Psalm 91:4-8 “Our sufficiency is of God” (2Co 3:5), Part 2

Last week we looked at what it means to dwell “in the secret place of the most High” and were reminded how blessed God’s people are to be called to abide in a place that His word tells us to consider as our refuge and fortress. In order to abide with Christ in this secret place, we must be given the power to fulfill these verses:.

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

Isa 33:14 The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?
Isa 33:15  He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil;
Isa 33:16 He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure.

Cursed is the man that does not read or hear the words of this prophecy, or who does not keep the things which are written therein, because the time is at hand. That time that is at hand is the judgment of God upon His people, and if you are not being judged, then the time is not at hand. If you are being judged however, then you will be overcoming “fearfulness” because you are dwelling comfortably “with everlasting burnings”. God’s people are blessed to have those “everlasting burnings” within them which are sanctifying us and purifying us in the fire.

Joh 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
Joh 17:18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.

1Jn 3:3  And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

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

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

We are learning together as the body of Christ to acknowledge God’s might that gives us the victory over “the snare^H6341 of the fowler^H3353“. God is beating out of us, through much tribulation, everything that initially caused us to stumble at His word. He is purifying His words and working within His people as a witness of how greatly His hand can intervene to accomplish His workmanship in us through Christ within the temple of God which we are.

Isa 33:13 Hear, ye that are far off, what I have done; and, ye that are near, acknowledge my might.

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

snare^H6341 of the fowler
H6341 פּח   pach   pakh

From H6351; a (metallic) sheet (as pounded thin); also a spring net (as spread out like a lamina): – gin, (thin) plate, snare.
Total KJV Occurrences: 27
snare, 17; snares, 6; gin, 2 [Job 18:9, Isa 8:14];  plates, 2 [Exo 39:3, Num 16:38]

Exo 39:3  And they did beat the gold into thin plates^H6341, and cut it into wires, to work it in the blue, and in the purple, and in the scarlet, and in the fine linen, with cunning work.

Num 16:38  The censers of these sinners against their own souls, let them make them broad plates^H6341 for a covering of the altar: for they offered them before the LORD, therefore they are hallowed: and they shall be a sign unto the children of Israel.

The snare is the beaten plates of gold cut into wires and worked into the blue, purple and scarlet and in the fine linen of the ephod made for Aaron as the LORD commanded Moses. The ephod that has two stones upon the shoulderpieces of it, as stones of remembrance for the sons of Israel, that Aaron bear their names before the face of Jehovah on his two shoulders for a remembrance (Exo 28:12 LITV)

Our place of dwelling while in that fire is described in Isaiah 33:16 where God’s most detailed and profound work is being accomplished. We learn that we must be continually given a hunger and thirst for the bread and water that He supplies so that we can continue to abide in a place of security described as “of defence shall be the munitions of rocks” which place is with Christ and His Christ within the temple where we see the work of God in each other weaved together through the trials and temptations that we endure by His power working mightily in each of us.

Isa 33:16  He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure.

Col 1:29  Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

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

Isaiah goes on to describe in this 33rd chapter what the sufficiency of Christ brings to His people as we dwell under His cover.

Isa 33:17 Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty: they shall behold the land that is very far off.
Isa 33:18 Thine heart shall meditate terror. Where is the scribe? where is the receiver? where is he that counted the towers?
Isa 33:19 Thou shalt not see a fierce people, a people of a deeper speech than thou canst perceive; of a stammering tongue, that thou canst not understand.
Isa 33:20 Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnities: thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken down; not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed, neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken.
Isa 33:21 But there the glorious LORD will be unto us a place of broad rivers and streams; wherein shall go no galley with oars, neither shall gallant ship pass thereby.
Isa 33:22 For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; he will save us.

We will look at the mercy and comfort expressed in the verses we will be studying tonight as we examine the all encompassing love God has toward His children who have made the LORD their “refuge” and “habitation” (of verse 9 of this Psalm).

We are sent into this world as Christ was, and we are being refined and tried and tested in the process and are blessed to have the mind of Christ and the strength and support to come in the name of the Lord to witness of His great love and declare the promise of deliverance that His word proclaims.

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

The day which the Lord has made for His people is the “day of the Lord”, and we will rejoice and be glad in it knowing that His grace is sufficient and that we are under His wing, which we will look at more closely, to understand the great blessing that is ours today.

2Co 12:9  And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Mat 23:36 Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.
Mat 23:37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

Psa 91:4  He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
Psa 91:5  Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;
Psa 91:6  Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.
Psa 91:7  A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.
Psa 91:8  Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.

Psa 91:4  He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

If we are under “his feathers” and under “his wings” we will be in a place where we can “trust” God. Those who see themselves as the temple of God being actively worked with as His workmanship acknowledge that we are a work in progress within the temple of God and not at the side of the temple where no judgment occurs. We are sent into the world with a confidence and trust in God that is learned through fiery trials. We can witness of His truth, as Christ did, no matter where we are sent, and know that Christ is our “shield and buckler” who enables us to learn righteousness in our earth, through judgment, which makes that witness true.

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

Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9  Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Eph 2:10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Exo 25:18  And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat.
Exo 25:19  And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end: even of the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof.
Exo 25:20  And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be.

1Pe 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

Jer 1:14  Then the LORD said unto me, Out of the north an evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land.

Isa 14:13  For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sidesH3411 of the north:

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

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:

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

Isa 26:9  With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

Rev 3:14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

Rev 11:3  And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.

I want to draw our attention to Isa 14:13 to look at some of the entries for the word side (H3411) which is not where judgment takes place, but rather where we initially stand in judgment of the work of God with hearts that are pride-filled. This is the heart that needs to be destroyed within us if we are going to dwell in the fire with one another. God is in the process of doing this so that our words can become a fiery snare^H6341 of the fowler^H3353 that we talked about earlier (Jer 5:14).

Isa 14:13  For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sidesH3411 of the north:

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.

Judgment, which comes from the north, is what enables us to fulfill God’s will as we learn obedience through those things which we suffer. We look at some of these verses to make that point bright, that God works with us while we are yet sinners and not yet “Christ-centric” in our thinking:

H3411   yerêkâh    yer-ay-kaw’
Feminine of H3409; properly the flank; but used only figuratively, the rear or recess: – border, coast, part, quarter, side.

Total KJV Occurrences: 28
border, 1  Gen 49:13
coasts, 3 Jer 25:32; Jer 31:8; Jer 50:41
parts, 2 Eze 38:15; Eze 39:2
quarters, 1 Eze 38:6
side, 2 Jdg 19:1; Jdg 19:18
sides, 19  Exo_26:22-23; Exo_26:27; Exo_36:27; Exo_36:28; Exo_36:32; 1Sa_24:3; 1Ki_6:16; 2Ki_19:23; Psa_48:2; Psa_128:3; Isa_14:13; Isa_14:15; Isa_37:24; Jer_6:22; Eze_32:23; Eze_46:19; Amo_6:10; Jon_1:5

And now a look at the masculine of that strong’s number which is:

H3409  yârêk  yaw-rake’
From an unused root meaning to be soft; the thigh (from its fleshy softness; by euphemism the generative parts; figuratively a shank, flank, side: – X body, loins, shaft, side, thigh.

God’s elect are the eldest servant in God’s house, in the sense that we are the first who are resurrected, making us older or mature sons first, and this can only happen by being subject unto Christ power which is symbolically mentioned as Abraham’s thigh.

Gen 24:2 And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh^H3409:

Gen 24:9  And the servant put his hand under the thigh^H3409 of Abraham his master, and sware to him concerning that matter.

Gen 32:25  And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh^H3409; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh^H3409 was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.

Gen 32:30  And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.
Gen 32:31  And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted^H6760 upon his thigh^H3409.
Gen 32:32  Therefore the children of Israel eat not of the sinew which shrank, which is upon the hollow of the thigh, unto this day: because he touched the hollow of Jacob’s thigh^H3409 in the sinew that shrank.

The children of Israel not eating of the sinew which shrank, which is upon the hollow of the thigh, is another way of saying we have an altar whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle. Our Adamic thigh must be shrunk or decreased so that Christ can increase as He makes his strength perfect through our weakness.

Exo 25:31 And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick (Rev 11:3) be made: his shaft^H3409, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, shall be of the same.

Exo 37:17  And he made the candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work made he the candlestick; his shaft^H3409, and his branch, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, were of the same:

We are a beaten work in God’s hands that is being fashioned so that we can be the light of the world. Without the tribulation and suffering the light of Christ would not break forth in our life.

Lev 1:11  And he shall kill it on the side^H3409 of the altar northward before the LORD: and the priests, Aaron’s sons, shall sprinkle his blood round about upon the altar.

Num 8:4  And this work of the candlestick was of beaten gold, unto the shaft^H3409 thereof, unto the flowers thereof, was beaten work: according unto the pattern which the LORD had shewed Moses, so he made the candlestick.

Jer 31:19  Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh^H3409: I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth.

Eze 24:4  Gather the pieces thereof into it, even every good piece, the thigh^H3409, and the shoulder; fill it with the choice bones.

The words “Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh” remind us that we learn righteousness and the light of Christ breaks forth from His people when His judgments are in our earth (Isa 26:9, Rom 2:4).

Unless the Lord judges us “under his wing” where we “trust” and where his truth is our “shield and buckler” (the church), we remain at the side of the temple, and it is His judgment upon us that gets us closer and closer to going onto perfection, drawing us into the holy of holies where we look behind with John and see how the Lord has mercifully dealt with us while we were yet sinners (Rev 1:10-12).

Psa 91:5  Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;
Psa 91:6  Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.

By receiving the nourishment that we just saw described in Eze 24:4, we can be spiritually healthy and living sacrifices who understand that each joint supplies in this effectual work to which that God has called us.

Eze 24:4  Gather the pieces thereof into it, even every good piece, the thigh^H3409, and the shoulder; fill it with the choice bones.

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

Eph 4:16  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

The end result of those joints supplying through each of us within this fitly framed body is the miracle of “not be[ing] afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day”. The terror that the world experiences outwardly is what our old man must experience inwardly as the Lord destroys everything that breathes within that first marred vessel called Adam. Everything within our first man Adam must die in order for Christ to be formed within us.

Deu 20:16  But of the cities of these people, which the LORD thy God doth give thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth:
Deu 20:17 But thou shalt utterly destroy them; namely, the Hittites, and the Amorites, the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee:

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

Joh 3:30  He must increase, but I must decrease.

What we are wrestling against is “the terror by night” and “the arrow that flieth by day” which is another way of saying the powers and principalities that attack our heavens 24/7 like fiery darts that we know we can quench through the faith of Jesus Christ.

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

Eph 6:16  Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

Verse 6 in our study tonight is a witness of more of the same spiritual warfare taking place in our heavens, and the way that Satan has deceived the masses is described as “the pestilence that walketh in darkness” as well as “the destruction that wasteth at noonday”. His goal is to try to destroy the work of faith that is working in the church which is the body of Christ. God tells us this won’t happen, and the symbolism of Satan attacking us when Christ is brightest in our heavens at the noon day reminds us that if it were possible he would deceive the elect, but it is not possible because God will deliver us and grant His people to narrowly escape to His glory.

Isa 54:16  Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy.
Isa 54:17  No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.

Psa 37:40  And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.

Mat 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

1Pe 4:18  And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

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

Psa 91:7  A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.
Psa 91:8  Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.

It is the most natural thing for our flesh to think that the problems in this world are exclusively outside of ourselves, but by God’s grace and faith, we have been blessed to be given a perspective that is unique and holy in the Lord. With God’s help, and through Christ and the body of Christ, we can fight a good fight of faith and keep ourselves from only looking at the outside of the cup of this world when we know that God requires us to judge ourselves today and all that is within us. We do come to see ourselves as the chief of sinners and guilty of the blood of all the prophets in advance of the whiten sepulchre mentality that reigns in the first man Adam naturally.

1Jn 2:16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

Mat 23:27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.
Mat 23:28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. >
Mat 23:29. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,
Mat 23:30 And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.

Luk 11:51 From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation.

With these thoughts in mind and with an understanding of what multiples of ten mean in the bible we can now examine ourselves and apply all these words to our own circumstances and lives that need to die daily. The “thousand shall fall at they side” takes us back to the side of the temple where only after the 10 X 10 x 10 process of judgments unfold and are acknowledged as being ‘is, was and will be’ in our heavens can we enter into the temple of God confidently, even boldly.

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

Heb 4:16  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

We truly come to know that our dying flesh has nothing to offer God. The altar is the cross and is the ‘place’ where we can experience sin not overcoming us and “not come[ing] nigh thee”. The “ten thousand” is just another symbol to remind us that all of the world within us must be destroyed, and that would be four tens to equal ten thousand 10 X 10 x 10 x 10.

1Jn 2:16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

It is only with our spiritual eyes given by God that we will be able to see “the reward of the wicked” within us. It is the eyes that acknowledge that ‘we can’t see’ (Joh 9:41) that gains victory over the wicked that abides in the haughty spirit within us that says ‘I know’, ‘I see’ or ‘in your name [I’ve] done many wonderful works’ (Mat 7:22). With such a spirit and not that of a child, the kingdom of God cannot be seen within or understood in the lives of those who have been blessed to acknowledge that they can’t see unless Christ is their head (Mat 18:3-4).

Next week, Lord willing, we will look at the conclusion of our three-part study entitled “Our sufficiency is of God” where we will look at some of the most encouraging promises given to those whom God will take through the fiery trials of this life as He fulfills the promise spoken of in Joh 18:9.

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

Next week’s verses are:

Psa 91:9  Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;
Psa 91:10  There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.
Psa 91:11  For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
Psa 91:12  They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.
Psa 91:13  Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.
Psa 91:14  Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.
Psa 91:15  He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.
Psa 91:16  With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.