and the holy of holies [1Pe 4:17, Rev 3:12]).

Excerpt from Study of Revelation 3:7-13, Part 2

“Here are the pillars we are discussing:

Exo 26:32 And thou shalt hang it upon four pillars of shittim wood overlaid with gold: their hooks shall be of gold, upon the four sockets of silver.

Exo 26:37 And thou shalt make for the hanging five pillars of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, and their hooks shall be of gold: and thou shalt cast five sockets of brass for them.

The four pillars of verse 32, are the pillars which hold the veil between the holy place and the holy of holies. The five pillars of verse 37 are the pillars at the door of the tabernacle. It is through these pillars we must all go as we seek to come to God. There is no other way to get into the presence of God but through these pillars. “ **** [end quote – emphasis mine].

1Ki 5:6  Now therefore command thou that they hew me cedar trees out of Lebanon; and my servants shall be with thy servants: and unto thee will I give hire for thy servants according to all that thou shalt appoint: for thou knowest that there is not among us any that can skill to hew timber like unto the Sidonians.

In order to have that purpose in our heart to want to “build an house unto the name of the LORD my God” today, we must be given “rest on every side” within (1Ki 5:4); the rest Mike talked about in Sunday’s study this week.

[Jer 17:14-27 Bear no Burden on the Sabbath Day]

God’s elect are the first to obtain that rest which comes by overcoming the nations within us, through a lifetime of warring against powers and principalities that Christ tells us he is far higher than (Eph 1:21) and that we will overcome through God’s spirit. That overcoming process is only being typified for those people during Solomon’s reign, as it will be only typified by those under the rule and reign of God’s elect whose kingdoms are subject unto us (Rev 11:15) at least physically, and who will also be told, “Now therefore command thou that they hew me cedar trees out of Lebanon.” This is not literally of course, but more importantly to hew down the big cedars which are not fruit-bearing trees that represent the whitened [“Lebanon”] walls within us of our former subjection to the whitened sepulchres of which we were part in Babylon and that by the grace of God found ourselves coming out of first (Mat 23:27, Rev 18:4).

Eph 1:21  Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 

Solomon represents the elect who have overcome and been resurrected to be found in that blessed and holy first resurrection and are now ruling and reigning under Christ for a symbolic thousand years (Rev 20:6). His command, “hew me cedar trees out of Lebanon; and my servants shall be with thy servants“, is prophesied in Ezekiel 34:14-15. “My servants” is in reference to the elect who are Christ’s servants and “shall be with thy servants” meaning the other fold of which Christ spoke in John 10:16 who would be dragged to Christ to “feed upon the mountains of Israel“, meaning the Israel of God who we are in Christ (Gal 6:16). 

Feeding on the word of God does not mean conversion is necessarily going to happen, however the disciples indeed (Joh 8:31) are granted to continue in the truth and the rest of humanity like those in the thousand-year reign, typified by Solomon’s reign, will have “tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come” but will not be able to continue in them (Heb 6:4-5, Joh 8:31-32, Heb 6:3).

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. 

Eze 34:14  I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel. 
Eze 34:15  I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD.

Joh 10:16  And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

God’s elect will be as fishers of men whose catch will be orchestrated by God, who knows the hearts of men and gives gifts that will be used to build the temple of Solomon, just as the Lord provided artisans for Moses in his day (Exo 31:1-13). This statement typifies for us the relationship that grows between those who are being dragged to Christ during the thousand-year reign in order to appoint workers to do what God has determined from the foundation of the world “and unto thee will I give hire for thy servants according to all that thou shalt appoint: for thou knowest that there is not among us any that can skill to hew timber like unto the Sidonians^H6722“. Sidonians means “hunters”, and God uses the temple, which we are, to seek out or hunt those whom He will drag to that temple (us – Joh 4:23, 1Co 3:16).

1Ki 5:7  And it came to pass, when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly, and said, Blessed be the LORD this day, which hath given unto David a wise son over this great people. 
1Ki 5:8  And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, I have considered the things which thou sentest to me for: and I will do all thy desire concerning timber of cedar, and concerning timber of fir. 
1Ki 5:9  My servants shall bring them down from Lebanon unto the sea: and I will convey them by sea in floats unto the place that thou shalt appoint me, and will cause them to be discharged there, and thou shalt receive them: and thou shalt accomplish my desire, in giving food for my household. 

When we recognize the day of the Lord is at hand in our own lives, we are doing what Hiram was doing in type and shadow who, like ourselves, should greatly rejoice to know that we are blessed this day to have our names written in heaven (Luk 10:20) to be called his sons (1Jn 3:1), typified by Solomon who was the son of David. Hiram’s joy however is more akin to receiving the word anon with joy, and it was sweet in his mouth to know that Solomon, who typifies the elect during the thousand-year reign, would be “giving food for my household” just as Joseph did for his household when he first revealed to his brothers who he was (Gen 50:21).

Luk 10:20  Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

Gen 50:21  Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them. 

Hiram counted the cost of the great endeavour of building Solomon’s temple, and he is a type of the positive use of the word “noble” in this instance (Hiram means  “noble”) as he was confident that what Solomon had started was going to be completed (Php 1:6). So he opened up his resources to this worthy endeavour accomplished through flesh, expressed in this regard: “My servants shall bring them down from Lebanon unto the sea“, that typifies the work God will do through the body of Christ while working working with the “sea” of humanity during the thousand-year reign, with this statement: “I have considered the things which thou sentest to me for: and I will do all thy desire concerning timber of cedar, and concerning timber of fir.

Solomon’s recognition of Hiram reminds us that God’s elect, at the direction of Christ, will understand the need to take great men, who are as trees, to be cut down and integrated into the building of the temple. None of these trees are fruit-bearing, but they do symbolize the great men, the noble men of this earth who will be humbled and hewed down and dragged to Christ for His purpose, which is to establish His kingdom on this earth so men can learn righteousness through judgment (Isa 26:9). The learning is always in stages, and so it is that trees begin the process to house a relationship with Christ. Nevertheless, only when the spirit is sent can we become fruit-bearing trees worshiping God in spirit and in truth (Act 2:1-4).

What Hiram says he will do with these trees is, “My servants shall bring them down from Lebanon unto the sea: and I will convey them by sea in floats unto the place that thou shalt appoint me, and will cause them to be discharged there, and thou shalt receive them: and thou shalt accomplish my desire, in giving food for my household.” This is the work that will produce “food for my household” as it typifies Hiram’s laboring in the word; and like the stones which were taken from the Jordan and brought up to Jerusalem, we’re given another parallel of that taking of resources of the earth and directing them exactly as God would have them be directed (Eph 1:11) so that “thou shalt accomplish my desire, in giving food for my household.“

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: 

These words of Hiram demonstrate what it means for God’s elect to rule with a rod of iron, as God’s purpose for mankind cannot be thwarted. He will use every part of humanity to accomplish what He has set out to do, which is to save all of the world, typified by Solomon’s desire to build this place of worship that would require God’s hand inspiring and leading the entire process to His glory and honour (1Jn 2:2, 1Ch 29:14).

1Ch 29:14  But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee. 

1Ki 5:10  So Hiram gave Solomon cedar trees and fir trees according to all his desire. 
1Ki 5:11  And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat for food to his household, and twenty measures of pure oil: thus gave Solomon to Hiram year by year. 
1Ki 5:12  And the LORD gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him: and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon; and they two made a league together. 

Solomon’s wisdom continued to be manifested in his wise dealings with Hiram as the Lord had promised would occur for Solomon: “And the LORD gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him“. His interactions with Hiram are akin to this verse in Luke 6:38 where we are told “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, [Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat for food to his household, and twenty measures of pure oil] shall men give into your bosom [Hiram gave Solomon cedar trees and fir trees according to all his desire]. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.”

During the reign of the saints (Rev 20:6), this principle will unfold of good measure being pressed down and shaken together, as God’s elect will provide the spiritual equivalent of “twenty thousand measures of wheat for food to his household and twenty measures of pure oil” which witnesses to the truth that we will feed this world the word of God, but it will be received in yet carnal hearts (witness 2 x flesh 10 = 20).

Because our ways will be pleasing to our Father who has made us more than conquerors through Jesus Christ in this now glorified state, there will be peace on earth between God’s elect and those with whom we are working, typified by this statement: “there was peace between Hiram and Solomon; and they two made a league together” (Pro 16:7, Mat 3:17).

Pro 16:7  When a man’s ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.

Mat 3:17  And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

That alliance between Solomon and Hiram is caused by God, so this working relationship can continue to unfold where “Hiram gave Solomon cedar trees and fir trees according to all his desire” like the Israelites spoiling the Egyptians (Exo 12:36). Solomon “year by year” continued to faithfully provide for Hiram’s household “twenty thousand measures of wheat” and “twenty measures of pure oil” just as God’s elect will, ‘year after year’, unfailingly not shun to declare the whole counsel of God, represented by the “measures of wheat” and the “pure oil” (Act 20:27). No one will be able to say they were not given a witness during this time, but that witness will not change the heart of mankind, and this mutually beneficial relationship Solomon has with Hiram will be for the express purpose of having Hiram and his household, who represent the world, to have opportunity to eat their fill of God’s word and to be prospered in their earthly experience, still not being able to trust God however, without conversion (Joh 6:26, Eph 1:12).

1Ki 5:13  And king Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel; and the levy was thirty thousand men.
1Ki 5:14  And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by courses: a month they were in Lebanon, and two months at home: and Adoniram was over the levy.

This levy or work force being raised by Solomon “out of all Israel” was made up of  “thirty thousand men” telling us that a process of judgment is being talked about in this section of scripture which these men, symbolizing all the world, must experience in order to be able to worship God in spirit and in truth one day (Joh 4:23).

Solomon, who is a type of the elect, “sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by courses: a month they were in Lebanon“. The ten thousand reminds us that we are dealing with carnal Christians who spend the first of three months in “Lebanon – white“, which is the whitened sepulchres stage of our walk when we wash the outside of the tomb but inside are full of dead men’s bones. (Mat 23:27).

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.

After that experience of “a month they were in Lebanon” these men, just as we did in our appointed time, will also spend “two months at home: and Adoniram was over the levy“. “Adoniram“,  the overseer, whose name means “my lord is exalted”, typifies Christ who is exalted throughout the entire process of judgment He oversees in our lives, as Adoniram oversaw the work force, telling us that we must decrease and Christ must increase  through that (3 months) process (Joh 3:30, Psa 57:5) toward spiritual maturity.

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

Psa 57:5  Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; let thy glory be above all the earth.

1Ki 5:15  And Solomon had threescore and ten thousand that bare burdens, and fourscore thousand hewers in the mountains; 
1Ki 5:16  Beside the chief of Solomon’s officers which were over the work, three thousand and three hundred, which ruled over the people that wrought in the work. 

These men whom Solomon used to bear burdens and hew in the mountains, typify how the Lord will use the elect to motivate the world, first in the physical realm with yet unconverted hearts “ten thousand that bare burdens“. We will teach mankind to love your neighbour as yourself and bear each other’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ, knowing in advance that this love, which is obedience to God’s commands, was already prophesied to wax cold in time. The many who are called and not permitted to endure until the end demonstrate to all flesh that only Christ can gain this victory over the beast which we are (“make me as one of thy hired servants”  Mat 24:12, Gal 6:2, Rev 2:5, Rev 13:4).

Mat 24:12  And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.  [1Sa 3:2 And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see.]

Gal 6:2  Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

Rev 2:5  Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

The 80,000 hewers in the mountains represent those who will labor in the word, in the mountain from whence our help does come during the reign of the saints (Psa 121:1, Rev 20:6). In time, all men will be saved through the gospel message which “is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth” (Rom 1:16), but like these labours during Solomon’s kingdom, and during that time we reign with Christ, man’s heart will not be converted. Just like the parable of the two women grinding at the mill, while both labour, only one remains, and that is by God’s design as many are called but few are chosen (Mat 24:41, Mat 24:13).

Mat 24:41  Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

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

So “Solomon had threescore and ten thousand that bare burdens, and fourscore thousand hewers in the mountains” and “Beside the chief of Solomon’s officers which were over the work, three thousand and three hundred, which ruled over the people that wrought in the work” showing us that there is order in how the elect will rule under Christ as kings and priests (Oba 1:21). The number 3,300 reminds us that a process of judgment is unfolding via God’s elect, and when God’s judgments are in the “earth, earth, earth”, men will learn of the righteousness of Christ. In God’s perfect time, faith that comes from hearing the word of God (Rom 10:17) will be tried in the lake of fire where all men’s hearts will be purified (Isa 26:9, Jer 22:29, Luk 13:32).

Luk 13:32  And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected. [Weak carnal human flesh without God’s spirit worships the infant child Christ who can’t rule and we spit on the mature Lord who goes onto perfection on the third day and has been made ready to rule through his lifetime of suffering (Mat 26:67)]

1Ki 5:17  And the king commanded, and they brought great stones, costly stones, and hewed stones, to lay the foundation of the house. 
1Ki 5:18  And Solomon’s builders and Hiram’s builders did hew them, and the stonesquarers: so they prepared timber and stones to build the house. 

If the king commands something be built, it is going to get built, and this building of Solomon’s temple “the king commanded” typifies the promise that Christ would go and prepare a place for us “and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (Joh 14:1-4, Heb 12:6, Joh 14:20).

Joh 14:1  Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
Joh 14:2  In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. [Rev 19:7]
Joh 14:3  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. [Joh 14:20]
Joh 14:4  And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

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

It is a costly venture to follow Christ (Luk 14:28), and those who are granted to do so will be instrumental in laying “the foundation of the house” with “great stones, costly stones, and hewed stones“, actions that are typified by Solomon’s temple being built, just as Christ will work with the bride, typified by Solomon who will work with the noblemen [Hiram “noble“] of this world represented by “great stones, costly stones, and hewed stones“; stones that are all symbolically baptized in the Jordan, a water baptism that will conclude in fiery baptism that will take place in the great white throne judgment.

There will be a co-operative relationship that God’s elect will have with the world during this period (Rev 20:6), and everything that unfolds will absolutely unfold according to the counsel of His will (Eph 1:11), which is what this verse reminds us: “And Solomon’s builders and Hiram’s builders did hew them, and the stonesquarers: so they prepared timber and stones to build the house.“

We can only see men clearly as trees (“I see men; I see that they walk as trees”) when we are connected to the tree of life, Jesus Christ (Joh 15:5) who gives us eyes to see and ears to hear how God’s elect will work in conjunction with the world to build the house of God, typified by this statement: “And Solomon’s builders and Hiram’s builders did hew them, and the stonesquarers: so they prepared timber and stones to build the house.”

In every great house, as in this house that typifies the workmanship of God which we are, “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 2:20), reminding us of the severity and goodness of God and how so many are sacrificed for God’s elect in our life in order that we may become the bride of Christ who has been made ready: ready to be in the first resurrection, and ready to do the work set before us through the thousand-year reign with Christ, and ready to judge the world in the great white throne judgment (1Co 6:3).

The bride of Revelation 19:7 being made ready tells us that we are being judged now and that the spiritual temple we are is being prepared in this life via the Lord having cut down the idols in our hearts using all the resources of this life to accomplish His workmanship in us, as we will do with the rest of humanity (Psa 17:13, Eph 2:10).

Psa 17:13  Arise, O LORD, disappoint him, cast him down: deliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy sword: 

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

The end result of this experience of evil is that we will see men clearly for the beasts we all are, and we in like manner will receive the world as we were received of God, extending the same mercy toward the rest of mankind as has been done for us (Rom 11:30-33). Joseph’s story best describes this, and he did not take credit for what God had accomplished in his life or for what God had accomplished in the lives of his brothers. Rather, he was filled with mercy and love for his brothers, who were received by Joseph as we are being received of God today (Gen 50:19-21).

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.
Rom 11:33  O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! 

Gen 50:19  And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God?
Gen 50:20  But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. 
Gen 50:21  Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them. 

Psa 104:16  The trees of the LORD are full of sap; the cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted; 
Psa 104:17  Where the birds make their nests: as for the stork, the fir trees are her house. 
Psa 104:18  The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats; and the rocks for the conies. 

God uses the physical creation, “the early and latter rain” as an example, to explain to us how He is in the process of saving all of mankind, each man in His order (1Co 15:23).

Jas 5:7  Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.

1Co 15:23  But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.

In the next couple of studies with Psalm 104, particularly with verses 18 to 23, we will look at other physical realities (“birds”, “goats”, “conies”, “beasts”, the “moon”, the “sun”, to name a few) that are written down for our sakes, “that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.” When we are blessed to learn how all these things are for our sakes, “the thanksgiving of many [will] redound to the glory of God.”

2Co 4:15  For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.

We grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ, or the mind of Christ, by comparing “spiritual things with spiritual”, as we use the natural creation around us to do that. With that mind of Christ, we can lay up treasure in heaven and “Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice” (Php 4:4) and declare “I will be glad in the Lord“.

1Co 2:13  Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
1Co 2:14  But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Part of what we will look at in this study relates to that spiritual purpose behind parables which are meant to both blind on one side of the pillar and give light on the other side. This is at the heart and core of why we can rejoice today as His children and be glad in the Lord as we come to see how the “exceeding great and precious promises” which God gives us in His word reveal how we can “be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

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

Exo 13:21  And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:
Exo 13:22  He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people. [Christ is that pillar— and “he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Php 1:6). Christ will never leave or forsake us “by day” or “by night” (Heb 13:5).

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. [“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” (Rom 8:35)]

Col 1:15  Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
Col 1:16  For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
Col 1:17  And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

Eph 1:21   Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

2Pe 1:4  Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

This psalm’s main focus is on the spirit of God which created all the physical creation through Christ. The physical creation reveals to us, if God gives us eyes to see today, that the process of maturing in the Lord has many stages which all of mankind will eventually go through in order to become mature sons (2Pe 3:18, Eph 4:13). We are reassured through the physical creation which Christ created, that he can and will be the author and finisher of our faith (Heb 12:2) who will fulfill these verses which say He “hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart (1Jn 2:16), so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end” (Ecc 3:1-11).

1Co 8:6  But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.
1Co 8:7  Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled. [not knowing, not believing that there is “one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him” is how we make an idol of our flesh, and that is what we do until we’re given to acknowledge God’s sovereignty in all things, working all things according to the counsel of His will (Eph 1:11)].

Joh 1:3  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

Rom 1:20  For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Rom 1:21  Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

1Jn 2:16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

Ecc 3:11  He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world (1Jn 2:16) in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end. [we can’t find that work out because of the idols which God allows to be in our flesh, and we are blinded until those idols are destroyed by Christ – “the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life”].

Eph 4:13  Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

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

As we labour in God’s word and are given the eyes to see and ears to hear the words of spirit that quicken us (Mat 13:11, Joh 6:63), we are reassured through our Father of all comfort  that His workmanship that is being formed through Christ, that is going from glory to glory (Eph 2:10, Php 1:6, 2Co 3:17-18) will be finished, just as surely as the physical creation was made manifest and done so decently and in order, in what has been called the creation week or the days of creation.

2Co 1:3  Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;

2Co 3:17  Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
2Co 3:18  But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into  the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

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

Col 1:16  For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
Col 1:17  And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9  Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Exo 20:11  For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

To set the stage a little more, before we get into the verses of our study, I want to point to a verse that was discussed during Steven Crook’s last study, which has a correlation to the word Lebanon that is in this Psalm. The word Nehushtan^H5180 was the word which was discussed that parallels with the ‘cedars of Lebanon‘.

2Ki 18:4  He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan^H5180.

H5180  nechûshtân   nekh-oosh-tawn’

From H5178; something made of copper, that is, the copper serpent of the Desert: – Nehushtan.

Psa 29:5  The voice of the LORD breaketh the cedars; yea, the LORD breaketh the cedars of Lebanon.

Just as the Lord must “break the cedars, even the cedars of Lebanon”, He will also break our religious pride or the second beast out of which we make an idol in the church in the wilderness.

Nehushtan^H5180 represents that idol or second beast very well (Rev 13:15, 1Co 4:7), as do the “cedars of Lebanon” which God gives us for our good, and that we naturally take and make an idol out of, adorning the temple of God, that has not yet been cleansed of the Lord to become the risen Jerusalem above (Eph 2:6) that can bear spiritual fruit, unlike these Cedar trees (Gal 4:26).

Zerubbabel’s temple, on the other hand, is the temple which God uses to typify those who have been raised in heavenly places, where we can worship God in spirit and in truth, because of the judgment of His word upon us like a plumb line which is making the ways of the Lord straight and enabling us to come out her my people.

Joh 4:23   But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
Joh 4:24   God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

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

Christ’s body is raised in these temples built with cedar like the serpent in the wilderness (Nehushtan^H5180), but that raising of the wood to build the temple which we are (1Co 3:16) just as the serpent in the wilderness, is only going to bring about the physical healing or burning up of the wood hay and stubble that does not change our hearts [miracles in other words do not convert and change our heart but the cleansing of the temple through judgement so that we can be “true worshippers” who “must worship him in spirit and in truth“. That relationship is made possible through the sanctification process that God blesses the church to go through today].

Luk 16:31  And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

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

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

These examples of the cedars of Lebannon and Nehushtan^H5180 show us God’s provision in our journey and should give us reason to rejoice and “be glad in the Lord” for how he makes a way for us to endure through sin. He is the one who is making that provision and causing the sun to shine on the evil and the good within us bringing us to see our continual need for His deliverance in this life. Coming to see this reality of the process of growing in grace and knowledge is a joyful burden for us in the spirit, and is likened unto sparks that fly upward for our flesh, sparks that typify the fiery trials we are promised as God’s children (Ecc 3:18 Nehushtan^H5180, Ecc 1:13 joyful burden, Neh 8:10 joyful burden, Job 5:7, 1Pe 4:12).

Isa 43:16  Thus saith the LORD, which maketh a way in the sea<, and a path in the mighty waters;

Mat 5:45  That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

Jer 13:23  Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.

Eze 36:26  A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

[Excerpt from Psa 29 study]

“Lebanon has a close association in scripture with the wilderness which we are called out of (Deu 11:24, Jos 1:4), and the cedars of Lebanon were used both within the temple of Solomon and Zerubbabel (1Ki 5:8-18, Ezr 3:7) and within the ships of Tyre (Eze 27:3-5, Eze 27:25).

What we are being told is that these cedars of Lebanon which are not fruit bearing trees will serve God both  in the court and in the temple. Initially those ships of Tyre ply the waters of the Euphrates in our life (Isa 23:1), bringing many people, nations, languages and tongues to Christ, as this exercise of buying the truth and selling it causes the merchants of the world of Babylon within us to become rich and increased with goods (Rev 3:17). All these riches are tainted because they are yet wrapped around the idols of our hearts at this point (2Ch 4:18-22, Rev 18:12, Eze 14:4, Isa 3:1), and it is only after a lifetime of being redeemed from every nation language tongue and people that we can be counted worthy to inherit eternal life (Rev 5:9). We’re not worthy, but the process that God allows us to go through makes it possible for us to understand in that day what we really are, as we inherit those promises which we are striving for (Luk 17:10, Php 3:14).

Luk 17:10  So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.

Php 3:14  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

The harlot sits on those waters, which are the many nations of mankind’s heart and accomplishes this first part of gathering peoples and  nations and tongues into the court which is expressed in these verses of 2 King (2Ki 24:13-20). It is only when the proud and lofty trees of Babylon are cut down and turned into lumber for the temple of God within us that a remnant can then remain “of the poorest sort of the people of the land” (2Ki 24:14, 1Co 1:26).

2Ki 24:14  And he carried away all Jerusalem, and all the princes, and all the mighty men of valour, even ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and smiths: none remained, save the poorest sort of the people of the land.

1Co 1:26  For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:

The tree must be cut down, and rightly divided and measured by the body of Christ (Act 2:37-38, Eph 4:16) in order to be of service to God’s people and the entire world in time. Initially however we all go into this spiritual captivity in Babylon where those cedars of Lebanon grow and then at their appointed time are cut down or broken by the spirit of God (1Co 15:23, Isa 66:2) to be used in the new temple of Zerubbabel, where we worship God in spirit and in truth (Joh 4:23).”

[Excerpt end]

With the stage set a little more, now we can look at the few verses in this Psalm study which we hope will have us saying in our spirits, “I will be glad in the Lord.”

Psa 104:16  The trees of the LORD are full of sap; the cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted;

The word “of sap” is not in the original context of this verse, so our focus is that these “trees of the Lord” or “cedars of Lebanon” “which he hath planted” “are full”. We are “full” in Babylon, in the world, not with the stay and bread and water of God, but with the cares of this world, as the sparks fly upward.

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

Joh 2:7  Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.

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.

Joh 17:16  They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
Joh 17:17  Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

Joh 2:9  When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew [speaking of the body of Christ a kind of first fruits Gen 24:20, Mar 9:35]); the governor of the feast called the bridegroom,

We can take great comfort in knowing that it is God who planted these “Cedars of Lebanon” and that he has already declared the end from the beginning for each tree.

Psa 139:16  Thine eyes did see mine unformed substance; And in thy book they were all written, Even the days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was none of them.

Jer 29:11  For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith Jehovah, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you hope in your latter end.

Psa 104:17  Where the birds make their nests: as for the stork, the fir trees^H1265 are her house.

We are told we won’t realize the plans that God has for us in their entirety (Mat 6:34), or the provision that He has predetermined for us, but that does not change the fact that God does provide, and that he is a good Father, who we can trust and cast all our cares upon so that we can stop being anxious concerning raiment or what we shall eat (physically or spiritually).

Php 4:19  And my God shall supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Mat 6:28  And why are ye anxious concerning raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
Mat 6:29  yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
Mat 6:30  But if God doth so clothe the grass of the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
Mat 6:31  Be not therefore anxious, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
Mat 6:32  For after all these things do the Gentiles seek; for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
Mat 6:33  But seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Mat 7:11  If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
Mat 7:12  All things therefore whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, even so do ye also unto them: for this is the law and the prophets. [the golden rule as it is called (vs 12), is found in the context of “Enter ye in by the narrow gate” because it is when we are able to love our enemies through God’s holy spirit (Zec 4:6), and when we are convicted of our debt unto God, which is all the sin of the world within us, described as “ten thousand talents” owed (Mat 18:33), and we are convicted that there is no good thing within ourselves (Mar 10:18), then we can truly say that God is granting us the power to “Enter ye in by the narrow gate” where “few there be that find it” (Mat 7:14, Psa 107:2)
Mat 7:13  Enter ye in by the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many are they that enter in thereby (Mat 22:14).

1Pe 5:6  Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God (Rom 11:20), that he may exalt you in due time (Jas 5:7);
1Pe 5:7   casting all your anxiety upon him, because he careth for you.
1Pe 5:8  Be sober, be watchful: your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour,