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The Evil Function of The Doctrine of The Trinity – Part 2

 [Study Aired May 31, 2026]

We concluded our last study with the statement that God intended Adam to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and that He had prepared Christ as His sacrifice for the sins of the world “before the world began.”

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 twice repeated statement that our salvation was “promised… in Christ Jesus before the world began”, demonstrates that the Lord really is “working all things after the counsel of His own will” (Eph 1:11).

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:

In this study we will give many verses which establish this Biblical doctrine and we will also demonstrate that the Hebrew does not say that God created man in His image. Rather, it actually tells us that He is in the process of “making man in His image and after His likeness”.

Here are the scriptures for this statement:

Rev 13:8  And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

1Co 2:7  But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:

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

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;

1Pe 1:19  But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
1Pe 1:20  Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,

Please take the time to read ‘After The Counsel of His Own Will’ to see how God really worked out the events in the garden of Eden as well as all events of all time. God’s dealings with Adam were no different than they were with Pharaoh or you or me. They are “all… after the counsel of HIS OWN will” (Eph 1:11):

https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/after-the-counsel-of-his-own-will/

Like Adam we make many ‘choices’ every day, but to say that these choices are ‘free’ from the influences of God is to say that Joseph’s brothers decided “of their own free will” to sell Joseph into slavery. There is no denying that they decided to make that choice, but was that choice free from the influence of God? Not according to Joseph:

Gen 50:20  But as for you [Joseph’s brothers], ye thought evil against me; but God meant it [their evil thoughts and choices] unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

This verse explains the reason “God meant” for Eve to eat of the forbidden fruit. “God meant” for Adam to become aware of the fact that he was created in a form [naked and out of the ground] that needed a Savior. The twin false doctrines of ‘free will’ and ‘the fall of man’ both deny the scriptural fact that Adam was “made [by God] subject to vanity, not willingly [not by choice], but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope [‘After the counsel of His own will’].”

This brings us to the crux of William Law’s misunderstanding about “the image of God.” What Mr. Law and the entirety of Christendom have missed is the fact that nothing in the old covenant is the fullness of Truth. Everything in the ‘law,’ the first five books of the Bible, and the prophets was mere ‘shadow.’ A ‘shadow’ by definition is something that is blocking the light. No, indeed, a shadow is in reality the lack of light.

Allow Christ to demonstrate the Truth of this principle. He has just fed 5000 people with 5 loaves and 2 fishes. When the people follow Christ across the sea in hopes of another free meal, Christ tells them that that is really all they are after. In response the people, or one of their representatives, quotes word for word Exodus 16:4.

Exo 16:4  Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no.

Now let’s read John and see if the people were telling the truth about what that scripture said:

Joh 6:31  Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.

What is Christ’s response to having His own words thrown back at Him?  Pay close attention, as they are very instructive if you want to understand the function of the old covenant. Here is Christ’s incredible response:

Joh 6:32  Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.

Christ appears, to the natural man, to have flatly contradicted His own words in ‘the law:’

Exo 16:4  Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you;

How could He possibly do this? Here is how, and here is why.

Heb 10:1  (a) For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things…

Everything in ‘the law’ was a mere shadow of the Truth. That ‘Truth,’ that ‘true bread,’ those “good things to come,” were one and all Christ! Everything else was something that blocked the true light. The manna was not the “true bread.” It was a shadow of the true. Now we can understand the depth of this statement:

Joh 1:17  For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

So when God says in ‘the law’ that He is “creating man in His own image,” what He is really saying is that thus far He has created a mere shadow of the true image of God. Because only mankind is being created into the image of Him who created him, Adam himself is called “the son of God.”

Luk 3:38  Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.

Paul reveals to us that Adam was nothing more than a type of the true ‘Son of God.’:

1Co 15:43  It is sown [God is the ‘sower’] in dishonour [naked and of the ground]; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:
1Co 15:44  It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
1Co 15:45  And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul [a ‘living soul,’ is a ‘body of this death]; the last Adam [the true ‘Son of God’] was made a quickening spirit.
1Co 15:46  Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual [and eternal], but that which is natural [and dying]; and afterward that which is spiritual.
1Co 15:47  The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.

The false doctrine of ‘the fall’ is based upon the serpent’s lie, “You shall not surely die.” It was the serpent who told Adam that he was created perfect and in no need of a Savior. The Truth of the scriptures is:

Psa 51:5  Behold, I was shapen [by the hand of the creator] in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

Isaiah understood that it is God who creates evil:

Isa 45:7  I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

These scriptures are not for the “carnal [Christian] babes” of I Corinthians 3:1-4. This is meaty Truth, but it is the Truth.

Rom 8:20  For the creature was made [right from the hand of the Creator] subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,

Here is how man was made:  1) of dust and 2) naked. What is God telling us when He reveals these details to us?

Here is what that means:

1) Dust:

Gen 2:7  And the LORD God formed man of  the dust of the ground,

1Co 15:47  The first man is of the earth, [dust] earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.

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

There it is. That verse equates ‘flesh’ with ‘corruption.’  The Lord God “formed man of the [corruptible] dust of the ground.”

Psa 51:5  Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

2) Naked:

Nakedness is used in scripture to signify the sin into which man was made.

Gen 2:25  And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and [just like Laodicea] were not ashamed.

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

Rev 16:15  Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.

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.

Nakedness in the scriptures is equated with our sinful, ‘made of clay’, composition:

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

Laodicea’s nakedness is in sharp contrast with the robes of  “white linen… which is the righteousness of the saints.”

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

Adam was not created by God dressed in white linen. It was God Himself who brought Adam and Eve into this world ‘naked.’

If you want a thorough understanding of this subject, read the law and the offerings as revealed in Leviticus:

https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/the-law-offerings_introduction/

God reveals in these offerings how He wants us to view the sacrifice of Christ. That is why we are told that God gave Israel both a ‘sin offering’ for what man IS right from the hand of his Creator, before he ever does anything good or sinful. Then, besides the ‘sin offering’ for what we ARE, Israel was also given a ‘transgression offering’ for what we DO.

In ‘the [shadowy] law’, the Lord told Israel that if a man has a field and digs a pit in that field, that the owner of the field is responsible for any harm that befalls the beast of his neighbor that might accidently fall into that pit. This is merely a shadow of the fact that Christ tells us that it is God who owns ‘the field,’ (“the field is the world” Mat 13:38). This shadowy law of Moses reveals the fact that God assumes responsibility for everything that happens in His ‘field’ and that before he ever created man, he had made provision for all the sins that he knew were yet to be committed. That ‘provision’ was Christ’s sacrifice of His life on the cross. God knowing all of this in advance is revealed when we are told that Christ was “slain from the foundation of the world.”

This false doctrine of ‘the fall’ has the whole Christian world wanting to ‘go back’ to the nakedness of Eden. William Law’s doctrine has the whole world deceived into believing that Adam was originally immortal and above sin and that we cannot lose that immortality even if we must burn in hell for all eternity with no purpose or goal in view other than the continued suffering of most of mankind for all eternity. Christendom tells us that we must “love our enemies,” yet God Himself will hate and torment our loved ones in an ever-burning hell forever.

God is not ‘going back’ to anything. He never intended to ‘go back.’ He is right on schedule with plan A. Here is plan A, and it has no room for ‘the fall of man’:

1Co 15:22  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
1Co 15:23  But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.
1Co 15:24  Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
1Co 15:25  For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
1Co 15:26  The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

1Ti 2:4  Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

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 [Not exclusively] of those that believe.

1Jn 2:2  And he is [not could be but “is”] the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

God did not say “In the day that you eat thereof you shall surely die. Here is what He did say:

Gen 2:17 Yet from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you are not to be eating from it, for in the day you eat from it, to die shall you be dying” (CLV).

Adam was “dying” before he ever ate of that tree. That is why he ate of the tree. He ate because he was weak. He was weak because he was of the earth. He was of the earth because God made him that way (Psa 51:5).

Here is what John has to say of all the things that we experience in this world:

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.

All sins ever committed are included within these three classes of sin:  1) The lust of the flesh, 2) the lust of the eyes and 3) the pride of life.

Now notice what this ‘shadow’ of the ‘image of God’ did before she ever touched the forbidden fruit:

Gen 3:6  And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food [the lust of the flesh], and that it was pleasant to the eyes [the lust of the eyes], and a tree to be desired to make one wise [the pride of life], she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
Gen 3:7  And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

Eve, and Adam through Eve, committed every sin mentioned in 1 John 2:16 before she ever touched the tree that would open her eyes to see that she had been created in a sinful naked condition. Mr. Law simply was not given eyes to see this plain Biblical Truth.

This entire experience is nothing but an old covenant type and shadow of “the law… bringing us to Christ.”

Rom 7:7  What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.

God intended for the “first man Adam” to come to see that he had been “shapen in iniquity.” The law of Moses accomplishes that task, and the law of Moses was typified in the garden by the ‘tree of the knowledge of good and evil.’

For an in- depth study of this subject, read ‘The Law of Moses Versus The Law of The Spirit’:

https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/the-law-of-moses-versus-the-spirit/

To give a direct answer to your question: “Have you ever considered William Law’s understanding of the Trinity,” the answer is, Yes, I have. The false doctrine of the trinity is based upon the false doctrine of the ‘fall of man.’

Here are Mr. Law’s own words: “Nothing can so fully, and justly show us the true nature of our Fall, as the nature and manner of our Redemption. These things have such a necessary correspondence, as cannot be denied, but by a mind utterly indisposed to receive conviction.”

Now with that statement before us, let’s go to what the scriptures actually say about what happened to Adam:

Jer 18:4  And the vessel that he [Christ, Joh 1:1-2) made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made [Hebrew, is making] it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.

Rom 8:20  For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly [“Not” by his own fabled ‘free will’], but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,

…And about the Godhead:

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:

1Co 8:6  But to us there is but one God, the Father [not ‘One God the trinity], of whom are all things, and we in him; and [besides God there is also “the beginning of His creation” (Rev. 3:17)] one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

Go back and reread that trinity paper. Critique it for me using the scriptures. I welcome such input.

You say this below:

 “I just want to add something here – I believe, if I am not mistaken, that you say that Christ is the Holy Spirit. But is this necessarily the case, though. It is true that Christ equates the coming of the Holy Spirit, with His coming to them; but does this mean He is the Holy Spirit? Is it not merely the case that as the Holy Spirit can only proceed from Christ (and the Father, I know!) that He (the Holy Spirit) can only come to them when Christ comes to them? This seems right to me.” (End Quote)

No, I do not teach that the holy spirit is Christ. I agree with you insofar as God’s (the Father’s) spirit is not really Christ. When Christ was revealing the coming of the ‘parakleetos’, “the comforter which is the Holy Spirit” (Joh 14:26), He said “the Father will take of mine and give to you.” Then He goes to all the trouble to explain what He means by “take of Mine…” “Because all the Father has [He is speaking specifically of this ‘parakleetos’, this ‘comforter’] He has given to Me [Did the Father give Christ another third of the Godhead?], therefore I said that He will take of mine and give to you.”

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

This “gift” under  discussion by our Lord is the Holy Spirit. It is not a personality but the very makeup of God the Father:

Joh 4:24  God is Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth

We will pause our study at this point, and we will discuss what God is composed of as we continue to reveal this apostate, false doctrine of a Godhead composed of three separate and equal persons.

[Click here for part 3.]

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Isa 53:1-6 He Is Despised and Rejected of Men - Discussion

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Isa 53:1-6 He Is Despised and Rejected of Men

[Study Aired January 26, 2020]

Isa 53:1  Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? 
Isa 53:2  For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. 
Isa 53:3  He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 
Isa 53:4  Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 
Isa 53:5  But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 
Isa 53:6  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Our first verse is:

Isa 53:1  Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?

What is “our report” which no one can receive nor believe? The answer to that question is partially in the last verses of chapter 52:

Isa 52:13  Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high. 
Isa 52:14  As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men: 
Isa 52:15  So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.

“Our report [is] that which they had not been told… and that which they had not heard”, but at the appointed time they will “see… and… consider… our report”. 

We will begin the study of this pivotal chapter of scripture with an example of things the religions of this world have not heard nor considered. This is a truth the depths of which is simply not given to this world to believe. This revelation is plainly stated, and it comes to us directly from “the spirit of Christ… the holy spirit of God” (Eph 4:30):

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

What this verse means, in practical terms “in this world” is:

Joh 15:18  If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.

It was Christ Himself who warned us that we, too, would be rejected of the established religious world with these very clear words:

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.

Mat 10:24  The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord
Mat 10:25  It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they [the religious leaders] have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?

The hatred and the wrath of men will in the end work only to the Lord’s praise:

Psa 76:10  Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain.

All the wrath of mankind is actually the Lord’s wrath through mankind:

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.

This is exemplified by the story of how Joseph’s brothers hated him, leading only to the glory of God and to the salvation of even those who hated him (Gen 37 and 39-50).

It all typifies how the rebellion of mankind against Christ within each of us lead us to His fiery chastisements, which in turn bring us to our wits’ end and to repentance. 

Psa 107:25  For he [“the Lord, vs 24] 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!

Outwardly and dispensationally ‘the wrath of man does not work the righteousness of God’ but it does work the will of God who is “working all things after the counsel of His own will (Eph 1:11) for [our] good (Rom 8:28).

Jas 1:20  For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

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

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:

As we saw in our last study Christ wants us to know He has sent us “as [His] Father has sent [Him]… that the world through Him might be saved”. What that means is that we, too, must present our bodies as a living sacrifice “for His body’s sake, which is the church” (Col 1:24). 

The second question in verse one is… “to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?”

As always, the Lord is addressing those to whom He gives eyes that see and ears that hear. Those whom he calls ‘Zion… Jerusalem, watchmen, [and] His holy arm’:

Isa 52:7  How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth! 
Isa 52:8  Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the LORD shall bring again Zion. 
Isa 52:9  Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the LORD hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem. 
Isa 52:10  The LORD hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God. 
Isa 52:11  Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD. 
Isa 52:12  For ye shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight: for the LORD will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your rereward.

The reason we do not go out with haste is again found in the last verses of chapter 52:

Isa 52:13  Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high. 
Isa 52:14  As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men: 
Isa 52:15  So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.

As we saw in our last study, all prophecy applies primarily to Christ Himself, but because He has sent us as His Father has sent Him, these prophecies also apply to us as His body, and that is why we began this study with these very plain words concerning who we are and what Christ expects of us:

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

Christ was sacrificed for the sins of this world, and as we saw last week we, too, are the “scapegoat” part of that very same sacrifice. The two goats of Leviticus 16 are both sin offerings. “The live goat” sin offering is as much a part of the propitiation of the sins of the Lord’s Israel as is “the Lord’s goat”:

Lev 16:5  And he shall take of the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering.

Lev 16:21  And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness: 
Lev 16:22  And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.

That “fit man” is Christ who is working all things after the counsel of His own will, and that second goat, the scapegoat, is the “living sacrifice” which ‘fills up in its body that which is behind of the afflictions of the Christ’ while ‘dying daily, being crucified with Christ, and while yet living by the faith of the Son of God ‘:

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.

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

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

If Christ “gave Himself for me”, why then do I need to be “crucified with Christ? Here is why we die daily and are being “crucified with Christ”:

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: 
Col 1:25  Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; 
Col 1:26  Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: 
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:

What an incredible revelation! It is right there before our eyes, and yet I had an 80-year-old minister tell me, “If you can explain the meaning of Colossians 1:24 then you will be doing more than anyone in this room can do.” He said that to me with two other leading ministers of his church sitting there with him, and neither of them attempted to explain the meaning of Colossians 1:24:

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: 

My answer to all three of those ministers was, “As long as you believe in the false, damnable doctrine of a substitutionary death of Christ, and as long as you believe that Christ did everything for us and as long as you believe there is nothing being done through us, then neither Christ Himself nor I could explain that verse to your satisfaction.” The false doctrine of Christ’s death being a “substitutionary atonement” precludes and excludes any need for anyone to offer their bodies as a living sacrifice. The doctrine of substitutionary atonement denies any need to die daily with Christ. That false doctrine has no need to consider oneself as being crucified with Christ. What do the scriptures declare when we accept the scriptural doctrine which declares “as He is so are we in this world” (1Jn 4:17)?

Did anyone believe Christ’s report? It was few indeed:

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

In spite of all the good He did to all who asked for His help, in spite of being physically fed with loaves and fishes by the Lord, those very same multitudes wanted our Lord’s death when He refused to be made a king and told them there would be no more loaves and fishes. 

Christ had read this chapter of Isaiah, and He knew exactly what it meant:

Isa 53:1  Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? 
Isa 53:2  For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. 
Isa 53:3  He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 

Verse 2 is a spiritual statement. There is no form or comeliness about the doctrine of Christ that has any appeal to our natural man. It was this prophesy, among others, to which Christ referred when, “[He] began to show… His disciples… that He must… suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed and be raised again the third day.” 

Mat 16:21  From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. 

Mar 8:31  And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 

 Luk 22:37  For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end. 

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. 

Joh 20:9  For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.

Isa 53:4  Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 

Until this very day, the Jews refuse to acknowledge that this chapter, the preceding chapter and the next chapter have anything to do with Christ. This is how the Rabbis explain the prophecies of these three chapters:

“In Chapters 52-54, the prophet is referring to the gentile nations who have tormented and inflicted pain and suffering on the Jewish people. It is THESE nations who will be astounded and shocked to see that God has saved us from their persecution and returned us to our home, Israel: and, that ultimately, God will vindicate us for our suffering. The same promises appear in the Book of Ezekiel 36:6-9 & 15 and in Jeremiah 30:8-13.” (End Quote)

https://www.jewsforjudaism.org/knowledge/articles/isaiah-53-explained/

Just try to make that argument fit with these next two verses:

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

Did “the Gentile nations… [make us] go astray”? We are being asked to believe that those words are telling us that it is “the gentile nations who have tormented and inflicted pain and suffering on the Jewish people.” How then does this principle apply to these verses of scripture?

Zec 13:6  And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends. 

Who was “wounded in the house of [His] friends”? What is “the house of my friends”, and who “smites the shepherd”? Are the scriptures calling “the Gentile nations” ‘the house of my friends’? I think not. Neither is Isaiah 52-54 referring to the Gentile nations. That is a major part of the lack of form or comeliness with which we are all just naturally afflicted. We all, by nature, do as the Jewish Rabbis do and place all the evil in this world ‘out there’ somewhere; anywhere but within ourselves.

Zec 13:7  Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.

The Jews are doing what all the thousands of Christian denominations do. They are looking outward at the world and not looking within at themselves as individuals. It is the innate “marred” inability to look within that keeps the ‘beast, the basest of men… the man of sin, the son of perdition’ firmly ensconced upon the throne of God within our hearts. While we wag our fingers and our heads at others, the beast within us confidently sits on the throne of God chuckling to himself knowing that it is not humanly possible for any of us to just naturally consider ourselves to be “chief of sinners”:

1Ti 1:15  This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. 
1Ti 1:16  Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

Unlike any of the other apostles, Paul, while still known as ‘Saul of Tarsus’, had not only denied Christ, but had actively persecuted the church “breathing out threatenings and slaughter”:

Act 9:1  And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, 
Act 9:2  And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.

1Co 15:9  For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 

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:

Christ chose Paul “for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting”. It is therefore fitting that we also should see ourselves as “chief of sinners”, and not do as we all just naturally do, see anyone but ourselves as such.

Christ was our “sin offering” because He came to be just that in a body of what is by nature “sinful flesh”. Joseph was not Jesus’ Father, but Mary, a daughter of Adam and Abraham, was His mother, and through her Christ was “the son of man… in the likeness of sinful flesh”:

Rom 8:3  For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

That is the only reason Christ had to justify Himself telling us:

Mat 19:17  And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.

Christ can say those words because they are true:

2Co 5:20  Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. 
2Co 5:21  For [His Father] hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Because His Father sent Christ to this earth in a body of sinful flesh, yet Christ “knew no sin” and could never claim, as the apostle Paul did, to be “chief of sinners”. That is why there had to be a “scapegoat… sin offering”.

Lev 16:5  And he shall take of the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering.

“The Lord’s… goat” is offered first:

Lev 16:8  And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat. 
Lev 16:9  And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the LORD'S lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering. 
Lev 16:10  But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make an atonement with him [with the Lord’s goat], and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness.

The scapegoat was a sin offering and a trespass offering because Christ, who was “made… to be sin”, was not given to commit a trespass, and therefore He “knew no sin”. “His body which is the church” (Col 1:24), on the other hand, can and indeed has, committed many trespasses, and yet it, the scapegoat, the “living sacrifice”, is as much a “sin offering… bearing upon him all [the] iniquities of the people” as is “the Lord’s goat”:

Lev 16:21  And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the [scape]goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness: 
Lev 16:22  And the [scape]goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.

The Lord used the only prophet who was called into His service outside the land of Israel, “near Damascus”, to reveal to us that we are that “living sacrifice”. He used the only apostle who had ever “breathed out threatenings, and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord”, and the only apostle who had actually “persecuted the church”, to reveal to us that as “His body, which is the church [we are to] fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of the Christ for His body’s sake which is the church”:

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:

The Lord’s goat was first offered, “to make an end of reconciling the holy place”, and afterward Aaron laid his hands upon the head of the scapegoat and confessed over Him.

Lev 16:18  And he shall go out unto the altar that is before the LORD, and make an atonement for it; and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the [Lord’s] goat, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about. 
Lev 16:19  And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel. 
Lev 16:20  And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat:
Lev 16:21  And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions [H6588: pesha, transgression, trespass, sin] in all their sins [H2403: chattaah, sin, sin offering], putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness: 
Lev 16:22  And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.

“[We] are the temple of God” (1Co 3:15-16). As such “the holy place”, which is within us, is the first to be reconciled by the blood of the Lord’s goat. The shed blood of Christ, the Lord’s goat, covers the sins and the trespasses of the temple, because sin and trespasses are both sin.

All sin is not necessarily a trespass, and for that reason the Lord has seen fit to give Israel a separate offering for what we do as sinful vessels of clay and for the trespasses and transgressions which are the natural fruit of being “conceived in sin and shapen in iniquity”:

Psa 51:5  Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

Afterward Aaron confessed over the scapegoat “all their transgression, in all their sins”.  

2Co 5:21  For he hath made him to be sin [G266: hamartia, sin] for us, who knew no sin [G266: hamartia, sin]; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

All ‘transgressions’ are sin, but not all ‘sin’ is a transgression. Flesh has no good in it, and is therefore innately ‘sin’, which is the very meaning of these verses of scripture:

Psa 51:5  Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive 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.

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

Thus, without committing a single trespass or transgression, Christ could still honestly say:

Mat 19:17  And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? There is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.

For years I wondered why Israel was given both a sin and a trespass offering. I had no idea what the difference was. In time the Lord gave me to see that the sin offering is for the “vessel of clay [which] was marred in the Potter’s hand” while in its mother’s womb, had not committed any trespasses or any  transgressions, while the trespass offering is for what we do, as His body, in these marred clay vessels.

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.

In other words, the sin offering is for what we are while the trespass offering is for what we do. Only through us as the scapegoat can Christ in us become the living sacrifice, which is the trespass offering. Only the scapegoat is said to be alive and at the same time dying daily and being crucified while bearing the sins and iniquities of the Lord’s people. 

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. 
Rom 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

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

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

All those verses are symbolized by the scapegoat, which in turn symbolizes Christ in us “filling up what is behind of His afflictions for His body’s sake which is the church”:

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:

Yes, indeed, “Who has believed our report” that we are His scapegoat, and that as such we, too, are bearing the sins of “his body which is the church”.

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

Isa 53:7  He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. 
Isa 53:8  He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. 
Isa 53:9  And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. 
Isa 53:10  Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. 
Isa 53:11  He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. 
Isa 53:12  Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. 

A study with Matthew 24 Part 5 Verses 32-43

[Study Aired January 13, 2020]

Mat 24:32  Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: 
Mat 24:33  So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. 
Mat 24:34  Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. 
Mat 24:35  Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. 
Mat 24:36  But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. 
Mat 24:37  But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 
Mat 24:38  For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, 
Mat 24:39  And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 
Mat 24:40  Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 
Mat 24:41  Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 
Mat 24:42  Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. [Mat 24:36] 
Mat 24:43  But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. [Rev 16:15]

This section of Matthew chapter 24, along with every other section of this prophecy, is telling us what is happening to this generation that shall not pass until all these things are fulfilled, said this way: “Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.”

The “This generation” is speaking of those who are predestined to be judged first in this life (1Pe 4:17, Eph 1:12 , Joh 15:16, Rom 8:28-30), and that judgment is expressed through parables that hide Gods purpose and meaning from those who are not meant to understand these things that are hidden from the world at this time by God’s design (Mat 13:10-11).

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? 

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

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. 

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. 
Rom 8:29  For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. [1Jn 4:17, Eph 1:4]
Rom 8:30  Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. 

Mat 13:10  And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 
Mat 13:11  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. [Psa 8:4 , Luk 19:44]

We can rejoice in knowing that Christ is associating “This generation that shall not pass” to a fig tree and his branch that is yet tender and putting forth leaves (Mat 24:32), making the point clear that this is an event happening to a small elect group who have been called to this blessing (Luk 12:32). The next comparative parable starting in verse 37 (Mat 24:37) that demonstrates God is dealing with a little flock at first declares: “But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be“. Then for added confirmation this is talking about believing and blinded Christians, two women grinding at the mill are spoken of starting in verse 40 (Mat 24:40), one is taken the other is left; meaning one is caught unawares, that being the one who is taken, and the other being left representing the small remnant whom God has blessed and given eyes to see and ears to hear how this generation is to keep the sayings of this prophecy in every age, so that we are always ready and about our Father’s business as Christ was (1Th 5:4).

(The world is seeking Christ with blind hearts (2Ti 3:7) not knowing that He is found and understood by being about our Father’s business (Luk 2:49), a business that can only be accomplished within those who have God’s holy spirit within them (Rom 8:9) as Christ accomplishes that work within us both to will and to do of His good pleasure (Php 2:13). That is why we are able to read, hear and keep the sayings of the prophecy today in this generation (Rev 1:3), with eyes that God has mercifully enlightened to see the truth (Mat 13:11).

2Ti 3:7  Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 

Luk 2:49  And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business? 

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. [“my Father’s business“]

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

We are told to “Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come” of Matthew 24:42, a verse that corresponds with Matthew 24:36). We are told to “know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up” in Matthew 24:43, a verse that corresponds with Revelation 16:15.

Mat 24:36  But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. 

Rev 16:15  Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. 

Let’s now look at this second-to-last section of verses of this chapter of Matthew 24 keeping in mind, “This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.”

Mat 24:32  Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: 
Mat 24:33  So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. [Hab 2:2-4]

The “yet tender” and “putteth forth leaves” time of this fig tree’s growth tells us “that summer is nigh“, and this parable as we will see is connected to the generation that “shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled“. The growth of that fig tree is given to those who are of that generation who are having their faith tried in the fire so that they can grow and go unto maturity in the Lord.

When we know that we are in sinful flesh (Psa 51:5), we will want to cover ourselves by dying daily (Rev 16:15 , 1Co 15:31), and when we understand the need for the sacrifice of Christ in our lives, for the need for a physician to heal us spiritually (Mar 2:17, Joh 9:39) “when ye shall see all these things“, it will be with the mindset that we will see the need to purchase gold tried in the fire so we can have eyes that see and ears that hear (Rev 3:18). It is when we are assured “that it is near, even at the doors“(Rom 8:16), meaning Christ our hope of glory is within (Col 1:27, 1Jn 4:2) and the holy spirit is working in us (Php 2:13), that we can fill up what is behind of His afflictions for his body’s sake which is the church, through this process of being spiritually healed by Christ’s word (Col 1:24 , Joh 17:17).

Adam and Eve covered themselves with the leaves of a “fig tree” that is symbolic of their own works of discerning good and evil without the burnt offering of Christ, symbolized by the skin of the lamb that was given to them for a covering (Gen 3:7 , Gen 3:21). 

The “fig tree” can be symbolic of both Israel of old (2Ki 18:31, Psa 105:33, Isa 36:16, Jer 5:17, Hos 9:10, Amo 4:9), and as it is in this parable, the “fig tree” (Mat 24:32) representing the new man in Christ, “the Israel of God” (Luk 13:6-9, Gal 6:16) who is covered by works of righteousness that are now attributed solely to Christ as he or she knows “that summer is nigh” and have been blessed to pray that their flight is not in the winter or during the sabbath where symbolically we are being told no spiritual work can be accomplished (Mat 24:20). Because we can see all these things for what these parables mean we can “know that it is near, even at the doors“. What is near? “That summer is nigh“, and that summer represents the life of Christ within us that can bring forth that growth, that tender branch that brings forth leaves for the healing of the nations within me today (Rev 22:2).

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

“All these things” must be fulfilled in this generation with which Christ is working, and what must be fulfilled is the tearing down of the old temple within us (Mat 24:2) and the building up of the new temple that can only occur by being given a new heaven and a new earth (Rev 21:1) which replaces the old heaven and earth that “shall pass away“. It passes away by the new creation being formed through the keeping of the sayings of the prophesy (Rev 1:3), which statement reveals the process of judgment that comes about that tears down the old temple, through reading, hearing, (Mat 13:16) and keeping (Joh 8:31-32) the saying of Christ, the words that “shall not pass away“. 

“Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away” is just another way of showing us that “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” through His eternal words which will not pass away (Joh 6:68).

Mat 24:36  But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. 
Mat 24:37  But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 
Mat 24:38  For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, 
Mat 24:39  And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

Very specifically, Christ tells us of His return, both inwardly and dispensationally, “Of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels^G32 of heaven, but my Father only.” 

Inwardly we know God is the one who gives the increase (1Co 3:6) which comes at a time He has predetermined for us (1Pe 1:20, Eph 1:4, Eph 2:10), and so we are warned not to be presumptuous in regard to our labour in the Lord where we journey to a far city, Jerusalem above (Eph 2:6), and labour together for the meat that shall not perish (Joh 6:27), experiencing growth that comes about through Christ working in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure of watering and planting, which all precedes the increase given from our Father in heaven (Jas 4:13-15).

Right after Christ declares “that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only“, He continues on with this parable pointing to the building of the ark which is the symbolic event of old representing how we must be working out our own salvation today, knowing that it is Christ who is working this work within us, even as we move with fear to the saving of our own and others’ spiritual houses (Heb 11:7, 2Pe 1:1)

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

Heb 11:7  By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. [Psa 40:10, Isa 56:1, Rom 10:10]

2Pe 1:1  Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: 

We were all “eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark“, which is a reminder that Noe, who represents Christ, has entered into our temple, represented by “the ark“. When this initially happened, we “knew not until the flood came, and took them (us) all away“, which is what God’s word does to the many beasts within us that need to be brought into subjection two by two by the grace and faith of Christ (Gen 7:9 , Eph 2:8). 

The flood that represents Christ’s words coming into our life systematically takes away all the false doctrines within God’s elect as we are baptized with the fire of His word that cleanses and sanctifies us in this age (Joh 17:17). That word is sweet in our mouth but bitter in our belly (Rom 6:3 , Rev 10:9, Eze 3:3). The world is not experiencing this fiery baptism by God’s word today [the bitter in the belly part] but will experience the water baptism of John during the rule and reign of Christ, and then the spiritual baptism of fire in the lake of fire at the end of the age where the rest of the world will learn it is a bitter thing “that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord GOD of hosts”  (Mat 3:11, Rev 19:20 , Jer 2:19). We are admonished therefore in Revelation 2:24-25) to hold fast to God’s word until He comes.

Rev 2:24  But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden. 
Rev 2:25  But that which ye have already hold fast till I come. 

Mat 24:40  Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 
Mat 24:41  Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 

The elect of God and those who say they are spiritual Jews and are not (Rev 3:9) are represented by these two groups mentioned in this verses that simply tell us: “then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left“. 

That “synagogue of Satan” of (Rev 3:9) is initially within us and can only be destroyed by the brightness of Christ coming into our lives (2Th 2:8) so that we are not taken or “tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive” (Eph 4:14).

“Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left” reminds us that while we are “in the field“, which  represents the world (Mat 13:38), a work is being accomplished by God “grinding at the mill” within two folds, one that God has predestined to “be taken” [Joh 10:16] and “the other left“[Luk 12:32].

Joh 10:16  And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

Luk 12:32  Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 

Mat 24:42  Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. [Mat 24:36]
Mat 24:43  But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. [Rev 16:15]

Mat 24:36  But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. 

Rev 16:15  Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. 

These last two verses of our study tonight focus on the urgency of staying spiritually awake and praying always that we may be counted worthy to escape those things that are going to come upon the earth (Luk 21:36, Hab 2:2-4).

Luk 21:36  Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. 

The angels^G32 or ‘messengers’ of God “know not what hour your Lord doth come“, as it is declared in Matthew 24:36.

Mat 24:36  But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels^G32 of heaven, but my Father only. 

The lesson of urgency cannot be any brighter than it is in this last verse of our study tonight: “But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up“. The confirming words of this scripture in the book of Revelation tells us the same thing (Rev 16:15) and describes that generation that “shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled“.

Rev 16:15  Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. 

The “goodman of the house” is none other than Jesus Christ, our hope of glory within, who is the author and finisher of our faith (Php 1:6, Heb 10:35 , Heb 11:26), who knows how to bind all the powers and principalities within us “except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house” (Mar 3:27), so that we can and will overcome through him (Mar 3:27 , Eph 6:12, Eph 1:21). He is the reason we can be more than conquerors and be convinced we are truly “This generation [that] shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled“.

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 10:35  Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. 
Heb 10:36  For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. 
Heb 10:37  For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.

Heb 11:26  Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward. 

Mar 3:27  No man can enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house.

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

Eph 1:21  Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
Eph 1:22  And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 
Eph 1:23  Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. 

Isa 40:1-10 The Glory of the LORD Shall be Revealed, and All Flesh Shall See it Together - Discussion

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Isa 40:1-10 The Glory of The LORD Shall Be Revealed, and All Flesh Shall See It Together:

Isa 40:1  Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.
Isa 40:2  Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD'S hand double for all her sins.
Isa 40:3  The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Isa 40:4  Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:
Isa 40:5  And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
Isa 40:6  The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field:
Isa 40:7  The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.
Isa 40:8  The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.
Isa 40:9  O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!
Isa 40:10  Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.

We are all aware that the scriptures are addressed only to those who have been given ears that hear and eyes that see the mysteries of the kingdom of God. They were never intended to be understood by the multitudes who claim the name of Christ and who gather every week in His name:

Mat 13:9  Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Mat 13:10  And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them [The “multitudes… gathered unto Him”, vs 2] in parables?
Mat 13:11  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
Mat 13:12  For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.

We are also aware that whatever the Lord desires is what He does and that none of us, and no man, can thwart His will:

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

If indeed the Lord does what He desires, then this is what He desires, and this is what He is doing:

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.

If we are those “who first trusted in Christ [then] we have obtained an inheritance [for the very  purpose of] be[ing] to the praise of His glory” as “firstfruits unto God and unto the Lamb” and as judges who will be in the first resurrection and will rule and reign with Christ for a thousand years preparatory to judging angels in the lake of fire, which is the second death, as these verses make abundantly clear:

1Co 6:2  Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
1Co 6:3  Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?

When will the saints judge “the world” in the outward sense referred to by the apostle Paul in the context of these two verses, which includes the judging of angels? The phrase “the world” tells us that Paul is speaking of outward judgment. This is when that outward judging of the kingdoms of this world will begin:

Rev 11:15  And the seventh angel trumpeted. And there were great voices in Heaven, saying, The kingdoms of the world became our Lord's, even of His Christ; and He shall reign to the ages of the ages.

This is a very general statement which tells us that our reign with Christ will begin at the “seventh” trump of the seventh angel. But Christ wants us to know all that His Father has revealed to Him. Not just the fact that the saints shall judge the world:

Joh 15:15  Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
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.

Christ is revealing to us “all things that He has heard of [His] Father”. Do we believe that? Or do we believe that we are nothing special to our Lord? Is a “friend” more special than a ‘servant’ who is not made privy to the activities of his Lord?

It is manifestly evident that the Lord is telling us that we are “special to Him above every nation on the earth”:

Deu 14:2  For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar [Hebrew: special] people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth.

Gal 4:25  For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
Gal 4:26. But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
Gal 4:27  For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.
Gal 4:28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.
Gal 4:29  But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.
Gal 4:30  Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.
Gal 4:31  So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.

While the vast majority of the Word of God is dedicated to the judgment of the inward kingdom of our old man and the judgment of the outward kingdoms of this world, this section of Isaiah centers around the blessings promised to those who are made to overcome this world and are given “place for repentance”.

Isa 40:1  Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.
Isa 40:2  Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD'S hand double for all her sins.

What wonderful words of comfort are these to ‘the chief of sinners’ who is also ‘the man’ who has done as bad or worse than those who are not yet being judged. Yes, it is we, whom the Lord has chosen, who are the least worthy to be chosen and who are typified by the lowly tax collector in the parable of the two men who go to the temple of the Lord:

Luk 18:9  And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
Luk 18:10  Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
Luk 18:11  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
Luk 18:12  I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
Luk 18:13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
Luk 18:14  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

This tax collector is not simply a humble man. He is ‘the man’ spoken of by the prophet, Nathan (2Sa 12:1-14). He sees himself as “the basest of men” whom God has placed over the kingdoms of this world (Dan 4:17). This tax collector typifies those who have already come to see themselves as this self-righteous Pharisee, and he counts himself as chief… of sinners” (1Ti 1:15). He has “received of the LORD'S hand double for all (his) sins”, and he is now “at his wits’ end”, crying out for the Lord’s mercy, and the Lord is in the process of comforting him because he has been humbled and given a “place for repentance”.

These words are all about this publican who sees his flesh for what it is, and is not focused on the sins of anyone but himself:

Rev 14:6  And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
Rev 14:7  Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
Rev 14:8  And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.
Rev 14:9  And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
Rev 14:10  The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
Rev 14:11  And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
Rev 14:12  Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
Rev 14:13  And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.

Look at what we have just read: “Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord… Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus”.

Contrast these words with the words of Christ with the words of Christ concerning those who do not “die in the Lord… while in [their] flesh”:

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.

Christ made it clear that this publican had already come to see himself as this self-righteous Pharisee and had repented and had come to see himself as a sinner.

Luk 18:13  And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

Such humility comes only after being humbled by the Lord to the extent of being hated of all men:

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.

Only from this “hated of all men” position can we become the bearers of the Lord’s words to this lost earth:

Isa 40:3  The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Isa 40:4  Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:

This is the prophecy John saw as referring to his position of announcing to this world the coming of the Lord:

Joh 1:19  And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?
Joh 1:20  And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.
Joh 1:21  And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.
Joh 1:22  Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?
Joh 1:23  He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.
Joh 1:24  And they which were sent were of the Pharisees.

John the Baptist did not realize that he really was a type of the prophesied “prophet Elijah”, but Christ tells us he was:

Mal 4:5  Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:

Mat 17:9  And as they [Christ, Peter, James, and John - vs. 1] came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead.
Mat 17:10  And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come?
Mat 17:11  And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.
Mat 17:12  But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them.
Mat 17:13  Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.

Three men - Peter, James, and John - saw a vision of the transfigured Christ, but the day is coming in which ‘the glory of the Lord’ will be revealed to all flesh, and all flesh will ‘wither and fade because the spirit of the Lord blows upon it’.

Isa 40:5  And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

“All flesh shall see… the glory of the Lord] together”, but seeing the glory of the Lord requires the death of the flesh, and that is a process which “begins at the house of God” (1Pe 4:17). It is this process of judgment and the dying to this world to which Isaiah refers with these words:

Isa 40:6  The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field:
Isa 40:7  The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.
Isa 40:8  The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.

“The grass withers… because the spirit of the Lord blows upon it”, and that “spirit [is what] gives life, [and that spirit is] the words which [Christ] has spoken to [us]:

Isaiah’s words were inspired by Christ Himself, so of course they accord with Christ’s own words which also tell us “the flesh profits nothing”:

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

It is the flesh which withers and fades, “but the word of our God stands for ever”. Christ amplified these words and expounded on them when He told us:

Mat 24:32  Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:
Mat 24:33  So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
Mat 24:34  Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
Mat 24:35  Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

When we read that ‘all these things are near, even at the door’ and ‘this generation shall not pass, till all these things shall be fulfilled’, it becomes evident to all who have eyes that see and ears that hear, that “the abomination of desolation” of verse 15, the “great tribulation” of verse 21, and “the coming of the Son of Man” of verse 27, must “all… be fulfilled [in] “this generation” of verse 34, meaning the generation of “whosoever readeth [and] understands” in verse 15. These “words are spirit” (Joh 6:63) which therefore “shall not pass away” in any generation since the death and resurrection of Christ, Who is the first of the firstfruits.

That the “all things” of Mat 24:32-35 apply to us as God’s elect there can be no doubt, simply because we are plainly told:

1Co 3:21  Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;
1Co 3:22  Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;
1Co 3:23  And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's.

The “Zion” of our next verse symbolizes both “the firstfruits unto God and the Lamb” of Revelation 14:4 and the “saviors” of Obadiah 21:

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

Rev 14:1  And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.
Rev 14:2  And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:
Rev 14:3  And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.
Rev 14:4  These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.

These 144,000 are “redeemed from the earth” and are “the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb”. These are what Paul calls “those who first trusted in Christ” and have been “blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavens”. Look at all the Lord has revealed to us through the apostle Paul which we can add to our knowledge of what has been given to this most blessed group of men. Let us all “Have respect to the recompense of the reward” (Heb 11:26):

Eph 1:3  Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly things in Christ.
Eph 1:4  Just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, for us to be holy and unblemished before him in love.
Eph 1:5  Who predestined us for sonship through Jesus Christ for himself, according to the desire of his will,
Eph 1:6  for appreciation of the glory of his grace, by which he blessed us in him who is beloved.
Eph 1:7  In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of transgressions, according to the wealth of his grace,
Eph 1:8  which he abounded for us in all wisdom and intelligence.
Eph 1:9 Having made known to us the mystery of his will according to his desire, which he purposed within himself
Eph 1:10  for an administration of the fullness of the times. To gather together all things in the Christ, things in the heavens and things upon the earth,
Eph 1:11 in him in whom also we obtained an inheritance. Having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the deliberation of his will.
Eph 1:12. For us to be for appreciation of his glory, men who have first hoped in the Christ.
Eph 1:13  In whom ye also, having heard the word of the truth, the good-news of your salvation, in whom also having believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of the promise,
Eph 1:14  which is a pledge of our inheritance for the redemption of the acquired possession, for appreciation of his glory.

Why does the holy spirit use all these personal pronouns if all men are “the first to have trusted in Christ”? Why are we told that we are “to be for the appreciation of His glory” if this blessing is granted to all men at this time? Why are we told that the holy spirit is “a pledge of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession” if there is no order in which mankind is being saved?

The Truth is that all these personal pronouns are used because the holy spirit want us to have “respect unto the recompence of the reward” Christ has in store of His chosen few.

Mat 22:11 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:
Mat 22:12 And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
Mat 22:13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Mat 22:14 For many are called, but few are chosen.

The fact is that we are called “the first to have trusted in Christ” because we are “the firstfruits unto God and the Lamb… the first to appreciate His glory”, and we have been given the holy spirit as a pledge of our inheritance of “the resurrection of life”, having been judged “at this present time” (Rom 8:18) and not to take part in the resurrection to judgment, which is “the second death… prepared for the devil and his angels” as well as all “the rest of the dead”, whose names are not in the book of life at the “blessed and holy… first resurrection”:

In Matthew 25 we are told that Gehenna is prepared for the devil and His angels, but in the book of Revelation we learn that “the rest of the dead are also there with the devil and his angels:

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:

Rev 20:4  And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
Rev 20:5  But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
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.

What a blessing it is to be chosen by Christ to be His friend and to be made to know all His Father has made known to Him!

Joh 15:15  Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
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.

If we are the chosen of Christ to endure to the end, then the good news is that nothing can keep that from happening:

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

Being the “firstfruits unto God and the Lamb” (Rev 14:4) is for the purpose of “be[ing] the firstborn among many brothers” who will be “born of God” via the work of the firstborn as the judges of both the nations of this world during the thousand year reign and as the judges of angels in the lake of fire (Isa 33:14-15 and 1Co 6:2-3).

Getting back to the good news of our calling, Paul continues here in Romans 8:

Rom 8:30  Moreover whom he did predestinate [to “be the firstborn among many brothers”], them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

Just what is the significance of all of that? This is how significant that is:

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?

It is hard for us to accept just how special we are to Christ. We are so special that we are told this about how much He identifies with us:

Act 22:7  And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
Act 22:8  And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.

Even these words are about those who being judged at this time:

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

“In this world” refers to “the day of judgment” which is now on the house of God (1Pe 4:17). It is only “in the days of [our] flesh” that we are “as He is… in this world”, and that is the “day of judgment to which the words “in this world” refers.

The point being made is that these words have no application to those who are destined to be judged in the everlasting burnings of the lake of fire/second death. It is we who are given boldness in the day of judgment… in this world” for the express purpose of judging angels in the everlasting burnings and the devouring fires of the lake of fire:

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 [“in this world”, this age, “in the days of his flesh” - Heb 5:7]; 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;

It is we who “first trusted in Christ” who “walk righteously and speak uprightly… in the days of [our] flesh” who “are like Christ in this world” and who are given to “dwell with the devouring fire [and] everlasting burnings”.

Heb 5:7  Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;

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

Let’s return to the blessings of being Zion upon whom Saviors come.  Let’s continue to see just how special to Christ the Lord’s elect are who are given to be in “the blessed and holy first resurrection”:

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.

“Life… death… things present and things to come… are all ours [but they] shall [not] be able to separate us from the love of God” if we are His “in this present time” (verse 18).

We are the “Zion” who brings good tidings both to our “fellow servant[s] who keep the saying of the prophecies of this book”, and we are told to be bold in proclaiming our calling “to be to the praise of His glory” (Eph 1:12):

Isa 40:9  O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!

This is just another way of telling us the same thing we are told to do in this verse:

Psa 107:2  Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;

This and nothing else is what makes all those wonderful words of Isaiah 33, and Romans 8 so very certain:

Isa 40:10  Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.

His work is before Him, and “we are His workmanship”:

Eph 2:5  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
Eph 2:6  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
Eph 2:7  That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
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.

Next week we will see even more of just how special we are to “Him that has called us to glory and virtue”:

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

2Pe 1:3  According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

Here are some of the glorious things to which we are called as the Lord will show us in our next study:

Isa 40:11  He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.
Isa 40:12  Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?
Isa 40:13  Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him?
Isa 40:14  With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding?
Isa 40:15  Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing.
Isa 40:16  And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering.
Isa 40:17  All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.
Isa 40:18  To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him?
Isa 40:19  The workman melteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains.
Isa 40:20  He that is so impoverished that he hath no oblation chooseth a tree that will not rot; he seeketh unto him a cunning workman to prepare a graven image, that shall not be moved.

Last week we looked at Christ’s words to John while he was in prison and how those words of encouragement parallel what needs to be happening spiritually in the life of God’s elect as we die daily by bringing all our thoughts into subjection unto Christ.

2Co 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
2Co 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
2Co 10:6 And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

We can “show forth his salvation from day to day” when we are granted to fulfill the spiritual intent behind Christ’s words to John. That sound pattern of physical events and words in Christ’s life represents the spiritual power that can be given to those who are given eyes to see and ears to hear and believe in both the words and works of Christ.

Mat 11:2 Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two [witness] of his disciples,
Mat 11:3 And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?
Mat 11:4 Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see:
Mat 11:5 The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.
Mat 11:6 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.

Joh 6:27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.
Joh 6:28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
Joh 6:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

There are so many idols which God has allowed to be made in this life, both within and without, and when those idols are torn down or brought into “captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ”, it is a witness of His “strength and beauty in his sanctuary”, the temple of God which you are. We are called to be overcomers who look well to the flock and understand the desperate way in which the devil will continue to try to destroy the work of God in this age but will not prevail as he tries to get foot hold. He will try however, and that endeavour is allowed of God to make us stronger as a body, and aware that our life in Christ is being matured through those persecutions and hatred from without ourselves that God allows to come upon us as His children.

1Co 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
1Co 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

Pro 27:23 Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds.

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

Eph 4:26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
Eph 4:27 Neither give place to the devil.
Eph 4:28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

Joh 15:9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
Joh 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.
Joh 15:11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
Joh 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
Joh 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Joh 15:14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
Joh 15:15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
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.
Joh 15:17 These things I command you, that ye love one another.
Joh 15:18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
Joh 15:19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
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.

Php 3:17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.
Php 3:18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:
Php 3:19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)
Php 3:20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
Php 3:21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

When we “worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness” (of verse 9), we are abiding in his love and keeping his commandments, which help us identify the sin in our members both within and without that needs to be torn down and brought into subjection through the LORD, which is why we “Give unto the LORD, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the LORD glory and strength” (vs 7). We know there is no overcoming without His might and power, and so we gladly and gratefully “bring an offering, and come into his courts” (vs 8), as we present our bodies a living sacrifice knowing and believing that God is able to overcome all the wickedness in our heavens and every power and principality within and without that come up against the body of Christ to mature us in our ability to discern good and evil and to be able after having done all to stand in the Lord by his might and power.

Eph 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Eph 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Eph 6:14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
Eph 6:15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
Eph 6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
Eph 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
Eph 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
Eph 6:19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,

This study is a review of things about which we have spoken many times before, but all is still needful to be brought back in our remembrance so that we don’t grow weary in well doing and so we remember who it is that is doing the fighting in our heavens both to will and to do. By believing that the very words and works that were being accomplished in Christ’s life can be accomplished in the body of Christ, we are in effect “shew[ing] forth his salvation from day to day” (of vs 2).

2Pe 1:12 Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.
2Pe 1:13 Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance;

Jud 1:5 I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.

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

Our verses for this study:

Psa 96:5 For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens.
Psa 96:6 Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.
Psa 96:7 Give unto the LORD, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the LORD glory and strength.
Psa 96:8 Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts.
Psa 96:9 O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth.
Psa 96:10 Say among the heathen that the LORD reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: he shall judge the people righteously.
Psa 96:11 Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof.
Psa 96:12 Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice
Psa 96:13 Before the LORD: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.

Psa 96:5 For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens.

This verse is very comforting because it reminds us that God made all things, the light and the darkness, “the gods of the nations” that were raised to demonstrate his power over those nations and the heavens that he made which symbolize the heart of man, and the unsearchable glory of God’s mind that we are blessed to partake of in this age.

Isa 45:7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

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

Rom 9:16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
Rom 9:17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.
Rom 9:18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.

1Co 2:15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
1Co 2:16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

Speaking of those nations within and without, God tells us that “yet he himself is judged of no man”, meaning that we grow in our ability to try the spirits whether they are of the Lord both within and without, and then through Christ we tear down those powers and principalities that he is far above in power and might. We judge the matter with the mind of Christ and so we can say that our judgement is just because it is not our righteousness [no man] we are seeking in that judgment over the nations within or without but the will of God that can be accomplished through the obedient submissive relationship we are called to in Him.

Eph 1:21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
Eph 1:22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
Eph 1:23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

Joh 5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
Joh 5:31 If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.
Joh 5:32 There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true.
Joh 5:33 Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth.
Joh 5:34 But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved.

Psa 96:6 Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.

Christ’s feet are burnished in the fiery trials of this life and are beautiful as they bring the true gospel of our Father’s power and might that produce peace in the sanctuary where we can worship Him in spirit and truth, giving glory and honour unto Him as we recognize his majesty doing the works within Christ’s body.

Rev 1:15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.

1Pe 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
1Pe 4:13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

Rom 10:14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
Rom 10:15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

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

Joh 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
Joh 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

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

The expressions “within the gate” or “the posts” or “the wall” are often used in the bible in both a negative and positive way to reveal what transpires within the temple of God, and we are reminded that the feet or sockets, as they’re called, of the gates that lead into the temple are extremely significant for us, as they reveal God’s plan to judge all the earth who will eventually come up through those nine gates in total and come to understand that “Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary”.

Exo 26:32 And thou shalt hang it upon four pillars of shittim wood overlaid with gold: their hooks shall be of gold, upon the four sockets of silver.

Exo 26:37 And thou shalt make for the hanging five pillars of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, and their hooks shall be of gold: and thou shalt cast five sockets of brass for them.

For a detailed look into the meaning of the pillars and the sockets which were made both of brass and of silver please see the following studies that Mike Vinson has done…

“Precious Metals In Scripture – Silver (Negative Application)” – Part 2

“Precious Metals In Scripture – Silver (Negative Application)” – Part 3

“Precious Metals In Scripture – Silver (Positive Application)” – Part 1

“Base Metals In Scripture – Copper (Carnal Babes In Christ)” – Part 1

“Base Metals In Scripture – Copper (The Best Flesh Has To Offer – The Judgment Of The Flesh) – Part 2

Psa 96:7 Give unto the LORD, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the LORD glory and strength.

After being told “Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary” we are told to “Give unto the LORD, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the LORD glory and strength”. We acknowledge that strength in each other with hearts of thankfulness and gratitude as we see the Lord building His temple through the many joints that supply.

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

When we no longer walk as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart as the next verses testify in Ephesians, then we know that the Lord is doing a work in our heavens that enables us to “give unto the LORD glory and strength”.

Eph 4:18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:
Eph 4:19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
Eph 4:20 But ye have not so learned Christ;
Eph 4:21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
Eph 4:22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
Eph 4:23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

Psa 96:9 O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth.

The beauty of holiness can only come about through the much tribulation that we are called to endure as God’s people, and it is very confirming to know that the Lord is working with us toward that end.

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.

The fruit of our lips which is produced as a result of God cleansing the temple through Christ within is worship and thanksgiving that comes from hearts which are without guile because we are blessed to experience Godly fear that fills our heavens or “all the earth”.

Heb 13:15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
Heb 13:16 But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

The “beauty of holiness” breaks forth from those whom God has ordained, but again not without order that comes about through prayer and fasting as described in the following verse.

Act 14:23 And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.

Psa 96:10 Say among the heathen that the LORD reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: he shall judge the people righteously.

This verse gives us a snapshot of God’s undeterred desire to accomplish that which he has started within all of His creation, the groaning that is spoken about in Romans 8:22-23. This is the hope, with which we are to encourage each other as we near the end of the age, a hope by which it goes on to say will save us, because it is the only hope, and the only way to lasting peace, as we lay hold of those eternal words that God has given to us to be encouraged by as we near the end of this ungodly age.

Rom 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
Rom 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

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:

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.

2Pe 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

The scriptures declare “he shall judge the people righteously” but very few know that that judgment which is upon the house of God today (1Pe 4:17) will one day begin to come upon all the world from mount Zion which represents those whom God has prepared to be king and priests in His service (Oba 1:21, Rev 1:6)

Psa 96:11 Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof.
Psa 96:12 Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice
Psa 96:13 Before the LORD: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.

That judgment upon us of (1Pe 4:17) should cause our “heavens [to] rejoice” and “let the earth be glad” and “let the sea roar” every part of our being rejoicing and giving great thanks to God “the fulness thereof”. We are able to declare his strength in this process today, and we can through Christ be more than conquerors through Him and “Show forth his salvation from day to day” which salvation so few know of.

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.

Verse twelve goes on to say “let the field be joyful” which field or world is within us, the nations that are being brought into subjection onto the LORD. Rejoice over that process is what we are being told, and again I say rejoice. If we are blessed to be able to bring all those nations into subjection unto the Lord today within “then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice” within and without, and God will even make our enemies to be at peace with us, and not allow anything to separate us from his love (Pro 16:7, Rom 8:31).

Mat 13:38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;

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.

Php 4:5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand

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

Rom 8:31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

As we have seen throughout God’s word, there is a process to judgment that must unfold, and so God does not rush judgment so that mankind can ultimately discern what He is doing over a short or long period of time depending on whether He is teaching us today or whether you are being reserved unto fire against the day of judgement (2Pe 3:7). Ultimately the earth, earth, earth will be completely judged and hear the word of the Lord (Jer 22:29) as these verses plainly declare “for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth”. When it is time to judge a matter the Lord teaches us as well to follow through and not delay that judgement when the time is at hand (Ecc 8:11).

1Co 4:4 For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.
1Co 4:5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

2Pe 3:7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

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

Ecc 8:11 Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.

God’s process of salvation is one that our flesh cannot understand because it requires so much bruising before we can enter into the temple, but what we are blessed to learn a little more everyday if He is working with us is that all of that tribulation that He gives us is used to purify the materials of the temple that God has given us the ability to use and understand (1Ch 29:14-15) as we grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and saviour (2Pe 3:17-18) through the faith and grace that He is saving us with (Eph 2:8). That is why we can “Show forth his salvation from day to day”

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.

1Ch 29:14 But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee.
1Ch 29:15 For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding.

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

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

Psalms 74:11-23 – “O God, how long shall the adversary reproach?”, Part 3

Psa 74:11 Why withdrawest thou thy hand, even thy right hand? pluck it out of thy bosom.
Psa 74:12 For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth. Psa 74:13 Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength: thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters.
Psa 74:14 Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces, and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness.
Psa 74:15 Thou didst cleave the fountain and the flood: thou driedst up mighty rivers.
Psa 74:16 The day is thine, the night also is thine: thou hast prepared the light and the sun.
Psa 74:17 Thou hast set all the borders of the earth: thou hast made summer and winter.

This particular Psalm is centred around the question of “how long shall the adversary reproach?” The straight forward answer to this question is that the reproach will be ‘just long enough’ to accomplish what God has purposed for each one of us in our appointed time.

In this study we will look at how the adversary is used to reproach us for a specific period of time until we are delivered by our Father who has allowed these unprovoked attacks of the devil. God knows our breaking point, and is proving us through these reproaches that are needful and necessary to bring us to the point of becoming matured, settled, and established sons.

Job 1:12 And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.

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.

1Pe 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
1Pe 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
1Pe 5:9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

We are predestined to fall before we stand by the grace and faith provided by God in order to have this written on our hearts that the new creation being formed within us is gift of God, his workmanship being created to His glory.

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.

1Co 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

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?

Resisting Satan stedfastly by the faith that is given to us (Eph_6:16-18) is part of the painful ‘reproach’ that we must go through together as the body of Christ pulling down those powers and principalities that Christ promised would be part of our calling. It is these afflictions that are being accomplished within Christ’s body today that are common to all of us and at the very heart of how we eventually gain dominion over sin, as we go from glory to glory, by our great Lord who is working all of this process according to the counsel of His own will “To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever”.

Eph 6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
Eph 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
Eph 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

2Co 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
2Co 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

Luk 10:18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.

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 13:13 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

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

2Co 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
2Co 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

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:

1Pe 5:10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
1Pe 5:11 To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

2Co 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

This section of proverbs that we will look at correlates very well with the part of the psalm that we’re looking at tonight. We are reminded that we do “faint in the day of adversity” until we come see how little our strength is and how we naturally deny Christ progressively less and less, but enough so that we are brought to the inevitable conclusion that we do deny Christ until we don’t, and that God is showing us through this denial the hypocrisy within us how we need to be delivered from ourselves through Christ. This day of adversity is the ‘day of the Lord’ and mens hearts are going to fail them in the outward day when Christ returns just as our hearts failed us and fail us until they don’t, as we come to know our Lord, rather are known of Him. It is after this experience of evil that we “see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory,/u>”.

Mat 26:34 Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.

Luk 21:26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
Luk 21:27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

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

Pro 24:10 If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.
Pro 24:11 If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain;
Pro 24:12 If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?
Pro 24:13 My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste:
Pro 24:14 So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul: when thou hast found it, then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall not be cut off.
Pro 24:15 Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; spoil not his resting place:
Pro 24:16 For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.
Pro 24:17 Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth:
Pro 24:18 Lest the LORD see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.
Pro 24:19 Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked; Pro 24:20 For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out.
Pro 24:21 My son, fear thou the LORD and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change:

Gal 4:9 But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?

Psa 74:11 Why withdrawest thou thy hand, even thy right hand? pluck it out of thy bosom.

Why have you withdrawn your hand is what we ask, and as Christ is so are we in this regard having to ask this hard question “Why withdrawest thou thy hand, even thy right hand? pluck it out of thy bosom”.

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

Mat 27:46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

Before we can rest on Christ’s bosom like John, who is a type of the elect, before we can carry our cross, before we can pick up our bed and walk (Joh_5:8), we need to come to rest in the Lord on the bed that he gives us the strength to pick up, and be healed to accept the altar which is the cross that we are called to carry.

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

Mat 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Joh 5:8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.

When God withdraws his power from us and allows the hedge to be down so the adversary can attack us it is so that we can then be delivered by his “right hand” an action described as “pluck it out of thy bosom” which is very much connected to a place of rest that comes after we have gone through great tribulation (Luk 16:19-22). We are this “certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day” also described as thinking that he is self sufficient when in fact we are at this time wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked before God (Mat 19:21, Rev 3:17).

Psa 74:12 For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth.
Psa 74:13 Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength: thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters.
Psa 74:14 Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces, and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness.

God is in the midst of the earth, more than we could have ever imagined as it never entered into our hearts that He is sovereign and how all encompassing that sovereignty is.

Act 17:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

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:

Isa 45:7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

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

Our Lord is the Ancient of Days who is was and will be working salvation in the earth until all of humanity will be saved. He is the one who is dividing light and darkness within our seas or our heavens by his great strength. It is in our heavens that “the heads of the dragons” “the heads of leviathan” is broken in pieces and becomes “meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness”.

Dan 7:22 Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.

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

Num 14:9 Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not.

Gen 9:3 Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.

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

Psa 74:15 Thou didst cleave^H1234 the fountain and the flood: thou driedst up mighty rivers.
Psa 74:16 The day is thine, the night also is thine: thou hast prepared the light and the sun.
Psa 74:17 Thou hast set all the borders of the earth: thou hast made summer and winter.

These next three verse graphically show us how God is the one who is in the midst of our earthen temples, cleaving^H1234 or rending or ripping “the fountain and the flood”, and drying up the “mighty rivers” which in this context makes us think of.

Rev 12:15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.
Rev 12:16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.
Rev 12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

God prepares our hearts to receive the light and the sun who is His son who God has prepared and whose sovereignty and absolute dominion over all of His creation is symbolized by saying”The day is thine, the night also is thine: thou hast prepared the light and the sun”.

Mal 4:2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.

Joh 16:14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
Joh 16:15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

It is in the midst of the earth (the church) that Christ is working, three symbolic days and nights in the grave as we discussed last week, and it is here in the earth that Christ sets “all the borders of the earth: thou hast made summer and winter”. To set the borders is comforting words to remind us that God does things decently and in order and in a way that the right results are brought forth even though we may like those borders to be higher or broader it is God who sets them and measures our purposes and experiences in this life to bring about the new creation being formed through the circumstances or borders that He alone sets.

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

Mat 16:4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no
sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.

1Co 14:40 Let all things be done decently and in order.

Making the “summer and the winter” reminds us that there are predetermined seasons of productivity and times when there is rest, or nothing happening spiritually. We ought to be admonished in our hearts and cry out and pray that the Lord of the harvest will not let our flight be in the winter when nothing happens. Even though we must live these words of not being spiritually productive, the experience is given to us so that we can see the great contrast between these two seasons of summer and winter in our heavens, and give glory to God who gives us the increase in the summer when we can water and plant and do all these things to his glory.

Mat 24:19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!
Mat 24:20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:
Mat 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

1Co 3:6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
1Co 3:7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

1Co 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
1Co 10:32 Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:
1Co 10:33 Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.

Next week, God willing, we will look at the last part of our four-part study which will address the deliverance that God brings us from those who oppress us and the joyful and blessed occasion it is when we can finally rejoice in all those afflictions that each us must fill up in each of our own lives in order to be matured in this life to be God’s kings and priests, who will be fitly framed for His glorious purpose of saving all mankind.