The Spiritual Significance of the Color Green – Part 1

[Study Aired November 28, 2025]

I am revising this study of the color green because I  have learned since this was first written in 2007 that there are two sets of three primary colors. As we have seen thus far, the generally accepted three primary colors are blue, red and yellow. I have just discovered that those three primary colors when combined create the color black. The other set of three primary colors produces white or pure light when combined. This new set of primary colors is red, blue, and green. These three primary colors when combined produce white, or pure light. Red and blue are common to both sets of three primary colors. When you replace yellow with green in the three colors which produce black, that simple change causes red and blue when combined with green to produce white or pure  light. Therefore the first set of primary colors, red, blue and yellow, which when combined produce black, signifies this dying natural realm. The second set of three primary colors which when combined produces white or light signifying the realm of the life-giving spirit.

Here is how this link: https://science.howstuffworks.com/primary-colors.htm, expresses all of this from a natural perspective:

Two Color Theories: Additive and Subtractive Colors

“If you’re talking about painting, then yes: Red, yellow and blue are the primary colors. If you’re talking about physics and light, though, your primary colors are red, green and blue.” (End Quote)

Since we are all still in these “earthen vessels” we will continue this study with the understanding that replacing yellow with green takes us from the dying mind of the natural man to the life-giving mind of the spirit.

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.

It is in this natural realm, where red, blue and yellow, the primary colors of our old man, combine to produce darkness and black, that we are striving to become a new man where red, blue and green combined will produce the pure life-giving light, the color white, of our new man. We are twice exhorted to “put on the new man”:

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

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

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

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

Gal 5:17  For the flesh [Red, blue, and yellow] lusteth against the Spirit [Red, blue, and green], and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

The flesh is called ‘the first man Adam’ (1Co 15: 45), a beast (Rev 13:1). ‘The first man Adam’ is also called “a living soul” which innately possesses “the breath of life”.

Gen 2:7  And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

When I first checked with Strong’s numbers to see what Hebrew word was translated as ‘breath’ in Genesis 2:7, I fully expected that it would be ‘ruach’ because I had discovered earlier that the Hebrew word ‘ruach’ was translated as breath in this verse:

Ecc 3:19  For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath [H7307: ‘ruach’, spirit]; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.

Just two verses later this same Hebrew word is twice translated as ‘spirit’:

Ecc 3:21  Who knoweth the spirit [H7307, ‘ruach’] of man that goeth upward, and the spirit [H7307, ‘ruach’] of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?

‘The breath of life’ in Genesis 2:7  is not translated from the Hebrew word ‘ruach’. The word ‘breath’ in Genesis 2:7 is translated from the Hebrew word H5397, ‘nashamah’, and this is how Strong’s defines this Hebrew word:

H5397

נְשָׁמָה

neshâmâh

nesh-aw-maw’

From H5395; a puff, that is, wind, angry or vital breath, divine inspiration, intellect or (concretely) an animal: – blast, (that) breath (-eth), inspiration, soul, spirit.

Total KJV occurrences: 24

This word appears in the Hebrew 24 times and is translated as ‘spirit’ but twice. The vast majority of entries are translated as ‘blast, 3; breath, 12; breathe, 2; breathed, 2; breatheth, 1; inspiration, 1; souls, 1, and spirit, 2. This Hebrew word ‘nashamah’ has only to do with a breathing creature, and nothing to do with the realm of the spirit.

As always we must remember that every word of God’s Word has both a positive and a negative application, just as Christ, the cloud which led Israel out of  Egypt, was both light and darkness:

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.

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.

In brief summary, blue in scripture signifies the things of the heavens, both the heavens which are clean and pure and the heavens which must be cleansed:

Heb 9:23  [It was] therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

Red signifies the things of the earth, both those which are called but not chosen and those which are chosen yet are still in ‘vessels of clay.’

2Co 4:6  For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
2Co 4:7  But we have this treasure [Christ in us] in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

Our final primary color, yellow, signifies both our dead and dying condition as flesh and our living and our growing condition after being dragged to God by His Spirit. Read the study notes to see the scriptures which bear on each of these statements.

https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/?s=the+color+yellow

Green is the coming together of blue with yellow when we are dealing with the three primary colors of the natural realm. But the primary colors of a three sided glass prism are red, blue and green, and the color green which dominates the plant kingdom of the living but not oxygen breathing creation is produced through the system of photosynthesis. This is what Google said when I asked, “What is photosynthesis”:

“Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants, algae, and certain bacteria convert light energy from the sun into chemical energy stored in glucose, a type of sugar, while releasing oxygen as a by-product. This process occurs primarily in the chloroplasts of plant cells, where the pigment chlorophyll absorbs light, mainly in the blue and red wavelengths, and uses that energy to drive the conversion of carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the air and water (H₂O) from the soil into glucose and oxygen. The overall chemical equation for photosynthesis is commonly represented as 6CO2+6H2O→C6H12O6+6O2, indicating that six molecules of carbon dioxide and six molecules of water are transformed using light energy into one molecule of glucose and six molecules of oxygen. Photosynthesis is fundamental to life on Earth, forming the base of the food chain, producing the oxygen in the atmosphere, and providing the energy source for nearly all ecosystems.” (End Quote)

Applying the Romans 1:20 principle of “the invisible things of God are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made”, to what we have just read we find that sunlight must be absorbed by our old man and that the “by product” of our old man absorbing the light of The Sun of Righteousness is the beginning of the birth of our new living, oxygen breathing new man. Here is this process explained in the New Testament:

1Co 15:53  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
1Co 15:54  So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

Death is defeat and life is victory. Death is the inevitable product of this natural realm and life is the inevitable product of the realm of the spirit.

The first color mentioned in the scriptures which is formed by a combination of two of the primary colors of this material realm is the color we will deal with in this study. It is the color green. Here is where our color green is first mentioned in God’s Word. There is always much to learn where a word first appears in God’s Word:

Gen 1:29  And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.
Gen 1:30  And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein [there is] life, [I have given] every green herb for meat : and it was so.

So the color ‘green,’ a color created by mixing blue with yellow, is first mentioned as connected with the food eaten by those who are created on the sixth day and who cannot yet eat the “strong meat” of the Word of God. Green is associated with “the green herbs” which are created via the process of photosynthesis.

Let’s take a look at Strong’s definition of this Hebrew word for ‘green’:

H3418
yereq
yeh’- rek
From H3417 (in the sense of vacuity of color); properly pallor, that is, hence the yellowish green of young and sickly vegetation; concretely verdure, that is, grass or vegetation: – grass, green (thing).

When we speak of a person being in ‘a vegetative state’ we are saying that they are alive but without their mind.

Dr. James Strong LL.D., S.T.D. shows no sign of being given spiritual insights, but in spite of his spiritual blindness, he was gifted at knowing and understanding the Hebrew and Greek languages. So, look at the definition he assigns to this word translated ‘green’ in the English language. “The yellowish green of young and sickly vegetation.” This is a very  accurate portrayal of the spiritual meaning behind this word as we will see.

The connection of the corruptible, dying, color yellow with this color green, is undeniable:

Psa 37:1  A Psalm of David. Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.
Psa 37:2  For they shall soon be cut down like the grass , and wither as the green herb.
Psa 37:3  Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.

Isa 15:1  The burden of Moab. Because in the night Ar of Moab is laid waste, and brought to silence; because in the night Kir of Moab is laid waste, and brought to silence;

Isa 15:5  My heart shall cry out for Moab; his fugitives [shall flee] unto Zoar, an heifer of three years old: for by the mounting up of Luhith with weeping shall they go it up; for in the way of Horonaim they shall raise up a cry of destruction.
Isa 15:6  For the waters of Nimrim shall be desolate: for the hay is withered away, the grass faileth, there is no green thing.

What we have just been told is that “green things” are destroyed and “laid waste” by “the workers of iniquity.” Locusts and canker worm eat green things:

Joe 2:25  And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.

Now what are we told of those who only “eat every green herb” spoken of in Genesis 1:30?

Rom 14:1  Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, [but] not to doubtful disputations.
Rom 14:2  For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.

All the theories of evolutionists notwithstanding, the truth of God’s Word is that before the flood of Noah “every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein [there is] life,” was given nothing but “every green herb for meat.” Since “man shall… live… by every word which proceeds out of the mouth of God,” what is being revealed to us here is that until we are “baptized and risen with Him” (Rom 6:1-4), and this is speaking of the True baptism of God’s word, we live only on herbs and are not capable of receiving the meat of God’s Word.

Eph 5:26  That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

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.

Rom 6:1  What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
Rom 6:2  God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
Rom 6:3  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Rom 6:4  Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Rom 6:5  For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also [in the likeness] of his resurrection:

When we are babes we are all “weak in the faith, eating herbs” which are green. So, both milk and herbs are all we can accept at first, so “every green herb for meat” is all we are given. If we do not go beyond milk and herbs, we will not be fit to be ruling with Christ in His kingdom:

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

There are the six milk doctrines of the first principles of the doctrine of Christ. They are also the food eaten by those who are “weak in the faith.” The last of these six doctrines is the doctrine of “eternal judgment.” Eternal judgment is nothing less than the doctrine of universal salvation.  I can remember when I once considered this “green herb… first principle of the doctrine of Christ” as a T-bone steak. In reality even the doctrine of universal salvation is at best “green herbs” eaten by those are “weak in the faith.”

The second time we see this word ‘green’ it is under completely different circumstances than when we first saw it in the garden of Eden. The second time this word appears is after the flood of Noah. Here is what we are told Noah’s flood typifies in God’s Word:

1Pe 3:18  For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
1Pe 3:19  By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
1Pe 3:20  Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
1Pe 3:21  The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

The flood of Noah is a figure of our baptism. The sad truth of Hebrews six is that most Christians never really get past baptism. They cannot, therefore, eat anything stronger than “green herbs.” What does God word say awaits those who are baptized into Christ’s death? What is given to those who do leave the principles of the doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity? What was the difference between the diet of mankind  before and after the flood?

Gen 9:1  And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.
Gen 9:2  And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered.
Gen 9:3  Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.

Is there anything that is now not meat for us? Let’s look at an Old Testament example of those who were “weak in the faith, eating herbs” as contrasted to those who had gone beyond the milk and herbs of God’s Word:

Num 14:8  If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.
Num 14:9  Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not.

After we get past being able to eat only green herbs and milk, only then “everything that moves” becomes a source of nourishment for God’s elect. Our greatest fears and enemies become victims of our desire to partake of the “strong meat” of the Word of God. Until that time, the things we use as nourishment, are also used by locusts as nourishment:

Exo 10:12  And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up upon the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land, [even] all that the hail hath left.
Exo 10:13  And Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind upon the land all that day, and all [that] night; [and] when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts.
Exo 10:14  And the locusts went up over all the land of Egypt, and rested in all the coasts of Egypt: very grievous were they; before them there were no such locusts as they, neither after them shall be such.
Exo 10:15  For they covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened; and they did eat every herb of the land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left: and there remained not any green thing in the trees, or in the herbs of the field, through all the land of Egypt.

Does any of this sound familiar to you? If you are into God’s Word, this will all sound familiar. In our next study we will cover many more of the scriptures with this color ‘green’ with its spiritual significance. Here are just a few such verses which we will examine at our next study;

Luk 23:31  For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?

Rev 8:7  The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.

Rev 9:4  And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.

Green is positive inasmuch as the blue is performing its irresistible work in the flesh as it conforms the actions of this clay vessel to the actions of Christ.

Rom 12:2  And be not conformed to this world [yellow]: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind [blue], that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Let’s close this part of our study of this color with the understanding imparted to us in our opening verse:

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.

Green is not blue. It is rather blue as it works with yellow. Green is weak and sickly flesh as it is being worked with and eventually destroyed by the pure, fiery, clean burning, blue flame of the Word of God. “You cannot do the things you would” but “Christ in you” will do the things He would.

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.

[Here is the link for the next study in this series.]

]]> https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/valley-of-the-shaow-of-death/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=valley-of-the-shaow-of-death Tue, 22 Jul 2025 22:03:58 +0000 https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/?p=33705 Audio Download

Valley of the Shadow of Death

[Study Aired July 22, 2025]

Introduction

The phrase “the valley of the shadow of death” appears in one of Scripture’s most beloved passages, Psalm 23:4. Yet this profound imagery extends far beyond David’s pastoral metaphor, revealing spiritual truths that resonate throughout the entire biblical narrative. Through careful examination of Scripture interpreting Scripture, we discover that this valley represents both our present experience in this world as God created it and the process by which Christ leads us through death unto life.

The Foundation: Psalm 23:4

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4).

The Hebrew phrase “gey tsalmaveth” (H1516, H6757) literally means “valley of deep darkness” or “valley of death-shadow.” The word “tsalmaveth” combines “tsel” (H6738, shadow) with “maveth” (H4194, death), creating an image of death’s overshadowing presence. This is not merely physical death but encompasses the realm where death’s influence pervades – fundamentally, the condition of not understanding God’s realm.

David’s declaration reveals confidence not in avoiding this valley but in walking through it with heavenly companionship. The preposition “through” indicates passage, not permanent residence. This suggests a journey with a destination beyond the valley itself.

The Spiritual Nature of Death

To understand the valley of the shadow of death, we must first comprehend what Scripture means by death itself. Paul provides the essential definition: “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace” (Romans 8:6). Death, in its deepest biblical sense, is the condition of spiritual blindness – the inability to perceive or understand God’s realm, truth, and purposes.

This spiritual death manifests as the natural man’s limitation: “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” (1 Corinthians 2:14). The “death” condition is fundamentally about being cut off from spiritual understanding and sacred perception.

Christ illustrated this when He told the Pharisees: “And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind” (John 9:39). The blindness represents the death state – the inability to perceive God’s kingdom reality.

Scriptural Precedent: Death’s Shadow Throughout Scripture

Scripture consistently portrays our present existence under death’s shadow of spiritual blindness. Job declares, “Are not my days few? cease then, and let me alone, that I may take comfort a little, before I go whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death” (Job 10:20-21). The phrase “shadow of death” appears repeatedly in Job (3:5, 10:21-22, 12:22, 16:16, 24:17, 28:3, 34:22, 38:17), emphasizing humanity’s predicament under death’s dominion of spiritual darkness.

The prophet Isaiah employs this imagery prophetically: “The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined” (Isaiah 9:2). Matthew’s Gospel applies this directly to Christ’s ministry: “The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up” (Matthew 4:16).

Isaiah’s prophecy, quoted by Christ, reveals the universal condition: “By hearing ye shall hear, and shall in no wise understand; And seeing ye shall see, and shall in no wise perceive” (Matthew 13:14). This spiritual blindness and deafness represents the very essence of the death state that overshadows the valley.

The Valley as Our Present Condition

From a spiritual perspective, this valley represents the world itself as God created it to serve His purpose. Scripture reveals that we are born into this valley, as Paul confirms: “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Romans 5:12). Death’s shadow encompasses not merely physical mortality but the condition God ordained for His redemptive purposes – the state of not comprehending His realm.

This world was created exactly as God intended, subject to vanity for a sovereign purpose: “For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God” (Romans 8:20-21). The valley experience is not an accident or deviation from God’s plan but an essential part of His redemptive design, where spiritual understanding is veiled until He chooses to reveal it.

The valley imagery appears throughout Scripture describing our earthly experience. Ezekiel’s vision of the valley of dry bones (Ezekiel 37:1-14) portrays humanity’s spiritual condition: “The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones, And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry. And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest” (Ezekiel 37:1-3). This valley represents death’s dominion over humanity as God created it – the condition of spiritual deadness and lack of understanding – yet also God’s power to bring life from death.

Jeremiah speaks of “the valley of the son of Hinnom” (Jeremiah 7:31-32), which becomes “the valley of slaughter” – a type of death’s realm. These valleys represent places where death reigns, paralleling the spiritual condition of unregenerate humanity trapped in spiritual blindness.

The First Passage: Abel’s Walk Through Death’s Valley

Scripture reveals the first recorded passage through the valley of the shadow of death in the account of Abel, whose righteous blood established the pattern for all who would follow. “And it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper? And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground” (Genesis 4:8-10).

Abel’s death reveals that even the first righteous martyr walked through death’s valley, yet his blood continues to speak from the ground. The Hebrew word “tsaaq” (H6817) means to cry out or call for help, indicating that Abel’s blood perpetually appeals to God for justice. This establishes the foundational truth that the death of the righteous is never silent before God – it cries out with ongoing significance.

The blood of Abel typifies the blood of Christ, while the struggle between Cain and Abel represents the ongoing conflict between the first Adam and the last Adam within every believer. Paul writes, “The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit” (1 Corinthians 15:45). This inward conflict reveals the old man resisting the new, yet the quickening Spirit prevails. Abel’s acceptance by God through his sacrifice of “the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof” (Genesis 4:4) prefigures all whose deaths are precious in God’s sight because they approach Him through faith rather than works.

Hebrews confirms Abel’s continued witness: “By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh” (Hebrews 11:4). Abel’s passage through death’s valley demonstrates that death cannot silence the testimony of the righteous – they speak even beyond the grave.

The Preciousness of Death in God’s Sight

Scripture reveals God’s perspective on our passage through death’s valley in Psalm 116:15: “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.” The Hebrew word “yaqar” (H3368) means valuable, costly, or weighty – indicating that what appears as loss to human eyes holds immense value in God’s sight. This preciousness encompasses both the physical death of saints and their spiritual death to self.

The context of Psalm 116 illuminates this truth: “The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow. Then called I upon the name of the LORD; O LORD, I beseech thee, deliver my soul” (Psalm 116:3-4). The psalmist’s deliverance came not by avoiding death’s valley but by crying out within it, discovering that even there, God’s presence transforms sorrow into salvation.

This heavenly perspective reframes our understanding of the valley experience. What the world sees as tragedy, God sees as treasure. The apparent darkness becomes the very place where His light shines brightest, where His saints are most precious to Him.

Typological Significance: The Pit and Prison

Scripture frequently associates valleys with pits, representing death and captivity. The psalmist cries, “I am counted with them that go down into the pit: I am as a man that hath no strength: Free among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, whom thou rememberest no more: and they are cut off from thy hand” (Psalm 88:4-5).

Joseph’s experience in the pit (Genesis 37:24) typifies descent into death’s realm, while his subsequent elevation prefigures resurrection and exaltation. Similarly, Daniel in the lions’ den and the three Hebrew children in the fiery furnace represent passages through death’s valley with supernatural preservation.

The Hebrew word “sheol” (H7585), often translated as “hell” or “grave,” represents the realm of death. This corresponds to the valley’s depth, where death’s shadow is darkest. Yet Scripture reveals that even sheol cannot inhibit God’s presence: “If I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there” (Psalm 139:8).

Christ as the Good Shepherd Through the Valley

David’s confidence in Psalm 23:4 stems from the Shepherd’s presence. “A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.” (Psalms 23:1). This finds its ultimate fulfillment in Christ, who declares, “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). Christ not only leads us through the valley but enters it Himself as an example of our journey.

The rod and staff that comfort represent Christ’s dual nature as both protector and guide. The rod (Hebrew “shebet,” H7626) signifies authority and protection, while the staff (Hebrew: “mish’eneth,” H4938) represents support and guidance. Together, they symbolize Christ’s complete provision for our journey through death’s domain.

Christ’s own words confirm His role as our guide through this valley: “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” (John 14:3). He precedes us through death’s valley to prepare our way.

Most significantly, Christ brings light to dispel the spiritual blindness that characterizes the valley. As He declared: “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12). Through Christ, the valley of spiritual death and blindness becomes the pathway to spiritual life and understanding.

The Valley as Spiritual Transformation

Beyond representing our earthly condition, the valley of the shadow of death symbolizes the process of spiritual death to self that every believer must experience. Paul describes this transformation: “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

This spiritual death involves walking through the valley where our old nature dies and Christ’s life emerges. The shadow of death becomes the means by which we pass from death unto life: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life” (John 5:24).

The transformation includes movement from spiritual blindness to spiritual sight. Christ explained: “For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind” (John 9:39). This heavenly paradox reveals the fundamental nature of spiritual transformation – the old man, who thinks he sees, must be blinded and put to death, while the new man, who acknowledges his blindness, is given spiritual sight and life.

The “I” that is crucified represents the old man who walks in spiritual darkness, confident in his natural understanding yet blind to God’s realm. The “I” that lives represents the new man to whom spiritual sight is granted. This death and resurrection occurs within the valley experience, where God “calleth those things which be not as though they were” (Romans 4:17), giving life to the spiritually dead and sight to the spiritually blind.

The valley experience becomes the place where spiritual eyes are opened and sacred understanding is granted to the new man, while the old man’s presumed sight is exposed as blindness and put to death. As Christ declared, “For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted” (Matthew 13:15). The valley strips away the old man’s false confidence in natural understanding, preparing the heart for the new man’s spiritual sight.

Cross-References: Walking Through Death

Scripture provides numerous examples of God’s people walking through death’s shadow with supernatural protection. The Israelites’ passage through the Red Sea typifies passage through death: “And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left” (Exodus 14:22). The sea, representing death’s waters, parts to allow safe passage.

Similarly, their crossing of Jordan into the Promised Land symbolizes passing through death into resurrection life: “And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people; And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water… That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap” (Joshua 3:14-16).

Natural and Spiritual Applications

Naturally, the valley of the shadow of death encompasses every believer’s earthly experience. We live in a world under death’s dominion, facing mortality, suffering, and separation. Yet spiritually, this valley represents the transformative process by which Christ leads us from spiritual death to spiritual life.

The preciousness declared in Psalm 116:15 extends to both aspects. Our physical trials and eventual death are precious to God because they conform us to Christ’s image: “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” (Romans 8:29). Our spiritual death to self is equally precious as it allows Christ’s life to emerge within us.

The promise extends beyond mere survival to victory: “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:55-57).

This victory finds its ultimate expression in Paul’s declaration: “So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory” (1 Corinthians 15:54). Here Paul quotes from Isaiah’s ancient prophecy: “He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it” (Isaiah 25:8).

The Hebrew word “bala” (H1104) means to swallow completely, to engulf entirely. Death is not merely defeated or pushed aside – it is completely consumed and absorbed by victory itself. This represents the total reversal of the valley experience, where death’s shadow gave way to life’s substance, corruption yielded to incorruption, and mortality surrendered to immortality.

This valley, though dark, becomes the pathway to glory: “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:17-18).

Conclusion: The Shadow That Leads to Light

The valley of the shadow of death reveals God’s redemptive purpose woven throughout Scripture. This valley is not our destination but our passage – the place where death’s shadow gives way to resurrection light. Through Christ’s presence and guidance, what appears as the darkest valley becomes the pathway to eternal life.

As we walk through this valley, whether in its natural manifestation through earthly trials or its spiritual reality through death to self, we discover that death’s shadow cannot overcome the light of Christ’s presence. Paul reveals the heavenly pattern: “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6).

This verse connects the original creation command with our personal transformation in the valley. “And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.” (Genesis 1:2-3). Just as God spoke light into primordial darkness on the first day of creation, He speaks spiritual light into the darkness of our hearts while we walk through death’s valley. The “knowledge of the glory of God” (2 Corinthians 4:6) represents the very understanding that death’s condition lacks – comprehension of God’s realm and character. This light shines specifically “in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6), our Good Shepherd who guides us through the valley.

The ultimate destination of our journey through the valley is revealed in John’s vision: “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away” (Revelation 21:4). This promise encompasses the complete resolution of every aspect of the valley experience – death itself abolished, sorrow replaced with joy, crying silenced by perfect peace, and pain transformed into eternal glory.

The tears God wipes away are the very tears shed while walking through death’s valley. The death that will be “no more” is the death whose shadow we currently traverse. The sorrow and crying that will cease are the emotional companions of our present valley experience. When John declares that “the former things are passed away,” he includes the valley of the shadow of death among those former things that give way to the new creation.

Most profoundly, the spiritual blindness and lack of understanding that characterizes the valley will be replaced with perfect knowledge and comprehension of God’s realm. Paul reveals this glorious transformation: “For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known” (1 Corinthians 13:9-12). Where once we walked in the shadow of spiritual death, unable to perceive sacred truth, we will see Him face to face and know even as we are known.

In Christ, the valley of the shadow of death becomes not a place of fear but of faith, not of ending but of beginning, not of separation but of union with our heavenly Shepherd who leads us safely home to that place where shadows flee away and we dwell in His marvelous light forever.

In the light of Christ, the valley of the shadow of death becomes the path of life.

“Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law” (Psalm 119:18). Amen

Rev 8:12-13 – Part 2, The Fourth Trumpet

[Study Aired July 28, 2024]

Rev 8:12  And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.
Rev 8:13  And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!

Again we want to notice that the seven trumpets are all signifying the beginning of the seven last plagues. The judgment of this fourth trump signifies the beginning of God’s judgment upon our ‘sun’, our source of light and knowledge, and the plagues “fill up the wrath of God” on this ‘sun” part of our lives. This fourth trumpet begins to reveal just how ignorant of Christ we are, how ‘in the dark’ as we live in the light of our ‘sun.’ It begins to reveal how ‘in the dark’ we are while thinking our ignorance and ‘darkness’ is ‘light’ and understanding. Christ has already made us aware of this fourth trump with these words:

Mat 6:22  The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
Mat 6:23  But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light [our ‘sun’] that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!

The fourth vial is not limited to “a third part”. Therefore it is only when the Lord’s wrath against the kingdom of our old man is “filled up” in our lives that we are made to see and understand just how complete our apostasy from the doctrines of Christ is:

Rev 15:1  And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God.

Rev 16:8  And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.
Rev 16:9  And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.

The symbolism of blaspheming God for being scorched with the Sun is just another way of telling us that the Truth of Christ is beginning to show us just how great the darkness we are in is (Mat 6:23).

What is the moon that is smitten with darkness?

3) What is the ‘moon,’ and why is it “smitten with darkness?”

We have already shown that the moon is called “the lesser light,” and it was placed in the heavens “to rule the night.”

Gen 1:16  And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: [he made] the stars also.

The moon has no light in itself. All the moon can do is reflect some of the light of the sun and “rule the night” with its much “lesser light.” This ‘lesser light’ is displayed in the honor which thieves have for each other and the pride they take in their thievery, and the pride that a stumbling alcoholic takes in his drunkenness and the pride homosexuals loudly proclaim in their perverseness.

At times the earth comes between the sun and the moon, and there is no light at all from the moon. It is then that we realize that the light of the moon is of itself nothing more than darkness. The only ‘light’ the moon has is what it reflects from the Sun.

Once again it is Babylon’s doctrines in us which give us “the lesser light that rules the night” by reflecting a little of the light of the Sun. So the moon signifies our “bondwoman” mother, before we are, by the mercy of God, transformed into “the son of the freewoman.”  Once again, If our light is darkness, Christ is not yet ruling over His throne within us, and we are what very few have ever even heard of. We are “yet carnal… babes in Christ”:

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?

We have all been in “darkness and the shadow of death,” and at “our wits’ end.” That is an essential part of this revelation which is these seven trumpets.

Mat 4:16  The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.

Joh 5:33  Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth.
Joh 5:34  But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved.
Joh 5:35  He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.
Joh 5:36  But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.

Isa 13:10  For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.

Isa 24:23 Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.

Isa 60:19  The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory.

The sun and the moon are both heavenly bodies. It is obvious that they are being used to signify our thoughts and our consciences while living in Babylon and living under the law. The literal moon has no mind to ‘confound’, and the literal sun has no conscience with which to experience ‘shame.’ Yet this is what Joel was quoting when warning Israel what the Lord would do to them for their stubborn rebellion against Him and His laws and His commandments:

What are “the moon and stars [that are] darkened [by] a third part?”

Like Joseph’s brothers, we think we are honorable men who would never steal a silver cup (Gen 44:8-9), and at the same time it is we who refuse to repent of selling our own brother into Egypt as a slave. That whole story of Joseph signifies us putting Christ on the cross. Like Job, we all think of ourselves as very good men who are “eyes to the blind, feet to the lame, and a champion to the widows” (Job 29:13-15). Like all of Christ’s apostles, we all think that we would never, ever deny our Lord (Mat 26:35). Until our moon is smitten and shines not for a third part of it, we are never made aware that it was our sins that killed our Lord, and that we have denied Him with an oath. This is the sun being turned into darkness and the moon into blood before we become the house of God to begin our continuing judgment.

Joe 2:31  The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.

Eze 32:6  I will also water with thy blood the land wherein thou swimmest, [even] to the mountains; and the rivers shall be full of thee.
Eze 32:7  And when I shall put thee out, I will cover the heaven, and make the stars thereof dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give her light.
Eze 32:8 All the bright lights of heaven will I make dark over thee, and set darkness upon thy land, saith the Lord GOD.

“Man[kind] shall… live… by every [one of these] words (Mat 4:4). Which of “the things written therein”; which “words of the book of this prophecy [will we dare to] take away?” Even the apostles of the Lord kept the things written in His Word. Peter denied Christ right in front of the Lord as the Lord “looked upon Peter” (Luk 22:61). Peter was brought “to his wits’ end” (Psa 107:27) and “went out and wept bitterly” (Mat 26:75, Luk 22:62):

Luk 22:60  And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew.
Luk 22:61  And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.
Luk 22:62  And Peter went out, and wept bitterly [“At (his) wits’ end” (Psa 107:27)].

“All hope of being saved was taken away” from the apostle Paul and Luke when the sun and stars were darkened while they and all those with them were at the mercy of the sea for three weeks:

Act 27:20  And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away [“At their wits’ end” (Psa 107:27)].

We dare not add to nor take away from the Lord’s words which chronicle the ‘experience of evil [which] the Lord has given [us] to humble [us]”:

Ecc 1:13 I applied my heart to inquiring and exploring by wisdom concerning all that is done under the heavens: it is an experience of evil Elohim has given to the sons of humanity to humble them by it.

The Lord gives us a solemn warning against adding to or taking anything from His Word:

Rev 22:19  And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life [“the resurrection of life” (Joh 5:29)], and out of the holy city, and [from] the things which are written in this book.

What are the stars that are smitten with darkness?

4) What are the stars? We saw in the last verse of chapter one that stars are angels. The angels of these trumpets are God’s elect who “stand before God” and “keep the sayings of this prophecy.”

Rev 8:1  And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.
Rev 8:2  And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.

Zec 4:11  Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof?
Zec 4:12  And I answered again, and said unto him, What be these two olive branches which through the two golden pipes empty the golden [oil] out of themselves?
Zec 4:13  And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these [be]? And I said, No, my lord.
Zec 4:14  Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth

Rev 1:20 The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.

Rev 19:10  And I fell at his feet to worship him [the angel]. And he said unto me, See [thou do it] not: I am [I signify] thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

Rev 22:8  And I John saw these things, and heard [them]. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things.
Rev 22:9  Then saith he unto me, See [thou do it] not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.

We are the ones who “keep the sayings of this book,” and it is we whose stars are smitten with darkness so that they shine not for a third of them. When our stars [the Lord sends us evil lying spirits] are darkened they work against us as we fight against God.

Jdg 5:20 They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera.

“The stars obviously signify how the Lord used spirits to direct the events of that war just as he does in every war that has ever been fought.

Eze 32:7  And when I shall put thee out, I will cover the heaven, and make the stars thereof dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give her light.

When we are not in the Lord’s presence it is because He has “put [us] out.” That is when:

Rev 8:12  And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.

When the Lord casts us out, there will be “weeping and gnashing of teeth”:

Mat 22:11  And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:
Mat 22:12  And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
Mat 22:13  Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Mat 22:14  For many are called, but few are chosen.

Whether our stars are darkened or not, it is the working of our Lord.

Psa 8:3 When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;

Jer 31:35 Thus saith the LORD, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The LORD of hosts is his name:

What is “the day?”

5) What is “the day”, and why is it dark for a third of the day?

“The day” all through scripture typifies the time we are in the light. The sun shines, and gives us light by which we see, in the ‘day’:

Joh 11:9  Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.
Joh 11:10  But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.

 The ‘day’ is “the light of knowledge”:

2Co 4:6  For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

The day being darkened by a third signifies the process of judgment against the darkness of that ‘day’ which our old man considers ‘light.’ That is the symbolism of “one third of the day is darkened.” What we are being told is that this day of God’s judgment upon our old man is beginning, and it is getting dark, as these trumpets of judgment are being blown. It is only through judgment that we learn righteousness” and become “children of the day.”

Isa 26:8  Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee.
Isa 26:9  With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, [Your seven seals being opened, seven trumpets being blown, and seven vials being poured out] the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

There it is! The product of the Lord’s judgments, whether in this age or the next is always: “when thy judgments are in the earth, [Your seven seals being opened, seven trumpets being blown, and seven vials being poured out] the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.”

Joe 2:1  Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand;
Joe 2:2  A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations.

Zep 1:14  The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly.
Zep 1:15  That day [is] a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness,
Zep 1:16  A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers.
Zep 1:17  And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung.
Zep 1:18  Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD’S wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.

Rev 6:12  And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
Rev 6:13  And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
Rev 6:14  And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
Rev 6:15  And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
Rev 6:16  And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
Rev 6:17  For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

Our God is “calling light out of darkness.” We will live by these words first. We will be darkened before we become children of the day.

Job 12:22  He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.

2Co 4:6  For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

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:

What is night?

6) What is night and why is the night darkened?

“Night,” we must remember, is called “the lesser light.”

Gen 1:16  And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.

The fact that the sun, moon and stars are all darkened, and the day and the night shine not for a third part of each, respectively, is a symbol which signifies how thorough this process of judging the darkness out of which we are being called is. Job 12:22, 2 Corinthians 4:6 and 1 Peter 2:9, all quoted above, are speaking of coming from darkness into light, and they are speaking of coming out of night into day. Night, throughout scripture typifies lack of knowledge, being deceived, living in darkness, ignorance and rebellion against the doctrines of Christ.

Joh 11:10  But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.

1Th 5:2  For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

1Th 5:7  For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.

Christ comes to us and begins His fiery work in us while we are yet in the darkness of deception and rebellion. He comes to us “in the night.” Christ does not come to us after we have decided to repent of our sins, as we have all been taught. It is He who comes to us “as a thief in the night” and then He “leads us [and drags us] to repentance.”

Joh 6:44  No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw [G1670: helkuo, ‘drag’] him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Rom 2:3  And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?
Rom 2:4  Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth [Greek: ‘ago,’ brings, or drags] thee to repentance?

How is that accomplished?

2Pe 3:10  But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

Summary

We have seen that the symbols of this fourth trumpet are:

1) the third part, which we have before demonstrated to be the symbol of the process of judgment into which this revelation takes us.

We have seen that:

2) the sun is the symbol of the greater light that rules our day and is the symbol of “the light of the knowledge of… God… in Christ.”

2Co 4:6  For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

We have seen that:

3) the moon has no light in and of itself, and is the “lesser light that rules the night,” out of which we are called.

Gen 1:16  And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.

We have seen that:

4) the stars are angels, and we saw that the angels that blow these trumpets, “stand before God,” just like the two candlesticks of Zechariah 4 and Revelation 11. We also saw again the verses in Revelation 19:10 and 22:9 which reveal that these angels are us, if indeed we are those who “keep the sayings of this book.”

We saw that:

5) the day is ruled by the sun and symbolizes the time of understanding and knowledge, which is being darkened by the falsehoods and heresies into which we are all predestined to fall.

Finally we saw that:

6) the night is the time of our walk which is ruled by the lesser light of the moon, and that it is out of this time of our walk that we are being called through the agency of this revelation of Jesus Christ.

Next week we will, Lord willing, begin our study of the last three trumpets of which we are warned:

Rev 8:13  And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!

Here is what we are told of the first of these three trumpets after our sun, moon, and stars are “smitten with darkness so that the third part of them is darkened.” This first ‘woe’ is actually the 5th trumpet.

Rev 9:1  And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.
Rev 9:2  And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.
Rev 9:3  And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.
Rev 9:4  And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.
Rev 9:5  And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment [was] as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.
Rev 9:6  And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.
Rev 9:7  And the shapes of the locusts [were] like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads [were] as it were crowns like gold, and their faces [were] as the faces of men.
Rev 9:8  And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as [ the teeth] of lions.
Rev 9:9  And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings [was] as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.
Rev 9:10  And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power [was] to hurt men five months.
Rev 9:11  And they had a king over them, [which is] the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue [is] Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath [his] name Apollyon.

Book of Obadiah – Oba 1:13 Thou Shouldest not have Entered into the Gate of My People

[Study Aired February 28, 2024]

Oba 1:13  Thou shouldest not have entered into the gate of my people in the day of their calamity; yea, thou shouldest not have looked on their affliction in the day of their calamity, nor have laid hands on their substance in the day of their calamity;

Oba 1:13  Thou shouldest not^H408 have entered^{H935 (H8799 Qal)} into the gate^H8179 of my people^H5971 in the day^H3117 of their calamity;^H343 yea,^H1571 thou^H859 shouldest not^H408 have looked^{H7200 (H8799 Qal)} on their affliction^H7451 in the day^H3117 of their calamity,^H343 nor^H408 have laid^{H7971 (H8799 Qal)} hands on their substance^H2428 in the day^H3117 of their calamity;^H343 

H408 – Al, not, no, nor, neither, nothing, do not, let not, let there not be, a negative particle

H935 – Bo, (Qal) to go, enter, come, come in/with/upon, fall or light upon, attack, come to pass, attain to, be enumerated, a primitive root

H8179 – Shahar, gate, from a primitive root H8176, Shawar, act as gate keeper, to split open, reason out, reckon, estimate, (Qal) to calculate, think Pro 23:7 (Used once in OT)

H5971 – Am, nation, people, persons, members of one’s people, compatriots, country-men, kinsman, kindred, from a primitive root H6004, Amam, to dim, darken, grow dark, eclipse, be held dark, be dimmed, grow dark (Used three times in OT)

H3117 – Yome, day, time, year, a working day, a day’s journey, days, lifetime, period (general), today, yesterday, tomorrow, from an unused root meaning to be hot

H343 – Ade, distress, burden, calamity, disaster, day of calamity from H181, Ood, brand, fire brand, (Used three times in OT) from an unused root meaning to rake together

H1571 – Gam, also, even, indeed, moreover, yea, neither, neither…nor, but, yet, though, yea though, again, alike, by contraction from an unused root

H859 – Attah, you, a primitive pronoun of the second person

H408 – see above

H7200 – Ra’ah, (Qal) to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider, have vision, regard, look after/at, see after, learn about, observe, watch, look upon/out, find out, give attention to, discern, distinguish, gaze at, a primitive root

H7451 – Ra, bad, evil, disagreeable, malignant, unpleasant, evil, worse than, worst, sad, unhappy, unkind, wicked, distress, misery, injury, calamity, adversity, injury, wrong, from a primitive root H7489, Rawah, to be bad, be evil, be displeasing, be sad, be injurious, be wicked, do an injury or hurt, do evil or wickedly, mischief, to break, to shatter, broken, be broken, be broken in pieces, be broken asunder

H3117 – see above

H343 – see above

H408 – see above

H7971 – Shalach, (Qal) to send, send away, stretch out, extend, direct, let loose, a primitive root

H2428 – Khayil, strength, might, efficiency, wealth, army, ability, force, from a primitive root H2342, Khool, to twist, whirl, dance, writhe, fear, tremble, travail, be in anguish, be pained, whirl, whirl about, bear, bring forth, wait anxiously, be made to writhe/bear, be brought forth, be born, whirling, writhing, suffering torture, wait longingly, be distressed (Used five times in OT)

H3117 – see above

H343 – see above

H5971 (‘Am meaning a people, a flock) is from the root word H6004 aw-mam’ A primitive root meaning to associate; by implication to overshadow (by huddling together): – become dim, hide.

This root word appears three times in the Old Testament:

Lam 4:1  How is the gold become dim [H6004]! how is the most fine gold changed! the stones of the sanctuary are poured out in the top of every street.
Lam 4:2  The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!

It appears in the prophecy against the Prince of Tyre.

Ezk 28:1  The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying,
Ezk 28:2  Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God:
Ezk 28:3  Behold, thou art wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that they can hide [H6004] from thee:
Ezk 28:4  With thy wisdom and with thine understanding thou hast gotten thee riches, and hast gotten gold and silver into thy treasures:
Ezk 28:5  By thy great wisdom and by thy traffick hast thou increased thy riches, and thine heart is lifted up because of thy riches:
Ezk 28:6  Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God;
Ezk 28:7  Behold, therefore I will bring strangers upon thee, the terrible of the nations: and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of thy wisdom, and they shall defile thy brightness.

It also appears in the prophecy of Ezekiel 31. Similar to the prophecy against the Prince of Tyre, the Egyptian Pharoah has a heart lifted up, a proud heart: “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).”

We reap what we sow, and the consequences of a proud heart and striving to be tall in stature, striving to be counted worthy of respect, is that we are brought down:

Ezk 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,
Ezk 31:2  Son of man, speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, and to his multitude; Whom art thou like in thy greatness?
Ezk 31:3  Behold, the Assyrian was a cedar in Lebanon with fair branches, and with a shadowing [H6751] shroud, and of an high stature; and his top was among the thick boughs.
Ezk 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.
Ezk 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.
Ezk 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 [H6738] dwelt all great nations.
Ezk 31:7  Thus was he fair in his greatness, in the length of his branches: for his root was by great waters.
Ezk 31:8  The cedars in the garden of God could not hide [H6004] him: the fir trees were not like his boughs, and the chestnut trees were not like his branches; nor any tree in the garden of God was like unto him in his beauty.
Ezk 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.
Ezk 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;
Ezk 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.
Ezk 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 [H5971] of the earth are gone down from his shadow [H6738] , and have left him.
Ezk 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…

Ezk 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.

A word related to H6004 aw-mam’ (meaning to overshadow (by huddling together) is shadow.

Shadow appears as three Hebrew words:

H6751 (tsaw-lal’) a primitive root meaning to hover over, to shade, twilight, beginning to be dark, shadowing. (2 appearances)

H6752 (tsay’-lel) meaning shade, shadow (4 appearances)

H6738 (tsale) meaning shade, whether literally or figuratively: – defence, shade (-ow) [49 appearances)

Sng 2:17  Till the day doth break forth, And the shadows [H6752] have fled away, Turn [H5437], be like, my beloved, To a roe, or to a young one of the harts, On the mountains of separation!

We are instructed to turn from (avoid) our shadows (our time in the night) and be more like Christ. The Hebrew word for turn is H5437 saw-bab’ meaning to revolve/change

Ezk 7:22  My face will I turn [H5437] also from them, and they shall pollute my secret place: for the robbers shall enter into it, and defile it.

It is our day of calamity that is our day of judgment. The trials that occur in the heat of the day are what force us to turn from our shadows (our time in the night). This day of calamity is the destruction of the old man and his old ways, and judgment is now on the house of God. It is the brightness of Christ that produces in us a desire to daily turn from (avoid) our shadows.

Calamity H343 ‘êyd is from the same as H181 (firebrand, raking together) (in the sense of bending down); oppression; by implication misfortune, ruin: – calamity, destruction.

Jer 49:7  Concerning Edom, thus saith the LORD of hosts; Is wisdom no more in Teman? is counsel perished from the prudent? is their wisdom vanished?
Jer 49:8  Flee ye, turn back, dwell deep, O inhabitants of Dedan; for I will bring the calamity [H343] of Esau upon him, the time that I will visit him.
Jer 49:9  If grapegatherers come to thee, would they not leave some gleaning grapes? if thieves by night, they will destroy till they have enough.
Jer 49:10  But I have made Esau bare, I have uncovered his secret places, and he shall not be able to hide himself: his seed is spoiled, and his brethren, and his neighbours, and he is not.

Even when we sit in the darkness, we are not able to hide ourself, and we are saved by the light of Christ.

Mic 7:8 Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness [H2822], the LORD shall be a light unto me.

The word for darkness is H2822 (kho-shek’) meaning dark, misery, ignorance, death. The corresponding Greek word is G4655 (skot’-os) meaning darkness, shadiness, obscurity.

Mat 4:16 The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.

Pro 2:10 When wisdom [Christ] entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;
Pro 2:11 Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:
Pro 2:12 To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things;
Pro 2:13 Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness

Pro 4:19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.

Mankind, in his darkened, black, fleshly, carnal state cannot see even his righteousnesses are filthy rags and that God creates both light and darkness.

2Co 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ [hidden in the ‘letters’ of the Old Testament].

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 [out of the letter and into the spirit]:

Psa 18:28 For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.

Conclusion and Spiritual Principle. We are first darkness because we are all in Adam (the first Adam shall die), but through Christ we are turned from darkness to light (in Christ all shall be made alive), but each man in his own order.

Act 26:18  To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

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

Luk 1:79  To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Acts 26:1-32 Almost Thou Persuadest Me to Become a Christian

[Study Aired October 8, 2023]

Act 26:1  Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself:
Act 26:2  I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews:
Act 26:3  Especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.
Act 26:4  My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;
Act 26:5  Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.
Act 26:6  And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers:
Act 26:7  Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope’s sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.
Act 26:8  Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?
Act 26:9  I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
Act 26:10  Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them.
Act 26:11  And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.
Act 26:12  Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,
Act 26:13  At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.
Act 26:14  And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
Act 26:15  And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.
Act 26:16  But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;
Act 26:17  Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,
Act 26:18  To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
Act 26:19  Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:
Act 26:20  But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.
Act 26:21  For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me.
Act 26:22  Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:
Act 26:23  That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.
Act 26:24  And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.
Act 26:25  But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness.
Act 26:26  For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a corner.
Act 26:27  King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.
Act 26:28  Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.
Act 26:29  And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.
Act 26:30  And when he had thus spoken, the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them:
Act 26:31  And when they were gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds.
Act 26:32  Then said Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar.

In our last study, King Agrippa and Bernice had come down to Caesarea to congratulate Festus on his replacing Felix as governor of Judea. Agrippa is the son of Herod who killed James the brother of John. After a few days of visiting, Festus told King Agrippa about his prisoner, Paul, and how Paul was so hated by the Jewish rulers in Jerusalem.

Here is where we left off in our last study:

Act 25:22  Then Agrippa said unto Festus, I would also hear the man myself. To morrow, said he, thou shalt hear him.
Act 25:23  And on the morrow, when Agrippa was come, and Bernice, with great pomp, and was entered into the place of hearing, with the chief captains, and principal men of the city, at Festus’ commandment Paul was brought forth.
Act 25:24  And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all men which are here present with us, ye see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews have dealt with me, both at Jerusalem, and also here, crying that he ought not to live any longer.
Act 25:25  But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and that he himself hath appealed to Augustus, I have determined to send him.
Act 25:26  Of whom I have no certain thing to write unto my lord. Wherefore I have brought him forth before you, and specially before thee, O king Agrippa, that, after examination had, I might have somewhat to write.
Act 25:27  For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not withal to signify the crimes laid against him.

Paul has spent his entire life, since his conversion, preaching in the synagogues to both the Jews and the Gentiles. He was rejected by the Jews in every city. However, there was always a remnant who were given to  accept the gospel, and Paul was always ready to move on to the next city when he was forced to do so, just as the Lord had instructed:

Mat 10:23  But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.

Paul is now a Roman prisoner. He can no longer “flee… into another… city”. Now the holy spirit has arranged for him to witness to the political leaders of this age. In a relatively short period of time, he has been given the privilege of witnessing the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Jewish Sanhedrin twice. He has witnessed to Felix and then to Felix and his wife Drucilla. Then he was able witness to Festus when the high priest and the elders of Jerusalem falsely accused him again. In this 26^th chapter, he is given the blessing of sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ and the story of how he was dragged to Christ with King Agrippa and Bernice, as well as all the leaders of the city of Caesarea.

Here is how the Lord set King Agrippa and Bernice up to hear Paul’s witness for Christ:

Act 25:13  And after certain days king Agrippa and Bernice came unto Caesarea to salute Festus.
Act 25:14  And when they had been there many days, Festus declared Paul’s cause unto the king, saying, There is a certain man left in bonds by Felix:
Act 25:15  About whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, desiring to have judgment against him.
Act 25:16  To whom I answered, It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die, before that he which is accused have the accusers face to face, and have licence to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him.
Act 25:17  Therefore, when they were come hither, without any delay on the morrow I sat on the judgment seat, and commanded the man to be brought forth.
Act 25:18  Against whom when the accusers stood up, they brought none accusation of such things as I supposed:
Act 25:19  But had certain questions against him of their own superstition, and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.
Act 25:20  And because I doubted of such manner of questions, I asked him whether he would go to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these matters.
Act 25:21  But when Paul had appealed to be reserved unto the hearing of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I might send him to Caesar.
Act 25:22  Then Agrippa said unto Festus, I would also hear the man myself. To morrow, said he, thou shalt hear him.
Act 25:23  And on the morrow, when Agrippa was come, and Bernice, with great pomp, and was entered into the place of hearing, with the chief captains, and principal men of the city, at Festus’ commandment Paul was brought forth.
Act 25:24  And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all men which are here present with us, ye see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews have dealt with me, both at Jerusalem, and also here, crying that he ought not to live any longer.
Act 25:25  But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and that he himself hath appealed to Augustus, I have determined to send him.
Act 25:26  Of whom I have no certain thing to write unto my lord. Wherefore I have brought him forth before you, and specially before thee, O king Agrippa, that, after examination had, I might have somewhat to write.
Act 25:27  For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not withal to signify the crimes laid against him.

When Agrippa was come, and Bernice, with great pomp, and was entered into the place of hearing, with the chief captains, and principal men of the city, Festus brings Paul in and introduces him to King Agrippa and Bernice and all the principal men of Caesarea. Festus acknowledges that Paul has done nothing worthy of death, and he is hoping King Agrippa, being a Jew, can help him explain to Augustus Caesar why Paul is being sent to him. Paul is excited and happy to share the gospel with King Agrippa and Bernice in the presence of the governor of Judea, Festus, and all the principal men of Caesarea, the Roman capital of the province of Judea.

Act 26:1  Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself:
Act 26:2  I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews:
Act 26:3  Especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.
Act 26:4  My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;

Paul was born in Tarsus, the capital of the province of Cilicia, but he tells us here that “from [his] youth, which was… at Jerusalem.” This is what he told the multitude which was trying to kill him when he was first rescued by Lysias the chief captain in Jerusalem:

Act 22:3  I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.

Gamaliel is the highly respected Rabbi who counseled the Sanhedrin against doing any harm to the apostles who had just healed all the sick who came to them just before they were cast into prison by the high priest and the Sadducees, but were delivered by an angel that very night and were found teaching in the temple. Gamaliel was given to acknowledge that what the apostles were doing was an apparent work of God, and if it were not, it would come to nothing of itself. Paul tells us he was brought up at this rabbi’s feet, but as ‘Saul of Tarsus’ he witnessed the growth of the Christian church and hated being accused of killing the Son of God.

Act 5:29  Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
Act 5:30  The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.
Act 5:31  Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
Act 5:32  And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.
Act 5:33  When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them.

Stephen made the same accusations, and they stoned him under the supervision of Saul of Tarsus:

Act 7:51  Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.
Act 7:52  Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:
Act 7:53  Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.
Act 7:54  When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.

Saul of Tarsus went on from the stoning of Stephen to become the most vicious opponent of Christ with the blessing of the chief priest and elders at Jerusalem. Then suddenly, literally “out of the blue” their most ardent soldier and opponent of Christianity is now with equal ardor proclaiming that this Jesus whom the apostles claimed was risen from the dead had indeed appeared to him while on the road to Damascus, a city outside of Israel. Saul was traveling to Damascus for the purpose of bringing anyone who believed in Jesus back to Jerusalem to be punished for their heresy. Christ had appeared as brighter than the sun and had blinded him for three days, after which he was commissioned to witness for Christ to both the Jews and the Gentiles.

This chapter of Acts is the account of how the Lord has privileged His apostle to witness to the leaders of the world about how Saul of Tarsus has been dragged to Israel’s Messiah and given a commission which he must fulfill to take the message of Jesus to both the Jews and the Gentiles. Just as the Lord has revealed Himself to each of us, the Lord has worked everything in a way that, as Paul tells King Agrippa, if the leaders of the church would be honest with themselves, they would have to admit their own culpability in the rejection of the Lord and His doctrines:

Act 26:5  Which [vs 4: “all the leading Jews” at Jerusalem] knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.
Act 26:6  And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers:
Act 26:7  Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope’s sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.

Because there is a wide spread doctrine which teaches that the ten northern tribes of Israel were “lost” and ended up in western Europe and the United states, Canada and Australia, we need to take note that Paul says to King Agrippa… “our twelve tribes…” The book of James is also addressed to “the twelve tribes scattered abroad”.

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

There is no denying the Jews were “scattered abroad”, but they certainly were not “lost”, and they certainly are not ethnic Europeans as that widely believed false doctrine affirms!

Act 26:8  Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?
Act 26:9  I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
Act 26:10  Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them.
Act 26:11  And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.

Paul just told us that he had imprisoned and had “many of the saints” imprisoned and killed in Jerusalem before he went to Damascus.

The Greek word translated as ‘strange’ in verse 11 is the word ‘exo.’  It means ‘out of.’ It is the root of our English word ‘exit’ and our English word ‘exodus’, the title of the second book of the Bible relating the events surrounding Israel coming ‘out of’ Egypt. What Paul is telling King Agrippa is that he was so zealous for the law of Moses, including the commandment to ‘hate thine enemies’, that he was going ‘out of’ Israel in pursuit of the Christians whom he considered to be heretics and thereby his enemies. Then suddenly he was stopped in his tracks just before he arrived at Damascus:

Act 26:12  Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,
Act 26:13  At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.
Act 26:14  And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

For anyone who would say that what Paul tells us here contradicts what he told the people at the palace when he was taken captive, we need to remember that unless something is qualified, there is no contradiction.  Let’s look at the two times Paul gave his account of meeting Christ on the road to Damascus before speaking to the people here at the judgment hall in Caesarea.

Act 9:3  And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:

Act 22:6  And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me.

As always, we must never be guilty of limiting the Word of God unless the scriptures themselves qualify or limit what is being said. Neither in Acts 9:3 nor in Acts 22:6 is it stated that this light from heaven shined ‘round about him only.’ There is also no such qualification in Acts 22:6 saying it was ‘round about me only.’ Therefore, when Paul includes “and them which journeyed with me”, the addition of that detail in no way contradicts the fact that the light did indeed shine about Paul also.

When there are words which do qualify what is said, words like ‘before… afterward… and only’ then we had better pay close attention to what the Lord has said. We were “called in Christ before the world began” (2Ti 1:9; Tit 1:2). All in Adam will be made alive, but Christ is first, and “afterward they that are Christ’s at His coming” (1Co 15:23); God gave “His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (Joh 3:16).

Act 26:15  And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.
Act 26:16  But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;

“Those things in the which I will appear unto you” is another way of saying:

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

Of course, “the things in which I will appear unto you” includes all the trials and persecutions which necessitated the Lord’s appearance to strengthen Paul to endure to the end. The Lord appeared to Paul when he was first taken captive and just after the chief captain had put Paul before the Sanhedrin, who again demanded his death:

Act 23:10  And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and to bring him into the castle.
Act 23:11  And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.

This visit from the Lord took place the night before Paul’s sister’s son had overheard “above forty men” who had conspired to kill Paul and had taken an oath that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul.

The Lord appeared to Paul again when he was in an equally bleak and hopeless situation:

Act 27:20  And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.
Act 27:21  But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss.
Act 27:22  And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship.
Act 27:23  For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,
Act 27:24  Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.

This second appearing simply confirmed the words of the first, and both came in a very timely manner when it appeared that “all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.”

Act 26:17  Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,
Act 26:18  To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
Act 26:19  Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:
Act 26:20  But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.

Paul just told us that he preached the gospel “throughout all the coast of Judea” before he went to the Gentiles. That is apparently what he was doing for many years from his home base of Tarsus, before Barnabas went to Tarsus to recruit Paul to help with the growth in the church at Antioch in Syria.

All we are specifically told here in the book of Acts is that Paul was sent to Tarsus from Jerusalem when the Lord revealed to him that the Jews of Jerusalem would reject his words and were plotting to kill him.

Act 9:26  And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple.
Act 9:27  But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.
Act 9:28  And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem.
Act 9:29  And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him.
Act 9:30  Which when the brethren knew, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus.

In the first chapter of Galatians Paul informs us the time he spent in Jerusalem was a mere “fifteen days” and that he met none of the apostles other than Peter and James the Lord’s brother.

Gal 1:18  Then after three years [at Damascus] I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.
Gal 1:19  But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord’s brother.

In Acts 22 Paul lets us know exactly what caused him to flee from Jerusalem when he first went there from Damascus:

Act 22:17  And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance;
Act 22:18  And saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.

So  it is only here in this 20^th verse that Paul tells us he did indeed preach the gospel “throughout all the coasts of Judaea, [“to the Jew first” (Rom 1:16, Rom 2:10)] then to the Gentiles” (Act 26:20).

Act 26:21  For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me.
Act 26:22  Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:
Act 26:23  That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people [Jews], and to the Gentiles.
Act 26:24  And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.

Festus is a Roman, and as such was not impressed with Paul’s experience or his message which didn’t even mention Caesar or the Roman Empire. The doctrine of a resurrection from the dead and a man who had actually conquered death did not impress Festus. Now he is hearing the Truth for the first time, and it is overwhelming to him. Paul reassures him that he is sane and of a sound mind, and to prove it he puts the Jewish King Agrippa on the spot knowing that it was King Agrippa’s father who had also engaged in fighting against Christ just as Paul had when he was still known as Saul of Tarsus. Paul realizes that it was only the sovereign hand of God that kept him from being eaten of worms like King Agrippa’s father, King Herod. It was about 17 years after Paul’s conversion on the road to Damascus that Paul and Barnabas had been sent to Jerusalem with a gift from the Gentiles in Antioch, when Agrippa’s father, King Herod had killed James, the brother of John, and had taken Peter also, intending to kill him after the Passover. Peter was miraculously delivered from a guard of “four quaternions of soldiers.” The holy spirit put the whole prison to sleep while an angel woke Peter out of “sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and the keepers before the door kept the prison.” This all took place while Paul and Barnabas were right there in Jerusalem, which Paul tells us was 14 years after he had returned to Jerusalem from his conversion at Damascus where he had spent the first three years of his ministry preaching the gospel in the synagogues of Damascus immediately following his conversion. After witnessing the death of James and the deliverance of Peter, Paul and Barnabas returned to Antioch and were shortly sent out together to spread the gospel on Paul’s first missionary journey, during which his name was changed from Saul to Paul.

Paul knows that King Agrippa is very aware of the veracity of everything Paul is saying, and Paul’s answer to Festus is to appeal to King Agrippa’s integrity and the fact that the whole of Jerusalem was aware that Peter had miraculously been delivered out of his father’s Herod’s prison and then shortly afterwards had been “eat of worms” right here in Caesarea:

Act 12:18  Now as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers, what was become of Peter.
Act 12:19  And when Herod had sought for him, and found him not, he examined the keepers, and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judaea to Caesarea, and there abode.
Act 12:20  And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: but they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king’s chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was nourished by the king’s country.
Act 12:21  And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them.
Act 12:22  And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.
Act 12:23  And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.

Act 26:25  But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness.
Act 26:26  For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a corner.

Indeed King Agrippa “knew of these things” and indeed everyone at Jerusalem had heard how Peter was miraculously delivered out of Herod’s prison. There was a lot of weight to Paul’s statement… “For this thing was not done in a corner”, and there was no way King Agrippa could deny it.

Act 26:27  King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.
Act 26:28  Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.
Act 26:29  And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.
Act 26:30  And when he had thus spoken, the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them:
Act 26:31  And when they were gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds.
Act 26:32  Then said Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar.

Everything that happened to Agrippa’s father, King Herod the fourth, happened at the Passover, and it was known to all the Jews in Jerusalem that King Herod had killed James the brother of John. Everyone also knew that King Herod had imprisoned Peter, and Peter had been delivered from King Herod’s prison with no one even accusing anyone of an insurrection or a jailbreak. It was all very humiliating for King Herod, and then shortly thereafter he was eaten by worms and died. King Agrippa could not deny anything Paul had said. The truth is its own defense.

Next week, we will follow Paul on his long and very trying journey to Rome. There will be many lessons for us along the way.

Numbers 8:1-26  The Lighting of the Seven Lamps

[Study Aired June 19, 2023]

Num 8:1  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 
Num 8:2  Speak unto Aaron, and say unto him, When thou lightest the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light over against the candlestick. 
Num 8:3  And Aaron did so; he lighted the lamps thereof over against the candlestick, as the LORD commanded Moses. 
Num 8:4  And this work of the candlestick was of beaten gold, unto the shaft thereof, unto the flowers thereof, was beaten work: according unto the pattern which the LORD had shewed Moses, so he made the candlestick. 
Num 8:5  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 
Num 8:6  Take the Levites from among the children of Israel, and cleanse them. 
Num 8:7  And thus shalt thou do unto them, to cleanse them: Sprinkle water of purifying upon them, and let them shave all their flesh, and let them wash their clothes, and so make themselves clean. 
Num 8:8  Then let them take a young bullock with his meat offering, even fine flour mingled with oil, and another young bullock shalt thou take for a sin offering.
Num 8:9  And thou shalt bring the Levites before the tabernacle of the congregation: and thou shalt gather the whole assembly of the children of Israel together: 
Num 8:10  And thou shalt bring the Levites before the LORD: and the children of Israel shall put their hands upon the Levites: 
Num 8:11  And Aaron shall offer the Levites before the LORD for an offering of the children of Israel, that they may execute the service of the LORD. 
Num 8:12  And the Levites shall lay their hands upon the heads of the bullocks: and thou shalt offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, unto the LORD, to make an atonement for the Levites. 
Num 8:13  And thou shalt set the Levites before Aaron, and before his sons, and offer them for an offering unto the LORD. 
Num 8:14  Thus shalt thou separate the Levites from among the children of Israel: and the Levites shall be mine. 
Num 8:15  And after that shall the Levites go in to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation: and thou shalt cleanse them, and offer them for an offering. 
Num 8:16  For they are wholly given unto me from among the children of Israel; instead of such as open every womb, even instead of the firstborn of all the children of Israel, have I taken them unto me. 
Num 8:17  For all the firstborn of the children of Israel are mine, both man and beast: on the day that I smote every firstborn in the land of Egypt I sanctified them for myself. 
Num 8:18  And I have taken the Levites for all the firstborn of the children of Israel.
Num 8:19  And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and to his sons from among the children of Israel, to do the service of the children of Israel in the tabernacle of the congregation, and to make an atonement for the children of Israel: that there be no plague among the children of Israel, when the children of Israel come nigh unto the sanctuary. 
Num 8:20  And Moses, and Aaron, and all the congregation of the children of Israel, did to the Levites according unto all that the LORD commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so did the children of Israel unto them. 
Num 8:21  And the Levites were purified, and they washed their clothes; and Aaron offered them as an offering before the LORD; and Aaron made an atonement for them to cleanse them. 
Num 8:22  And after that went the Levites in to do their service in the tabernacle of the congregation before Aaron, and before his sons: as the LORD had commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so did they unto them. 
Num 8:23  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 
Num 8:24  This is it that belongeth unto the Levites: from twenty and five years old and upward they shall go in to wait upon the service of the tabernacle of the congregation: 
Num 8:25  And from the age of fifty years they shall cease waiting upon the service thereof, and shall serve no more: 
Num 8:26  But shall minister with their brethren in the tabernacle of the congregation, to keep the charge, and shall do no service. Thus shalt thou do unto the Levites touching their charge. 

Chapter 8 concerns the lighting of the seven lamps to give light in front of the candlestick, the cleansing of the Levites, the age requirement for service in the tabernacle of the congregation and retirement age of the Levites. 

Num 8:1  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 
Num 8:2  Speak unto Aaron, and say unto him, When thou lightest the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light over against the candlestick. 
Num 8:3  And Aaron did so; he lighted the lamps thereof over against the candlestick, as the LORD commanded Moses. 

The seven lamps represent the complete words of the Lord which give light in front of the lampstand or candlestick. According to the word of the Lord, the candlestick or lampstand represents the church.  This means that it is the complete words of the Lord which guide the path of the elect in this world.

Psa 119:105  Nun Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. 

Rev 1:20  As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

As indicated, the candlestick is to give light to the space in front of it in the Holy place in the tabernacle. What is insightful to note is the fact that the light given by the candlestick is not seen outside the Holy place. It is to give light for the priest to perform his duty. In this dispensation, although we are the light of the world, we are not seen that way by many (the world). It is only the elect who see our light and use it to perform their duty – that is, live a life worthy of the Lord. 

In verse 2, it was Aaron the High Priest who lit the seven lamps. Here Aaron signifies the Lord Jesus Christ, our High Priest. Before a lamp is lit, it must be filled with oil. As we know, the oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit, sent to us by the Lord Jesus Christ to guide us into the truth of His word.  

Exo 27:20  And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always. 

Joh 16:13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

Num 8:4  And this work of the candlestick was of beaten gold, unto the shaft thereof, unto the flowers thereof, was beaten work: according unto the pattern which the LORD had shewed Moses, so he made the candlestick. 

It is very insightful to note that the candlestick was made of beaten gold. This is to let us know that the church is formed by those who are being tried or going through the judgment of their old man. 

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

Paul sums up our being beaten like the work of gold in order to give light as follows:

2Co 4:7  But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.
2Co 4:8  We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 
2Co 4:9  persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 
2Co 4:10  always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies [providing light for the priest to function]. 
2Co 4:11  For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

As indicated in verse 4, the candlestick is to be built according to the pattern which the Lord showed Moses.  The pattern shown to Moses is Christ. This implies that the church must reflect Christ in everything. 

Num 8:5  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 
Num 8:6  Take the Levites from among the children of Israel, and cleanse them. 
Num 8:7  And thus shalt thou do unto them, to cleanse them: Sprinkle water of purifying upon them, and let them shave all their flesh, and let them wash their clothes, and so make themselves clean. 

If we are to serve in the house of the Lord, then we must be cleansed from all kinds of contamination such as false doctrines, worldly ways and traditions and deeds of the flesh. Verse 7 prescribes three ways of cleansing – sprinkling of the water of purification, the shaving of all their flesh, and the washing of clothes with water.  The water of purification is a symbol of the word of the Lord. It is the truth of the word of the Lord that washes our mind of all the false doctrines that have become idols of our hearts, worldly wisdom and the traditions of men.

Eph 5:25  Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 
Eph 5:26  that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 
Eph 5:27  so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.

In the Bible, the hair on the body is a symbol of our natural strength. Thus, the shaving of all the flesh signifies the cutting off of all our natural strength. This implies that in our service to the Lord, we must not depend on our natural strengths and abilities. 

Jdg 16:17  And he told her all his heart, and said to her, “A razor has never come upon my head, for I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother’s womb. If my head is shaved, then my strength will leave me, and I shall become weak and be like any other man.” 

Clothes are a symbol of righteousness. Dirty or torn clothes therefore refer to unrighteousness, which could be the result of contamination or self-righteousness, which is iniquity.

Lev 15:6  And whoever sits on anything on which the one with the discharge has sat shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water and be unclean until the evening.

Isa 4:1  And seven women shall take hold of one man in that day, saying, “We will eat our own bread and wear our own clothes, only let us be called by your name; take away our reproach.

Clean clothes (white linen) are the righteousness of the saints which is imputed by the Lord. 

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.

The washing of our dirty clothes therefore signifies the truth of the word of the Lord which cleanses us of all unrighteousness.

Num 8:8  Then let them take a young bullock with his meat offering, even fine flour mingled with oil, and another young bullock shalt thou take for a sin offering.
Num 8:9  And thou shalt bring the Levites before the tabernacle of the congregation: and thou shalt gather the whole assembly of the children of Israel together: 
Num 8:10  And thou shalt bring the Levites before the LORD: and the children of Israel shall put their hands upon the Levites: 
Num 8:11  And Aaron shall offer the Levites before the LORD for an offering of the children of Israel, that they may execute the service of the LORD. 
Num 8:12  And the Levites shall lay their hands upon the heads of the bullocks: and thou shalt offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, unto the LORD, to make an atonement for the Levites. 

The foundation for our cleansing is the sacrificial offering of our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself as a meat offering and a sin offering for us. Christ therefore represents the young bullocks and the fine flour mingled with oil. Remember that the fine flour mingled with oil represents His word, and His word is the same as Christ.

Joh 1:1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 

The putting of the hands of the children of Israel upon the Levites in verse 10 is to show that they are the same as the Levites and therefore are represented by the Levites in the presence of the Lord. In this regard, we, His elect, are representing the whole world in the presence of the Lord. Our victory will ultimately result in the victory of humanity in the fullness of time.

2Co 2:14  Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.

Num 8:13  And thou shalt set the Levites before Aaron, and before his sons, and offer them for an offering unto the LORD. 
Num 8:14  Thus shalt thou separate the Levites from among the children of Israel: and the Levites shall be mine. 
Num 8:15  And after that shall the Levites go in to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation: and thou shalt cleanse them, and offer them for an offering. 

In verse 13, the Levites were to be offered as an offering to the Lord. As the elect, we are to be offered wholly to Christ for humanity’s sake. Being offered to Christ is offering our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to the Lord.

2Co 2:15  For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: 

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

The Levites being separated from among the children of Israel is another way of saying that we should not be conformed to the standards of this world but be renewed in our minds.

Rom 12:2  Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. 

In another perspective, the Levites represent the elect, and the children of Israel stand for our brothers and sisters in Babylon. In that sense, the Levites being separated from the children of Israel is a type of the command by the Lord to leave Babylon. 

Rev 18:4  And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

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. 
2Co 6:17  Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 
2Co 6:18  And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. 

As we are offered to Christ and are separated wholly from the world, we can do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation as shown in verse 15 concerning the Levites.

Num 8:16  For they are wholly given unto me from among the children of Israel; instead of such as open every womb, even instead of the firstborn of all the children of Israel, have I taken them unto me. 
Num 8:17  For all the firstborn of the children of Israel are mine, both man and beast: on the day that I smote every firstborn in the land of Egypt I sanctified them for myself. 
Num 8:18  And I have taken the Levites for all the firstborn of the children of Israel.

As we saw earlier in the Book of Numbers, the Levites were to replace the firstborn of Israel. The reason why they were to replace the firstborn of Israel was that at the time of Passover in Egypt, all the firstborn were condemned. However, it was only the firstborn of Egypt who were slain. As a result of the Passover, all the firstborn of Israel were redeemed or saved or replaced by the Passover lamb, who is Christ our Lord who came to serve. The firstborn therefore lost their position and were to be replaced by the Levites who were called to serve. This means that we, who have been redeemed by the Lord, are called to serve.

Mar 10:42  And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 
Mar 10:43  But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 
Mar 10:44  and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. 
Mar 10:45  For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” 

The Levites replacing the firstborn of the children of Israel is a foretaste of the fact that the Lord’s election is no longer dependent on a person’s pedigree or his or her birth. Paul made this clear when, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he made the statement that it is not one who is born a Jew that counts, but a Jew is a person who worships the Lord in truth and in spirit. 

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

Num 8:19  And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and to his sons from among the children of Israel, to do the service of the children of Israel in the tabernacle of the congregation, and to make an atonement for the children of Israel: that there be no plague among the children of Israel, when the children of Israel come nigh unto the sanctuary. 
Num 8:20  And Moses, and Aaron, and all the congregation of the children of Israel, did to the Levites according unto all that the LORD commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so did the children of Israel unto them. 

On a negative note, the Levites represent our brothers and sisters in Babylon who are also of Abraham’s seed. However, they are not counted as the seed of promise and therefore are not to be given any inheritance. This is not because we, the elect, deserve any inheritance. It is through the hardening of their hearts to believe that we are privileged to receive mercy to believe. In the final analysis, this mercy we have received will be extended to the whole of the human race. 

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.

The Levites are given to the elect as a gift to help them minister to the Lord. They do the initial leg work of using the law of Moses as our schoolmaster to lead us to Christ. After we get to know Christ through faith, we are no longer under their influence or the law of Moses. Today’s Levites represent the Christian religion. They are focused on building and taking care of physical churches (tabernacle of testimony). In other words, they are protecting the legacy of the Christian religion.

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. 

In verse 19, the Levites being given as a gift to Aaron and his sons positively signifies the elect being given wholly to Jesus, our High Priest, to assist Him to subdue all things so that God may be all in all. 

1Co 15:25  For he [Jesus] must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. 
1Co 15:26  The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. 
1Co 15:27  For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. 
1Co 15:28  And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.

On a positive note, the Levites symbolized the elect who are given the charge of serving in the tabernacle of the congregation as well as making atonement for the children of Israel so there will be no plagues among the children of Israel, as indicated in verse 19. Atonement is the process by which a person removes obstacles to his reconciliation with God. In the lake of fire age, the elect will help the whole of humanity, represented here as the children of Israel, by making atonement for them. This means that the elect will help the whole of humanity to see what the Lord has done for them and in so doing, remove every obstacle to their reconciliation with God. This is what will make every knee to bow and every tongue to confess that Jesus is Lord!!

Php 2:9  Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 
Php 2:10  That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 
Php 2:11  And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

It is insightful to note that in verse 20, Moses, Aaron and the whole of the congregation of the children of Israel did to the Levites according to all that the Lord commanded Moses. Moses, Aaron and the whole of the congregation of Israel represent all humanity. It is at the end of the lake of fire age that all humanity will obey our Lord Jesus Christ, who is represented here by Moses. 

Num 8:21  And the Levites were purified, and they washed their clothes; and Aaron offered them as an offering before the LORD; and Aaron made an atonement for them to cleanse them. 
Num 8:22  And after that went the Levites in to do their service in the tabernacle of the congregation before Aaron, and before his sons: as the LORD had commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so did they unto them. 

It is when we are purified that we can offer a service pleasing to the Lord in the temple of the Lord. We know that the process of purification involves being judged. Verses 21 and 22 therefore means that we cannot offer pleasing service to the Lord with our bodies as a temple of the Lord unless we have been purified through the seven plagues. The verse below is therefore a rendition of verses 21 and 22.

Rev 15:8  And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled. 

Num 8:23  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 
Num 8:24  This is it that belongeth unto the Levites: from twenty and five years old and upward they shall go in to wait upon the service of the tabernacle of the congregation: 

To be enrolled in the army of the Lord, it is required that one is twenty years old or above. Being part of the army of the Lord does not mean that one has obtained maturity. In the physical, those who have gone through the ranks of the military are well-versed in the strategies of enemies. In a similar vein, it takes some time after being part of the Lord’s army to know the strategies of the enemy. It took a lot of experience for Paul to say the following:

2Co 2:10  To whom ye forgive anything, I forgive also: for if I forgave anything, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ;
2Co 2:11  Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices. 

In verse 24, the required age to wait upon the tabernacle of the congregation is twenty-five. Although we are enrolled into the Lord’s army at the symbolic age of twenty years, it takes a while for us to be effective in performing the services pertaining to the house of God. The symbolic age of twenty-five, which is required for us to work in the house of the Lord, signifies the period when we have come out from tutors and governors at the appointed time of the Lord.

Gal 4:1  Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; 
Gal 4:2  But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. 
Gal 4:3  Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: 
Gal 4:4  But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 
Gal 4:5  To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 

In the Bible, the number twenty-five signifies the time that we start to reign as kings over our flesh.

2Ch 25:1  Amaziah was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem.

2Ch 27:6  So Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways before the LORD his God. 
2Ch 27:7  Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all his wars, and his ways, lo, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.
2Ch 27:8  He was five and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem.

2Ch 29:1  Hezekiah began to reign when he was five and twenty years old, and he reigned nine and twenty years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah. 
2Ch 29:2  And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father had done. 

Num 8:25  And from the age of fifty years they shall cease waiting upon the service thereof, and shall serve no more: 
Num 8:26  But shall minister with their brethren in the tabernacle of the congregation, to keep the charge, and shall do no service. Thus shalt thou do unto the Levites touching their charge. 

According to verse 25, at the age of fifty years, the Levites are required to retire from active service in the tabernacle of the Lord. The number fifty symbolizes the liberty we have in Christ when we are set free from sin. Retiring at the age of fifty spiritually implies the period of our lives where we do not depend on our own strength to do the work of the Lord, but rather depend on Christ to do the work for us. In other words, we come to rest completely in Him. 

Joh 8:36  If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.  

Heb 4:9  There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. 
Heb 4:10  For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. 
Heb 4:11  Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. 

May the Lord continue to help us retire from our own works so we can come to rest wholly in Him. Amen!! 

[Study Aired January 19, 2023]

This first section of chapter 17 of the book of Kings begins to focus on the reign of Hoshea the king of Israel. This king very brightly represents for us the bondage that sin in our life brings and demonstrates what a powerful taskmaster sin is, which God uses to humble His people and bring us to our wits’ end so that we cry out for deliverance which then comes to us through Christ (Psa 107:24-30). 

Psa 107:24  These see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep.
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.

The stormy winds spoken of in Psalm 107 can represent the trials of life which buffet us, that are connected to the spiritual struggles we have in our heavens, the powers and principalities over which God is sovereign and raises in our heavens to bring us to see how powerless we are over the wretchedness of flesh from which only He can deliver us (Eph 6:12, Rom 7:24 – “Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven” – Rom 3:27).

Eph 6:12  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Rom 7:24  O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

The end result of Hoshea’s rule over Israel is disastrous, as verse 18 and 19 expresses that the LORD was very angry with Israel:

2Ki 17:18  Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel, and removed them out of his sight: there was none left but the tribe of Judah only.
2Ki 17:19  Also Judah kept not the commandments of the LORD their God, but walked in the statutes of Israel which they made.

This exile that is going to happen to Israel, and in time Judah, represents the bondage sin brings and that we all must endure as we come to learn of our Lord’s mighty hand working in our corruptible flesh from which He is able to deliver us (Rom 7:24-25). It is only through the suffering of this life that we will finally cease from sinning as we are received of God through a chastening and scourging process very few are meant to endure in this lifetime (2Ti 2:12, Heb 12:6-8, Mat 22:14).

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

Mat 22:14  For many are called, but few are chosen.

Here is a brief history of what was happening at this time in the life of King Hoshea which should serve to help us organize the physical events so that in turn we can then understand what those events mean as we compare spiritual with spiritual using those physical events (1Co 2:13) God has inspired to happen in the life of this very wayward king and those external parties that greatly influenced his day-to-day decisions as the king of Israel.

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.

Before I read this excerpt from [Who was King Hoshea in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org], it’s important to remember Babylon’s perspective is that Judah and Israel just ignored the very best of the best prophets and thereby brought about this condemnation upon themselves for what they did in their flesh, with no outside influence causing all this neglect to unfold as it did. That perspective puts the man of perdition firmly on the seat of our heavens, and must be destroyed by an all-powerful external force [Christ] who is far greater than our own carnal reasoning that serves the law of sin (Rom 7:25) harboring powers and principalities that Christ will little and by little rule over (Exo 23:30,  1Jn 4:4). The destruction of the man of sin is the destruction of that part of us that says, “I’m responsible for my sins” or “I’m responsible for my good deeds” (2Th 2:5-8), which word “responsible” is not found in the bible.

God’s elect are blessed to know that when scripture says boasting is excluded by the law of faith, it is also true that we can’t give ourselves credit for being drawn away to be tempted and sin seeing this lack of faith (Rom 14:23) we have is something that God has disposed to each man to experience according to the counsel of His own will (Luk 23:34, Act 4:27-28). The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD (Pro 16:33). We acknowledge our sins and the righteousness of Christ working in us, and see them as all part of His workmanship unfolding within us (Rom 4:25) to His glory who has power over the marred vessel to make one unto honour and another to dishonour (Rom 2:4, Eph 2:10, Rom 9:21). 

Rom 14:23  And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin. 

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

Rom 4:25  Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

Rom 9:21  Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?

We operate in the measure of faith God gives us (Rom 12:3), and Lord willing, we will heed the admonitions from these stories which tell us that we can be more than conquerors through Christ alone who can bring us to our wits’ end and cause us to cry out and be delivered from Satan “in his time” or “until he be taken away” (Mar 9:24). What hope the scriptures hold out for us, as we learn we can cry out, confess our faults, and be delivered day by day as we die daily in Christ (Rom_6:3)!

Mar 9:24  And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

Rom 6:3  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

From:  [Who was King Hoshea in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org]

Hoshea son of Elah became king of the northern kingdom of Israel in 732 BC after assassinating King Pekah, son of Remaliah. Hoshea reigned 9 years. He was a wicked king, but not as wicked as previous kings of Israel (2Ki 17:2). Hoshea was the last king of Israel before the nation’s destruction by Assyria.

King Pekah had fought with the Assyrians but lost territory to Tiglath-Pileser, king of Assyria. So when Hoshea took the throne from Pekah, he was a vassal to Shalmaneser king of Assyria and was required to pay heavy tribute (2Ki 17:3).

In a bid for freedom and independence, Hoshea rebelled against Assyria and stopped paying the tribute, appealing to Egypt for help. This move was a failure. When Shalmaneser discovered King Hoshea’s treachery, he threw Hoshea into prison (verse 4). The Assyrian army then invaded all of Hoshea’s land. The capital, Samaria, was besieged for three years and eventually captured. The Israelites were then deported to Assyria and settled in Halah, Gozen on the Harbor River, and in the towns of the Medes. As most of the northern kingdom of Israel had already been conquered, this deportation effectively destroyed the entire kingdom. Israel’s destruction partly fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah 7:16.

On the surface this may sound like the usual intrigues of kings, but the Bible makes it clear that the Assyrians’ takeover of Israel and the Israelites’ subsequent exile was God’s judgment on His people for their great sin. In spite of all the Lord had done for them, the Israelites had turned from God and worshiped false gods, setting up high places and burning incense to idols (2Ki 17:7-11). God had sent prophets, including Elijah and Elisha, to warn the Israelites, but the people persisted in their idolatry. God had meant for Israel to be set apart as a holy people (Lev 20:26; 2Ki 17:15), but instead they had assimilated the idolatrous practices of the societies they had conquered. God had given them many chances to turn back to Him, but they ignored all the prophets who warned them to turn from their evil ways. Because of their rebelliousness, “the LORD removed them from His presence” (2Ki 17:23) in fulfillment of Moses’ warning in Deuteronomy 30:17–18.

Several years after the capture of King Hoshea and the destruction of the northern kingdom, the southern kingdom of Judah fell to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon (2Ki 25:1-4). The capital city of Jerusalem was destroyed, including its walls and the temple of the Lord (verses 8–10). Judah was taken into captivity and exiled for 70 years, just as the Lord had promised, as judgment for sin. However, in His mercy, God promised to preserve His people and eventually bring them back to the land He had promised them (Eze 11:14-17, Rom 14:17,  Joh 3:5-8, Php 3:3, Rev 3:12, Rev 21:2). [End Quote]

2Ki 17:1  In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah began Hoshea the son of Elah to reign in Samaria over Israel nine years. 
2Ki 17:2  And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, but not as the kings of Israel that were before him. 

Hoshea reigned nine years in Samaria over Israel, and that all began in the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah’s reign. Something foundational is going to come out of the rule of king Ahaz, which is what we are being shown with these numbers. Twelve signifies foundations negative or positive, and nine represents judgment. So Ahaz was the king who would be ruling during that time when God would destroy the corrupt foundations of Israel through judgment [9] that would ultimately have the nation be brought into captivity. In the positive sense, we see an example in this story of how God takes the marred vessel, in this case the nation of Israel, and tears it down so that in time it can be made anew (Jer 18:6). A holy and undefiled nation of Israel is not going to come on the scene in the flesh, but these stories are written for the elect’s sake (1Co 10:11) to remind us of how thoroughly God must purge his threshingfloor, which is how the first man Adam is destroyed (Eze 43:26, Eze 20:38, Rev 15:6-8,  Mal 3:3) in order to bring about the new creation formed in Christ, the “Israel of God,” who must lose their life in order to find it (Gal 6:16, Mat 10:39).

Jer 18:6  O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.

Eze 43:26  Seven days shall they purge the altar and purify it; and they shall consecrate themselves. 

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. 

Rev 15:6  And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles. 
Rev 15:7  And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever. 
Rev 15:8  And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.

Mal 3:3  And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness. 

Gal 6:16  And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.

Mat 10:39  He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

2Ki 17:3  Against him came up Shalmaneser king of Assyria; and Hoshea became his servant, and gave him presents. 
2Ki 17:4  And the king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea: for he had sent messengers to So king of Egypt, and brought no present to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year: therefore the king of Assyria shut him up, and bound him in prison. 
2Ki 17:5  Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land, and went up to Samaria, and besieged it three years. 

This section of scripture describing Hoshea’s actions, he, “sent messengers to So king of Egypt” and “brought no present to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year: therefore the king of Assyria shut him up, and bound him in prison” revealing how Satan, typified by Shalmaneser king of Assyria, is a jealous god, like our Father in heaven (Exo 20:5), but in his case he is jealous for his evil purpose of wanting to keep Hoshea in the bondage of sin for not continuing in the servitude that he extended to Shalmaneser for so long, even giving him presents^H4503 as we did in Babylon with our tithes and offerings and misguided vain worship of God (Mar 7:7, Rev 11:10).  This attempt at breaking away from Shalmaneser’s influence over Hoshea is similar to how Israel was pursued by the Pharaoh and armies of Egypt who wanted to keep them in the bondage of slavery.

‘Presents’ H4503 minchâh min-khaw’  

From an unused root meaning to apportion, that is, bestow; a donation; euphemistically tribute; specifically a sacrificial offering (usually bloodless and voluntary): – gift, oblation, (meat) offering, present, sacrifice.

Total KJV occurrences: 211

This story reminds us that Satan’s wrath is a real thing and that he does not want any of his servants to be divided in their minds regarding where their gifts and loyalties should remain as they continue in their quest of being accusers of the brethren (Rev 12:10). When Shalmaneser sees Hoshea betraying his loyalties to him, he “shut him up, and bound him in prison.” Hoshea is already a servant to Shalmaneser, and the minute he tries to free himself and sweep his house of his influence, seven spirits worse enter into Hoshea’s life as the king of Assyria went ahead and “shut him up, and bound him in prison” (Mat 12:45).

Rev 12:10  And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. [Rom 8:18]

There is no loyalty among thieves, and Satan comes to steal and destroy (Joh 10:10). Hoshea’s actions of sending “messengers to So king of Egypt” are seen as an act of treason to Shalmaneser. The agreement was that the king of Assyria, as long as he was paid the money or gifts for his service of extracting money from the people, would spare Israel and not sift them like wheat, which is what he ultimately did. However, knowing the sovereignty of God, we know that this peace was never meant to last and Shalmaneser’s actions just show that Israel’s king Hoshea was a house divided all along that was going to fall (Luk 8:17, 1Co 3:13, 2Co 5:10-11). Hoshea was cursed for putting his trust in the king of Assyria and because of Hoshea’s lack of faith in what God could do for him, he brought a great curse on the nation of Israel (Jer 17:5). The spirit of these two kings and their interactions with each other are very well described in these verses (2Ti 3:1-4), as their treaty began to fall apart to reveal no loyalty on either side. 

Jer 17:5  Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.

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;

After Hoshea is shut up and bound in prison, Shalmaneser “the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land, and went up to Samaria, and besieged it three years” which reminds us that the devil is not slack regarding being the evil sword in God’s hand (Psa 17:13) which will be used to besiege the capital of Israel, Samaria, for three years. This is all demonstrating for us how God does use evil men in the process of humbling His people as He continues to refine us (Mal 3:3) through these severe trials  [“besieged it three years“] (Act 20:31). Paul is expressing here in the book of Acts what Christ said in these verses (Mat 26:41, Mar 13:33, Mar 14:38, Luk 21:36), and that is to look well inwardly (2Co 13:5) and outwardly (1Pe 5:2) because of the weak flesh we’re in, so that no enemy of the cross arise, no root of bitterness take over “and thereby many be defiled” (Heb 12:15).

Act 20:31  Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.

Mat 26:41  Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

Mar 13:33  Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.

Mar 14:38  Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.

Luk 21:36  Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

Heb 12:14  Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: 
Heb 12:15  Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

2Ki 17:6  In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away into Assyria, and placed them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.

It’s in the “ninth year of Hoshea [that] the king of Assyria [Shalmaneser] took Samaria, and carried Israel away into Assyria”. Being the ninth year of Hoshea’s kingship is the symbolic number of judgment, a judgment for Israel, that typifies the more severe and heavy trials God must prepare the bride of Christ to endure through in this life (1Pe 4:17).

The significance of placing them “in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes” is found in the meaning of these three words, Halah^H2477, Habor^H2249 , and Gozan^H1470, that tell us Israel was going to experience a “painful” “joining” to another nation, even as there is “a cutting off” from their homeland.

HalahH2477
– Original: חלח
– Transliteration: Chalach
– Phonetic: khal-akh’
– Definition: Halah = painful 
a city or district in mesopotamia under Assyrian control where the Israelite captives were taken
– Origin: probably of foreign origin
– TWOT entry: None
– Part(s) of speech: Proper Name Location 
– Strong’s: Probably of foreign origin;
Chalach a region of Assyria: – Halah.

HaborH2249
– Original: חבור
– Transliteration: Chabowr
– Phonetic: khaw-bore’
– Definition: Habor = joining 
a tributary of the Euphrates River in Assyria 
– Origin: from H2266
– TWOT entry: None
– Part(s) of speech: Proper Name Location
– Strong’s: From H2266; united;

Chabor a river of Assyria: – Habor. 
Total KJV Occurrences: 3 

GozanH1470
– Original: גּוזן
– Transliteration: Gowzan
– Phonetic: go-zawn’
– Definition: Gozan = a cutting off 
the mesopotamian city on or near the middle of the Euphrates where exiled Israelites were settled
– Origin: probably from H1468
– TWOT entry: None
– Part(s) of speech: Proper Name Location 
– Strong’s: Probably from H1468; a quarry (as a place of cutting stones);
Gozan a province of Assyria: – Gozan.

2Ki 17:7  For so it was, that the children of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God, which had brought them up out of the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods, 
2Ki 17:8  And walked in the statutes of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which they had made. 
2Ki 17:9  And the children of Israel did secretly those things that were not right against the LORD their God, and they built them high places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city. 
2Ki 17:10  And they set them up images and groves in every high hill, and under every green tree:
2Ki 17:11  And there they burnt incense in all the high places, as did the heathen whom the LORD carried away before them; and wrought wicked things to provoke the LORD to anger: 
2Ki 17:12  For they served idols, whereof the LORD had said unto them, Ye shall not do this thing.

This punishment that was brought upon the nation of Israel was because of the things we read of here (2Ki 17:7-12). The great lesson to pass on is that God is not mocked, and whatever we sow we are going to reap (Gal 6:7-8). This section of scripture clearly shows us the progression of coming out of Egypt and how we then wax and wane as Christians losing our first love. Only by the grace and faith of God do we continue to progress and work our way through being tempted ten times in the wilderness (Num 14:22) as we come to see that our flesh has to fall seven times, meaning completely (Pro 24:16), to show us that our overcoming is not of ourselves but a gift from God that takes our entire life to accomplish through Christ as we go onto perfection on the third day (Luk 13:32).

Gal 6:7  Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Gal 6:8  For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

Num 14:22  Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice;

Pro 24:16  For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.

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.

It’s in our ignorance that we sow (1Ti 1:13) and suffer the consequences of those actions, so we are deceived until we are not, and we even are that dog that returns to his vomit, until we are not (Pro 26:11). Thanks be to God, in the end He will bring all of the world to be sickened of every sin, and the judgment that first begins at the house of God (1Pe 4:17) will make Christ’s bride ready and prepared to wipe away all the tears of humanity; tears which will never be a part of the finished creation that will only be continually rejoicing and giving thanks to God almighty who will be all in all with Christ as our head forever (1Co 15:28).

1Ti 1:13  Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

1Co 15:28  And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.

2Ki 17:13  Yet the LORD testified against Israel, and against Judah, by all the prophets, and by all the seers, saying, Turn ye from your evil ways, and keep my commandments and my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the prophets. 

These last verses we will look at explain the effect of being under the taskmaster of sin which the rulership of the god of this world produces (2Co 4:4). The verses testify or witness against us what God was doing in Israel of old and Judah (1Co 10:11), “Yet the LORD testified against Israel, and against Judah.“

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

God’s purpose is revealed for the church today through much tribulation which we must endure in order to inherit the kingdom of God (Act 14:22, Rom 8:17). Christ identifies with our struggle and tells us that we are more than conquerors through Him who is our head and redeemer (Heb 4:15-16, Rom 8:37)

Heb 4:15  For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 
Heb 4:16  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

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

These taskmasters are set over us and bring us to do exactly what God had predestined and written in our books that we would do and suffer (Exo 1:11). The Lord knows the affliction we are under, and it is by reason of our crying out with strong tears as Christ did that we are delivered from Satan and the bondage of sin (Exo 3:7, Heb 5:7-8, Joh 8:36).

Exo 1:11  Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.

Exo 3:7  And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; 

Heb 5:7  Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; 
Heb 5:8  Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;

Joh 8:36  If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

God was faithful to bring along “the prophets, and by all the seers, saying, Turn ye from your evil ways, and keep my commandments” knowing that this witness was not going to change the hearts of the people but was part of the testimony or witness to the nations of what wretchedness is in all flesh until it is no longer there (Deu 19:15). God is faithful, and His word is not broken, and He cannot lie, and so a witness is given to the people, and the people, as expected, reject that witness. The body of Christ is one spirit and one bread not divided, and the two witnesses of Revelation chapter 11 are actually multiple witnesses that witness today and will witness throughout the thousand-year reign of the saints to establish the matter and leave no opportunity for flesh to say, ‘”We didn’t know, Lord, if only you had witnessed to us, we would not have taken of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, or slain Abel…or, or, or.”

Deu 19:15  One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.

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. 
Rev 11:4  These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. 
Rev 11:5  And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.

2Ki 17:14  Notwithstanding they would not hear, but hardened their necks, like to the neck of their fathers, that did not believe in the LORD their God.
2Ki 17:15  And they rejected his statutes, and his covenant that he made with their fathers, and his testimonies which he testified against them; and they followed vanity, and became vain, and went after the heathen that were round about them, concerning whom the LORD had charged them, that they should not do like them. 
2Ki 17:16  And they left all the commandments of the LORD their God, and made them molten images, even two calves, and made a grove, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served Baal. 
2Ki 17:17  And they caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, and used divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.

The natural status of flesh is to do what is written in these verses (2Ki 17:14-17), and as God tells us to do one thing, we do the opposite and don’t listen, as our necks get stiffer, and our hearts are darkened due to that sin which brings about disbelief and spiritual bondage (Rom 7:19-20, Luk 11:35). The opposite is to believe and do the work of God with the faith of Christ working in us, which is a gift from God (Joh 6:28-29, Php 2:12-13).

Rom 7:19  For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
Rom 7:20  Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

Luk 11:35  Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness.

Joh 6:28  Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
Joh 6:29  Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

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.

This unbelief and sin in our life leads to our rejecting His covenant and brings us to fill that void in our life with vain practices of the heathen. We leave the commandments of the LORD and make molten images, the “two calves, and made a grove, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served Baal“, which represent for us today the ways of the heathen we are not to learn (Jer 10:2). 

Jer 10:2  Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. 

We especially provoke God to anger when we do this: “And they caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, and used divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger,” which typifies for us today our keeping and teaching the lies of Baal or Babylon to our children.

2Ki 17:18  Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel, and removed them out of his sight: there was none left but the tribe of Judah only. 
2Ki 17:19  Also Judah kept not the commandments of the LORD their God, but walked in the statutes of Israel which they made. 
2Ki 17:20  And the LORD rejected all the seed of Israel, and afflicted them, and delivered them into the hand of spoilers, until he had cast them out of his sight.
2Ki 17:21  For he rent Israel from the house of David; and they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king: and Jeroboam drave Israel from following the LORD, and made them sin a great sin. 
2Ki 17:22  For the children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they departed not from them;
2Ki 17:23  Until the LORD removed Israel out of his sight, as he had said by all his servants the prophets. So was Israel carried away out of their own land to Assyria unto this day.

After all of that rebellion we are told about, we are told that “the LORD was very angry with Israel, and removed them out of his sight: there was none left but the tribe of Judah only.” Our natural retort to God for that anger against us would be to say: “Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?”

There is more witness against us in the next verse: “Also Judah kept not the commandments of the LORD their God, but walked in the statutes of Israel which they made“, meaning the whole body is sick from head to foot, and there is none righteous. So God declares to us, if we are able to receive it, “Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?”

Rom 9:18  Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.
Rom 9:19  Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?
Rom 9:20  Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?

Throughout the scriptures we are reminded of the rejection of the first man Adam and how flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, and that only a very few, a remnant will be dragged through the fiery trials in this age to one day free all of humanity from the bondage of sin (Oba 1:21). It looks hopeless from the fleshly point of view, and indeed it is without the faith of Christ within us which helps us believe that our present suffering is not worthy to be compared with the glory that will be revealed (Rom 8:18). Many times, we are told “unto this day.” “So was Israel carried away out of their own land to Assyria unto this day“, reminding us that the witness against flesh being enmity against God is an is, was and will be event, and will be until all enemies are put under His feet. God’s elect will fear and want to avoid that sorer punishment in the lake of fire spoken of in Hebrews 10:29, knowing that we are going to have to die daily and be armed with the mind of Christ and endure through much suffering in this life in order to inherit the kingdom of God and avoid that punishment.

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

In closing we are told in these verses (Eph 5:1-8) what we can now do through Christ for the rest of our lives, and Lord willing, we will be these dear children spoken of in these last verses who present themselves as “an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour” as Christ did himself.

Eph 5:1  Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; 
Eph 5:2  And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
Eph 5:3  But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; 
Eph 5:4  Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. 
Eph 5:5  For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
Eph 5:6  Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. 
Eph 5:7  Be not ye therefore partakers with them.
Eph 5:8  For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: 

Exo 25:23-40  Instructions About the Making of the Table of Shewbread and the Golden Candlestick

[Study Aired October 17, 2022]

Exo 25:23  Thou shalt also make a table of shittim wood: two cubits shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof. 
Exo 25:24  And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, and make thereto a crown of gold round about. 
Exo 25:25  And thou shalt make unto it a border of an hand breadth round about, and thou shalt make a golden crown to the border thereof round about. 
Exo 25:26  And thou shalt make for it four rings of gold, and put the rings in the four corners that are on the four feet thereof. 
Exo 25:27  Over against the border shall the rings be for places of the staves to bear the table. 
Exo 25:28  And thou shalt make the staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, that the table may be borne with them. 
Exo 25:29  And thou shalt make the dishes thereof, and spoons thereof, and covers thereof, and bowls thereof, to cover withal: of pure gold shalt thou make them.
Exo 25:30  And thou shalt set upon the table shewbread before me always. 
Exo 25:31  And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, shall be of the same. 
Exo 25:32  And six branches shall come out of the sides of it; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side:
Exo 25:33  Three bowls made like unto almonds, with a knop and a flower in one branch; and three bowls made like almonds in the other branch, with a knop and a flower: so in the six branches that come out of the candlestick.
Exo 25:34  And in the candlestick shall be four bowls made like unto almonds, with their knops and their flowers. 
Exo 25:35  And there shall be a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, according to the six branches that proceed out of the candlestick. 
Exo 25:36  Their knops and their branches shall be of the same: all it shall be one beaten work of pure gold. 
Exo 25:37  And thou shalt make the seven lamps thereof: and they shall light the lamps thereof, that they may give light over against it. 
Exo 25:38  And the tongs thereof, and the snuff dishes thereof, shall be of pure gold.
Exo 25:39  Of a talent of pure gold shall he make it, with all these vessels.
Exo 25:40  And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount.

Introduction

Part One – What does the Table of Shewbread Signify?

The last part of Exodus chapter 25 focuses on instructions regarding the making of the Table of Shewbread and the Golden Candlestick. To appreciate today’s study better, we need to understand spiritually what the Table for Bread or the Shewbread and the Golden Candlestick signify. 

The Table for Bread or Shewbread is located on the right (North) side of the Holy Place within the Tabernacle. The primary purpose of the Table was to hold the Shewbread which was set before the Lord. Every Sabbath, the priests would replace the loaves from the previous week with a new batch of bread. Twelve loaves of bread were arranged into two rows of six, and these loaves represented the twelve tribes of Israel. 

Lev 24:5  And thou shalt take fine flour, and bake twelve cakes thereof: two tenth deals shall be in one cake. 
Lev 24:6  And thou shalt set them in two rows, six on a row, upon the pure table before the LORD. 
Lev 24:7  And thou shalt put pure frankincense upon each row, that it may be on the bread for a memorial, even an offering made by fire unto the LORD. 
Lev 24:8  Every sabbath he shall set it in order before the LORD continually, being taken from the children of Israel by an everlasting covenant. 
Lev 24:9  And it shall be Aaron’s and his sons’; and they shall eat it in the holy place: for it is most holy unto him of the offerings of the LORD made by fire by a perpetual statute.

The Shewbread represents our Lord Jesus Christ who is the bread of heaven or the heavenly manna. 

Joh 6:32  Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. 
Joh 6:33  For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. 
Joh 6:34  Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. 
Joh 6:35  And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

Apart from the Shewbread, other items placed on ‘the table for shewbread’ are vessels of plates, dishes, jars and bowls. The plates and the dishes were likely used to hold the frankincense. The jars and bowls were apparently used for offering.

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:

The plates, dishes, jars and bowls symbolize the elect as shown in the following verse:

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.

A Table is used often in the Bible to indicate where people gather to eat as shown by the following verses: 

2Sa 9:11  Then said Ziba unto the king, According to all that my lord the king hath commanded his servant, so shall thy servant do. As for Mephibosheth, said the king, he shall eat at my table, as one of the king’s sons.

1Ki 2:7  But shew kindness unto the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be of those that eat at thy table: for so they came to me when I fled because of Absalom thy brother.

The Table of the Shewbread is not different – it is where the priests eat the Shewbread in the presence of the Lord. Aaron and his sons, representing the priesthood, were those alone privileged to eat the bread in the presence of the Lord in a holy place every Sabbath day. Aaron and his sons symbolize the elect who are privileged to eat the bread of heaven, that is, the words of the Lord in the presence of the Lord. So, the Lord’s commandment for Moses to make a Table for Shewbread is to show us how the Lord prepares us to be given eyes to see and ears to hear. 

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.

The Lord dining with His disciples, (called the Lord’s supper) when He was about to die, while on earth is a foreshadow of our being fed with the word of the Lord in His presence. 

Part Two – What Does the Golden Candlestick Signify?

One of the most important items within the Holy place is the golden candlestick or lampstand.  It consisted of a shaft and the branches. On the ends of the branches there were lamps. Finally, there was the oil for the lamps. There was no natural light in the tabernacle, and therefore the light from the candlestick was what enabled the priest to perform his duties before God. The following verses makes the spiritual significance of the golden candlestick obvious:

Rev 1:12  And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; 

Rev 1:20  The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.

The golden candlestick symbolizes the church of the firstborn. The shaft from which comes the branches is a symbol of Christ just as the vine represents Christ and the branches symbolize us. The oil which runs through the shaft and the branches represents the Holy Spirit. 

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

As stated earlier, there was no natural light in the tabernacle and therefore the light from the candlestick was what enabled the priest to perform his duties before God. Part of our study today is to look at the instructions given to Moses as to how to construct the golden candlestick. What this means is that today’s study is to show us how, as the church of the firstborn, we are to mature or become the light of the world. 

Mat 5:14  Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 
Mat 5:15  Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 
Mat 5:16  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. 

Let’s start our study today with how the table of the shewbread is constructed as follows:

Instructions About the Making of the Table of Shewbread

Exo 25:23  Thou shalt also make a table of shittim wood: two cubits shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof. 

As we have stated in the previous study, the shittah tree, from which shittim wood is made, grows wild in the Sinai desert and the Jordan River valley. Growing wild means that it is not planted and taken care of by man. In other words, it is not the work of man. If we are to be given ears to hear and eyes to see like Christ, then we need to know that from the beginning until our maturity it is all the work of God – not man. The measurement given of the Table is to make us aware that to be given eyes to see and ears to hear entails being constantly measured to see if we have obtained the standards of Christ. This means that we are constantly being judged to conform to the standards of Christ. All those who are not measured are not part of the commonwealth of Israel or His elect. They belong to the Gentiles!!  

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 11:2  But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.

Exo 25:24  And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, and make thereto a crown of gold round about.
Exo 25:25  And thou shalt make unto it a border of an hand breadth round about, and thou shalt make a golden crown to the border thereof round about.

Overlaying the Table with gold means that to be privileged to eat at the Lord’s Table requires us to be refined just like gold refined in the fire. This is the judgment of our old man which brings us to learn righteousness. 

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

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

Isa 26:8  Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee. 
Isa 26:9  With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

A simpler rendition of verse 24 and 25 is as follows:

Exo 25:24  You shall overlay it with pure gold and make a molding of gold around it. 
Exo 25:25  And you shall make a rim around it a handbreadth wide, and a molding of gold around the rim. 

The molding of gold, together with the rim round about the table, was to support it so that nothing which was placed on the table would fall down. As we indicated in the introductory section, what was placed on the Table were the Shewbread and the vessels for frankincense and offering, which spiritually represent the word of the Lord and the elect. As our understanding is being enlightened and our eyes are seeing, we are kept by the word of His power which is represented here by the gold molding and the rim roundabout the table.

Heb 1:3  He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

Exo 25:26  And thou shalt make for it four rings of gold, and put the rings in the four corners that are on the four feet thereof.
Exo 25:27  Over against the border shall the rings be for places of the staves to bear the table.
Exo 25:28  And thou shalt make the staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, that the table may be borne with them.

In Ezekiel chapter 1, the living creatures, who represent the elect, have wheels which are rings full of eyes. These living creatures represent the elect. The four cast rings of gold are therefore the elect who are placed in every corner of the earth even as the Lord fills the earth. The number four means the whole of all the elect scattered over the four corners of the earth. 

Eze 1:15  Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures, with his four faces. 
Eze 1:16  The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the colour of a beryl: and they four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel. 
Eze 1:17  When they went, they went upon their four sides: and they turned not when they went. 
Eze 1:18  As for their rings, they were so high that they were dreadful; and their rings were full of eyes round about them four. 

Rev 7:1  And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.

The staves are long rods of wood which pass through the rings to make it easier to carry the table such that the table is preserved. The function of the staves suggests that spiritually, they represent the spirit of the Lord which helps us bear Christ wherever we go. These staves are made from shittim wood and therefore are not of man’s origin but the Lord. The staves placed in the rings means the promise of the comforter being within us to lead us into all truth so that we, His elect, can have the mind of Christ (shewbread) and therefore continue the feasting wherever we go.

Exo 25:29  And thou shalt make the dishes thereof, and spoons thereof, and covers thereof, and bowls thereof, to cover withal: of pure gold shalt thou make them. 

As indicated earlier, the dishes, spoons, covers, and bowls all represent the elect. 

2Ti 2:20  Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. 
2Ti 2:21  Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.

The utensils were to be made of gold which means that they have to be refined as gold through the fire. This is the judgment of our old man.

Rev 3:18  I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.

Isa 48:10  Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction.

These utensils are used for holding frankincense and for offering. As we are aware, we are to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to the Lord. The prayers of the elect are signified by the frankincense.

Rev 8:3  And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne,
Rev 8:4  and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel.

Rom 12:1  I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
Rom 12:2  Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Exo 25:30  And thou shalt set upon the table shewbread before me always. 

This verse is another way of saying the word of the Lord should not depart from our mouth and that we should meditate on it day and night.

Jos 1:8  This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

Instructions About the Making of the Candelstick

Exo 25:31  And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, shall be of the same.
Exo 25:32  And six branches shall come out of the sides of it; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side: 
Exo 25:33  Three bowls made like unto almonds, with a knop and a flower in one branch; and three bowls made like almonds in the other branch, with a knop and a flower: so in the six branches that come out of the candlestick.

The candlestick must be made of pure gold and of beaten work. What this is telling us is that the church of Christ consists of those who are like gold beaten to assume any shape through the process of melting through heat. This means that it is through our fiery trials (heat) the Lord can make us become part of the church of the firstborn like Him.

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

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

As indicated in the introductory section, the shaft represents Christ, and the branches symbolize the elect and they are all ‘beaten work’ of gold. There are three branches on each side of the shaft, and for each branch, there are three decorative almond blossoms (bowls). Where each pair of branches comes out from the shaft or stem, there must also be a decorative almond blossom. 

The fact that there must be three decorative almond blossoms on each branch is to make us aware that it is through judgment that we blossom or mature to produce fruits (almond). In other words, being given to partake of the Lord’s words (shewbread) is through our fiery trials which causes us to produce fruits (almond). That is when our light will shine before men so that they see our good works and therefore glorify our Father in Heaven.

Num 17:8  And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds. 

Mat 5:14  Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 
Mat 5:15  Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 
Mat 5:16  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Exo 25:34  And in the candlestick shall be four bowls made like unto almonds, with their knops and their flowers. 
Exo 25:35  And there shall be a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, according to the six branches that proceed out of the candlestick. 
Exo 25:36  Their knops and their branches shall be of the same: all it shall be one beaten work of pure gold. 

A simpler rendition of these verses are as follows:

Exo 25:33  There are to be three decorative almond blossoms on each branch 
Exo 25:34  and four on the stem. 
Exo 25:35  There must also be a blossom where each pair of branches comes out from the stem. 
Exo 25:36  The lampstand, including its branches and decorative flowers, must be made from a single piece of hammered pure gold. (CEV)

As we have indicated, the shaft or the stem is Christ who has four of the decorative almond blossoms. This is to demonstrate that it is through Christ that the whole (the meaning of the number four) of the elect becomes mature. The pairing of the branches together with a blossom on each pair is to show us that we become witnesses of Christ as we mature. The lampstand, its branches and the decorative flowers being all made from one beaten work of pure gold is to bring to our attention that even as our Jesus Christ matured through the things He suffered, we are also to mature through our fiery trials in order to become the light of the world.

Heb 5:5  So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, today have I begotten thee.
Heb 5:6  As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
Heb 5:7  Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; 
Heb 5:8  Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; 
Heb 5:9  And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; 
Heb 5:10  Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.

Exo 25:37  And thou shalt make the seven lamps thereof: and they shall light the lamps thereof, that they may give light over against it.

The seven lamps refer to the complete number of the elect from every generation. Verse 37 states the purpose of the candlestick – that is, to give light to the space in front of it in the Holy place. What is insightful to note is the fact that the light given by the candlestick is not seen outside the Holy place. It is to give light for the priest to perform his duty. In this dispensation, although we are the light of the world, we are not seen that way by many (the world). It is only the elect who see our light and use it to perform their duty – that is, live a life worthy of the Lord. This light is the word of the Lord which is the light for our path. Paul sums up our being beaten like the work of gold in order to give light as follows:

2Co 4:7  But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.
2Co 4:8  We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 
2Co 4:9  persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 
2Co 4:10  always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies (providing light for the priest to function).
2Co 4:11  For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

The reason the world (including Babylon) does not see this light of the elect is because they do not know the Lord.

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

As He is, so are we. Although our Lord Jesus Christ was the light of the world, the world did not recognize His light.

Joh 1:6  There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
Joh 1:7  The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light (Jesus Christ), that all men through him might believe. 
Joh 1:8  He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light (Jesus Christ). 
Joh 1:9  That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. 
Joh 1:10  He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 
Joh 1:11  He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

Exo 25:38  And the tongs thereof, and the snuff dishes thereof, shall be of pure gold.
Exo 25:39  Of a talent of pure gold shall he make it, with all these vessels.

The tongs and the trays used for the lamps are to be made of pure gold. In summary, the lampstand and all its equipment must be made of gold. Being made of gold means that it is the true doctrine of Christ which establishes everything in the House of God including the elect. 

Pro 25:11  A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.

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

The pattern that we are to model everything after is Christ and His words. This is because it is in Him that everything is sustained. Without Him everything falls apart.

Heb 1:1  God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 
Heb 1:2  Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; 
Heb 1:3  Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; 

May the Lord be merciful to us to be found in Him and to be upheld by the word of His power. Amen!!

Gospels In Harmony – The Ten Virgins

Mat 25:1-13

[Study Aired August 31, 2021]

Mat 25:1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
Mat 25:2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
Mat 25:3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
Mat 25:4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
Mat 25:5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
Mat 25:6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
Mat 25:7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
Mat 25:8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
Mat 25:9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
Mat 25:10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
Mat 25:11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
Mat 25:12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
Mat 25:13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

In this study Christ is continuing to speak in parables about the kingdom of God and His return. The parable is about what is within each of us. We are the ten virgins being prepared as the bride of Christ. Here is the first verses.

Mat 25:1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
Mat 25:2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.

The ten virgins are us when Christ first enters our hearts and minds, ten having the spiritual significance of the completeness of the flesh. In our last study, Christ said the coming of the Son of man is like the days of Noah. Noah was the tenth generation, and at that time all mankind were killed, and only eight remained. Here is the link to the study of Numbers in Scripture – “Ten = Completeness of The Flesh” which also shows us the meaning of the two fives mentioned in this parable. Here is the link to the study which shows us the number ten is 5 (grace through faith) twice (first and second resurrections). This also represents the many called and few chosen and the old man and new man within.

Their lamps hold the oil that is fuel for the light. The lamp represents our mind and heart. The oil represents the holy spirit by which we are annointed. When the oil is touched by fire, which represents judgment, light is produced. The light represents the truth, and the bridegroom represents Christ. The lamp is made of copper and represents us as being carnal babes in Christ, the best flesh has to offer and the necessity of copper in bringing us to Christ. Here are study links for Base metals in scriptures: Copper, Part 1;
Copper, Part 2; and Copper, Part 3. Also, here is a link to showing us what oil represents in scripture What is Oil in Scripture.

Now here is the difference between the foolish and the wise.

Mat 25:3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
Mat 25:4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
Mat 25:5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
Mat 25:6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.

The foolish took no oil, therefore being called to meet the bridegroom, they came unprepared, which means they were called but not given the spirit. This is how we are in Babylon. The wise, on the other hand, came prepared having been given the spirit but are yet carnal babes in Christ until the cry is made and they are awakened. We do not know the hour the cry will come so we must always be prepared. Of course, it is the Lord Who prepares the heart.

Pro 16:1 The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the LORD.

We are called to go into Babylon, next we are chosen to come out of Babylon, and finally we are given to endure until the end.

Mat 25:7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.

The ten virgins who arose and trimmed their lamps represent receiving knowledge of the work which must be done to enter into the kingdom of Heaven. Being called as one of the ten virgins and trimming their lamps is where most “Christians” are today. Here is where they are.

Mat 25:8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.

The foolish virgins are able to trim their lamps but cannot produce any light because their lamps are gone out. This tells us that they do not believe what they have been told and that is judgment begins at the house of God. Not only this but they do not except that there is any judgment to begin with. The reason they do not believe this is because they are not given any oil. Their wick is lit, but it extinguishes immediately. The foolish take the word of God and twist it to mean something totally different. Here is an example.

Luk 6:37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:
Luk 6:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

The Christians of the world are given to believe they will not face judgment. The reason they believe this is because they have no oil. The spirit is not in them.

Next the wise tell them what they must do.

Mat 25:9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

The wise know that they are not to share their oil and tell them to go on their way. The wise also know that if they were to give up any oil, their own lamps would go out. Their lamps are lit in the middle of the night, and they must stay lit until the fullness of the daylight comes. This represents our time being in these bodies of flesh until the redemption of the purchased possession.

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.

The foolish go away to buy the oil they lack and miss out on the bridegroom coming.

Mat 25:10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.

The door being shut symbolizes the division between the many called and few chosen, the old man and the new man, and those in the first resurrection and the second. These two groups are separated by Christ either knowing them or not knowing them.

Mat 25:11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
Mat 25:12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

What does this mean? Christ says, “I know you not” because they were not prepared and then gives us the following warning.

Mat 25:13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

Being called, chosen and faithful is the only way we can enter into the kingdom of Heaven. We must be given to be diligent in all we do until the end of our walking in these bodies of flesh. In the beginning we are the five virgins who have empty lamps that are turned away and eventually destroyed. If we endure until the end, we are the five virgins that have lamps full of oil and are able to have light throughout the night. Christ is our light, and as he is, so are we in this world.

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

Psa 119:105 NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

Pro 13:9 The light of the righteous rejoiceth: but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.

We hold the lamp (word/doctrines of Christ) in our hearts and minds.

Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Joh 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Joh 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
Joh 3:20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
Joh 3:21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

1Jn 4:15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
1Jn 4:16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
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.

Rev 17:14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

I have used the following scriptures in several studies, but it is a warning we must have continually.

2Pe 3:14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
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.

Jdg 13:15-25 We Shall Surely Die, for We Have Seen God

[Study Aired July 5, 2021]

Jdg 13:15  And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, I pray thee, let us detain thee, until we shall have made ready a kid for thee. 
Jdg 13:16  And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Though thou detain me, I will not eat of thy bread: and if thou wilt offer a burnt offering, thou must offer it unto the LORD. For Manoah knew not that he was an angel of the LORD. 
Jdg 13:17  And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, What is thy name, that when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee honour? 
Jdg 13:18  And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret? 
Jdg 13:19  So Manoah took a kid with a meat offering, and offered it upon a rock unto the LORD: and the angel did wondrously; and Manoah and his wife looked on. 
Jdg 13:20  For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from off the altar, that the angel of the LORD ascended in the flame of the altar. And Manoah and his wife looked on it, and fell on their faces to the ground. 
Jdg 13:21  But the angel of the LORD did no more appear to Manoah and to his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was an angel of the LORD. 
Jdg 13:22  And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen God. 
Jdg 13:23  But his wife said unto him, If the LORD were pleased to kill us, he would not have received a burnt offering and a meat offering at our hands, neither would he have shewed us all these things, nor would as at this time have told us such things as these. 
Jdg 13:24  And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson: and the child grew, and the LORD blessed him. 
Jdg 13:25  And the Spirit of the LORD began to move him at times in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol. 

The first part of Judges Chapter 13 focuses on the encounter of an angel of the Lord with the wife of Manoah concerning the birth of a child who was to be born a Nazarite from birth. The angel also gave instructions about what must be done to give birth to the child. Here the woman was advised not to drink wine nor strong drink nor eat an unclean thing. Spiritually speaking, to be advised not to drink wine or strong drink is being warned to avoid taking in false doctrines which will make us unable to bring forth a son – the new man!! Unclean thing also signifies false doctrines which comes from spiritually dead children of God. It can also imply unrighteousness as follows:

Lev 20:21  And if a man shall take his brother’s wife, it is an unclean thing: he hath uncovered his brother’s nakedness; they shall be childless.

So if we want to give birth to the new man, then we must avoid taking in false doctrines and live righteously!!

Today’s study continues with the encounter with the angel of the Lord and the birth of a son called Sampson.

Jdg 13:15  And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, I pray thee, let us detain thee, until we shall have made ready a kid for thee. 

Usually, when we have an encounter with the Lord, we want to preserve the experience. For example, there are times that the Holy Spirit brings us inexplicable joy or we are miraculously provided for or protected.  We think we can preserve this experience of anointing by doing something for the Lord. The same thing happened to Peter when he was with our Lord Jesus Christ when He was transfigured and saw Jesus talking to Moses and Elijah. This is what ensued:

Mat 17:3  And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. 
Mat 17:4  Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. 
Mat 17:5  While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. 

So here our Lord Jesus was telling Peter that what is most important in our walk with Christ is not what we do, but hearing His voice. In other words, when our eyes begin to see and our ears begin to hear, that is the ultimate experience we can have with our Lord Jesus Christ.

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.

Jdg 13:16  And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Though thou detain me, I will not eat of thy bread: and if thou wilt offer a burnt offering, thou must offer it unto the LORD. For Manoah knew not that he was an angel of the LORD.

When we do not know the Lord, just as Manoah did not know the angel of the Lord, we think that we can please the Lord by what we do. Here in verse 16, however, the Lord told Manoah that He will not eat of his bread, which means that He is not interested in our works when we do not know Him. We also used to think like Manoah that we must offer something to God. All over the world, people are offering praise and worship, building exotic churches, evangelizing the world, praying and fasting for forty days, etc. However, none of these things is what the Lord requires if we do not know Him intimately through His words. The Lord calls all these works we do when we do not know Him as works of iniquity.

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.

What the Lord required of Manoah was a burnt offering to the Lord. The traditional burnt offering by Israel was carried out using a bull, sheep, or goat; a male with no defect. These animals were killed at the entrance to the tabernacle. The animal’s blood was drained, and the priest sprinkled blood around the altar. The animal was skinned and cut into pieces, the intestines and legs washed, and the priest burned the pieces over the altar all night. A turtledove or pigeon could also be sacrificed, although they weren’t skinned. The smoke from the sacrifice ascended to God as “a soothing aroma to the LORD”.

Lev 1:9  But his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water: and the priest shall burn all on the altar, to be a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.

Our Lord Jesus Christ was the ultimate burnt offering for our sins. As He is, so are we here on earth. We, too, are being offered as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God. Offering our bodies as a living sacrifice means that we, too, must be without blemish. A vital ingredient in a burnt offering is the fire which consumes the flesh and causes smoke which is the sweet aroma to the Lord.  This fire is our judgment. We are first to be judged here on earth so that we will learn righteousness or become unblemished. It is this fire, or judgment, that burns down our flesh or the old man and causes us to offer a sweet aroma of smoke to the Lord. This is what the Lord requires, not what we, of ourselves, offer!!

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.

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

Jdg 13:17  And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, What is thy name, that when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee honour? 

This verse is to confirm to us the fact that Manoah did not know the Lord. That is why he was asking the angel of the Lord His name. He was not even sure whether what the angel was saying will come to pass. He was going to wait until what the angel said comes to pass before he honors the angel. That is not faith. Blessed are those who have not seen but yet believe!!

Joh 20:29  Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

As mentioned in the previous review, if we know Him intimately, then when we hear His voice. We do not need to ask who is speaking.

Joh 21:4  But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.
Joh 21:5  Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No.
Joh 21:6  And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.
Joh 21:7  Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher’s coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea. 
Joh 21:8  And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes.
Joh 21:9  As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread.
Joh 21:10  Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught.
Joh 21:11  Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.
Joh 21:12  Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord.

Joh 10:27  My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

Jdg 13:18  And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret?

This verse is the same as saying that we have a God who hides Himself from the world and reveals Himself to only a chosen few in this life!! The phrase “Seeing it is secret” means that the name is known to only those that our Lord chooses to reveal.

Isa 45:15  Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself, O God of Israel, the Saviour.

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.

Jdg 13:19  So Manoah took a kid with a meat offering, and offered it upon a rock unto the LORD: and the angel did wondrously; and Manoah and his wife looked on. 

As indicated earlier, the only way we can please the Lord is to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto the Lord. That is when we see our Lord Jesus do “wondrously” in our lives. Manoah and his wife looking on means that we are not partakers of what God is doing in our lives. It is the work of God alone, not us. Our victory is standing still to see the salvation of the Lord.

Exo 14:13  And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you today: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen today, ye shall see them again no more forever.
Exo 14:14  The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.

In the next verse, we shall explain what it means by the angel doing wondrously by what took place while offering the sacrifice to the Lord. In Darby’s version of this verse, he states that an amazing thing happened while the sacrifice was going on.

Jdg 13:19  So Manoah took a young goat over to a large rock he had chosen for an altar, and he built a fire on the rock. Then he killed the goat, and offered it with some grain as a sacrifice to the LORD. But then an amazing thing happened. (Darby)

Let’s now take a look at this amazing thing that happened!!

Jdg 13:20  For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from off the altar, that the angel of the LORD ascended in the flame of the altar. And Manoah and his wife looked on it, and fell on their faces to the ground. 

The flame here is the word of God which goes into our heavens to cleanse us of every false doctrine and all that offends. As this cleansing work of the word of God is going on in our lives, that is when we see Christ rise up in our heart (the angel of the Lord ascended in the flames).

Joh 15:3  Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 

2Pe 1:19  We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

The light that shines in dark place in 1 Peter 1:19 is the cleansing flame of the altar, which is the word of God which results in the day star (Christ) rising in our hearts. This is the wondrous work that Jesus Christ, the angel of the Lord, does in our lives as we watch this spectacle just like Manoah and his wife. The fact that Manoah and his wife were watching this display means that they have no part to play in this wondrous work of the Lord. We all can only stand and see the salvation of the Lord. We are too weak to help ourselves. All the work of salvation is of the Lord.  We play no part in it but only accept this work with grateful heart.

Psa 107:8  Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
Psa 107:9  For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.
Psa 107:10  Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron; 
Psa 107:11  Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High:
Psa 107:12  Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help.
Psa 107:13  Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses. 
Psa 107:14  He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder.
Psa 107:15  Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

Manoah and his wife falling on their faces as they saw this wondrous work by the angel of the Lord is the same as worshiping the Lord or showing gratitude for what God was doing.  We, too, must show exceeding gratefulness for how far God has brought us through this wondrous work of the Lord. Each one of us has a reason to praise the Lord in spite of our circumstance. For we brought nothing into this world and we cannot carry anything out of this world.

1Ti 6:7  For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
1Ti 6:8  And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

“We brought nothing into this world” can spiritually be interpreted as having no part to play in this work of salvation while we live in this world. Carrying nothing out means that when we die spiritually, we leave behind everything that is of the world within us behind which is this wonderful work of the Lord we are discussing. “Having food and raiment” means being fed by the word of the Lord which produces the righteousness of Christ in us. That is what we need to be satisfied with in this life irrespective of our circumstances. Let us all, therefore, with gratefulness of heart say to the Lord like the Psalmist:

Psa 34:1 I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
Psa 34:2  My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.
Psa 34:3  O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.
Psa 34:4  I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.
Psa 34:5  They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed.
Psa 34:6  This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.
Psa 34:7  The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.
Psa 34:8  O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

Jdg 13:21  But the angel of the LORD did no more appear to Manoah and to his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was an angel of the LORD.

It is surprising that it was when the angel of the Lord ceased to appear before Manoah and his wife that Manoah perceived his encounter was indeed with the angel of the Lord. When Jesus was on earth, he told his disciples that it was expedient that he went away. What our Lord Jesus was implying was that his physical presence with the disciples was even a hindrance to their growth spiritually. The benefits of Christ going away for us as his elect are spelled out in the following scriptures:

Joh 16:5  But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou?
Joh 16:6  But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart.
Joh 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
Joh 16:8  And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
Joh 16:9  Of sin, because they believe not on me;
Joh 16:10  Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;
Joh 16:11  Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
Joh 16:12  I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
Joh 16:13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

So the angel not appearing to Manoah and his wife again was advantageous for them to know the Lord. It was in the absence of the physical presence of the angel of the Lord that Manoah perceived that they have indeed had an encounter with the Lord of Hosts. That is what it means when the Lord said to Thomas that blessed are those who have not seen but yet believe.

Joh 20:29  Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

We, too, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, are being ushered into all truth to know who the angel of the Lord is (Jesus Christ). We do not need any apparition to authenticate the presence of the Lord in our lives. As long as our eyes are seeing and our ears are hearing who the angel of the Lord (Jesus Christ) is, we have fellowship with our Lord Jesus and our Father and we are most blessed!!

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.

1Jn 1:3  That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

Jdg 13:22  And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen God.

This verse means that we must go through the dying process of the old man or the flesh before we can see God or get to know the Lord Jesus Christ.  For whosoever has seen God or claims to know God must have been died, or in the process of dying to the flesh. 

Exo 33:20  And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.

This death is through the process of judgment. The story of the raising up of Lazarus from death is to give us insight into why we should die before we can see the Lord. When we do not know the Lord, we are spiritually dead like the death of Lazarus. Being spiritually dead means being under the dominion of the flesh. It is just like being bound hand and foot with our face covered by a napkin and a stone covering our tomb. The stone covering our tomb prevents light from reaching us.  So also is the covering of napkin which prevents us from seeing Christ. It is only when we die to the flesh and are resurrected by our Lord Jesus Christ that all that bids us, including the stone and the napkin that covers our face, are set loose or removed.  It is then that we can see the Lord Jesus clearly. So without dying, there is no way that we can see Christ.

Joh 11:14  Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.
Joh 11:15  And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him. 
Joh 11:16  Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellow disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.
Joh 11:41  Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.

Joh 11:43  And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.
Joh 11:44  And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.

Jdg 13:23  But his wife said unto him, If the LORD were pleased to kill us, he would not have received a burnt offering and a meat offering at our hands, neither would he have shewed us all these things, nor would as at this time have told us such things as these.

This verse is assuring us that we haven’t come this far in our walk with Christ for Him to abort or kill our dream of knowing Him. No!! He Who has started with us is able to bring us to completion. Here the verse mentioned two things that should assure us that our Lord will fulfill that which He has started.

The first thing mentioned is that of the receipt of the burnt and meat offering by the Lord. This means that we should focus on offering our bodies as living sacrifices holy and acceptable to God. Offering our bodies this way means we are not conforming to this world, but rather we are being transformed by the renewing of our mind by the word of God. That is the only way we can know the will of God.

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

The second thing that was said in verse 23 is that if the Lord wanted to kill them (Manoah and his wife), He would not have shown them things concerning the birth of their son and how to raise him. What we are being told here is that as long as we are seeing and hearing the word of the Lord concerning the birth of the new man in our lives, we should be rest assured that God will finish His work in us.

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.

Jdg 13:24  And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson: and the child grew, and the LORD blessed him.

The son born to Manoah and his wife is the new man after the image of Christ. This new man comes only when we start the dying process. According to Strong, “Sampson” means sunlight. The coming of this new man is when the light of the glorious gospel of Christ shines on us.

2Co 4:6  For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
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.

As the old man continues to die, the new man continues to grow, and we are therefore blessed.

Jdg 13:25  And the Spirit of the LORD began to move him at times in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.

Before we can understand what the spirit is saying in this verse, we need to know the meaning of the two places mentioned in this verse – Zorah and Eshtaol. According to Strong, “Zorah” means a type of wasp called a hornet. In the scriptures, there are only two places that the word “hornet” are used, and it was in relation to the defeat of the enemies of Israel as follows:

Deu 7:20  Moreover the LORD thy God will send the hornet among them, until they that are left, and hide themselves from thee, be destroyed.

Jos 24:12  And I sent the hornet before you, which drave them out from before you, even the two kings of the Amorites; but not with thy sword, nor with thy bow.

The name “Eshtaol” means to enquire, pray or request. The camp of Dan here refers to the assembly of the elect. So what we are being told in verse 25 is that while we are in the church of the elect (the camp of Dan), the word of God (the Spirit of the Lord) causes us to defeat our enemies within and to pray.

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. 

Joh 16:23  And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. 
Joh 16:24  Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

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