The Spiritual Significance of the Color Green – Part 3

Exo 15:23  And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah.
Exo 15:24  And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?

This bitter water will kill you. The false doctrines of the world will kill you. Israel is green. They are being worked with by God. They knew this water was killing them and cried out for God’s intervention.

Exo 15:25  And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them,

What did He prove about them? He proved they didn’t have any faith. To ‘prove’ someone is to show what they are. God already knows what we are. He is proving us to ourselves.

Lev 27:30  And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD’S: it is holy unto the LORD.

The tree which the Lord showed Moses, which made the waters sweet, signifies Christ as our healer and deliverer. If you are beginning to get the picture here, you can now see trees can signify men. It is we who should give shade to those babes in Christ who cannot yet stay long in the Sun. We don’t just dump all the meat of God’s word on an immature Christian. Everything we are and have is the Lord’s, and the Lord teaches us as we are able to hear it.

Mar 4:33  And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it.
Mar 4:34  But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.

Deu 21:22  And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree:
Deu 21:23  His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.

These scriptures are telling us that we are guilty of the death of Christ. It is through the curse of Christ hanging on the tree that we are purified.

It does seem contradictory that someone who has done nothing worthy of death is accursed of God. It is through dying, rotting flesh that life comes. It seems to be the exact opposite of what would be true, but that’s the way God has ordained it.

Deu 24:20  When thou beatest thine olive tree, thou shalt not go over the boughs again: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow.

The olive trees were beaten to make the olives drop for harvest, but some were to be left on the trees for the needy.

What is that verse telling us? It is saying that all we have is of God, and we give our lives in service to God, but in so doing we serve our fellow man. You serve God when you serve your brother.

Jdg 9:8  The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us.

This parable is being put forth by the only remaining son of Gideon, who was also called Jerubbaal and who had judged Israel and delivered them from the Midianites.

Israel had been vasty outnumbered by the Midianites, but God led 300 of Gideon’s men to conquer a huge number of Midianites when He put such fear into them at the sound of Gideon’s men blowing their horns that they thought they were under attack in the night and ended up killing each other. The spoil of gold became Gideon’s, which made him a wealthy man. As polygamy was allowed under the old covenant, Gideon ended up with 70 sons.

One of these sons was born to Gideon by a concubine. That son was named Abimelech, and Abimelech decided that he wanted to be king of Israel and he declared himself king. He talked his mother and family into ‘campaigning’ for his kingship. Afterward he killed all his brothers except for the youngest, Jotham, who hid himself and gave us this parable as a warning to his overly ambitious brother, Abimelech:

Jdg 9:8  The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us.
Jdg 9:9  But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honour God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?

This verse tells us what God means by the ‘green olive tree’ (Psa 52:8, Jer 11:16). This olive tree signifies men who honor God and man with their fruit and their oil, signifying their fidelity to the Lord’s words and His doctrines.

Jdg 9:10  And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us.
Jdg 9:11  But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees?

Figs taste good. In the old days they were like eating candy.

Jdg 9:12  Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us.
Jdg 9:13  And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?

How does wine cheer God? Does God need wine to be cheered up? Christ said the cup of wine represented the new testament. God does not need to be cheered up, nevertheless it does please Him when we are obedient to His words and His doctrines, and He expresses that pleasure with the words “wine, which cheers God and man”.

Luk 22:19 And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.
Luk 22:20 Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.

Finally, the trees come to the bramble, and it takes them up on it.

Jdg 9:14  Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us.
Jdg 9:15  And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and put your trust in my shadow: and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.

The bramble represents Abimelech who wanted to be king over Israel. He was a lowly briar which thought to rule over the cedars of Lebanon. What was the fire that destroyed the trees?

The ‘fire’ signified a civil war in Shechem. Abimelech’s own people turned on him and killed him. That’s the definition of fire in this particular story. Fire burns every tree and bramble in its way.

What you should see in all of this is that trees are men. Different trees represent different stages in our growth. Even in the new testament this is made known to us.

Mar 8:22  And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him. [We all first come to Christ spiritually blind.]
Mar 8:23  And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought.
Mar 8:24  And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking.
Mar 8:25  After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly. [God makes us to understand His word and His will more clearly as we mature in our knowledge of Him.]

We are told how to judge a person…by their fruits, signifying their actions. Christ is not talking about literal trees.

Mat 7:16  Ye shall know them [false prophets] by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Mat 7:17  Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
Mat 7:18  A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Mat 7:19  Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
Mat 7:20  Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Trees as Types of God’s Elect

Jer 11:19  But I was like a lamb or an ox that is brought to the slaughter; and I knew not that they had devised devices against me, saying, Let us destroy the tree with the fruit thereof, and let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be no more remembered.

Psa 1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
Psa 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
Psa 1:3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

Time after time we are told what these trees stand for. Trees planted by the water are a type of God’s elect.

Psa 52:8  But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.

Psa 92:12  The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.

What are cedar trees? What are palm trees? They are righteous men. This doesn’t mean they are necessarily spiritually good, but they are good men. We have Job as an example.

Job 1:1  There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.

Job was a righteous man. He was a cedar of Lebanon, but he didn’t have the fruits of the spirit.

God doesn’t always use unrighteous men to deceive the world; He uses righteous men – good people, respectable, honorable men of whom the whole world speaks well. Billy Graham and the Pope are both cedars of Lebanon, but they don’t have one bit of the holy spirit. They are not fruit trees.

Jer 17:7  Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.
Jer 17:8  For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.

This is a tree planted by waters, a good tree yielding fruit. Let’s see what trees have to do with the temple of God. What is the temple of God? The body of Christ as a church corporately and each member individually.

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

1Co 6:19  What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

With that in mind, let’s read:

1Ki 6:23  And within the oracle he made two cherubims of olive tree, each ten cubits high.

Remember this not the tabernacle but the temple.

The side posts, the pillars of the tabernacle, are God’s elect. The only pillars were at the door of the tabernacle and the door of the holy of holies. The cherubim acted as the channel to get to God. What is that telling us? Christ said no one comes to God but by Him. As the christ of Christ, we are used as that channel by which God saves all mankind. That’s how important our function is (Rom 11:31).

Trees in The Temple of God

1Ki 6:31  And for the entering of the oracle [the door of the holy of holies] he made doors of olive tree: the lintel and side posts were a fifth part of the wall.

What does Revelation tell us about olive trees?

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.

The two witnesses are the two olive trees. This is not just two men but God’s people down through the ages through whom all mankind must come. The two doors of the temple are olive trees. The light which poured forth out of the candlestick is God’s word poured out. We must want to share these truths with others or we are not getting it at all.

1Ki 6:32  The two doors also were of olive tree; and he carved upon them carvings of cherubims and palm trees and open flowers, and overlaid them with gold, and spread gold upon the cherubims, and upon the palm trees.

Cherubim and palm trees are on the door that leads to God. Cherubim represent the elect. How do we know? They tell us in Revelation 5.

Rev 5:9  And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;

Palm trees are the same thing; those who bring mankind to Christ.

1Ki 6:33  So also made he for the door of the temple posts of olive tree, a fourth part of the wall.

The door of the temple is not the same as the doors of the oracle. The doors of the oracle lead to the holy of holies.

1Ki 6:34  And the two doors were of fir tree: the two leaves of the one door were folding, and the two leaves of the other door were folding.

Fir trees are not fruit trees, but they can still by used by God when they have been cut down and cut up.

1Ki 6:35  And he carved thereon cherubims and palm trees and open flowers: and covered them with gold fitted upon the carved work.

Cherubim and palm trees are on both doors that lead to God. That gold fitted upon the carved work is beaten so thin it only needs to be rubbed on.

1Ki 6:36  And he built the inner court with three rows of hewed stone, and a row of cedar beams.

2Ch 3:5  And the greater house he cieled with fir tree, which he overlaid with fine gold, and set thereon palm trees and chains.

Fine gold, palm trees and chains were on the ceiling of God’s house.

Men as Trees

Eze 20:45  Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
Eze 20:46  Son of man, set thy face toward the south, and drop thy word toward the south, and prophesy against the forest of the south field;
Eze 20:47  And say to the forest of the south, Hear the word of the LORD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned therein.

Who is God talking to when he is talking to a forest? He is talking to men. This is a negative application of trees, but it shows trees are men in symbol. This tree needs to be burned up.

Eze 20:48  And all flesh shall see that I the LORD have kindled it: it shall not be quenched.
Eze 20:49  Then said I, Ah Lord GOD! they say of me, Doth he not speak parables?

Yes, it’s a parable – trees are men.

Dan 4:9  O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and no secret troubleth thee, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof.
Dan 4:10  Thus were the visions of mine head in my bed; I saw, and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was great.
Dan 4:12  The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it.
Dan 4:13  I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven;
Dan 4:14  He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches:
Dan 4:15  Nevertheless leave the stump of his roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth:
Dan 4:16  Let his heart be changed from man’s, and let a beast’s heart be given unto him; and let seven times pass over him.

This particular tree of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream was Nebuchadnezzar himself. Daniel is explaining to him that Nebuchadnezzar will lose his mind for seven years and be sent to the field to eat grass like an ox. Yet after that time, he will return and get back his kingdom.

Hos 14:5  I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.
Hos 14:6  His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon.

These verses in Hosea show a positive application to trees.

Mat 3:10  And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees [men who don’t produce good fruit]: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

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

When you hear a minister saying to go fight for your country, he is not bringing forth good fruit. He can’t because he is a corrupt tree.

Mat 7:20  Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

You don’t know them by their lofty sermons or their miracles, but rather by how they adhere to the doctrines of Christ.

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.

The Tree of Life

Gen 2:9  And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

Gen 3:24  So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

Those cherubim represent God’s elect as we have reiterated before. These are those who love God’s mind, who are impressed with God’s mind and love it.

Listen to all these scriptures that talk about the tree of life.

Pro 3:13  Happy is the man that findeth wisdom [Christ], and the man that getteth understanding.
Pro 3:14  For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.
Pro 3:15  She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her [wisdom – Christ].

Christ is her [wisdom] because He is God’s wife as well as His Son, and we are Christ’s wife as well as his sons.

Pro 3:16  Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.
Pro 3:17  Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.
Pro 3:18  She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.

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

Talking about men again who are olive trees and a tree of life to those who are brought to God through those men.

Pro 15:4  A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.

Watch what comes out of your mouth! Don’t let it be perverse.

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

If you see that through your mercy people will obtain mercy, this will be understood by you. It is impossible for the natural man to understand how a tree can be in the midst and on either side and that the cherubim are in the midst of the throne and also round about it. We are in Him, He is in us and He is in His Father – that’s what is being said.

The fruit of righteousness is the tree of life, and Christ is the tree of life. It’s talking about the fruit of righteousness in our lives.

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

Conclusion of Green – Both Negative and Positive

Green is associated with a process which involves the work of the Spirit on the flesh, a dying vessel of clay. Green is associated with death because it is the combination of yellow and blue. Yellow is leprosy which consumes human flesh. Blue is associated with things of the spirit, in the heavens.

Green is not intended to be anything but green. Like yellow, it can’t inherit the kingdom of God. Green is positive inasmuch as it brings us to the blue. Green is negative as it is associated with the flesh which cannot enter the kingdom of God.

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.

On the positive side, green identifies with those who have the seal of God in their foreheads. Green typifies God’s elect, green typifies the tree of life, and all who are ‘in Him’ as saviors of mankind.

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

Green is shade from the burning sun, green is spiritual growth – God working in mankind.

Ezekiel 41:1–26 The Inner Temple

[Study Aired December 30, 2024]

INTRODUCTION

Today’s study continues with the vision of the temple and how we can access the temple and make our way to the inner court or temple to commune with the Lord. The past two studies focused mainly on the access to the outer court with glimpses of how we can enter the inner temple or court to worship the Lord. To the man who is not given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, he only sees the measurement of the temple in cubits as he reads Ezekiel chapter 40. However, to us, His elect, the numbers of the measurement is what the Lord is spiritually revealing to us of how the Lord makes our temple, that is, our bodies, fit for Him to live in. It is therefore imperative that we understand the spiritual significance of numbers as we go through the study today.

To help our understanding of today’s study, we need to know that we start our walk with Christ still under the domain or influence of the devil. This is what the Lord means when he told those who believed in Him that their father is the devil.

Joh 8:31  Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

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

When we are still controlled by the devil through our flesh, we can only have access to the outer court of the temple. That is why the passageway to the outer court has measurements of mainly six, ten, thirteen and sixty cubits, which all speak of our sins or rebellion which had reached the heavens. These measurements reveal that we naturally rebel against our Lord Jesus Christ, who is our husband, as we come to serve Him as men with all our frailties.

Gen 3:16  Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

It is instructive to note that the woman’s “desire” in Genesis 3:16 in Hebrew is “el” which means “against”. The “shall be” in italics is not in the original manuscript but was added to make the statement understandable. As indicated, initially our desire is against our husband Christ before the Lord comes to us with His judgement to make us willing to obey Him. What we have just said summarizes the study about the temple where we come to the outer court full of sin until the set time that Christ comes to help cleanse our temple where our old man or beast lives, claiming to be God in the sense that we think we make our own decisions. It is in the outer court that we have the multitude who are not given to know the mind of Christ. This multitude represents many people who think they are worshipping the Lord but have not yet been given to know the truth.

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

As stated in the previous study, the story of Zachariah shows us the clear distinction between the outer court worshippers and the inner court or temple worshippers who represent the Lord’s elect and are given to know Christ.

Luk 1:8  And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his course,
Luk 1:9  According to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.
Luk 1:10  And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.
Luk 1:11  And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
Luk 1:12  And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

Today’s study shows us the way to the inner temple or court where we meet the Lord Jesus Christ. The measurements tell us what needs to be done to enter the inner court or temple to commune with the Lord.

The Measurement of the Passageway to the Inner Temple

Eze 41:1  Afterward he brought me to the temple, and measured the posts, six cubits broad on the one side, and six cubits broad on the other side, which was the breadth of the tabernacle. 

We established in the previous studies that the man who was doing the measurements of the temple is our Lord Jesus Christ. He was the one who brought Ezekiel to the holy place in the temple. In the last study, we indicated that the ‘posts’ means ‘pillars’. This is because, according to Strong’s Dictionary, the post means ‘strong support of the covered walkway’. In Ezekiel 40:49, we are told that there were pillars by the posts on each side. This is to let us know that the posts are the pillars which supports the walkway. The pillars, or posts supporting the walkway, represent the Lord’s elect as shown in the following:

Gal 2:9  When they saw the grace which was given to me, James and Cephas and John, who had the name of being pillars, gave to me and Barnabas their right hands as friends so that we might go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcision;

Our walk with Christ is supported by what every joint supplies. Without this support, we cannot get to the holy of holies to commune with the Lord. The measurement of the posts were six cubits wide on one side and six cubits wide on another side. This is to highlight the fact that it is mere men that the Lord is raising up to commune with in the holy place. Those privileged to be in the holy place are the priests of the Lord and they represent the Lord’s elect.

Eze 41:2  And the breadth of the door was ten cubits; and the sides of the door were five cubits on the one side, and five cubits on the other side: and he measured the length thereof, forty cubits: and the breadth, twenty cubits. 

The entrance to the holy place was ten cubits wide and the sidewalls of the entrance were five cubits on either side. The number ten signifies the fulness of the flesh and the number five means grace through faith. What this implies is that those who are privileged to enter the holy place of the temple are those whose recognize that they were the worse sinners but by the grace of the Lord through faith, they have been made the priests of God. This grace involves the chastening or the judgement of our old man or flesh to make us learn righteousness as we are given the faith to endure to the end.

Rom 5:1  Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
Rom 5:2  By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Rom 5:3  And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
Rom 5:4  And patience, experience; and experience, hope:

The Lord measured the length of the holy place and it was forty cubits long and twenty cubits wide. The number forty denotes trials in our lives as He gives us an evil experience to humble us. This evil experience is His judgement of our flesh to makes us learn obedience.

Gen 7:4  For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth.  

Ecc 1:13  And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all which is done under the heavens. It is a sad task (evil experience) God has given to the sons of men to be humbled by it. (MKJV)

The breadth of the holy place was measured as twenty cubits. The number twenty signifies our readiness to go to war against our flesh. The length and breadth of the holy place is therefore teaching us that through the judgement of the Lord, we are made ready to go to war against our flesh.

Num 1:3  From twenty years old and upward, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel: thou and Aaron shall number them by their armies.

Num 1:20  And the children of Reuben, Israel’s eldest son, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, by their polls, every male from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

Eze 41:3  Then went he inward, and measured the post of the door, two cubits; and the door, six cubits; and the breadth of the door, seven cubits. 

As we have indicated, the post is the pillar and it refers to us, His elect. The measurement of two cubits implies our role as witnesses of Christ in this life. Remember that the number two means witness.

2Co 13:1  This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.

The entrance to the holy place was measured as six cubits in height and seven cubits wide. As we are aware, the number six is the number of man. It shows man as being incomplete as we were created on the sixth day. Being incomplete means we were marred in the hand of our Maker. The number seven signifies completeness. The fact that the width of the entrance was seven cubits suggests that it is as we enter the holy place to commune with the Lord that we are made complete. The ‘complete’ here means that we are being made into another vessel fit for the Lord’s purpose.

Jer 18:3  Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.
Jer 18:4  And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.

Eze 41:4  So he measured the length thereof, twenty cubits; and the breadth, twenty cubits, before the temple: and he said unto me, This is the most holy place. 

The room representing the most holy place had a length of twenty cubits and a breadth of twenty cubits. This implies that the room is a square. As indicated, the number twenty refers to those who are able to war against the flesh. They are the ones who have access to the most holy place. The fact that it is a square is to remind us that those who have access to the most holy place all have the same experience. That means we all started our walk with Christ with the devil as our father before Christ comes to us with the spirit of His mouth and His brightness to makes us ready to war against our flesh. The spirit of His mouth refers to the fire of His words which is the judgement of the Lord, and His brightness is His illumination of His words so that we can understand the mysteries of the kingdom.

Num 1:3  From twenty years old and upward, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel: thou and Aaron shall number them by their armies.

Num 1:20  And the children of Reuben, Israel’s eldest son, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, by their polls, every male from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

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

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

Eze 41:5  After he measured the wall of the house, six cubits; and the breadth of every side chamber, four cubits, round about the house on every side. 

The wall surrounding the room of the most holy place has six cubits in length and a width of four cubits. The number six refers to man as an incomplete being and the number four means the whole of the matter under discussion. In this case, we are talking about the fact that the whole of the Lord’s elect who have access to the most holy place are all men and women with all kinds of weaknesses. However through the Lord’s judgement of our old man or flesh, we are empowered to war against our flesh to become obedient to Christ. The significance of all this is that the Lord’s elect are those who are waging war against our bodies which represent the temple of the Lord, to bring them under subjection so that Christ will take residence in our hearts and mind.

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

Eze 41:6  And the side chambers were three, one over another, and thirty in order; and they entered into the wall which was of the house for the side chambers round about, that they might have hold, but they had not hold in the wall of the house. 
Eze 41:7  And there was an enlarging, and a winding about still upward to the side chambers: for the winding about of the house went still upward round about the house: therefore the breadth of the house was still upward, and so increased from the lowest chamber to the highest by the midst.

A simpler rendition of these verses are as follows:

Eze 41:6  The rooms were arranged on three different stories. There were 30 rooms on each story. These rooms had supports all the way around the temple wall, but these supports were not fastened to the temple wall.
Eze 41:7  The side rooms grew wider all the way around as they went up, story after story. The surrounding structure went from story to story all around the temple. The structure grew wider as it went higher. A stairway went from the first story through the second story to the third story.  (GW)

The rooms or chambers represent us, His elect. This is because the Lord has told us that in His Father’s house are many mansions, signifying the Lord’s elect.

Joh 14:2  In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

The fact that the rooms are arranged in three stories or levels is to show us that we grow in spiritual maturity through the Lord’s judgement. We are also told in verse 6 that there were 30 rooms on each floor. The number thirty signifies those who have started to rule over their flesh. Later, in another age, we shall rule the kingdoms of this world.

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

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

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

The three floors with thirty rooms on each level is therefore to make us aware that it is only the Lord’s elect who constitute the temple of the Lord and that as we are being judged, we grow in spiritual maturity from one level to another, and that we are perfected on the third day, or floor. Verse 6 also indicates that we are supported all the way in the building of our temple by the Lord. However, the fact that we are not fastened to the temple wall is to let us know that our support is through Christ alone.

The fact that the side rooms grow wider as they went up from story to story in verse 7 is to remind us of the growth in spiritual maturity as we progress from one level or floor to another. There is a stairway that went from the lowest floor through the middle floor to the third floor. This stairway is Christ and is the same as the ladder that Jacob saw in a dream when he ran away from his brother Esau.

Gen 28:12  And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.

Eze 41:8  I saw also the height of the house round about: the foundations of the side chambers were a full reed of six great cubits.
Eze 41:9  The thickness of the wall, which was for the side chamber without, was five cubits: and that which was left was the place of the side chambers that were within.
Eze 41:10  And between the chambers was the wideness of twenty cubits round about the house on every side.
Eze 41:11  And the doors of the side chambers were toward the place that was left, one door toward the north, and another door toward the south: and the breadth of the place that was left was five cubits round about.

In verse 8, there was a raised base all around the temple and this base was the foundation for the side rooms. The length of this foundation was a full reed of six cubits. The number six is the number of man and in this case it is the Lord Jesus, who in His life here on earth as man, laid the foundation for the building of our temple and is the one measuring our temple.

1Co 3:11  For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

The outer wall of the side rooms was five cubits in thickness. This means that it is by grace through faith that we become the temple of the Lord. There was an open space between the side rooms connected to the temple and the other rooms. This open space is about twenty cubits in width. As indicated, the number twenty shows us that it is those who are ready to war against the flesh who serve as a conduit to the making of our hearts and minds as temple of the Lord.

In verse 11, we are told that the doors of the side chambers opened on the free space, one door toward the north, and another door toward the south. The width of this free space was five cubits all around. This free space represent our liberty in Christ. Thus, it is by grace through faith that we have this glorious liberty as the children of God.

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

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

Eze 41:12  Now the building that was before the separate place at the end toward the west was seventy cubits broad; and the wall of the building was five cubits thick round about, and the length thereof ninety cubits. 
Eze 41:13  So he measured the house, an hundred cubits long; and the separate place, and the building, with the walls thereof, an hundred cubits long; 
Eze 41:14  Also the breadth of the face of the house, and of the separate place toward the east, an hundred cubits. 
Eze 41:15  And he measured the length of the building over against the separate place which was behind it, and the galleries thereof on the one side and on the other side, an hundred cubits, with the inner temple, and the porches of the court; 

At the far end of the open area, on the west side of the temple, was a building seventy cubits wide. The number seventy (70=7×10) shows the completeness of the fulness of the flesh. The wall of this building has five cubits in thickness with the length being ninety cubits. As explained earlier, five cubits means that it is grace through faith. The number ninety (90=9×10) is the number of the Lord’s judgement as our sins have reached its fulness. All that these measurements mean is that becoming the dwelling place of the Lord or our father’s mansion involves coming to the place where we realized that we are the worse sinners as our sins had become complete or reached its fulness and that this calls for us to be judged by the Lord. This judgement is the grace that we receive through faith.

In verse 13, our Lord Jesus measured the temple to be a hundred cubits long; and the yard and the building with its walls, a hundred cubits long. Verse 14 tells us that the eastern side of the temple, including the open area, was also a hundred cubits in width. Again, the Lord also measured the length of the building facing the courtyard on the west side along with its corridors on both sides as indicated in verse 15, and had the same measurement of hundred cubits.

The fact that all these measurements were 100 (100 = 10×10) cubits is affirming that it is those whose sins have reached the heavens and are privileged to obtain the mercy of the Lord, who are the candidates for the building of the temple within them. In verses 13 and 14, the hundred cubits in both length and width means that the temple was a square. That indicates that whatever our background is, we all share the same experience in our relationship with Christ in the building of the temple within us.

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

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

The Images of Cherubims and Palm Trees

Eze 41:16  The door posts, and the narrow windows, and the galleries round about on their three stories, over against the door, cieled with wood round about, and from the ground up to the windows, and the windows were covered;
Eze 41:17  To that above the door, even unto the inner house, and without, and by all the wall round about within and without, by measure. 
Eze 41:18  And it was made with cherubims and palm trees, so that a palm tree was between a cherub and a cherub; and every cherub had two faces; 
Eze 41:19  So that the face of a man was toward the palm tree on the one side, and the face of a young lion toward the palm tree on the other side: it was made through all the house round about. 
Eze 41:20  From the ground unto above the door were cherubims and palm trees made, and on the wall of the temple. 

Verse 16 shows us that the doorposts, the small windows and the corridors of all three stories were paneled with wood. The walls, from the floor up to the windows, were also paneled with wood. The wood being used for paneling in the temple implies that we must all go through the judgement of the Lord to bring out the beauty of the Lord in us as He comes to reside in our temple or hearts and minds.

Psa 83:14  As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire;

Pro 26:20  Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.

In verse 17 to 20, we see that in the space above the door to the most holy place and on the walls all around it, there were pictures of cherubims and palm trees. Palm trees were positioned between each of the cherubims, and each cherubim had two faces: the face of a man, which was turned toward a palm tree on one side, and the face of a lion, which was turned toward a palm tree on the other side. These images were carved all around the temple. Images of cherubims and palm trees were also carved on the walls from the floor to the space above the door. Both the cherubims and the palm trees represent the Lord’s elect. This is to show us that it is the Lord’s elect who are privileged in this age to become the temple of the Lord.

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

The fact that each cherubim had two faces means that we serve as the Lord’s witnesses. This also implies that we are the two witnesses in Revelation 11, whom the Lord has given us power to speak His words. Being clothed in sackcloth signifies that we are mourning as we go through the Lord’s judgement.

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.

It is also significant to note that here in verse 19, we see the cherubims having the face of a man and that of a lion. In the beginning of the Book of Ezekiel, we also observe that each of the cherubims or the four living creatures which represent the whole of the Lord’s elect, had four faces, of a lion, ox, man and an eagle.

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

Later in the Book of Revelation, each of the four living creatures has a specific face of either a lion, calf, man, or an eagle.

Rev 4:7  And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.

What we need to note is that Ezekiel was shown these cherubims to know the end result of the Lord’s judgement of our old man. In other words, the result of the Lord’s judgement is for us, His elect, to become like Christ. The four faces of the cherubims show us who the Lord was when He was here on earth and is now working in us to become like Him. In the spirit, it does not matter whether each of the cherubims had four faces or one, as we must all bear the four faces of Christ in the final analysis.

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.

The number four means the whole of the matter under discussion and therefore the four faces show us the whole of Christ while He was here on earth. However, the fact that we are shown only two faces of Christ here in Ezekiel 41:19 is to emphasize our role as witnesses of Christ in the building of the Lord’s temple within us. The face of a lion shows us the Lord as the lion of the tribe of Judah. The Gospel of Matthew describes the Lord as a lion of the tribe of Judah. Like a lion, the Lord did not turn back from all the trials and tribulations that He encountered in this life. He will not rest until He makes our enemies (our flesh) a footstool, that is, defeat our enemies. What He starts, He is able to bring to completion!!

Rev 5:5  And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.

Pro 30:30  the lion, which is mightiest among beasts and does not turn back before any;

The Gospel according to Luke shows us Jesus as a man. That is why at the beginning of the Book of Luke, Luke traced the genealogy of Christ to Adam, the son of God. The Lord Jesus was a man in every way. That is why He represents us as our High Priest since He went through all that we are going through. As a result, we are able to come boldly before Him to receive mercy and grace at our point of need.

Heb 4:14  Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
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.

The Holy and the Most Holy Place

Eze 41:21  The posts of the temple were squared, and the face of the sanctuary; the appearance of the one as the appearance of the other. 
Eze 41:22  The altar of wood was three cubits high, and the length thereof two cubits; and the corners thereof, and the length thereof, and the walls thereof, were of wood: and he said unto me, This is the table that is before the LORD. 

As stated earlier, the square nature of the doorposts of the temple signifies that we all have the same experience as the Lord prepares our bodies or temple for His habitation. In front of the holy place was something resembling an altar of wood, having three cubits high and two cubits in length. This altar of wood represents our hearts and minds. As indicated earlier, the altar being made of wood implies that we must all go through the judgement of the Lord to bring out the beauty of the Lord in us as He comes to reside in our temple or hearts and minds. We are also the table before the Lord.

Psa 83:14  As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire;

Pro 26:20  Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.

Eze 41:23  And the temple and the sanctuary had two doors. 
Eze 41:24  And the doors had two leaves apiece, two turning leaves; two leaves for the one door, and two leaves for the other door. 
Eze 41:25  And there were made on them, on the doors of the temple, cherubims and palm trees, like as were made upon the walls; and there were thick planks upon the face of the porch without. 
Eze 41:26  And there were narrow windows and palm trees on the one side and on the other side, on the sides of the porch, and upon the side chambers of the house, and thick planks.

The holy place and the most holy place had two doors and each of the doors were double doors that swung open. Again, here we are being reminded that our entry into the presence of the Lord to commune with Him is for the purpose of making us His witnesses.

Act 1:8  But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Images of cherubims and palm trees were carved on the doors of the holy place as well as on the walls. There was a wooden roof hanging over the outer entrance hall. There were small windows and palm trees on both sides of the entrance hall, on the side rooms of the temple, and on the roofs. The cherubims and the palm trees being carved on the doors of the holy place is to signify that it is through the Lord’s elect that we have access to Christ as we are all building our temple upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Jesus as the chief corner stone. Later, in an age to come, we shall also be the gateway for all humanity to be in the presence of the Lord.

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

May the Lord’s name be praised for counting us worthy of being a habitation of God through His Spirit. Amen!!

“Journey Through the Kingdom to God’s Throne” – Part 3

The Temple Mount and Courts: Ascending to God’s Presence
Through Judgement and Revelation

[Study Aired Nov 19, 2024]

Introduction

In our previous studies, we traced the spiritual journey of drawing near to God’s presence, beginning at the gates of Jerusalem: “Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem” (Psalm 122:2). These gates revealed Christ as the only true entrance: “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved” (John 10:9). This journey emphasized the narrow way leading to life: “Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matthew 7:14).

Through these gates, we explored a progression of transformation, each step revealing Christ’s work within us: “He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). This ascent follows the psalmist’s declaration: “They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God” (Psalm 84:7).

In this study, we advance from the city gates to the Temple Mount and its courts, uncovering deeper spiritual truths. These physical structures represent the stages of spiritual ascent: from foundational purification to higher revelation. Each step draws us closer to God, transforming us “into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18).

The Temple Mount: Foundation of Ascent

The Temple Mount, located in Jerusalem, holds profound spiritual significance both in its historical context and in its symbolism for our spiritual journey. It is first mentioned in Scripture as the site where Abraham’s faith was tested when God asked him to offer his son Isaac: “And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of” (Genesis 22:2). This ultimate act of obedience foreshadowed Christ’s sacrifice and established Mount Moriah as a place of revelation and communion with God.

A Place of Elevation

When Solomon built the temple, he chose this same mount for its construction: “Then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD at Jerusalem in mount Moriah, where the LORD appeared unto David his father” (2 Chronicles 3:1). Its elevation above the city reflects the principle of drawing closer to God through spiritual ascent. As Isaiah declared: “O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain” (Isaiah 40:9). This elevation also calls believers to rise above the distractions and impurities of the world, as Paul exhorts: “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth” (Colossians 3:2).

The physical height of the Temple Mount symbolizes the spiritual truth that approaching God requires a higher perspective. It asks us to leave behind worldly concerns and ascend toward His presence, as reflected in the psalmist’s question: “Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?” (Psalm 24:3). The answer reveals that only those with clean hands and pure hearts — qualities that only Christ can produce in us — are prepared for such communion: “He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully” (Psalm 24:4).

Separation and Sanctification

The elevation of the Temple Mount not only reflects physical separation from the rest of the city but also teaches the spiritual principle of sanctification. God calls His people to be distinct: “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing” (2 Corinthians 6:17). This separation is not isolation, but a life set apart for God’s purposes. Jesus exemplified this in His prayer for His disciples: “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil” (John 17:15).

As believers, we are called to live lives of holiness that reflect our position as a “city set on a hill” (Matthew 5:14). The Mount’s elevation teaches that those who seek higher revelation must walk in greater obedience and purity, for “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8).

Christ as the Foundation

The massive foundation stones of the Temple Mount serve as a powerful symbol of Christ, the cornerstone of our faith: “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:11). These stones were carefully hewn and prepared before being placed, reflecting God’s work in shaping His people through judgment and refinement. Solomon’s command regarding these stones echoes this preparation: “And the king commanded, and they brought great stones, costly stones, and hewed stones, to lay the foundation of the house” (1 Kings 5:17).

This preparation mirrors God’s work in believers, as Paul describes: “In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord” (Ephesians 2:21). Each stone represents a life shaped by God’s hand, fitting perfectly into His spiritual house. The Mount’s foundation stones also speak to the enduring strength and stability that Christ provides, for “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).

Unity and Equality in Christ

The level platform created by the Temple Mount’s massive foundation stones symbolizes the unity and equality believers have in Christ. Regardless of background, all are brought to the same spiritual level through His work: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). This leveling process humbles the proud and exalts the lowly: “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up” (James 4:10).

Orientation Toward Revelation

The Temple Mount’s careful orientation, with the temple facing east, carries profound spiritual significance. Eastward orientation often symbolizes anticipation of God’s glory and the dawning of new revelation. Ezekiel foresaw this when he described God’s glory approaching from the east: “And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east” (Ezekiel 43:2). This vision connects with the promise of Christ’s return and the increasing clarity of revelation for those who seek Him: “When he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13).

The eastward focus also ties to Christ as the rising Sun of Righteousness: “But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings” (Malachi 4:2). As we ascend spiritually, we are called to orient our lives toward His light, seeking His guidance and revelation: “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105).

The Great Court: Initial Cleansing and Revelation

The Great Court, also called the Outer Court, represents the initial stage of drawing near to God. It was the largest area of the temple complex, designed to accommodate multitudes, symbolizing the inclusive nature of God’s call to salvation: “Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). Yet, while God desires all to approach Him, entering the deeper courts requires a process of cleansing and spiritual refinement.

A Place of Sacrifice: The Brazen Altar

At the heart of the Great Court stood the brazen altar, constructed of brass, a material that represents judgment. This was the site of animal sacrifices, where offerings were consumed by fire as a foreshadowing of Christ’s ultimate sacrifice: “But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God” (Hebrews 10:12). The altar teaches that our first approach to God is not based on our works but on the beginning work of Christ: “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Hebrews 10:10).

The perpetual fire on the altar symbolizes the ongoing work of God’s judgment and refinement in our lives: “The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out” (Leviticus 6:13). This continual fire reflects the process of sanctification, where believers are purified through trials that reveal and remove impurities: “That the trial of your faith… might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:7). These trials teach us reliance on God, who purifies us as gold is refined in fire: “He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver. And he will purify the sons of Levi, and refine them as gold and silver. And they shall offer to LORD offerings in righteousness.” (Malachi 3:3).

Cleansing Through the Brazen Laver

Beyond the altar stood the brazen laver, a large basin made of brass and filled with water. Priests were required to wash at the laver before ministering: “When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not” (Exodus 30:20). This washing represents the cleansing power of God’s Word, which purifies our hearts and minds: “That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word” (Ephesians 5:26).

Positioned between the altar and the tabernacle, the laver shows that deeper revelation and service to God follow the acceptance of Christ’s sacrifice. This ongoing cleansing is essential for spiritual growth, as David prayed: “Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin” (Psalm 51:2). Just as the priests could not approach God without washing, believers must continually examine themselves to ensure they are walking in purity: “Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup” (1 Corinthians 11:28).

The laver’s location teaches that cleansing is not a one-time event but a continuous process, preparing us to draw nearer to God. This principle aligns with the psalmist’s declaration: “The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple” (Psalm 119:130). As we allow God’s Word to reveal and correct our shortcomings, we are transformed into vessels fit for His service.

Symbolism of Hewn Stones and Cedar Beams

The Great Court’s construction included rows of hewn stones and cedar beams: “And the great court round about was with three rows of hewed stones, and a row of cedar beams” (1 Kings 7:12). The hewn stones, shaped with precision, symbolize the believer’s transformation through God’s judgment: “As the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand” (Jeremiah 18:6). These stones, like the foundation stones of the Temple Mount, were prepared before being placed, reflecting the refining process God performs in our lives.

The cedar beams atop these stones represent strength that comes through humility. While cedar often symbolizes pride and loftiness—“The cedars of Lebanon, that are high and lifted up” (Isaiah 2:13)—it must first be broken before it can be used in God’s house: “The voice of the LORD breaketh the cedars; yea, the LORD breaketh the cedars of Lebanon” (Psalm 29:5). This breaking process aligns with James’s teaching: “God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble” (James 4:6). Together, the hewn stones and broken cedar beams illustrate the balance of humility and strength needed for spiritual growth.

Exposure to Natural Elements

The Great Court was open to the natural elements—sun, rain, and wind—reflecting the believer’s early spiritual experiences, where external circumstances still greatly influence their walk with God. This exposure symbolizes the trials and challenges faced by those beginning their journey of faith. Yet even in these early stages, God provides stability and protection, as depicted by the covered areas supported by pillars around the court: “Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars” (Proverbs 9:1).

The pillars also represent God’s enduring support for His people, as seen in His promise to overcomers: “Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God” (Revelation 3:12). These structures remind us that while we may be exposed to the elements, God is our refuge and strength: “For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy” (Psalm 61:3).

Purging Worldly Influences

The Great Court also accommodated activities such as buying and selling, which Jesus later cleansed: “Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise” (John 2:16). This act of purging underscores the need to remove worldly distractions from our approach to God. Paul exhorts believers to separate the precious from the vile: “If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use” (2 Timothy 2:21).

The purging of worldly influences is a key part of our preparation to serve God, as David prayed: “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10). This cleansing brings greater joy and understanding, enabling us to draw nearer to God with pure motives: “Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit” (Psalm 51:12).

The Inner Court: Drawing Nearer Through Greater Judgment

The Inner Court represents a deeper stage of spiritual communion, marked by greater purification and revelation. Unlike the Great Court, which was accessible to all Israelites, the Inner Court was restricted to the priests, emphasizing the principle of greater separation for those who draw nearer to God. This deeper level of access requires not only outward cleansing but inward transformation, as Isaiah declared: “Be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD” (Isaiah 52:11).

Restricted Access and Spiritual Separation

The restricted access to the Inner Court highlights the spiritual principle of sanctification, where greater intimacy with God requires greater holiness. Paul wrote, “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2 Corinthians 7:1). This purification is not merely external but a deep, inward work of judgment that refines and prepares the believer for closer fellowship with God.

The distinction between those permitted in the Great Court and those allowed in the Inner Court symbolizes the call to priesthood, a role that involves not only privilege but also accountability. Believers are called to this spiritual priesthood through Christ: “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5).

Spiritual Ascent Through Judgment

The elevation of the Inner Court above the Great Court required ascending steps, a clear picture of spiritual ascent through judgment. “My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword. Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; let thy glory be above all the earth.” (Psalms 57:4-5). This ascent reflects the believer’s call to rise above earthly concerns and seek the things of God: “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God” (Colossians 3:1).

Spiritual ascent requires a willingness to endure God’s refining process. Just as Moses ascended Mount Sinai to receive God’s law, believers are invited to draw closer to God, even as He works to purify their hearts. God’s invitation to Moses reflects this calling: “Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them” (Exodus 24:12). This ascent brings not only revelation but also the warning to live according to God’s word.

Priestly Service: Duties and Preparation

The Inner Court was the place of daily service for the priests, including preparing sacrifices, maintaining the altar, and ensuring the temple was in order. These duties required diligence and discernment, reflecting the call for believers to grow in their understanding of God’s word: “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

The preparation of sacrifices and the careful inspection of offerings for blemishes symbolize the believer’s call to offer themselves as living sacrifices to God: “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” (Romans 12:1). This service requires attention to spiritual purity and readiness, as Paul instructed Timothy: “Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all” (1 Timothy 4:15).

The priests’ work also involved the constant upkeep of the altar and temple, a reminder that spiritual growth requires ongoing effort. Just as the priests tended to the temple, believers must continually nurture their relationship with God through prayer, study, and obedience: “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18).

Drawing Closer to God’s Presence

The Inner Court’s proximity to the temple building symbolizes the privilege and availability of drawing nearer to God’s presence. This nearness brings greater revelation, as David expressed: “For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness” (Psalm 84:10). Even the lowest position near God’s presence surpasses any worldly honor.

With this nearness, however, comes increased accountability. Jesus taught: “Unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required” (Luke 12:48). Believers who draw closer to God are entrusted with greater understanding and are called to live lives that reflect His holiness: “Be ye holy; for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16). This deeper communion with God is accompanied by the privilege of knowing His heart, as the psalmist declared: “The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant” (Psalm 25:14).

The refining work that takes place in the Inner Court leads to transformation, as Paul described: “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18). This transformation prepares believers for even deeper communion with God, as they progress toward the Most Holy Place.

Conclusion: A Journey of Transformation

The journey through the courts of the Temple Mount represents a progressive path of drawing nearer to God, one that requires judgment, purification, and spiritual ascent. Each stage—from the Temple mount to the Great Court to the Inner Court—teaches essential principles for those seeking deeper communion with Him.

The Great Court: Beginning the Journey

In the Great Court, we learn that the first step toward God is through sacrifice and cleansing. The brazen altar reminds us that Christ’s sacrifice is the foundation of our salvation: “For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14). Here, we acknowledge our need for His atonement and embrace the process of sanctification, symbolized by the perpetual fire and the washing at the laver.

This outermost court also reflects the believer’s early spiritual experiences, where external influences still affect their walk with God. Through the trials and cleansing represented in this court, we begin to separate from worldly distractions, preparing to enter a closer relationship with Him: “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow” (Psalm 51:7).

The Inner Court: Drawing Closer

Progressing to the Inner Court symbolizes a deeper commitment to God’s purposes. This stage requires greater separation, as represented by the restricted access granted only to priests. It calls for a higher level of purity and readiness, reflecting the truth that those who are drawn closer to God must also endure greater judgment: “Every branch in me that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit” (John 15:2).

The duties of the priests in the Inner Court point to the spiritual discernment and preparation required for deeper service. This preparation refines us, teaching us to “offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5). Here, we experience the transformation that comes from proximity to God’s presence, being changed “from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18).

Ascending Toward the Holy

Both courts point to the ultimate goal of the believer’s journey: entering the Most Holy Place, where God’s presence dwells. The progression from the Great Court to the Inner Court mirrors the believer’s spiritual ascent, moving from initial cleansing to a deeper, more intimate communion with God. This journey is not merely one of physical location but of the heart, as the psalmist declared: “Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them. Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools. They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God” (Psalm 84:5-7).

The courts teach us that each stage of this journey requires greater surrender, humility, and reliance on God’s grace. The sacrifices, washing, and acts of service all point to the necessity of transformation, as we are conformed to the image of Christ: “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” (Romans 12:2).

A Call to Prepare for His Presence

The Temple Mount’s physical courts serve as a shadow of spiritual truths, reminding us that approaching God requires preparation and holiness. The writer of Hebrews captures this reality: “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14). Each step closer to God demands not only greater obedience but also greater reliance on His Spirit to guide and transform us: “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13).

As we reflect on this journey, we see that the courts are not merely destinations but stages of relationship with God. They remind us that the path to Him is one of constant growth, requiring us to leave behind the distractions of the world and press toward the mark for the prize of His calling: “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14).

Looking Ahead: The Temple Building

Our journey does not end here. Beyond the courts lies the sanctuary itself—the temple building, with its three sections: the Porch, the Holy Place, and the Most Holy Place. Each section reveals deeper revelations of Christ and His work in us. As we move toward the Most Holy Place, we will examine the golden furnishings, the veil, and the ark of the covenant, all of which point to the ultimate fulfillment of God’s plan in Christ.

Join us in our next study as we continue this journey into “the Holiest of all” (Hebrews 9:8), exploring the riches of God’s presence and the transformative power of His Spirit.

Song of Solomon 4:1-16 – Part 8, Solomon Admires His Bride’s Beauty

[Study Aired December 17, 2022]

Eph 5:27  “That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”

Saints, both men and women, think about this: Since you are becoming Christs, imagine being the Lord himself and it is given to you by the Father to create the most perfect wife for yourself. How would she appear in mind and body? 

The answer to the above is that we are given the pattern of the heavenly, and by the Lord’s guidance, create such a magnificent woman with fear and trembling! The Bible is Christ’s pattern for her to be born as the Bride. The Bride’s mind is her body since the outer body reflects her spiritual mind. Her entire ensemble began in Eden and consummates with her wedding. The Song of Solomon is her response in perfect spiritually erotic charm for His pleasure ~ the perfect (virtuous) wife.

Our Lord, by Solomon’s imaginative poetry, admires his Bride’s beauty of his handiwork from conception through the fiery trials of life and the imminence of marriage.

It is well documented in the previous seven studies that a world hell-bent on overemphasizing physical erotica is looking in the opposite direction to maximize its salacious lust. Intrinsically in men and women is their God-given programming to be attracted to their sexual opposite. For the Lord’s purpose, there are all sorts of distortions of attraction that nature cannot sustain, no matter how hard its contenders loudly proclaim their ‘rights’. It is overwhelmingly inherent for boys and girls with parents who don’t attempt to rewire their child’s gender that boys play and act like boys, and girls likewise as girls. Certainly, there are minimal natural anomalies with genders that the Lord wills via His crooked Serpent to facilitate mankind to conjure other sexual possibilities for the degradation of the naturally erotic. Those exceptions are just as destructive to humanity as any other disregard for God’s word.

As we well know, the immutable fact is,

1Co 11:8-9  For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.

It means that the very small dedicated Church was made for Christ in marriage and, subsequently, all remaining humanity depicted as their children.

Gen 2:18  And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. 

Gen 2:21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; 
Gen 2:22 And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. 
Gen 2:23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. 
Gen 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. 
Gen 2:25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

The physical difference between a man and a woman and how the other’s brain is wired causes them to be naturally attracted to each other. The overarching missing link is the Lord’s more significant gift of His spirit that makes a husband and wife supremely one in Christ. It is why the Shulamite’s arousal is so focused on Him. Her utter submission to Him, she discovered (given by Him), intensified her every ‘happy hormone’ beyond what any man-devised erotica imagined or drug could hope to duplicate! We would need far more imagination than the Shulamite to fantasize about what the Lord has for us in eternity once His spirit is fully us. The “deep things of God” bring us to the marriage, yet we have very little idea of what He has for us beyond the Eighth Day, which excites the Bride with additional anticipation. A glimpse is for us to have the ability to move like lightning in any direction without turning (Eze 1). Yet, where do we go, and what do we do with our Husband in that mind boggling spiritual body beyond the Eight Day? We have little idea.

In the meantime, we will continue to study our responses to our Husband, who has written for us for our immense intrigue.

In this study of Chapter 4, the Shulamite is in a state of unspeakable belief in every word of her Lord’s adoring speech. The fact that the Lord chose her and not one of the other symbolic 1,000 gorgeous women speaks for itself, even though she knows she didn’t have one smidgeon of input for her beauty ~ it is all for and by Him for the Father’s glory.

Solomon Admires His Bride’s Beauty

Son 4:1 Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves’ eyes within thy locks: thy hair is as a flock of goats, that appear from mount Gilead. 
Son 4:2 Thy teeth are like a flock of sheep that are even shorn, which came up from the washing; whereof every one bear twins, and none is barren among them.
Son 4:3 Thy lips are like a thread of scarlet, and thy speech is comely: thy temples are like a piece of a pomegranate within thy locks.
Son 4:4 Thy neck is like the tower of David builded for an armoury, whereon there hang a thousand bucklers, all shields of mighty men.
Son 4:5 Thy two breasts are like two young roes that are twins, which feed among the lilies.
Son 4:6 Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, I will get me to the mountain of myrrh, and to the hill of frankincense.
Son 4:7 Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee. 
Son 4:8 Come with me from Lebanon, my spouse, with me from Lebanon: look from the top of Amana, from the top of Shenir and Hermon, from the lions’ dens, from the mountains of the leopards. 
Son 4:9 Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse; thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, with one chain of thy neck. 
Son 4:10 How fair is thy love, my sister, my spouse! how much better is thy love than wine! and the smell of thine ointments than all spices! 
Son 4:11 Thy lips, O my spouse, drop as the honeycomb: honey and milk are under thy tongue; and the smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon. 
Son 4:12 A garden inclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed. 
Son 4:13 Thy plants are an orchard of pomegranates, with pleasant fruits; camphire, with spikenard,
Son 4:14 Spikenard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices: 
Son 4:15 A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon. 

Together in the Garden of Love

Son 4:16 Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits. 

Irrefutably, the Lord made the woman for the man, and she is a shadow of His Church (1Co 11:1-16), the Bride of Christ being made for him and the rest of humanity, their children.

In the prior studies of the Song of Solomon, it was cited that the Lord clearly made a woman’s every physical detail a delight for the man. Not only is her outward impression particularly inviting, but if her mind is the mind of Christ, as it should be, every physical detail and speech amplifies her beauty by leaps and bounds. As the husband should be God’s image in all spiritual understanding and is God’s glory, such an equally spiritually yoked couple is a match made in heaven! 

1Co 11:7 For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man.

Intrinsically in women is their desire to nurture and highlight every element of their natural beauty and subdue the inelegant features. To many, it is torturous to present themselves with makeup and have their hair look its best, with touchups throughout the day. Men are particularly glad that they make an effort. From a spiritually truthful standpoint, the Babylonian adage is interesting, “if a woman’s hair looks good, so does the rest of her.” Our former Babylonian way didn’t know that saying symbolically agrees with the Lord’s order of headship with Him as her covering.

For the Lord, what counts as beauty is a person’s spiritual understanding and his God-given ability to walk in and do the will of God. The Shulamite’s utter submission to her husband amplifies her every bodily feature for his accumulative spiritual arousal.

1Pe 3:2 While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. 
1Pe 3:3 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;
1Pe 3:4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. 
1Pe 3:5 For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:

The Lord’s spirit within, from years of study, with relative ease discerns the spiritual meanings of the Bride’s bodily features in Chapter 4 (e.g. Eyes – spiritual understanding; Twin washed white sheep – witness; fruitfulness; etc.). We could, for example, attain a quasi-spiritual correlation with the word “goats” and the Lord’s goat and heavenly sacrifices for no significant spiritual benefit and make this series even more rhetorical. I hope to tease out the concealed spirit and clarify the metaphors at the Lord’s will rather than restate the spiritually obvious in verses 2 – 8.

Thy hair is as a flock of goats, that appear from Mount Gilead.

We can only guess Solomon’s vivid imagination of why his Bride’s hair looks like a flock of goats on Mt Gilead. Sheep and goats follow each other on well-worn trails they make by constantly walking the same path. They walk on different meandering paths loosely parallel to each other, and thus, his Bride’s hair looks like wavy tendrils cascading down her head, Mount Gilead. With exceptional imagination, if the Bride, with a typical female action, runs her hands through her wavy hair and gently shakes her head, her hair cascades like trails of thousands of goats running in fits and starts down the small ravines and gullies of Mount Gilead. Such are those tantalising nuances of female actions they are unaware of that captivate a male, particularly Christ, for their spiritual connections.

Gilead is a resource-rich and beautiful part of Lebanon. The derivative meaning of Gilead is H1567 means, witness heap; the pile of stones heaped up between Jacob and Laban to certify their covenant; located on Mt Gilead. (H1530 – heap, spring, wave, billow a. heap (of stones) 1. over dead body 2. alone 3. used in ratifying a covenant b. waves (fig. Of chastisement of Jehovah) c. spring).

We can see that the Bride’s hair is wavy; she is a pillar in the Temple of God, a daily sacrifice. She is beautiful and bountiful, like the sweet-smelling mountains and valleys of Lebanon’s richness.

The most outstanding spiritual aspect of Chapter 4 is that the Bride has been a sacrifice without blemish spiritually; she is given to be spotless.

Son 4:7 Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee. 

Exo 12:5 Your lamb shall be without blemish [H8549], a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:

Blemish – H8549
– Original: תּמים
– Transliteration: Tamiym
– Phonetic: taw-meem’
– Definition: complete, whole, entire, sound 

complete, whole, entire
whole, sound, healthful
complete, entire (of time)
sound, wholesome, unimpaired,
innocent, having integrity
what is complete or entirely in accord with truth and fact (neuter adj/subst)

– Origin: from H8552
– TWOT entry: 2522d
– Part(s) of speech: Adjective 
– Strong’s: From H8552; entire (literally figuratively or morally); also (as noun) integrity truth: – without blemish complete full perfect sincerely (-ity) sound without spot undefiled upright (-ly) whole. 
Total KJV Occurrences: 91

In Ephesians 5, regarding husbands loving their wives and him presenting to himself as Christ, his wife washed by the word without blemish, that “blemish” is:

Blemish – G299
– Original: ἄμωμος
– Transliteration: amomos
– Phonetic: am’-o-mos
– Definition: 

without blemish 
as a sacrifice without spot or blemish
morally: without blemish, faultless, unblameable

[H3971 – spot, physical defect, moral stain].
– Origin: from G1 (as a negative particle) and G3470
– TDNT entry: 17:50,6
– Part(s) of speech: Adjective 
– Strong’s: From G1 (as a negative particle) and G3470; unblemished (literally or figuratively): – without blame (blemish fault spot) faultless unblameable.

Eph 5:27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish [G299].

Every aspect of the Shulamite’s physical body represents a spiritual correlation. Even a babe in Christ can easily reference the spiritual reality of most shadows of the Bride’s body. What Christ has presented to himself in Song of Solomon chapter 4 is His wife washed by His word and her sins having been made white as snow.

Son 4:9 Thou hast ravished [H3823] my heart, my sister, my spouse; thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, with one chain of thy neck. 

The primary point of the Groom being ravished is in the erotic sense since the term refers to his pounding heart for his spiritual arousal for her sole devotion to Him. 

Ravished – H3823 – – Original: לבב
– Transliteration: Labab
– Phonetic: law-bab’
– Definition: 

to ravish, become intelligent, get a mind
(Niphal) to take heart, become enheartened, become intelligent
(Piel) to ravish the heart, encourage, make heart beat faster
(Piel) to make cakes, bake cakes, cook bread

H3824, this verse in Nahum, refers to breasts for the sake of a different connection for being ravished. A denotative of H3823 relating to being ravished sexually is H3824 for “breasts” in foreplay depicted as a dove’s breasts and throats pulsating (like a heartbeat) to its ceaseless calls. As such, the couple’s hearts are ‘ravished’ like the sound of two doves rhythmically out of sync calling to each other.

Nah 2:7 And Huzzab shall be led away captive, she shall be brought up, and her maids shall lead her as with the voice of doves, tabering [meaning to play or sound the timbrel, beat, play upon, drum on a timbrel or other object] upon their breasts [H3824].

In the process of the Bride being spiritually ravished by her Lord’s word, she has become spotless and without blemish, as the derivative H3824 with its multiple meanings refers. For us, where the rhythmic play of flesh profits nothing, the spirit is life and is the most significant meaning.

Ravish H3824
Original: לבב
– Transliteration: Lebab
– Phonetic: lay-bawb’
– Definition: 

inner man, mind, will, heart, soul, understanding
inner part, midst
midst (of things)
heart (of man)
soul, heart (of man) 
mind, knowledge, thinking, reflection, memory

Continuing to explore the term “ravished” where its positive and negative meanings are starkly polarised: The Church can be ravished positively always with the truth of her echoing the dove-like call of her Lord’s word and he back to her. In the negative, a deceptive shepherd, too, can echo the Lord’s words that cause the laity to go astray.

Pro 5:18 Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth. 
Pro 5:19 Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished [H7686] always with her love.

Ravished – H7686
– Original: שׁגה
– Transliteration: Shagah
– Phonetic: shaw-gaw’
– Definition:

to go astray, stray, err [deceived; wander; ignorance]
(Qal)
to err, stray
to swerve, meander, reel, roll, be intoxicated, err (in drunkenness)
to go astray (morally)
to commit sin of ignorance or inadvertence, err (ignorantly)
(Hiphil)
to lead astray
to lead astray, mislead (mentally)
to lead astray (morally)

How fitting in the negative that the delights of a woman’s body can lead us astray, as we know happened to us while in Babylon being fed the milk of the word as we lay with some of the nominal 46,000 Christian churches.

Speaking of the destruction of Babylon and especially within, in the following verse:

Isa 13:15 Every one that is found shall be thrust through; and every one that is joined unto them shall fall by the sword [word of God]. 
Isa 13:16  Their children also shall be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses shall be spoiled, and their wives ravished [H7901 – to lie down sexually; H7693 – to violate, ravish; copulate]. 

Continuing…

Son 4:11 Thy lips, O my spouse, drop as the honeycomb: honey and milk are under thy tongue; and the smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon.

The word of our Lord is sweet to us, as is honeycomb, and for us to poetically succumb in pure love to milk as opposed to the strong meat of the word in lovemaking is more fitting for this occasion.

Positively:

Pro 16:23 The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips. 
Pro 16:24 Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.

Negatively:

Pro 5:1 My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my understanding: 
Pro 5:2 That thou mayest regard discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge.
Pro 5:3 For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil: 
Pro 5:4 But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a twoedged sword.

The smell of death to the flesh, which was the Bride’s former garment, allegorically doesn’t sound too inviting, yet, to our Lord, it is now like the smell of Lebanon, a sweet savour.

Son 4:12 A garden inclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed. 

The Bride’s “garden” (H1588 – enclosure; enclosed garden;) is her virginity sealed for the day of her marriage; she is protected by a hedge of the Lord’s word. Likewise, the Garden of Eden was sealed for Adam and Eve until sin manifested by them taking the forbidden fruit. Initially, Adam and Eve were sealed within the garden with its hedged borders that protected them from the ravagings of the world beyond. Upon being cast out of the garden, their return was prevented by an Angel with a flaming sword until the Bride of Christ was made worthy to be the new heavenly garden.

Gen 3:24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

She now is that spiritual Garden of Eden, about to be no longer sealed to produce a change in the rest of humanity, from her fountain of the bountiful spiritual fruit of her Lord’s word, his weapons that will turn every way that will soon enforce the tree of life.

… A fountain sealed. 

There are several derivative meanings for “fountain”; the one in that verse is H4599, which means 1. Spring.

Eve is the original mother of all living; from her ‘fountain’ springs all humanity. The Bride of Christ is the final fountain of life eternal through her Lord and from her springs the salvation of the rest of humanity. For the moment, in the Song of Solomon, she is a sealed virgin for her wedding day, and her consummation brings forth a fountain of living waters for her children on the Eighth Day.

Joh 4:14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

Son 4:13 Thy plants are an orchard of pomegranates, with pleasant fruits; camphire, with spikenard,

Plants – H7973, 1. weapon, missile, sprout a. missile, weapon b. sprout, shoot.

Pomegranates – H7426 derivative, 1. to be exalted, be lifted up a. (Qal) to be exalted b. (Niphal) to lift oneself.

Camphire – H3722 derivative, 1. to cover, purge, make an atonement, make reconciliation.

The above metaphors depict the course of the Bride’s life that has created her into the beauty she is for her wedding day.

Together in the Garden of Love

Son 4:16 Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits.

The cold frosty winds of the north are not too long gone, as are the southerly whirlwinds (incidentally, it is all reversed in the southern hemisphere) on the turbulent days of her creation. Now the gentle summer breeze for the reality of her Lord’s pressing closeness wells up the floral perfumes of her spiritual arousals from the south; they call out, and his answers are symphonic – like doves to each other.

The Bride imagines her beloved above her; he resides to her north of the garden of love that she is. The judgment from the north has done its work within her ever since she was found naked in the field in her blood. The dichotomy of the north wind of her Lord’s breath, formally judgment, became a gentle floral, arousing summer breeze from the south. 

Just as Adam and Eve discovered, biologically and spiritually for our bodies, trouble comes from the south; in this case, our pudenda, when we disobey the Lord’s word. The parable now is that Her Lord’s southern summer breeze of his breath is now soft upon her face, lips and every part of her body, the ‘earth’, the fruitful garden that blooms in luxurious spiritual expressions. 

As judgment came from the north to Job, it was and is a blessing for us all as the Lord blesses us spiritually upon our repentance. The Lord causes us to not fear walking in the coals of fiery conversion that we eventually see, as did Job is a blessing.

The Bride in the Song of Solomon most profoundly sees the totality of her life of struggles about-face, now flowering in her with and by her Lord.

Job 37:9 Out of the south cometh the whirlwind: and cold out of the north. 
Job 37:10 By the breath of God frost is given: and the breadth of the waters is straitened. 
Job 37:11 Also by watering he wearieth the thick cloud: he scattereth his bright cloud: 
Job 37:12 And it is turned round about by his counsels: that they may do whatsoever he commandeth them upon the face of the world in the earth. 
Job 37:13 He causeth it to come, whether for correction, or for his land, or for mercy. 
Job 37:14 Hearken unto this, O Job: stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God. 
Job 37:15 Dost thou know when God disposed them, and caused the light of his cloud to shine? 
Job 37:16 Dost thou know the balancings of the clouds, the wondrous works of him which is perfect in knowledge? 
Job 37:17 How thy garments are warm, when he quieteth the earth by the south wind? 
Job 37:18 Hast thou with him spread out the sky, which is strong, and as a molten looking glass? 
Job 37:19 Teach us what we shall say unto him; for we cannot order our speech by reason of darkness. 
Job 37:20 Shall it be told him that I speak? if a man speak, surely he shall be swallowed up. 
Job 37:21 And now men see not the bright light which is in the clouds: but the wind passeth, and cleanseth them. 
Job 37:22 Fair weather cometh out of the north: with God is terrible [awe-filled] majesty.
Job 37:23 Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out: he is excellent in power, and in judgment, and in plenty of justice: he will not afflict. 
Job 37:24 Men do therefore fear him: he respecteth not any that are wise of heart.

In a loving embrace with her Lord, the enigma of his fair-weather from the north mixes with his gentle breeze from her south into a passionate whirlwind of blissful spiritual delights, transporting them up into the heavens or eternal love. That is how His garments to her are warm as he “quieteth” her earth through the paradox of intense spiritual arousal by His south wind upon her perfumed fruitful garden.

Jer 52:18-34  Everything in the Lord’s Temple is Now Also in Babylon

[Study Aired November 13, 2022]

Jer 52:18  The caldrons also, and the shovels, and the snuffers, and the bowls, and the spoons, and all the vessels of brass wherewith they ministered, took they away.
Jer 52:19  And the basons, and the firepans, and the bowls, and the caldrons, and the candlesticks, and the spoons, and the cups; that which was of gold in gold, and that which was of silver in silver, took the captain of the guard away.
Jer 52:20  The two pillars, one sea, and twelve brasen bulls that were under the bases, which king Solomon had made in the house of the LORD: the brass of all these vessels was without weight.
Jer 52:21  And concerning the pillars, the height of one pillar was eighteen cubits; and a fillet of twelve cubits did compass it; and the thickness thereof was four fingers: it was hollow.
Jer 52:22  And a chapiter of brass was upon it; and the height of one chapiter was five cubits, with network and pomegranates upon the chapiters round about, all of brass. The second pillar also and the pomegranates were like unto these.
Jer 52:23  And there were ninety and six pomegranates on a side; and all the pomegranates upon the network were an hundred round about.
Jer 52:24  And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the door:
Jer 52:25  He took also out of the city an eunuch, which had the charge of the men of war; and seven men of them that were near the king’s person, which were found in the city; and the principal scribe of the host, who mustered the people of the land; and threescore men of the people of the land, that were found in the midst of the city.
Jer 52:26  So Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard took them, and brought them to the king of Babylon to Riblah.
Jer 52:27  And the king of Babylon smote them, and put them to death in Riblah in the land of Hamath. Thus Judah was carried away captive out of his own land.
Jer 52:28  This is the people whom Nebuchadrezzar carried away captive: in the seventh year three thousand Jews and three and twenty:
Jer 52:29  In the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar he carried away captive from Jerusalem eight hundred thirty and two persons:
Jer 52:30  In the three and twentieth year of Nebuchadrezzar Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive of the Jews seven hundred forty and five persons: all the persons were four thousand and six hundred.

These Last Four Verses Concern Jehoiachin’s Release from Prison

Jer 52:31  And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, in the five and twentieth day of the month, that Evilmerodach king of Babylon in the first year of his reign lifted up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah, and brought him forth out of prison,
Jer 52:32  And spake kindly unto him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings that were with him in Babylon,
Jer 52:33  And changed his prison garments: and he did continually eat bread before him all the days of his life.
Jer 52:34  And for his diet, there was a continual diet given him of the king of Babylon, every day a portion until the day of his death, all the days of his life.

In our last study we closed with these verses:

Jer 52:16  But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left certain of the poor of the land for vinedressers and for husbandmen.
Jer 52:17  Also the pillars of brass that were in the house of the LORD, and the bases, and the brasen sea that was in the house of the LORD, the Chaldeans brake, and carried all the brass of them to Babylon.

Brass is the very best of the base metals. Its spiritual significance therefore is the best of our carnal flesh. Here is the study on the spiritual significance of ‘brass’, which should be translated as copper:

Metals – Copper, Part 1

It is through these two ‘pillars of brass’ that everyone entered the temple of God. The only place brass was found in the tabernacle of Moses was in the sockets which supported the five pillars at the door of the tabernacle. All the priests entered the tabernacle over these sockets of brass. These two brass pillars have the same spiritual significance which the sockets of the tabernacle carried. That spiritual significance is that “we have this treasure [Christ] in earthen vessels”, through which we enter into the Lord’s presence.

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.

The temple of Solomon is a more mature type of the Lord’s habitation, and in the temple, we see that the pillars are but two, which signifies the witness of Christ and the witness of His Christ.

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.

Zec 4:1  And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep,
Zec 4:2  And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof:
Zec 4:3  And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof.
Zec 4:4  So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord?
Zec 4:5  Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord.
Zec 4:6  Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.

Here is the study on the spiritual significance of the number two:

Numbers – Two

The following is the description of the size and shape of those two copper pillars at the entrance of the temple of Solomon:

1Ki 7:15  For he cast two pillars of brass, of eighteen cubits high apiece: and a line of twelve cubits did compass either of them about.
1Ki 7:16  And he made two chapiters of molten brass, to set upon the tops of the pillars: the height of the one chapiter was five cubits, and the height of the other chapiter was five cubits:
1Ki 7:21  And he set up the pillars in the porch of the temple: and he set up the right pillar, and called the name thereof Jachin [H3199: ‘He will establish]: and he set up the left pillar, and called the name thereof Boaz [H1162: ‘Fleetness’].

A cubit is a foot and a half, or 45.72 centimeters. With a five cubit cap (2.286 meters) these copper pillars were 34.5 feet tall with a 18 foot circumference. That is 10.5156 meters tall with a 5.4864 meter circumference. They were not intended to be portable, yet Nebuchadnezzar had them broken up and carried to Babylon, along with all the implements with which the priests serviced the temple of the Lord. All those implements which were intended to worship the true God were now in Babylon, typical of ‘Mystery Babylon’ now being used in the service of another god.

Rev 18:1  And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.
Rev 18:2  And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
Rev 18:3  For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.

All these physical things have spiritual counterparts which are all found in Mystery Babylon and which are all given to Babylon by the Lord’s apostate people. There is no doubt that physical Babylon had plenty of gold, silver, and precious stones before the Jerusalem campaign, but now the Old Testament type of Mystery Babylon the Great also has within it the gold, silver, and precious stones of the temple of God in Jerusalem.

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

1Co 3:12  Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;

The building materials of “gold, silver, and precious stones” signify the doctrines of Christ and His gospel, which is likened unto “a treasure hidden in a field [and] a pearl of great price” (Mat 13:44-45). Ezekiel condemns the Lord’s people for using His gold and His silver to “make to [themselves] images of men” which we are told signify “falsehoods”:

Jer 10:14  Every man is brutish in his knowledge: every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.

Jer 51:17  Every man is brutish by his knowledge; every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.

The ‘gold, silver, and precious stones’ of Babylon signify all the false doctrines which the Lord’s own words have been twisted into as “idols of the heart” of the ‘merchants and shipmasters of Babylon’, who signify all the great prominent ministers of the religions of this world.

Eze 14:4  Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the LORD will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols;
Eze 14:5  That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me through their idols.
Eze 14:6  Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations.
Eze 14:7  For every one of the house of Israel, or of the stranger that sojourneth in Israel, which separateth himself from me, and setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to a prophet to enquire of him concerning me; I the LORD will answer him by myself:
Eze 14:8  And I will set my face against that man, and will make him a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midst of my people; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
Eze 14:9  And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the LORD have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel.
Eze 14:10  And they shall bear the punishment of their iniquity: the punishment of the prophet shall be even as the punishment of him that seeketh unto him;

Rev 18:12  The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble,
Rev 18:13  And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men.

That is what happened to Jerusalem. All the implements that were used by the priests in ministering to the people before the Lord are now in Babylon and being used there.

Jer 52:18  The caldrons also, and the shovels, and the snuffers, and the bowls, and the spoons, and all the vessels of brass wherewith they ministered, took they away.
Jer 52:19  And the basons, and the firepans, and the bowls, and the caldrons, and the candlesticks, and the spoons, and the cups; that which was of gold in gold, and that which was of silver in silver, took the captain of the guard away.
Jer 52:20  The two pillars, one sea, and twelve brasen bulls that were under the bases, which king Solomon had made in the house of the LORD: the brass of all these vessels was without weight.

All these implements are now in Babylon signifying that which was already true before the Lord’s people were carried away captives into Babylon. This is what it all signifies:

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

The bread and the water here signify the same things which the bread and the blood signify in these words of our Lord:

Joh 6:48  I am that bread of life.
Joh 6:49  Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.
Joh 6:50  This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.
Joh 6:51  I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
Joh 6:52  The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?
Joh 6:53  Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
Joh 6:54  Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
Joh 6:55  For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
Joh 6:56  He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.

Jer 52:21  And concerning the pillars, the height of one pillar was eighteen cubits; and a fillet of twelve cubits did compass it; and the thickness thereof was four fingers: it was hollow.
Jer 52:22  And a chapiter of brass was upon it; and the height of one chapiter was five cubits, with network and pomegranates upon the chapiters round about, all of brass. The second pillar also and the pomegranates were like unto these.
Jer 52:23  And there were ninety and six pomegranates on a side; and all the pomegranates upon the network were an hundred round about.

These pillars signify the great men who are the pillars of the Lord’s apostate house just as the Lord’s elect are called “pillars” in His house:

Rev 3:12  Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

These pillars were designed to “go no more out”, but the apostasy of the Lord’s people caused them to be broken down and carried away to Babylon.

Jer 52:24  And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the door:
Jer 52:25  He took also out of the city an eunuch, which had the charge of the men of war; and seven men of them that were near the king’s person, which were found in the city; and the principal scribe of the host, who mustered the people of the land; and threescore men of the people of the land, that were found in the midst of the city.
Jer 52:26  So Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard took them, and brought them to the king of Babylon to Riblah.
Jer 52:27  And the king of Babylon smote them, and put them to death in Riblah in the land of Hamath. Thus Judah was carried away captive out of his own land.

These are the spiritual leaders of the Lord’s people spoken of by the next verses in Isaiah 3, telling us of the extent of the apostasy of the Lord’s own people. I repeat verse one to give the context of the state of all these great men of God:

Isa 3:1  For, behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the staff, the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water,
Isa 3:2  The mighty man, and the man of war, the judge, and the prophet, and the prudent, and the ancient,
Isa 3:3  The captain of fifty, and the honourable man, and the counsellor, and the cunning artificer, and the eloquent orator.
Isa 3:4  And I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them.
Isa 3:5  And the people shall be oppressed, every one by another, and every one by his neighbour: the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honourable.

Isa 3:8  For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen: because their tongue and their doings are against the LORD, to provoke the eyes of his glory. [The ‘harlot’ of Isaiah 1:21 is fallen, is fallen]
Isa 3:9  The shew of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not. Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves.

Speaking to His own apostate people this is how the Lord addresses them:

Isa 1:10  Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.

Sodom is also another name for the “great city” of Mystery Babylon the Great:

Rev 11:8  And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

Lest anyone miss the fact that Mystery Babylon is the Lord’s own people we are told that this is “where also our Lord was crucified”.

Jer 52:28  This is the people whom Nebuchadrezzar carried away captive: in the seventh year three thousand Jews and three and twenty:
Jer 52:29  In the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar he carried away captive from Jerusalem eight hundred thirty and two persons:
Jer 52:30  In the three and twentieth year of Nebuchadrezzar Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive of the Jews seven hundred forty and five persons: all the persons were four thousand and six hundred.

This three-step process of fulfilling the prophecy of Jeremiah telling the Lord’s people that they would be carried away to Babylon signifies the process of being judged which they are now enduring.

Lest we think this has no personal application we need to remember that it is our own old man who is at this very moment enduring the judgments of God upon his own rebellious kingdom within us:

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.

1Pe 4:17  For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
1Pe 4:18  And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
1Pe 4:19  Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

All of these events which Judah and Jerusalem endured because of their own wickedness and backsliding happened to them and they are written to let us know that the Lord is at this very moment judging us in this present time, and He is keeping our souls in His service as a faithful Creator, and as a loving husband who simply wants us to repent of our unfaithful ways and return humbly to Him:

Jer 3:13  Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the LORD.
Jer 3:14  Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion:
Jer 3:15  And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.

Look at how this prophecy of Jeremiah ends. It ends with the hope of being fed with knowledge and understanding from the Lord:

Jer 52:31  And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, in the five and twentieth day of the month, that Evilmerodach king of Babylon in the first year of his reign lifted up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah, and brought him forth out of prison,
Jer 52:32  And spake kindly unto him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings that were with him in Babylon,
Jer 52:33  And changed his prison garments: and he did continually eat bread before him all the days of his life.
Jer 52:34  And for his diet, there was a continual diet given him of the king of Babylon, every day a portion until the day of his death, all the days of his life.

Jehoiachin was the youngest of the four kings who followed King Josiah. He is the youngest king to whom Jeremiah prophesied, and he is the only king who followed Jeremiah’s words from the Lord to “go out unto the king of Babylon’s princes”, and accept the judgment which the Lord has prophesied to come upon Judah and Jerusalem:

Jer 38:17  Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel; If thou wilt assuredly go forth unto the king of Babylon’s princes, then thy soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire; and thou shalt live, and thine house:
Jer 38:18  But if thou wilt not go forth to the king of Babylon’s princes, then shall this city be given into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they shall burn it with fire, and thou shalt not escape out of their hand.

2Ki 24:12  And Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon, he, and his mother, and his servants, and his princes, and his officers: and the king of Babylon took him in the eighth year of his reign.

Because Jehoiachin obeyed the Lord he is now being treated as Joseph who was brought out of prison and placed over the house of Pharaoh. He is being set over the kings in Babylon just as Daniel and his fellows were placed over all the wise men in all the province of Babylon just a few years prior to Jehoiachin’s release from prison. All these men, Joseph, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and here in the last part of the last chapter of Jeremiah, we have Jehoiachin, all who obeyed the words of the Lord in their generation are types of the Lord’s elect who are also being taken out of prison and being made kings and priests who will reign with Christ in His soon coming kingdom:

Rev 1:4  John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;
Rev 1:5  And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
Rev 1:6  And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
Rev 1:7  Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

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

May the Lord give us all the faith to value and to choose to suffer affliction with the people of God in this present time than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, and may the Lord grant each of us to have respect unto the recompense of the reward we are promised:

Heb 11:25  Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
Heb 11:26  Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.

[Study Aired November 18, 2021]

1Ki 7:13  And king Solomon sent and fetched Hiram out of Tyre.
1Ki 7:14  He was a widow’s son of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in brass: and he was filled with wisdom, and understanding, and cunning to work all works in brass. And he came to king Solomon, and wrought all his work. 
1Ki 7:15  For he cast two pillars of brass, of eighteen cubits high apiece: and a line of twelve cubits did compass either of them about. 
1Ki 7:16  And he made two chapiters of molten brass, to set upon the tops of the pillars: the height of the one chapiter was five cubits, and the height of the other chapiter was five cubits: 
1Ki 7:17  And nets of checker work, and wreaths of chain work, for the chapiters which were upon the top of the pillars; seven for the one chapiter, and seven for the other chapiter. 
1Ki 7:18  And he made the pillars, and two rows round about upon the one network, to cover the chapiters that were upon the top, with pomegranates: and so did he for the other chapiter. 
1Ki 7:19  And the chapiters that were upon the top of the pillars were of lily work in the porch, four cubits. 
1Ki 7:20  And the chapiters upon the two pillars had pomegranates also above, over against the belly which was by the network: and the pomegranates were two hundred in rows round about upon the other chapiter. 
1Ki 7:21  And he set up the pillars in the porch of the temple: and he set up the right pillar, and called the name thereof Jachin: and he set up the left pillar, and called the name thereof Boaz. 
1Ki 7:22  And upon the top of the pillars was lily work: so was the work of the pillars finished.

In this section of the construction of Solomon’s temple we will be looking at the “two pillars“, among other sections of the temple, that typify the elect of God (Rev 3:12, 1Co 3:16). The two witnesses of Revelation 11:3, like the two pillars, witness to where our strength and power come from to witness and overcome in this life as we learn to bear each other’s burdens as the body of Christ made up of those pillars who are fulfilling the law of Christ (Gal 6:2).

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 3:12  Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. 

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

Our power comes to us from God through Christ (Php 4:13). When we read about the workmanship (1Co 3:16, Eph 2:9-10) that went into the pillars in Solomon’s temple, we are learning about what God is doing today in the lives of those who He has predestined from the foundation of the world to be those pillars of truth that’s God’s government will be established upon (1Ti 3:15).

Php 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

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

Eph 2:9  Not of works, lest any man should boast. 
Eph 2:10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. 

1Ti 3:15  But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. 

These pillars being built in the temple of God were for our sakes “upon whom the ends of the world are come” (1Co 10:11).  We know we are in the last days within us (1Jn 2:18) when we see the negative example of two pillars being pushed down in our own heavens by God’s power within us which will result in the destruction of all things within (Jdg 16:26, 2Pe 3:11, Mat 21:44).

1Co 10:11  Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

1Jn 2:18  Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. 

Jdg 16:26  And Samson said unto the lad that held him by the hand, Suffer me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house standeth, that I may lean upon them. 

2Pe 3:11  Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, 

Mat 21:44  And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

The destruction that we are hoping and praying for is of the man of perdition within who will be destroyed by the brightness of Christ’s coming (2Th 2:8). So we pray our flight won’t be on the Sabbath or in the winter (Mat 24:20).  As God’s elect we cry out to God for deliverance like Christ did (1Jn 4:17) and was heard in that He feared (Heb 5:7).

2Th 2:8  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 

Mat 24:20  But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: 

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; 

As God’s pillars we are told that we must become as little children to inherit the kingdom of God (Mat 18:3-4) as we are led by the spirit of God, typified by the lad who guided the hands of Samson to push on the pillars that would kill more people in his death than he killed in all his life (Jdg 16:30). God has called the elect to die daily and to knock down those ungodly self-righteous idols in our lives that cause us to think we stand by our own power (1Co 10:12-14) as opposed to acknowledging God who is working all things according to the counsel of His own will both to will and to do of His good pleasure within us (Eph 1:11, Php 2:12-13).

Mat 18:3  And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven [to be converted and become as a little child is to be led of the spirit of God (Rom 8:14-15) that guides our old man into death going where we do not want to go (Joh 21:18)].
Mat 18:4  Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 

Jdg 16:30  And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life.

1Co 10:12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. 
1Co 10:13  There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. 
1Co 10:14  Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.

This is the idolatry from which we must flee spoken of in 1Corinthians 10:14 as we die daily acknowledging His sovereignty over the entire process, both the light and the darkness (Isa 45:7), that is accompanied with His mercy telling us that as we go through this dying daily destruction process that “God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” as pillars of God in His hands that learn to joyfully bear the burden (1Co 10:12-14, Joh 10:28-30, Gal 6:2).

Joh 10:28  And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 
Joh 10:29  My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.

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

1Ki 7:13  And king Solomon sent and fetched Hiram out of Tyre. 
1Ki 7:14  He was a widow’s son of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in brass: and he was filled with wisdom, and understanding, and cunning to work all works in brass. And he came to king Solomon, and wrought all his work.

When God calls us into his service we don’t have a choice in the matter as we are dragged to Christ (Joh 6:44, Jer 20:7). Solomon in this instance represents the Father who has “sent and fetched Hiram out of Tyre” from where we all symbolically come. Tyre means “a rock”, but it is in the negative sense of the word rock and not the rock that church is built upon, Jesus Christ (Mat 16:18).

Hiram, whose name means ‘noble’, has been called and chosen in type and figure unto this noble calling to help in the construction of Solomon’s temple and more specifically in the construction of the pillars. Hiram who was “a worker in brass: and he was filled with wisdom, and understanding, and cunning to work all works in brass” represents the work that Christ is doing through the church where the wisdom and understanding, unlike Hiram’s is not for the building of a physical temple but rather for the temple of God that we are that is being build by Christ (Psa 127:1, Heb 9:23-24).

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

Heb 9:23  It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 
Heb 9:24  For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: 

We are told Hiram “was a widow’s son of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in brass“. The significance of this sentence is that his father is now dead who represents his old man who worked in Tyre [Babylon] with brass which represents fleshly works. Hiram who is “a widow’s son of the tribe of Naphtali” which means he’s come from a place of wrestling (“Naphtali”) and is now ready to come “to king Solomon, and wrought all his work” which is what we are able to do when God puts to death our old man making us “meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work” (2Ti 2:21).

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.

1Ki 7:15  For he cast two pillars of brass, of eighteen cubits high apiece: and a line of twelve cubits did compass either of them about. 

These numbers describing the dimensions of the two “pillars of brass” represent the judgment (18+18=36) that is needed in our lives in order for the foundation of Christ to be formed within our heavens represented by “a line of twelve [Christ is the foundation] cubits did compass either of them about” [1+8 is 9, 1+8 is 9 and 3+6 is 9]. That judgment [9] leads to life [12]!

The two pillars being “eighteen cubits high apiece” are also symbolic of the two Cherubim who are accompanied with “a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life” (Gen 3:24) again reminding us that the life of Christ we have within us is kept through judgment which God’s word brings to our hearts via His ministers and each other who have that sword in our lives that we pray will never depart from us (Rom 13:3-4, 2Sa 12:10, Psa 139:21-24). Once we have these truths established and along the way we then hold fast to the truths we have proven and guard the truth like these two cherubim who are guarding the way to the tree of life (Psa 11:6-8, 1Th 5:21).

Gen 3:24  So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life. 

Rom 13:3  For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: 
Rom 13:4  For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. 

2Sa 12:10  Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife. 

Psa 139:21  Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? [within ourselves]
Psa 139:22  I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies. 
Psa 139:23  Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 
Psa 139:24  And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. 

1Ki 7:16  And he made two chapiters of molten brass, to set upon the tops of the pillars: the height of the one chapiter was five cubits, and the height of the other chapiter was five cubits: 
1Ki 7:17  And nets of checker work, and wreaths of chain work, for the chapiters which were upon the top of the pillars; seven for the one chapiter, and seven for the other chapiter. 

These pillars represent a place of judgment that is needful if we are going to enter into a right relationship with God. The physical location of these pillars in the temple reminds us of the order that leads us into the holiest place which represents where we can boldly go to obtain mercy and help in time of need (Rom 2:4, Heb 4:16, 1Jn 2:1).

Rom 2:4  Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance [through the pillars – Eph 3:10]?

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. 

1Jn 2:1  My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

The “two chapiters of molten brass” that are “set upon the tops of the pillars” which are both “five cubits” in height are a witness [2] of how we are saved “by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God” (Eph 2:8).

The positioning of these “chapiters“^H3805 “upon the tops of the pillars” is significant as well, seeing it is only when we are granted to be abased through the chastening grace of God teaching us to forsake ungodliness and worldly lust in this age (Tit 2:12) that we can through that process of suffering, which is brought about by judgment, be among those who will receive a crown of life (2Ti 4:8) that is represented by these crown-like structures that are “upon the tops of the pillars” (2Ti 2:12). Our salvation will come about through His leading us unto repentance (Rom 2:4) that requires we learn to not grow weary of that correction as we patiently possess our souls in this life by the strength God gives us to do this through Christ (Heb 12:6, Luk 21:19).

chapitersH3805
– Original: כu1468 תu1512 תpar
– Transliteration: Kothereth
– Phonetic: ko-theh’-reth
– Definition:

1. capital crown, capital of a pillar

– Origin: act. participle of H3803
– TWOT entry: 1060c
– Part(s) of speech: Noun Feminine
– Strong’s: Feminine active participle of H3803; the capital of a column:
– chapiter.

Total KJV Occurrences: 24

• chapiter, 12

1Ki_7:16(2); 1Ki_7:17(2); 1Ki_7:18; 1Ki_7:20; 1Ki_7:31; 2Ki_25:17(3); Jer_52:22(2) 

• chapiters, 12

1Ki_7:16; 1Ki_7:17; 1Ki_7:18; 1Ki_7:19; 1Ki_7:20; 1Ki_7:41(2); 1Ki_7:42; 2Ch_4:12(2); 2Ch_4:13; Jer_52:22 

H3803 kâthar kaw-thar’ A primitive root; to enclose; hence (in a friendly sense) to crown, (in a hostile one) to besiege; also to wait (as restraining oneself): – beset round, compass about, be crowned inclose round, suffer.

Network, lattice, and checker are all the same Strong’s number H7639, and in the positive use of the word snare, these “nets of checker work” remind us how we are bound to the altar (Psa 118:27) as Jeremiah was in type and shadow realizing he was bound to his commission unto the Lord (Jer 20:7).

The “wreaths^H1434 of chain^H8333 work” reminds us also in the positive sense how we are bound to Christ on his chest like the breastplate with chains of Exodus 39:14-15 and John 13:23. The word wreaths^H1434 is also used in Deuteronomy 22:11-12 which tells us that our whole [4] relationship with Christ is to be pure and not mixed with another cloth as we are being covered with His righteousness, and the linen is the righteousness of the saints (Rev 19:8).

Exo 39:14  And the stones were according to the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a signet, every one with his name, according to the twelve tribes. 
Exo 39:15  And they made upon the breastplate chainsH8333 at the ends, of wreathen work of pure gold. 

Joh 13:23  Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved. 

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. 

H7639 śebâkâh seb-aw-kaw’:  Feminine of H7638; a net work, that is, (in hunting) a snare, (in architecture) a ballustrade; also a reticulated ornament to a pillar: – checker, lattice, network, snare, wreath (-enwork).

Total KJV Occurrences: 17

network, 5 1Ki_7:18, 1Ki_7:20, 1Ki_7:42, Jer_52:22-23 (2)
networks, 2 1Ki_7:41-42 (2)
work, 2 2Ki_25:17 (2) 
wreathen, 2 2Ki_25:17 (2) 
wreaths, 2 2Ch_4:12-13 (2) 
checker, 1 1Ki_7:17
lattice, 1 2Ki_1:2
snare, 1 Job_18:8
wreath, 1 2Ch_4:13

1Ki 7:18  And he made the pillars, and two rows round about upon the one network, to cover the chapiters that were upon the top, with pomegranates: and so did he for the other chapiter.

The chapiters were covered with a lattice, or ‘network’^H7639 as it is expressed in the KJV. In another instance, not related to the temple, this Strong’s number is used in the KJV is in 2Kings 1:2, where we read of Ahaziah the king of Israel making this request to enquire of “Baalzebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recover of this disease” having fallen through the “lattice^H7639, in his upper chamber”. What needs to be noticed in this story is that the lattice did not prevent him from falling and going to “enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron” which would be equivalent to one going to find spiritual healing in the churches of Babylon. There is no stay of bread or water at their table (Isa 3:1) that can bring spiritual healing, “for he is cast into a net by his own feet, and he walketh upon a snare^H7639” (Job 18:8 – same Strong’s number).

2Ki 1:2  And Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in his upper chamber that was in Samaria, and was sick: and he sent messengers, and said unto them, Go, enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recover of this disease.

If we compare this story to Christ who was in the upper room at the last supper (Mar 14:15), we then see the example of where true healing and life comes through the body and blood of Jesus Christ, and are reminded how our spiritual healing comes about by touching the hem of His garment (Luk 8:43-44). The high priest, who is a type of Christ, had pomegranates around the hem of his garments (Exo 28:34), and we can connect these thoughts together to see that these chapiters that had lattice work represent the strength of our relationship with Christ.  It is something we receive when we are granted repentance, which is symbolized by the blood red fruit of the pomegranates, found on these raised chapiters as well as on the garment of the high priest, which represents Christ’s blood “which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Mat 26:27-28).

Mar 14:15  And he will shew you a large upper room furnished and prepared: there make ready for us. 

Luk 8:43  And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any, 
Luk 8:44  Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched. 

Exo 28:33  And beneath upon the hem of it thou shalt make pomegranates of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, round about the hem thereof; and bells of gold between them round about: 
Exo 28:34  A golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, upon the hem of the robe round about.

Mat 26:27  And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; 
Mat 26:28  For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

1Ki 7:19 And the chapiters that were upon the top of the pillars were of lily work in the porch, four cubits.

The chapiters were on the top of the pillars, and they were four cubits in size and “of lily work” which reveals to us that the whole (4) (1Co 15:22) of mankind will be saved through Christ and His Christ (Son 2:1, Act 4:12, Oba 1:21).

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

Son 2:1  I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.

Act 4:12  Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. 

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

1Ki 7:20 And the chapiters upon the two pillars had pomegranates also above, over against the belly which was by the network: and the pomegranates were two hundred in rows round about upon the other chapiter. 

There were two hundred pomegranates in rows around each cap or chapiter that covered these two pillars. The “belly” was the rounded area at the top by the network or lattice. The two hundred pomegranates in rows that are round about upon both chapiters represents the salvation of all [4×50=200] men by grace [5×10] through faith (Eph 2:8) that will come through the body of Christ (Rom 10:17) whose witness of having eyes within and round about the entire pillar is represented by the pomegranates (Rev 4:8, 2Ch 16:9, Eph 5:30, 1Co 12:17, 1Co 12:21). Unless the Lord had given us those eyes we could have never understood how our communion in God is connected to the body and blood of Christ, which fruit of repentance is demonstrated with the pomegranates (1Co 10:16). They are also next to the lily which shows us that this work of salvation is being accomplished through the strength God gives us through Christ (2x10x10=200). We have been eating the bread and drinking the cup of the Lord unworthily most of our lives and as such were guilty of the body and blood of the Lord (1Co 11:27). It is only when we are given to acknowledge our transgressions as we’re led to repentance (Rom 2:4) that we are truly being blessed with the strength of Christ’s life within us, which is life indeed (Joh 6:51-57).

Rev 4:8  And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. 

1Co 10:16  The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? 

1Co 11:27  Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 

Rom 2:4  Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? 

Joh 6:51  I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world [Eph 5:30].
Joh 6:52  The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? 
Joh 6:53  Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you [Eph 5:30, 1Jn4:6]. 
Joh 6:54  Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day [Heb 10:25]. 
Joh 6:55  For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. 
Joh 6:56  He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. 
Joh 6:57  As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.

1Ki 7:21  And he set up the pillars in the porch of the temple: and he set up the right pillar, and called the name thereof Jachin: and he set up the left pillar, and called the name thereof Boaz. 
1Ki 7:22  And upon the top of the pillars was lily work: so was the work of the pillars finished. 

Setting up “the pillars in the porch of the temple” the right pillar and the left pillar is represented by this verse:

1Pe 5:10  But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

The pillar on the right is called “Jachin^H3199” which means ‘he will establish‘ the ‘right’ representing the power of God that makes it possible for our lives to be established in Christ.

The one on the left is called “Boaz^H1162” which means ‘fleetness‘ tying into the word “spoudazō” that we heard on the Sunday study. We must be diligently about our Father’s business (Luk 2:49), and if Christ is working in us we will be consumed for the temple as He was because we are as He is with God’s spirit within us (Col 1:27, Rom 8:9).

Having God’s spirit within us (Rom 8:9) is typified by the lilys which are mentioned in the same context of these two pillars. It is therefore Christ alone who can do this work within us, and all glory and honour are his “upon the top of the pillars was lily work: so was the work of the pillars finished“, which is what this section of Kings is telling us.

Excerpt from Mikes study:

Now let’s look at Strong’s definition of the Greek word translated as ‘study’ in 1Timothy 2:15. Here is that word and its definition:

G4704  σπουδάζω  spoudazō  spoo-dad’-zo
From G4710; to use speed, that is, to make effort, be prompt or earnest: – do (give) diligence, be diligent (forward), endeavour, labour, study.

It is by divine design that this word is used in connection with how we are to deal with the false doctrine of Hymenaeus and Philetus concerning the resurrection being only spiritual and with no physical application. What we are being told is that we must be speedy and make an effort to be prompt and earnest and give diligence to sorting out in a very timely manner what is the Truth and what is not the Truth whenever a question about doctrine arises in the body of Christ.  **** end quote.

‘To him who overcometh’ is something God has already predetermined from the foundation of the world as to whom that will be, and in line with this last thought, the fruit on the tree is what should determine at the end of this age who has this spirit of spoudazō and who does not (1Pe 2:9, Tit 2:14, Rev 3:12).

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 [Joh 6:63, Mat 5:14-16]:

Tit 2:14  Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. 

Rev 3:19  As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 

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

Rev 3:12  Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

Audio Links

Awesome Hands – part 113

“The women … did spin with their hands”

March 17, 2017

Repentance and comfort were the topics of last study, and as we learned, they are closely linked together. In our study this week, we are going to connect these two things with what we do after we have gone through the repentance process.

It is important for us to learn how to proceed, biblically speaking, because we know that there will be many times during our lives that repentance will be needed. It is during these times that we need to know what to do next in order to act on the repentance of which we have just been a part.

As we learned last week, repentance brings us comfort, but after we are comforted we need to go about the work of the Lord, or we will again fall into our old ways of the old man which lead us into needing to repent of those works once again.

Mar 2:17  When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Act 11:18  When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.

Rom 2:1  Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.
Rom 2:2  But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.
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 thee to repentance?

2Co 7:10  For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

2Pe 3:9  The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

After repentance to salvation and repentance unto life come to us, what is our purpose, and how to we go about achieving that purpose?

In our study today, we are going to cover these questions in the context of the next mentioning of “yad” or “hands” in scripture. Our verses for consideration today at found in Exodus 35.

At the beginning of this chapter we learn what the commandments of keeping the Sabbath holy are, and then we learn this about the building up of the tabernacle.

Exo 35:4  And Moses spake unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which the LORD commanded, saying,
Exo 35:5  Take ye from among you an offering unto the LORD: whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering of the LORD; gold, and silver, and brass,
Exo 35:6  And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats’ hair,
Exo 35:7  And rams’ skins dyed red, and badgers’ skins, and shittim wood,
Exo 35:8  And oil for the light, and spices for anointing oil, and for the sweet incense,
Exo 35:9  And onyx stones, and stones to be set for the ephod, and for the breastplate.
Exo 35:10  And every wise hearted among you shall come, and make all that the LORD hath commanded;

We have actually covered these verses previously in the Awesome Hands series, and I encourage you to search for those studies on IWWB if you are unfamiliar with them. For now, we are going to read some of the results of the children of Israel obeying the commandments of the Lord.

The important thing to start is that this all pertains to the building up of the tabernacle. Much like the children of God could not repent while they were in Egypt, since they were slaves to the Egyptians, we cannot have godly repentance until the Lord brings it to our attention that we NEED repentance in order to proceed in our walks with Him.

In Exodus 35:25-29 we will see how we are to proceed AFTER having repented of those things needing repentance. Again, this is a continuous process for whenever repentance is needed, since repent is a VERB, and after this verb has happened we must take action to build up the tabernacle of God, “whom temple you are”.

Zec 6:15  And they that are far off shall come and build in the temple of the LORD, and ye shall know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you. And this shall come to pass, if ye will diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God.

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

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

Yes, indeed, the temple of God is OPENED in HEAVEN, and within His temple, within us, is His ark of His testament. How do we go about building up this temple?

Exo 35:25  And all the women that were wise hearted did spin with their hands, and brought that which they had spun, both of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine linen.
Exo 35:26  And all the women whose heart stirred them up in wisdom spun goats’ hair.
Exo 35:27  And the rulers brought onyx stones, and stones to be set, for the ephod, and for the breastplate;
Exo 35:28  And spice, and oil for the light, and for the anointing oil, and for the sweet incense.
Exo 35:29  The children of Israel brought a willing offering unto the LORD, every man and woman, whose heart made them willing to bring for all manner of work, which the LORD had commanded to be made by the hand of Moses.

“Whose heart made them willing.” It sometimes feels a bit repetitive to add the disclaimer that we fully know and understand that the Lord is working ALL THINGS after the counsel of His own will, yet because we never know who our audience is, we must always make sure to communicate this Truth when speaking about things “we need to do” or things we “ought to be doing”.

Nevertheless, the Lord stirred up the hearts of the children of Israel to DO “all manner of work” for the building of the tabernacle.

So, how do we reconcile the two ideas that the Lord works it all, but we need to take on the work of the tabernacle of the Lord in order to achieve actually doing something that will be used in His temple?

“Don’t you know that you are the temple of God and the spirit of God DWELLS in you”? Are you alone the temple of God, or is there MORE to it than ‘me, myself and I’? Of course, there is more to it, and that brings us to our next variation on the Hebrew word “yad”.

Exo 36:1  Then wrought Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise hearted man, in whom the LORD put wisdom and understanding to know how to work all manner of work for the service of the sanctuary, according to all that the LORD had commanded.

Exo 36:6  And Moses gave commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, Let neither man nor woman make any more work for the offering of the sanctuary. So the people were restrained from bringing.
Exo 36:7  For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much.

Exo 36:20  And he made boards for the tabernacle of shittim wood, standing up.
Exo 36:21  The length of a board was ten cubits, and the breadth of a board one cubit and a half.
Exodus 36:22  One board had two tenons (H3027), equally distant one from another: thus did he make for all the boards of the tabernacle.
Exodus 36:23  And he made boards for the tabernacle; twenty boards for the south side southward:

I am going to introduce a concept that may seem foreign to you at first, but once it rings true to your heart and mind, it should be one of those things not easily forgotten.

You’ll notice that the boards of the tabernacle were made out of wood. These boards are connected together by tenons, or hands, and if you are wondering what “works” the Lord puts into our hands to achieve the work of the tabernacle, then you must consider that the boards “made of wood” are connected together to form the skeleton of the tabernacle.

Exo 35:29  The children of Israel brought a willing offering unto the LORD, every man and woman, whose heart made them willing to bring for all manner of work, which the LORD had commanded to be made by the hand of Moses.

The Lord has commanded that Moses, who is a type of God in Jesus Christ, make these things happen “with his hands”. The “things that are made” are then made by the Lord “putting wisdom and understanding to know how to work all manner of work for the service of the sanctuary” into the hearts of all the people who fashion all the items of the tabernacle to be “fitly joined together.”

I did a study a long while back named, “Fitly Joined Together”. At the time I did that study I conceptionally knew of the things I am speaking on today, but it hadn’t yet been revealed to me just how connected the “boards of the tabernacle” are by the “tenons” the Lord build into them.

Still, here is how we move PAST repentance and LIVE the thankfulness that comes with having received comfort from the process of repentance:

Eph 4:15  But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
Eph 4:16  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
Eph 4:17  This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
Eph 4:18  Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:
Eph 4:19  Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
Eph 4:20  But ye have not so learned Christ;
Eph 4:21  If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
Eph 4:22  That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
Eph 4:23  And be RENEWED in the spirit of your mind;
Eph 4:24  And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Now comes the time of examination so that we can walk in the words that we just read. Knowing that the Lord works all things, how then do WE take part in this?

Is your mind renewed? Does it need renewing? Then look around to your left and right to the other boards that are connected to you, and SEE the TEMPLE of God as it is.

Eph 4:25  Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.
Eph 4:26  Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
Eph 4:27  Neither give place to the devil.

I know this seems so simplistic and that creator of the universe and all therein could not have simplified our lives down to these simple concepts, but I will counter that argument with asking if you have ever actually TRIED to do these things.

Truly, they are IMPOSSIBLE to achieve without the Lord doing them in us and He does them in us AS we call out for Him to create in us the new man’s mind in order to achieve these things in our lives.

Eph 4:1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
Eph 4:2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
Eph 4:3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

We keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace by realizing that we are all in this together. It seems so cliché, but it really is something we need to know deep within our hearts and minds.

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

We are built together for a habitation of God, and I dare say that a one-board home isn’t much of a place that can be inhabited.

I seem to have been given this “unity message” for a long time now in this series, but the more and more I study, the more I learn that the Lord would have His sheep gather together under His wing and NOT maintain a mind that we are separate.

Given everything I have said, that also means that we do not need to feel guilty when we are not able to stay in constant contact with one another or with ALL the members of the body that we know about.

In fact, back when these scriptures were written, it could have very well been many years before communication happened between various members, if at all. Sometimes, letters were sent to churches that have never seen those who wrote the letters.

However, the connecting glue that binds us all together is the Spirit that dwells in us all.

1Co 5:3  For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,
1Co 5:4  In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,

If Paul can be present in Spirit to judge a Corinthian fornicator, then we, too, can be together in Spirit to partake of the judgments of God in the lives of His saints. We witness this “correcting judgment” each and every time we communicate with one another.

I hope that gives us all comfort.