Proverbs 26 “To know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge”

Part 2  (Pro 26:3-5)

[Study Aired February 19, 2026]

Pro 26:3  A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool’s back.
Pro 26:4  Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.
Pro 26:5  Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.

The elect have a preeminence before the world in knowing that we are beasts (Ecc 3:19), and with that knowledge we can now look at any story in the bible that references an animal (Pro 26:3) and know that God is telling us something about ourselves or mankind in particular, “For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts” (Ecc 3:21).

What befalls us all is death, and unless the Lord delivers us from these bodies of death, our fate is to be withheld from entering into the kingdom of God (Jer 5:25, Joh 3:3-5). Christ said it was expedient for him to go away (Joh 16:7) so that the church could then, with God’s holy spirit sent on Pentecost, be able to die to sinful flesh (1Co 15:31), and be raised together with Christ in heavenly places (Joh 3:5, Eph 2:6, Rom 6:4-6).

Jer 5:25  Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withholden good things from you.

Joh 3:3  Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Joh 3:4  Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?
Joh 3:5  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. [cannot see the kingdom and cannot be raised or enter into heavenly places (Eph 2:6)]

Rom 6:4  Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. (Gal 2:20, Php 2:12-13)
Rom 6:5  For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
Rom 6:6  Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him,(Gal 2:20) that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.(Tit 2:11-12, Heb 12:6, Eph 2:8)

Pro 26:3  A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool’s back.

Our theme in these proverbs this week is to remember that we are beasts that God is working within, sanctifying to His glory, by the process [three stages horse, ass, and fool’s back] which we have been called unto (Rom 2:4). We are not to think it strange concerning the fiery trials that are to try us as the body of Christ (1Pe 4:12).

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

A ‘whip’ compels the horse to go in the direction it ought to go, and that horse represents the power of man in his flesh, not having ever done good or evil in his flesh (Rom 9:11-13).

Rom 9:11  (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)
Rom 9:12  It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
Rom 9:13  As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

Christ is typified by Jacob here, and Esau represents his flesh that God ‘hates’. As Christ did, we need to learn obedience by the things that we suffer, which is what is being shown with “a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool’s back”. God’s elect, like Christ (1Jn 4:17), are filling up what is behind of the afflictions of Christ for his body’s sake, the church (Rom 9:11, Heb 5:8, Col 1:24). Christ identifies with our need to go through temptation and judgment while in the flesh (Heb 4:15). He understands the nature of corruptible flesh that needs a bridle and a rod upon it to be brought into subjection unto God (Tit 2:12-13, Heb 12:6, Heb 5:6-7).

Heb 5:6  As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
Heb 5:7  Who in the days of his flesh (Eph 5:30, to think otherwise is the spirit of anti-Christ 2Jn 1:7), when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;

Christ our hope of glory within (Col 1:27) is the author and finisher of our faith who has all power over heaven and earth as the fit man of (Lev 16:21) so that he can cleanse the temple that we are and drive the beasts out of it, “A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool’s back” (Mat 21:12-13). Now we can worship God as true worshippers in spirit and in truth, in His temple that we are (Joh 4:23, 1Co 3:16).

Mat 21:12  And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,
Mat 21:13  And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves [ ‘the temple that we are’ ].

Pro 26:4  Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.

The minute we start to engage in pointless arguments about words, “strive not about words to no profit” as scripture says (2Ti 2:14), is the moment that we become “like unto him”. The best action to take with someone who is a fool (Psa 14:1) is to step away, is what we are being told. This scenario could easily play out in situations where someone is coming to us with a false gospel, another Jesus, and God’s word clearly says in those instances that you don’t open your spiritual house to that person and start to try to convince them of the true gospel. Bidding them ‘God speed’ is becoming a partaker of his evil deeds (2Co 11:3-4, 2Jn 1:10-11).

2Jn 1:10  If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:
2Jn 1:11  For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.

At first glance we may say ‘well, how can someone believe in God and still be a fool who does not believe in God, who we should not invite into our spiritual house,?’ and the answer is that while they think they are serving God they are serving another Jesus, another spirit, and even the devils believe and are not converted (2Co 11:4, Jas 2:19). And even false apostles can come in the name of Jesus appearing as angels of light and are yet deceived and of their father the devil (2Co 11:13-14). They are convinced of the idols of their hearts and it behooves God’s elect to know when, and when not, to engage with people that God brings into our lives with these idols (Eze 14:4). Paul was warning the church of that very thing in these verses, (Act 20:30-32).

Jas 2:19  Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

2Co 11:13  For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
2Co 11:14  And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

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

Act 20:30  Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
Act 20:31  Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.
Act 20:32  And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.

Heresies will manifest in our midst to show us who is approved, and we may admonish that person with two admonitions (1Co 11:19, Tit 3:10-11), but when someone comes to us with another gospel, we try that spirit immediately and don’t even begin to open our spiritual house to that person. So there are several different scenarios that can play out in our witness for Christ, and we need God’s spirit and discernment to know how to address each one in a way that will glorify God (Php 2:12-13), hence the proverb that seems to contradict itself at first glance, but actually compliments the “wise as serpents and harmless as doves” approach we’ve been called unto (Pro 26:4-5, Mat 10:16).

Tit 3:10  A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;
Tit 3:11  Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself.

Mat 10:16  Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

Pro 26:5  Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.

On the other hand, we are told “Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit”, which is also speaking of someone who may want to engage with us, or may be just acting like a hypocrite as Peter was, and Paul applied this proverb to his brother in Christ because He loved him  (Gal 2:11-14, Jud 1:22-24, Jas 5:20).

Gal 2:11  But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.
Gal 2:12  For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.
Gal 2:13  And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.
Gal 2:14  But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?

Jud 1:22  And of some have compassion, making a difference:
Jud 1:23  And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. (Pro 26:5)
Jud 1:24  Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy

Jas 5:19  Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;
Jas 5:20  Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.(Pro 26:5)

We can see by these examples that this proverb (Pro 26:5) can be used to represent a brother who needs to be restored from sin (Jas 5:20, 1Pe 4:8). If we don’t help our brother in this situation they will continue on in error, thinking because we have not challenged them and shown them with scripture the error of their way (Mat 18:4-20) that they are therefore right in their stance, and become “wise in his own conceit”. Conceit is spoken of in the book of Romans and is connected to a self-righteous spirit that we need to continually be on guard against in our own hearts (Rom 11:25, Php 3:9).

Rom 11:25  For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

Php 3:9  And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness [“wise in his own conceit”], which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: [which righteousness will save us 1Jn 5:4]

God can keep us humble in this life, and through His chastening grace spoken of in (Pro 26:3), we can then go on to be His true witnesses who know how to fulfill the other two verses we’ve looked at tonight (Pro 26:4-5). “To know the love of Christ which passes knowledge” is know our Father and Christ (Joh 17:3). We come to know them by putting of our flesh via His chastening grace, that will make us wise in His service (Eph 2:8).

Pro 26:3  A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool’s back.
Pro 26:4  Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.
Pro 26:5  Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.

Rev 19:11-16  The Meaning of an “Opened Heaven”

[Study Aired June 6, 2025]

Rev 19:11  And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him [was] called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
Rev 19:12  His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
Rev 19:13  And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
Rev 19:14  And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
Rev 19:15  And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
Rev 19:16  And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

Introduction

Knowing what heaven is and where heaven is located is essential to understanding all prophecy. There is no way to know God or His Son if you do not know where these two dwell. How well would I know any of you if I didn’t even know where you lived? I know many hundreds of people by name through emails, but those I really know are those who feel comfortable telling me where they live, and these are those who want to get to know me by more than just a vocalized name. I’ve had literally dozens of people who have come to my house over the years, and I have been to many of their homes, simply because we wanted to get to know each other better.

We know where our Father dwells. We have gone to great lengths to demonstrate that God dwells in the heavens:

Psa 2:1  Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
Psa 2:2  The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, [saying],
Psa 2:3  Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.
Psa 2:4  He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.

Psa 103:19  The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.

Psa 115:3  But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.

We have also demonstrated that the true heavens are within God’s own people and that He dwells on His throne within His people in what the scriptures call “the heavens themselves.”

Heb 9:12  Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption [for us].
Heb 9:22  And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
Heb 9:23  It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
Heb 9:24  For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

“… By His own blood He entered in once into the holy place…” Christ never once entered the physical holy place in the temple while He was on this earth, because He was not a physical priest. However, it was revealed to Christ that He was both a king and a priest and that His kingdom and His priesthood were not of this world, or this age, but these things are all “within you.”

Joh 18:33  Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews?
Joh 18:34  Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me?
Joh 18:35  Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done?
Joh 18:36  Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
Joh 18:37  Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.

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.

Christ knew that He, just like you and I, was not just on this earth, but while He was on this earth, He was also, at the very same time, “in heaven.”

Joh 3:13  And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

Now here is how our heavenly Father reveals such wonderful, heavenly Truths to us.

Luk 3:21  Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened,
Luk 3:22  And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.

“The heaven was opened” tells us that it was at this point that it was revealed to Christ that His ministry was to begin. This revelation, this ‘opened heavens’, this exponential increase in spiritual understanding, was given to Christ just before He was “driven of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the Devil.” Of course, His mother had told him about the circumstances of His birth, but an “opened heaven” was required before Christ could be tempted by the Devil and before He could begin His earthly ministry. We, too, require an opened heavens before we will be granted the exponential growth in the understanding of the mysteries of the kingdom of God (Mat 13:9-15).

An opened heaven was needed to convince Peter that the gospel was going to the Gentiles.

Act 10:11  And [Peter] saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth:
Act 10:12  Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.
Act 10:13  And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat.

Only after Peter saw heaven opened was he then given to understand that the gospel was going to the hitherto unclean Gentiles.

The revelation of Jesus Christ also comes to any of us only through “a door being opened in heaven.”

Rev 4:1  After this I looked, and, behold, a door [was] opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard [was] as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.
Rev 4:2  And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.
Rev 4:3  And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.

So it is through “a door [being] opened in heaven” that we are given this entire “revelation of Jesus Christ”,  including “they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.”

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

It is through a “heaven [which is] opened, that we see come to be “in the spirit” and able to see beyond where we are in these vessels of clay and to see that first resurrection, the “marriage supper of the Lamb”, and we are permitted to see what takes place “in heaven” after that “blessed and holy” event. “These are the true sayings of God.”

Rev 19:11  And I saw heaven opene, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

This is Christ sitting on a powerful “white horse”, coming to conquer all that is within His kingdom, which is within us. This was announced at the opening of the very first seal:

Rev 6:1  And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.
Rev 6:2  And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.

He is “called Faithful and True”, but why is this so?

Joh 15:9  As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
Joh 15:10  If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love [1Jn 5:2-3].

Christ was obedient to His Father to the end. That is how He “abode in His Father’s love” to the end. That is how He could Truthfully make this statement:

Joh 14:5  Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?
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.
Joh 14:7  If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
Joh 14:8  Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
Joh 14:9  Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou [then], Shew us the Father?

Those who “have known Christ, have known the Father also.” Here is Philip admitting that he does not yet know either Christ or His Father. It is so very typical of babies to tell the Truth and not even realize that they have done so.

When we state emphatically, “No one can know that what he believes is the Truth” what we are saying is that we do not believe it is possible to really be sure that we “know the Truth”, which is Christ. If that is true and from our heart, then we will be “judged out of our own mouths [as a] wicked and slothful servant” who says, “It is impossible to know that we know the Truth.” (Christ IS the Truth, Joh 14:6)

Mat 25:26  His lord answered and said unto him, [Thou] wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:

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:

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.

Joh 8:32  And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Christ is “faithful and true” and in righteousness He is judging us and making “war” against all these false and lying spirits within us.

2Co 10:3  For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
2Co 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
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;
2Co 10:6  And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

Just stand with Christ, and you will know what those words mean. It is considered complete fanaticism to teach that we should even strive to “bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ”, much less to teach that “every idle word that men shall speak they shall give an accounting thereof”, but Christ’s Words stand true:

Mat 12:35  A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.
Mat 12:36  But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
Mat 12:37  For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

There is a spirit which teaches that fighting and seeking revenge is an ungodly trait, and that certainly is true when we seek outward physical revenge against our physical enemies. It is true when vengeance is sought on our schedule for the satisfying of our flesh. Nevertheless, our God is a just God, and He Himself makes no bones about the fact that there is “a day of vengeance”, and that “vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord.”

Isa 61:2  To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;
Isa 63:3  I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.
Isa 63:4 For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come.
Isa 63:5  And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that [there was] none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me.
Isa 63:6  And I will tread down the people in mine anger, and make them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth.

Jer 46:10  For this is the day of the Lord GOD of hosts, a day of vengeance, that he may avenge him of his adversaries: and the sword shall devour, and it shall be satiate and made drunk with their blood: for the Lord GOD of hosts hath a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates. [“Babylon the great the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth”]

These words are all a part of this revelation of Jesus Christ within you and within me. It is Christ who treads out the winepress of His wrath.

Rev 16:19  And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.

Today is judgment day for those who are now being judged, and it is our words which will either justify or condemn us. If the words from our hearts are the words of Christ who has told us “man… shall live by every word that proceeds forth out of the mouth of God”, then we will be judged now, and He will tread the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God” now and in this life. If we say we will not do so, then we will be judged out of our own mouths, and we will endure those words at a later judgment. If we are given to agree with our Lord, then this is what will be done in our lives while yet in these vessels of clay:

Rev 19:12  His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.

Christ’s eyes, His Words, His messengers, His ministers and His walk are all “as a flame of fire, because everything about our Lord is going to serve to purify our lives.

Psa 12:6  The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.

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.

Act 7:30  And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sina an angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in a bush.

Heb 1:7  And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.

Rev 1:14  His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;
Rev 1:15  And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.

Rev 19:13  And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
Rev 19:14  And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

Christ’s “vesture is dipped in blood” while “the armies which were in heaven” are “clothed in fine linen, white and clean”. What is the difference? What are we being told?

Once again “the dream is one” and the “vesture dipped in blood”, and the “fine linen, white and clean” are one and the same thing.

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

Rev 7:14  And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

Who shed “the blood of the Lamb”, and how do we come to “wash our robes in the blood of the Lamb”?

Rev 19:15  And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

Until the words of Christ are in our mouths, and as long as the doctrines of the great whore are in our hearts and mouths, we abide under the wrath of God, and are subject to the work of the “sharp sword” with which Christ will “rule the nations with a rod of iron”.

Joh 3:36  He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

It is in this position that Christ, in our lives, “treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.” These are the very words of the seventh vial of God’s wrath upon Babylon in our lives.

Rev 16:17  And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.
Rev 16:18  And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.
Rev 16:19  And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.

So how does His vesture come to be “dipped in blood”? We were just informed how that was done.

Isa 63:3  I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.

“Their blood” means your blood and my blood. It is we who have shed “the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth” while we were the slaves of that great whore, Babylon the great. In shedding their blood we have all shed the blood of Christ Himself.

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

Rev 16:6  For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.

Rev 18:24  And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.

We “have not yet resisted unto blood”, and yet all of God’s elect are said to be “lying dead in the streets of that great city where our Lord was crucified.” So what is “the blood of the saints and prophets” which “stains all the raiment” of our Lord?

Heb 12:4  Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.

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.

Is it not “the sharp sword that goes out of His mouth” which causes this blood to flow? Is it not with this sword that He “smites the nations and rules them with a rod of iron? Is it not with this same sharp sword that “he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God?” Let’s read it again:

Rev 19:15  And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

What is this sharp sword?

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.

Here is this same verse according to The Bible in Basic English.

Heb 4:12  For the word of God is living and full of power, and is sharper than any two-edged sword, cutting through and making a division even of the soul and the spirit, the bones and the muscles, and quick to see the thoughts and purposes of the heart. (BBE)

It is our sins and our rejection of this living and powerful word which causes us to be guilty of the blood of Christ and of all the saints and prophets. In the same manner, it is the rejection of our false doctrines, which gives the Word of God its sharpness and its ability to bring life to those whose blood it sheds, by ‘casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ’ and to His sharp two-edged sword Words.

2Co 10:3  For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
2Co 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
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;
2Co 10:6 And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

If “the weapons of our warfare are not carnal” and they “keep us in readiness to revenge all disobedience, when our obedience is fulfilled”, it follows that the blood that flows to the horses’ bridles is the result of the work of the weapons of our warfare, and is nothing less than the destruction of all the lies of Babylon. The length, depth and height of this blood, which is tread out by our Lord, is but a measure of the number of false doctrines with which this great whore rules over our lives.

Rev 14:19  And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.
Rev 14:20  And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.

“The vine of the earth” is filled with the doctrines of Babylon. Remember it is Christ and His Christ who tread this winepress. Here is how He does this:

Rev 19:15  And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
Rev 19:16  And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

All the nations are “as the small dust of the balance” to our Lord and Christ, and His Words of Truth are far more powerful than all the lies of Babylon. That is why Christ is said to have come “on a white horse, conquering and to conquer”, and that is why His name is said to be “on His vesture and on His thigh” and that is why He is called “King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.”

Isa 40:15  Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing.

Rev 6:2  And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.

In our next study, if the Lord wills, we will learn what is “the supper of the great God”, and we will discover why ‘the fowls that fly in the midst of the heaven are called together unto that supper’.

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;
Rev 19:18  That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all [men, both] free and bond, both small and great.
Rev 19:19  And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.
Rev 19:20  And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
Rev 19:21  And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which [sword] proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.

Numbers 17:1-13  The Budding of Aaron’s Rod

[Study Aired August 28, 2023]

Num 17:1  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 
Num 17:2  Speak unto the children of Israel, and take of every one of them a rod according to the house of their fathers, of all their princes according to the house of their fathers twelve rods: write thou every man’s name upon his rod. 
Num 17:3  And thou shalt write Aaron’s name upon the rod of Levi: for one rod shall be for the head of the house of their fathers. 
Num 17:4  And thou shalt lay them up in the tabernacle of the congregation before the testimony, where I will meet with you. 
Num 17:5  And it shall come to pass, that the man’s rod, whom I shall choose, shall blossom: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, whereby they murmur against you. 
Num 17:6  And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, and every one of their princes gave him a rod apiece, for each prince one, according to their fathers’ houses, even twelve rods: and the rod of Aaron was among their rods. 
Num 17:7  And Moses laid up the rods before the LORD in the tabernacle of witness. 
Num 17:8  And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds. 
Num 17:9  And Moses brought out all the rods from before the LORD unto all the children of Israel: and they looked, and took every man his rod. 
Num 17:10  And the LORD said unto Moses, Bring Aaron’s rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not. 
Num 17:11  And Moses did so: as the LORD commanded him, so did he.
Num 17:12  And the children of Israel spake unto Moses, saying, Behold, we die, we perish, we all perish. 
Num 17:13  Whosoever cometh anything near unto the tabernacle of the LORD shall die: shall we be consumed with dying? 

Introduction

Chapter 17 deals with who has the right to rule with Christ. Our brothers and sisters in Babylon think they represent the Lord’s elect and therefore have the right to rule with Christ. Their eyes have been blinded to understand spiritually the difference between a Levite and a priest in the Old Testament. As we shall see in chapter 18, the Lord emphasized the role of a Levite and that of a priest to make us know who is to inherit the kingdoms of this world.  As we saw in chapter 16, Korah, Dathan and Abiram, who represent Babylon, thought they had the right to rule the Lord’s people and therefore rose up against Moses and Aaron. Chapter 17 is there to make clear whom the Lord has chosen to rule with Him. 

Throughout the Bible, the right to rule has been contested by many. For example, when David was about to die, his son Adonijah felt that he had the legitimate right as a son to the throne, but in the final analysis, he was not chosen.

1Ki 1:5  Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will be king: and he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.
1Ki 1:6  And his father had not displeased him at any time in saying, Why hast thou done so? and he also was a very goodly man; and his mother bare him after Absalom. 
1Ki 1:7  And he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest: and they following Adonijah helped him.
1Ki 1:8  But Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the mighty men which belonged to David, were not with Adonijah.
1Ki 1:9  And Adonijah slew sheep and oxen and fat cattle by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by Enrogel, and called all his brethren the king’s sons, and all the men of Judah the king’s servants: 
1Ki 1:10  But Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and the mighty men, and Solomon his brother, he called not. 

1Ki 1:28  Then king David answered and said, Call me Bathsheba. And she came into the king’s presence, and stood before the king. 
1Ki 1:29  And the king sware, and said, As the LORD liveth, that hath redeemed my soul out of all distress, 
1Ki 1:30  Even as I sware unto thee by the LORD God of Israel, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead; even so will I certainly do this day.

What we need to know is that it is not our desire or decision to rule that counts. It is all about the Lord’s mercy, as He has already chosen us, His elect in Him, before the foundation of the world to rule with Him. It was therefore not about the number of sheep or oxen slaughtered on the altar by Adonijah that was important, it was the fact that David had made a promise to Bathsheba many years before the issue came up that her son Solomon would become king. It was therefore not what Solomon had done that mattered.

Rom 9:16  So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. 
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. 

Eph 1:4  According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 
Eph 1:5  Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 
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; 
Eph 1:8  Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; 
Eph 1:9  Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: 
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:

Adonijah represents Babylon whose sacrifice of love to the Lord is obvious for everyone to see in this world as shown by the number of sheep and oxen that he slaughtered as sacrifice to the Lord. In 1 Kings 1:6 it was stated that he was very handsome and that his father David had not displeased him at any time. Outwardly, Babylon looks very beautiful, and because she is not being judged in this life (the father had not displeased her), she thinks she is called and chosen and therefore has the claim to rulership. This brings to mind the story of the prodigal son’s brother who thought that because his father had not rebuked him, he was destined to inherit his father’s possessions. He was therefore displeased to see the other son being rewarded by the father. 

Luk 15:25  “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 
Luk 15:26  And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 
Luk 15:27  And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’
Luk 15:28  But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, 
Luk 15:29  but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. 
Luk 15:30  But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ 
Luk 15:31  And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 

The older brother being in the field means that he was of the world and that is where Babylon is. The man telling his older son that “all that is mine is yours” does not mean that Babylon will also inherit the promise. What it means is that everything the Lord has created will be enjoyed by all humanity in the fullness of time. It has nothing to do with rulership.

In this study therefore, we shall look at the assurance and the signs the Lord has given in His words that we are chosen instead of our brothers and sisters in Babylon, to reign with Him.

Num 17:1  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 
Num 17:2  Speak unto the children of Israel, and take of every one of them a rod according to the house of their fathers, of all their princes according to the house of their fathers twelve rods: write thou every man’s name upon his rod. 
Num 17:3  And thou shalt write Aaron’s name upon the rod of Levi: for one rod shall be for the head of the house of their fathers. 
Num 17:4  And thou shalt lay them up in the tabernacle of the congregation before the testimony, where I will meet with you. 
Num 17:5  And it shall come to pass, that the man’s rod, whom I shall choose, shall blossom: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, whereby they murmur against you. 

We need to understand that it was the leaders of the various tribes who were requested to bring a rod. So, this whole controversy is about who has the right to rulership. That is, who will lead the people of the world represented in this case by the people of Israel. As we are aware, the whole world is groaning for the right kind of leaders to lead them. As the end of this age is approaching, countries all over the world are crying out about the bad leadership they are having which has brought untold hardships to the people. It is therefore the manifestation of the sons of God for which the world is waiting, but they are not aware of it. 

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

The sons of God here in these verses refer to the Lord’s elect, but our brothers and sisters in Babylon think it is referring to them. The manifestation of the sons of God will come when the kingdoms of this world become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ.

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

To write one’s name on the rod as shown in verse 3 is the same as identifying with the rod or being represented by the rod just as those who are called and chosen have Christ’s name written on their forehead which means that we are representing Christ. This means that we are the rod.

Rev 22:4  And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.

In verse 4, the rods of the leaders are required to lie before the Lord in the tabernacle of the congregation. We represent the tabernacle of the congregation. What we are being told is that we are all manifested before the presence of the Lord and therefore all things are naked and opened before Him of whom we must give an account. 

Heb 4:13  Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. 

It is instructive to note that the Lord chose a rod to show to His elect and our Babylonian brothers and sisters who are chosen to rule with Him. In the Bible, a rod is used to signify a chastening rod for correction, a scepter for ruling or a walking stick, that is, a support for our walk with Christ. Here are the verses that show the different usage of a rod in the scriptures:

As a Chastening Rod for Correction

Psa 89:32  Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes.

Pro 22:15  Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

Lam 3:1  I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.

As a Scepter for Ruling

Psa 110:2  The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.

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.

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.

As a Support for our Walk with Christ

Exo 4:17  And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs.

Exo 4:20  And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt: and Moses took the rod of God in his hand.

Exo 17:9  And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand.

What all of this means is that the one chosen and destined to rule is the one who is under the rod of correction (being judged) in this life and is being dragged to the finish line by Christ as his/her support. As stated in verse 5, the end result of being corrected with a rod and being supported by Christ is a life that blossoms to produce the fruit of righteousness. It is through the fruit of righteousness that we produce fruits, which will let people know that we are indeed chosen to rule with Christ. A dead wood (rod) cannot germinate and therefore cannot produce fruit. It is those who are spiritually alive who can produce the fruit of righteousness. 

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.

Num 17:6  And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, and every one of their princes gave him a rod apiece, for each prince one, according to their fathers’ houses, even twelve rods: and the rod of Aaron was among their rods. 
Num 17:7  And Moses laid up the rods before the LORD in the tabernacle of witness. 
Num 17:8  And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.

As indicated in previous studies, this age is regarded as one long night. The twelve rods lying before the tabernacle of witness spiritually signify our walk before the Lord in this vessel of clay, which is the temple of God or the tabernacle of witness. If we are called and chosen, then we shall not be dead wood (rod) before the Lord in this life, but will be a branch (rod) to the vine tree and therefore will surely bear the fruit of righteousness.

Joh 15:4  Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
Joh 15:5  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
Joh 15:6  If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
Joh 15:7  If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. 
Joh 15:8  Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

The fruit that we are to bear is almonds which represent the fruit of the spirit, which is born out of a life of walking in the spirit and not fulfilling the desires of the flesh.

Gal 5:16  This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

Gal 5:22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 
Gal 5:23  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Gal 5:24  And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 
Gal 5:25  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Gen 43:11  And their father Israel said unto them, If it must be so now, do this; take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds:

As stated above, one of the best fruits is almonds. In the tabernacle of the congregation, within the veil, symbols of almonds were engrafted on the branches and the stem of the candlestick before the Lord. 

Exo 37:19  Three bowls made after the fashion of almonds in one branch, a knop and a flower; and three bowls made like almonds in another branch, a knop and a flower: so throughout the six branches going out of the candlestick.
Exo 37:20  And in the candlestick were four bowls made like almonds, his knops, and his flowers:

As the word of God says, the candlestick represents the assembly or the church of the elect. The bowls fashioned like almonds on the branch of the candlestick seem to suggest that it is in the assembly of the elect that we are able to bear fruit of the Spirit through what every joint supplies. The fact that there are three bowls on a branch means that it is through the process of judgment (suffering) that we become spiritually mature as we produce the fruit of the Spirit (almonds). On the candlestick itself, there were four bowls made like almonds, which means that the whole of the elect of every generation is required to bear fruit of the spirit, signified by almonds. 

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

The fact that the candlestick is within the veil of the temple means that it is only the priests who see the almonds on the candlesticks. What this suggests is that in this age, it is only the elect (priests) who see the fruit of the spirit (almonds) that we are bearing. It is when tomorrow or the morning came that the whole of the people of Israel saw that it was only Aaron’s rod that budded and bore the fruit of almonds. In a similar pattern, it is in the dawn of a new Age characterized by the kingdoms of this world becoming the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ that the whole world, signified by the people of Israel, will see the Lord’s elect who will rule with Christ as our rods have budded and produced the fruit of the Spirit.

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

Num 17:9  And Moses brought out all the rods from before the LORD unto all the children of Israel: and they looked, and took every man his rod. 
Num 17:10  And the LORD said unto Moses, Bring Aaron’s rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not.

Every man taking his rod in the morning signifies that at the dawn of a new age, our brothers and sisters in Babylon, together with the whole world, will come to know who are the elect and therefore accept their fate that they are not the elect. That is the same as the five foolish virgins who came to the five wise virgins to ask for oil as their lamps had gone out, but the wise responded that they should go and buy oil for themselves. Their lamp going out means their rods never budded and therefore could not subsequently produce almonds (the fruit of the Spirit). The five virgins telling them to go and buy oil for themselves is the same as the leaders of Israel taking their rods which never budded.

Mat 25:6  And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. 
Mat 25:7  Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
Mat 25:8  And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
Mat 25:9  But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

That will be the time when our brothers and sisters in Babylon will know that the Lord loves us, and they will come and worship before our feet.

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.

Aaron’s budded rod was brought back before the Testimony to be kept as a token against all those who rebel against the leadership of the Lord’s elect. Later, Aaron’s budded rod became one of the items embedded in the ark which represent Christ.

Heb 9:4  having the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was a golden urn holding the manna, and Aaron’s staff that budded, and the tablets of the covenant.

As indicated earlier, each of the staff or the rod has a name on it which means that the rod represents the one whose name is on it. Aaron’s rod represents the elect. The rod being part of the ark means being part of Christ as we are His body. This means that when Christ comes in His glory, when the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, we shall be with Him to rule the earth as the whole world will see who is called and chosen to rule the world.

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.

Psa 37:11  But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. 
Psa 37:12  The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth. 
Psa 37:13  The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.

Num 17:11  And Moses did so: as the LORD commanded him, so did he.
Num 17:12  And the children of Israel spake unto Moses, saying, Behold, we die, we perish, we all perish.
Num 17:13  Whosoever cometh anything near unto the tabernacle of the LORD shall die: shall we be consumed with dying?

It is when our brothers and sisters realize they are not destined to rule with Christ when the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ that they will know they are spiritually dead and are perished, as shown in verse 12 and 13 when the people of Israel spoke to Moses that they shall die and perish. This is all because of the false doctrines they have imbibed which say that God will burn forever all those who are not part of the elect. They forget that our Lord is merciful and His mercy endures forever. In addition, the Lord’s elect will show mercy to all humanity as a result of the mercy that they have received from the Lord.

Psa 136:1  O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth forever.

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.

What the people of Israel went through when they realized they were not chosen is what took place during the time that Joseph was made king in Egypt. His brothers, representing Babylon, also thought that Joseph would seek revenge on them, and that they would perish or die just like the people of Israel said to Moses. They were not comfortable with Joseph until the father’s death. This mental suffering is all part of what our brothers and sisters in Babylon will go through to learn righteousness during the lake-of-fire age. As we can see, both Moses and Joseph were merciful to their brethren. Both Moses and Joseph represent the elect who will show mercy to our brothers and sisters in Babylon during the lake of fire age.

Gen 50:15  And when Joseph’s brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him.
Gen 50:16  And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying, 
Gen 50:17  So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him.
Gen 50:18  And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants.
Gen 50:19  And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God?
Gen 50:20  But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.
Gen 50:21  Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.

May the Lord continue to drag us to Himself so we do not lose our crown to rule. Amen!!

Exo 4:18 –31 Surely, a Bloody Huband art Thou to Me

[Study Aired April 4, 2022]

Exo 4:18  And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father in law, and said unto him, Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren which are in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive. And Jethro said to Moses, Go in peace. 
Exo 4:19  And the LORD said unto Moses in Midian, Go, return into Egypt: for all the men are dead which sought thy life. 
Exo 4:20  And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt: and Moses took the rod of God in his hand. 
Exo 4:21  And the LORD said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go. 
Exo 4:22  And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn: 
Exo 4:23  And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn. 
Exo 4:24  And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the LORD met him, and sought to kill him. 
Exo 4:25  Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband art thou to me. 
Exo 4:26  So he let him go: then she said, A bloody husband thou art, because of the circumcision. 
Exo 4:27  And the LORD said to Aaron, Go into the wilderness to meet Moses. And he went, and met him in the mount of God, and kissed him. 
Exo 4:28  And Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD who had sent him, and all the signs which he had commanded him. 
Exo 4:29  And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel: 
Exo 4:30  And Aaron spake all the words which the LORD had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people. 
Exo 4:31  And the people believed: and when they heard that the LORD had visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped. 

All things come alike to us all. In other words, we all go through the same experience as the Lord’s elect, but the details are different from each other.

Ecc 9:2  All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath. 
Ecc 9:3  This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead. 

What this means is that what happened to Moses and all the prophets is our experience also. Thus, the story of Moses and the Israelites and their exodus from Egypt relate to our experience of our walk with Christ. With that in mind, it becomes easier to understand the details of the Lord’s encounter with Moses in the desert.

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. 

Today’s study is based on Moses’ journey back to Egypt to start the process of delivering the Lord’s people from their bondage in Egypt. Let’s now look at what happened to Moses after his encounter with the Lord as follows:

Exo 4:18  And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father in law, and said unto him, Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren which are in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive. And Jethro said to Moses, Go in peace.

We must understand that the return of Moses to Egypt does not mean that as the Lord’s elect, we will return to the world. Not even the apostate church in the wilderness (the Israelites) returned to Egypt. What it means for Moses to return to Egypt is that after we encounter Christ, we must face the world with the devil as the prince of the power of the air. Our encounter with the Lord is to prepare us to face the world with all its tribulations.

Joh 16:33  These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Moses going to Jethro, his father-in-law, to request to go back to Egypt is not the result of Moses’ own volition. It was the result of his encounter with the Lord in the desert and his adherence to the command of the Lord to go back to Egypt to deliver the Lord’s people. There is a popular adage in the world that “where there is a will, there is a way”. However, my failures in life, even though I had the will, has taught me that it is only where there is the Lord’s will, that there is a way. It is not about him that runs, or wills or desires. It is about the Lord showing mercy!!

Rom 9:16  So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

Moses’ own effort to deliver the people of Israel from bondage had failed woefully. He is now ready to depend on the Lord to do the work. The first challenge we face when the Lord visits us with His brightness (His words) is the call to leave Babylon to fulfill our destiny. This was what happened to Moses. He had to disengage with his father-in-law, Jethro, to pursue the Lord’s agenda. Jethro here negatively represents Babylon (the physical churches of this world), which we are admonished to leave.

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

When the Lord visited Abraham, he was also told to leave his family behind and pursue the Lord’s agenda. Although the family Abraham left signifies that to do the Lord’s will, we must leave behind the flesh, it can also mean leaving Babylon. So, Abraham also had to leave Babylon. As indicated in the introductory part of this study, we all have the same experience.

Jethro’s willingness to let Moses go is to let us know that in any situation we come across, as long as it is in the perfect will of God, the Lord will make a way for us. He indeed creates rivers in the desert for us.

Isa 43:19  Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.

Nobody leaves Babylon with a sending-off party. It usually comes with tribulation, but in the end, the Lord gives us the willingness and the capacity to respond to His call to leave.

Exo 4:19  And the LORD said unto Moses in Midian, Go, return into Egypt: for all the men are dead which sought thy life. 

The men who were seeking the life of Moses represent the beast or the old man within us. When Christ comes to us with His brightness, which is His words, the death of the beast within has begun in earnest. So, here we are being reminded that we need not fear whether we are going to be overcome by the beast within as the Lord has initiated the death process for the beast or the old man.

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: 

Exo 4:20  And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt: and Moses took the rod of God in his hand. 

Moses coming to Egypt to the Lord’s people sitting on an ass is a foreshadow of Christ coming to us (Jerusalem) to bring deliverance to the daughters of Zion (the elect).

Mat 21:5  Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass. 

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.

The choice of a donkey is, itself, an important symbol. Horses are the ideal animals for war, so victorious warriors would present themselves atop a horse as they paraded. Our Messiah using an ass is to let us know that our deliverance by Him from our bondage in Egypt is not by might nor by power, but by the spirit and that His kingdom is not of this world. It also shows our Lord’s humility. Moses coming back to Egypt on an ass means that those the Lord is calling as His sons come to us in humility. They do not glory in His presence because they recognize that it was just by the mercies of the Lord that they had been chosen.

Zec 4:6  Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts. 

Joh 18:36  Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. 

This verse also demonstrates the victory the Lord has given us over the flesh.  Moses here represents the Lord whose wife is the New Jerusalem. The sons are the elect who are the product of the union between Christ and His wife, the New Jerusalem or the church of the first born.  As verse 20 indicates, Moses set them upon an ass on his return to Egypt. This means that after we have had an encounter with the Lord, our Lord Jesus Christ gives us the power to overcome the beast within which is symbolized by Moses’ family riding on top of an ass (beast).

1Jn 2:14  I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.

1Jn 4:4  Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. 

Verse 20 also shows us how to overcome the beast within. It is when Moses took the rod of God in his hands that victory is assured. As indicated in the previous session, the rod here represents Christ who is from the root of Jesse. It is when Christ comes to us to do His work of putting to death the sinful deeds of the flesh or the beast that we become victorious.

Exo 4:21  And the LORD said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go. 

The Lord reminded Moses to do before Pharoah all the wonders that the Lord had shown him during his encounter with Him. In the previous study, we talked about the signs and their spiritual significance. Let’s revisit last week’s study to remind ourselves of the signs Moses is required to perform before Pharaoh.

The first sign

Exo 4:2  And the LORD said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod. 
Exo 4:3  And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it. 
Exo 4:4  And the LORD said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand: 

The rod here is the same as the staff. What is in our hands is what we cling to. In other words, what Lord was asking Moses pertains to what Moses was depending on. We are either depending on our strength or flesh, which is powered by the devil, or we are depending on the Lord alone. In the Bible, a rod is a symbol of discipline. However, the following verses show that a rod can represents Christ and His words or the devil and his lies, represented as serpent:

Isa 11:1  And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse (christ), and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:

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

It is when we have an encounter with Christ, that is, when He comes to us and causes us to understand His words, that we are shown what we are depending on. It is when the Lord comes to us with His brightness and starts His work of destroying the beast within that we see who we have been dealing with all our lives – our father the devil, who is represented here as a serpent. Christ coming to us with His brightness is when our heavens are opened to begin to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven.

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: 

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

Just as Christ stands for the word of Christ or truth, the devil or Satan or the serpent is synonymous with deception or lies. So, it is when the Lord opens our hearts and minds to understand His words that we begin to see how all our lives we have been deceived by the lies of the serpent. Nobody wants to entertain deception. One of the key factors that destroy marriages is when one partner sees that he/she had been deceived all along. Immediately we recognize deception, and we run away from it. This was what happened to Moses. Immediately when he saw that the rod had become a serpent, he realized that he had been deceived all along. That is when he started to flee from deception. That was exactly what happened to us!!  Until Christ came to us with His brightness, we thought we were serving the Lord. We come to see that what we have been holding on to or depending on is indeed deception by our father the devil, and we flee!!

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

Through the scriptures, we are able to know how to deal with the lies of the devil and his messengers. That is, we must put forth our hands and take the serpent by the tail. In the scriptures, the tail negatively symbolizes the false doctrines of false messengers of Satan.

Isa 9:15  The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail.

Rev 12:4  And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.

The statement “And he put forth his hands, and caught it” means that Moses was able to seize, bind or restrain (Meaning of caught – H2388) the lies of the enemy, the devil. It is when we have dominion over the false doctrines in our heavens that we are able to hold on to Christ and His words, represented here by the serpent turning back to a rod. The rod is also a symbol of rulership. Thus, having this rod (Christ and His words) now in our hands is to assure us of our future inheritance as rulers, just as Moses ruled over the Lord’s people after this encounter with Christ with the rod in his hands.

Eze 19:14  And fire is gone out of a rod of her branches, which hath devoured her fruit, so that she hath no strong rod to be a sceptre to rule. This is a lamentation, and shall be for a lamentation. 

The Second Sign

Exo 4:6  And the LORD said furthermore unto him, Put now thine hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom: and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow.
Exo 4:7  And he said, Put thine hand into thy bosom again. And he put his hand into his bosom again; and plucked it out of his bosom, and, behold, it was turned again as his other flesh. 

The Hebrew word “chôq”^H2436 is often translated as bosom, but it can also mean “within” as used in the following:

Job 19:27  Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within^H2436 me.

So, we can say that putting thy hand into thy bosom can mean looking within. As we are aware, within us is a repository of evil, signified by Moses’ hand turning leprous as snow. This is what Jesus had to say about what is within us:

Mar 7:21  For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 
Mar 7:22  Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: 
Mar 7:23  All these evil things come from within, and defile the man. 

Verses 6 and 7 present another way of saying that the vessel that our Lord made of clay was marred in His hands, and so He made it again into another vessel as it seemed good to Him.

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.

During the Lord’s encounter with Moses, He told him that if they do not believe him after the first sign, then they will believe in him by the second sign. These two signs are what marks us out as the elect and makes those called and chosen who are in bondage believe in us. Without these two signs, we cannot impact anybody’s life.

Exo 4:8  And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign. 

By telling Moses that he will harden Pharaoh’s heart so that he will not let go, the Lord is reminding us that dealing with the beast within is a lifelong process.

Exo 4:22  And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn: 

The Lord describing Israel as His firstborn is to let us know about the election of Israel. The first-born son was the one who normally received a double inheritance and was the one who would inherit his father’s role as head of the family. As we are aware, Jesus is the first born among many brethren and is also the first born of every creature.

Rom 8:29  For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Col 1:15  Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 

God sometimes reversed this order as he did with Jacob and Esau and as Jacob later did with Ephraim and Manasseh. Reuben was also the first born of Jacob, but his rights as the first born were taken away because of his sin.

Gen 35:22  And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine: and Israel heard it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve: 
Gen 35:23  The sons of Leah; Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, and Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Zebulun: 

Gen 49:3  Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power: 
Gen 49:4  Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father’s bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch. 

The term “firstborn” spiritually refers to our election before the foundations of the world. So, the Lord telling Moses to tell Pharaoh that Israel is His first-born is to let us know about Israel’s election which is a foreshadow of our election.

Eph 1:4  According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 

Exo 4:23  And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn. 

Pharaoh here is a symbol of the old man or the beast within who resists us from being free to worship the Lord. The Lord saying that He will slay the firstborn of Pharaoh is to let us know that the Lord will destroy the basis of the strength of the beast within as firstborns represent the basis of our strength as used in the following:

Gen 49:3  Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power: 

This means that the destruction of the beast, or the old man within us, is a process. As the story unfolds, we shall see that it takes time for the firstborn of Pharaoh to die. It is not accomplished in one day!! That is what Paul meant when he said that he dies daily.

1Co 15:31  I protest by that glorying in you, brethren, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.

Exo 4:24  And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the LORD met him, and sought to kill him. 

The Lord seeking to kill Moses means that the Lord has commenced the process to put to death the old man or the beast within Moses.

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: 

Exo 4:25  Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband art thou to me. 
Exo 4:26  So he let him go: then she said, A bloody husband thou art, because of the circumcision. 

Zipporah, Moses’ wife, represents the elect. Stone on a positive note in the word of the Lord stands for the elect. What this means is that it is through what every joint supplies in the New Jerusalem or the church of the firstborn that we are able to take away the flesh of our foreskin, that is, destroy the flesh or the old man. As Paul stated, we the elect are the spiritual Jews who are circumcised spiritually.

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

Col 2:10  And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: 
Col 2:11  In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: 

Zipporah referred to Moses as a bloody husband. As we have indicated, Moses also represents the Lord and Zipporah the bride of Christ. Blood in the word of the Lord signifies life. So, calling our husband Christ, a bloody husband on a positive note is another way of saying that He has come that we might have life and have it more abundantly.

Lev 17:11  For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. 

Joh 10:10  The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 

Exo 4:27  And the LORD said to Aaron, Go into the wilderness to meet Moses. And he went, and met him in the mount of God, and kissed him. 
Exo 4:28  And Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD who had sent him, and all the signs which he had commanded him. 

As we showed in the previous session, the Lord brought Aaron to assist Moses to carry out the Lord’s work. This is what we said about Aaron in the previous study:

On a negative note, Aaron is a symbol of our brothers and sisters in Babylon who are joined to us. In this context, Aaron’s role can be looked at from a negative perspective. Here we see that Aaron was to attend or minister to Moses in bringing salvation to the people of Israel. Throughout the years, our brothers and sisters in Babylon’s work only pertain to the keeping of instruments of the tabernacle of the congregation, but it is only Moses, Aaron and his sons (representing us) who are to minister before the Lord.

Num 3:5  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 
Num 3:6  Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister unto him. 
Num 3:7  And they shall keep his charge, and the charge of the whole congregation before the tabernacle of the congregation, to do the service of the tabernacle. 
Num 3:8  And they shall keep all the instruments of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge of the children of Israel, to do the service of the tabernacle. 
Num 3:9  And thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron and to his sons: they are wholly given unto him out of the children of Israel. 
Num 3:10  And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on their priest’s office: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.

Num 3:38  But those that encamp before the tabernacle toward the east, even before the tabernacle of the congregation eastward, shall be Moses, and Aaron and his sons, keeping the charge of the sanctuary for the charge of the children of Israel; and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death. 

We should also note that Aaron’s role is the same as all the prophets of the Old Testament who ministered to us but did not receive the promise.

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

Exo 4:29  And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel: 
Exo 4:30  And Aaron spake all the words which the LORD had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people. 
Exo 4:31  And the people believed: and when they heard that the LORD had visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped. 

As indicated by the Lord Jesus, those called and chosen will respond to our call to be liberated from bondage when we show them the two signs.

Exo 4:8  And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign.

As indicated, the first sign relates to us being able to recognize that what we have depended on is in reality a deception. It is then that we learn how to deal with these false doctrines – by holding them by the tail. This first sign is basically inward, and it is not easily seen by others. However, the second sign relates to how we come to see ourselves as sinful, and through the grace of God, we come to shine forth His righteousness. It is this righteousness, which is like a lamp that cannot be hidden, we make others believe our voice.

1Pe 3:1  Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, 
1Pe 3:2  when they see your respectful and pure conduct. 

Mat 5:14  “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 
Mat 5:15  Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 
Mat 5:16  In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Verse 31 is to assure us that in the fullness of time, when all humanity has seen us demonstrate these two signs, they will come to believe. It is when humanity comes to see the lies of the evil, and their eyes are unveiled to the plan of God regarding the salvation of the world, that they will all bow down their heads and worship the Lord. At that time, every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus is Lord!!

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

Exo 4:1–17 Put Forth Thine Hand, and Take it by the Tail

Exo 4:1  And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The LORD hath not appeared unto thee. 
Exo 4:2  And the LORD said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod. 
Exo 4:3  And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it. 
Exo 4:4  And the LORD said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand: 
Exo 4:5  That they may believe that the LORD God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee. 
Exo 4:6  And the LORD said furthermore unto him, Put now thine hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom: and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow. 
Exo 4:7  And he said, Put thine hand into thy bosom again. And he put his hand into his bosom again; and plucked it out of his bosom, and, behold, it was turned again as his other flesh. 
Exo 4:8  And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign. 
Exo 4:9  And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also these two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land: and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land. 
Exo 4:10  And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. 
Exo 4:11  And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man’s mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD? 
Exo 4:12  Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say. 
Exo 4:13  And he said, O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send. 
Exo 4:14  And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart. 
Exo 4:15  And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do. 
Exo 4:16  And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God. 
Exo 4:17  And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs. 

This chapter continues the discourse between the Lord and Moses when the Lord came to Moses. It focuses also on Moses’ return to Egypt to start the process of delivering the Israelites from bondage. Regarding today’s session, we will continue reviewing the dialogue between Moses and our Lord Jesus Christ. As this chapter is the continuation of Moses’ encounter with Christ, we will recount the key highlights of the last session to set the tone for today’s study.

As we know, the land of Midian where Moses fled after leaving Egypt, was part of the desert. A key characteristic of a desert is the scarcity of water which makes it impossible for plants to grow. The fact that Moses was keeping the flock in the desert, therefore, suggests that Moses, together with the flock, symbolizes Babylon where there is lack of the word of the Lord. So, after leaving Egypt, we automatically end up in Babylon.

1Sa 3:1  And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision.

Moses being a symbol of the elect had been called and chosen before the foundations of the world. Being called and chosen, it is a matter of time before the Lord comes with His brightness, which is His words to destroy that which holds us from offering our lives as living sacrifice to the Lord. In the fullness of time, Moses led the flock to the backside (H310) of the desert. The word “backside” has frequently been used in King James to mean “after” or “behind”. However, it is also used in other ways such as “to turn away from” in Numbers 14:43.

Num 14:43  For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and ye shall fall by the sword: because ye are turned away from (H310) the LORD, therefore the LORD will not be with you.

Thus, Moses leading the flock to the backside of the desert can mean Moses turning away from the desert. It is when Moses turned away from the desert situation of lack of the word of Christ that he came to the mountain of God or had an encounter with the Lord who comes with His words to brighten our path. In other words, it is when we begin to turn away from Babylon and his doctrines representing the desert that Christ comes to us!! This mountain of God which is called Horeb is the same as the New Jerusalem or the church of the first born. So, we turn away from the desert (Babylon) to enter Jerusalem which is above. This mountain of God is also spiritually the same as Mount Zion.

Isa 10:12  Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks.

It is interesting that Horeb, the mountain of God, means “desolate”. The word of the Lord describes the elect as desolate. This is all to confirm that the mountain of God here represents the assembly of the Lord’s elect.

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.

The statement that the Lord appeared to Moses in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush is to let us know that this coming of Christ to the elect is all within us (in the midst of the bush). In the fullness of time, the Lord will appear for the whole world to see. However, in this dispensation, the Lord’s coming is within us, just as the kingdom of the Lord is within us.

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.

What Moses saw, caught his attention. Indeed, the Lord knows what will catch our attention. He saw the bush burning with fire but the bush was not consumed. The question is “what does this mean”? As indicated, the bush represents the elect and the bush burning is to let us know of the judgment of the elect. In spite of what the elect go through by way of judgment, we rather become stronger and are not consumed by our fiery trials. This is exemplified by what happened to the Israelites while in Egypt. Even as their burden became heavier, they became stronger and more fruitful.

Exo 1:12  But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel.

Now the question is, “What did Jesus, together with the people of God, see that kept them going in spite of the trouble they went through?” This is the very question on the mind of Moses that caused him to turn aside to see this great sight – why the bush is burning and yet not being consumed. The answer is very simple. It is because they have all seen the reward!! This is what Paul had to say about our High Priest Jesus:

Heb 12:2  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Jesus saw the reward, and it served as a driving force to go against all the odds in this life to please God!! The reward is what is motivating all of us and preparing us to go through the fire knowing that we shall not be consumed!! Moses, like us, also wanted to know why the bush burns and yet was not consumed. However, many have seen the bush burning and not been consumed but were/are not enthused about it and therefore do not turn aside to see this great sight!!

It is when we turn aside to understand the word of the Lord regarding how all the elect before us went through all kinds of tribulations, but they were not consumed, that Christ comes to us with His brightness. That is when we hear a voice within us calling us by our name. Let’s now pay attention to the name Moses. It means to draw out. As we are aware, Moses also represents the law. It is when the law has run its full course that it draws out of us what we really are in the flesh.

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

Let’s now continue with the conversation between the Lord and Moses in Chapter 4 as follows:

Exo 4:1  And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The LORD hath not appeared unto thee.

This verse is to let us know that Babylon, or the physical churches of this world represented here as Israelites in Egypt, will naturally not believe in the elect just as the church system in Jesus’ time did not believe in Him. To the churches of this world, we are dead spiritually and our dead bodies are lying in the street of Jerusalem (in their churches), which is in bondage with her children.

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.

As He is, so are we. If the Lord was considered spiritually dead by the leaders of the church during Jesus’ time, then we, His servants will suffer the same fate.

Mar 3:10  For he had healed many; insomuch that they pressed upon him for to touch him, as many as had plagues.
Mar 3:11  And unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God.

Mar 3:22  And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils.

Exo 4:2  And the LORD said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod.

The rod here is the same as the staff. What is in our hands is what we cling to. In other words, what the Lord was asking Moses pertains to what Moses was depending on. We are either depending on our strength or flesh, which is powered by the devil, or we are depending on the Lord alone. In the Bible, a rod is a symbol of discipline. However, the following verses show that a rod can represent Christ and His words or the devil and his lies, represented as a serpent:

Isa 11:1  And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse (christ), and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:

Mar 6:8  And commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only (Christ); no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse:

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

Eze 7:11  Violence has grown up into a rod of wickedness (the devil). None of them shall remain, nor their abundance, nor their wealth; neither shall there be preeminence among them.

Exo 4:3  And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it.

It is when we have an encounter with Christ that is, when He comes to us and causes us to understand His words that we are shown what we are depending on. To cast to the ground means to destroy as used in the following:

2Sa 8:2  And he smote Moab, and measured them with a line, casting them down to the ground; even with two lines measured he to put to death, and with one full line to keep alive. And so the Moabites became David’s servants, and brought gifts.

It is when the Lord comes to us with His brightness and starts His work of destroying the beast within that we see who we have been dealing with all our lives – our father the devil, who is represented here as a serpent. Christ coming to us with His brightness is when our heavens are opened to begin to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven.

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:

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

Just as Christ stands for the word of Christ or truth, the devil or Satan or the serpent is synonymous with deception or lies. So, it is when the Lord opens our hearts and minds to understand His words that we begin to see how all our lives we have been deceived by the lies of the serpent. Nobody wants to entertain deception. One of the key factors that destroys marriages is when one partner sees that he/she had been deceived all along. Immediately we recognize deception, and we run away from it. This was what happened to Moses. Immediately he saw that the rod had become a serpent, he realized that he had been deceived all along. That is when he started to flee from deception. That was exactly what happened to us!!  Until Christ came to us with His brightness, we thought we were serving the Lord. Immediately, we come to see that what we have been holding on to or depending on is indeed deception by our father the devil, we flee!!

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

Exo 4:4  And the LORD said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand: 

Whenever we come across the phrase, “And the Lord said to Moses”, we are being told what the word of the Lord says. Our encounter with the Lord through His words is a much richer experience than the physical encounter of Moses with the Lord. This is what the Lord has to say about this:

Joh 20:27  Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. 
Joh 20:28  And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. 
Joh 20:29  Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

Through the scriptures, we are able to know how to deal with the lies of the devil and his messengers. That is, we must put forth our hands and take the serpent by the tail. In the scriptures, the tail negatively symbolizes the false doctrines of false messengers of Satan.

Isa 9:15  The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail.

Rev 12:4  And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.

The statement “And he put forth his hands, and caught it” means that Moses was able to seize, bind or restrain (Meaning of ‘caught’ H2388) the lies of the enemy, the devil. It is when we have dominion over the false doctrines in our heavens that we are able to hold onto Christ and His words, represented here by the serpent turning back to a rod. The rod is also a symbol of rulership. Thus, having this rod (Christ and His words) now in our hands is to assure us of our future inheritance as rulers, just as Moses ruled over the Lord’s people after this encounter with Christ with the rod in his hands.

Eze 19:14  And fire is gone out of a rod of her branches, which hath devoured her fruit, so that she hath no strong rod to be a sceptre to rule. This is a lamentation, and shall be for a lamentation.

Exo 4:5  That they may believe that the LORD God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee. 

As we have indicated in the previous session, the Lord introducing Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is to let Moses know that he is dealing with a God who is able to raise him up from his spiritually dead state. This is to assure us that we, his elect, represented here by Moses, will be raised up to become spiritually alive by the Lord and to become rulers in the life to come.

Luk 20:37  Now that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.
Luk 20:38  For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him. 

Exo 4:6  And the LORD said furthermore unto him, Put now thine hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom: and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow.
Exo 4:7  And he said, Put thine hand into thy bosom again. And he put his hand into his bosom again; and plucked it out of his bosom, and, behold, it was turned again as his other flesh. 

The Hebrew word “chôq (H2436)” is often translated as bosom, but it can also mean “within” as used in the following:

Job 19:27  Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within (H2436) me.

So, we can say that putting forth your hand “into thy bosom” can mean looking within. As we are aware, within us is a repository of evil signified by Moses’ hands turning leprous as snow. This is what Jesus had to say about what is within us:

Mar 7:21  For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 
Mar 7:22  Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: 
Mar 7:23  All these evil things come from within, and defile the man. 

Verses 6 and 7 present another way of saying that the vessel our Lord made of clay was marred in His hands, and so He made it again into another vessel as it seemed good to Him.

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.

Exo 4:8  And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign. 

As indicated, the first sign relates to us being able to recognize that what we have depended on is in reality a deception. It is then we learn how to deal with these false doctrines – by holding them by the tail. This first sign is basically inward, and it is not easily seen by others. However, the second sign relates to how we come to see ourselves as sinful, and through the grace of God, we come to shine forth His righteousness. It is this righteousness which is like a lamp that cannot be hidden, making others believe our voice.

1Pe 3:1  Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives,
1Pe 3:2  when they see your respectful and pure conduct. 

Mat 5:14  “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 
Mat 5:15  Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 
Mat 5:16  In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Exo 4:9  And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also these two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land: and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land.

The third sign to convince the people of Israel is to turn their water into blood. This is to let us know that during our lives in Babylon, or the physical churches of this world, our water of the word of Christ was turned into blood. In other words, we all became murderers of the Lord’s elect, thinking we are doing God a service.  It also implies that we were guilty before God for the killing of our savior Jesus Christ and all the elect who had been murdered for Christ’s sake.

Joh 16:2  They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. 
Joh 16:3  And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. 

Luk 11:49  Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute: 
Luk 11:50  That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation; 
Luk 11:51  From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation. 

Exo 4:10  And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. 

It is when we have an encounter with the Lord that we come to see our inadequacies in carrying out the Lord’s work. Before Moses met the Lord, he was full of confidence that he was capable of leading the people of Israel out of Egypt and thought that the Israelites would understand. This is what the word of God says:

Act 7:22  And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds. 
Act 7:23  And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel. 
Act 7:24  And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian: 
Act 7:25  For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not.

Having encountered Christ, Moses came to realize he was sinful and incapable of doing the Lord’s work as he complained to the Lord of his lack of eloquence. All those whom the Lord had used significantly realized their incompetence and therefore depended on the Lord. Christ brings us to this point of realization so we depend on Him to do His work of salvation through us, and in so doing, no flesh can boast in His presence. Let’s look at the Lord’s encounter with Isaiah and Jeremiah to serve as witness to this fact:

Isa 6:1  In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.

Isa 6:5  Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. 
Isa 6:6  Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: 
Isa 6:7  And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.

The seraphim here in Isaiah 6:6 represents the elect and through what every joint supplies, which is the live coal or the fire of the word of Christ, our iniquity is taken away.

Jer 1:4  Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 
Jer 1:5  Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. 
Jer 1:6  Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child. 
Jer 1:7  But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.

This is what Paul, who was used mightily by the Lord, had to say:

2Co 3:5  Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; 
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. 

The Lord brings us to this point so we will come to know that it is the Lord who does the work. All we have to do is to believe in Him to accomplish that which He has started in us!!

Job 23:13  But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth, even that he doeth. 
Job 23:14  For he performeth the thing that is appointed for me: and many such things are with him.

Exo 4:11  And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man’s mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD? 

This verse is to confirm to us that everything is of the Lord. It is another way of saying that everything is going according to the counsel of His will.

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: 

Exo 4:12  Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say. 

This is another way of saying that the Lord will do His work through us. We do not contribute anything to our salvation. This is what the Lord had to say to us so that we understand right from the onset that we do not contribute anything to our salvation.

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

In 1 John 4:17, we are told that as He is, so are we. When the Lord was here on earth, it was the Father who did everything through Him. In the same manner, our walk here on earth is all the work of Christ in us.

Joh 14:10  Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.

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. 

Exo 4:13  And he said, O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send. 

When we focus so much on our inadequacies and our circumstances, we will never be able to do the work of God. Moses was engrossed with his inadequacies instead of understanding that it is the Lord who does the work. This is demonstrated clearly by the story of Jesus walking on the sea. As we are aware, the sea represents the flesh, and so Jesus walking on the sea shows us that He had victory over the flesh when He was walking here on earth. Peter tried to imitate Christ, and initially, he was successful in walking on the sea. However, when he focused on the boisterous wind, he became afraid and started sinking. This is to let us know that it is only in focusing on Jesus that we can have victory over the flesh. If we look at ourselves or our circumstance as Peter did, sin will rear its head in our lives again.

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?

Exo 4:14  And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart. 
Exo 4:15  And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do. 
Exo 4:16  And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God. 

This is where we are introduced to Aaron, the brother of Moses. On a positive note, Aaron represents the elect. On a negative note, Aaron is a symbol of our brothers and sisters in Babylon who are joined to us. In this context, Aaron’s role can be looked at from a negative perspective. Here we see that Aaron was to attend or minister to Moses in bringing salvation to the people of Israel. Throughout the years, our brothers and sisters in Babylon’s work only pertain to the keeping of instruments of the tabernacle of the congregation, but it is only Moses, Aaron and his sons (representing us) who are to minister before the Lord.

Num 3:5  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 
Num 3:6  Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister unto him. 
Num 3:7  And they shall keep his charge, and the charge of the whole congregation before the tabernacle of the congregation, to do the service of the tabernacle. 
Num 3:8  And they shall keep all the instruments of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge of the children of Israel, to do the service of the tabernacle. 
Num 3:9  And thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron and to his sons: they are wholly given unto him out of the children of Israel. 
Num 3:10  And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on their priest’s office: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.

Num 3:38  But those that encamp before the tabernacle toward the east, even before the tabernacle of the congregation eastward, shall be Moses, and Aaron and his sons, keeping the charge of the sanctuary for the charge of the children of Israel; and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.

We should also note that Aaron’s role is the same as all the prophets of the Old Testament who ministered to us but did not receive the promise.

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

Here in verse 16 of Exodus chapter 4, we are told that Moses shall be a God to Aaron. What this means is that through us (Moses), salvation shall come to all our brothers and sisters in Babylon and the prophets of the Old Testaments (Aaron).

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. 

Heb 11:39  And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: 
Heb 11:40  God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. 

Exo 4:17  And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs. 

As we have indicated earlier, the rod here, on a positive note, represents Christ, and when we are in Him, nothing is impossible.

Isa 11:1  And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: 
Isa 11:2  And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; 

It is through Him that we can do signs and wonders in this life. The signs that we are being empowered to do pertains to the raising of the spiritually dead to life in Christ Jesus!!

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 14:13  And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 
Joh 14:14  If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

May the Lord help us to possess Christ (the rod) as our priceless possession in this life!! Amen!!

Heb 9:3-5 Part 3 “Cheribims of Glory Shadowing the Mercyseat”

[Study Aired December 10, 2020]

Heb 9:3  And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all;
Heb 9:4  Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;
Heb 9:5  And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.

The next few verses of chapter 9 that we will look at reveal what the type and shadow outcome of going through the process of judgment will bring to those who are blessed to read and “hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand” (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.

As we discussed last week, it is through the light of God’s word, which is spirit (Joh 6:63), that God’s elect can be enlightened (Mat 13:11) so those candlesticks which are in Christ’s right hand (Rev 1:20) can be empowered witnesses (Rev 11:3), blessed and able to eat the shewbread that represents the body of Christ.

Mat 13:11  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

Joh 6:54  Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

Joh 6:35  And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

Our hearts and minds are being purified by being bound to the altar (Psa 118:27, Rom 12:1) which is the table at which the world cannot at this present time eat (Heb 13:10), meaning they cannot receive or hear or eat the bread (1Jn 4:6) representing the flesh of Christ, His body (Eph 5:30, Col 1:24), which is the whole stay of bread and the whole stay of water that we are blessed to read, hear and keep through Christ Who is sanctifying us by washing His bride (Eph 5:25) with the word as our Father drags us to Him and manifests those living waters through the church which is His body (Isa 3:1, Rev 1:3, Joh 17:17, Joh 6:44, Eph 3:10).

Psa 118:27  God is the LORD, which hath shewed us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.

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

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

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.

Eph 5:25  Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

Eph 3:10  To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,

All of the costly and intricate workmanship that goes into all of the temple reveals to us what God is doing within His own workmanship which we are (1Co 6:19, Eph 2:10), but this Holiest place of all represents in type and shadow where flesh and blood cannot enter, which is where we are raised today in earnest (Eph 2:6). It is the place where our conscience can be cleansed by our high priest, Jesus Christ, through whom we are accepted (Eph 1:6, Rom 8:1). This “Holiest of all” places represents the throne of grace before which we can boldly come through Christ our high priest “that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb 4:16). The beauty of holiness (Psa 96:9) is reflected in what those objects represent, a “golden censer” and “the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold” the “golden pot that had manna” along with “Aaron’s rod that budded” and “the tables of the covenant“.

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

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 [entering into the “Holiest of all”].

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.

Heb 9:3  And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all;

The word “veil” represents flesh (Mat 27:51, Heb 10:20), and it is within the second veil of “the tabernacle” where God’s holy spirit can change our hearts and minds as we are dragged to Christ who is “the faithful witness” (Rev 1:5). He gives us the power to put off our flesh and enter into this “Holiest of all” places through him, where we “have access by one Spirit unto the Father” (Rom 5:2, Eph 2:18, Rom 5:10).

Mat 27:51  And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;

Heb 10:20  By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; [Eph 5:30]

Rev 1:5  And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

Rom 5:2  By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Eph 2:18  For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

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.

Our flesh is against the spirit of God “contrary the one to the other” (Gal 5:17), and yet God sacrificed Christ to break down that wall of partition (Eph 2:14) which is naturally within every man. We are being reconciled through that sacrifice that made a way for us to enter into the “Holiest of all” where those who have God’s spirit within them (Rom 8:9) can now be “saved by his life”, our hope of glory within (Col 1:27).

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

Eph 2:14  For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;

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.

Heb 9:4  Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; 

God is making known to us what is “the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” and is revealing that glory through these physical items in the “Holiest of all” which reveal in type and shadow what the workmanship of His hands will produce in our heavens (Rom 1:20). God’s gold in this area of the temple represents the righteousness of Christ being forged in our lives through fiery trials and is the very reason judg ment is upon God’s elect today (Rev 3:18, 1Pe 4:12, 1Pe 4:17).

Rom 1:20  For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

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

1Pe 4:12  Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

No one naturally in their flesh wants to go through fiery trials, and yet God mercifully drags us to Christ who is our hope of glory within who is likened to a the tree of life (Gen 2:9) or this treasure in earthen vessels (2Co 4:7) who is increasing in us as we decrease little and by little through the destruction of first man Adam (Deu 7:22) that comes about through a refining process in the refiner’s fire. It is a process that has begun with the elect, within the house of God (Jas 3:5, Luk 12:49). This process is typified for us in the old covenant with the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who typify that process of spiritual completion that can only come about by having Christ “the form of the fourth is like the Son of God” in the midst of that fire (Dan 3:25).

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

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

Deu 7:22  And the LORD thy God will put out those nations before thee by little and little: thou mayest not consume them at once, lest the beasts of the field increase upon thee.

Jas 3:5  Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!

Luk 12:49  I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled?

Dan 3:25  He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.

Now we can spend the rest of this study looking at what these itemized objects mean for us in the “Holiest of all” place, and we should come to the conclusion that what we are seeing is a compilation of the fulfillment of these verses in 2Timothy 2:20-21 which tell us what God’s intention was for His elect right from the beginning of time.

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

These verses in 2Timothy 2:20-21 are critical to our understanding and encouragement because they remind us it is Christ who is giving us the power to “purge himself from these” to go through the fiery furnace, to go into the lion’s den, or to go through the Red Sea so we can be those vessels of honour that are typified by “the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant“.

We don’t need to fear what man can do to our flesh, and we won’t if we are granted to remember that our greatest enemy is ourselves whom God called out of this world to overcome (1Co 1:27, Rom 11:18-21, 1Ti 1:15). We must continue to die daily to self (1Co 15:31) which, God willing, we will do through Christ who gives us the power to overcome, to lay down our life, to endure all things, and to not despise His chastening and scourging, as we keep under ourselves to His glory and honor through whom we can endure all things (1Co 9:27, Php 2:12-13, Rom 8:35-39, Php 4:13).

1Co 15:31  I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.

1Co 9:27  But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

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

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.

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

Here is the list of words which we will look at one by one:

• The golden censer –

G2369 thumiastērion
thoo-mee-as-tay’-ree-on
From a derivative of G2370; a place of fumigation, that is, the altar of incense (in the Temple): – censer.

G2370 thumiaō
thoo-mee-ah’-o
From a derivative of G2380 (in the sense of smoking); to fumigate, that is, offer aromatic fumes: – burn incense.

This golden censer represents the place where the fervent and continual prayers of the saints avail much as they rise as “the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand” (Jas 5:16, Rev 8:4, Mat 2:11).

Jas 5:16  Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

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

Mat 2:11  And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold^G5557, and frankincense^G3030, and myrrh^G4666.

These three gifts that we bring to the King represent the process of spiritual completion we go through as we worship our Father in spirit and in truth. That censer would be used in that regard to bring about these fragrant smells which represent how pleasing and effective our prayers are through Christ when are life is purified through the fiery trials of this life (Jas 1:6, 1Pe 1:7).

Jas 1:6  But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
Jas 1:7  For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
Jas 1:8  A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
Jas 1:9  Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:

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:

• The ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna –

Now we can see that this overlaying of gold round about on the “ark of the covenant” is not just any gold. It is gold which has been beaten and overlaid via a process of workmanship that typifies what God is doing within our hearts and minds as He gives us the mind of Christ that is a spirit of power, love and a sound mind (2Ti 1:7), represented by this gold overlay. It is only possible to have a “golden pot that had manna” within the “Holiest of all” where it resides in our earthen vessels that are typified by the “ark of the covenant” (Joh 6:68, 2Co 4:7-9). It’s interesting to note that manna is also laid up as a witness to never let us forget our rebellion in the wilderness which was centered around our lust for those things God commanded us not to take (1Co 10:6, Exo 16:4-7).

Prophecy of Isaiah – Isa 62:3 What are the Seraphims?

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

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

1Co 10:6  Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.

Exo 16:4  Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no.
Exo 16:5  And it shall come to pass, that on the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in; and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.
Exo 16:6  And Moses and Aaron said unto all the children of Israel, At even, then ye shall know that the LORD hath brought you out from the land of Egypt:
Exo 16:7  And in the morning, then ye shall see the glory of the LORD; for that he heareth your murmurings against the LORD: and what are we, that ye murmur against us?

• Aaron’s rod that budded –

We need to look at the history of this rod found in Numbers 17:1-13 to get a clearer understanding of what its significance is for God’s people today, and for the rest of world who will bud and blossom in their appointed time. Israel of old represents the world in this story where God used the rod of Aaron that typifies Christ to demonstrate by what means we can bring forth “buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.” The natural representation of God’s elect was first revealed through Aaron and his sons, who we know represent Christ and His body (Luk 6:43-45, 1Co 15:46).

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.

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

Num 17:1  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Num 17:2  Speak unto the children of Israel, and take of every one of them a rod according to the house of their fathers, of all their princes according to the house of their fathers twelve rods: write thou every man’s name upon his rod.

The whole creation groans and travails even until now (Rom 8:22), but it is only those who endure the stripes and suffering of this life, specifically from Christ or Aaron’s rod, with the end result in mind that we might be strengthened and settled and established through those trials of our faith (1Pe 5:10) which will in fact bring forth much fruit, typified by the “buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds” which have “the firstfruits of the Spirit” (Rom 8:23, Rom 8:28).

Rom 8:22  For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

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.

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.

Rom 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Num 17:3  And thou shalt write Aaron’s name upon the rod of Levi: for one rod shall be for the head of the house of their fathers.
Num 17:4  And thou shalt lay them up in the tabernacle of the congregation before the testimony, where I will meet with you.
Num 17:5  And it shall come to pass, that the man’s rod, whom I shall choose, shall blossom: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, whereby they murmur against you.

The “congregation before the testimony, where I will meet with you” symbolizes where God meets those whom he has chosen to work with in this age (Mat 22:14) so that we can bring forth much fruit to His glory and honor.

Num 17:6  And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, and every one of their princes gave him a rod apiece, for each prince one, according to their fathers’ houses, even twelve rods: and the rod of Aaron was among their rods.
Num 17:7  And Moses laid up the rods before the LORD in the tabernacle of witness.

Those twelve rods have Aaron’s rod “among their rods”, and it is Aaron’s rod which typifies our being in the world but not of the world (Joh 17:15), as God’s true witnesses who attest to the rest of the world, represented by the eleven other rods “before the LORD in the tabernacle of witness.” We are His tabernacle of witness if Christ is in us empowering us in this life by God’s holy spirit (Rev 11:3). The eleven rods are a symbol of rebellion that are left in this tabernacle of witness, just like the manna, to once again remind us of where we came before we got to twelve, which represents Christ our foundation.

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

The rod of Aaron budded and bloomed blossoms and yielded almonds to represent the fruit of our lives that matures within us as we wrestle through the night to the breaking of the day (Gen 32:24, Mat 24:13). It is the struggles of this life which God gives His people to overcome that brings “forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds” (Joh 15:2).

Gen 32:24  And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.

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

Joh 15:2  Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

Num 17:9  And Moses brought out all the rods from before the LORD unto all the children of Israel: and they looked, and took every man his rod.
Num 17:10  And the LORD said unto Moses, Bring Aaron’s rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not.

It is by receiving the stripes of Christ in our lives today that the rebellious spirit within us is conquered, and we die not. The rod of Aaron represents the chastening and scourging force God uses and lays up for a testimony or witness within the body of Christ “to be kept for a token against the rebels.” The good news is we are promised that with this rod of witness “thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not” (2Ti 2:12-13, Mat 20:23, Php 1:29).

2Ti 2:12  If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:
2Ti 2:13  If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.

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.

Php 1:29  For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;

Num 17:11  And Moses did so: as the LORD commanded him, so did he.
Num 17:12  And the children of Israel spake unto Moses, saying, Behold, we die, we perish, we all perish.
Num 17:13  Whosoever cometh any thing near unto the tabernacle of the LORD shall die: shall we be consumed with dying?

The answer to the rebel within us is “dying you shall die” (Gen 2:17), and it is when we come near and touch the ark of the covenant that our old man perishes  (2Sa 6:6-7). So this last section of Numbers is telling us that it is through the obedience of Christ, typified by Moses, that we can receive the strength to go outside the camp and die following our Lord’s example of obedience (Heb 13:13).

Gen 2:17  But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

2Sa 6:6  And when they came to Nachon’s threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it.
2Sa 6:7  And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God.

Heb 13:13  Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.
Heb 13:14  For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.

1Ti 6:8  And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
1Ti 6:9  But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
1Ti 6:10  For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

• The tables of the covenant –

The ten commandments or “The tables of the covenant” are also stored up for a witness, just like the eleven rods and those commandments that are a law for the lawless (1Ti 1:9). They reveal the sinful nature within us that can only be changed by the one rod of Aaron that changes our lawless heart which goes from a state of rebellion and confusion [the eleven rods] to being founded upon Christ the true foundation. That new law is manifested in the lives of those with whom God is working as the law of Christ (Gal 6:2). Again, another item is left in the tabernacle of witness that reminds us of our lawlessness which could have only been brought into subjection to Christ through the seven last plagues which plagues unfold in the lives of God’s elect through a process of spiritual completion while standing in the first tabernacle [the candlestick, the shewbread, the table] (Heb 9:8).

1Ti 1:9  Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,

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

Heb 9:8  The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing:

Heb 9:5  And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.

Heb 9:5  and above it the cherubs of glory overshadowing the mercy-seat (about which now is not enough time to speak piece by piece). (LITV)

Heb 9:5  and above it, cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. But it is not now possible to speak in detail about these things (TLV – Tree of Life).

God is using all of these things – “the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread” – within the first tabernacle which represents what is needed in order to progress spiritually into the “Holiest of all” where we learn of the “golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant.” These items being found in this “Holiest of all” can be summarized with this thought of our Lord:

Mat 6:19  Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
Mat 6:20  But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
Mat 6:21  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also [Eph 2:6].

What all this process represents is the finished product described as “cherubims of glory” representing the elect who will show mercy to the rest of the world as a result of having been prepared through a lifetime of overcoming and enduring through the much tribulation (Act 14:22), afflictions (Psa 34:19) and persecutions (2Ti 3:12) which Christ tells us we can endure through Him (Php 4:13) so that we can be those “cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly”.

We are laying up store today and through the Lord’s chastening grace that God’s word is accomplishing in those who are being sanctified as we witness our first temple being torn down as the Lord builds up the new temple within us (Joh 17:17, Heb 9:8, Joh 2:19).

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

Heb 9:8  The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing:

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

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

There is a “glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly” because eye has not seen nor ear heard what God has in store for those who love Him (1Co 2:9). We do have hope in our Lord and see through a glass darkly in this earnest relationship, but God provides the vision through His word and the faith that it provides is how we will gain victory in this life over our flesh (1Jn 5:4).

1Co 2:9  But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

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

We are losing our life today so we can gain the life of Christ for the benefit of all others who will then experience God’s judgment through the body of Christ as we administer His judgments upon the rest of His creation using all these things that have been fashioned in our heavens through judgment [“golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant“] and reveal them as “cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat” (1Co 6:3, Rom 11:31).

1Co 6:3  Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?

Rom 11:31  Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.

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Awesome Hands - part 129 Discussion

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Awesome Hands – Part 129

To Speak or Strike

January 26, 2018

It is easy to read “keep His commandments” and then to say, “just keep them”, but as we come to learn very on in our walks with the Lord, it is a wholly different thing to live this out.

In our study today, we are going to see how even the humblest man “on the face of the earth” did not do, exactly as the Lord commanded, all the time. If this can happen to Moses, then it can surely happen to our flesh.

Moses strikes the Rock

Our verse for consideration today is found in Numbers 20:11.

Num 20:10  And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?
Num 20:11  And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.
Num 20:12  And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.

In many ways, Moses didn’t only strike the physical rock, but he also struck the spiritual Rock. The result of Moses striking the rock is both swift and immense in its application.

The reason for this is that Moses did what he wanted to do, and no doubt, what was easier for him to do according to the carnal mind in him.

The Lord tells us in writing, that Moses’ action represents unbelief. So, what exactly did Moses do that banned him from entering into the promised land?

Num 12:3  (Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.)

Here is what Moses was told to do:

Num 20:6  And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they fell upon their faces: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto them.
Num 20:7  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Num 20:8  Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink.
Num 20:9  And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as he commanded him.

What a momentous example for us to learn! The Lord tells Moses to speak to the rock to bring forth water for the children of Israel, but he strikes the rock instead. This was counted as unbelief on Moses' part.

From Moses' point of view, this had to be devastating. He was used of the Lord to get the show started by freeing the Jews from the Egyptians, yet he himself would now not be able to participate in the promised land.

Moses has used this rod to do many wonderful things on the Lord’s behalf. Yet, this story shows us that no matter what has happened in the past, nor what we think will happen in the future, we must do what the Lord commands without adding our own experiences or understanding to the matter.

From one of Moses' first interactions with the Lord, we can learn a lot about how the Lord send trials to us.

Exo 4:1  And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The LORD hath not appeared unto thee.
Exo 4:2  And the LORD said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod.
Exo 4:3  And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it.
Exo 4:4  And the LORD said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand:
Exo 4:5  That they may believe that the LORD God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee.
Exo 4:6  And the LORD said furthermore unto him, Put now thine hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom: and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow.
Exo 4:7  And he said, Put thine hand into thy bosom again. And he put his hand into his bosom again; and plucked it out of his bosom, and, behold, it was turned again as his other flesh.
Exo 4:8  And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign.

Moses’ first interaction with the Lord gives us a lot to go on as far as the mindset Moses had.

“And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground”

“Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it”

“Put now thine hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom:”

“And he said, Put thine hand into thy bosom again. And he put his hand into his bosom again;”

Had Moses only done what he did at the beginning with the Lord, he would have been able to lead the Jews into the promised land.

Initially, when the Lord said to do something, Moses did it without hesitation. The Lord counted this as BELIEF on Moses part, and this belief was an ACTION.

I’ve often heard the saying “actions speak louder than words”, and how true it is. Unless our words are supported and backed up with actions, they are dead words. Likewise, when our words are backed up with action, they become very reliable and very powerful.

When the Lord told Moses that he was being sent to the Israelites, and by being sent to the Israelites, they would believe, he was informing Moses right then that it would be by his ACTIONS that belief came.

It just happens that the actions constituted Moses doing things with the rod in his hand that had been given supernatural power.

This is the crux of this study. It is always very important to listen to what the Lord says are His commandments and do only those things.

In our verse today, which mentions the next verse containing “yad” or “hand”, the Lord has told Moses to simply SPEAK. This speaking IS the ACTION, or work.

Don’t we know this to also be true in the New Testament as well, especially in the writings of James?

Jas 2:14 (ESV)  What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?
Jas 2:15  If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food,
Jas 2:16  and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?
Jas 2:17  So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
Jas 2:18  But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
Jas 2:19  You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!
Jas 2:20  Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?
Jas 2:21  Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar?
Jas 2:22  You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works;
Jas 2:23  and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God.
Jas 2:24  You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.
Jas 2:25  And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?
Jas 2:26  For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

What does faith by works have to do with Moses striking the rock versus speaking to it then?

Notice, Moses didn’t speak to the rock; therefore, this DID NOT sanctify the Lord in the eyes of the children of Israel. Rather, Moses took this glory unto himself and did the action he thought was more important or adequate.

Num 20:12  And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.

Moses had previously used this rod a lot to show the power of the Lord, but now was a time of progression for Moses where the Lord had given Moses the power to just speak things into happening. The really hard part to accept is that the Lord told Moses to take the rod with him! The Lord KNEW that Moses would do this in unbelief.

Why then is it so important to us to be careful to maintain good works? We know the Lord does the works, but how then are we included in this if they Lord is doing it?

Well, it is very much the same as Moses being told to take the rod with him knowing that Moses would have this rod with him. Had the Lord not told Moses to take the rod with him, Moses wouldn’t have had it and he would have just spoken to the rock. We have read what happened instead.

Mat 5:15  Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
Mat 5:16  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

The same Hebrew word translated as “good” in Matthew 5:16 is translated as “honest” in 1 Peter 2:12:

1Pe 2:12  Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

When we connect what the “having your conversation honest among the Gentiles” means, as it pertains to good works, then we will start to learn a lesson of why it is important to do what the Lord commands versus what we think we should do.

Here is the same verse translated into the ESV as it pertains to “conversation”, along with some other verses that are listed in the ESV version:

1Pe 2:12  Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

Gal 1:13  For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it.

Eph 4:22  to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires,

Heb 13:7  Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.

Jas 3:13 (KJV) Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.

Jas 3:13  Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.

1Pe 1:18  knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold,

1Pe 3:1  Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives,
1Pe 3:2  when they see your respectful and pure conduct.

These last verses show us concretely how LIVING and ACTING are actions which show our BELIEF in God.

2Pe 3:11  Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness,
2Pe 3:12  waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn!
2Pe 3:13  But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

We obviously fail and fall often at achieving this optimal life of belief in the Lord by the actions we follow. However, that doesn’t stop us from planning to do what it takes to live lives of holiness and godliness.

Those holy and godly lives are defined biblically as well, so it takes us knowing line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little of the bible, in order for us not to only take our spiritual rod in our hand but to also take the spiritual word of God into our mouths.

Before we end this study, it is prudent for me to show the contrast of maintaining good works versus doing “many wonderful works in the name of the Lord”.

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

Notice, it is when talking about FRUIT that we then hear about works from Jesus. After all, these words are directly spoken by Jesus.

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

Here we are then full circle to speaking unto the Rock versus striking the Rock.

Mat 7:24  Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

What house are we talking about then? Yes, it is the spiritual temple of God that we are.

1Co 3:11  For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
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.
1Co 3:15  If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

Why do these works matter? Why, of course it is because we are the temple of God!

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

What Moses did in type and shadow is defile the temple of God. Since we know we are the temple of God and the Word of God dwells in us, then that, too, is what needs to come OUT OF us as a light projecting itself to the world around us.

However, when we do not have good works which are projected out of us, which then glorify the temple of God, this defiles the temple because they end up being from that which is also in us.

We also have the old man, sitting upon the thrown of God, pretending to be God. This is the war of flesh and spirit that we are always going on about.

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;

Keeping the commandments of the Lord can present man different things which are far outside the context of this study, but when we are confronted with how to act or what decisions to make, our very first thought should something along the lines of, “what would you have me do Lord?”

Act 22:6  And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me.
Act 22:7  And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
Act 22:8  And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.
Act 22:9  And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.
Act 22:10  And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do.
Act 22:11  And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me, I came into Damascus.

When we fall to the earth, proverbially speaking, and literally sometimes, and then ask, “what shall I do, Lord?”, it is then that we can know that we are on the proper path of keeping the commandments of the Lord versus only hearkening to our own ways.

The Prophecy of Isaiah - Part 52 Discussion

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Isa 11:1-8 He Shall Smite The Earth With The Rod of His Mouth

Isa 11:1  And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:
Isa 11:2  And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;
Isa 11:3  And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:
Isa 11:4  But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.
Isa 11:5  And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.
Isa 11:6  The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.
Isa 11:7  And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
Isa 11:8  And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den.

No one who claims to believe in the Bible as the Word of God doubts that these verses are a prophecy of the kingdom of God and Christ's authority over that kingdom. It is universally accepted that when Christ takes His kingdom He will "smite the earth with the rod of His mouth, and [that] He shall slay the wicked... with the breath of His lips".

The question which will occupy this study is, "When exactly will Christ begin to "judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth"? When exactly does Christ begin to "smite the earth with the rod of His mouth"?"

Before we give you the Biblical answer to these questions, let'​s go back and notice whom the Lord has chosen to oppose and resist the coming of this day when Christ will smite the earth with the rod of His mouth. Here are the ending verses of the previous chapter, which remind us with whom we are at war, and therefore who it is who rules the earth at this time, and who it is who will be smitten with the breath of His mouth:

Isa 10:24  Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD of hosts, O my people that dwellest in Zion, be not afraid of the Assyrian: he shall smite thee with a rod, and shall lift up his staff against thee, after the manner of Egypt.
Isa 10:25  For yet a very little while, and the indignation shall cease, and mine anger in their destruction.
Isa 10:26  And the LORD of hosts shall stir up a scourge for him according to the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb: and as his rod was upon the sea, so shall he lift it up after the manner of Egypt.
Isa 10:27  And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.
Isa 10:28  He is come to Aiath, he is passed to Migron; at Michmash he hath laid up his carriages:
Isa 10:29  They are gone over the passage: they have taken up their lodging at Geba; Ramah is afraid; Gibeah of Saul is fled.
Isa 10:30  Lift up thy voice, O daughter of Gallim: cause it to be heard unto Laish, O poor Anathoth.
Isa 10:31  Madmenah is removed; the inhabitants of Gebim gather themselves to flee.
Isa 10:32  As yet shall he remain at Nob that day: he shall shake his hand against the mount of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem.
Isa 10:33  Behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, shall lop the bough with terror: and the high ones of stature shall be hewn down, and the haughty shall be humbled.
Isa 10:34  And he shall cut down the thickets of the forest with iron, and Lebanon shall fall by a mighty one.

The Assyrian will smite us with a rod after the manner of Egypt, who also enslaved God's people. There is no way of avoiding enslavement to either Egypt or Assyria. All mankind will come up out of Egyptian slavery, go through a wilderness experience, tempt their own Savior "ten times", die in the wilderness, and through that "deadly wound", enter into the land of promise, conquer many giants in that land, but then turn their backs on their first love, and be carried away as captives into Assyria. It will be there, from Babylon, the land of Shinar, the land of Assyria, the land of great pride in our ownselves, that we will be finally be granted the deliverance and salvation and the peace of mind we all seek:

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

Rev 2:3  And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.
Rev 2:4  Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
Rev 2:5  Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

Rev 13:3  And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.

Hos 11:3  I taught Ephraim also to go, taking them by their arms; but they knew not that I healed them.
Hos 11:4  I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love: and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat unto them.
Hos 11:5  He shall not return into the land of Egypt, but the Assyrian shall be his king, because they refused to return.
Hos 11:6  And the sword shall abide on his cities, and shall consume his branches, and devour them, because of their own counsels.
Hos 11:7  And my people are bent to backsliding from me: though they called them to the most High, none at all would exalt him.

This is not something which takes place in the millennium. This is all taking place in our lives, the lives of those who are "the Israel of God, [which] is not of Abraham". All of this takes place because God "makes us [all] to err from [His] ways", through our marred condition and composition "in [His] hands...[under] the law of sin which [He has placed] in [our] members... after the counsel of His own will":

Isa 63:16  Doubtless thou art our father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not: thou, O LORD, art our father [the Father of "the Israel of God" - Gal 6:15-16] , our redeemer; thy name is from everlasting.
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.

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.
Jer 18:7  At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it;

Rom 7:20  Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Rom 7:21  I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
Rom 7:22  For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
Rom 7:23  But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
Rom 7:24  O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Rom 7:25  I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

Of ourselves, we are as natural brute beasts doomed to destruction:

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

That is the reason we all are brought to our wits' end (Psa 107:27), and we are brought to cry out with the apostle:

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

The first five verses of our study today answers the apostle's question, "Who shall deliver me from the body of this death" into which we all have been placed:

Isa 11:1  And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:
Isa 11:2  And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;
Isa 11:3  And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:
Isa 11:4  But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.
Isa 11:5  And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.

"A rod out of the stem of Jesse" will "judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked."

It is few indeed who profess to believe the scriptures that doubt these words are a prophecy of the coming of Christ to rule this earth "with the rod of His mouth". But what is not known by most is that this is not as much a prophecy of life during the coming millennium as it concerns the "kingdom of God... within you" here and now. What is understood by very few is that the words of this prophecy primarily concern the 'earth' as that word is meant by the scriptures themselves as in this verse of scripture:

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

This entire twenty-second chapter of Jeremiah is addressed to the king of Judah and Jerusalem and to all of his subjects:

Jer 22:1  Thus saith the LORD; Go down to the house of the king of Judah, and speak there this word,
Jer 22:2  And say, Hear the word of the LORD, O king of Judah, that sittest upon the throne of David, thou, and thy servants, and thy people that enter in by these gates:

The opposite of 'heaven' is not 'hell'. Scripturally, the opposite of 'heaven' is the 'earth'. There is coming a time when the outward kingdoms of this earth will become the kingdoms of our Lord and His Christ, but that certainly is not yet the case in its outward sense:

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

"The king of Judah" was the king of one of "the kingdoms of this world". The kings of Israel and Judah were all physical descendants of Abraham, and the kings of Judah were all descendants of King David of whom it was prophesied:

Act 2:30  Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;

Rom 1:3  Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;

In the next chapter of Romans, Paul makes this revolutionary 'replacement theology' statement:

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

The apostle Paul acknowledges the affection he had toward his 'kinsmen according to the flesh'.

Rom 9:3  For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:

However, Paul knew that the things of the flesh were being superseded by "the things of the spirit", and Paul knew that included being physically descended from Abraham or King David. Paul is speaking under the inspiration of the holy spirit when he tells us:

Rom 9:1  I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,
Rom 9:2  That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.
Rom 9:3  For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:
Rom 9:4  Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;
Rom 9:5  Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.
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.

Here we have the most prolific New Testament writer plainly establishing that most hated doctrine, which is disparagingly referred to as "replacement theology". Later Paul makes clear that physical fleshly pedigree and physical descent from Abraham is no longer a factor in our relationship with our Creator when he tells us this:

2Co 5:14  For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:
2Co 5:15  And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
2Co 5:16  Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more [after the flesh].
2Co 5:17  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

This is not a doctrine of men. It is the holy spirit which is teaching us "the children of the promise are counted for the seed", and to  make this perfectly clear, we are told that "Jerusalem that now is, is in bondage with her children" whereas the Gentile Galatians are now called by the holy spirit "as Isaac was, the children of promise". This is not a doctrine of men. Jerusalem is now "in bondage with her children", and the holy spirit goes on to tell us:

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.

Here is the holy spirit's replacement theology in a nutshell:

Gal 4:21  Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?
Gal 4:22  For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.
Gal 4:23  But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.
Gal 4:24  Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.
Gal 4:25  For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
Gal 4:26  But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
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 [Gentile Galatians], 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.

This accords with the doctrine of Christ Himself who was first to go to the Gentile Samaritans with these words:

Joh 4:21  Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
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.

The kingdom of God is no longer connected to Jerusalem or Samaria. It is now a spiritual 'mountain', a spiritual kingdom of those who worship God in spirit and in truth.

This is the kingdom with which the verses of Isaiah 11:1-5 primarily concern themselves:

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.

The kingdom and the promises all pertain to Christ, and that kingdom is now being given to Christ, the king of His kingdom. Let's look at those verses again.

Isa 11:1  And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:
Isa 11:2  And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;
Isa 11:3  And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:
Isa 11:4  But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.
Isa 11:5  And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.

"He is a Jew which is one inwardly", and "behold the kingdom of God is within you". "He is not a Jew which is one outwardly", and "the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father".

Psa 89:2  For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever: thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens.
Psa 89:3  I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant,
Psa 89:4  Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah.

Where a 'throne' is, there must be a king and a kingdom. Christ's kingdom is said to be "establish[ed] in the very heavens... within you".  The scriptures reveal the what and the where of "the very heavens", and we have an indepth discussion of the location of the kingdom of heaven being within us at this link here.

It is this spiritual inward kingdom of "mount Sion... unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem" with which our study today is concerned.

Heb 12:22  But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels.

That being the case, we are of necessity being delivered from a spiritually inward kingdom of Assyria of which we are told:

Isa 10:24  Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD of hosts, O my people that dwellest in Zion, be not afraid of the Assyrian: he shall smite thee with a rod, and shall lift up his staff against thee, after the manner of Egypt.
Isa 10:25  For yet a very little while, and the indignation shall cease, and mine anger in their destruction.
Isa 10:26  And the LORD of hosts shall stir up a scourge for him according to the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb: and as his rod was upon the sea, so shall he lift it up after the manner of Egypt.

It is when 'the Lord of hosts stirs up a scourge for the king of Assyria according to the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb' that:

Isa 11:6  The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.
Isa 11:7  And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
Isa 11:8  And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den.

The wolf, the leopard, the lion, the bear, the asp and the cockatrice are one and all "the power of the enemy" within us, and they are all subdued and dominated by Christ who has been given all power in heaven and in earth, who now lives His life within us and who has given us that same power "over all the power of the enemy".

Luk 10:19  Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

Luke 10:19 is the fulfilling in our lives of every word of Isaiah 11. Like the apostle Paul in whom Christ dwelt, if a venomous beast with his venomous false doctrines does attach himself to us, we simply shake him off into the fiery burning flames of the Truths of the Word of God.

Act 28:3  And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand.
Act 28:4  And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live.
Act 28:5  And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.

These verses here in Isaiah 11 have nothing to do with the disposition of the physical animals in the kingdom of God during the millennium as we have most generally been taught. If beasts were subdued to this degree, then there would be no need for a rod of iron with which to subdue 'strong nations afar off'.

Mic 4:3  And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

It is also evident that after the millennium the nations do indeed "learn war" again in very short order:

Rev 20:7  And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
Rev 20:8  And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
Rev 20:9  And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

The increasing of beasts within the kingdom of God is one of the means used by the Lord to keep His work on His schedule, and they are also used by the Lord throughout prophecy to discipline the Lord's people for their sins:

Deu 7:22  And the LORD thy God will put out those nations before thee by little and little: thou mayest not consume them at once, lest the beasts of the field increase upon thee.

Eze 14:21  For thus saith the Lord GOD; How much more when I send my four sore judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast?

It will be those who know the mind and the words of the Lord who will be used by Him as His "battle axe and weapons of war" against all those whom He has first used to discipline us.

We will be "the rod of His mouth"? The Lord will use us to execute his rule and His judgments upon the "kingdoms of this world"? This what we are told throughout the scriptures:

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.

Jer 51:19  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 51:20  Thou art my battle axe and weapons of war: for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms;
Jer 51:21  And with thee will I break in pieces the horse and his rider; and with thee will I break in pieces the chariot and his rider;
Jer 51:22  With thee also will I break in pieces man and woman; and with thee will I break in pieces old and young; and with thee will I break in pieces the young man and the maid;
Jer 51:23  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.
Jer 51:24  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.

Eze 3:10  Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, all my words that I shall speak unto thee receive in thine heart, and hear with thine ears.
Eze 3:11  And go, get thee to them of the captivity, unto the children of thy people, and speak unto them, and tell them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear.

Eze 3:17  Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.

You and I are called to be the Lord's anointed to do the very things He did for His Father:

Joh 20:21  Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

The words of this chapter of Isaiah will be accomplished within our lives in this age only after the Lord has destroyed the king of Assyria within us, brought us to our wits' end and subdued all the beasts within us in this age. These words have nothing to do with the disposition of beasts during the millennium where we will be judging the nations of this world and ruling them with a rod of iron:

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.

So once again the 'is' character of the Word of God is given priority, and the beasts of the earth are now being subdued within the Lord's elect, preparing them to be the instruments through which all men will be granted to subdue the beasts within themselves and in time come to be at peace with their Creator.

Next week we will see another demonstration of how the words of this chapter apply to this present age. The cockatrice cannot hurt us even now, even as we live in these earthen vessels  where the knowledge of the Lord covers the earth within us in this age.

Isa 11:9  They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.
Isa 11:10  And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.
Isa 11:11  And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.
Isa 11:12  And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.
Isa 11:13  The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim.
Isa 11:14  But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines toward the west; they shall spoil them of the east together: they shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab; and the children of Ammon shall obey them.
Isa 11:15  And the LORD shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go over dryshod.
Isa 11:16  And there shall be an highway for the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria; like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt.

The Prophecy of Isaiah - Part 47 Discussion

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Isa 10:5-11 O Assyrian, The Rod of Mine Anger

Isa 10:5-11 O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation.
Isa 10:6  I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.
Isa 10:7  Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few.
Isa 10:8  For he saith, Are not my princes altogether kings?
Isa 10:9  Is not Calno as Carchemish? is not Hamath as Arpad? is not Samaria as Damascus?
Isa 10:10  As my hand hath found the kingdoms of the idols, and whose graven images did excel them of Jerusalem and of Samaria;
Isa 10:11  Shall I not, as I have done unto Samaria and her idols, so do to Jerusalem and her idols?

Outwardly 'Assyria' is what we today call Iraq. Iraq is home to what used to be universally accepted as "the cradle of civilization". It is the home of the tower of Babel, the ancient city of Nineveh, the capital of the kingdom of Assyria, and 'Assyria' is also the land of Babylon, the symbol of all the false religions which dominate mankind.

The ruins of Nineveh have been excavated just outside the present city of Mosul in northern Iraq. The city of Babylon has been excavated near the present city of Hillah in central Iraq. There are just 317 miles (510 kilometers) between the two cities. Both were used by God to punish His own unfaithful, hypocritical, rebellious people.

This is how the name Babylon is used in both the Old and the New Testaments:

Jer 25:9  Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the LORD, and Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and an hissing, and perpetual desolations.

Here is how the name 'Babylon' is applied in the New Testament;

Rev 17:1  And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:
Rev 17:2  With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.
Rev 17:3  So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
Rev 17:4  And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
Rev 17:5  And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
Rev 17:6  And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.

Just as God used Isaiah and Jeremiah, Ezekiel and all of His prophets, to show Israel how He was about to punish them for their unfaithfulness and hypocrisy, so in the New Testament He uses "one of the seven angels which had the seven vials", His modern day prophets (Rev 19:10 and 22:8), to reveal to us the fullness of His wrath against our own unfaithful and hypocritical ways.

Babylon and Assyria are one and the same, so we are told:

Isa 10:5-11 O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation.

Assyria symbolizes our own lives while we are under the influence of the twisted false doctrines of Assyria, which is but an earlier form of Babylon. Being the exact same ethnic people, these two cities both symbolize the same thing in scripture.  They symbolize our lives while we live under God's wrath (Jer 51:7) in 'that great city wherein our Lord was crucified'. Assyria and Babylon both symbolize where we are spiritually while "the wrath of God abides on [us]".

Joh 3:36  He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

While being dominated by Assyria we live lives which are in total darkness because "the wrath of God abides on [us]. Isaiah has already told us the Lord has taken His Truth from us:

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,

If indeed the Lord has, at this time, removed from us "the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water", then what that means is there is not one single doctrine of Babylon and Assyria which has not be tainted with the heresies of that carnal-minded kingdom.

Isaiah has already informed us:

Isa 9:19  Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts is the land darkened, and the people shall be as the fuel of the fire: no man shall spare his brother.

In that darkened state we are totally unaware of what the Lord has done to us, so we still want to claim His name. What we do not want is to do what He tells us to do. This is how Isaiah portrays our life under the Lord's wrath, where we live while we are under Assyria's dominance in our life:

Isa 4:1  And in that day seven women 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.

Being carried away as a captive into Assyria and Babylon does not change our hearts or minds. We must "come out of her" before that change will come:

Rev 18:3  For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
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.
Rev 18:5  For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.

The Lord Himself places us into this sad position for the very purpose of giving Himself the occasion and the opportunity He is seeking to pour out His wrath upon "the seat [Greek: thronos - throne] of the beast" within us:

Rev 16:10  And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat [Greek: thronos - throne] of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain,
Rev 16:11  And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.

Assyria, which is the same as Babylon, is pictured here in Revelation 17 as a harlot "woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus". Those are the words the holy spirit has chosen to describe the effects of the false doctrines of this great harlot upon the lives of all "the kings of the earth... and the inhabitants of the earth". All men, including each of us in our own time, "have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication". That 'wine' is the "old wine", the law of Moses, which is called "a carnal commandment", and our old man finds that 'old wine', the doctrines of the Old Testament, the law of Moses, to be far more appealing than the "new wine... the law of Christ".

Luk 5:37  And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish.
Luk 5:38  But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved.
Luk 5:39  No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.

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

One lesson we must learn in these studies is that the law of Moses is the same as the law of the Gentiles, both of which are "carnal commandment[s]... for the lawless and disobedient..." Those are the laws of Assyria and Babylon.

Rom 2:14  For when the Gentiles, which have not the law [of Moses], do by nature the things contained in the law [of Moses], these, having not the law [of Moses], are a law [of Moses] unto themselves:
Rom 2:15  Which shew the work of the law [of Moses] written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;

Here in the book of Hebrews, the law of Moses is even called "a carnal commandment":

Heb 7:14  For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.
Heb 7:15  And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest,
Heb 7:16  Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.

Being 'a carnal commandment" for a carnal nation, the law of Moses was never designed for a righteous man, but it was designed, like the laws of the Gentiles, for the lawless and disobedient:

1Ti 1:9  Knowing this, that the law [of Moses] is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
1Ti 1:10  For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;

Our greatest enemy is the proud, rebellious, hypocritical old man within us all who uses the carnal commandments of the law of Moses to justify nullifying the law of Christ. We simply are not given, by nature, to see ourselves as the hypocrites the Lord has made us to be and hardened our hearts to become:

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.

But in the darkness that is the kingdom of the beast within us, we cannot see ourselves as the hypocrites we are. To the contrary it is natural for us to think that we would never have disobeyed God's commandment against eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. There are those who want to "punch Adam in the nose" for being so foolish and rebellious, not knowing that expressing such a sentiment is itself in rebellion against the law of Christ. We all read the story of Cain and Abel, and we just naturally wonder how Cain could possibly have committed such a heinous act against his own "righteous [brother] Abel" (Mat 23:35). We read of Noah's drunkenness, of Abraham's denying his own wife, of Jacob cheating his brother out of his blessing, of the nation of Israel rebelling against God ten times in the wilderness, of King David's adultery and the subsequent murder to hide his adultery, and we think that we ourselves would never have eaten of the forbidden fruit, or killed our own brother or any of those heinous sins of which we read because we think we are better than that.

The lesson in every case, of course, is that those men and those sins are types of us, and those very sins will even be required of us:

Mat 23:35  That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.
Mat 23:36  Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.

The scriptures are the Word of God which does "not pass away" and which is always addressed to "this generation":

Mat 24:34  Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
Mat 24:35  Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

Which generation will not pass away until all these things be fulfilled? We are not left to guess. That generation is the generation of "whoso readeth" in every generation since Christ.

Mat 24:15  When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)

That being the case, we must come to see that we are the generation of whom all the blood of all the prophets who have been slain from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Christ Himself and the blood of "His Christ" will be required.

Luk 11:49  Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute:
Luk 11:50  That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation;
Luk 11:51  From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation.

If we are granted to see the truth of Luke 11:49-51, then when we read of how the Lord brought His people up out of Egypt, we can recognize that the 'Egypt' out of which He is bringing us is the Egypt of our own taskmaster. Our own ruthless old man, who dominated us, was our enemy used by God to drive us to our wits' end until we are forced to cry out to Him to send us a Savior:

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

There has never been a "taskmaster" so ruthless and demanding as our own brutish pride and  our own sinful nature. 'Egypt' typifies the rebellious, carnal-minded flesh, the "taskmaster" into which we, and all men, are just naturally born as slaves to our own proud, selfish, carnal desires. However God has mercy on us and hears our cries to be delivered from the power of our flesh, and then, after a short time of great gratitude, it is we, who again, just naturally become a nation who is very self-righteous, and yet at the same time we are very rebellious and sinful, and we must be punished by our own God who brought us up out of Egypt. Now He uses another king, the king of Assyria, as His instrument of punishment upon us:

Isa 10:5 O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation.

Then at our own appointed time, our flesh wants to return to Egypt, but the Lord has determined that action will not be permitted. Instead, after we come up out of Egypt and after we spend our preordained time in a land flowing with milk and honey, we are predestined to begin to take our many blessings for granted and to lose our first love (Rev 2:4) and come to the point that we must be punished for our sins by being ruled over by the king of Babylon, who is in the land of Assyria.

We are told that this is the predestined order of events in:

Hos 11:1  When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.
Hos 11:2  As they called them, so they went from them: they sacrificed unto Baalim, and burned incense to graven images.
Hos 11:3  I taught Ephraim also to go, taking them by their arms; but they knew not that I healed them.
Hos 11:4  I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love: and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat unto them.
Hos 11:5  He shall not return into the land of Egypt, but the Assyrian shall be his king, because they refused to return.
Hos 11:6  And the sword shall abide on his cities, and shall consume his branches, and devour them, because of their own counsels.
Hos 11:7  And my people are bent to backsliding from me: though they called them to the most High, none at all would exalt him.

Why do we marvel that Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit, that Noah got drunk at the first opportunity, that Abraham twice denied his wife, or that Israel rebelled against their own deliverer and wanted to return to Egypt after being miraculously delivered out of that oppression and bondage?

Num 14:4  And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.

The reason we read all those stories and marvel at the lack of faith of those who have come before us is that we hypocritically think that we are above such foolishness and such spiritual immaturity. It is while we are still steeped in all the lies of Babylon, where we do not yet have a clue that what we think is light is, in reality, deep spiritual darkness. At that point we actually abhor the True 'Light'.

Joh 9:39  And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.
Joh 9:40  And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?
Joh 9:41  Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.

At that point in our "experience of evil" (Ecc 1:13, CLV) we believe that the darkness of lies and false doctrines are the light of God's Words, and so again we are told:

Joh 3:19  And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
Joh 3:20  For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
Joh 3:21  But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

Our deeds reflect our doctrine. If we love our enemies, then we have no problem coming to the 'light', because "the Light" tells us to do so. If we are hypocrites, we will not "come to the light, lest [our] deeds should be reproved".

Which brings us to our next verse in today's study:

Isa 10:6  I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.

God has sent Assyria and Babylon against the people of His wrath with a charge to take the spoil, to take the prey and to tread them down like mire of the streets. There can be no better words to describe what the great harlot and her daughter harlots do to those upon whom she sits and rules. She uses us to her own benefit just as any harlot would. And how do we, in our blinded, darkened state, feel about being so used by our oppressor? This is what the scriptures reveal to be our state of mind while being so physically, mentally and spiritually abused:

Jer 5:30  A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land;
Jer 5:31  The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?

Does this great harlot, Assyria and Babylon, see herself as the harlot who the Lord says she is? No, of course not. The Jews did not realize they were crucifying their own Savior. None of us, while we were attending and tithing to the churches of this world, thought we were part of the great harlot system which has "deceived the whole world" (Rev 12:9). We do not just naturally see ourselves as those who crucified Christ. Neither did literal Assyria realize the depth of their own brutality, and yet this is who we are:

Isa 10:7  Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few.

We have already seen that, while in Assyria, we are incapable of seeing ourselves as having to give an accounting for "the blood of all the prophets from Abel to Zacharias".

But we are Assyria, and as such we do not see ourselves as the brute beasts which we are. In that state of mind we certainly do not realize that we were made in such a state for the specific purpose of being "taken and destroyed".

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

Neither do we see ourselves symbolized by the great harlot, Babylon. Rather, this is what we say, and this is what we do at that point:

Pro 30:20  Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness.

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:
Rev 3:18  I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
Rev 3:19  As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

Saul of Tarsus did not feel condemned for "breathing out slaughter against the church", and he felt no remorse for having supervised the stoning of Stephen. This is how he did feel:

Php 3:4  Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:
Php 3:5  Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
Php 3:6  Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
Php 3:7  But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

It was Saul's zeal for the law of Moses which compelled him to persecute the church. His light was total darkness and spiritual blindness, and at that time he was glorying in his zeal. That is what we also do while we faithfully and zealously serve Assyria. It is our goal to break down any barriers against the expansion of our evangelistic Assyrian, Babylonian kingdom, which zeal is expressed in these words:

Isa 10:8  For he saith, Are not my princes altogether kings?
Isa 10:9  Is not Calno as Carchemish? is not Hamath as Arpad? is not Samaria as Damascus?

No city had withstood Assyria - not Calno, Carchemish, Hamath, Arpad, Samaria or Damascus. They had all succumbed to the zeal of the kings and princes of Assyria. It was in His zeal that Saul of Tarsus had supervised the stoning of Stephen, because the law of Moses required that we hate our enemies. There was no doubt that the doctrines of Christ were enmity against the law of Moses. Every time Christ had said "You have heard it said by them of old... but I say unto you..." those words of Christ, from Saul's law-oriented perspective, were the equivalent of an insurrection against the law of Moses, and were therefore worthy of the death of Christ and of all of His followers.

Act 7:57  Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him [Stephen] with one accord,
Act 7:58  And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.
Act 7:59  And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.

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.

Saul of Tarsus' trip to Damascus was a terrible experience for Saul of Tarsus, but it was the best thing that ever happened to the apostle Paul. As we will come to see, after the Lord uses Assyria to punish His hypocritical people, He then uses the remnant of His people to punish Assyria and Babylon.

But until the Lord's wrath against our hypocrisy is filled up against us, Assyria and Babylon, typifying the great harlot, are given to spoil us. Assyria is the rod of His wrath against us, His own people, who, as slaves of Assyria and Babylon, are still saying within ourselves:

Isa 10:10  As my hand hath found the kingdoms of the idols, and whose graven images did excel them of Jerusalem and of Samaria;
Isa 10:11  Shall I not, as I have done unto Samaria and her idols, so do to Jerusalem and her idols?

Physical Assyria and physical Babylon are the symbols of the spiritual kingdoms which have enslaved all "the kings of the earth", including, but not at all limited to, those who are the Lord's own chosen people.

Jer 25:9  Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the LORD, and Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and an hissing, and perpetual desolations.

Rev 17:15  And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

The Lord's chosen people are symbolized by Jerusalem and Samaria, the capitals respectively for the southern kingdom of Judah and the northern kingdom of Israel. The fact that Israel is a divided nation is an indication of just how far from our God we are, who at one time claimed the name of Christ. While we will not again see the phrase, "His hand is stretched out still", we will continue to see that His hand is still stretched out against His own people who have completely forsaken Him

"All the families of the north, and Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon", all being "of the north", symbolize those who the Lord uses to judge His completely apostatized and godless people, because judgment comes out of "the north" (Eze 9:1-2).

Next week we will see how the Lord, after sending Assyria and Babylon to punish and to humble the pride of His own chosen people, will then give judgment into the hands of His saints, and through His chosen few He will judge the pride and the rebellious hearts of the kings of Assyria and Babylon.

Isa 10:12  Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks.
Isa 10:13  For he saith, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom; for I am prudent: and I have removed the bounds of the people, and have robbed their treasures, and I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man:
Isa 10:14  And my hand hath found as a nest the riches of the people: and as one gathereth eggs that are left, have I gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or peeped.
Isa 10:15  Shall the axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith? or shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it? as if the rod should shake itself against them that lift it up, or as if the staff should lift up itself, as if it were no wood.

The Prophecy of Isaiah - Part 33 Discussion

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Isa 7:17- The Lord Shall Bring Upon Thee... The King of Assyria

Isa 7:17  The LORD shall bring upon thee, and upon thy people, and upon thy father's house, days that have not come, from the day that Ephraim departed from Judah; even the king of Assyria.

Remember that from Isaiah 6 onward​ is what Isaiah has been sent to tell God's people as per God's commission to Isaiah in that chapter. The preceding five chapters have already established that Isaiah was sent to "Judah and Jerusalem" to show them just how far from their God they now are. Isaiah 1:1 and verse 21 reveal that the great harlot of scripture is "Judah and Jerusalem", and here in chapter seven we are being told that because Jerusalem has become a murderous harlot, the Lord is sending "the king of Assyria against Judah and Jerusalem in judgment for her infidelity and her promiscuity. Judah and Jerusalem were not willing to be faithful to Christ, her legitimate and lawful husband. Therefore:

Isa 7:17  The LORD shall bring upon thee, and upon thy people, and upon thy father's house, days that have not come, from the day that Ephraim departed from Judah; even the king of Assyria.

...from the day Ephraim departed from Judah

What is the spiritual significance of "from the day Ephraim departed from Judah"?

The breakup of the kingdom is, in effect, the beginning of our spiritual judgment. Israel did not depart from Judah without a reason. Rehoboam, the son of King Solomon was not a man who cared for either his subjects or his Creator. His self-​centered greed brought about the breakup of the kingdom into the nations of Judah and Israel (also known as Ephraim). Israel had God's name but did not want to wear His apparel or eat His bread (Isa 4:1).

The phrase "from the day that Ephraim departed from Judah" signifi​es that the beginning of our judgment is signaled by some deceitful, distressing experience in our lives which is only "the beginning of sorrows". Christ tells us what we need to understand about the beginning of our judgment:

Mat 24:5  For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
Mat 24:6  And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
Mat 24:7  For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
Mat 24:8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.

Our judgment begins when we are deceived into believing that Christ's death was in substitution for our own death. We are in effect told that Paul lied to us when he said:

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.

1Co 15:31  I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.

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.

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:

Here is what precipitated the judgments which the Lord brought upon Israel,​ which were the sorest judgments since "the day that Ephraim departed from Judah":

1Ki 12:12  So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had appointed, saying, Come to me again the third day.
1Ki 12:13  And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the old men's counsel that they gave him;
1Ki 12:14  And spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
1Ki 12:15  Wherefore the king hearkened not unto the people; for the cause was from the LORD, that he might perform his saying, which the LORD spake by Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

It is of utmost importance for us to notice that all these words are addressed to those who claim to have a relationship with their God. But instead of being merciful to the Lord's people, the rulers of the Lord's flock just naturally tend to abuse His flock. That is what Rehoboam did to the Lord's people,​ and that is what we all do to the Lord's prophets and the Lord's true disciples.

Just as He had done with self-​righteous Job, the Lord began to take down the hedge He had about Israel during the reigns of Kings David and King Solomon. Spiritually speaking the Lord was in type and shadow 'Gone into a far country for a  long time':

Luk 12:45  But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken;
Luk 12:46  The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.

Luk 20:9  Then began he to speak to the people this parable; A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it forth to husbandmen, and went into a far country for a long time.

It was during this time that the Lord sent Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel, Elijah, Elisha, and all His prophets to Israel. As "types of us" Israel first must hate the Lord's prophets:

Act 7:52  Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:

In her negative application, ​Israel ​is the great harlot with whom we at first are made to be so drunken with her false doctrines that we cannot see our own rebellious sins and iniquities. It is such strong delusion that we do not even realize what is taking place when the Lord begins to punish us for our sins:

Pro 23:35  They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.

Jer 5:3  O LORD, are not thine eyes upon the truth? thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return.

In the outward realm, also​,​ many orthodox Christians are at this moment rejoicing in the election of our new president here in the United States. They are in total defiance of the doctrines of Christ and are so drunk on the doctrines of the great harlot that they are praising God that He has given them a leader who has promised to be the hero both of the Christian community and of the LGBTQ community. That is exactly where ancient Israel stood when the prophets were sent to her to show her her own nakedness and sins.

Eze 5:1  And thou, son of man, take thee a sharp knife, take thee a barber's razor, and cause it to pass upon thine head and upon thy beard: then take thee balances to weigh, and divide the hair.
Eze 5:2  Thou shalt burn with fire a third part in the midst of the city, when the days of the siege are fulfilled: and thou shalt take a third part, and smite about it with a knife: and a third part thou shalt scatter in the wind; and I will draw out a sword after them.
Eze 5:3  Thou shalt also take thereof a few in number, and bind them in thy skirts.
Eze 5:4  Then take of them again, and cast them into the midst of the fire, and burn them in the fire; for thereof shall a fire come forth into all the house of Israel.
Eze 5:5  Thus saith the Lord GOD; This is Jerusalem: I have set it in the midst of the nations and countries that are round about her.
Eze 5:6  And she hath changed my judgments into wickedness more than the nations, and my statutes more than the countries that are round about her: for they have refused my judgments and my statutes, they have not walked in them.
Eze 5:7  Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye multiplied more than the nations that are round about you, and have not walked in my statutes, neither have kept my judgments, neither have done according to the judgments of the nations that are round about you;
Eze 5:8  Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, am against thee, and will execute judgments in the midst of thee in the sight of the nations. 
Eze 5:9  And I will do in thee that which I have not done, and whereunto I will not do any more the like, because of all thine abominations.
Eze 5:10  Therefore the fathers shall eat the sons in the midst of thee, and the sons shall eat their fathers; and I will execute judgments in thee, and the whole remnant of thee will I scatter into all the winds.
Eze 5:11  Wherefore, as I live, saith the Lord GOD; Surely, because thou hast defiled my sanctuary with all thy detestable things, and with all thine abominations, therefore will I also diminish thee; neither shall mine eye spare, neither will I have any pity.
Eze 5:12  A third part of thee shall die with the pestilence, and with famine shall they be consumed in the midst of thee: and a third part shall fall by the sword round about thee; and I will scatter a third part into all the winds, and I will draw out a sword after them.
Eze 5:13  Thus shall mine anger be accomplished, and I will cause my fury to rest upon them, and I will be comforted: and they shall know that I the LORD have spoken it in my zeal, when I have accomplished my fury in them. 
Eze 5:14  Moreover I will make thee waste, and a reproach among the nations that are round about thee, in the sight of all that pass by.
Eze 5:15  So it shall be a reproach and a taunt, an instruction and an astonishment unto the nations that are round about thee, when I shall execute judgments in thee in anger and in fury and in furious rebukes. I the LORD have spoken it.
Eze 5:16  When I shall send upon them the evil arrows of famine, which shall be for their destruction, and which I will send to destroy you: and I will increase the famine upon you, and will break your staff of bread: 
Eze 5:17  So will I send upon you famine and evil beasts, and they shall bereave thee; and pestilence and blood shall pass through thee; and I will bring the sword upon thee. I the LORD have spoken it.

The repeated phrase "a third part" tells us this is the long process of being judged. With no spiritul bread or any spiritual water (Eze 3:1),​ Israel is so promiscuous that Isaiah tells us that God considered His own symbolic wife to be a harlot:

Isa 1:21  How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers.

God's elect cannot compromise as a harlot does, and for that reason they are "hated of all men" and "lie dead" in the streets of that great harlot city (Mat 10:22 and Rev 11:8).

In the Lord's time and in His order (1Co 15:23), we who are called "Jerusalem above... the Israel of God" as well as physical Isr​ae​l will be judged and will eventually be brought to repentance and be restored to Him.

1Co 15:22  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
1Co 15:23  But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
1Co 15:24  Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.

But according to the scriptures, this all involves "a long time", and in making that point, we must take note that the Lord had a relationship with His "husbandmen" before He "went into a far country for a long time". We also need to realize that the rebellion of His husbandmen takes place during this "long time" their Lord is away from them.

Luk 20:9  Then began he to speak to the people this parable; A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it forth to husbandmen, and went into a far country for a long time.
Luk 20:10  And at the season he sent a servant to the husbandmen, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard: but the husbandmen beat him, and sent him away empty.
Luk 20:11 And again he sent another servant: and they beat him also, and entreated him shamefully, and sent him away empty.
Luk 20:12 And again he sent a third: and they wounded him also, and cast him out.
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.
Luk 20:15  So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto them?
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.

"Let us kill him that the inheritance may be ours" is typified by Joseph's ten brothers wanting to kill him:

Gen 37:8  And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams [his inheritance], and for his words.

Gen 37:20  Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams [his inheritance].

As a part of all mankind ​we​ must live by every word which proceeds out of the mouth of God (Mat 4:4 and Luk 4:4). The blood of all the prophets is required of "this generation [meaning of the generation of] he that readeth" (Luk 11:50-51; Mat 24:15). For that reason we must all be Joseph's brothers before we can become Joseph. We must all first be those of whom is required the blood of all the prophets and of the Heir Himself, the blood of Christ, before we can become "Jesus of Nazareth" (Act 22:8). That is why it is so appropriate that Saul of Tarsus was "breathing out slaughter against the [Christ of Christ]" before he was stricken down on the road to Damascus and transformed into a mighty soldier of Christ. Saul of Tarsus typifies me and you.

But when Christ apprehends us and begins to destroy the wicked, rebellious, self-​willed husbandman within us, His judgment is not at that exact moment over and done. Christ Himself makes that very plain:

Joh 15:2  Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

Judgment begins at the house of God, but it does not end just because we are struck down on the road to Damascus and apprehended by our Lord. Our judgment does not end just because He catches our eye while we are denying Him before this world for the third time (Act 9:1-22 and Luk 22:54-62). The Truth is that after we are apprehended our judgment begins in earnest.

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 the spiritual significance of "from the day Ephraim departed from Judah".

The LORD shall bring upon thee...the king of Assyria

So who and what does the king of Assyria symbolize? It will help us to understand who and what the king of Assyria symbolizes when we notice where the exiles of the Lord's people, Israel, with its capital of Samaria, were sent by this king of Assyria:

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

But look at another city that was part of the Assyian empire at that time:

2Ki 17:24  And the king of Assyria brought men from Babylon, and from Cuthah, and from Ava, and from Hamath, and from Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel: and they possessed Samaria, and dwelt in the cities thereof.

Babylon at this time was under the dominion of the king of Assyria, and we are told that the Lord sends "the king of Assyria" to chasten and scourge His unfaithful harlot wife. But​ the king of Assyria is soon to be subdued by his own rebellious city of Babylon under King Nebuchadnezzar. Of course it was Babylon, under King Nebuchadnezzar,​ who would later carry away Judah and Jerusalem into Babylonian captivity for the same adulterous reason Israel was carried away into Assyria.

Yet Isaiah tells Judah and Jerusalem that He will bring "the king of Assyria" against Judah and Jerusalem. He can say that simply because these two cities are the same pe​ople. They are "the king of the north"​,​ and judgment comes out of the north (Eze 9:2).

So who do these two kingdoms symbolize? A better way to ask that question is what do these two kingdoms symbolize?

This is the function of those who are used by our Lord to correct His unfaithful, and promiscuous people:

Isa 10:5  O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation.

There it is! The rod of the Lord's indignation is "the king of Assyria [and] the king of Babylon", who are one and the same people. They symbolize the judgment that comes upon Christ's apostatized people in all ages.

Now that we know who and what these kings symbolize, let's look at what the Lord's indignation accomplishes:

Eze 21:31  And I will pour out mine indignation upon thee, I will blow against thee in the fire of my wrath, and deliver thee into the hand of brutish men, and skilful to destroy.

Eze 22:31  Therefore have I poured out mine indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath: their own way have I recompensed upon their heads, saith the Lord GOD. 

Zep 3:8  Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the LORD, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.

The Lord's symbol for His indignation is this "King of Assyia", who later is replaced by the king of Babylon. It is through this symbol that "all the earth shall be dovoured with the fire of [His] jealousy".

When we put these verses together with the verses in the book of Revelation, which also tell us of a harlot woman who​m​ the Lord has ordained to bear rule over all nations, we find that the Lord uses the same symbolism:

Rev 17:18  And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.

Who is this woman who "reigns over the kings of the earth"?

Rev 17:1  And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:
Rev 17:2  With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.
Rev 17:3  So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
Rev 17:4  And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
Rev 17:5  And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
Rev 17:6  And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.

Lo and behold! This woman who deceives and rules over "the kings of the earth" and who is "drunken with the blood of the saints" is also called "Mystery Babylon The Great", and it is through this woman we are told the Lord will "gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy" (Zep 3:8).

While it is true that a few of the Lord's people do come out of Babylon, those who choose to leave Babylon to go back to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple of the Lord are few and a mere fraction of those who were there in Babylon. And even then, many of those who did return to Jerusalem brought their Babylonian ways and their Babylonian wives with them and had to be purged of that unacceptable position in which they found themselves, and in which we find ourselves.

Ezr 9:1  Now when these things were done, the princes came to me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the people of the lands, [who had been brought there from Babylon and other Assyrian cities] doing according to their abominations, even of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.
Ezr 9:2  For they have taken of their daughters for themselves, and for their sons: so that the holy seed have mingled themselves with the people of those lands: yea, the hand of the princes and rulers hath been chief in this trespass.

This very condition is the fruit of the Lord's wrath against His adulterous people. It is by the agency of the kings of Assryria and Babylon that He chastens and scourges His own people, and,​ as we read in Zephaniah, it will be with this same symbolic people, those who symbolize all religion in opposition to Christ, that Christ will chasten and scourge "all the earth", as we have already witnessed and as we are still witnessing outwardly every day:

Zep 3:8  Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the LORD, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.

So we now know that the king of Assyria symbolizes "the rod of [the Lord's] indignation". That is why in our next study the Lord tells us:

Isa 7:18  And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall hiss for the fly that is in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt, and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria.