1 Samuel 24:1–22 David Spares Saul’s Life 

[Study Aired July 6, 2026]

In today’s study, we shall look at how David displayed incredible grace as He spared the life of king Saul in the cave of Engedi. This is because David had respect for the “Lord’s anointed” in spite of the pressure by his men. As a result, he overcame evil with good.

Rom 12:19  Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. 
Rom 12:20  Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. 
Rom 12:21  Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.  

Saul Went After David in the Cave of Engedi

1Sa 24:1  And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi. 

As we have stated in previous studies, Saul represents our brothers and sisters in the church system of this world or Babylon who have been rejected of ruling with Christ at the coming age when the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ. Saul returning from fighting the Philistines in verse 1, shows us that during our time in Babylon, we did win some victories over our flesh. In other words, we started off our walk with Christ on a good note in Babylon. However, over time, through imbibing false doctrines propagated in Babylon, we were hindered from obeying the truth.

Gal 5:7  Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? 
Gal 5:8  This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you.
Gal 5:9  A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. 

David signifies the Lord’s elect. Engedi was a vibrant, freshwater oasis situated in the harsh Judean desert. The name Engedi means ‘fountain’ or ‘spring of the young goat.’ In the Bible, young goats represent the Lord’s elect. Therefore, David being in the wilderness of Engedi in verse 1, implies that although we are in this world of wilderness, as the Lord’s elect, we are favored to have access to the truth of the Lord’s word (fountain) signified by Engedi.    

2Th 2:13  But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.  (ESV)

Saul being told that David was in the wilderness of Engedi was of the Lord, who was using Saul as His instrument of judgment of David. This shows us that the Lord uses our brothers and sisters of the churches of this world to judge us, His elect, for the destruction of our flesh. For example, the Lord used the Jews to persecute the Lord’s disciples in the early church.  

Act 8:1: “On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.” (NIV)

1 Th 2:14–15: “…For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews, who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out…” (ESV)

Act 13:50: “But the Jews incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city, stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region.” (NIV)

1Sa 24:2  Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats. 

The number three thousand, on a negative note, denotes the Lord’s people who have fallen away. It therefore, represents our brothers and sisters in the church system of this world or Babylon. Saul taking three thousand men out of Israel to pursue David and his men shows us that it is our fallen away brothers and sisters in the church system of this world whom the Lord uses to persecute us.

Exo 32:28  And the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses. And that day about three thousand men of the people fell.

Jos 7:4  So about three thousand men went up there from the people. And they fled before the men of Ai. 

It is also significant to note that Saul and his men sought David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats. Rocks in the Bible can signify our hiding place from the judgment of the Lord. In other words, rocks represent our natural attempts to avoid the judgment of the Lord.

1Sa 13:6  When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait, (for the people were distressed,) then the people did hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits.

Rev 6:15  And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
Rev 6:16  And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:

As we are aware, we, His elect, are the wild goats which were set free into the wilderness to suffer, to complement the suffering of Christ. 

Lev 16:9  And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the LORD’S lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering. 
Lev 16:10  But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness. 

Col 1:24  Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:  

1Sa 24:3  And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave. 

On his journey to where David and his men were, Saul came across several sheepfolds on the side of the road, and one of them was built near the entrance to the cave where David and his men were hiding at the back. In this case, the cave represents where we die to the flesh. 

Gen 23:11  Nay, my lord, hear me: the field give I thee, and the cave that is therein, I give it thee; in the presence of the sons of my people give I it thee: bury thy dead.   

Gen 23:20  And the field, and the cave that is therein, were made sure unto Abraham for a possession of a buryingplace by the sons of Heth.

Saul relieving himself in the cave means our brothers and sisters in the church system of this world despise the Lord’s judgment of our flesh which leads to the death of our flesh. At a certain time of our walk with the Lord, we also despised the Lord’s judgment leading to the death of our flesh. 

Psa 107:10  Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners in affliction and chains, 
Psa 107:11  because they rebelled against the words of God and despised the counsel of the Most High. 

1Sa 24:4  And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the LORD said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe privily. 
1Sa 24:5  And it came to pass afterward, that David’s heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul’s skirt. 
1Sa 24:6  And he said unto his men, The LORD forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the LORD’S anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD.
1Sa 24:7  So David stayed his servants with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way.

In the minds of the men with David, they thought that the Lord has given Saul to David to be murdered. However, David only cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe as evidence, to show Saul that he had the opportunity to kill him but refused. David cutting off the skirt of Saul’s robe signifies that the kingdom of Israel has been taken away from Saul and given to David. 

1Sa 15:27  And as Samuel turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent. 
1Sa 15:28  And Samuel said unto him, The LORD hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou. 

Spiritually, we, His elect, have been chosen to reign with Christ at the expense of our brothers and sisters in Babylon. As we shall see later in the study, Saul himself confirmed David’s rulership when David showed him the cut skirt. In other words, we, His elect, have obtained mercy in this age at the expense of our brothers and sisters in Babylon.  

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

In verses 5 and 6, David later regretted for cutting off Saul’s skirt, because he regarded Saul as the Lord’s anointed, and therefore he thought that he should not have stretched forth his hand against him. 

1Ch 16:20  And when they (the people of Israel) went from nation to nation, and from one kingdom to another people; 
1Ch 16:21  He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes,
1Ch 16:22  Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm. 

David’s regret shows that he trembled at the word of the Lord and wanted to be obedient to it. On the other hand, the men with him were not yet trembling at the word of the Lord. This indicates their spiritual immaturity at that time of their walk with Christ. We all came to the body of Christ of the Lord’s elect in our immature stage, where we are given the meat of the Lord’s word to grow through what every joint supplies. 

Eph 4:14  That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 
Eph 4:15  But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 
Eph 4:16  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

As indicated in verse 7, David, as a leader, enjoined his men to have regard for the Lord’s anointed. His men therefore did not rise up against Saul as he left the cave. As the Lord’s elect, we must tremble at the word of the Lord. 

Isa 66:5  Hear the word of the LORD, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name’s sake, said, Let the LORD be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed. 

David Confronts Saul

1Sa 24:8  David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself. 

It is instructive to note that it was when Saul looked behind him that he saw David bowing to him. It signifies that it is when we look back that we see ourselves as the Lord’s elect, submitting to the dictates of the leadership of the church system of this world or Babylon, when we started our walk with Christ. That was the time that we were swayed by every wind of doctrine and by the clever cunning of men in their deceitful scheming. 

Eph 4:14  That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 

1Sa 24:9  And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest thou men’s words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt? 

In verse 9, David’s assertion that Saul listens to men is the reason why he wanted to hurt him. This implies that when we substitute the word of truth for the lies perpetuated by men, we end up hating the Lord’s elect as we blame them for our troubles. These doctrines of men lead to envy, hatred and murder of the true sons of God. It is through these doctrines of men which led the leadership of the church system of Jesus’ days, to hate and murder him. 

Mat 15:8  This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. 
Mat 15:9  But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. 

Col 2:8  Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 
Col 2:9  For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

As He is so are we. It is the same doctrines of men which cause our brothers and sisters in the church system of this world to hate us and consider us as dead in the street of Jerusalem. 

Rev 11:7  And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. 
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.  

1Sa 24:10  Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the LORD had delivered thee to day into mine hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee: but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the LORD’S anointed.
1Sa 24:11  Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand: for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my soul to take it. 
1Sa 24:12  The LORD judge between me and thee, and the LORD avenge me of thee: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.
1Sa 24:13  As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.  

As David mentioned to Saul, our brothers and sisters of the church system of this world think that the Lord’s elect or the church of the firstborn poses a threat to their reigning with Christ. Throughout the Bible, there were many instances of our brothers and sisters in the church system of this world considering us as the problem and not the solution. For example, Cain killed Abel thinking that Abel was the problem. Esau hated Jacob and wanted to kill him, because he thought that Jacob had robbed him of his inheritance. The Jews killed Jesus thinking He posed a threat to their traditional way of worship. In the same manner, the Jews wanted to kill Paul and the Lord’s disciples because they thought that they were the problem. 

Act 17:5  But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them (Paul and Silas) out to the people. 
Act 17:6  And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also; 

Rom 11:7  What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded 
Rom 11:8  (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day. 
Rom 11:9  And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them: 
Rom 11:10  Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway. 

As David stated in verse 12, our hands are not upon our brothers and sisters in Babylon. They do not recognize that it is the Lord who has the prerogative to show mercy to whom He wants to show mercy in this age. 

Rom 9:13  As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. 
Rom 9:14  What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. 
Rom 9:15  For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 
Rom 9:16  So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.      

1Sa 24:15  The LORD therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thine hand. 

The Lord is indeed the Judge who pleads our cause and delivers us from those that He uses to afflict us. As we know from the word of the Lord, the Lord’s deliverance makes a way for us to escape the trial, as He grants us the grace to bear it. 

1 Co 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. 

The reason the Lord may not immediately stop the affliction He brings our way but gives us grace to bear it is that He wants the affliction to accomplish a specific purpose in our lives in terms of learning more righteousness. This is what David learned later in his life, through the afflictions the Lord brought on him, using Saul as His instrument of judgment. 

Psa 119:71  It is good for me [David] that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes. 

Psa 119:74  They that fear thee will be glad when they see me; because I have hoped in thy word. 
Psa 119:75  I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me. 

1Sa 24:16  And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept. 
1Sa 24:17  And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil. 

It seems in verse 16 and 17, that Saul repented of his actions against David at that time, and went on to declare David as being more righteous than him. As we can see later in the review of this Book of Samuel, even after this encounter, he continued to pursue David to kill him.  What this is showing us is that repentance alone is not enough. We must bring forth fruit which is commensurate with our repentance. 

Luk 3:8  Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. 

1Sa 24:18  And thou hast shewed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me: forasmuch as when the LORD had delivered me into thine hand, thou killedst me not. 
1Sa 24:19  For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore the LORD reward thee good for that thou hast done unto me this day. 

These verses imply that as the Lord’s elect, we must do good even when evil is meted out to us. 

Rom 12:17  Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.

Rom 12:19  Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. 
Rom 12:20  Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. 
Rom 12:21  Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. 

As Peter stated, we must add to our faith, virtue or moral excellence, if we are to be assured of the reward of reigning with Christ. Moral excellence encompasses doing good to even those who do evil against us.

2Pe 1:5  And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 

David is Assured of the Kingship

1Sa 24:20  And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand. 
1Sa 24:21  Swear now therefore unto me by the LORD, that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father’s house. 
1Sa 24:22  And David sware unto Saul. And Saul went home; but David and his men gat them up unto the hold.

From verse 20, we see that the Lord was assuring David through the mouth of Saul that he would reign as king of Israel. Just as the Lord said of the servant who hid the one talent that out of his own mouth, He would judge him. Saul admitting that David would become king attests of our reign over our brothers and sisters in the church system of this world, when the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ.

Luk 19:22  And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow: 

David swearing to Saul not to cut off his seed and that he would not destroy his name out of his father’s house, shows us that we are the saviors of our brothers and sisters in Babylon in the fullness of time. In other words, we, His elect, shall not cut off any of the Lord’s people who have gone astray. We shall be merciful to them even as the Lord has shown us mercy. 

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

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. 

May the Name of the Lord be praised for His wonderful plan of salvation. Amen!!

1Ki 15:1-34 “For David’s sake did the LORD his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem”

[Study Aired April 21, 2022]

1Ki 15:1  Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam the son of Nebat reigned Abijam over Judah. 
1Ki 15:2  Three years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom. 
1Ki 15:3  And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father. 
1Ki 15:4  Nevertheless for David’s sake did the LORD his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem: 
1Ki 15:5  Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite. 
1Ki 15:6  And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life. 
1Ki 15:7  Now the rest of the acts of Abijam, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? And there was war between Abijam and Jeroboam. 
1Ki 15:8  And Abijam slept with his fathers; and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead. 
1Ki 15:9  And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned Asa over Judah. 
1Ki 15:10  And forty and one years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom. 
1Ki 15:11  And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, as did David his father.
1Ki 15:12  And he took away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made. 
1Ki 15:13  And also Maachah his mother, even her he removed from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove; and Asa destroyed her idol, and burnt it by the brook Kidron. 
1Ki 15:14  But the high places were not removed: nevertheless Asa’s heart was perfect with the LORD all his days. 
1Ki 15:15  And he brought in the things which his father had dedicated, and the things which himself had dedicated, into the house of the LORD, silver, and gold, and vessels. 
1Ki 15:16  And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days. 
1Ki 15:17  And Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah, that he might not suffer any to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah. 
1Ki 15:18  Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that were left in the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king’s house, and delivered them into the hand of his servants: and king Asa sent them to Benhadad, the son of Tabrimon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying, 
1Ki 15:19  There is a league between me and thee, and between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent unto thee a present of silver and gold; come and break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me. 
1Ki 15:20  So Benhadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of the hosts which he had against the cities of Israel, and smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abelbethmaachah, and all Cinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali. 
1Ki 15:21  And it came to pass, when Baasha heard thereof, that he left off building of Ramah, and dwelt in Tirzah. 
1Ki 15:22  Then king Asa made a proclamation throughout all Judah; none was exempted: and they took away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha had builded; and king Asa built with them Geba of Benjamin, and Mizpah. 
1Ki 15:23  The rest of all the acts of Asa, and all his might, and all that he did, and the cities which he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? Nevertheless in the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet. 
1Ki 15:24  And Asa slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead. 
1Ki 15:25  And Nadab the son of Jeroboam began to reign over Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned over Israel two years. 
1Ki 15:26  And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin. 
1Ki 15:27  And Baasha the son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar, conspired against him; and Baasha smote him at Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines; for Nadab and all Israel laid siege to Gibbethon. 
1Ki 15:28  Even in the third year of Asa king of Judah did Baasha slay him, and reigned in his stead. 
1Ki 15:29  And it came to pass, when he reigned, that he smote all the house of Jeroboam; he left not to Jeroboam any that breathed, until he had destroyed him, according unto the saying of the LORD, which he spake by his servant Ahijah the Shilonite: 
1Ki 15:30  Because of the sins of Jeroboam which he sinned, and which he made Israel sin, by his provocation wherewith he provoked the LORD God of Israel to anger. 
1Ki 15:31  Now the rest of the acts of Nadab, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 
1Ki 15:32  And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days. 
1Ki 15:33  In the third year of Asa king of Judah began Baasha the son of Ahijah to reign over all Israel in Tirzah, twenty and four years. 
1Ki 15:34  And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin. 

The books of Kings, like all of God’s Word, hold out hope for those who are blessed to understand that the message which has been written is to be read and heard and kept within us (Rev 1:3).

Rev 1:3  Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand. 

This history of Israel and Judah is very often just violent and a witness of what we can’t do without Christ in our midst, whose presence in our life (Rom 8:9) is typified by the life of king David. So, we will often read such interjected and interspersed verses such as this one: “Nevertheless for David’s sake did the LORD his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem” (vs 4). These words were inspired for our sakes to remind us that the wars going on in our heavens, the kings being destroyed, the nations being conquered, the inevitable idolatry, and punishment of those kings who acted badly, are all written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come (1Co 10:11) and are a somber reminder of how we must continually keep under ourselves (1Co 9:27). We know it is only possible by the life of Christ within us, represented by “a lamp in Jerusalem“, the life of Christ within us that raises us up into heavenly Jerusalem above the mother of us all (Eph 2:6, Gal 4:26).

Rom 8:9  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. 

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. 

The bible is written in such a way that the natural man looks for the natural fulfillment of the covenants of promise (Eph 2:10-18) that were made to Abraham, Moses and through the prophet Jeremiah, through physical blessings (Gen 17:4-6, Exo 19:1-24:18, Jer 31:31-33), not understanding those promises are typical of the life of Christ that initially would be given to the few (Mat 22:14). These few would then inherit eternal life becoming the heirs of many children as was promised to Abraham, who is a type of Christ, the father of many nations within and outwardly, who is preparing the bride (Rev 19:7) and making her ready to inherit eternal life as His wife who will be used to save the world, bringing forth many spiritual children (Oba 1:21).

Gen 17:4  As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. 
Gen 17:5  Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. 

Exo 19:3  And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; 
Exo 19:4  Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself. 
Exo 19:5  Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: 
Exo 19:6  And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. 

Jer 31:31  Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: 
Jer 31:32  Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: 
Jer 31:33  But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. 
Jer 31:34  And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. 

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. 
Eph 2:11  Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; 
Eph 2:12  That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: 
Eph 2:13  But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. 
Eph 2:14  For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 
Eph 2:15  Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; 
Eph 2:16  And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: 
Eph 2:17  And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. 
Eph 2:18  For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. 

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

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.

If we consider that God is our Father and the children are the words of God which come from the Word, who is the son of God, then it becomes clear that this statement in Malachi 4:6 is telling us the world within us, along with the outward world one day, will understand that partaking and knowing and being part of that right relationship with our heavenly Father and Christ is obedience to His word (Joh 6:68) and is what eternal life is (Gal 4:27-31, Joh 17:3).

Mal 4:6  And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

Joh 6:68  Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. 

Gal 4:27  For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband. 
Gal 4:28  Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. 
Gal 4:29  But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. 
Gal 4:30  Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. 
Gal 4:31  So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free. 

Joh 17:3  And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

1Ki 15:1  Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam the son of Nebat reigned Abijam over Judah.

This first verse sets the stage for what is going to come upon Jeroboam and the nation of Israel, and that ‘something’ is judgment which occurs while Jeroboam is in his “eighteenth year” of reign [1+8=9]. It was at that time that “the son of Nebat reigned AbijamH38 over Judah”. Abijam typifies our flesh and the sins of humanity within us seeing his name means “father of (the) sea” or “seaman”, and more specifically he is ruling over our religious beast represented by being “over Judah“. This is not Christ walking on the sea, but rather typifies the antichrist walking on the sea of humanity and ruling over them via powers and principalities against which we wrestle (1Jn 4:1-4).

1Ki 15:2 Three years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom. 
1Ki 15:3  And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father.

The man of sin has us typically in bondage “for three years”, and the most discouraging part of judgment is when we realize that we cannot set ourselves free from the bondage of sin even when we can clearly see it ruling over us. It confirms the fruit of our life at this point in our walk which is just like that of our father the devil, “walk[ing] in all the sins of [our] father“. In fact it is oppression/pressure which is what Maachah^H4601 the mother of Abijam’s name means, and yet the end result of that judgment or “bruising” will bring  peace and happiness as we come to know and believe that we are the apple of God’s eye, “the daughter^H1323 of Abishalom^H53.

H4601
ma‛ăkâh ma‛ăkâth
mah-ak-aw’, mah-ak-awth’ 
From H4600; depression; Maakah (or Maakath), the name of a place in Syria, also of a Mesopotamian, of three Israelites, and of four Israelitesses and one Syrian woman: – Maachah, Maachathites. See also H1038.

H4600  
mâ‛ak
maw-ak’
A primitive root; to press, that is, to pierce, emasculate, handle: – bruised, stuck, be pressed.

H1323
bath
bath 
From H1129 (as feminine of H1121); a daughter (used in the same wide sense as other terms of relationship, literally and figuratively): – apple [of the eye], branch, company, daughter, X first, X old, + owl, town, village.

H53
‘ăbı̂yshâlôm    ‘abshâlôm
ab-ee-shaw-lome’, ab-shaw-lome’  
From H1 and H7965; father of peace (that is, friendly); Abshalom, a son of David; also (the fuller form) a later Israelite: – Abishalom, Absalom.

1Ki 15:4  Nevertheless for David’s sake did the LORD his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem: 
1Ki 15:5  Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite. 
1Ki 15:6  And there was war between all the days of his life. 
1Ki 15:7  Now the rest of the acts of Abijam, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? And there was war between Abijam and Jeroboam. 

Christ, and more specifically the words of God that bring healing to us, is the “lamp in Jerusalem” that leads our steps through this life (Psa 119:105), and in this verse we are being shown that “to set up his son after him, and to establish (1Pe 5:10) Jerusalem” is the end result of the righteousness of Christ working within us, symbolized by David who did what was “right in the eyes of the LORD, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.” Jerusalem is again being a type of the new Jerusalem within our heavens that is being established (Gal 4:26, 1Pe 5:10). That matter of having Uriah^H223 the Hittite^H2850 murdered to cover his own sin of adultery represents the judgment against us regarding the death of Christ of which we are all guilty, and it is by acknowledging our part in the death of Christ that we then have Bathsheba as our wife, who typifies the church (Rom 5:10).

Rom 5:10  For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. 

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 wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam, and Abijam and Jeroboam, are a witness to us of the constant war that is in our heavens which can only be overcome through Christ (Eph 6:12). The sword will not depart from our house while we are in flesh (2Sa 12:10), and we are meant to struggle through this life of much tribulation for the reward of being in the first resurrection (Rev 21:7-8). All these wars were chronicled, or “written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah“, so we always know where we came from as we continue to get where we’re going by the grace of God.

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

Rev 21:7  He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. 
Rev 21:8  But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

1Ki 15:8  And Abijam slept with his fathers; and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead. 
1Ki 15:9  And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned Asa over Judah.
1Ki 15:10   And forty and one years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom. 
1Ki 15:11  And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, as did David his father.
1Ki 15:12  And he took away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made. 
1Ki 15:13  And also Maachah his mother, even her he removed from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove; and Asa destroyed her idol, and burnt it by the brook Kidron. 

The next king in line is Asa, who is the son of Abijam^H38 whose name  means ‘seaman’, and his son did that which was right before the Lord even to the extent that he was compared to king David who was a man after God’s own heart. The number of years of Asa’s reign reflect what is required for one to become a good king and ruler, the ‘forty’ symbolizing much tribulation and the ‘one’ representing the day of the Lord, the judgment that is upon the church (1Pe 4:17). The process of judgment is hard on the flesh, but the end result is the peaceable fruit of righteousness expressed with these two names mentioned a second time in this chapter for our encouragement: “his mother’s name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom” [“Maachah^H4601 the daughter^H1323 of Abishalom^H53“].

When we acknowledge our natural tendency to want to rule over others and confess our fault before God, and our need to be humbled in this life by his chastening grace, we are in fact, by the power of God, being given to “[take] away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made.” We can’t be respecters of persons and think we’re showing love by letting a little leaven remain in the body of Christ, and so the Corinthian fornicator must be put out of our midst as well, and the idol of his heart must be exposed (1Co 5:12-13), which is typical of what Asa did with his mother: “even her he removed from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove; and Asa destroyed her idol, and burnt it by the brook Kidron.

1Ki 15:14  But the high places were not removed: nevertheless Asa’s heart was perfect with the LORD all his days. 
1Ki 15:15  And he brought in the things which his father had dedicated, and the things which himself had dedicated, into the house of the LORD, silver, and gold, and vessels. 

Asa’s heart was perfect with the LORD all his days, and that was mostly reflected by his many wonderful works of bringing “in the things which his father had dedicated, and the things which himself had dedicated, into the house of the LORD, silver, and gold, and vessels“, along with the previously mentioned ‘taking away of his father’s and mother’s idols along with the sodomites of the land’.  This all happened as a first stage of overcoming or coming out of the sea or world which his father’s name represents. However, now that he is raised a little higher onto the earth so to speak, and having done all these wonderful works, there is still this issue of “the high places were not removed“. We will lose our “first love” before we are done (Rev 2:4). This tells us that the higher places can only be removed through the deeper trials of our life that expose these ‘high places’ in our heavens where we harbor idols of our hearts (1Co 3:12-14).

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

1Ki 15:16  And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days. 
1Ki 15:17  And Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah^H7414, that he might not suffer any to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.

Whenever we read of a physical war in this manner, “and there was war“, the mind of Christ shows us the only war that God wants us to be mindful of is taking place within ourselves of which war Christ is fighting for us (Rev 12:7, Eph 6:12). All wars, in the negative sense of using the word ‘war’, come from a self-righteous greedy place that stinks [Baasha^H1201] in God’s nostrils as we want something but don’t initially ask in faith (Jas 4:3); and instead of asking, we go after what we want without waiting on the Lord, as we consume whatever idol of our heart God grants to our own destruction. God marred us in the Potter’s hand for that very reason to show us that we are beasts who need to be delivered from these bodies of death that, like Baasha who is the king of Israel, go “up against Judah, and built Ramah^H7414 [same as ^H7413 a height, a high place], that he might not suffer any to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.

H1201
ba‛shâ’
bah-shaw’
From an unused root meaning to stink; offensiveness; Basha, a king of Israel: – Baasha.

Rev 12:7  And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, 

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

1Ki 15:18  Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that were left in the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king’s house, and delivered them into the hand of his servants: and king Asa sent them to Benhadad, the son of Tabrimon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying, 
1Ki 15:19  There is a league between me and thee, and between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent unto thee a present of silver and gold; come and break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me. 
1Ki 15:20  So Benhadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of the hosts which he had against the cities of Israel, and smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abelbethmaachah, and all Cinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali. 

Asa’s response to what Baasha the king of Israel is doing reveals to us today how we are to deal with that corrupt king within us who wants to circumvent worship by going up “against Judah, and built Ramah^H7414, that he might not suffer any to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.” Asa’s plan of action against this stranglehold Baasha is trying to obtain by not allowing any to have an audience with the king is typical of what Babylon does to us where we are introduced to another Jesus, in this case represented by what was built in “Ramah^H7414.

The solution to this problem that Asa is facing is to take “all the silver and the gold that were left in the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king’s house, and delivered them into the hand of his servants” and by doing this he leveraged his position as king to have his servants sent “to Benhadad, the son of Tabrimon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying, a league between me and thee, and between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent unto thee a present of silver and gold; come and break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.” These actions of King Asa are reminiscent of these verses that talk about the wise steward who gave credit where credit was due and in so doing was similar in Asa’s situation (Luk 16:1-11, Rom 13:6-10). The positive end result was that “Benhadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of the hosts which he had against the cities of Israel, and smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abelbethmaachah, and all Cinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali.” God is showing us with this story how we are to wage spiritual warfare in our heavens by not giving the devil advantage, as we humble ourselves under God’s mighty hand by using the resources He has given us to His glory and honour (Luk 16:1-11, Rom 13:6-10).

Luk 16:1  And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods. 
Luk 16:2  And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward. 
Luk 16:3  Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed. 
Luk 16:4  I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses. 
Luk 16:5  So he called every one of his lord’s debtors unto him, and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord? 
Luk 16:6  And he said, An hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty. 
Luk 16:7  Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, An hundred measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and write fourscore.
Luk 16:8  And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.
Luk 16:9  And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.
Luk 16:10  He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
Luk 16:11  If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?

Rom 13:6  For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. 
Rom 13:7  Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour. 
Rom 13:8  Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. 
Rom 13:9  For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 
Rom 13:10  Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. 

1Ki 15:21  And it came to pass, when Baasha heard thereof, that he left off building of Ramah, and dwelt in Tirzah. 
1Ki 15:22  Then king Asa made a proclamation throughout all Judah; none was exempted: and they took away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha had builded; and king Asa built with them Geba of Benjamin, and Mizpah. 

Over time, or through a process, “it came to pass, when Baasha heard thereof, that he left off building of Ramah, and dwelt in Tirzah“, which is a shadow of what Satan does once he is resisted by those who have cleaved unto God and resisted him (Jas 4:7). Christ was tempted to eat bread [false doctrine], Christ was tempted to tempt God, and Christ was tempted to receive glory in his flesh, if he would only bow down and worship Satan, and after resisting each situation by God’s power, by using the word of God, the devil then left him (Mat 4:11).

Jas 4:7  Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 

Mat 4:11  Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him. 

The spiritual spoils of war are being typified by the proclamation Asa then makes, and none was exempted by this decree of the king. These actions of taking “away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha had builded” is typical of the first temple that must be destroyed and made anew as we all must be through the spirit of God that quickens us (Joh 6:63) and is likened unto “the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof“. It’s ‘another gospel’ that was built by Baasha in type and figure, but not ‘another’ in the sense there was nothing wrong with the materials, just the placement of them and the destructive intent that Baasha had in using the stones and timber, representing how we take God’s gold and silver and wrap it around the idol of our own hearts and use it the way that we want at first. The same materials are now taken to “built with them Geba of Benjamin, and Mizpah” whose names reveal the new intent and purpose of these structures which is positive.

1Ki 15:22 then king (healer) made a proclamation throughout all (praised); none was exempted: and they took away the stones of (the height) and the timber thereof, wherewith (wasting away) had builded; and king (healer) built with them (hill) of (right hand’s son), and (watch tower). (PNB-kjv)
1Ki 15:23  The rest of all the acts of Asa, and all his might, and all that he did, and the cities which he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? Nevertheless in the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet.

After what appeared to be some very positive actions taken by Asa to protect the kingdom of Judah, which they were, we read, “Nevertheless in the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet,” meaning his spiritual walk was not empowered by the mind of Christ in type and shadow but his many wonderful works were understood to have been accomplished by “all his might” and all “that he did” and the cities “which he built” (Mat 7:22, 1Co 2:5, 1Co 1:25, Job 13:15, 1Co 13:3).

Mat 7:22  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

1Co 2:5  That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. 

1Co 1:25  Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 

Job 13:15  Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him. 

1Co 13:3  And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. 

1Ki 15:24  And Asa slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead. 
1Ki 15:25  And Nadab the son of Jeroboam began to reign over Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned over Israel two years. 
1Ki 15:26  And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin. 
1Ki 15:27 And Baasha the son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar, conspired against him; and Baasha smote him at Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines; for Nadab and all Israel laid siege to Gibbethon. 

Asa is dead now and sleeping “with his fathers in the city of David his father.”  So another seed has died, and growth is about to happen, whether that growth is going to be good or bad for the nation of Israel is undetermined from our earthly perspective. However, from God’s perspective, He has already declared the end from the beginning of every life and has written these lives to teach us lessons. “Jehoshaphat” the son of Asa will now reign, and his name means “judged“, which is the ongoing theme that is bouncing back and forth between the now divided nations of Israel and Judah. For Israel it is Nadab the son of Jeroboam who is now going to reign over Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and he will reign for two years, and lo and behold “he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin“, which is what these “twos” being mentioned are being a witness. He was ‘a chip off of his father Jeroboam’s shoulder’ indeed. There is a negative and positive principle being shown with lineage throughout the books of Kings, and in this case the witness is negative, but in other verses it is a positive lineage coming forth from God Who ordained it to be that way (2Ti 1:3-7).

2Ti 1:3  I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day; 
2Ti 1:4  Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy;
2Ti 1:5  When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also. 
2Ti 1:6  Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. 
2Ti 1:7  For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 

God has caused this sin by hardening the heart of Nadab (Isa 63:17) and has already prepared the means to punish him through “Baasha the son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar” (Rom 9:17-21) who “conspired against him; and Baasha smote him at Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines; for Nadab and all Israel laid siege to Gibbethon“. A parallel story that comes to mind is the slaying of the Philistine giant Goliath which also came about by what God had purposed in advance (Jdg 14:4).

Isa 63:17  O LORD, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our heart from thy fear? Return for thy servants’ sake, the tribes of thine inheritance. 

Rom 9:17  For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. 
Rom 9:18  Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. 
Rom 9:19  Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? 
Rom 9:20  Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? 
Rom 9:21  Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? 

Jdg 14:4  But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel. 

1Ki 15:28  Even in the third year of Asa king of Judah did Baasha slay him, and reigned in his stead. 
1Ki 15:29  And it came to pass, when he reigned, that he smote all the house of Jeroboam; he left not to Jeroboam any that breathed, until he had destroyed him, according unto the saying of the LORD, which he spake by his servant Ahijah the Shilonite: 
1Ki 15:30  Because of the sins of Jeroboam which he sinned, and which he made Israel sin, by his provocation wherewith he provoked the LORD God of Israel to anger. 

Again we see the wonderful redundancy of God’s word that shows us the persistence of flesh and the need to continue to endure this process of judgment in our lives that will in time destroy the old man of sin within us. The process of judgment is typified by “the third year of Asa king of Judah did Baasha slay him, and reigned in his stead“, and what is going to be left of our old man after that judgment is complete destruction, stated this way: “he smote all the house of Jeroboam; he left not to Jeroboam any that breathed, until he had destroyed him, according unto the saying of the LORD, which he spake by his servant Ahijah the Shilonite.” Why this must happen to us is because we are the man who sins or who would not cease from sinning unless the Lord chastens and scourges us in this life (1Pe 4:1, Heb 12:6). It is “Because of the sins of Jeroboam which he sinned, and which he made Israel sin, by his provocation wherewith he provoked the LORD God of Israel to anger” that all of this must unfold, and it is the Lord who has hardened the heart of the king to the glory of God and for our sakes (2Co 4:15).

One thing that should be getting clearer and clearer for us regarding the history of all these kings is that there was very little learning from past mistakes. In fact, in some cases, the generational king that followed would end up being worse, or sometimes better but then worse again. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to anything, as though God is showing us that He is sovereign over every single detail of these kings and nations whether they grow and are given an increase or whether they don’t (1Co 3:6). I ‘speak as a fool’ of course because we know that is exactly what the lesson for us is, as we look at all these ‘rise and falls’ of kings that typify the lifelong struggle God gives us in these marred vessels of which Christ says there is none good (Luk 18:19). We come to realize that He alone is the one who exalts or abases kings and nations, all according to the counsel of His own will (Eph 1:11).

1Co 3:6  I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 

Luk 18:19  And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God. 

Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 

1Ki 15:31  Now the rest of the acts of Nadab, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 
1Ki 15:32  And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days. 
1Ki 15:33  In the third year of Asa king of Judah began Baasha the son of Ahijah to reign over all Israel in Tirzah, twenty and four years. 
1Ki 15:34  And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin. 

With these things in mind, we can understand that all of this is for Christ’s sake within us to teach us a very profitable lesson that can only be understood and revealed by the life of Christ within us, and so we read these words spoken about king David who typifies Christ in us: “for David’s sake did the LORD his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem.” We close off our study with another reminder that the lives of all these kings that were chronicled were done so for us to show us different aspects about our human nature that must die daily (1Co 15:31): “And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.“

Once again judgment is pronounced on Baasha by including the statement that it was in “the third year of Asa king of Judah” that Baasha began to reign over all of Israel in Tirzah, and he did that for twenty four years which is a witness to what kind of Godly foundation he is going to lay (2×12=24). Here is the foundation that he laid: “And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin“, simply telling us that we all build this way at first until the Lord comes and tears down that house and builds it anew upon the solid foundation and Rock of our salvation, Jesus Christ (Mat 7:27, Psa 127:1, Mat 16:18).

Mat 7:27  And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

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. 

Mat 16:18  And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

In this fifth chapter of the first book of Kings, we will look at the story of King Solomon’s anointing to rule over Israel and at the significance of the temple he was given to build. That anointing of the king typifies the unction (1Jn 2:20) that God’s elect have in this age which will make it possible for us, through Christ, to endure until the end and reign in the next age (Rev 20:6).

1Jn 2:20  But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.

Rev 20:6  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

Our initial temple does not know God (Mat 7:22-23) and cannot see the wretched condition of self-righteousness which just naturally inhabits the temple (Rev 3:17). It is only when God opens our eyes that this spirit defiling the temple of God can begin to be taken and destroyed, which is what God’s judgments are doing in the body of Christ today (1Pe 4:17, 1Co 3:17, Col 1:24).

Mat 7:22  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you:[Joh 17:3] depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Rev 3:17  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

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?

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.

Col 1:24  Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:

We can answer the question in the title of this study “Know you not that you are the temple of God” if God will permit us to do so, by maturing in Him so we can bring forth fruit that will identify the tree that we are (Luk 6:43-45).

Luk 6:43  For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Luk 6:44  For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.
Luk 6:45  A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

We understand that we naturally defile the temple of God with the mind of Adam (Rom 7:24, 1Jn 1:8) and believe that if God is working with us in this life, that first man Adam will be crushed (Mat 21:44) and overcome through our acknowledgement of what God causes in our lives for our good (Isa 63:17, 1Co 11:31-32, Rom 2:4). We must lose our life in order to gain it, in other words, and the first temple that defiles must be destroyed so the new temple can be formed, the temple which represents the body of Christ we are and that can only be formed through the chastening and scourging process (Heb 12:6) into which we have been called (1Co 3:17, Mat 16:25, Col 1:24).

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.

1Jn 1:8  If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. [“I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked” (Luk 18:19, Joh 9:41)].

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.

Mat 16:25  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. [In order to lose our life we must be granted to see that this flesh is “wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind” and that we are continually in need of our hope of glory within us Who gives us eyes to see so we can lose our life for His sake (Col 1:27)].

No one who does not have God’s spirit within them (Rom 8:9) can say they are that temple which represents the body of Christ (1Jn 4:6). Although many naturally want to lay claim to that relationship, it is God alone Who drags us to Christ (Joh 6:44) to purify the temple and make that relationship one that is holy and acceptable through “the beloved” (Eph 1:6, Joh 8:36).

Rom 8:9  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

1Jn 4:6  We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

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

Eph 1:6  To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

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

The natural relationship with which we all start by knowing Christ after the flesh (2Co 5:16) is the important first step that can only advance through judgment, destroying that which still defiles the temple of God which we are. That judgment will befall the rest of the world in the great white throne judgment that will purify the hearts and minds of all of God’s creation (1Co 15:28).

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

In this study we will be looking at King Solomon and his reign in particular, which is a type and shadow of how the elect who will rule and reign over the kingdoms of this world, setting the stage for the great white throne judgment at the end of that reign which will bring life^G2222 (Rev 11:15, Rev 20:11-13, Rev 20:6).

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.

Rev 20:11  And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
Rev 20:12  And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened (Oba 1:21), which is the book of life^G2222: (Joh 14:6, Joh 6:53-56, 1Co 10:16) and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Rev 20:13  And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

Joh 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life^G2222: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

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^G2222 in you.
Joh 6:54  Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life^G2222; 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 (Joh 14:20).

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? (Col 1:24)

1Ki 5:1  And Hiram^H2438 king of Tyre^H6865 sent his servants unto Solomon; for he had heard that they had anointed him king in the room of his father: for Hiram was ever a lover of David.

The noble [Hiram^H2438] were sacrificed for the elect and “Hiram king of Tyre” represents one of those noblemen with whom God’s elect, represented by Solomon, will work during the thousand-year reign (1Co 1:26).

Tyre means a rock, not the rock that Christ is, but rather the negative example of the word rock which represents the foundation upon which the world puts Christ during the thousand-year reign, rather than the stone being put upon the only true “rock” that can bring lasting peace and life^G2222 our corner stone and rock Jesus Christ (Mat 16:18).

Mat 16:18  And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Hiram is someone who loves David, typifying the love and adoration that people have for Christ in their flesh, and this statement “Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants unto Solomon; for he had heard that they had anointed him king in the room of his father: for Hiram was ever a lover of David” is a shadow for our sakes that explains there will be people like the humble centurion of Matthew 8:8-10 who will have great faith and recognize the anointing which has come upon God’s elect, just like John the baptist who knew Christ, as this man in this section of kings loved David, but even still with all that understanding of Solomon’s father, he, like the centurion and John the baptist, is yet carnal and the least who have God’s spirit within are greater than these men because of that indwelling of God’s spirit which is typified by the statement “they had anointed him king in the room of his father” (Mat 11:11).

Mat 8:8  The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.
Mat 8:9  For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.
Mat 8:10  When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

Mat 11:11  Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

Christ tells us with this story in Matthew 8:8-10 that great faith is accompanied with an understanding of God’s plan, but faith in God’s plan is not enough. We must be anointed as kings and priests, typified by Solomon’s anointing, to follow through and accomplish the work of God, which is what is happening to God’s elect as our faith is tried with fiery trials in this life that is precious to God for that reason (1Pe 1:7, 1Pe 4:12).

1Pe 1:7  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

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:

1Ki 5:2  And Solomon sent to Hiram, saying,
1Ki 5:3  Thou knowest how that David my father could not build an house unto the name of the LORD his God for the wars which were about him on every side, until the LORD put them under the soles of his feet.

What amazing order there is in God’s plan, and these verses reflect that order of salvation once again. It’s Solomon who typifies God’s elect who “sent to Hiram” just like that centurion we read of earlier who had people under him doing his bidding, and what Solomon tells Hiram is this: “Thou knowest how that David my father could not build an house unto the name of the LORD his God“, reminding us that David, who was a type of Christ when he was on this earth, did not convert anyone, did not “build an house unto the name of the LORD his God“, leaving humanity in that vain condition of not truly knowing God and Jesus Christ until the comforter was sent (Psa 127:1, Joh 16:7, Joh 17:3).

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.

Joh 16:7  Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

David, who typifies Christ, could not build a house unto the name of the LORD his God “for the wars which were about him on every side, until the LORD put them under the soles of his feet” (Psa 47:3, 1Co 15:27). God does not need the approval of the world to “choose our inheritance for us”. In other words, the elect whose inheritance it will be to rule the nations that are under us is what “until the LORD put them under the soles of his feet” means (Mat 19:28).

Psa 47:3  He shall subdue the people under us, and the nations under our feet [Rom 12:4].
Psa 47:4  He shall choose our inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob whom he loved. Selah.

1Co 15:27  For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.

Mat 19:28  And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

These wars, “for the wars which were about him on every side“, represent the wars inside us that only Christ can conquer through the power of God’s holy spirit “until the LORD put them under the soles of his feet“, meaning the powers and principalities that Christ is far higher than (Eph 6:12, Eph 1:21) will be overcome when God’s holy spirit is given (Joh 8:36-38, Rom 8:37-39).

Initially we’ll be dominated in our thinking by the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life, being yet carnal (1Jn 2:16, 1Co 3:3), and all our labours will seemingly be in vain not being able to build a house that is going to contain true worship in spirit and in truth. However, if God has determined from the foundation of the world that we overcome by His holy spirit, the comforter which is sent will lead us into all truth, and our continuing in it and enduring to the end through Christ will lead to our salvation (Joh 4:23, Joh 8:31-32, Mat 24:13).

David typifies Christ who does not build any spiritual house [converts no one] while in the flesh, but when Solomon reigns, who is a type of the elect, greater works than these are then accomplished as Christ promised would happen first within the body of Christ and then one day when the rest of humanity will be saved by God’s elect who will be blessed to judge and bring God’s creation to perfection in the second resurrection (Oba 1:21). Those in the second resurrection will not marry “neither marry, nor are given in marriage”, but they will be witnessed to by those who have married Christ, which is where “the power of God” is being manifest in our lives today (Joh 14:12, Joh 5:20, 1Co 6:3, Mat 22:29-30).

Joh 4:23  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

Joh 14:12  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

Joh 5:20  For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.

Mat 22:29  Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.
Mat 22:30  For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.

1Ki 5:4  But now the LORD my God hath given me rest on every side, so that there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent.

Because we are as Christ was on the earth, we will also build a house during the thousand-year reign that will not bring about any conversion, just as none of His disciples in Christ’s life were converted after spending all the time He did with them teaching them, sowing the seed (1Jn 4:17, Joh 14:26). That house is the natural relationship that preceded the spiritual one Christ had with His disciples, just as our relationship with the world during the symbolic thousand-year reign will be the natural relationship that precedes the spiritual (1Co 15:46), when all the carnal-minded temples of mankind will be torn down and made anew in the lake of  fire (Joh 2:19, Jer 18:4, Joh 12:24).

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 [now and during that reign].

Joh 14:26  But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

1Co 15:46  Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.

Joh 2:19  Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.

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.

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

God will give us, His elect, “rest on every side” during this reign (Rev 20:6) as Solomon was granted during his reign, and that rest for us is typified by these words: “God hath given me rest on every side, so that there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent“. However, that superimposed rest will be taken away when the adversary is “loosed a little season” (Rev 20:3).

Rev 20:3  And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

1Ki 5:5  And, behold, I purpose to build an house unto the name of the LORD my God, as the LORD spake unto David my father, saying, Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy room, he shall build an house unto my name.

Solomon purposes to build a house unto the name of the LORD, and yet we know that “A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps”, as God did with Solomon whose steps were directed of the Lord for our sakes. David, who typifies Christ, did not build that house, just as Christ did not convert any soul during His ministry on earth (Pro 16:9, Jer 10:23, 2Co 4:15).

All things are for our sakes for a specific reason and that is so “that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God”. The story we are reading of this temple being built by Solomon is a type and shadow of the work that God will give the body of Christ to do through that period of time we will, Lord willing, rule and reign as kings and priests under Christ (Rev 20:6).

Solomon’s reign is typical of the reign of God’s saints on earth which will be like the time of the seven churches of Asia that are yet carnal and that are rich and increased with goods but not able to see the sin of iniquity within themselves (Rev 3:17, Rev 1:4). The only temple that will have been cleansed and measured by Christ is the body of Christ which comes to see the fullness of that relationship of being cleansed in the first resurrection (1Co 13:12). That temple is typified by the temple Zerubbabel built, and that Christ is building today in His elect (2Co 6:17, Zec 4:9-10, Hag 2:23).

1Co 13:12  For now we see through a glass, darkly; [Eph 1:14] but then face to face: [Rev 20:6] now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

Zec 4:9  The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you.
Zec 4:10  For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth.

Hag 2:23  In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the LORD, and will make thee as a signet^H2368: for I have chosen thee, saith the LORD of hosts [Eph 4:30, Exo 28:21, Luk 15:22].

Eph 4:30  And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

Exo 28:21  And the stones shall be with the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a signet^H2368; every one with his name shall they be according to the twelve tribes.

Luk 15:22  But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:

God’s elect are the first to be able to worship God in spirit and in truth (Joh 4:24), and this is possible because of the promise of Christ who is typified by David who knew that it was his son Solomon, who is a type of the elect, who would build the temple upon the desire that was in David’s heart, who is a type of Christ.

The desire to build that temple was put there in Solomon as it was in Christ and his Christ by God (Joh 4:23, Joh 5:30, Joh 15:5) who “seeketh such to worship him”, and Christ was consumed for the temple as we are consumed for God’s temple today. The consummation of our age within this temple that cannot inherit the kingdom of God, being flesh (1Co 15:50), is typified in the story of the prodigal son who comes back and is given “a ring on his hand”. God’s elect must experience and overcome with God’s holy spirit, as was typified by the story of the prodigal son, making it possible for us to bring the rest of humanity home to our heavenly Father (Joh 4:22-24).

Joh 4:22  Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
Joh 4:23  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
Joh 4:24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Christ did not begin building the church until He was resurrected and sent the spirit on pentecost, and He is building it upon the rock within us, our hope glory within, Jesus Christ (Col 1:27). “Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy room, he shall build an house unto my name” is telling us this very thing; that God’s elect are seated “upon thy throne in thy room“, which is what it means to be raised in heavenly places where we are seated in order to fulfill God’s will on this earth, which is to build the church that the gates of hell won’t prevail against (Eph 2:6, Mat 16:18).

Eph 2:6  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

Mat 16:18  And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

When we come to know that we are the temple of God, then in like manner as Christ, we will be demonstrating the fruits of our Lord that will have us visiting the fatherless  and widow in their affliction and remaining unspotted from this world (Jas 1:27). The tree that is known by its fruit is something that must take time to grow and mature.

Next week, Lord willing, we will look at how many trees were sacrificed for the elect’s sake so “that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God”.

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

[Study Aired July 15, 2021]

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

Rom 8:17  And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
Rom 8:18  For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

2Ti 2:12  If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:

Act 14:22  Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

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

1Ki 11:42  And the time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years.

Rom 1:18  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

Rom 3:10  As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

Rom 3:23  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

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

Rev 14:11  And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
Rev 14:12  Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

Rev 13:18  Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

Rev 20:6  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

1Ki 2:12  Then sat Solomon upon the throne of David his father; and his kingdom was established greatly.

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.
Psa 127:2  It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.
Psa 127:3  Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.
Psa 127:4  As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so  are children of the youth.
Psa 127:5  Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.

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

Joh 6:27  Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

1Co 1:30  But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
1Co 1:31  That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

2Ti 1:7  For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

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

Heb 4:12  For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

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

1Co 4:6  And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.

1Ki 3:25  And the king said, Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other.
1Ki 3:26  Then spake the woman whose the living child was unto the king, for her bowels yearned upon her son, and she said, O my lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it. But the other said, Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it [1Co 1:13].

Rev 19:9  And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.

Rev 19:17  And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God;

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

H2294 chaggı̂yth khag-gheeth’  Feminine of H2291; festive; Chaggith, a wife of David: – Haggith. (H2291 is from H2287  to hold a feast, hold a festival, make pilgrimage, keep a pilgrim-feast, celebrate, dance, stagger, to reel.)

1Pe 5:8  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

Jer 6:14  They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.

Rev 13:11  And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.

Heb 12:4  Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin [the diseases of Egypt both within and outwardly].

Deu 7:12  Wherefore it shall come to pass, if ye hearken to these judgments, and keep, and do them, that the LORD thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy which he sware unto thy fathers:

Deu 7:15  And the LORD will take away from thee all sickness, and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which thou knowest, upon thee; but will lay them upon all them that hate thee.

Rev 3:11  Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

Rev 13:12  And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.

1Co 5:11  But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.

1Jn 5:16  If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it [spiritually “a fornicator, or covetous (3Jn 1:9), or an idolater (Heb 12:15-16), or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat”].

2Jn 1:10  If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house [your spiritual house that is filled with the treasures of God’s word (2Ki 20:12-13, Heb 13:10)], neither bid him God speed:
2Jn 1:11  For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.

2Co 10:5  Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

Psa 37:7  Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.

Deu 28:25  The LORD shall cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies: thou shalt go out one way against them, and flee seven ways before them: and shalt be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth.

Mat 12:45  Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.

Mat 12:29  Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.

Gospels In Harmony – The Stone the Builder Rejected

Mat 21:33-46, Mark 12:1-12, Luke 20:9-18

[Study Aired June 15, 2021]

Mar 12:1a And he began to speak unto them by parables.Mat 21:33 Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, Mar 12:1b for the winefat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:
Mat 21:34 And when the time of the fruit drew near, Mar 12:2 he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard.
Mar 12:3 And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty.
Mar 12:4 And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully handled.
Mar 12:5 And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many others; beating some, and killing some.
Luk 20:13 Then said the lord of the vineyard, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: it may be they will reverence him when they see him.
Luk 20:14 But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir: come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.
Mat 21:39 And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.
Mar 12:9a What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? 
Mat 21:41 They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.
Luk 20:16 He shall come and destroy these husbandmen, and shall give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it, they said, God forbid.
Mat 21:42a Jesus saith unto them, Luk 20:17a What is this then that is written, Mat 21:42b Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
Mat 21:43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
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.
Mat 21:45 And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.
Mar 12:12 And they sought to lay hold on him, but feared the people: for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them: and they left him, and went their way.

In this study Christ continues with another parable. These parables from our last few studies have a pattern to them. They are accusing the chief priests and the Pharisees of wrongdoing. Our last parable was about the two sons; one refusing to work the vineyard and then repenting, and the other agreeing to work and then not going to work it. As we know, these parables are telling us what is going on in our heavens, and each parable gives us more detail about the battle within the heavens of each of us.

The main details of this parable answer the following questions: Who is the stone, who seeks to kill him, and what is their judgment?

Psa 118:21-23 I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation. The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. This is the LORD’S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.

The stone is the head of the corner. Now who is the head of the corner?

1Co 11:3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.

Eph 4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

Eph 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

The above verses tell us that Christ is the “head of the corner stone”. They also tell us that the “corner stone” is the church. Continuing with our next question, “Who seeks to kill him?”

Mat 21:45 And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.

Mar 12:12 And they sought to lay hold on him, but feared the people: for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them: and they left him, and went their way.

Remember, this is anyone who thinks they are in control of and rule themselves.

Isa 28:14 Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem. Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves: Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.

These people are the rulers of the religions of the world which we are still coming out from under while we are in the world. We must be reminded of this in order not to be deceived.

2Th 2:1-4 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. 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; 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.

The son of perdition is the son of our last parable who lied about going to work in the vineyard. In this parable the husbandmen are the “sons of perdition” which the chief priests and Pharisees perceived Christ was accusing them of being. The Lord tells them just as he did in the last parable that they will not be entering into the kingdom first but will be instead judged. Not that they are the only group judged. They don’t even believe they will be judged. Christ on the other hand has a different plan.

Jer 51:23-26 I will also break in pieces with thee the shepherd and his flock; and with thee will I break in pieces the husbandman and his yoke of oxen; and with thee will I break in pieces captains and rulers. And I will render unto Babylon and to all the inhabitants of Chaldea all their evil that they have done in Zion in your sight, saith the LORD. Behold, I am against thee, O destroying mountain, saith the LORD, which destroyest all the earth: and I will stretch out mine hand upon thee, and roll thee down from the rocks, and will make thee a burnt mountain. And they shall not take of thee a stone for a corner, nor a stone for foundations; but thou shalt be desolate for ever, saith the LORD.

We are all guilty of killing Christ and His body. Christ is the truth, and denying the truth is the same as putting Christ to death. Here is the parable again, and notice that the householder is the Father, and Christ is the son, and the servants are Christ’s body.

Mar 12:1a And he began to speak unto them by parables.Mat 21:33 Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, Mar 12:1b for the winefat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:

Mat 21:34 And when the time of the fruit drew near, Mar 12:2 he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard.

Mar 12:3 And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty.
Mar 12:4 And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully handled.

Mar 12:5 And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many others; beating some, and killing some.

Luk 20:13 Then said the lord of the vineyard, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: it may be they will reverence him when they see him.
Luk 20:14 But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir: come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.

Mat 21:39 And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.

As said above, Christ is the truth, and we are His Christ.

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

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.

Our last question is, “What is the judgment of those who seek to kill Christ?”

Mat 21:41 They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.

Luk 20:16 He shall come and destroy these husbandmen, and shall give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it, they said, God forbid.

Mat 21:42a Jesus saith unto them, Luk 20:17a What is this then that is written, Mat 21:42b Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
Mat 21:43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
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.

Judgment is the destruction of the lies within us by being broken and ground to powder. We all must endure this judgment because we all have sought to kill Christ and His Christs by denying the truth. There is a reason why we kill Christ.

Joh 16:4-15 But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you. But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou? But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart. Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

Once the Comforter is sent to us, our lives begin to change. The elect, the publicans and harlots, begin this change now and the rest especially the chief priests and Pharisees are changed later. Judgment is now on the house of God, and we are become one with Christ and his Father.

1Pe 4:12-19 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 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. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. 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? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? 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.

If we are give to endure this fiery trial, we will receive great rewards. Here is how we obtain this reward.

Eph 4:1-32 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 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. This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, 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: Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath. Neither give place to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

Jer 10:14-25  It Is Not in Man That Walks to Direct His Steps

[Study Aired June 6, 2021]

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 10:15  They are vanity, and the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish.
Jer 10:16  The portion of Jacob is not like them: for he is the former of all things; and Israel is the rod of his inheritance: The LORD of hosts is his name.
Jer 10:17  Gather up thy wares out of the land, O inhabitant of the fortress.
Jer 10:18  For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will sling out the inhabitants of the land at this once, and will distress them, that they may find it so.
Jer 10:19  Woe is me for my hurt! my wound is grievous: but I said, Truly this is a grief, and I must bear it.
Jer 10:20  My tabernacle is spoiled, and all my cords are broken: my children are gone forth of me, and they are not: there is none to stretch forth my tent any more, and to set up my curtains.
Jer 10:21  For the pastors are become brutish, and have not sought the LORD: therefore they shall not prosper, and all their flocks shall be scattered.
Jer 10:22  Behold, the noise of the bruit is come, and a great commotion out of the north country, to make the cities of Judah desolate, and a den of dragons.
Jer 10:23  O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.
Jer 10:24  O LORD, correct me, but with judgment; not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing.
Jer 10:25  Pour out thy fury upon the heathen that know thee not, and upon the families that call not on thy name: for they have eaten up Jacob, and devoured him, and consumed him, and have made his habitation desolate.

The title of this study is taken from the words of verse 23. We will come to see just how revolutionary it is to tell mankind that his will is not really his will. Such a doctrine was extremely unpopular both then and now. First we will continue where we left off with the Lord proclaiming the Truth of verse 23 in these words from our last study:

Jer 10:10  But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.
Jer 10:11  Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens.
Jer 10:12  He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion.
Jer 10:13  When he uttereth his voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures.

The Lord said all that just to contrast Himself with who we are as “corruptible flesh and blood” (1Co 15:50).

1Co 15:50  Now this I say, brethren, that  flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

So, we continue to learn about the judgment of the Lord upon the corruptible kingdom of our old man:

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 10:15  They are vanity, and the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish.

I was surprised to learn that the word translated as “brutish” here is most often translated as ‘burn’, ‘kindled’ or ‘put away’.

Here are the various ways this Hebrew word is translated in the King James Version of the scriptures:

H1197
בּער
bâ‛ar
Total KJV Occurrences: 113
burn, 19
Lev_6:12, Deu_5:23, 2Ch_4:20, 2Ch_13:11, Neh_10:34, Psa_79:5, Psa_89:46, Isa_1:31, Isa_10:17, Isa_40:16, Isa_44:15, Jer_4:4, Jer_7:20, Jer_21:12, Eze_5:2, Eze_39:9-10 (2), Nah_2:13, Mal_4:1
away, 16
Deu_13:5, Deu_17:7, Deu_19:12-13 (2), Deu_19:19, Deu_21:9, Deu_22:21-22 (3), Deu_22:24, Deu_24:7, Deu_26:13-14 (2), Jdg_20:13, 2Ki_23:24, 2Ch_19:3
put, 13
Deu_13:5, Deu_17:7, Deu_19:12-13 (2), Deu_19:19, Deu_21:9, Deu_22:21-22 (3), Deu_22:24, Deu_24:7, Jdg_20:13, 2Ki_23:24
brutish, 11
Psa_49:10, Psa_92:6, Psa_94:8, Pro_30:1-2 (2), Isa_19:11, Jer_10:8, Jer_10:14, Jer_10:21, Jer_51:17, Eze_21:31
kindled, 9
Exo_22:6, 2Sa_22:9, 2Sa_22:13, Psa_2:12, Psa_18:8, Psa_106:18, Isa_50:11, Jer_44:6, Eze_20:48
burned, 8
Exo_3:2, Deu_4:11, Deu_9:15, Est_1:12, Job_1:16, Psa_39:3, Isa_42:25, Lam_2:3</u
burning, 6
Isa_4:3-4 (2), Isa_30:27, Jer_20:9 (2), Jer_36:22, Eze_1:13
burnt, 6
Exo_3:3, Num_11:1, Num_11:3, Jdg_15:5, Jdg_15:14, 2Ch_28:3
burneth, 4
Psa_83:14, Isa_9:18, Isa_62:1, Hos_7:6
kindle, 4
Exo_35:3, Isa_30:33, Isa_43:2, Jer 7:18
take, 42Sa_4:11, 1Ki_14:10, 1Ki_16:3, 1Ki 21:21
become, 2
Isa_19:11, Jer_10:21
eaten, 2
Exo_22:5, Isa_6:13
taken, 2
Deu_26:13-14 (2), 2Ch_19:3
brought, 1
Deu_26:13
feed, 1
Exo_22:5
heated, 1
Hos_7:4
set, 1
Eze_39:9
taketh, 1
1Ki_14:10
took, 1
1Ki_22:46
wasted, 1
Num_24:22

Notice that all the verses listed for the two words ‘put’ and ‘away’ are all the same verses with a couple of exceptions. That is because they are all two English words being translated from one Hebrew word, in this case the Hebrew word ‘ba’ar’. In the context of this statement, what we are being told is, “Every man [has put away the Lord] in his knowledge.”  The positive application is to “put evil away from the midst of thee”:

Deu 13:5  And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death; because he hath spoken to turn  you away from the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which the LORD thy God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee.

The word ‘evil’ is translated from the Hebrew word ‘rah’ and the words ‘put’ and ‘away’ are translated from the one Hebrew word ‘ba’ar’. That phrase appears over ten times. The most common translation for this Hebrew word ‘baar’ is ‘burn’ or ‘burned’, as the burning of wood. This Hebrew word appears three times here in Jeremiah 10. It first appeared in verse 8 of this chapter:

Jer 10:7  Who would not fear thee, O King of nations? for to thee doth it appertain: forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like unto thee.
Jer 10:8  But they are altogether brutish [H1197: ‘ba’ar’] and foolish: the stock [Hebrew: ‛êts, wood] is a doctrine of vanities.

Lev 6:12  And the fire upon the altar shall be burning in it; it shall not be put out: and the priest shall burn [H1197 ‘ba’ar’] wood on it every morning, and lay the burnt offering in order upon it; and he shall burn thereon the fat of the peace offerings.

The offering of Christ is burned upon the ‘wood’ of our corruptible flesh, which the Lord is in the process of ‘putting away’. In the negative context of this study, what we are being told is that “every man [has put away the Lord] in his knowledge”.

Physical idols are “falsehoods”. “Every founders… molten image” typifies every false prophet and his false doctrines. As we have established, physical idols in the Old Testament typify spiritual “idols of the heart” (Eze 14:1-9) which are false, lying doctrines of men which come between ourselves and Christ as “the stumbling block of [our] iniquity” until we are dragged out of ‘Babylon the great’ by the holy spirit:

Joh 6:44  No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me  [G1670: ‘helkuo’, ‘drag’ against one’s will (Rom 7:15: Rom 9:16)] him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

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

There is a great honor being bestowed upon every man who is being dragged out of Babylon and into “Jerusalem above, the mother of us all” (Gal 4:26). Jeremiah informs us of the blessings of that honor:

Jer 10:16  The portion of Jacob is not like them: for he is the former of all things; and Israel is the rod of his inheritance: The LORD of hosts is his name.

Our “portion” or inheritance is in the Lord. He alone “is the former of all things”. We are His inheritance, and He is our inheritance, our ‘portion’:

Deu 32:9  For the LORD’S portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.

The statement, “Israel is the rod of His inheritance” is the Old Testament foundation for these New Testament revelations:

Eph 1:17  That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
Eph 1:18  The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
Eph 1:19  And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

What a wonderful revelation! His inheritance is “in [us]”, and we are also informed that we have obtained “an inheritance… in [Him]”:

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

Our inheritance is in Him, and it is all being done “after the counsel of His own will”, but it entails the judgment and the daily dying of our old man before we can receive our inheritance in Him:

Jer 10:17  Gather up thy wares out of the land, O inhabitant of the fortress.
Jer 10:18  For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will sling out the inhabitants of the land at this once, and will distress them, that they may find it so.

2^nd Samuel 22 and Psalms 18 make clear to whom “the fortress” refers. It refers to the Lord’s people, you and me, as the Lord’s wayward, rebellious people:

2Sa 22:2  And he said, The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer;

Psa 18:2  The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.

Like all of us, King David lost his first love and had to be judged and chastened and scourged to be brought back to the Lord with a whole heart as Jeremiah confirms:

Jer 10:19  Woe is me for my hurt! my wound is grievous: but I said, Truly this is a grief, and I must bear it.

What exactly is it that we must bear? It is our own judgment which is even now come upon the house, the “tabernacle” of God (1Pe 4:17):

Jer 10:20  My tabernacle is spoiled, and all my cords are broken: my children are gone forth of me, and they are not: there is none to stretch forth my tent any more, and to set up my curtains.

The “great whore” of Revelation 17 and 18 is the Lord’s own house. This great harlot is the seven churches of Asia who “all forsook” the apostle Paul and whose sins are exposed in Revelation two and three:

2Ti 1:15  This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.

[Here is the link to the spiritual significance of the number seven:  The Number Seven]

“All they which are in Asia” would include “the seven churches of Asia” (Rev 2:1). ‘Seven’ indicates that the apostasy of the Lord’s wife was already complete when Paul penned 2nd Timothy. The apostate, Diotrephes was so well established before the death of the apostle John that he was able to cast the Lord’s true followers out of the very church established by the apostles of our Lord:

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

This complete and total apostasy is a theme that runs throughout the prophecies of both Isaiah and Jeremiah:

Jer 10:21  For the pastors are become brutish, and have not sought the LORD: therefore they shall not prosper, and all their flocks shall be scattered.

This is the third time in this one chapter where the word ‘brutish’ is used. It may appear to be speaking of some bad pastors, but you and I were ‘bad pastors’ when we once subscribed to all the false doctrines of the great whore.

“The pastors” are the leaders of the Lord’s people. This situation is prophesied of in Isaiah 3:1:

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 ‘brutish pastors’ do not believe that “the Lord… hath taken away from [His people] the whole stay of bread and the whole stay of water” because they are the very Nicolaitan leaders who constitute these “seven women” of the first verse of the next chapter of Isaiah:

Isa 4:1  And in that day seven women [“The seven churches of Asia… all they which are in Asia”] shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach.

Any woman who does not want her husband’s food or His clothing is not a faithful wife, and the Lord will not be party to such an arrangement. His definition of His love is to “chasten us to forsake ungodliness and worldly lusts” and to avenge Himself of our rebellious disrespect. He accomplishes this through wicked and evil men:

Jer 10:22  Behold, the noise of the bruit is come, and a great commotion out of the north country, to make the cities of Judah desolate, and a den of dragons.

The Hebrew word translated as ‘bruit’ is ‘shemuah’, and this is how it is translated elsewhere in the Old Testament:

H8052
שׁמוּעה
shemû‛âh
Total KJV Occurrences: 27
rumour, 9
2Ki_19:7, Isa_37:7, Jer_49:14, Jer_51:46 (3), Eze_7:26 (2), Oba_1:1
tidings, 8
1Sa_4:19, 2Sa_4:4, 2Sa_13:30, 1Ki_2:28, Psa_112:7, Jer_49:23, Eze_21:7, Dan_11:44
report, 4
1Sa_2:24, Pro_15:30, Isa_28:19, Isa_53:1
fame, 2
1Ki_10:7, 2Ch_9:6
bruit, 1
Jer_10:22
doctrine, 1
Isa_28:9
mentioned, 1
Eze_16:56
news, 1
Pro_25:25

It obviously means “rumor, tidings, report, news” and is speaking of  the impending chastening coming upon us.

This is a repetition of what Jeremiah said in chapter 9:

Jer 9:11  And I will make Jerusalem heaps, and a den of dragons; and I will make the cities of Judah desolate, without an inhabitant.
Jer 9:12  Who is the wise man, that may understand this? and who is he to whom the mouth of the LORD hath spoken, that he may declare it, for what the land perisheth and is burned up like a wilderness, that none passeth through?
Jer 9:13  And the LORD saith, Because they have forsaken my law which I set before them, and have not obeyed my voice, neither walked therein;

When we turn our backs on our Lord and receive the doctrines of the great whore, we are actually receiving the doctrines of the great red dragon:

Rev 13:1  And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
Rev 13:2  And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat [Greek: ‘thronos’ throne], and great authority.

As the natural wild beasts we all are by nature, we gladly receive the doctrines of the dragon, and it is those doctrines which become his ‘den’, his dwelling place within us.

This is the prophesied event that would come upon the Lord’s own people when they turn their backs on their own spiritual husband:

Deu 32:34  Is not this laid up in store with me, and sealed up among my treasures?
Deu 32:35  To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste.
Deu 32:36  For the LORD shall judge his people, and repent himself for his servants, when he seeth that their power is gone, and there is none shut up, or left.
Deu 32:37  And he shall say, Where are their gods, their rock in whom they trusted,

The book of Job demonstrates that Satan is nothing more than the Lord’s “hand” (Job 1:11-12 and 2:5-6). That being so, the Sabeans and Chaldeans were the Lord’s own sword sent by Satan, as the Lord’s hand, to try Job and reveal to Job just how self-righteous he was (Job 1:15-17 and Job 27:5-6). King David was familiar with these verses of Job and made this statement:

Psa 17:13  Arise, O LORD, disappoint him, cast him down: deliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy sword:
Psa 17:14  From men which are thy hand, O LORD, from men of the world, which have their portion in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure: they are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes.

“The wicked” are the Lord’s sword and His hand which He uses to bring trials upon His elect in this present time to humble and purify us in preparation for His service as His “saviors” of all the rest of mankind. It will be ‘through our mercy that all others will receive mercy’:

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

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

Our next verse gives the lie to the false doctrine of free will and because the Lord has given the brutish pastors eyes that cannot see and ears that cannot hear, He has also blinded them from being able to see or hear this fact:

Jer 10:23  O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.

Jeremiah had the books of Moses, Job, Psalms, Proverbs and Isaiah to read and meditate upon. Those books all proclaim the total sovereignty of God and the fact that mankind is mere clay in the Lord’s hand, as Jeremiah clearly states in:

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.
Jer 18:5  Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
Jer 18:6  O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.

The doctrine of the total sovereignty of God is foundational to every book of scripture. All scripture teaches that God has made all things for Himself and that He is in the process of humbling all men intending from before the beginning of the world, to drag all men to Himself.

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

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

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

It is because the Lord has given us an experience of evil to humble us by it that we are made to cry out to Him:

Jer 10:24  O LORD, correct me, but with judgment; not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing.

“With judgment [and] not in [His] anger” is how the Lord always expresses His anger and His wrath, because even His wrath and His anger are “created for Himself” and for the plan and purpose He is executing. That includes the most egregious sin of all time, the death of His Son:

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

Act 4:26 The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ.
Act 4:27 For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,
Act 4:28 For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.
Act 4:29 And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,

Jeremiah was made to know that the Lord’s anger and His wrath are never out of control, but are always measured to accomplish the changes He is working in His creatures. It bears repeating what we were just told:

Jer 10:19 Woe is me for my hurt! my wound is grievous: but I said, Truly this is a grief, and I must bear it.

These words reveal that the Lord’s wrath is always measured and is always for our good, and it is never out of His control. This verse also applies to that wrath which we are told “fills up the wrath of God”:

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

Filling up these plagues is the entrance into the temple of God. Filling up these “seven last plagues” in our own lives is passing through the fiery sword which guards the way of the Tree of Life, and we will never know life eternal without passing through the ‘fire’ of that “fiery sword” which is the Word of God.

Enduring the fiery experience of the seven last plagues is called “the patience of the saints [who] keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

Rev 14:9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
Rev 14:10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
Rev 14:11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
Rev 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

The blessing of God is only on those who read, hear, and keep the sayings of the prophecy of this book” including chapters 14-16; the seven last plagues:

Rev 1:3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

Rev 15:7 And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.
Rev 15:8 And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.

Rev 22:7 Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.

“Truly this is a grief and [we] must bear it” (Jer 10:19)

The Lord drags us to Himself by bringing us low through great trials which cause the most stubborn carnal mind to ask, “Lord, what would you have me do?” Saul of Tarsus, who by the Lord’s chastening grace came to be the apostle Paul, is a perfect example of just how persuasive the Lord can be and is:

Act 9:1  And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,
Act 9:2  And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.
Act 9:3  And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
Act 9:4  And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
Act 9:5  And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
Act 9:6  And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

Just like Joseph’s ten brothers who wanted him dead, but instead ended up bowing down to Joseph, Saul of Tarsus was given a similar experience of bowing down to the very man he was persecuting.

What neither Saul of Tarsus nor Jeremiah understood at that time was that physical Israel was merely a type of spiritual Israel. Paul put it like this in:

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

Christ was the first to reveal that physical Israel was just a type and a shadow of the true “Israel of God”.

Gal 6:15  Certainly, it doesn’t matter whether a person is circumcised or not. Rather, what matters is being a new creation.
Gal 6:16  Peace and mercy will come to rest on all those who conform to this principle. They are the Israel of God.

Bringing that revelation to His own people almost cost Christ His life at His very first recorded message to the people of His own hometown:

Luk 4:16  And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.
Luk 4:17  And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,
Luk 4:18  The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
Luk 4:19  To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
Luk 4:20  And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.
Luk 4:21  And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.
Luk 4:22  And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph’s son?
Luk 4:23  And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country.
Luk 4:24  And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country.
Luk 4:25  But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land;
Luk 4:26  But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.
Luk 4:27  And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.
Luk 4:28  And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath,
Luk 4:29  And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.
Luk 4:30  But he passing through the midst of them went his way,

It is blasphemous to a physical Jew to tell him that God is as much a God of the Gentiles as He is of the Jews. All religious Jews believe only the letter of these words:

Deu 7:6  For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.

Here are the first two verses of Deuteronomy 7:

Deu 7:1  When the LORD thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee, the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than thou;
Deu 7:2  And when the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them:

When Moses wrote those words at that time, they had nothing more than an outward letter for letter meaning, but the holy spirit reveals in the New Testament that “the letter kills, but the spirit gives life”:

2Co 3:6  Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
2Co 3:7  But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:
2Co 3:8  How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?
2Co 3:9  For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.
2Co 3:10  For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.

Christ tells us that His words are not to be understood letter for letter, but rather His words are spirit and must therefore be understood spiritually:

Joh 6:63  It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh [the letter] profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

This statement by Christ is the basis for Paul’s statement, ”Not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life” (2Co 3:6).

Christ was prophesied to be ‘like Moses’:

Deu 18:18  I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.

“Like unto thee” means that Christ would be a reformer as Moses was. It was through Moses that tabernacle worship with its priesthood and attendant daily offerings was introduced. Christ also introduced “the time of reformation”:

Heb 9:10  Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.

Reformers always face great resistance to their reforms. That is why both Moses and Christ were first rejected by the Lord’s own people. That is why the Lord’s own people first rejected hearing His voice:

Exo 14:10  And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD.
Exo 14:11  And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt?
Exo 14:12  Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.

Just a few weeks after the Lord used Moses to lead Israel through the Red Sea, the Lord attempted to speak directly to the people, but He was again rejected with these words:

Exo 20:18  And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off.
Exo 20:19  And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.

The smoking mountain typifies our physical, carnal life of rebellion against our Lord. The thundering, lightnings, and trumpets all typify the judgments of the Lord against our ‘mountain’, and we simply cannot at first appreciate what the Lord is doing. Only Moses, typifying Christ in us, can approach the smoking, burning, dying ‘mountain’.

So, the revelation of “the things of the spirit” and the fact that all of this happened to them and it is written for our admonition”, the admonition of physical Gentiles like Naaman the Syrian and the widow of Serepta, was not revealed to the physical nation of Israel at that time.

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

As we just read, the revelation that “he is not a Jew which is one outwardly, but he is a Jew which is one inwardly” was rejected by the nation of Israel when Christ revealed it to the people of His hometown of Nazareth. He and His message of “the things of the spirit” were so unpopular with the people of His hometown of Nazareth that they attempted to murder Him for even suggesting that the gospel would go to the Gentiles.

1Co 2:14  But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

We are all just as guilty of first rejecting our Lord as were the people of Nazareth. So it is by the Lord’s design that “every man’s works shall be tried by fire”, and the fire will try every man’s works of what sort it is”:

1Co 3:13  Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.

Paul is addressing these words to what the people of Nazareth would consider to be heathen Corinthians, but the Truth of Christ’s reformation is:

Gal 3:29  And if ye be Christ’s, then  are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

If we have been baptized into Christ, we are Abraham’s seed, because Abraham himself was but a type of the true “father of the faithful”. Just as Christ is “the true bread from heaven” He is also ‘the true Father of the faithful’. It is our own rebellious “old man” and any others who are not “in Christ” who are now counted as spiritual heathens.

That is the spiritual application of the last verse of this chapter:

Jer 10:25  Pour out thy fury upon the heathen that know thee not, and upon the families that call not on thy name: for they have eaten up Jacob, and devoured him, and consumed him, and have made his habitation desolate.

The Lord’s “fury” and His wrath are not just for the purpose of venting His anger with our sins. Whether it is in “this present time” or at the great white throne judgment/lake of fire/second death, the Lord’s wrath is His judgment upon the rebellious, carnal kingdom of our old man, and this is what His judgments produce within “every man”:

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

This is where we are. We are “in the way of [His] judgments… waiting for His judgments to burn away all the “wood, hay, and stubble” within the kingdom of our old man and establish Christ as our new King. “The time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God…”:

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?

That is our study for today, and these are our verses for our next study:

Jer 11:1  The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,
Jer 11:2  Hear ye the words of this covenant, and speak unto the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem;
Jer 11:3  And say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel; Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this covenant,
Jer 11:4  Which I commanded your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, Obey my voice, and do them, according to all which I command you: so shall ye be my people, and I will be your God:
Jer 11:5  That I may perform the oath which I have sworn unto your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it is this day. Then answered I, and said, So be it, O LORD.
Jer 11:6  Then the LORD said unto me, Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying, Hear ye the words of this covenant, and do them.
Jer 11:7  For I earnestly protested unto your fathers in the day that I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, even unto this day, rising early and protesting, saying, Obey my voice.
Jer 11:8  Yet they obeyed not, nor inclined their ear, but walked every one in the imagination of their evil heart: therefore I will bring upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do; but they did them not.
Jer 11:9  And the LORD said unto me, A conspiracy is found among the men of Judah, and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
Jer 11:10  They are turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, which refused to hear my words; and they went after other gods to serve them: the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant which I made with their fathers.
Jer 11:11  Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon them, which they shall not be able to escape; and though they shall cry unto me, I will not hearken unto them.
Jer 11:12. Then shall the cities of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem go, and cry unto the gods unto whom they offer incense: but they shall not save them at all in the time of their trouble.

[Study Posted December 12, 2020]

Est 9:20  And Mordecai recorded these things and sent letters to all the Jews who were in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, both near and far, 
Est 9:21  obliging them to keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar and also the fifteenth day of the same, year by year, 
Est 9:22  as the days on which the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month that had been turned for them from sorrow into gladness and from mourning into a holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and gladness, days for sending gifts of food to one another and gifts to the poor. 
Est 9:23  So the Jews accepted what they had started to do, and what Mordecai had written to them. 
Est 9:24  For Haman the Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast Pur (that is, cast lots), to crush and to destroy them. 
Est 9:25  But when it came before the king, he gave orders in writing that his evil plan that he had devised against the Jews should return on his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows. 
Est 9:26  Therefore they called these days Purim, after the term Pur. Therefore, because of all that was written in this letter, and of what they had faced in this matter, and of what had happened to them, 
Est 9:27  the Jews firmly obligated themselves and their offspring and all who joined them, that without fail they would keep these two days according to what was written and at the time appointed every year, 
Est 9:28  that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, in every clan, province, and city, and that these days of Purim should never fall into disuse among the Jews, nor should the commemoration of these days cease among their descendants. 
Est 9:29  Then Queen Esther, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew gave full written authority, confirming this second letter about Purim. 
Est 9:30  Letters were sent to all the Jews, to the 127 provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, in words of peace and truth, 
Est 9:31  that these days of Purim should be observed at their appointed seasons, as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther obligated them, and as they had obligated themselves and their offspring, with regard to their fasts and their lamenting. 
Est 9:32  The command of Esther confirmed these practices of Purim, and it was recorded in writing. 

The first part of Esther chapter 9 talks about how the Jews stood for their lives and defeated their enemies.  As a result, they had rest, ended up feasting, had a day of gladness and sent food portions one to another. The decree to destroy the Jews, which Haman initiated, signifies the law of sin and death, and the King’s new decree to nullify the first decree represents the law of the spirit of life which sets us free from the law of sin and death. Based on the law of sin and death, the Jews representing the elect were to be destroyed, killed and caused to perish on the thirteenth day of the month of the twelfth month called Adar. This is the Law of Moses which the Israelites operated under until the coming of Jesus, who brought the law of the spirit of life. We all operated under the Law of Moses until Christ came into our lives.  The last part of the Book of Esther Chapter 9 deals with how the Jews celebrated their liberation from their enemies. This celebration became the Feast of Purim.

Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Rom 8:2  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
Rom 8:3  For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
Rom 8:4  That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Est 9:20  And Mordecai recorded these things and sent letters to all the Jews who were in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, both near and far, 
Est 9:21  obliging them to keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar and also the fifteenth day of the same, year by year, 

As indicated in the last review, Mordecai here represents our Lord Jesus, and it is His words which have been sent all over the world enjoining us to keep what has been written. As we obey, it will result in our spiritual progression (represented by the fourteenth day). This spiritual progression is achieved through the process of spiritual completion through judgment. The judgment here is signified by grace through faith (representing the fifteenth day; Number 15 =3×5). The grace here is the chastening work of the Lord in our lives, and it is only through faith that we can endure this work. The letters obligated the Jews to keep the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar. This month Adar is the twelve month. The number 12 represents the number of Christ. What this means is that we can only keep or obey the Law of the spirit of Life when we are in Christ. What does it mean to be in Christ? The story we are dealing with gives us hints as to how to be in Christ.

It was only after defeating the enemies on the thirteenth day (the day of rebellion) that they were asked to keep the fourteenth and fifteenth days. What this means is that to be in Christ is when Christ starts coming into our lives with the breath of his mouth (his words) which destroys the enemy within that causes us to rebel against God. That is when we can keep the fourteenth and fifteenth days of Adar representing the feast of Christ.

Est 9:22  as the days on which the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month that had been turned for them from sorrow into gladness and from mourning into a holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and gladness, days for sending gifts of food to one another and gifts to the poor. 

The word of God when applied to our lives bring about relief from our enemies within and without. This is when our mourning as a result of the trials we face is turned into dancing and our sackcloth into gladness, resulting in the days of feasting and gladness, days of sending gifts of food to one another and gifts to the poor. As stated in the last review, the sending of gifts of food is about His elect sharing the words of the Lord with each other resulting in the building up of the body through love. That is what Paul was alluding to when he said that the body of the elect is fitted and compacted together by what every joint supplies. The sending of the gifts of food to one another and the gifts to the poor are all the same. The poor here represents the elect who are poor in spirit.

Psa 30:11  You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,
Psa 30:12  that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks to you forever!

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.

Est 9:23  So the Jews accepted what they had started to do, and what Mordecai had written to them. 

The acceptance of what Mordecai had written signifies that as elect, we have to be doers of Lord Jesus’ words (represented by Mordecai).

Jas 1:22  But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
Jas 1:23  For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror.
Jas 1:24  For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.
Jas 1:25  But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

The result of obedience is what grants us the victory over the enemy’s (Haman’s) conspiracies as shown in the next verses.

Est 9:24  For Haman the Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast Pur (that is, cast lots), to crush and to destroy them. 
Est 9:25  But when it came before the king, he gave orders in writing that his evil plan that he had devised against the Jews should return on his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows. 
Est 9:26  Therefore they called these days Purim, after the term Pur. Therefore, because of all that was written in this letter, and of what they had faced in this matter, and of what had happened to them, 

The use of the word “for” in verse 24 means that the prior verse 23 is the reason for Haman (the enemy within) to be defeated and destroyed. As indicated, verse 23 deals with our obedience to the words of our Lord Jesus. So our only way of defeating the enemy within, who is like a roaring lion looking for whom to devour, is to do what Jesus says. What we need to note in verse 25 is that a lot was cast to determine the day for the destruction of the Jews.  Casting lots was a method used by the Jews of the Old Testament and by the Christian disciples prior to Pentecost to determine the will of God. Proverbs 16:33 says, “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.” So what this means is that our times of rebellion and suffering are all part of the counsel of God, and it is this stage of our walk which hastens the death of the old man, represented by Haman. It is our own wickedness which will correct us, and if we are destined to be part of the blessed first resurrection, then surely the beast within and all his cohorts (signified by Haman and his ten sons) will be put to death.

Jer 2:19  Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord GOD of hosts.

In verse 26, the term “Purim” was used to describe the feasting of the Jews in the fourteenth and fifteenth day of the month of Adar. According to Strong’s definition, the term “Purim” means ‘lot’ in apparent reference to Haman casting lots to determine the destruction day of the Jews. What we need to know is that once a lot is cast to make a decision, no one can argue that the decision was the result of human intervention.

This means that we bring nothing to the table regarding our election, our walk with Christ and our ultimate glorification. All is of the Lord!!! So it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. We are all vessels of serious flaws and weaknesses. If we look at ourselves, we will never make it, but when we lift our eyes off the waves of the sea (fleshly desires) we will be able to walk on the sea just as Jesus did. Remember, Peter started walking on the sea, but when he began to look at the waves of the sea, he started sinking, but Jesus came to his aid. We may fall seven times, but let’s not doubt that we can walk on the sea of our flesh just like Jesus. Let’s keep crying to the Lord to save us of this boisterous wind of the sea and He surely will stretch forth his hands to deliver us!!

Mat 14:25  And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.
Mat 14:26  And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.
Mat 14:27  But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.
Mat 14:28  And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.
Mat 14:29  And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.
Mat 14:30  But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
Mat 14:31  And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

Est 9:27  the Jews firmly obligated themselves and their offspring and all who joined them, that without fail they would keep these two days according to what was written and at the time appointed every year, 
Est 9:28  that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, in every clan, province, and city, and that these days of Purim should never fall into disuse among the Jews, nor should the commemoration of these days cease among their descendants. 

These two days that we as Jews are to observe represents the victory part of our walk where the enemy within is dying daily, and we become witnesses (meaning of the number 2) of Christ in our walk here on earth. In verse 28, it says these days of Purim should never fall into misuse and that the commemoration of these days will not cease. What this implies is that if we are part of God’s elect, then these days of Purim will surely be part of our walk in this life. Our victory is certain!!

Act 1:7  And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
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. 

Est 9:29  Then Queen Esther, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew gave full written authority, confirming this second letter about Purim. 
Est 9:30  Letters were sent to all the Jews, to the 127 provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, in words of peace and truth, 

We can see that Esther and Mordecai here were in a position of rulership and had much authority. This foretells of the rulership of the elect when the kingdom of this world becomes the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ.

Rev 2:26  And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
Rev 2:27  And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.

As we said earlier, the letters sent to the Jews denote the word of God which is being sent out to all of God’s elect all over the world.  The scriptures are primarily written for the elect (spiritual Jews) and is the gospel of peace and truth as stated in verse 30.  It is called the gospel of peace because it is when our eyes are opened and we come to know God and His son Jesus that we are able to rest in Him and have peace. When Jesus approached Jerusalem, getting closer to his death, he wept and told the inhabitants of Jerusalem that if only they know what pertains to their peace but it is hidden from their eyes. Thus, getting peace is knowing Christ through the opening of our eyes to see and ears to hear His words.

Eph 6:15  And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

Luk 19:41  And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,
Luk 19:42  Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.

Throughout scriptures the word of God is described as truth. This means that apart from the word of God, everything else is false including enticing words of man’s wisdom, commandments of men, traditions of men, etc. It is only when we know the truth that we can be set free. This means that the gospel we preach must be without false doctrine. The following therefore outlines the importance of knowing the truth:

1. Our relationship with Christ is like a marriage relationship, and this relationship is governed by truth which expresses itself in how much the spouses know each other. If you have false knowledge of a spouse, then you don’t know that spouse, and the probability that the relationship will fall on rocks is great. As the bride of Christ, we need to know the truth about our husband.
2. It is the truth that liberates. John 8:32 says that “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free”.
3. False doctrines lead to departure from the faith.

1Ti 4:1  Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils (False doctrines);
1Ti 4:2  Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
1Ti 4:3  Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

1. God uses the truth or false doctrine to separate the sheep from the Goat.

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

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

1. It is the truth that has the power to change us to become obedient servants (John 15:3).

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

1. It is the truth that binds us together as God wants us to have the same mind and speak the same thing. 1Co 1:10  Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

Est 9:31  that these days of Purim should be observed at their appointed seasons, as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther obligated them, and as they had obligated themselves and their offspring, with regard to their fasts and their lamenting. 
Est 9:32  The command of Esther confirmed these practices of Purim, and it was recorded in writing. 

The feast of Purim was an occasion to remember their fasts and lamentation under the law of sin and death. The Lord always wants us to know where we had come from to humble us as shown in Isaiah 51, where the Lord reminds us of the rock where we were hewn and the pit where we were digged.

Isa 51:1  Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the LORD: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged.

May the Lord help us the grace to be faithful as we continue our journey of knowing Him.

[Study Aired June 18, 2020]

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

God’s elect will give the more earnest heed as the spiritual “seed of Abraham” to whom Christ and His body are likened  (Gal 3:16) being those who were first granted the grace and faith (1Jn 5:4) needed at this time in order to overcome and endure until the end.

Gal 3:16  Now to Abraham and his seed [‘Christ and his spiritual seed’] were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many [Mat 22:14]; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.

1Jn 5:4  For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith [‘It is the few who overcome the world within today by losing our life through Christ‘].

Eph 1:14  Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.  [We ought to give the more earnest heed to this “earnest of our inheritance” relationship with our Father and Christ (Joh 17:3).]

Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Rom 8:22  For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now [Abraham and all the prophets of old for example, groaned and suffered for our sakes (Jas 5:11, 2Co 4:15)].
Rom 8:23  And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

[Eph 1:14 God’s elect are learning to give “more earnest heed” to this process of patiently possessing our souls “until the redemption of the purchased possession” (Luk 21:19)]

Rom 8:24  For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
Rom 8:25  But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

The opening verse of this last section of chapter two explains how those who are that holy seed, who are of that kingship and priesthood through Christ, typified by Abraham, are able to endure the temptations of this life and are being comforted by Christ in each other through God’s spirit which is able to “succour [comfort] them that are tempted” knowing that this temptation is promised to never be beyond what we can endure.

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.

[He uses the body to accomplish this bearing through the law of Christ that is working in the members of those who are connected to the vine as a joint which supplies in love (Gal 6:2-3, Eph 4:16]

Gal 6:2  Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
Gal 6:3  For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.

[A healthy body of Christ like a healthy tree supports the fruit at the various stages that it grows supporting it and contributing to that growth as a joint that supplies (Luk 6:43-45, Joh 15:5]

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.

Christ’s body (Col 1:24) is to “give the more earnest heed” in regard to knowing that we must be armed with the mind and suffering of Christ (1Pe 4:1) in order to become those kings and priests who bring forth much fruit together alongside Christ who will give us the ability to identify with this verse: “For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour [comfort] them that are tempted” (2Co 1:4). Those fiery trials through which we support each other are essential for bringing fruit unto maturation, and the trial of our faith is precious to God for what it works in the entire body which is learning to support and endure these fiery trials together (1Pe 1:7, 1Pe 4:12).

Col 1:24  Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:

1Pe 4:1  Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;

2Co 1:4  Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

In this study we will do a small overview of what we have talked about already in Hebrews chapter one and two and how those previous verses have brought us to these very succinct words in the last three verses of chapter two describing who Christ was in type and shadow as Abraham and who He is today as our high priest and who we will ultimately become (1Jn 3:2) because of what our Lord is accomplishing within our Father’s workmanship today (Eph 2:8-10, Tit 3:8).

We ought to give the more earnest heed to what it means to be called to become kings and priests, rejoicing, praising, and thanking God for the blessing to which we have been called. That blessing is to bring forth much fruit (Joh 15:8) through much tribulation in this life leading to eternal life (Psa 68:3-5, Rom 6:22-23, Act 14:22).

Psa 68:3  But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God: yea, let them exceedingly rejoice.
Psa 68:4  Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH, and rejoice before him.
Psa 68:5  A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.

Rom 6:22  But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
Rom 6:23  For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Act 14:22  Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

Heb 2:16  For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. 

God moved the prophets of old for our sakes as He inspired them to point to the reality of the One who was going to be born the saviour of humanity (Isa 9:6). Christ would be used to speak to us as our high priest, being the one “whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds” (Heb 1:1-2). Chapter one of Hebrews sets the stage for how God is going to redeem mankind through our Lord who knows our form, who “made the worlds”, the physical world that typifies the workmanship we are in his hands (Eph 2:10). The Master Potter is able to take us in our marred condition and make us anew to the glory of God (Jer 18:4, Joh 15:8).

Heb 1:1  God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
Heb 1:2  Hath in these last days [‘the last days of our fleshly carnal minds that are being destroyed by the brightness of his coming‘] spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

Isa 9:6  For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

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.

Christ did not come to earth so He could get comfortable with the idea of how it is to be a human for His own sake, “but he took on him the seed of Abraham” for our sake (2Co 4:15). We can so easily, in our fleshly thinking, separate ourselves from this momentous event in history when Christ was born of the virgin Mary, but that event was for our sakes and points to another momentous event. At the birth of the bride of Christ, typified by the birth of Jesus who is the head of the manchild [‘the bride’], who is later, on Pentecost, to be caught up into heaven (Isa 7:14, 2Co 11:2, Rev 14:4, Rev 12:5). The body of Christ is judged as those who go through this nine-month period of spiritual gestation in the church (1Pe 4:17), so we, like Christ, can be born again in an earnest relationship at first, becoming that seed of Christ, the children of God (1Jn 3:1) who are typified by the seed of Abraham (Gal 3:16, Rom 9:6-8, Rom 8:9).

Isa 7:14  Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

2Co 11:2  For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

Rev 14:4  These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. [Rom 8:14-16] These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.

Rev 12:5  And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.

Gal 3:16  Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.

Rom 9:6  Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:
Rom 9:7  Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
Rom 9:8  That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

Rom 8:9  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

Chapter one of Hebrews boldly tells us it is not only Christ who is going to “Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool” (Heb 1:3, 13, Eph 2:6, Rev 4:10-11, Rev 3:9). Those who are being ministered to as Christ was when He was in this marred vessel of clay, who had to die daily and carry His cross just as He commanded His disciples to do, will also be there (Mat 16:24-26, 1Jn 4:17, Gal 2:20).

Heb 1:3  Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins [Joh 17:17], sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

Heb 1:13  But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?

Eph 2:6  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

Rev 4:10  The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,
Rev 4:11  Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

Rev 3:9  Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.

Mat 16:24  Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
Mat 16:25  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. [Eph 2:6]
Mat 16:26  For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

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.

Gal 2:20  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Chapter one of Hebrews sets the stage to help us understand that we have an high priest who is identifying with us in our marred condition for a reason.  That reason is so that we can go through the suffering of this life, enduring all things through Christ who strengthens us (Php 4:13), as we experience this hope of glory within (Col 1:27) which gives us the power to faithfully witness and overcome in this life (Rev 11:3). The inward enemies of the cross are naturally within us as a root of bitterness that could manifest if we don’t continue to diligently examine ourselves (Heb 12:15), and they are only overcome through Christ who gives us the power to bring every thought into subjection to Him (2Co 10:5) as we learn to patiently possess our souls sitting at His right hand where there is power to overcome and drink the cup we are called unto: “A Psalm of David. The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool” (2Ti 2:12, Joh 8:36, Psa 110:1, Mat 20:23).

Col 1:27  To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

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.

2Ti 2:12  If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:

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

Mat 20:23  And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.

Heb 2:17  Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. 

It behooved Christ not just to be born into the flesh “to be made like unto his brethren” but to be connected to the physical seed of Abraham for those who would one day identify with what the spiritual significance of being “made like unto his brethren” means (1Co 10:11). It was critical that Christ have all the same pulls of the flesh, being tempted in all diverse manner yet without sin for our sakes, but also critical that He experience the power of God, the spirit without measure (Joh 3:34), giving Him the ability to overcome all those pulls of the flesh demonstrating that the head of this spiritual lineage typified by Abraham could overcome and remain as a pure and unspotted lamb without blemish (Heb 4:15, 1Pe 1:9).

The “reconciliation for the sins of the people” is a statement connected not just to Abraham, but to Abraham’s seed and the type and shadow events which brought about the miraculous birth of Abraham’s son, Isaac (Gen 17:17). Each patriarch has his counterpart in the flesh as well to remind us that we will have to struggle against the powers and principalities over which God will give us power to prevail and overcome through Christ. The reconciliation process takes time, and it is a matter of supernaturally overcoming what we could never overcome except for the grace and faith God gives us through Christ.

Starting with Abraham and Lot [Abraham was a type of Christ who listened to God (Gen 22:2) whereas Lot went where his passions drove him (Gen 13:8-10)].

Isaac was the son of promise (Gal 4:28) as opposed to Ishmael whom Abraham lamented for not being able to “live before thee” (Gen 17:18). Isaac was presented a living sacrifice by his father, typifying our being dragged to Christ by our Father (Joh 6:44) who has made provision for us through Christ as the goat who is killed for all the sins of the world (Joh 1:29) within and without (Lev 16:7-10, Gen 22:13).

Jacob represents the body of Christ that perseveres and overcomes the flesh represented by Esau. The daily reward for not following our fleshly passions as we daily mortify the deeds of our flesh (Rom 8:13) is what it means to strive for the mark of the prize of the high calling in Christ (Php 3:14). If we are granted the power to continue to overcome and forget what is behind us (Php 3:13, Luk 17:32), we will be partakers of those promises as typified by Jacob’s life. His name means “to follow, to be behind, to supplant, circumvent, assail, overreach”. Jacob’s new name was Israel, as we are the Israel of God (Gal 6:16), and Israel means “God prevails”^H3478 (Gen 32:28).

Abraham and Lot, Isaac and Ishmael (Gal 4:28), and Jacob and Esau (Gen 32:22-31, Gen 28:13-14) all serve to remind the body of Christ there is a process of spiritual completion unfolding in the lives of God’s children who are joint-heirs with Christ. The inheritance in type which was promised unto Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is something that can only be inherited through a lifetime of overcoming and enduring until the end through Christ, the author and finisher of our faith (Rom 8:17-19, Act 14:22). To “make reconciliation for the sins of the people” will require a reconciliation process that will be administered by those who have first trusted God and suffered in this life (Eph 1:12) so we can rule in the next (2Ti 2:12).

Rom 8:17  And if children [spiritual children of Abraham typifying those who have God’s spirit within them (Rom 8:6-9)], then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
Rom 8:18  For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Rom 8:19  For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

Heb 2:18  For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted. 

We need to ask ourselves again, “What good will any or all of this knowledge be to us if we don’t give the more earnest heed today?” Therefore “we ought to give the more earnest heed” means we ought to identify with Christ’s suffering, filling up what is behind of His afflictions for His body’s sake, the church, and not be surprised concerning the fiery trial which is to try us as though some strange thing happened to us (Col 1:24, 1Pe 4:12).

What a humbling and glorious thought all at the same time, to consider that God can and will strengthen, stablish and settle those He has called in this age to experience that humbling event under His mighty hand so that we can be exalted in due time! It is through the struggles, the process we have discussed, that we will be established in the Lord.

1Pe 5:6  Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

2Th 2:16  Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,
2Th 2:17  Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.

2Th 3:3  But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.

Jas 5:8  Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

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.

We are humbled to know that we are as He is in this world (1Jn 4:17), and as such, these words in the book of Hebrews should apply just as much to the body of Christ as it did to Christ when He was in the flesh: “For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted“. God is the one who is directing all the growth in the body of Christ (1Co 3:6), like the young child of twelve years old (Luk 2:40-42) who walked into the temple and was being established of His Father. So the body of Christ is also being established in the temple, being strengthened and settled so we can be the foundational government God will build upon Christ (Mat 16:18), a government that will know no end to the peace and increase that has been promised (Isa 9:6).

Luk 2:40  And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him. [2Pe 3:18]
Luk 2:41  Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover.
Luk 2:42  And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast.

Mat 16:18  And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Isa 9:6  For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Isa 9:7  Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

Psa 118:19  Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the LORD:
Psa 118:20  This gate of the LORD, into which the righteous shall enter.
Psa 118:21  I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation.
Psa 118:22  The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.
Psa 118:23  This is the LORD’S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.

God’s goodness will be revealed in leading us unto repentance and giving us the ability to not despise the chastening of the Lord (Pro 3:11) which happens to every son who is being received of God and having “the gates of righteousness” open unto them. His children will mature as a kind of first fruits (Jas 1:18) to a point of acceptance and great rejoicing in knowing that His grace is sufficient for us in this age, and God’s goodness will be expressed through Jesus Christ as he works in the lives of His children with a spirit of “forbearance and longsuffering” which is needed in order to lead us to repentance.

Rom 2:4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness [Col 1:27] and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing [2Pe 3:18] that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

Col 1:27  To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

2Pe 3:17  Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.
2Pe 3:18  But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

Pro 3:11  My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:

Heb 12:6  For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
Heb 12:7  If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
Heb 12:8  But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
Heb 12:9  Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
Heb 12:10  For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.

Col 1:24  Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:

2Co 12:8  For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
2Co 12:9  And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
2Co 12:10  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

Heb 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

Joh 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

In this study we will look at how it is only through Christ our high priest that we enter into those narrow strait gates of holiness “and live” (Mat 7:13) where “I will go into them, and I will praise the LORD” because it is God who is working in us both to will and to do this, that is our hope.

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. [Rev 3:11]
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.

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

Col 1:27  To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

We are instructed in Romans 11 to Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off”, and as we just read in Romans 2:4 it is “…the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering;” that we are not to despise in this process of spiritual completion through judgment we are experiencing, a process which witnesses to the reality that we are God’s workmanship being created in Christ Jesus in this age, that “we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ” (Joh 21:18, Eph 2:10, Eph 1:12). God’s workmanship is all centered around the temple that we are and typified by the living sacrifices which the high priests offered daily. All those sacrifices in the temple represent the lifetime of presenting ourselves to God as a living sacrifice, which is our reasonable service to Him (Rom 1:12, Heb 13:13).

How we walk in those sacrifices

Joh 21:18 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. [Jer 1:14-19, 1Pe 4:17]

Jer 1:14  Then the LORD said unto me, Out of the north an evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land.
Jer 1:15  For, lo, I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the north, saith the LORD; and they shall come, and they shall set every one his throne at the entering of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all the walls thereof round about, and against all the cities of Judah. [Psa 118:19]
Jer 1:16  And I will utter my judgments against them touching all their wickedness, who have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, and worshipped the works of their own hands.
Jer 1:17  Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them.
Jer 1:18  For, behold, I have made thee this day a defenced city, and an iron pillar, and brasen walls against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof, and against the people of the land.
Jer 1:19  And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the LORD, to deliver thee. [1Jn 4:4]

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.

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. [Joh 21:18]

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

Heb 7:19  For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God. [Col 1:27]

Heb 7:23  And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death:
Heb 7:24  But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. [Mal 3:6]
Heb 7:25  Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
Heb 7:26  For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; [Eph 1:21, Eph 6:12]
Heb 7:27  Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.

We naturally despise this process of judgment until our hearts are supernaturally softened (Eze 36:26) as God causes us to walk in the light of Christ (1Jn 1:7, Joh 6:44, Joh 8:36) who alone can “bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.” (Psa 118:27). We present ourselves as that living sacrifice (Rom 12:1) being bound to the horns of the altar that represents the cross and the redemptive power of God (1Jn 1:7, 1Jn 2:2). Looking at these promises of God and being reminded that Christ is the author and finisher of our faith (Php 1:6) brings us to these hope-filled verses which discuss the impossibility of our being separated from the “love of Christ” that has the body of Christ bound together in love (Rom 8:31-39, Col 3:13-17, Eph 4:15-16).

Rom 8:31  What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
Rom 8:32  He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
Rom 8:33  Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.
Rom 8:34  Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
Rom 8:35  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Rom 8:36  As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Rom 8:37  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
Rom 8:38  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Rom 8:39  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Col 3:13  Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
Col 3:14  And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
Col 3:15  And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
Col 3:16  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Col 3:17  And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

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.

When the word of God is dwelling in you richly in all wisdom you will be filled with God’s spirit and able to be “teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord”, that is what it means to say “The LORD is my strength and song, and is become my salvation”.

Eph 5:18  And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
Eph 5:19  Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

Act 11:24  For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord.

Joh 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

Psa 118:19  Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the LORD:

When God opens to us “the gates of righteousness” it is a result of our being dragged to Him and being given hearts that are prepared to open the door when we hear Him knocking.

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

Rev 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

Mat 13:9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

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

When we are given to truly see how blessed we are in this age to know God and Jesus Christ and His body, it is “At that day” (Joh 14:20) “I will go into them, and I will praise the LORD“.

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

Joh 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
Joh 17:4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.

Joh 18:9  That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none.

Psa 118:20  This gate of the LORD, into which the righteous shall enter.

This gate of the LORD” is the mind of Christ that God has given to very few in this age, and it is through Christ “into which the righteous shall enter” where we “…come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need”.

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

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

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.

Eph 1:6  To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
Eph 1:7  In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

Psa 118:21  I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation.

When Christ came into Jerusalem “upon a colt the foal of an ass” it was for our sakes as a living admonition of how it is only through Christ taking control of that beast, which represents humanity (Ecc 3:18, Joh 2:15) that we can become “lowly” as He was and share in bringing salvation to the world through Christ.

Zec 9:9  Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.

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

Isa 66:2  For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.

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.

The way to salvation is through the bruising and stripes which Christ’s body go through in this life that is typified by the “branches of palm” and their “garments” that were spread and strawed “in the way“. It is through the trials and temptations “branches of palm” and their “garments” that were spread and strawed “in the way” which we go through, that God’s power is made manifest so we can be a people with a “poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word”.

Joh 12:13  Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord. [Psa 118:19]

Mat 21:8  And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way.

Exo 15:24  And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?
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,
Exo 15:26  And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.
Exo 15:27  And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters.

Gen 30:36  And he set three days‘ journey betwixt himself and Jacob: and Jacob fed the rest of Laban’s flocks.
Gen 30:37  And Jacob took him rods of green poplar, and of the hazel and chesnut tree; and pilled white strakes in them, and made the white appear which was in the rods.
Gen 30:38  And he set the rods which he had pilled before the flocks in the gutters in the watering troughs when the flocks came to drink, that they should conceive when they came to drink.

Isa 53:5  But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
Isa 53:6  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Gen 30:41  And it came to pass, whensoever the stronger cattle did conceive, that Jacob laid the rods before the eyes of the cattle in the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods.

God’s elect “will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation“.

Luk 19:40  And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.
Luk 19:41  And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,
Luk 19:42  Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.

Psa 118:22  The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.
Psa 118:23  This is the LORD’S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.

To reject the cornerstone is to reject Christ and His Christ (Mat 10:40, Joh 13:20, 1Sa 8:7) who were created to be the foundational part of God’s plan and purpose. The imagery of the disciple whom Jesus loved leaning on his bosom and Christ telling Peter that he was the stone (Peter) that would be built upon the rock (Jesus) are two examples which demonstrate the strength and assurance that we can have in our Lord as members of His body. This high calling we have in Christ “is the LORD’S doing” and “it is marvellous in our eyes” as it was “determined before to be done” and “predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will”.

Act 4:26  The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ.
Act 4:27  For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,
Act 4:28  For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.

Rev 7:4  And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.

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

Mat 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Eph 5:30  For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance^G2820 [Heb 1:4, 1Jn 3:1], being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

Heb 1:4  Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance^G2820 obtained a more excellent name than they.

1Jn 3:1  Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

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

The cornerstone (or foundation stone or setting stone) is the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation, important since all other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornerstone

Next week, Lord willing, we’ll look at the last six verses of Psalm 118. where the focus will be on the spiritual fruit that is born in the body of Christ as a result of being  bound “unto the horns of the altar”.

Psa 118:24  This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
Psa 118:25  Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech thee, send now prosperity.
Psa 118:26  Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD.
Psa 118:27  God is the LORD, which hath shewed us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.
Psa 118:28  Thou art my God, and I will praise thee: thou art my God, I will exalt thee.
Psa 118:29  O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Isa 22:15-25 The Lord Will Carry You Away With A Mighty Captivity...There Shall You Die

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Isa 22:15-25 The Lord Will Carry You Away With A Mighty Captivity...There Shall You Die

Isa 22:15  Thus saith the Lord GOD of hosts, Go, get thee unto this treasurer, even unto Shebna, which is over the house, and say,
Isa 22:16  What hast thou here? and whom hast thou here, that thou hast hewed thee out a sepulchre here, as he that heweth him out a sepulchre on high, and that graveth an habitation for himself in a rock?
Isa 22:17  Behold, the LORD will carry thee away with a mighty captivity, and will surely cover thee.
Isa 22:18  He will surely violently turn and toss thee like a ball into a large country: there shalt thou die, and there the chariots of thy glory shall be the shame of thy lord's house.
Isa 22:19  And I will drive thee from thy station, and from thy state shall he pull thee down.
Isa 22:20  And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah:
Isa 22:21  And I will clothe him with thy robe, and strengthen him with thy girdle, and I will commit thy government into his hand: and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah.
Isa 22:22  And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.
Isa 22:23  And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place; and he shall be for a glorious throne to his father's house.
Isa 22:24  And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his father's house, the offspring and the issue, all vessels of small quantity, from the vessels of cups, even to all the vessels of flagons.
Isa 22:25  In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, shall the nail that is fastened in the sure place be removed, and be cut down, and fall; and the burden that was upon it shall be cut off: for the LORD hath spoken it.

I hope we are beginning to see the truth of these words:

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

If we are given to judge ourselves, then Shebna becomes more than a historical person who has been placed over the affairs of the king's house. If we can judge ourselves, we will see ourselves as the man who has been given the Lord's goods, and we can see that we are simply using our Lord's name to magnify and glorify ourselves. So we read:

Isa 22:15  Thus saith the Lord GOD of hosts, Go, get thee unto this treasurer, even unto Shebna, which is over the house, and say,
Isa 22:16  What hast thou here? and whom hast thou here, that thou hast hewed thee out a sepulchre here, as he that heweth him out a sepulchre on high, and that graveth an habitation for himself in a rock?

"The kingdom of God is within [us]", and we are all stewards of that kingdom (Luk 17:20-21). That kingdom is growing daily, both inwardly as our old man dies and the new man grows within us, and outwardly as the "144,000... firstfruits unto God and the Lamb" are being accrued in each and every generation since Christ. However, that kingdom within us does not come first in a perfected state.

The "kingdom of God" of Luke 17:20-21 is called "the kingdom of heaven" in:

Mat 5:20  For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

If we have been given to "know the things that are freely given to us of God", then we will know that those things freely given us are not just the blessing of being a good steward and being seated with Christ in His Father's throne, but we also realize we must first be "the first man", Adam, hateful, envious and murderous, Cain, Nimrod, Pharaoh, Nebuchadnezzar, Goliath and the Philistines, and yes, even Judas,  before we will be granted the privilege of becoming the new man, the last man, Adam, and "through much tribulation [be] seated with Christ in the heavens" (Eph 2:6).

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

"Neither CAN he know them, because they are spiritually discerned" means that all the things of which we are speaking in these studies are unintelligible and "foolishness unto [the natural man]". Here in the very next chapter are those "things [which are] freely given to us of God". Paul makes us to know what the "things that are freely given to us of God" are in 1Corinthians 3.

Since "the things which are freely given to us of God... are foolishness unto [our natural man]", and the wisdom of our natural man is foolishness with God, therefore:

1Co 3:18  Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.
1Co 3:19  For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
1Co 3:20  And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.
1Co 3:21  Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;
1Co 3:22  Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;
1Co 3:23  And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's.

If "Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world [and] death" are ours, then Shebna is also a type of our own old man who really wants to immortalize himself in any way possible, even if it is just with an expensive "sepulchre on high" - an extravagant and prominent grave site.

But "the spirit which is of God" has no interest in preserving the memory of the accomplishments of "the first man, Adam" because "the wisdom of this world is foolishness" to "the spirit which is of God", knowing that God will only call and choose the very people whom this world despises:

1Co 1:26  For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
1Co 1:27  But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
1Co 1:28  And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:

It is so for one grand reason:

1Co 1:29  That no flesh should glory in his presence.

Because we are Shebna, and because we despise our own spiritual husband and prefer our own ways over His, we are promised:

Isa 22:17  Behold, the LORD will carry thee away with a mighty captivity, and will surely cover thee.

Have you ever been captive to a merciless taskmaster? Has God ever given you over to Satan for the destruction of your flesh because of your own physical or spiritual fornication? Few indeed are able to see their own slavery to their own merciless taskmaster even as they look him in the eyes every morning. This is our attitude until that sinful beast, our own merciless taskmaster, is revealed to us by the brightness of the coming of Christ with His mind within us:

Joh 8:33  They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?

Those words express the spirit of all the 'Shebnas' in Jerusalem, meaning all of us, just before the King of Babylon breached the walls of Jerusalem and took the entire apostate royal family away as captives to Babylon, along with the entire apostate city of Jerusalem.

Isa 22:18  He will surely violently turn and toss thee like a ball into a large country: there shalt thou die, and there the chariots of thy glory shall be the shame of thy lord's house.
Isa 22:19  And I will drive thee from thy station, and from thy state shall he pull thee down.

These words are ours because we have one and all denied our Lord and rejected His ways in our own lives at our own time. Here is what the destruction of Shebna and the king's house typifies as part of "the things freely given to us of God":

2Th 2:1  Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
2Th 2:2  That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
2Th 2:3  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
2Th 2:4  Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
2Th 2:5  Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? ["Know ye not that you are the temple of God..." 1Co 3:16]
2Th 2:6  And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
2Th 2:7  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
2Th 2:8  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
2Th 2:9  Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
2Th 2:10  And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2Th 2:11  And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
2Th 2:12  That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Claiming Abraham as our Father, or claiming to be a Christian, does not impress our Creator who demands obedience to everything He says:

Luk 6:46  And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
Luk 6:47  Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:
Luk 6:48  He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
Luk 6:49  But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.

Another way of speaking of a house which was built upon the sand is these words:

Isa 22:18  He will surely violently turn and toss thee like a ball into a large country: there shalt thou die, and there the chariots of thy glory shall be the shame of thy lord's house.
Isa 22:19  And I will drive thee from thy station, and from thy state shall he pull thee down.

The destruction of Shebna, the king's treasurer, in time includes the destruction of the king himself, and it is all a type of the destruction of the kingdom of our own old man of sin within every one of us and within every person who is dragged to Christ. It is only through that fiery destruction of the entire kingdom of our rebellious, stubborn, carnal-minded old man that the kingdom of "the new man... the last man Adam", begins to grow and bring forth fruit:

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

The house of Shebna, the apostate treasurer, and the apostate king are told: "[The Lord] will surely violently turn and toss thee like a ball into a large country: there shalt thou die..." Now notice the very next verse reveals to all with eyes that can see "the things freely given to us of God" the wonderful fruit of the corn of wheat falling into the ground and dying:

Isa 22:20  And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah:
Isa 22:21  And I will clothe him with thy robe, and strengthen him with thy girdle, and I will commit thy government into his hand: and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah.

"Your government" is the government of the apostate treasurer, Shebna, and the government of an apostate king, the son of King Hezekiah:

Isa 39:5  Then said Isaiah to Hezekiah, Hear the word of the LORD of hosts:
Isa 39:6  Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store until this day, shall be carried to Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the LORD.
Isa 39:7  And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.
Isa 39:8  Then said Hezekiah to Isaiah, Good is the word of the LORD which thou hast spoken. He said moreover, For there shall be peace and truth in my days.

The Lord's words take time to bring about their fruit, but they never fail to do so at His appointed time. It may seem to us to take much too long, but the truth is that everything happens at the appointed time, and in the Lord's own time the government of both the kingdoms of this world and the government of the realm of the spirit will all be given over into the hands of Christ and His Christ.

Isa 22:22  And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.
Isa 22:23  And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place; and he shall be for a glorious throne to his father's house.
Isa 22:24  And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his father's house, the offspring and the issue, all vessels of small quantity, from the vessels of cups, even to all the vessels of flagons.

Eliakim is a picture of Christ, "a glorious throne to His father's [King David's] house", and He is being "fasten[ed]... as a nail in a sure place", just as Shebna thought he was (vs 25).

These verses referring to "the key of the house of David" are all speaking specifically of God's elect who are being prepared to judge this world and then to judge all men in Gehenna fire. We know this is true because Christ makes this same promise to the overcomers of the church in Philadelphia:

Rev 3:7  And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;
Rev 3:8  I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.
Rev 3:9  Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.
Rev 3:10  Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

It is Christ who is promised the throne of His father, David.

Luk 1:32  He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:

Therefore, "the key of the house of David" is actually "the keys of the kingdom of heaven":

Mat 16:19  And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

The false doctrine of the Catholic Church is that these words apply only to Peter. I will only remind you that the Greek word translated 'Peter' is 'petros', meaning "a stone" or a piece of a rock, whereas the Greek word translated as 'rock' is 'petra' meaning a massive rock.

Joh 1:42  And he [Andrew, Peter's brother] brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.

In other words, Christ was informing Peter that he and the other apostles were a part of Himself, and that He Himself would build His own church upon Himself, just as the sum of God's word demonstrates:

Mat 16:18  And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter [Greek:  petros], and upon this rock [Greek: petra] I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Mat 16:19  And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Eph 2:20  And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

So upon whom will all vessels  hang, and upon whom exactly does the glory of the house of King David hang? Upon whose shoulder is the key to the house of David laid? To whom exactly is it given to open and none can shut and to shut and none can open as we just read?

Isa 22:22  And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.
Isa 22:23  And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place; and he shall be for a glorious throne to his father's house.
Isa 22:24  And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his father's house, the offspring and the issue, all vessels of small quantity, from the vessels of cups, even to all the vessels of flagons.

Here is the answer to all those questions. Here are all those who are pictured by Eliakim as the Christ of Christ:

Mat 18:15  Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
Mat 18:16  But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
Mat 18:17  And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.
Mat 18:18  Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye [the church] shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Mat 18:19  Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 18:20  For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

There we have it! It is "the church", or "two or three gathered together in my name", who make up "the house of David", and it is among them that Christ is in the midst. "The glory of... the house of David" is the glory of "the kingdom of God", and that "kingdom... is within [His disciples]":

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

It is Christ who opens and no man shuts and shuts and no man opens, and it is Christ upon whose shoulder the key to the house of David is laid. If we are His, then we are Him, and it is we, His church, His body, His flesh and His bones, who are given this key, and it is we who open and no man shuts and who shut and no man opens because we are plainly told "As He is, so are we in this world":

Mat 18:18  Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Mat 18:19  Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 18:20  For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

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

Mat 25:45  Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

Act 22:8  And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.

Eph 5:30  For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

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.

There it is! It is none less than "Jesus of Nazareth" who tells us 'the least of these... whom you persecute [is] Jesus of Nazareth'. If the kingdom of God is within us and Christ the King is within us and His words are within us, what then, is "the key of the house of David", and what are "the keys to the kingdom of God"?

Because "the key of the house of David" and "the keys to the kingdom of God" both open and shut things in heaven and on earth, it is once again manifested that "the dream is one", and the key and the keys are one and the same.

Gen 41:26  The seven good kine are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years: the dream is one.

That 'key' and those 'keys' are Christ, Who is the Word (Joh 1:1). Christ is the king of the kingdom, so like Eliakim and like Shebna before him, those who are given that 'key' and those who possess the 'keys' are those who have been given the power of Christ, the King of the kingdom. It is they, and they alone, who have His Words within their hearts and minds.  They will also have those Words, those "keys to the kingdom", in their hearts and in their mouths as the fire which will proceed from their mouths and will kill their enemies:

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].
Rev 11:5  And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.

"The keys to the kingdom of God" therefore simply verify what  has already been revealed to have been opened in heaven and what has already been revealed to have been loosed on earth, as the CLV properly translates both Matthew 16 and Matthew 18:

Mat 16:19 I will be giving you the keys of the kingdom of the heavens, and whatsoever you should be binding on the earth shall be those things having been bound in the heavens, and whatsoever you should be loosing on the earth, shall be those having been loosed in the heavens.

Mat 18:18 Verily, I am saying to you, Whatsoever you should be binding on the earth shall be those things having been bound in the heavens, and whatsoever you should be loosing on the earth shall be those loose in heaven.

Shebna pictures our old man, and he has already been pronounced as having been bound on the earth and unfit and incapable of inheriting the kingdom of heaven:

Isa 22:25 In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, shall the nail that is fastened in the sure place be removed, and be cut down, and fall;
and the burden that was upon it shall be cut off: for the LORD hath spoken it.

Shebna, like the "man of sin" within us who thinks he is God" and who thinks he is "fastened in a sure place", is a type of the kingdom of our carnal-minded rebellious flesh which cannot inherit the kingdom of God, [and] which will "be cut down and fall":

1Co 15:50  Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

The phrase "in that day" appears four times in this twenty-second chapter of Isaiah. Here are those four times:

Isa 22:8  And he discovered the covering of Judah, and thou didst look in that day to the armour of the house of the forest.

Isa 22:12  And in that day did the Lord GOD of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth:

Isa 22:20  And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah:

Isa 22:25  In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, shall the nail that is fastened in the sure place be removed, and be cut down, and fall; and the burden that was upon it shall be cut off: for the LORD hath spoken it.

In every case "that day" is the day of the judgment which is now upon the house of God and upon the kingdom of our old man, who sits in the house of God claiming to be God:

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.

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?

Both Shebna and Haman are Old Testament pictures of the house and kingdom of our old man which must be judged "in that day", in the day of judgment, which is even now upon the house of God. The nail that thought it was fastened in a sure place "in that day" is being removed and cut down and is falling, and all those who were hanging onto Shebna or Haman are being cut off because the "flesh and blood [of our old man] cannot inherit the kingdom of God":

Est 9:10  The ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews, slew they; but on the spoil laid they not their hand.
Est 9:11  On that day the number of those that were slain in Shushan the palace [who were hanging on Haman] was brought before the king.
Est 9:12  And the king said unto Esther the queen, The Jews have slain and destroyed five hundred men in Shushan the palace, and the ten sons of Haman; what have they done in the rest of the king's provinces? now what is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee: or what is thy request further? and it shall be done.

Isa 22:25  In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, shall the nail that is fastened in the sure place be removed, and be cut down, and fall; and the burden that was upon it shall be cut off: for the LORD hath spoken it.

That is our study for today, and next week, if the Lord wills, we will begin Isaiah 23 concerning the judgment of Tyre:

Isa 23:1  The burden of Tyre. Howl, ye ships of Tarshish; for it is laid waste, so that there is no house, no entering in: from the land of Chittim it is revealed to them.
Isa 23:2  Be still, ye inhabitants of the isle; thou whom the merchants of Zidon, that pass over the sea, have replenished.
Isa 23:3  And by great waters the seed of Sihor, the harvest of the river, is her revenue; and she is a mart of nations.
Isa 23:4  Be thou ashamed, O Zidon: for the sea hath spoken, even the strength of the sea, saying, I travail not, nor bring forth children, neither do I nourish up young men, nor bring up virgins.
Isa 23:5  As at the report concerning Egypt, so shall they be sorely pained at the report of Tyre.
Isa 23:6  Pass ye over to Tarshish; howl, ye inhabitants of the isle.