Acts 24:1-27 Felix Heard Paul Concerning the Faith In Christ

[Study Aired September 24, 2023]

Act 24:1  And after five days Ananias the high priest descended with the elders, and with a certain orator named Tertullus, who informed the governor against Paul.
Act 24:2  And when he was called forth, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, Seeing that by thee we enjoy great quietness, and that very worthy deeds are done unto this nation by thy providence,
Act 24:3  We accept it always, and in all places, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness.
Act 24:4  Notwithstanding, that I be not further tedious unto thee, I pray thee that thou wouldest hear us of thy clemency a few words.
Act 24:5  For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes:
Act 24:6  Who also hath gone about to profane the temple: whom we took, and would have judged according to our law.
Act 24:7  But the chief captain Lysias came upon us, and with great violence took him away out of our hands,
Act 24:8  Commanding his accusers to come unto thee: by examining of whom thyself mayest take knowledge of all these things, whereof we accuse him.
Act 24:9  And the Jews also assented, saying that these things were so.
Act 24:10  Then Paul, after that the governor had beckoned unto him to speak, answered, Forasmuch as I know that thou hast been of many years a judge unto this nation, I do the more cheerfully answer for myself:
Act 24:11  Because that thou mayest understand, that there are yet but twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem for to worship.
Act 24:12  And they neither found me in the temple disputing with any man, neither raising up the people, neither in the synagogues, nor in the city:
Act 24:13  Neither can they prove the things whereof they now accuse me.
Act 24:14  But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets:
Act 24:15  And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.
Act 24:16  And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.
Act 24:17  Now after many years I came to bring alms to my nation, and offerings.
Act 24:18  Whereupon certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, neither with multitude, nor with tumult.
Act 24:19  Who ought to have been here before thee, and object, if they had ought against me.
Act 24:20  Or else let these same here say, if they have found any evil doing in me, while I stood before the council,
Act 24:21  Except it be for this one voice, that I cried standing among them, Touching the resurrection of the dead I am called in question by you this day.
Act 24:22  And when Felix heard these things, having more perfect knowledge of that way, he deferred them, and said, When Lysias the chief captain shall come down, I will know the uttermost of your matter.
Act 24:23  And he commanded a centurion to keep Paul, and to let him have liberty, and that he should forbid none of his acquaintance to minister or come unto him.
Act 24:24  And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ.
Act 24:25  And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.
Act 24:26  He hoped also that money should have been given him of Paul, that he might loose him: wherefore he sent for him the oftener, and communed with him.
Act 24:27  But after two years Porcius Festus came into Felix’ room: and Felix, willing to shew the Jews a pleasure, left Paul bound.

In chapter 23 we saw that the chief captain, Claudius Lysias, had assembled the Sanhedrin and placed Paul before them to help the chief captain understand why the Jews so passionately despised Paul. If Paul has spoken the day before in Greek, Claudius Lysias might have noticed that it was Paul’s insistence that God had sent him to the Gentiles which had set the Jews into an uproar. However, Paul was speaking to the multitude in Hebrew, and the chief captain had no idea why the Jews were so upset with this man, Paul, who was a fellow Jew. The chief captain witnessed Paul being smacked in the mouth. Paul realized that this time he was between a rock and a hard place. He noticed that the Sanhedrin was split between Pharisees and Sadducees, and he cried out “in hope of the resurrection of the dead am I called in question this day.” Since the Sadducees do not believe in a resurrection, another uproar ensued, and Claudius Lysias, for the second time in as many days, had to rescue Paul from the hate-filled mob.

That same day Paul’s nephew heard a group of “above forty men” conspiring to kill Paul, and he went into the castle and told Paul what he had heard. Paul called a centurion to himself and instructed him to take his nephew to the chief captain because the young man had something to tell him. Claudius Lysias, the chief captain listened to what the young man had heard, and that very night he had Paul transferred to Caesarea with a letter to Felix the governor of Judea, under the guard of 470 men for 42 miles of a 68-mile trip. The last third of the journey Paul was still guarded by 70 horsemen and delivered safely to the governor, Felix, who told Paul that he would be kept in “Herod’s judgment hall” until his accusers came down from Jerusalem. That took place five days after Paul arrived in Caesarea.

A ‘bodyguard’ of four hundred and seventy men demonstrates the Lord’s ability to minister to our needs “abundantly above all that we ask or think”:

Eph 3:13  Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.
Eph 3:14  For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Eph 3:15  Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
Eph 3:16  That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
Eph 3:17  That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
Eph 3:18  May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
Eph 3:19  And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
Eph 3:20  Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
Eph 3:21  Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

Paul would never have even thought of asking for a 470-man bodyguard against his enemies, but that is what the Lord gave him. He can and He does do the same for us as He sees fit to provide for our needs.

Act 24:1  And after five days Ananias the high priest descended with the elders, and with a certain orator named Tertullus, who informed the governor against Paul.

The highest principality of the church in the wilderness, along “with the elders”, all made the 68-mile trip down to Caesarea from Jerusalem in the hope of destroying the ‘seed of the woman’:

Act 24:2  And when he was called forth, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, Seeing that by thee we enjoy great quietness, and that very worthy deeds are done unto this nation by thy providence,
Act 24:3  We accept it always, and in all places, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness.
Act 24:4  Notwithstanding, that I be not further tedious unto thee, I pray thee that thou wouldest hear us of thy clemency a few words.
Act 24:5  For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes:
Act 24:6  Who also hath gone about to profane the temple: whom we took, and would have judged according to our law.
Act 24:7  But the chief captain Lysias came upon us, and with great violence took him away out of our hands,
Act 24:8  Commanding his accusers to come unto thee: by examining of whom thyself mayest take knowledge of all these things, whereof we accuse him.
Act 24:9  And the Jews also assented, saying that these things were so.

The high priest and the elders all conspired to accuse Paul of sedition and of profaning the temple:

Psa 2:2  The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed,

Act 4:26  The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ.

Paul pointed out the obvious fact that there was no proof of anything he had been accused of. The lesson for us is that God’s elect are so hated by the established churches that even the church leaders think nothing of falsely accusing us of heresies, the very thing of which they themselves are guilty, and they will lie and bear false witness against us and our doctrine.

Christ gives us these instructions:

Mar 13:11  But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.

Act 24:10  Then Paul, after that the governor had beckoned unto him to speak, answered, Forasmuch as I know that thou hast been of many years a judge unto this nation, I do the more cheerfully answer for myself:
Act 24:11  Because that thou mayest understand, that there are yet but twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem for to worship.

Here are those twelve days. There is absolutely and manifestly no time anywhere in these twelve days for Paul to have been a “mover of sedition”, and he certainly would never have done anything while he was in Jerusalem that would have “profaned the temple.”

Day one:

Act 21:15  And after those days we took up our carriages, and went up to Jerusalem.
Act 21:16  There went with us also certain of the disciples of Caesarea, and brought with them one Mnason of Cyprus, an old disciple, with whom we should lodge.
Act 21:17  And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly.

Paul had brought a gift of alms from the Gentiles to the Jews (Act 24:17). The apostles and elders of the church knew that Paul was “walking orderly and keeping the law (Act 21:24) and the brethren received [him] gladly.”

Day two:

Act 21:18  And the day following Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present.
Act 21:19  And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry.
Act 21:20  And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law:
Act 21:21  And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs.
Act 21:22  What is it therefore? the multitude must needs come together: for they will hear that thou art come.
Act 21:23  Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men which have a vow on them;
Act 21:24  Them take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave their heads: and all may know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, and keepest the law.
Act 21:25  As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication.

That statement by James, referring to the letter to the Gentiles mentioned in Acts 15, was the fruit of the Jerusalem conference. That conference had produced an eleven to three consensus that the Jews had to keep the law of Moses, but the Gentiles had to “observe no such thing.” That consensus is later referred to as “the decrees of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem”, and that is what Paul was really “teach[ing] all of the Jews which were among the Gentiles”, and that is what the scriptures reveal in these verses:

Act 16:4  And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem.
Act 16:5  And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.

Paul was a physical Jew, and he was living by and keeping “the decrees… that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem.” He had no problem demonstrating that ‘he himself was walking orderly and keeping the law of Moses.’

Day three:

Act 21:26  Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying himself with them entered into the temple, to signify the accomplishment of the days of purification, until that an offering should be offered for every one of them.
Act 21:27  And when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews which were of Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the people, and laid hands on him,
Act 21:28  Crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man, that teacheth all men every where against the people, and the law, and this place: and further brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place.

We are not given the hour of the day when the chief captain rescued Paul from the Jews, but we do know that Paul became a Roman prisoner on this third day since he had gone up to Jerusalem to worship. At this point Paul had been in Jerusalem less than three days when he became a prisoner of Rome.

His accusers had conspired to lie against him, but it demonstrates how the religious leaders of this world will tell outright lies about the Lord’s elect. “Think it not strange” when this world tells lies about you (1Pe 4:12).

Day four:

Act 22:30  On the morrow, because he would have known the certainty wherefore he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him from his bands, and commanded the chief priests and all their council to appear, and brought Paul down, and set him before them.

The high priest commanded the men next to Paul to slap him in the mouth as soon as he began to speak, and the holy spirit gave Paul the words he needed to deliver himself “out of the mouth of the lion” (2ti 4:17):

Act 23:6  But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.
Act 23:7  And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees: and the multitude was divided.
Act 23:8  For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both.
Act 23:9  And there arose a great cry: and the scribes that were of the Pharisees’ part arose, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man: but if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God.
Act 23:10  And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and to bring him into the castle.

The Lord sends out armies in our defense when the need arises!

Day five:

Act 23:11  And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.

It is in “the night” in our darkest hour, that the Lord comes and gives us correction, direction, hope and instructions:

Job 33:14  For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not.
Job 33:15  In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed;
Job 33:16  Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction,
Job 33:17  That he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man.
Job 33:18  He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword.

Paul himself was blind and in total darkness when he was given his instructions from the Lord:

Act 9:6  And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
Act 9:7  And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.
Act 9:8  And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus.
Act 9:9  And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.

Joseph also received instructions through dreams he had at night when all his brothers “hated him and could not speak peaceably unto him.”

Gen 37:4  And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.
Gen 37:5  And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more.

The same is true for Abraham (Gen 15:12-17), Pharaoh (Gen 41:1-40), Abimelech (Gen 20:33), Laban (Gen 31:24), and Nebuchadnezzar (Dan 2:1, Dan 4:5). In every case, the Lord gave each of these men corrective instruction, and He does the same with us.

In the New Testament, Joseph was instructed in a dream to take Christ and His mother, Mary, into Egypt to escape the wrath of Herod (Mat 2:12). Peter refers to the prophecy of Joel 2 which tells us the Lord will speak to His elect in dreams (Joe 2:28, Act 2:17).

Christ told Paul he would go to Rome in the night of the fifth day. Let’s get back to what else occurred on the fifth day since Paul went up to Jerusalem to worship:

Act 23:12  And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.
Act 23:13  And they were more than forty which had made this conspiracy.

Act 23:16  And when Paul’s sister’s son heard of their lying in wait, he went and entered into the castle, and told Paul.
Act 23:17  Then Paul called one of the centurions unto him, and said, Bring this young man unto the chief captain: for he hath a certain thing to tell him.
Act 23:18  So he took him, and brought him to the chief captain, and said, Paul the prisoner called me unto him, and prayed me to bring this young man unto thee, who hath something to say unto thee.
Act 23:19  Then the chief captain took him by the hand, and went with him aside privately, and asked him,  What is that thou hast to tell me?

“The night following” (Act 23:11) is the night after Paul’s appearance before the Sanhedrin. Remember, the Jews begin the day at sunset, so all the events related in Acts 23:11-19 took place on the fifth day since Paul had come to Jerusalem to worship. The promise to Paul that he would testify of Christ in Rome, and the conspiracy of “above forty men” to kill Paul, and Paul’s nephew overhearing the conspiracy were all on the fifth day.

The sixth day:

Act 23:23  And [the chief captain] called unto him two centurions, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night;
Act 23:24  And provide them beasts, that they may set Paul on, and bring him safe unto Felix the governor.
Act 23:25  And he wrote a letter after this manner:
Act 23:26  Claudius Lysias unto the most excellent governor Felix sendeth greeting.

Claudius Lysias made his plans to send Paul to Felix, the governor of Judea, on the fifth day, but those plans began to be executed “at the third hour of the night”, which means they began to be implemented on the sixth day because the Jewish day begins at sunset.

The two hundred soldiers, the seventy horsemen and the two hundred spearmen marched all night long, forty-two miles, on the sixth day and then left the seventy horsemen at Antipatris and returned to Jerusalem. From Antipatris the seventy horsemen took Paul the remaining 26 miles to Caesarea and delivered him to Felix. This all took place on the sixth day after Paul had first arrived in Jerusalem from Caesarea.

Act 23:31  Then the soldiers, as it was commanded them, took Paul, and brought him by night to Antipatris.
Act 23:32  On the morrow they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the castle:
Act 23:33  Who, when they came to Caesarea, and delivered the epistle to the governor, presented Paul also before him.
Act 23:34  And when the governor had read the letter, he asked of what province he was. And when he understood that he was of Cilicia;
Act 23:35  I will hear thee, said he, when thine accusers are also come. And he commanded him to be kept in Herod’s judgment hall.

The Lord saw fit to use an incredible amount of taxpayer dollars, and an overwhelming show of force and manpower, to save Paul and deliver him safely to the governor, Felix, in Caesarea. Paul signifies all of God’s elect.

The seventh day through the eleventh day was spent in Herod’s Judgment Hall, waiting for Paul’s accusers to descend from Jerusalem to Caesarea.

Act 24:1  And after five days Ananias the high priest descended with the elders, and with a certain orator named Tertullus, who informed the governor against Paul.

Five days after Paul arrived in Caesarea, Ananias the high priest conspired with the elders, and they all arrived in Caesarea to accuse and tell lies against the apostle Paul once again falsely. It was the same lies that the Jews of Asia were spreading, accusing Paul of teaching the Jews which were among the Gentiles to forsake Moses. They also falsely accused him of bringing Gentiles into the temple at Jerusalem. All these false accusations were being made once again before Felix on the twelfth day since the apostle Paul had gone up to Jerusalem to worship as a practicing Jew who was “walking orderly and keeping the law” (Act 21:24).

That accounts for all twelve days until this second appearance before the high priest and the elders in Jerusalem where Paul once again defends himself. Knowing that Paul was a prisoner for over nine days of those twelve days makes it obvious that he had very little time to prepare a sedition against the Jews.

Act 24:12  And they neither found me in the temple disputing with any man, neither raising up the people, neither in the synagogues, nor in the city:
Act 24:13  Neither can they prove the things whereof they now accuse me.
Act 24:14  But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets:
Act 24:15  And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.
Act 24:16  And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.

Paul had said the same thing just before he was slapped in the mouth when defending himself before the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem:

Act 23:1  And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.
Act 23:2  And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth.

That did not happen here in Caesarea while the Sanhedrin was under the watchful eyes of Felix the governor. Now Paul is at liberty to defend himself:

Act 24:17  Now after many years I came to bring alms to my nation, and offerings.
Act 24:18  Whereupon certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, neither with multitude, nor with tumult.
Act 24:19  Who ought to have been here before thee, and object, if they had ought against me.
Act 24:20  Or else let these same here say, if they have found any evil doing in me, while I stood before the council,
Act 24:21  Except it be for this one voice, that I cried standing among them, Touching the resurrection of the dead I am called in question by you this day.

“Except it be for this one voice…” What Paul is confessing is that he did indeed cry out before the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem that he, as a Pharisee, believed in the resurrection of the dead, knowing the Sadducees did not believe in a resurrection of the dead. It was indeed that statement which caused all the contention which occurred when he was testifying before the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem. That move was by the inspiration of the holy spirit:

Mar 13:11  But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.

Luk 12:11  And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say:
Luk 12:12  For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.

Christ has already instructed us:

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.

Whenever we obey those words, it is a work of the holy spirit and not of ourselves. The Lord had in mind just such a situation as Paul was in there before the council when He gave us that admonition as the very next verse demonstrates:

Mat 10:17  But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils [G4892: ‘sunedrion’, Sanhedrin] and they will scourge you in their synagogues;

Felix, being a Roman, was given to favor the apostle Paul who was also a Roman citizen. Paul’s defense of himself before Felix took place on the twelfth day after Paul went up to Jerusalem to worship. For nine of those days and part of his third day in Jerusalem Paul was a Roman prisoner in no position to carry out a sedition of any kind.

Act 24:22  And when Felix heard these things, having more perfect knowledge of that way, he deferred them, and said, When Lysias the chief captain shall come down, I will know the uttermost of your matter.
Act 24:23  And he commanded a centurion to keep Paul, and to let him have liberty, and that he should forbid none of his acquaintance to minister or come unto him.

We know that Paul had the acquaintance of Philip, and no doubt other Christian brothers there in Caesarea, who would want to visit their brother in prison for the Lord and the gospel’s sake, being aware of the Lord’s words:

Mat 25:31  When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
Mat 25:32  And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
Mat 25:33  And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
Mat 25:34  Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
Mat 25:35  For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
Mat 25:36  Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
Mat 25:37  Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
Mat 25:38  When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
Mat 25:39  Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
Mat 25:40  And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Mat 25:41  Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
Mat 25:42  For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
Mat 25:43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
Mat 25:44  Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
Mat 25:45  Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
Mat 25:46  And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

The fiery trials we endure during this age (1Co 3:13-15, 1Pe 4:12) are not “prepared for the devil and his angels.” The lake of fire/second death at the white throne judgment is “prepared for the devil and his angels.”

Act 24:24  And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ.
Act 24:25  And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.

The Greek word translated as ‘reasoned” is G1256 (dialegomai) from which our English word ‘dialogue’ is derived. It suggests strongly there were some back-and-forth discussions between Paul and Felix and his Jewish wife, Drusilla. Notice that Paul did not preach that “the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God” (1Pe 4:17) to an unconverted Roman nor his unconverted Jewish wife. However, he did witness against them that there was indeed “judgment to come”.

Act 24:26  He [Felix] hoped also that money should have been given him of Paul, that he might loose him: wherefore he sent for him the oftener, and communed with him.

Felix was hoping Paul would give him a bribe. Instead of a bribe, Christ, through Paul, gave Felix a great witness.

We are given no indication that either Felix or his wife Drusilla were being dragged to the Lord, but they were certainly witnessed to by the Lord’s apostle, and at the appointed time Paul’s words will yet perform their fiery work of burning out all the false doctrines within Felix and Drusilla.

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 24:27  But after two years Porcius Festus came into Felix’ room: and Felix, willing to shew the Jews a pleasure, left Paul bound.

Like all politicians and like all men, Felix was attempting to please everyone, including the Jews who wanted Paul dead.

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

As we pointed out, Jerusalem signifies the Lord’s chosen people to whom we witness and who are being judged in this present time (Gal 4:26). Rome signifies the rest of mankind who are not being judged in this life and to whom we will witness and be merciful judges at the great white throne judgment.

Audio Download

Acts 23:19-35  I Came With an Army and Rescued Him

[Study Aired September 17, 2023]

Act 23:19  Then the chief captain took him by the hand, and went with him aside privately, and asked him, What is that thou hast to tell me?
Act 23:20  And he said, The Jews have agreed to desire thee that thou wouldest bring down Paul to morrow into the council, as though they would enquire somewhat of him more perfectly.
Act 23:21  But do not thou yield unto them: for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, which have bound themselves with an oath, that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him: and now are they ready, looking for a promise from thee.
Act 23:22  So the chief captain then let the young man depart, and charged him, See thou tell no man that thou hast shewed these things to me.
Act 23:23  And he called unto him two centurions, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night;
Act 23:24  And provide them beasts, that they may set Paul on, and bring him safe unto Felix the governor.
Act 23:25  And he wrote a letter after this manner:
Act 23:26  Claudius Lysias unto the most excellent governor Felix sendeth greeting.
Act 23:27  This man was taken of the Jews, and should have been killed of them: then came I with an army, and rescued him, having understood that he was a Roman.
Act 23:28  And when I would have known the cause wherefore they accused him, I brought him forth into their council:
Act 23:29  Whom I perceived to be accused of questions of their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds.
Act 23:30  And when it was told me how that the Jews laid wait for the man, I sent straightway to thee, and gave commandment to his accusers also to say before thee what they had against him. Farewell.
Act 23:31  Then the soldiers, as it was commanded them, took Paul, and brought him by night to Antipatris.
Act 23:32  On the morrow they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the castle:
Act 23:33  Who, when they came to Caesarea, and delivered the epistle to the governor, presented Paul also before him.
Act 23:34  And when the governor had read the letter, he asked of what province he was. And when he understood that he was of Cilicia;
Act 23:35  I will hear thee, said he, when thine accusers are also come. And he commanded him to be kept in Herod’s judgment hall.

In our last study we read how Paul’s sister’s son heard “above forty men” who were conspiring to kill Paul the next day after he had given witness to the Jerusalem Sanhedrin. Here is what they said to “the chief priests and the elders:

Act 23:14  And they [the “above forty” conspirators] came to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, that we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul.
Act 23:15  Now therefore ye with the council signify to the chief captain that he bring [Paul] down unto you to morrow, as though ye would enquire something more perfectly concerning him: and we, or ever he come near, are ready to kill him.
Act 23:16  And when Paul’s sister’s son heard of their lying in wait, he went and entered into the castle, and told Paul.
Act 23:17  Then Paul called one of the centurions unto him, and said, Bring this young man unto the chief captain: for he hath a certain thing to tell him.
Act 23:18  So he took him, and brought him to the chief captain, and said, Paul the prisoner called me unto him, and prayed me to bring this young man unto thee, who hath something to say unto thee.

In this study we will witness just how important we are to our Lord and how He spares no expense to keep us safe as we serve Him. It was the Lord Himself who gave Paul’s nephew the opportunity to overhear this conspiracy of “over forty men” who wanted to murder his uncle Paul, and the Lord is the person who gave this young man the desire to help ‘uncle Paul’ and save his life from those murderers. It appears outwardly that the chief captain, Claudius Lysias, was also given a fondness for the apostle Paul, but the Truth once again is that it was Christ who considered the apostle Paul to be the apple of His eye. Any fondness or sympathy the chief captain may have had for Paul was also a work of the Lord who ‘rules in the kingdoms of men’ and who is ‘working all things after the counsel of His own will’:

Dan 4:17  This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.

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:

Act 23:19  Then the chief captain took [Paul’s nephew] by the hand, and went with him aside privately, and asked him, What is that thou hast to tell me?
Act 23:20  And he said, The Jews have agreed to desire thee that thou wouldest bring down Paul to morrow into the council, as though they would enquire somewhat of him more perfectly.
Act 23:21  But do not thou yield unto them: for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, which have bound themselves with an oath, that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him: and now are they ready, looking for a promise from thee.
Act 23:22  So the chief captain then let the young man depart, and charged him, See thou tell no man that thou hast shewed these things to me.

Here now is a story which reveals how very much the Lord spares no expense in providing for the safety and protection of those whom He loves:

Act 23:23  And he called unto him two centurions, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night;
Act 23:24  And provide them beasts, that they may set Paul on, and bring him safe unto Felix the governor.

“Bring him safe unto Felix the Governor” by 200 footmen, 70 horsemen, and 200 spearmen! That is a total of 470 men to deliver the apple of the Lord’s eye safely to Felix the governor. The Lord uses the ‘ten horns on the beast’, signifying the secular powers of this earth, to protect His people from the religious powers of Babylon who want to destroy anyone who tells the Truth about all their false doctrines. The scriptures reveal that any time the great harlot comes into a conflict with the secular powers of the state, in the end the harlot will always come out on the short end of the stick and will at the appointed time be destroyed by the secular powers of the beast:

Rev 17:12  And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast [signifying the secular political leaders of this world].
Rev 17:13  These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.
Rev 17:14  These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
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.
Rev 17:16  And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.
Rev 17:17  For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.

This story of a conspiracy by more than forty men, who signify the great harlot, to destroy and kill the Lord’s elect, but being saved from physical death is an example of the hatred the beast has towards the great harlot who rules over the kings of this world.

Act 23:25  And he wrote a letter after this manner:
Act 23:26  Claudius Lysias unto the most excellent governor Felix sendeth greeting.
Act 23:27  This man was taken of the Jews, and should have been killed of them: then came I with an army, and rescued him, having understood that he was a Roman.

While it is true that the chief captain, Claudius Lysias, was made aware of Paul’s Roman citizenship, it was only after he first rescued Paul that he was made aware of that fact. Claudias Lysias was given the commission to keep the peace in Jerusalem, and he welcomed the opportunity to exercise his power over the Jews, just as the “ten horns” welcome the opportunity to hate the whore and make her desolate and naked, and eat her flesh and burn her with fire:

Rev 17:16  And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.

Here is a link which demonstrates the Biblical and spiritual significance of the number ‘ten’:

Spiritual Significance of the Number Ten

Here are just a few of the verses in scripture which demonstrate that the word ‘horn’ or ‘horns’ signifies power and strength – 1Sa 2:10, 2Sa 22:3, Lam 2:3, Psa 18:2.

Claudius Lysias glosses over the fact that when he first rescued Paul, he had no idea Paul was a Roman citizen and was preparing to “examine him by scourging; that he might know wherefore they cried so against him” (Act 22:14). Claudius Lysias had no intention of incriminating himself in binding a Roman citizen before giving him a trial.

Act 23:28  And when I would have known the cause wherefore they accused him, I brought him forth into their council:
Act 23:29  Whom I perceived to be accused of questions of their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds.
Act 23:30  And when it was told me how that the Jews laid wait for the man, I sent straightway to thee, and gave commandment to his accusers also to say before thee what they had against him. Farewell.
Act 23:31  Then the soldiers, as it was commanded them, took Paul, and brought him by night to Antipatris.

Here is what John Gill tells us about the distance from Jerusalem to Antipatris:

“and brought him by night to Antipatris: they set out from Jerusalem at the third hour, or about nine o’clock at night, and travelled all night, and by break of day came to Antipatris; a city which lay in the road from Jerusalem to Caesarea… It was forty two miles from Jerusalem.” (End Quote)

Act 23:32  On the morrow they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the castle:

The two hundred soldiers and the two hundred spearmen, who were all on foot, went back to Jerusalem after bringing Paul two-thirds of the way to Caesarea. There was no longer any danger from the Jews in Jerusalem at that point. Nevertheless, the seventy horsemen still accompanied Paul to Caesarea to be delivered safely to the governor, Felix.

Act 23:33  Who, when they came to Caesarea, and delivered the epistle to the governor, presented Paul also before him.

The Lord provided 470 men to escort the apple of His eye for two-thirds of the journey to Caesarea, which is 42 miles from Jerusalem to Antipatris. According to Gill, here is what was involved in traveling all the way from Jerusalem to Caesarea, north west of Jerusalem on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea:

“the way from Jerusalem to Caesarea lay through Nicopolis, Lydda, Antipatris, and Betthar; from Jerusalem to Nicopolis, according to the old Jerusalem Itinerary, were twenty two miles; from thence to Lydda, ten miles; and from Lydda to Antipatris ten more (which make forty two miles, as before observed); and from Antipatris to Betthar ten miles, and from thence to Caesarea, sixteen more: so that when the apostle was at Antipatris, he had twenty six miles more to go to Caesarea; and hence it appears, that the length of the journey from Jerusalem to Caesarea was sixty-eight miles;” (End Quote)

Act 23:34  And when the governor had read the letter, he asked of what province he was. And when he understood that he was of Cilicia;
Act 23:35  I will hear thee, said he, when thine accusers are also come. And he commanded him to be kept in Herod’s judgment hall.

As we will see in the next chapter of Acts, Paul had great liberty within ‘Herod’s judgment hall.’ The centurion who was guarding Paul was ordered to permit any of his acquaintances to minister to and come visit him:

Act 24:22  And when Felix heard these things, having more perfect knowledge of that way, he deferred them, and said, When Lysias the chief captain shall come down, I will know the uttermost of your matter.
Act 24:23  And he commanded a centurion to keep Paul, and to let him have liberty, and that he should forbid none of his acquaintance to minister or come unto him.

The Lord always provides protection for His elect. They may indeed be required to go into the dungeons of Egypt, go through the Red Sea, the fiery furnace, the lion’s den, and through the burden of carrying the cross of Christ, but He never has, and He never will forsake His elect:

Mat 28:20  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

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

There is one requirement for having this protection, and that requirement is to be willing to forfeit this life rather than to disobey the Lord. If we are given the grace to put obedience to the words of Christ above saving our physical life, then the Lord will protect us in this age and give us spiritual life in the age to come. Christ Himself gives us this promise:

Mat 19:27  Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?
Mat 19:28  And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Mat 19:29  And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.
Mat 19:30  But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.

Peter wanted to know what kind of deal he was making with Christ by ‘forsaking all to follow Him.’ Here is Mark’s account of Christ’s response to Peter’s question:

Mar 10:28  Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee.
Mar 10:29  And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s,
Mar 10:30  But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world [Greek: ‘aion’, age] to come eternal life.
Mar 10:31  But many that are first shall be last; and the last first.

Christ was very clear about just how dedicated we must be in His service:

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

God is not mocked by half-hearted worship. If our worship is “with [our] whole heart” His provision and protection is abundant, as this story of Paul’s protection against the church of his day demonstrates. If we are ‘wholehearted’, then that is a work He is doing in us, but that work is accomplished only through many admonitions, tribulations and chastening. The Lord’s protection and blessing always has this one caveat:

Deu 11:13  And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul,
Deu 11:14  That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil.

Deu 15:5  Only if thou carefully hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all these commandments which I command thee this day.
Deu 15:6  For the LORD thy God blesseth thee, as he promised thee: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, but thou shalt not borrow; and thou shalt reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over thee.

Deu 28:1  And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:
Deu 28:2  And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.

2Ch 6:38 If they return to thee with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity, whither they have carried them captives, and pray toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, and toward the city which thou hast chosen, and toward the house which I have built for thy name:

Psa 119:2  Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.

Paul’s service to the Lord was “with the whole heart”, and the Lord made even his enemies to be at peace with him:

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

Paul had spent “many days” at the home of Philip in Caesarea just before going up to Jerusalem:

Act 21:8  And the next day we that were of Paul’s company departed, and came unto Caesarea: and we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven; and abode with him.

Act 21:10  And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus.

“Certain disciples of Caesarea” went up to Jerusalem with Paul:

Act 21:16  There went with us also certain of the disciples of Caesarea, and brought with them one Mnason of Cyprus, an old disciple, with whom we should lodge.
Act 21:17  And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly.

Without a doubt there were many members of the church at Caesarea who ministered to Paul’s needs, and comforted and encouraged him while he was “kept in Herod’s judgment hall” for over two years.

Act 24:23  And he [Felix the governor] commanded a centurion to keep Paul, and to let him have liberty, and that he should forbid none of his acquaintance to minister or come unto him.
Act 24:27  But after two years Porcius Festus came into Felix’ room: and Felix, willing to shew the Jews a pleasure, left Paul bound.

The Lord has given Paul a two-year rest from the traveling and preaching, and from the accompanying persecutions, beatings and “much tribulation” he had constantly endured from the beginning of his ministry at Damascus. The Lord gave Paul favor in the eyes of every Roman ruler under whose custody he was placed by the Lord. The chief captain, Claudius Lysias, the governor of Judea; Felix, who will be replaced by Festus; and even King Agrippa and his wife, Bernice, are all made to treat Paul very well. Not only does Paul get to continue to meet with his friends and acquaintances, but he also is given the privilege and the opportunity to witness to his Roman custodians.

Shortly after he was apprehended by the Jews who ‘went about to kill him’, Paul had been told by the Lord that he would witness for Christ in Rome also, just as he had done in Jerusalem:

Act 23:11  And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.

That promise was no doubt of great comfort to Paul as he waited to see how the Lord would make that happen. In chapter 24 we will see Paul defend himself once again before Ananias the high priest with the elders who travel all the way down to Caesarea to once again falsely accuse Paul of the same blatant lie saying Paul was guilty of “profaning the temple”. This time it will be before Felix, the Roman governor of Judea.

We are witnessing the Lord “coming with an army and rescuing [us]”, His ambassadors to this earth. It is all intended to give each of us hope of His faithful loving guidance and protection over our own lives as ‘sheep among wolves’ in this dark world.

Luk 21:11  And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.
Luk 21:12  But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name’s sake.
Luk 21:13  And it shall turn to you for a testimony.
Luk 21:14  Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer:
Luk 21:15  For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.

When we acknowledge our transgressions and serve the Lord humbly with our whole heart, the Lord is well pleased with us, and He will protect us and prepare a table for us in the presence of our enemies (Psa 23:5), as Paul’s experience demonstrates for us.

Acts 19:21-41  Our Craft is in Danger to be Set at Nought

[Study Aired July 15, 2023]

Act 19:21  After these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome.
Act 19:22  So he sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timotheus and Erastus; but he himself stayed in Asia for a season.
Act 19:23  And the same time there arose no small stir about that way.
Act 19:24  For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen;
Act 19:25  Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth.
Act 19:26  Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands:
Act 19:27  So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth.
Act 19:28  And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.
Act 19:29  And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul’s companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre.
Act 19:30  And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not.
Act 19:31  And certain of the chief of Asia, which were his friends, sent unto him, desiring him that he would not adventure himself into the theatre.
Act 19:32  Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was confused; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together.
Act 19:33  And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made his defence unto the people.
Act 19:34  But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.
Act 19:35  And when the townclerk had appeased the people, he said, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there that knoweth not how that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter?
Act 19:36  Seeing then that these things cannot be spoken against, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly.
Act 19:37  For ye have brought hither these men, which are neither robbers of churches, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess.
Act 19:38  Wherefore if Demetrius, and the craftsmen which are with him, have a matter against any man, the law is open, and there are deputies: let them implead one another.
Act 19:39  But if ye enquire any thing concerning other matters, it shall be determined in a lawful assembly.
Act 19:40  For we are in danger to be called in question for this day’s uproar, there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this concourse.
Act 19:41  And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.

Act 19:21  After these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome.

“After these things” means after the twelve men had received the holy spirit and had been given the gift of speaking in other languages, “for a sign… to them that believe not” (1Co14:22), and after the evil spirit had acknowledged Jesus and Paul but did not acknowledge the seven sons of Sceva as having any authority over that spirit. These two events were such a powerful witness to the Truth of the gospel that our last study ended with these words:

Act 19:17  And this [demonic spirit overpowering the seven sons of Sceva] was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.
Act 19:18  And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds.
Act 19:19  Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. [Five and a half million dollars]
Act 19:20  So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.

It was after these two powerful witnesses and after spending three years in Ephesus on this third journey that Paul “purposed in spirit” to go back to Macedonia and Achaia before returning to Jerusalem, and then he wanted to “see Rome.”

Act 19:22  So he sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timotheus and Erastus; but he himself stayed in Asia for a season.
Act 19:23  And the same time there arose no small stir about that way.

Christ is “that way.” He is the only way to know God and the only way to obtain life eternal:

Joh 14:4  And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
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.

Contrary to the ‘New Age’ doctrine Christ did not say ‘I know the way’. He rather asserted “I AM the way”.

Thomas was just being honest. He was not yet converted, and he knew that of himself he had no idea what Christ was saying about where He was going or the way to get there. Nevertheless, it all happened for our sakes so Christ could let us know that He is the way, the Truth, and the life, and that no one would ever know God without first accepting Christ as the Father’s sacrificial exemplary propitiatory Lamb, to atone for the sins of all men of all time.

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

The gospel made Christ and His Father known to the Ephesians, and it makes Christ and His Father known to us.

Act 19:24  For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen;
Act 19:25  Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth.

The idol making industry, just like its antithesis, the ‘body’ and ‘household’ of Christ, is a multifaceted body with many members each contributing to the health and success of that industry. There are men who make the molten images. Others are carvers of wooden images which are then covered with gold and silver. Others are polishers of the idols, and yet many others built shrines in which the idols are housed. There is a lot at stake if the Truth “that they be no gods, which are made with hands [and] God dwells not in temples made with hands” became too acceptable to the people of “Ephesus [and] throughout all Asia”:

Act 7:48  Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet,

Act 17:24  God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;

Act 19:26  Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands:
Act 19:27  So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth.

All physical idols spiritually signify “idols of the heart”, which are false doctrines of men which twist and “wrest… the… scriptures… unto their own destruction”:

Eze 14:4  Therefore speak unto them [those leaders who teach false doctrines], and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity [self-righteousness (Eze 33:13)] before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the LORD will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols;

Eze 14:7  For every one of the house of Israel, or of the stranger that sojourneth in Israel, which separateth himself from me, and setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to a prophet to enquire of him concerning me; I the LORD will answer him by myself [according to the idols of his heart]:

We all by nature identify with our own mind and our own thoughts. When those thoughts and doctrines conflict with the doctrines of Christ they constitute an “idol of the heart”, which is nothing more or less than an evil spirit from the Lord placing lies within our hearts.

1Sa 16:14  But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.
1Sa 16:15  And Saul’s servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.

1Ki 22:21  And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will persuade him [King Ahab].
1Ki 22:22  And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so.
1Ki 22:23  Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil concerning thee.

Here are two examples of how the Lord answers us “according to the idols of [our] heart.” The first is right here in this same chapter of 1 Kings 22:

1Ki 22:15  So he came to the king. And the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall we forbear? And he answered him, Go, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king.

Of course, Ahab died at Ramothgilead as Micaiah went on to foretell, after he first answered him according to the idol of his heart.

Here is another example of where the Lord answers us ‘according to the idols of our heart’.

Mat 25:24  Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:
Mat 25:25  And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
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:

The Lord had ‘sown’ a talent, a year’s wages, with this man, yet he answered him “according to the idol of his heart.”

Demetrius and all his companions in the idol-making industry had lived for many outwardly-prosperous years with their idols of Diana. Through the preaching of Paul, the hedge around that industry was beginning to come down just as our own idols of our hearts feel so very threatened when we first begin to hear the Truth of the words of Christ:

2Pe 3:15  And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
2Pe 3:16  As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
2Pe 3:17  Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.

“All Asia” of Acts 19:26 signifies ‘all the earth’ (Psa 83:18, Rev 18:23). “All nations… and the merchants of the earth” are made rich by the multitude of the idols of the heart of the churches of Babylon:

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 [Her false idols of the heart (Eze 14:1-9)].

The day is coming when all the lying false doctrines and “idols of the heart” of all the religions of all mankind will be judged, and they will indeed all “be set at nought… at the appearing of… The Lord and His Christ” to rule over the kingdoms of this world. The scriptures foretell that day when they reveal the fate of all our false doctrines and of all who, like Demitrius, fabricate those false idols and false doctrines:

Jer 25:34  Howl, ye shepherds, and cry; and wallow yourselves in the ashes, ye principal of the flock: for the days of your slaughter and of your dispersions are accomplished; and ye shall fall like a pleasant vessel.
Jer 25:35  And the shepherds shall have no way to flee, nor the principal of the flock to escape.
Jer 25:36  A voice of the cry of the shepherds, and an howling of the principal of the flock, shall be heard: for the LORD hath spoiled their pasture.

Act 4:26  The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ.

Just as each of us have had to endure the humiliation of acknowledging that we had been deceived by all the lies of all the false prophets of Babylon, those false prophets themselves will come to that same point by the Words of the Lord and those Words in the mouths of “His Christ”:

Eze 34:1  And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
Eze 34:2  Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?
Eze 34:3  Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock.
Eze 34:4  The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.
Eze 34:5  And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered.
Eze 34:6  My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them.
Eze 34:7  Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD;
Eze 34:8  As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock;
Eze 34:9  Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD;
Eze 34:10  Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them.

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

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.

That day is not yet here, and in the meantime, those who “love His appearing” are nothing less than “sheep among wolves” and must be “wise as serpents and [at the same time] harmless as doves”:

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.
Mat 10:17  But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;
Mat 10:18  And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them [church leaders] and the Gentiles.

2Ti 4:1  I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;

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:

Here in Ephesus, Paul’s faith is being tried as the holy spirit guides him and helps him to be “wise as a serpent but as harmless as a dove.” His message of the loving gospel of Christ is cutting into the profits of the idol-worshipping Ephesians, and the idol worshipers understand that when the people have their eyes opened to see that “they be no gods which are made with hands” their means of staying physically wealthy will vanish:

Act 19:28  And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.
Act 19:29  And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul’s companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre.

Luke makes Paul the center of attention in telling of his travels and all the holy spirit does through this apostle. However, from time to time it is revealed by the use of pronouns like ‘we’ and ‘us’ and in a few cases the names of “Paul’s companions in travel” that Paul had an entourage who traveled with him much of the time and who were under his direction and supervision. Silas and Timothy see what the Lord has done in Paul’s life, and they are more than willing to go where Paul feels they are needed to feed the Lord’s sheep and to oversee their continued welfare and to prepare for Paul’s arrival.

In this incident it is “Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia” who are revealed to be there in Ephesus as Paul’s “companions in travel.” In our next chapter we will learn from exactly which city in Macedonia some of these men originate. We were just told there was a ‘Gaius… of Macedonia’:

Act 19:29  And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul’s companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre.

In our next study, we will learn that Aristarchus was of Thessalonica, and we will be introduced to another “Gaius of Derbe”:

Act 20:4  And there accompanied him into Asia Sopater of Berea; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timotheus; and of Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus.

There is also a third ‘Gaius’ of Corinth:

1Co 1:14  I thank God that I baptized none of you [Corinthians], but Crispus and Gaius;

The men apprehended by this mob were “Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul’s companions in travel”. Paul, by the Lord’s provision is out of the reach of this angry mob so they catch Gaius and Aristarchus, and the mob drags them into the theatre.

Act 19:30  And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not.
Act 19:31  And certain of the chief of Asia, which were his friends, sent unto him, desiring him that he would not adventure himself into the theatre.

Paul was led of the holy spirit to be persuaded by “his friends… of the chief of Asia” not to attempt to reason with a mob, and the Lord worked “all things after the counsel of His own will… for good to them who love Him and are the called according to His purpose” (Eph 1:11, Rom 8:28) as He is always doing in “all things”:

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:
Eph 1:12  That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

Act 19:32  Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was confused; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together.

Verse 32 is the perfect description of most of us when we were still in the churches of Babylon. We have no idea why we believe as we do, but we nevertheless loudly proclaim the doctrines we are familiar and comfortable with.

Act 19:33  And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made his defence unto the people.

This ‘Alexander’ may well be “Alexander the coppersmith”, who later did Paul “much evil.” Paul had left Timothy in Ephesus when he went into Macedonia, and this is the last we hear of Alexander until Paul mentions him again to Timothy:

1Ti 1:3  As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine,

It is in his second epistle to Timothy from his prison house in Rome that we learn that “Alexander the coppersmith did [Paul] much evil” and withstood Paul’s doctrines:

2Ti 4:14  Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works:
2Ti 4:15  Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words.
2Ti 4:16  At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.
2Ti 4:17  Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.

This Alexander was apparently a Jewish convert to Christianity. The phrase ‘a Jew’ or ‘the Jews’ in the New Testament, spiritually signifies the Christians of today who claim God’s name but “do not the things [He] sayeth” (Luk 6:46). Alexander may have been a Christian, but he was also a Jew, and the one thing Jews and Christians had in common at that time was that they both agreed that physical idol worship was a sin. When the Ephesian idol worshippers learned that Alexander was a Jew, they were enraged:

Act 19:34  But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.

The Jews looked down on idol worshippers because they could not see the spiritual idols of their own hearts. We have all had idols of our own hearts because we all at one time believed the many false doctrines of the churches of Babylon the great. The fact is that ‘the Jews’ with idols of the heart are just as culpable before the Lord, or more so, as the pagan idol worshippers who do not claim to know the God of the scriptures. The Lord used “the powers that be”, the government of Rome, to step in and “appease the people” with the reminder that the proper way to handle the situation at hand was through the court system:

Act 19:35  And when the townclerk had appeased the people, he said, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there that knoweth not how that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter?
Act 19:36  Seeing then that these things cannot be spoken against, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly.

Notice the truth of what this ‘townclerk’ [G1122: ‘grammateus’, scribe] told this mob, and let it be a lesson for each of us:

Act 19:37  For ye have brought hither these men, which are neither robbers of churches, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess.

I wondered whether the word translated as ‘churches’ here was the Greek plural of ecclesia. It is not. The Greek word here is hierosulos. Thayer defines this word as “guilty of sacrilege’, and Strong’s defines it as “a temple despoiler.”

G2417-  Hierosulos
– Phonetic: hee-er-os’-oo-los
– Definition: guilty of sacrilege
– Origin: from G2411 and G4813
– TDNT entry: 07:16,3
– Part(s) of speech: Noun Masculine

– Strong’s: From G2411 and G4813; a temple despoiler: – robber of churches.
Total KJV Occurrences: 1

churches, 1
Act_19:37

The “townclerk” spoke the truth. Neither in Athens, where Paul preached Christ to the pagans on Mars Hill, nor here in the pagan city of Ephesus, does Paul directly attack the religion of his audience. Rather, he gently reasons with them and persuades them to consider that they themselves are the source and the creators of their gods, and therefore it is obvious that “they be no gods which are made with hands”, and ‘God does not dwell in temples made with hands.’ Then the town clerk appeals to the legal ramifications of “this… uproar” and this demonstration against the Truth of the gospel:

Act 19:38  Wherefore if Demetrius, and the craftsmen which are with him, have a matter against any man, the law is open, and there are deputies: let them implead one another.
Act 19:39  But if ye enquire any thing concerning other matters, it shall be determined in a lawful assembly.
Act 19:40  For we are in danger to be called in question for this day’s uproar, there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this concourse.
Act 19:41  And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.

Matters of offense within the body of Christ should be settled within the body of Christ and not before judges of this world:

1Co 6:1  Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?

“Any of you”, according to the previous chapter, refers to “any man who is called a brother [in Christ]”:

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

That is the “any of you” referred to here in this sixth chapter of 1 Corinthians, and we are specifically admonished against “going to law with [“any man that is called a brother”] before the unjust”.

When we are forced into going to law with those who are not “called a brother”, then we can rejoice in the provision the Lord has made for our own good and our own safety as is demonstrated in this story of this uproar against the apostle Paul by the idol worshippers of Ephesus. “Wicked… men which are your hand” are often used of the Lord as His sword both to judge and to be deliverers of the Lord’s elect:

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

I had a brother ask me what he should do about his children being bullied at school. I told him to go to the principal and tell the principal what was happening to his children. He did just that and the bullying stopped. That is how the Lord’s elect deal with the wickedness of this world:

Rom 13:1  Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

Rom 13:2  Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
Rom 13:3  For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:
Rom 13:4  For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.
Rom 13:5  Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.
Rom 13:6  For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.
Rom 13:7  Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.

“It shall be determined in a lawful assembly” is the Biblical formula for how “any man who is called a brother” deals with those who are not called a brother and who withstand the Lord and His Christ. It was the threat of ‘a lawful assembly’ that delivered Paul and his companions in travel in Ephesus. It was also Paul’s appeal to Caesar that kept him from being tried by the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem.

Act 25:11  For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Caesar.
Act 28:19  But when the Jews spake against it, I was constrained to appeal unto Caesar; not that I had ought to accuse my nation of.

Mat 5:25  Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.
Mat 5:26  Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.

Christ is not telling anyone to agree with a liar. What He is telling us is to confess to our sins before those sins are proven in “a lawful assembly”, which is “ordained of God” to settle disputes with those who are not called brothers.

Isa 43:11-19 For Your Sake I Have Sent to Babylon, and Have Brought Down All Their Nobles - Discussion

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Isa 43:11-19 For Your Sake I Have Sent To Babylon, and Have Brought Down All Their Nobles

Isa 43:11  I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour. 
Isa 43:12 I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, that I am God. 
Isa 43:13 Yea, before the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall let it? 
Isa 43:14 Thus saith the LORD, your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; For your sake I have sent to Babylon, and have brought down all their nobles, and the Chaldeans, whose cry is in the ships. 
Isa 43:15 I am the LORD, your Holy One, the creator of Israel, your King. 
Isa 43:16 Thus saith the LORD, which maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters; 
Isa 43:17 Which bringeth forth the chariot and horse, the army and the power; they shall lie down together, they shall not rise: they are extinct, they are quenched as tow. 
Isa 43:18 Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. 
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.

In our last study, the Lord reminded us that we are the blind who are given sight, and we are the deaf who are given to hear. It is as such that we are “His elect [who] are precious in His sight”:

Isa 43:4 Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life.

Isa 43:7 Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him. 
Isa 43:8 Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears.

This is the last verse of our last study where the Lord calls us His “witnesses”:

Isa 43:10 Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.

Why are we His witnesses? What is it to which we are to bear witness? Here it is. It is the same every time: “…That ye may know and believe me and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.”

Is that not exactly what the Lord Himself did?

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.

The answer to Pilate’s question of whether Christ was a king provoked this famous question from Pilate:

Joh 18:38 Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all.

Christ had already clearly answered that question:

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.

Christ is not saying, ‘I know the truth’. He is telling us He IS the Truth, and that is the reason He constantly reminds us of His sovereignty over all things. Our Lord and His Father are not like petty humans who crave the worship of their peers. They have no ‘peers’ as they are “above every name that is named”. Because the Lord loves us, He wants us to know “The Truth” and not believe any lies. So, this week’s verses continue with that theme:

Isa 43:11  I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour. 

When Christ tells us “[We] are His witnesses” He means we witness of Him who is “The Truth”. We bear witness to His doctrine, which is who He is. To bear witness to anything we must first have seen that thing to which we are to bear witness. So, we must know Christ and His Father if we are to be His witnesses, and that is why He tells us He gives us eyes to see and ears to hear:

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?

What a revelation! Christ tells us that if we have seen Him, then we have seen the Father! That is revolutionary statement!

He goes on to tell Thomas and Phillip that even though they have been with Him in a physical sense “so long time” yet they do no know Him and have not yet seen either Him or His Father in any spiritual sense. We are now told how we do come to know Christ and His Father and how we can ‘see’ both:

Eph 1:17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 
Eph 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

There is the “revelation” of how we can see both Christ and His Father even though we never have physically seen either of them. The fact is, they are both, by nature, invisible to the physical eyes of our flesh:

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: 

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

1Ti 1:17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen. 

Heb 11:27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

That is how we see the invisible God:

Eph 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

That is how we “see the Father”. We ‘see’ the invisible Christ and His invisible Father only through “the eyes of [our] understanding”, and knowing them through their words and doctrines.

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.

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

No one knows the Lord but those whom He has saved from their own sins. We do not seek Him first. It is He who is working in us both to will and to do of the things which lead us to repentance. Not one soul has ever voluntarily come to the Lord without first being dragged to Him by the trials of life, which He works for that very purpose:

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

Joh 6:65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.

Joh 15:16  Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

When we put these verses together, we learn that even being dragged to Christ is “given unto” us by our loving heavenly Father who chose us to know that “…Beside me there is no Savior”.

Isa 43:12 I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, that I am God. 

It might be deduced by some that this verse is saying we must rid ourselves of our idols before God will deal with us. That is not what “when there was no strange god among you” is saying as the next verse tells us:

Isa 43:13 Yea, before the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall let it? 

“I will work, and who will [restrain] it?” Restrain what? What exactly is the Lord “working” that He poses this question? The simple answer is:

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

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:

There is nothing which is not being done by the Lord, including all the evil in all cities:

Amo 3:6  Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it?

“Before the day was I am He; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand”, and the Truth is that we were all in the Lord’s hand “before the world began… [while we] were [yet] dead in [our] trespasses and sins”:

Eph 2:1 Even you, who were dead in trespasses and sins 
Eph 2:2 in which ye once walked according to the era of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the sons of disobedience. 
Eph 2:3 Among whom we also all once behaved in the lusts of our flesh, doing the intentions of the flesh and of the thoughts, and were by nature children of wrath as also the others. 
Eph 2:4 But God, being rich in mercy, through his great love that he loved us, 
Eph 2:5 even us being dead in the transgressions, he made alive together with the Christ (ye are saved by grace), 
Eph 2:6 and raised us up together, and seated us together in the heavenly things in Christ Jesus. 
Eph 2:7 So that in the coming ages he might show the transcending wealth of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. (ACV)

Who will restrain the work the Lord is working within us? Here is the answer to that question:

Job 23:13 But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth, even that he doeth.

Dan 4:35 And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? 

No matter how all-encompassing the work is, the Lord does not struggle when doing His work. When He speaks, big things happen “suddenly”:

Isa 48:3 I have declared the former things from the beginning; and they went forth out of my mouth, and I shewed them; I did them suddenly, and they came to pass.

The creation of the heavens and the earth was done ‘suddenly’:

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

The destruction of all life on the dry land of the earth was very ‘sudden’:

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

“Babylon” is the Biblical symbol for all the religions of this world which are all in rebellion against the Lord and His Christ. When the Lord decides Babylon has served His purpose, He will “suddenly” destroy “that great city” and turn the rulership of this entire globe over to His elect:

Isa 43:14 Thus saith the LORD, your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; For your sake I have sent to Babylon, and have brought down all their nobles, and the Chaldeans, whose cry is in the ships. 
Isa 43:15 I am the LORD, your Holy One, the creator of Israel, your King. 

Oh yes! We must be the first to experience the fall of Babylon within us, but the day is coming when this will also be accomplished dispensationally and outwardly:

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

Rev 18:9 And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning, 
Rev 18:10 Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come. 
Rev 18:11 And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more:

When the Lord commands us to “Come out of her My people”, He provides a way for us to do so:

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

The Lord performed ten great miracles before He made Pharaoh to send Israel out of Egypt. Then He made a way in the sea and a path in the mighty waters of the Red Sea. It was all done for our admonition:

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.

No matter how impossible the situation seems, nothing is impossible with the Lord, and He never fails to deliver us. The Lord wants us to know that He “leads us into temptation[s]” and trials”, and then He delivers us from those same trials. It was the Lord who sent Israel into Egypt in the first place:

Gen 45:4 And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. 
Gen 45:5 Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life. 
Gen 45:6 For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest. 
Gen 45:7 And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. 
Gen 45:8 So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.

If it were God who sent Joseph into Egypt, then it was God who also forced his brothers and his Father and all their families to go into Egypt. If all of that is so, then it was also God who made Joseph’s brothers decide to sell him as a slave into Egypt.

It was the Lord who sent Satan to take away all of Job’s physical possessions, as well as all ten of his children, and then afflict him with boils for head to toe (Job 1 and 2).

It was the Lord who sent “an evil spirit from the Lord” to trouble King Saul:

1Sa 16:14 But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him. 
1Sa 16:15 And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.

It was the Lord who sent a lying spirit into all of Ahab’s prophets, just as He does to all the prophets of Babylon till this day:

1Ki 22:23 Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil concerning thee.

Wicked men do not make themselves wicked. The Lord makes them wicked for the day of evil:

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

It is the Lord who has “mingled a perverse spirit in Egypt and caused Egypt to err in every work:

Isa 19:14 The LORD hath mingled a perverse spirit in the midst thereof: and they have caused Egypt to err in every work thereof, as a drunken man staggereth in his vomit.

None of these are outward statements. They all apply to each of us inwardly because we are plainly told that the Lord makes us all to err from His ways, and He hardens all of our hearts:

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.

There is a lot of evil in every city on earth. Who do the scriptures say is working all that evil? The answer is couched in a question, but it is consistent with everything else the scriptures teach from Genesis to Revelation:

Amo 3:6 Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it?

There are many more verses of scripture which declare the Lord’s sovereignty over all things, both good and evil, but we will wrap this point up by giving the Father the credit He is due for the whole of the plan of salvation for all men. Giving our heavenly Father the glory He is due includes extending His sovereignty over the single most evil deed ever performed on earth, which is the unjust murder of His only begotten Son as a sacrifice for the sins of all men of all time. Whose hand and whose counsel determined this greatest of all evils?

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

The holy spirit anticipated we would all conclude that if the Lord is sovereign over all evil and makes the wicked for the day of evil, therefore the Lord Himself must be evil and answers that argument in this way:

Rom 9:17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. 
Rom 9:18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. 
Rom 9:19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? 
Rom 9:20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? 
Rom 9:21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? 
Rom 9:22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: 
Rom 9:23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, 
Rom 9:24 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?

The Lord does not deny He creates evil. He proclaims it to be so:

Isa 45:6 That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else. 
Isa 45:7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

If the Lord created evil just for the sake of being evil, then He would indeed be a monster not worthy of worship and admiration. Notice why we are told the Lord “creates evil”:

Rom 9:22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: 
Rom 9:23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, 
Rom 9:24 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?

God creates evil to make His power known and “make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He has afore prepared unto glory… even us…” 

“Us” being a “vessel of mercy” has a double meaning and a double application in the scriptures. On the one hand “we”, the Lord’s elect, are the recipients of His mercy and all the glory which comes with being the first to trust in Christ:

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 [the] 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: 
Eph 1:12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

On the other hand, “we… the vessels of mercy”, are the dispensers of the Lord’s mercies:

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.

Knowing that we are the dispensers of the same mercy we have been shown, at the expense of those who once had a physical relationship with Christ, makes Paul’s statement concerning the “vessels of mercy” in Romans 9 take on a much deeper meaning:

Rom 9:22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: 
Rom 9:23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, 
Rom 9:24 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?

Our salvation is entirely in the hands of the Lord, and in Truth all men of all time are actually doing “what [the Lord’s] hand and [His] counsel determined before to be done… before the world began”:

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

2Ti 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, 

Tit 1:2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

This all-encompassing sovereignty of God is again affirmed in the seventh chapter of this same book of Romans. Paul declares under the inspiration of the holy spirit, that his sins are not really his sins at all. Twice Paul declares “it is not [us who sin] … but [it is] sin which is in [our] members” which makes all men to sin:

Rom 7:17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 
Rom 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. 
Rom 7:19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. 
Rom 7:20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 
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.

The holy spirit informs us our sins operate within us through “the law of sin which is in [our] members”. To whom do we credit the sustaining of “the law of sin which is in our members”? Let’s not guess about such an important question. This is to whom we credit with giving and sustaining the law of sin which just naturally dominates all men:

Jas 4:12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?

All sin operates through “the law of sin which is in [our] members.” Mankind, as was Adam, was “marred in The Potter’s hand” (Jer 18:4) when the Potter deliberately and with aforethought made mankind with this “law of sin and death” as an integral part of his dying flesh:

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.

Look closely at the words ‘I the Lord… make peace and create evil’ in:

Isa 45:6 That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else. 
Isa 45:7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

This is the Lord Himself speaking to us. Yet it was a major news story recently that the Pope has decided to rewrite the so-called ‘Lord’s prayer’, or what the Catholics, Episcopalians and Lutherans all call ‘the our Father’. 

Here is how the verse the Pope wants to rewrite presently reads in the King James and in Italian and in Spanish:

Mat 6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. 

“Lead us not into temptation” is repeated in:

Luk 11:4 And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.

Here is how the Pope thinks those verses should read:

"[T]he first Sunday of Advent," the church wrote, "a new translation of the Our Father will come into force in all forms of liturgy. The Catholic faithful will no longer say: 'Do not submit to temptation' but 'Do not let us enter into temptation.'"

The Pope went on to state “God does not create evil”, and he said, “No father would tempt his own child.” 

If the Pope insists on rewriting Matthew 6:13 and Luke 11:4, he will be forced to also rewrite all the verses I have listed in this study which state plainly:

Isa 45:6 That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else. 
Isa 45:7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

The Lord Himself tells us He creates evil (Isa 45:7), He makes the wicked for the day of evil (Pro 16:4), He sends evil spirits to trouble us (1Sa 16:14), lying spirits to make us believe their lies (1Kg 22:23), and He “makes us to err from His ways and hardens our hearts from His fear” (Isa 63:17). The Pope and most ministers in all of Christendom tell us that none of those things are true.

Who will we believe - men or God? Here is what we are instructed to do:

Rom 3:4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

Our study today concludes with the very same message from our Lord. Just as we are told the Lord raised up Pharaoh to be destroyed (Rom 9:16-18) and that the crucifixion and death of Christ was “what Thy hand and Thy foreknowledge determined afore to be done”, we are also told this about all those who withstand the words of Christ within us:

Isa 43:17 Which [the Lord, verse 16] bringeth forth the chariot and horse, the army and the power [of the adversary]; they shall lie down together, they shall not rise: they are extinct, they are quenched as tow. 
Isa 43:18 Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. 
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.

We will indeed “Know it… [when the Lord] makes a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert”. Those words are primarily speaking of how the Lord drags us to Himself despite all the works of “spiritual Sodom and Egypt” within and without, and in spite of all the lies and idols of our hearts in the churches of Babylon.

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.

But the Lord performs a “new thing” within us and drags us out of Babylon despite all the odds set against us:

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

When we “come out of [Babylon] it is because the Lord drags us out:

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.

The Lord does not want us to think or act as if we cannot fall away. The exact opposite is true, and we are to think and act as if it were a distinct possibility that we could “be a castaway”:

1Co 9:24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 
1Co 9:25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. 
1Co 9:26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: 
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.

At the same time, the Lord wants us to realize that if indeed He has written our names in His book of life in this present time (Rom 8:18), then nothing in heaven or earth can separate us from the love He has for us:

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

Rom 11:30 For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: 
Rom 11:31 Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. 
Rom 11:32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. 
Rom 11:33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! 
Rom 11:34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? 
Rom 11:35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? 
Rom 11:36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

Next week, Lord willing, we will learn that our salvation is guaranteed despite anything we do and is accomplished in us by the Lord Himself “for His own sake”:

Isa 43:20 The beast of the field shall honour me, the dragons and the owls: because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen. 
Isa 43:21 This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise. 
Isa 43:22 But thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob; but thou hast been weary of me, O Israel. 
Isa 43:23 Thou hast not brought me the small cattle of thy burnt offerings; neither hast thou honoured me with thy sacrifices. I have not caused thee to serve with an offering, nor wearied thee with incense. 
Isa 43:24 Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money, neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices: but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities. 
Isa 43:25 I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. 
Isa 43:26 Put me in remembrance: let us plead together: declare thou, that thou mayest be justified. 
Isa 43:27 Thy first father hath sinned, and thy teachers have transgressed against me. 
Isa 43:28 Therefore I have profaned the princes of the sanctuary, and have given Jacob to the curse, and Israel to reproaches.

]]> https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/psalms-161-11-at-thy-right-hand-there-are-pleasures-for-evermore/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=psalms-161-11-at-thy-right-hand-there-are-pleasures-for-evermore Thu, 09 Feb 2017 21:27:43 +0000 http://www.iswasandwillbe.com/?p=13316 Audio Download

Psa 16:1-11 “At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore”

Psa 16:1 Michtam of David. Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust.
Psa 16:2 O my soul, thou hast said unto the LORD, Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee;
Psa 16:3 But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight.
Psa 16:4 Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god: their drink offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take up their names into my lips.
Psa 16:5 The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot.
Psa 16:6 The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.
Psa 16:7 I will bless the LORD, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons.
Psa 16:8 I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
Psa 16:9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.
Psa 16:10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
Psa 16:11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

God’s children are preserved through the fire as explained in type and shadow in Daniel 3:27 and spoken of in our first verse of Psalm 16. This reminds us that it is only possible to put our trust in Him after we’ve been brought to our wits’ end (Psa 107:27-28) having been dragged through the mental and physical anguish which He allows to bring upon us for our good so we can learn to be comfortable in that fire. To be comfortable in the fire is just another way of saying we trust in the living God and have received His peace that passes all understanding.

Dan 3:27 And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power [Mal 3:6], nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.

Psa 107:27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end.
Psa 107:28 Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses [1Co 10:13].

Heb 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
Heb 12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
Heb 12:8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons

1Ti 4:9 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation.
1Ti 4:10 For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.
1Ti 4:11 These things command and teach.

2Co 1:8 For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:
2Co 1:9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead [Php 3:10, Eph 2:6]:
2Co 1:10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;

Pro 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
Pro 3:6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Pro 3:7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

Last week’s study can also be found at the homepage of ‘His Branch’ and leads to the link below, which is a good intro into this week’s study entitled “At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore”.
Psalm 15 – Who Among Us Shall Dwell With Everlasting Burnings?

In this week’s study we will look at the blessed relationship God’s people have with our stedfast and loving Saviour who never leaves or forsakes us as He works all things out in our lives. He works God’s Will in Christ’s one body (the head operates the body) fulfilling a glorious purpose that we are promised will culminate in the finishing of our faith. Our hope is in this process of salvation to which we’ve been called, going on to a perfection that He has purposed for our sakes so we can then bring the rest of creation to see and understand, along with us, that “At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.“

Deu 31:6 Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

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.

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:

Php 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

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.

Heb 11:27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

Rom 8:25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

Psa 16:1 Michtam of David. Preserve^H8104 me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust.

The positive side of a hedge in our life can be seen with the word “preserve”^H8104. The first three entries of this word in the book of Genesis reveal something very important about how God calls us into a relationship of helping “preserve” each other through the fire, as we bless each other at the right hand of God with those things which God accomplishes through the body of Christ (Col 1:27). God’s right hand is in fact the life of Christ in us, our hope of glory, our hope of being able to bear each other’s burden and “preserving” each other as the salt of the world should do (Gal 6:2, Mat 5:13).

H8104 ש†מׁר†shamar†shaw-mar’

A primitive root; properly tohedge about (as with thorns), that is, guard; generally to protect,attend to, etc.: – beware, be circumspect, take heed (to self), keep (-er, self), mark, look narrowly, observe, preserve, regard, reserve, save (self), sure, (that lay) wait (for), watch (-man).

The goal of our existence is explained right from Genesis 2:15 to be fruitful and multiply by being able “to dress it and to keep it”, which is what happens when we “replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth” of Genesis 1:28. All these nephesh-breathing beasts that we gain dominion over represent the process of driving beasts out of the land of our lives within through Christ’s strong hand which gives us the victory little by little (Exo 23:30).

This preserving symbolizes our love for each other and for humanity, along with our strong desire to be involved in the process of preserving that which God has given us to care for – each other. We learn from this parable in Luke chapter 20 that in order to become one with Christ and our Father, we need to first see ourselves as being the ones who rejected the servants to the husbandmand, all the prophets from Abel to Zacharias, including Christ as this parable tells us in verse 14 (Luk 20:9-18, Mat 23:35).

As we mentioned in last week’s study, the very first ‘seeking of an occasion against the flesh of mankind’ that God purposed was when Adam and Eve were tempted in the garden by the serpent (Gen 3:1-24) and was an occasion against the flesh of mankind that was predestined to happen just as surely as God’s people were foreknown and “predestinated to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren” (Rom 8:28-30, Jas 1:18).

So these three verses from the book of Genesis are very telling when we look at this word ‘keep’ which is the word ‘preserve’ – H8104:

Gen 2:15 And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep^H8104 it.

Gen 3:24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep^H8104 the way of the tree of life.

Gen 4:9 And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper^H8104?

We’re told “to keep^H8104 the way of the tree of life”, which is the same as saying “dress it and keep^H8104 it”, and we fail miserably at keeping the garden and are driven out by God. Only after we come to see that we can’t keep that which is entrusted to us, only after we waste our inheritance, do we then in God’s perfect timing come to our senses and little by little become our brother’s keeper^H8104, which Cain in us has no desire to be. We also become those who keep the sayings of the prophecy of this book by the grace and faith of Christ because “the time is at hand” (Rev 1:3).

Luk 15:17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

Heb 5:14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age,even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

If we are going to be preserved in this age, we have to be brought to acknowledge that we are guilty of all the blood of the prophets (Mat 23:36) and that judgment is upon us (1Pe 4:17) as we enter back into a right relationship with our Father and Christ by entering into the garden once again but this time through the fiery sword which is used to keep^H8104 the way of the tree of life.

Psa 16:2 O my soul, thou hast said unto the LORD, Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee;
Psa 16:3 But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight.

There is ‘no good within us’ is one way of looking at this verse, and it is “the saints in the earth” who are our delight because of Christ in us who reflects God’s goodness. We delight in the knowledge that God gives us to share and grow together even as we see God engraving on our hearts a new poem, a new creation, which is new because of Christ doing this excellent/mighty^H117 work (Psa 93:4) in the earth “Michtam^H4387 of David”.

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

Psa 93:4 The LORD on high is mightier^H117 than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty^H117 waves of the sea.

“Michtam” H4387 מכת†םּ†miktam†mik-tawm’

From H3799; an engraving, that is, (technically) a poem: – Michtam.

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

Jer 31:33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

In the final analysis, the flesh and blood heart (symbolic of our own works, our own ‘engravings’ Mat 7:22) will not inherit the kingdom of God; but the spiritual fruit that is borne out of the mind of Christ that is being formed within Christ’s body is the new heart and mind that the world will come to see as “the excellent, in whom is all my delight” (Psa 16:3).

Mal 3:18 Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.

Psa 16:4 Their sorrows^H6094 shall be multiplied that hasten after another god: their drink offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take up their names into my lips.

There is a connection with the thought that our “sorrows”^H6094 or the “idols” or “wounds” of our heart must be initially engraved there, like the mark of the beast or Cain’s mark (Gen 4:15, Rev 13:18).

“sorrows”: H6094 עצבת†‛atstsebeth†ats-tseh’-beth
From H6087; an idol; also a pain or wound: – sorrow, wound.

Jer 2:22 For though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much soap,yet thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord GOD.

Whenever we come to acknowledge this mark, it is very hard on us and debilitating (Gen 4:13) because we don’t initially see it as being the needful and necessary first step of going from darkness to light that God will eventually require of every generation from Abel to Zechariah .

It is only after we are given to see and to acknowledge that only God can be greater than our conscience and cleanse us from all these “offerings of blood” or works in our flesh that we won’t “take up their names into my lips” (1Jn 3:20).

We are not of this world, we don’t take up Paul or Apollos “into my lips”, not even Christ who we don’t know after the flesh (1Co 3:4, 2Co 5:16). Rather, we acknowledge the purpose behind the increase that God gives to the body of Christ as something that is solely unfolding for the edification of the whole body and that this drink offering is pure and peaceable and comes down from heaven, meaning from hearts that are being changed, that are new and have the earnest of the spirit of God now, which makes it possible for us to care for one another in the spirit.

Eph 4:10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
Eph 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
Eph 4:12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
Eph 4:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

Jas 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

2Co 1:22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

Psa 16:5 The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot.

If we are Christ’s, then we are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise. The literal meaning of heir is “someone who has been appointed to receive an inheritance” (https://www.gotquestions.org/heir-Bible.html).

This subject of an heir in the bible has always been a touchy one with the flesh of men, because someone is and someone is not, and that just does not sound good to the flesh of man (Joh 8:37-41, Mat 22:14).

The lesson that is hidden from everyone who wants their inheritance in the earth is that when our hearts are set on physical inheritance, or the riches of this world, then that’s where God has our hearts, and we will ‘find our life’ at the expense of receiving the greatest possible reward by ‘losing our life’ (Mat 5:12, Mar 10:30).

If we understand that we are Christ’s inheritance, even right now in the spirit, we will be wanting to lay up treasure in heaven and not build bigger barns or be striving for acquisition in this world (Mat 6:19-20, Luk 12:15). And if we happen to have such wealth, of which also comes as a gift from God, we will with the mind of Christ be of one accord. We are the saints, written from the beginning, taking care of our body (Act 2:44-46, Eph 5:29).

When the scripture says “thou maintainest my lot”, we know now that God does this through the saints and via the miracles that He allows to happen in each of our lives, so that we know that His love for us is stedfast.

And it must be noted that the “cup” of verse 5 comes after “their drink” of verse 4 for good reason. We do “drink the cup”, and we are maintained and preserved through the strengthening we receive from each other, in all admonition, encouragement, prayer and deed. That is “my lot” that we share (1Co 10:16).

1Co 11:27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
1Co 11:28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.

1Co 10:21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils.

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

These verses cited above show clearly that our communion is the blood and body of Christ.

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

Psa 16:6 The lines are fallen unto me in pleasantplaces; yea, I have a goodly heritage.

There is only one truly “goodly heritage”, and it is obtained and understood as being primarily a spiritual inheritance in Christ, in His body, in the church, in His flesh and bones. Verse 31 of chapter 10 of Mark explains to us what this inheritance is all about and how it is being formed in our hearts today even as we help each other endure until the end, even through the persecutions (2Ti 3:12) and all that God has called us to endure until the end.

Mar 10:29 And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s,
Mar 10:30 But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.
Mar 10:31 But many that are first shall be last; and the last first.

2Ti 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

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

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

Psa 16:7 I will bless the LORD, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons.

The counsel that God gives us is so precious, and is in perfect and due season, as we have seen over and over in the body of Christ. It is God revealing His sovereignty and singleness of mind that is being formed within the body of Christ.

He will accomplish that which he has started in us through Christ, and He tells us to be confident of this very thing. He even instructs us in the night seasons. Can anyone resist God as He works with us in the day and in the night, with the light and with the dark, which are the same unto him?

Php 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

Psa 139:12 Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.
Psa 139:13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb [the church Jerusalem above – Gal 4:26].

Psa 16:8 I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

If Christ is at our right hand, then he is set before us, and nothing will separate us from the love of God. God’s elect are granted the grace and the faith that we need to not forsake the assembling of the body of Christ because that is our spiritual womb and the place where He has covered us, and is maturing us so that we can grow unto maturity and one day be used to judge all those books of men and angels whose works proceeded forth from dead men (Heb 10:25, Mal 3:16, Rev 20:12, 1Co 6:2-3, Mat 7:22).

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

Psa 16:9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest^H7931 in hope.
Psa 16:10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

We are that holy seed, and part of that Holy One, Jesus Christ. We have every reason to rejoice in the Lord and again I say rejoice: two times mentioned as a witness that we rejoice because of the certain hope that we have within us and just read about in Romans 8:31-39.

He does not let our souls stay in the earth even today, because we are baptized into His death and raised into heavenly places where our flesh, yes, even our flesh in troublesome times can “rest in hope”; in a hope that is not seen but is within nevertheless.

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

Col 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
Col 1:28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:

That “rest”^H7931 which most assuredly is our “hope” and refuge and safety is better translated “dwell” or “abide”. That is the promise which is given to us who read hear and keep all these things (Rev 1:3).

H7931 ש†כׁן†shakan shaw-kan’
A primitive root (apparently akin (by transmutation) to H7901 through the idea of lodging; compare H5531 and H7925); to reside or permanently stay (literally or figuratively): – abide, continue, (cause to, make to) dwell (-er), have habitation, inhabit, lay, place, (cause to) remain, rest, set (up).
Total KJV Occurrences: 128: dwell, 69 dwelt, 11 dwelleth, 9 abode, 6 dwellest, 3 abide, 1 abiding, 1 …etc

Psa 132:14 This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it.

Psa 4:8 I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.

Mat 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest

Joh 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Heb 4:11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

Psa 16:11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

If ever there was a verse in the bible that should make us smile and rejoice, it’s this one.

God tells us he is going to show us the path of life, Jesus Christ, and when we see Christ in each other, we are learning to see that “fullness of joy”, an hundredfold inheritance which is Christ in each of us.

Being able to share this life of Christ today, and knowing that our names are written in heaven and that there is a continual path of joy and peace that we do now and will forever share together, is just another way of saying “at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”

Luk 10:18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.
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.
Luk 10:20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

1Th 5:9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
1Th 5:10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
1Th 5:11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

]]> https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/made-known-by-the-breaking-of-bread/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=made-known-by-the-breaking-of-bread Tue, 04 Oct 2011 22:28:54 +0000 http://www.iswasandwillbe.com/?p=3385

Mike,

So how would you respond to Christ’s command, Do this in remembrance of me?

Thanks,
W____

Hi again W____,
You asked me:

… how would you respond to Christ’s command, Do this in remembrance of me?

“This do” is quoted from this section of scripture:

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

This is the same “my body” and “my blood” Christ refers to in these verses:

Joh 6:53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
Joh 6:54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

Washing the feet of His disciples is just as much a spiritual symbol as the fish and honey He ate after His resurrection, symbolizing ” the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you”.

Notice, He sits down to dine twice in the same evening, not because He is hungry, but simply to make the point that His Word is our food.

Luk 24:13 And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs.
Luk 24:14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened.
Luk 24:15 And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.
Luk 24:16 But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.
Luk 24:17 And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?
Luk 24:18 And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?
Luk 24:19 And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:
Luk 24:20 And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.
Luk 24:21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.
Luk 24:22 Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre;
Luk 24:23 And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive.
Luk 24:24 And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.
Luk 24:25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:
Luk 24:26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?
Luk 24:27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
Luk 24:28 And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further.
Luk 24:29 But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.
Luk 24:30 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.
Luk 24:31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.
Luk 24:32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?
Luk 24:33 And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them,
Luk 24:34 Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.
Luk 24:35 And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.
Luk 24:36 And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

Later that same evening it all happens again:

Luk 24:41 And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?
Luk 24:42 And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.
Luk 24:43 And he took it, and did eat before them.
Luk 24:44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.

It is “as [we] speak” of Christ, that He is ‘standing in our midst’. It is in “the breaking of bread… fish and honeycomb” that Christ is “made known” to us all, because those things all symbolize “the words I spake unto you”. It is according to Christ Himself, that “the breaking of bread” is “the words I spake unto you”. It is the same with the breaking of bread at the so-called ‘Lord’s supper’. Christ did not wash their feet just to create a new ritual to replace an old ritual. Everything Christ did, even the healings and miracles He performed, were types and shadows of “greater works than these”.

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.

It is a much greater act of love to give a person spiritual insight than it is to give him physical sight. It is much better to have Christ healing us of our lame walk in this life of service to sin and giving us the strength to walk as Christ walked than it is to physically heal any man’s physically lame legs.

It is also a much greater act of love and obedience to our Lord to “break bread” in the way Christ meant us to do so. What Christ was telling His disciples and is telling us, is to live our lives as He lived His life. It was a life of service to all men. That is the only way we can share Christ’s body and blood with our brothers and sisters in Christ. That is incomparably more beneficial than physically washing their already clean feet, as a dead ritual practiced by millions of Christians whose lives show no sign of being of service to their brothers. If we give to our brothers and sisters the knowledge of how Christ lives His life within us, then we have truly ‘washed their feet’, and we will then have truly ‘eaten His body and then we will have drunken of His blood’.

Joh 6:53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
Joh 6:54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
Joh 6:55 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
Joh 6:56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
Joh 6:57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.

“Dwelling in Christ” and “living by Christ” is “eating His flesh and drinking His blood”. Those are Christ’s Words. Outward rituals accomplish nothing according to our Lord. Living lives of service one to another is what Christ meant by “My flesh is meat indeed and My blood is drink indeed”. “Do this as oft as you do it in remembrance of Me” has everything to do with what is within each of us, and it has nothing at all to do with dead outward rituals, which may appear to be spiritual but are nothing more than an opportunity to glory in appearances and not in changed hearts.

2Co 5:12 For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to answer them which glory in appearance, and not in heart.

Mar 7:15 There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man.

As certainly as ‘nothing from without a man can defile him’, it is equally true that nothing from outside of a man can cleanse him spiritually:

Mat 23:26 Thou blind Pharisee [You, me, or anyone who depends on outward rituals], cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

If our hearts are clean, our feet will also be clean.

I hope this helps you to see that “as oft as we do this we do it in remembrance of Christ” has much more to do with how we live our lives as servants to our brothers and sisters than it has to do with instituting a new outward ritual that makes a man feel good and clean outwardly, while, like water baptism, changing nothing within that man. Here is what cleanses both our ‘feet’ and our way of life. Here is what the bread, the wine and Christ washing His disciples feet symbolized:

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

Your brother in Christ,
Mike

P. S. Here is a URL to an e-mail I wrote several years ago on this subject of the spiritual significance of the Lord’s supper:
http://www. iswasandwillbe.com/lordssupper.php

Dear Mike,

To know the will of God is not a simple task. I have come to terms with His Will. Mike, the faith I used to have in this world is gone. I was an action person, very confident and informed, and now all of that is gone. Every time I pray I let His will be first. I am no longer trusting in myself like I used to do. My selfish knowledge has come to nothing. My flesh gets hurt mostly. I am working out my own my salvation. I am hoping in the mercy of God.

Your brother in Christ.
N____

Good morning N____,

When God is humbling us, we are being physically humiliated and “crushed to power”, but it is at that very same time that we are the closest to our Lord. You are right, it is not an easy “simple task,” but the reward of enduring this process is worth any suffering we may endure. God will make it clear that we had nothing to do with our salvation and our deliverance from our trials. Our strength is to be still and watch the Lord’s deliverance.

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

This statement was made by our Lord to Israel at the shores of the Red Sea, when the Egyptian army was bearing down upon them, and there was no apparent way of escape.

1Co 10:13  There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

God does not give us a “way to escape” our trials ‘that we may be able to avoid it’; rather “that you may be able to bear it.” Noah went through the flood, Israel went through the Red Sea, the three Hebrew children went through the fiery furnace, Daniel went through the lion’s den, and Christ endured the cross. Our God is a consuming fire, and there is not way we can avoid going through that fiery sword which “guards the way of the Tree of Life.”

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

Christ made it clear that He is that “way”, and He also made it clear that we would drink the cup He drank and be baptized with His baptism.

Mat 20:20  Then came to him the mother of Zebedee’s children with her sons, worshipping [ him], and desiring a certain thing of him.
Mat 20:21  And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom.
Mat 20:22  But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able.
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.

But it will all seem like a small price to pay when the reward is presented to the kings and priests of God at the blessed and holy first resurrection.

2Ti 2:12  If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:
Rom 8:18  For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Rev 20:6  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

Keep your eyes on that prize, and you will soon realize that the trials of this life and the result of those trials have all been worked out before any of us were ever born.

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

“Your fellow servant, who keeps the sayings of the prophecy of this book,” (Rev 19:10 and 22:9).

Mike

Dear Mike

I was reading (As He Is So Are We In This World) and you said this: “Well, what do you have in Christ? I’ve got nine things that I came up here with and if you come up with anything else, I wish you would let me know because I would like to add to this and get just as many things as we can find in the word of God, and I want to put this on the web page so that everyone can see what it is that we are and who we are in Christ.” About six months ago when I was reading scriptures, this from John stood out like never before another one of those “wow” how could I miss this all the these years studying scriptures. This one scripture from John I refer to quite a bit:

1Jn 3:2  Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is}.

This is one of the ‘will be’ part of ‘is, was and will be’. Now here is what stood out to me.

1Jn 3:1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.
Joh 1:10  He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.
Joh 1:11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.
Joh 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
Joh 1:13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

Mike, I know that you are my elder brother in Christ; our Father was dragging you through the wilderness before me.  We all have to go through the wilderness to get strengthened and weed out the chaff from the wheat.

Joh 17:16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
Joh 17:17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.
Joh 17:20 I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word;
Joh 17:21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.
Joh 17:22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one:
Joh 17:23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.
Joh 20:29 Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Joh 14:27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.

Peace in Christ
S____

Hi S____,

Thank you for your input and your enthusiasm for the things we have been given in Christ. God has revealed them to us by His spirit, which is His word:

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.
1Co 2:10  But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

I gave a study on this subject in Dallas a couple of years ago, entitled “The Christ of Christ.”
There is much more given to us than many of us even want to acknowledge.
 
One of the reasons we don’t hear very much about all that is given us in Christ is the fact that it is given to us to be as He was in this world, and while few orthodox ministers will openly acknowledge it, the Truth is that we all have before, and many still do, despised the Christ of scripture, whose doctrine from the pen of the apostle Paul went was:

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;

God’s elect always have and always will be despised and rejected by the masses of orthodox Christianity and the rest of the world.

Mat 10:22  And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

While there are billions of  ‘Christians’ on this earth, there are very few who are living by, or who even believe, those words. Most Christians decry the doctrine of dying daily as a very discouraging and negative teaching, which needs to be seasoned with the fact that Christ promised to give us “whatsoever we ask of Him.” Of course they quote the Bible to prove themselves to be right:

Mar 11:24  Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them

It is the enemy’s pattern to pit one verse of God’s Word against another verse of God’s word. Consequently they never point out that the very next two verses insist that we must forgive our brothers their sins against us or else our heavenly Father will not forgive us our sins.

Mar 11:25  And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
Mar 11:26  But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

What do those verses tell us about the preceding promise to give us ‘what things soever we desire?’ They show us clearly that our faith must be reflected by our way of life, and if it is not, then we actually have no faith with which to receive the things “freely given to us of God.”

1Co 2:12  Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

And when we are given eyes to see those things which are freely given to us, we find that it includes dying daily and suffering daily for his sake.

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

“Dying daily” entails daily pain and suffering, which accompanies the rejection of all men. It is what Psa 107 calls “His wonderful works to the children of men.”

Psa 107:25  For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.
Psa 107:26  They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble.
Psa 107:27  They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end.
Psa 107:28  Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.
Psa 107:29  He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.
Psa 107:30  Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.
Psa 107:31  Oh that [ men] would praise the LORD [ for] his goodness, and [ for] his wonderful works to the children of men!

“ Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.” Without the storm to be calmed, we cannot become the grateful children God is bringing us to be. So it all boils down to this truth of what we have been given:

1Co 3:21  Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;

It serves no purpose at all, but is rather counterproductive to point out all the positive promises of life and wealth and blessings in the Word of God and fail to point out that the word of God is a two- edged sword that separates the soul and the body and in the end destroys all flesh and all temporal things. So the very next verse make this clear:

1Co 3:22  Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;
1Co 3:23  And ye are Christ’s; and Christ [ is] God’s.

I hope you will take the time to read the study notes and listen to the talk in Dallas in 2007 entitled ‘The Christ of Christ.’ We are to Christ exactly what Christ is to His Father, and in Christ, we too, are in the Father.

1Co 3:23  And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.

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

So we are in very good hands indeed.
Your brother in Christ,
Mike

  Introduction

This week’s bible study is more or less a continuing thought that the Lord has given me as a trial and lesson, within myself and outside externally. As I studied out what chaste conversation is, the Lord provided much more than I originally thought this phrase meant. I hope you all will be able to receive this message as it was given to me because it really is amazing when the Lord makes something a revelation to us, isn’t it? It is one thing to think we understand, but it is a whole different situation to be given the eyes to see and the ears to hear another part of the revelation of Jesus Christ.

What is chaste conversation scripturally?

I wanted to retrace my study steps while speaking with you all, so I will start in this talk where I started when studying this topic out.

When I look up chaste in Miriam- Webster’s Dictionary, I see this:

Chaste:

1: innocent of unlawful sexual intercourse

2:  celibate

3: pure in thought and act:  modest

4 a: severely simple in design or execution:  austere<chaste classicism> b:  clean, spotless

Conversation:

1obsolete:  conduct, behavior

2 a(1): oral exchange of sentiments, observations, opinions, or ideas(2): an instance of such exchange:  talk<a quiet conversation> b: an informal discussion of an issue by representatives of governments, institutions, or groups c: an exchange similar to conversation

Sometimes, the dictionary makes very little sense. For the word conversation we have number 2 saying, “oral exchange of sentiments, observations, opinions, or ideas…. an exchange similar to conversation”.

How does that make sense? The word conversation has one definition of: an exchange similar to conversation. Anyways.

When looking up the biblical definition we get a whole different picture of what the Holy Spirit reveals in this phrase and the two words used separately.

===========================================

Chaste used in scripture:

G53

αγνος

hagnos

Total KJV Occurrences:8

pure, 4

Phi_4:8, 1Ti_5:22, Jas_3:17, 1Jn_3:3

chaste, 3

2Co_11:2, Tit_2:5, 1Pe_3:2

clear, 1

2Co_7:11

===========================================

Conversation used in the OT scripture: 

(Psa 37:14)  The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation.
 
(Psa 50:23)  Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I show the salvation of God. 

H1870

derek

Total KJV Occurrences:706

way, 462

Gen_16:7, Gen_18:19, Gen_24:27, Gen_24:40, Gen_24:42, Gen_24:48, Gen_24:56, Gen_28:20, Gen_32:1, Gen_33:16, Gen_35:3, Gen_35:19, Gen_38:14, Gen_38:16, Gen_38:21, Gen_42:25, Gen_42:38, Gen_45:21, Gen_45:23-24 (2), Gen_48:7 (2), Gen_49:17, Exo_4:24, Exo_13:17-18 (2), Exo_13:21, Exo_18:8, Exo_23:20 (2), Exo_32:8, Exo_33:3, Exo_33:13, Num_14:25, Num_20:17, Num_21:1, Num_21:4 (2), Num_21:22, Num_21:33, Num_22:22-23 (4), Num_22:26, Num_22:31-32 (2), Num_22:34, Num_24:25, Deu_1:2, Deu_1:19, Deu_1:22, Deu_1:31, Deu_1:33 (2), Deu_1:40, Deu_2:1, Deu_2:8 (2), Deu_2:27, Deu_3:1, Deu_6:7, Deu_8:2, Deu_9:12, Deu_9:16, Deu_11:19, Deu_11:28, Deu_11:30, Deu_13:5, Deu_14:24, Deu_17:16, Deu_19:3, Deu_19:6, Deu_22:4, Deu_22:6, Deu_23:4, Deu_24:9, Deu_27:17-18 (3), Deu_28:7, Deu_28:25, Deu_28:68, Deu_31:29, Jos_1:8, Jos_2:7, Jos_2:16, Jos_2:22, Jos_5:4-5 (4), Jos_5:7, Jos_8:15, Jos_10:10, Jos_12:3, Jos_23:14, Jdg_2:17 (2), Jdg_2:19, Jdg_2:22, Jdg_8:10-11 (2), Jdg_9:25, Jdg_18:5-6 (2), Jdg_18:26, Jdg_19:9, Jdg_19:27, Jdg_20:42, Rth_1:7, 1Sa_1:18, 1Sa_6:9, 1Sa_6:12 (2), 1Sa_9:6, 1Sa_9:8, 1Sa_12:23, 1Sa_13:17-18 (3), 1Sa_15:2, 1Sa_15:20, 1Sa_17:52, 1Sa_24:3, 1Sa_24:7, 1Sa_25:12, 1Sa_26:3, 1Sa_26:25, 1Sa_28:22, 1Sa_30:2, 2Sa_2:24, 2Sa_13:30, 2Sa_13:34, 2Sa_15:2, 2Sa_15:23, 2Sa_16:13, 2Sa_18:23, 2Sa_22:31, 2Sa_22:33, 1Ki_1:49, 1Ki_2:2, 1Ki_2:4, 1Ki_8:25, 1Ki_8:32, 1Ki_8:36, 1Ki_11:29, 1Ki_13:9-10 (3), 1Ki_13:12 (2), 1Ki_13:17, 1Ki_13:24-26 (4), 1Ki_13:28, 1Ki_13:33, 1Ki_15:26, 1Ki_15:34, 1Ki_16:2, 1Ki_16:19, 1Ki_16:26, 1Ki_18:6-7 (3), 1Ki_19:15, 1Ki_20:38, 1Ki_22:52 (3), 2Ki_2:23, 2Ki_3:8 (2), 2Ki_3:20, 2Ki_6:19, 2Ki_7:15, 2Ki_8:18, 2Ki_9:27 (2), 2Ki_10:12, 2Ki_11:16, 2Ki_11:19, 2Ki_16:3, 2Ki_19:28, 2Ki_19:33, 2Ki_21:21-22 (2), 2Ki_22:2, 2Ki_25:4 (2), 2Ch_6:16, 2Ch_6:23, 2Ch_6:27, 2Ch_6:34, 2Ch_11:17, 2Ch_18:23, 2Ch_20:32, 2Ch_21:6, 2Ch_21:13, Ezr_8:21-22 (2), Ezr_8:31, Neh_9:12, Neh_9:19 (2), Job_3:23, Job_8:18-19 (2), Job_12:24, Job_17:9, Job_19:12, Job_21:29, Job_21:31, Job_23:10-11 (2), Job_24:4, Job_24:18, Job_24:24, Job_28:23, Job_28:26, Job_29:25, Job_31:7, Job_36:23, Job_38:19, Job_38:24-25 (2), Psa_1:1, Psa_1:6 (2), Psa_2:12, Psa_5:8, Psa_18:30, Psa_18:32, Psa_25:8-9 (2), Psa_25:12, Psa_27:11, Psa_32:8, Psa_35:6, Psa_37:4-5 (2), Psa_37:7, Psa_37:23, Psa_37:34, Psa_49:13, Psa_67:2, Psa_77:13, Psa_77:19, Psa_85:12-13 (2), Psa_86:11, Psa_89:41, Psa_101:2, Psa_101:6, Psa_102:23, Psa_107:4, Psa_107:7, Psa_107:40, Psa_110:7, Psa_119:1, Psa_119:14, Psa_119:27, Psa_119:29-30 (2), Psa_119:32-33 (2), Psa_119:37, Psa_139:24 (2), Psa_146:8-9 (2), Pro_1:15, Pro_1:31, Pro_2:8, Pro_2:12, Pro_2:20, Pro_3:23, Pro_4:11, Pro_4:14, Pro_4:19, Pro_5:8, Pro_6:23, Pro_7:8, Pro_7:27, Pro_8:2, Pro_8:13, Pro_8:22, Pro_9:6, Pro_10:29, Pro_11:5, Pro_11:20, Pro_12:15, Pro_12:26, Pro_13:6, Pro_13:15, Pro_14:8, Pro_14:12, Pro_15:9, Pro_15:19, Pro_16:9, Pro_16:17, Pro_16:25, Pro_16:29, Pro_16:31, Pro_19:3, Pro_20:24, Pro_21:2, Pro_21:8, Pro_21:16, Pro_21:29, Pro_22:5-6 (2), Pro_23:19, Pro_26:13, Pro_28:10, Pro_29:27, Pro_30:19-20 (5), Ecc_10:3, Ecc_12:5 (2), Isa_3:12, Isa_8:11, Isa_9:1, Isa_15:5, Isa_30:11, Isa_30:21, Isa_35:8 (2), Isa_37:29, Isa_37:34, Isa_40:3, Isa_40:14, Isa_40:27, Isa_43:16 (2), Isa_43:19, Isa_48:15, Isa_48:17, Isa_49:11, Isa_51:10, Isa_55:6-7 (2), Isa_56:11, Isa_57:10, Isa_57:14 (2), Isa_57:17, Isa_59:8, Isa_62:10, Isa_65:2, Jer_2:17-18 (3), Jer_2:23, Jer_2:33, Jer_2:36, Jer_3:21, Jer_4:18, Jer_5:4-5 (2), Jer_6:16, Jer_6:25, Jer_6:27, Jer_10:2, Jer_10:23, Jer_12:1, Jer_18:11, Jer_18:15, Jer_21:8 (2), Jer_23:12, Jer_23:22, Jer_25:5, Jer_26:3, Jer_28:11, Jer_31:9, Jer_31:21, Jer_32:39, Jer_35:15, Jer_36:3, Jer_36:7, Jer_39:4 (2), Jer_42:3, Jer_48:19, Jer_50:5, Jer_52:7 (2), Eze_3:18-19 (2), Eze_7:27, Eze_8:5 (2), Eze_9:2, Eze_9:10, Eze_14:21-22 (3), Eze_16:25, Eze_16:27, Eze_16:31, Eze_16:43, Eze_18:25 (2), Eze_18:29, Eze_21:19-21 (3), Eze_22:31, Eze_23:13, Eze_23:31, Eze_33:8-9 (3), Eze_33:11, Eze_33:17 (2), Eze_33:20, Eze_36:17 (2), Eze_36:19, Eze_42:1, Eze_42:4, Eze_42:11-12 (3), Eze_43:2, Eze_43:4, Eze_44:1, Eze_44:3-4 (3), Eze_46:2, Eze_46:8-9 (7), Eze_47:2 (3), Eze_47:15, Eze_48:1, Hos_2:6, Hos_6:9, Hos_10:13, Jon_3:7-8 (3), Jon_3:10, Nah_1:3, Nah_2:1, Mal_2:8, Mal_3:1

ways, 164

Gen_19:1-2(2), Lev_26:22, Deu_5:33, Deu_8:6, Deu_10:12, Deu_11:22, Deu_19:9, Deu_26:17, Deu_28:7, Deu_28:9, Deu_28:25, Deu_28:29, Deu_30:16, Jos_22:4-5 (2), 1Sa_8:3, 1Sa_8:5, 1Sa_18:14, 2Sa_22:22, 1Ki_2:3, 1Ki_3:14, 1Ki_8:39, 1Ki_8:58, 1Ki_11:33, 1Ki_11:38, 1Ki_22:43, 2Ki_17:13, 2Ch_6:30-31 (2), 2Ch_7:14, 2Ch_13:22, 2Ch_17:3, 2Ch_17:6, 2Ch_21:12 (2), 2Ch_22:3, 2Ch_27:6-7 (2), 2Ch_28:2, 2Ch_28:26, 2Ch_34:2, Job_4:6, Job_13:15, Job_21:14, Job_22:3, Job_22:28, Job_24:13, Job_24:23, Job_26:14, Job_31:4, Job_34:21, Job_34:27, Job_40:19, Psa_10:5, Psa_18:21, Psa_25:4, Psa_39:1, Psa_81:13 (2), Psa_91:11, Psa_95:10, Psa_103:7, Psa_119:3, Psa_119:5, Psa_119:26, Psa_119:59, Psa_119:168, Psa_128:1, Psa_138:5, Psa_139:3, Psa_145:17, Pro_2:13, Pro_3:6, Pro_3:17 (2), Pro_3:31, Pro_4:26, Pro_5:21, Pro_6:6, Pro_7:25, Pro_8:32, Pro_10:9, Pro_14:2, Pro_14:12, Pro_14:14, Pro_16:2, Pro_16:7, Pro_16:25, Pro_19:16, Pro_23:26, Pro_28:6, Pro_28:18, Pro_31:3, Ecc_11:9, Isa_2:3, Isa_42:24, Isa_45:13, Isa_49:9, Isa_55:8-9 (4), Isa_57:18, Isa_58:2, Isa_58:13, Isa_63:17, Isa_64:5, Isa_66:3, Jer_2:23, Jer_2:33, Jer_3:2, Jer_3:13, Jer_6:16, Jer_7:3, Jer_7:5, Jer_7:23, Jer_12:16, Jer_15:7, Jer_16:17, Jer_18:10-11 (2), Jer_18:15, Jer_26:13, Jer_32:19 (2), Lam_1:4, Lam_3:9, Lam_3:11, Lam_3:40, Eze_7:3-4 (2), Eze_7:8-9 (2), Eze_14:23, Eze_16:47 (2), Eze_16:61, Eze_18:23, Eze_18:25, Eze_18:29-30 (3), Eze_20:43-44 (2), Eze_21:19, Eze_21:21, Eze_28:14-15 (2), Eze_33:11, Eze_33:20, Eze_36:31-32 (2), Hos_4:9, Hos_9:8, Hos_12:2, Hos_14:9, Joe_2:7, Mic_4:2, Hag_1:5, Hag_1:7, Zec_1:4, Zec_3:6-7 (2), Mal_2:9

toward, 35

1Ki_8:44, 1Ki_8:48, 1Ki_18:43, 2Ki_25:4, 2Ch_6:34, 2Ch_6:38, Eze_20:46, Eze_40:6, Eze_40:20, Eze_40:22-24 (5), Eze_40:27 (2), Eze_40:32, Eze_40:44-46 (4), Eze_41:11-12 (4), Eze_42:1, Eze_42:7, Eze_42:10-12 (4), Eze_42:15 (2), Eze_43:1, Eze_43:4

journey, 23

Gen_24:21, Gen_30:36, Gen_31:23, Exo_3:18, Exo_5:3, Exo_8:27, Num_9:10, Num_9:13, Num_10:33 (2), Num_11:31 (2), Num_33:8, Jos_9:11, Jos_9:13, Jdg_4:9, 1Sa_15:18, 2Sa_11:10, 1Ki_18:27, 1Ki_19:4, 1Ki_19:7, 2Ki_3:9, Pro_7:19

manner, 8

Gen_19:31, 1Sa_21:5, Isa_10:24, Isa_10:26, Jer_22:21, Eze_20:30, Amo_4:10, Amo_8:14

conversation, 2

Psa_37:14(2), Psa_50:23

away, 1

1Sa_24:19

because, 1

Psa_107:17

custom, 1

Gen_31:35

eastward, 1

Eze_40:10

high, 1

Deu_2:27

journeyed, 1

Jdg_17:8

passengers, 1

Pro_9:15

pathway, 1

Pro_12:28

through, 1

2Sa_4:7

wayfaring, 1

Isa_35:7-8(2)

wayside, 1

1Sa_4:13

whithersoever, 1

1Ki_8:44

===========================================

Conversation used in the NT scripture:

G390

αναστρεφω

anastrepho

Total KJV Occurrences:11

conversation, 2

2Co_1:12, Eph_2:3

live, 2

Heb_13:18, 2Pe_2:18

abode, 1

Mat_17:22

behave, 1

1Ti_3:15

overthrew, 1

Joh_2:15(2)

pass, 1

1Pe_1:17

return, 1

Act_15:16

returned, 1

Act_5:22

used, 1

Heb_10:33

And

===========================================

G391

αναστροφη

anastrophe

Total KJV Occurrences:13

conversation, 13

Gal_1:13, Eph_4:22, 1Ti_4:12, Heb_13:7, Jas_3:13, 1Pe_1:15, 1Pe_1:18, 1Pe_2:12, 1Pe_3:1-2 (2), 1Pe_3:16, 2Pe_2:7, 2Pe_3:11

===========================================

I have listed all these scriptures to show you where these words appear in scripture, but I now want to share with you what the Lord has given to me on these words. I will start with the old testament.

Chaste = Pure

The word chaste is not translated as such in the OT. So, I with the new testament definition and work our way back from there.

The new testament has the greek word for chaste listed only eight times in the NT. Four times it is translated pure, three times as chaste and one time as clear. The four verses listed as pure are:

(Php 4:8)  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
(1Ti 5:22)  Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure. 
(Jas 3:17)  But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. 
(1Jn 3:3)  And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. 

So, going with the definition of pure, lets look at only a few scriptures that use the word  pure in the OT. The main word translated pure in the OT is:

H2889

  / 

t a ho r

Total KJV Occurrences:94

clean, 51

Gen_7:2(2), Gen_7:8 (2), Gen_8:20 (2), Lev_4:12, Lev_6:11, Lev_7:19, Lev_10:10, Lev_10:14, Lev_11:36-37 (2), Lev_11:47, Lev_13:13, Lev_13:17, Lev_13:37, Lev_13:39-41 (3), Lev_14:4, Lev_14:57, Lev_15:8, Lev_20:25 (2), Num_5:28, Num_9:13, Num_18:11, Num_18:13, Num_19:9 (2), Num_19:18-19 (2), Deu_12:15, Deu_12:22, Deu_14:11, Deu_14:20, Deu_15:22, Deu_23:10, 1Sa_20:26 (2), 2Ch_30:17, Job_14:4, Psa_51:9-10 (2), Ecc_9:2, Isa_66:20, Eze_22:26, Eze_36:25, Eze_44:23, Zec_11:17

pure, 40

Exo_25:11, Exo_25:17, Exo_25:24, Exo_25:29, Exo_25:31, Exo_25:36, Exo_25:38-39 (2), Exo_28:14, Exo_28:22, Exo_28:36, Exo_30:3, Exo_30:35, Exo_31:8, Exo_37:2, Exo_37:6, Exo_37:11, Exo_37:16-17 (2), Exo_37:22-24 (3), Exo_37:26, Exo_37:29, Exo_39:15, Exo_39:25, Exo_39:30, Exo_39:37, Lev_24:4, Lev_24:6, 1Ch_28:17, 2Ch_3:4, 2Ch_9:17, 2Ch_13:11, Ezr_6:20, Job_28:19, Psa_12:6, Pro_15:26, Pro_30:12, Mal_1:11

fair, 2

Zec_3:5(2)

purer, 1

Hab_1:13

A few of those verses are:

(Gen 7:2)  Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female.

(Lev 11:47)  To make a difference between the unclean and the clean, and between the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may not be eaten.

(Exo 25:11)  And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, within and without shalt thou overlay it, and shalt make upon it a crown of gold round about.

(Mal 1:11)  For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts.

(Pro 15:26)  The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the LORD: but the words of the pure are pleasant words.

(Pro 30:12) There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.

As we can see, being pure or “chaste” is very important to the Lord. Now, let’s look at the word conversation, and we can see what the Spirit would have us know about how we are to have chaste conversation.

Conversation = “Way” or “Behavior”

Only two times in the OT do we see the English word conversation. However, the Hebrew word used as the English word conversation is translated a total of 706 six times as various words. Out of those 706 times, the Hebrew word H1870 or “derek” is translated 462 times as “way” and 162 times as “ways.” So, I think it is fairly evident that the Holy Spirit would have this Hebrew word mean way.

In the NT, we have the English word “conversation” listed mostly as either G390 or G391. We also have it listed once as G4175 and once as G5158.

G390 is listed 11 times in the scripture, and here are a few times it is used:

(2Co 1:12)  For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you- ward.

(Eph 2:3)  Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

(Heb 13:18)  Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.

(2Pe 2:18)  For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.

G391 is translated 13 times as the word conversation and only that. A few of those examples are:

(Gal 1:13)  For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:

(Eph 4:22)  That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;

(1Ti 4:12)  Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

(Heb 13:7)  Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.

Here is the scripture that has conversation listed once as G4175 and G5158:

(Php 3:20)  For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ:

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

G5158 is listed 8 times and those verses are:

G5158

τροπος

tropos

Total KJV Occurrences:8

manner, 2

Act_1:11, Jdg_1:7

means, 2

2Th_2:3, 2Th_3:16

way, 2

Rom_3:2, Phi_1:18

conversation, 1

Heb_13:5

even, 1

Mat_23:37

What is “Chaste Conversation”

Whew! That was a lot of scripture, but I felt it completely necessary to show you the foundation that has been laid for what chaste conversation is.

We have now seen that chaste means pure and conversation is way or behavior. Together, we have “a pure way” or “pure behavior.” In other words, we have a way of living, a behavior of living that is pure. When I say living, there is ONLY ONE WAY TO LIVE.

(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.

Jesus Christ, the Word of God, is the means by which we judge ourselves in order to KNOW if we are living by the pattern given.

           (1Co 11:31)  For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.

(1Co 11:32)  But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

Do you see that? Judgment’s result is purity.

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

Only those who are loved are even chastened now; therefore, those are the only ones who will receive the start of purification.

(Psa 47:4)  He shall choose our inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob whom he loved. Selah.

            (Mal 1:1)  The burden of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi.

            (Rom 9:13)  As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. 

(Gen 49:26)  The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren.

What am I getting at? There is “way” we can know if we are indeed the “we” in these verses. More importantly, others will know who it is God love’s by those fruits which are there or are not there. Here we have this admonition:

(1Jn 5:2)  By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.

(1Jn 5:3)  For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

(1Jn 3:14)  We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.

Now how can this possibly relate to “chaste conversation?” Well, we have an example in the scripture that has these words placed together.

(1Pe 3:1)  Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives

(1Pe 3:2)  While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.

I want to look at these verses very carefully to hopefully be used of the Lord to show the spiritual meaning that these words mean. I always saw this as an outward application, but I didn’t fully grasp the gravity of what these verses are saying spiritually.

Hopefully, we all know that the wife of Christ is His body. God is the head of Christ making Christ the bride of God. So, once we take that approach to trying to understand these verses, the verses open up as we are given the ability to see it.

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

If we are the bride as told here, the body of Christ with Christ being the head, then we have to look at these verses in that light.

“Likewise ye BODY, be in subjection to CHRIST that if ANY obey NOT CHRIST – the Word of GOD, that those that are OUTSIDE the Word of God, may be won by the WAY of the BODY – THE CHRIST.”

I believe we would all agree that we CAN NOT correct Jesus Christ with the Word of God for which He is. So, these verses are specifically speaking to the body FOR THE BODY. The body, via the “pure way” of the Word of God will be the EXAMPLE that is needed to win those who are standing outside the door. Last week I talked about who is standing outside the door and who those are who ARE THE DOOR.

This is all being done as 1Pe 3:2 says, with the “pure way” the “pure Word of God.” How can we know it is the pure Word of God which is being used and not an interpretation of some other way or spirit?

(1Jn 4:1)  Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

How do we try the spirits?

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

We use the Word of God to try the spirits. I’ll give you a great example of exactly this happening. Stay with me as I read this story we all know well. There is quite a revelation here to be had.

(Luk 4:1)  And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,

(Luk 4:2)  Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.

(Luk 4:3)  And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.

(Luk 4:4)  And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.

(Luk 4:5)  And the devil, taking him up into a high mountain, showed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.

(Luk 4:6)  And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.

(Luk 4:7)  If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.

(Luk 4:8)  And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

(Luk 4:9)  And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence:

(Luk 4:10)  For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee:

(Luk 4:11)  And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

(Luk 4:12)  And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

(Luk 4:13)  And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.

Ok. There is so much here that I just have to expound on it. I want you to notice the progression that satan uses to tempt with.

Satan first tempts Christ by saying, “If you are who you say you are, do this,” which results in Christ saying, “It is written…”. You then have satan again tempting Christ but in a much more subtle way. Satan tempts with, “ I, prince of the power of the air, will also give you this, NOW WHILE ON EARTH.” This also results in Christ repeating, “For it is written….” Lastly, we see one last and the MOST DECEIVING temptation that satan has in his bag of tricks. Satan tempts Christ with what is written. Satan says in verse 10, “For it is written…” which Christ then uses the Word of God to rebuke satan.

If Christ who came in the flesh and is the Word of God rebukes satan WITH, “For it is WRITTEN…” how much more so do we, Christ’s body need to do the same? We MUST now think, say, or talk above that which is written.

(Rev 22:18)  For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:

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

(Pro 30:5)  Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.

(Pro 30:6)  Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.

The revelation of Jesus Christ is the ENTIRE BIBLE from cover to cover. Christ says Himself:

(Luk 24:44)  And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.

(Luk 24:45)  Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures,

In order to have chaste conversation, or “a pure way,” it demands that we only go by that which is written, but who does this apply to? Again:

(1Pe 3:1)  Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives 

(Pro 30:5)  Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.

It is the body who uses the Word of God to chastise and judge the REST OF THE BODY.

Conclusion

I pray that the Lord has used me to show you all what it is to have a chaste conversation. Having a pure way, the pure Word of God, is the only way we can win those that are standing outside the Word of God. It is the BODY of Christ which ministers to the rest of the body. When we chasten our body, when we JUDGE our body, we are LOVING our body.

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

We must be a PURE bride, a PURE body for Christ and that is only accomplished by the Head being the Head- the Word of God over the body. When using the Word of God, it is our very brothers who want to kill us for doing so. It is not “loving,” according to our brothers, when we aren’t acceptant of whatever various spirits are trying to make their way into our spiritual household, our spiritual temple, the body of Christ.

(1Jn 5:2)  By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.

(1Jn 5:3)  For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

(1Jn 3:14)  We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.

We love our brothers by keeping the commandments of God. His commandments are the VERY Word of God, cover to cover.

(1Ki 6:12) Concerning this house which thou art in building, if thou wilt walk in my statutes, and execute my judgments, and keep all my commandments to walk in them; then will I perform my word with thee, which I spoke unto David thy father:

(Joh 15:20)  Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

(Joh 15:21)  But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me.

I love you all.