1 Samuel 16:1–23 David Anointed King

[Study Aired April 27, 2026]

Today’s study begins the story of David, who became the king of Israel. The study can be divided into three parts. The first part has to do with the Lord commissioning Samuel to anoint a king from among the sons of Jesse in Bethlehem to replace Saul.  The second part shows how the Lord chose David from among the sons of Jesse. The third section has to do with Saul being possessed by an evil spirit and therefore requiring David to play the harp to relieve him.

The Lord Commissioning Samuel to anoint a King

1Sa 16:1 And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons. 

This verse shows us how Samuel continued to mourn the rejection of Saul as king. Inasmuch as we feel the pain of losing a brother or sister, we must continue to focus on the race that is marked out for us since our brother or sister’s rejection is all of the Lord. 

Verse 1 also indicates that to be sent by the Lord requires that we fill our horn with oil. Horn in the Bible signifies strength on a positive note, and oil is a symbol of the Spirit of the Lord. Therefore, the sending of Samuel means that as the Lord’s elect, we must be strengthened by His spirit. 

Eph 3:16  That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;

Act 1:8  But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.  

The verse above also implies that as the Lord’s elect, denoted by Samuel, we must go to the house of bread (the meaning of Bethlehem) or the church of the Lord’s elect in order to be anointed as king, through what every joint supplies. Since only one of the sons of Jesse is to be anointed as king, this shows us that many are called but few are chosen in this age to be kings. We are therefore privileged to be called and chosen in this age. 

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

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. 

It is instructive to note that the name Jesse means ‘I possess.’ It is the Lord who possesses or rules over the church of the Lord’s elect. 

Heb 12:22  But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
Heb 12:23  To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, 

1Sa 16:2  And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. And the LORD said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the LORD. 
1Sa 16:3  And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will shew thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee. 

Samuel was going to anoint a successor to Saul. However, the fact that Saul was still the king of Israel means that what Samuel was going to do would create a major problem. The Lord therefore gave Samuel the wisdom to go to Jesse requesting him to accompany him for a sacrifice. It was during this sacrifice that David would be anointed. These verses therefore suggest that we must apply wisdom from the Lord to guide us in executing our God-given mandate here on earth. 

Pro 4:7  Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. 

Jas 1:5  If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 
Jas 1:6  But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

According to the word of the Lord, wisdom is defined as the fear of the Lord. This fear of the Lord entails applying knowledge to live righteously and therefore avoid evil. In the verses under discussion, Samuel applied the knowledge (wisdom) that the Lord had given to him to avoid evil. 

Pro 9:10  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. 

Here in Proverbs 9:10, the Lord is showing us that the knowledge that He has given us must result in our understanding of how we are to avoid evil in every circumstance we encounter. That was exactly what happened to Samuel. He applied the wisdom or the knowledge from the Lord to avert a crisis.

The fact that the Lord told Samuel that He would show him what he should do as he invited Jesse to join him in sacrificing to the Lord, is to make us understand that the Lord does not give us the full picture of what we are to do. He takes us step by step, and in so doing we learn to become dependent on him.

1Sa 16:4  And Samuel did that which the LORD spake, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably? 
1Sa 16:5  And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the LORD: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice. 

A key takeaway from these verses is that if we are to offer our bodies as living sacrifice unto the Lord, then it behooves us to sanctify ourselves, as we see Samuel enjoining the elders, Jesse and his sons to sanctify themselves. To sanctify means to be holy or set apart for the Lord. In one sense, the work of sanctification is the work of the Lord. 

1Co 1:30  But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:  

In another sense, we must sanctify ourselves, for the Scripture commands us to be holy.

1Pe 1:15  But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 
1Pe 1:16  Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

1Th 4:3  For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: 

The question is, “how can we sanctify ourselves?” The word of the Lord shows us what we have to do. We are cleansed or sanctified by the washing of water by the word. In other words, we are sanctified as our understanding is enlightened by the truth of the Lord’s word. The fire of the word of the Lord has the cleansing power to destroy our old man or flesh and make us holy or sanctified, such that we can offer our bodies as a living sacrifice to the Lord. This fire is our judgment. We can see therefore, that we bring nothing to the table and that our sanctification is all the work of the Lord. 

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

Eph 5:25  Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 
Eph 5:26  That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

1Sa 16:6  And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD’S anointed is before him. 
1Sa 16:7  But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. 
1Sa 16:8  Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this. 
1Sa 16:9  Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this. 
1Sa 16:10  Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The LORD hath not chosen these. 
1Sa 16:11  And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.

The rejection of each of the seven sons of Jesse to become a king of Israel by Samuel under the guidance of the Lord, signifies the complete rejection of all of the old testament prophets up to John the Baptist, in favor of the Lord’s disciples to date, who are destined to become kings in the fullness of time. 

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

Samuel’s admiration of the stature and the countenance of the eldest son, Eliab, signifies our admiration of the law of Moses, when we came out of the world (Egypt). All the Old Testament prophets were in admiration of the law of Moses until Christ came. The following verses show the beauty of the law of Moses which was our school master, until faith came through Christ:

Psa 19:7  The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. 
Psa 19:8  The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. 
Psa 19:9  The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. 
Psa 19:10  More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

Psa 119:72  The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver. 

However, the Lord’s rejection of Eliab and the other sons of Jesse signifies that without us, His elect, they (the prophets) would not be made perfect. 

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

In another perspective, the rejection of the seven sons of Jesse in favor of the youngest is made clear in the parable of the laborers in the vineyard, where many went early and worked hard, but it was the few who went late in the eleventh hour, who were paid first. In this study, it was David, the youngest, who received his wages first of becoming a king of Israel, as we shall see later. 

Mat 20:8  So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. 
Mat 20:9  And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.
Mat 20:10  But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. 
Mat 20:11  And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, 
Mat 20:12  Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day. 
Mat 20:13  But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? 
Mat 20:14  Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. 
Mat 20:15  Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? 
Mat 20:16  So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen. 

David Chosen and Anointed

1Sa 16:12  And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he. 
1Sa 16:13  Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah. 

When David came before Samuel, he had a healthy complexion, attractive eyes, and a handsome appearance. He was chosen by the Lord among his brothers to become a king and was therefore anointed with oil. David represents us, the Lord’s elect, who are promised to reign with Christ in the fullness of time. Just as David was anointed with the spirit of the Lord coming on him, we, His elect, are also given the Holy Spirit of promise, which is to make sure that we will be given what the Lord has promised us – our inheritance. 

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

David in Saul’s Service

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

When a brother or sister becomes disobedient to the Lord and falls away, such a person is possessed by an evil spirit from the Lord, which troubles him or her. Just as the words of the Lord are spirit, false doctrines are also spirits from the devil. Therefore, Saul being troubled by an evil spirit from the Lord, means that those who fall away are troubled by the false doctrines in their hearts and minds. 

1Ti 4:1  Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 
1Ti 4:2  Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;    

1Jn 4:1  Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
1Jn 4:2  Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: 
1Jn 4:3  And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. 

Rev 16:13  And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 
Rev 16:14  For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. 

1Sa 16:16  Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well. 
1Sa 16:17  And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me. 
1Sa 16:18  Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the LORD is with him.

In verse 16, we see that a brother or sister who falls away, can be restored only by a cunning player on an harp. We all started well at the early stages of our walk with Christ before we fell away through false teachers and apostles, parading in the corridors of the church system of this world. 

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

2Co 11:3  But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 
2Co 11:4  For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him. 

2Co 11:13  For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 
2Co 11:14  And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 
2Co 11:15  Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. 

In the Book of Revelation, we are shown that it is the Lord’s elect who are cunning players of the harp. This implies that it is a brother or sister, who is an elect, who can restore a brother or a sister who falls away. Here in Revelation 14:2, it is the voice of the harpers which can restore a brother or sister. This voice is the truth of the Lord’s word which as hail, destroys the false doctrines in our heavens or hearts and minds.

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.  

Isa 28:17  Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place. 

In verses 17 and 18, the search for a harper or the Lord’s elect, ended up in Jesse’s house in Bethlehem. As indicated earlier in the study, Jesse means “I possess” and Bethlehem denotes “house of bread.” The house of bread signifies the church of the Lord’s elect which is the Lord’s possession. This shows us that it is in the assembly of the Lord’s elect that harpers can be found, who represent the Lord’s firstborn or His redeemed.

The description of the cunning harper is that he must be skillful in playing the harp, a man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, a man of good presence, and the LORD being with him. That is the description of the Lord’s elect. We may think we are not up to these standards highlighted, but that is how the Lord sees us!  Inasmuch as we are not to think highly of ourselves, we must see how the Lord sees us – because He sees the end from the beginning.  

Rom 12:3  For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

Isa 46:10  Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:    

1Sa 16:19  Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, which is with the sheep. 
1Sa 16:20  And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto Saul. 
1Sa 16:21  And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer. 
1Sa 16:22  And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favour in my sight. 
1Sa 16:23  And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him. 

David being with the sheep in verse 19, spiritually signifies that he was with the assembly of the Lord’s elect. As we continue to study to show ourselves approved of the Lord like David, He will use us at the right time, to deliver those to whom He sends us, from evil spirits or false doctrines. 

Verse 20 shows us that David did not go to Saul empty-handed. His father, Jesse, supplied him with a donkey laden with bread and a skin of wine and a young goat to be sent to Saul.  This is to show us that the Lord gives us the appropriate words (bread and wine) and the means to minister effectively on His behalf. 

Mat 10:20  For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 

When David came to Saul in verse 21 and 22, Saul loved him greatly and found favor in his sight. This is to make us aware that the Lord will grant us favor in the sight of men at the appropriate time to help us. For example, when the Israelites were planning to kill Paul, the Lord granted him favor in the sight of the chief captain who asked his men to protect him on his journey to Felix, the governor.   

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

As indicated in a previous study, an armor bearer signifies all those that the Lord brings our way to help or encourage us with our walk with Christ. David becoming the armor bearer of Saul is to help Saul overcome the evil spirits or the false doctrines in his heart and mind. In verse 23, through the ministration of David, Saul was relieved of the evil spirits. It shows us our role as the Lord’s elect in helping destroy the false doctrines in our brothers and sisters’ hearts and minds through what every joint supplies. 

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

Amen!

1 Samuel 9:1–27 Saul Chosen to be King 

[Study Aired March 2, 2026]

Introduction

The study today focuses on the Lord’s providence in guiding Saul to Samuel to be anointed as the king of Israel. The study starts with Saul’s physical attributes which made him stand out as a possible candidate for a king. This is followed by Saul’s journey in Israel in search of his father’s lost donkeys, which ultimately led him to Samuel, who was going to anoint him as king of the people of Israel.

Introduction of Saul

1Sa 9:1  Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjamite, a mighty man of power.
1Sa 9:2  And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a choice young man, and a goodly: and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people. 

Verse 1 describes Kish, the father of Saul, from the tribe of Benjamin, as a mighty man of power. In the Bible, the description of a mighty man of power signifies our Lord Jesus Christ. The tribe of Benjamin represents the family of the Lord’s elect as shown in the following verses:

Gen 43:34  And he took and sent messes unto them from before him: but Benjamin’s mess was five times so much as any of theirs. And they drank, and were merry with him.

Gen 45:22 To all of them he gave each man changes of raiment; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver, and five changes of raiment.

Gen 49:27  Benjamin shall ravin as a wolf: in the morning he shall devour the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil.

Benjamin means son of the right hand. Here in Genesis 49:27, we can say that it is the Lord who is wild as a wolf in His destruction of our flesh as He devours our flesh through His judgement when He rises in our hearts and minds as the morning star and in the fullness of time, divides the spoil for His elect (reward of His elect).

Kish means ‘bent.’ This describes the way of the Lord which is not straight forward (bent). 

Rom 11:33  God’s riches, wisdom, and knowledge are so deep that it is impossible to explain his decisions or to understand his ways.
Rom 11:34  “Who knows how the Lord thinks? Who can become his adviser?” 
Rom 11:35  Who gave the Lord something which the Lord must pay back? 
Rom 11:36 Everything is from him and by him and for him. Glory belongs to him forever! Amen! (GW)

As indicated, Kish being a mighty man of power, represents Christ. Saul means desired, which can mean chosen. What this implies is that Saul was chosen by the Lord to become a king. The Lord has called and chosen us, His elect, to reign with Him as kings in the fulness of time. 

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

On a negative note, Saul also represents the leaders of the church system of this world or Babylon. His attractive physical attributes imply that the leaders of the church system of this world come with charisma, which is difficult to ignore as they sweep the Lord’s people off their feet with their personality, such that they are not able to discern that these men of God do not represent the Lord’s elect.

Pro 31:30  Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. 

1Sa 9:3  And the asses of Kish Saul’s father were lost. And Kish said to Saul his son, Take now one of the servants with thee, and arise, go seek the asses. 
1Sa 9:4 And he passed through mount Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalisha, but they found them not: then they passed through the land of Shalim, and there they were not: and he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they found them not. 

In the Bible times, owning asses signifies being physically rich, as shown in the following verses:

Gen 24:35  And the LORD hath blessed my master greatly; and he is become great: and he hath given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and menservants, and maidservants, and camels, and asses.

Gen 30:43  And the man increased exceedingly, and had much cattle, and maidservants, and menservants, and camels, and asses.

Therefore, Saul going out in search of the asses of his father means that we start our walk with Christ in pursuit of the Lord’s spiritual riches. Saul taking one of the servants of his father to search for the asses implies that in this pursuit of becoming spiritually rich in Christ, we become witnesses of Christ. 

2Co 13:1  This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.  

In verse 4, we are shown the cities Saul visited in search of his father’s asses. The meaning of these cities that Saul and his father’s servant went through have implication of what we must go through to become spiritually rich. The first place they passed through was Mount Ephraim. Ephraim means ‘doubly fruitful.’ The mount of Ephraim is the house of the Lord or the church of the Lord’s elect.

Isa 2:2  And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.
Isa 2:3  And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

What this suggests is that to become spiritually rich or doubly fruitful, we must enter the house of the God of Jacob or the church of the Lord’s elect, which is the pillar and ground of the truth. That is where we are nourished through what every joint supplies, to become spiritually rich in Christ. 

1Ti 3:15  But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

Eph 4:15  But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 
Eph 4:16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

The next place where Saul and his father’s servant went was the land of Shalisha. It is important to note that Salisha means ‘the third.’ The number three symbolizes the process of spiritual maturity through the Lord’s judgment. This means that it is through the Lord’s judgment of our flesh that we become spiritually rich in Him.

The third place of the search was the land of Shalim. Shalim means ‘foxes’ and therefore to become spiritually rich, we must take out, through the Lord’s help, the foxes which spoil the vine. These foxes which impoverish us spiritually are the false prophets parading as angels of light.

Son 2:15  Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes. 

Eze 13:4  O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts.

2Co 11:13  For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 
2Co 11:14  And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 
2Co 11:15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. 

The fourth place Saul and his father’s servant went searching for the asses was the land of Benjamin. The name Benjamin means ‘son of the right hand’, which means the Lord’s elect. It is in the assembly of the Lord’s elect that we are empowered to become spiritually rich. The fact that in all these places, Saul and the servant did not find the asses means that becoming spiritually rich is a process which takes time. We only find these spiritual riches when we search with all our hearts.

Jer 29:13  And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

1Sa 9:5  And when they were come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant that was with him, Come, and let us return; lest my father leave caring for the asses, and take thought for us. 
1Sa 9:6  And he said unto him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is an honourable man; all that he saith cometh surely to pass: now let us go thither; peradventure he can shew us our way that we should go.  

The land of Zuph means the ‘land of honey comb.’ It is in this land of honey comb which signifies the rudimentary gospel of milk and honey which causes us to ponder over the Lord’s thought for us.  

Jer 29:11  For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

1Co 3:2  I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.

It was in this city that a man of God, Samuel, lived. The servant saying that Samuel can show them the way to go means that it is Christ who can show us the way we should go. What we need to understand is that Christ works through His elect, like Samuel, to show us the way to become spiritually rich in Him.

2Co 8:9  For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. 

1Co 4:8  Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you.

1Sa 9:7  Then said Saul to his servant, But, behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? for the bread is spent in our vessels, and there is not a present to bring to the man of God: what have we? 
1Sa 9:8  And the servant answered Saul again, and said, Behold, I have here at hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver: that will I give to the man of God, to tell us our way.
1Sa 9:9  (Before time in Israel, when a man went to enquire of God, thus he spake, Come, and let us go to the seer: for he that is now called a Prophet was beforetime called a Seer.)
1Sa 9:10 Then said Saul to his servant, Well said; come, let us go. So they went unto the city where the man of God was.

Here Samuel, the man of God represents Christ. Saul reminded the servant that they must bring a present to the man of God. However, at that time Saul did not have anything worth offering to Samuel. This is because the bread in their vessels was finished. The bread here represents the word of the Lord. At this stage of Saul’s life, he did not know the Lord and therefore could not hear His voice. As a result, there was nothing to offer the Lord. It is when we are given to know the truth of the word of the Lord that we can offer something precious to Christ. This offering which we must bring to Christ is presenting ourselves as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to the Lord.

Rom 12:1  I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
Rom 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. 

In verse 8, the servant’s remarks that he has a fourth part of silver that he will give to the man of God implies that we must give the whole of what we have to the Lord. This whole of what we have is our bodies which we must offer to the Lord without any reservation.

Num 23:10  Who can count the dust of Jacob or number the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the upright, and let my end be like his!”  

In verse 10, Saul agreeing to go to the city to see Samuel means that it is through what every joint supplies (what the servant offered) that we are able to come into the city of the Lord’s elect to see Christ or to come to know Him. 

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. 

Coming into the City of the Living Lord

1Sa 9:11  And as they went up the hill to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water, and said unto them, Is the seer here? 
1Sa 9:12  And they answered them, and said, He is; behold, he is before you: make haste now, for he came to day to the city; for there is a sacrifice of the people to day in the high place: 
1Sa 9:13  As soon as ye be come into the city, ye shall straightway find him, before he go up to the high place to eat: for the people will not eat until he come, because he doth bless the sacrifice; and afterwards they eat that be bidden. Now therefore get you up; for about this time ye shall find him. 
1Sa 9:14 And they went up into the city: and when they were come into the city, behold, Samuel came out against them, for to go up to the high place. 

The young maidens (vs 11) represent the churches of the Lord’s elect scattered all over the world. The role of the church is to fetch water to quench the thirst of the Lord’s people. The water signifies the word of the Lord which is made available through what every joint supplies in the church of the first born. It is in the midst of the churches of the Lord’s elect that we find the seer who symbolizes the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Joe 2:27  And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed.

In verses 13 and 14, it was when Saul and the servant were in the city that they met Samuel. That means that it is when we come into the church of the Lord’s elect that we come to see Christ. It is instructive to note that in verse 13, Saul and the servant were told that the people will not eat until Samuel comes to bless the sacrifice. We are the sacrifice, and it is when the Lord comes to breathe over His people the Holy Spirit that we are given to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. 

Joh 20:22  And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:

As Saul and the servant entered the church of the Lord’s elect, Samuel was coming toward them on his way to the worship site. This is to let us know it is not we, who are seeking after the Lord, but it is the Lord who is coming toward us to sit in our hearts and minds (worship site). 

Eze 34:11  For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out. 
Eze 34:12 As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.

1Sa 9:15  Now the LORD had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came, saying, 
1Sa 9:16  Tomorrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be captain over my people Israel, that he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me. 

The Lord indeed moves in mysterious ways. The lost asses of Kish and Saul’s father’s request for Saul to take one of his servant to search for the lost asses were all part of the Lord’s plan to bring Saul before Samuel, with the purpose of anointing him as king of Israel. In other words, the mundane activities that we engage in are all designed by the Lord for the purpose of bringing us to Himself. 

Rom 11:33  O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! 
Rom 11:34  For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? 
Rom 11:35  Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? 
Rom 11:36  For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory forever. Amen.

It is insightful to note that the Lord told Samuel in verse 16 that Saul shall save the people of Israel from the hands of the Philistines. As we are aware, Saul was rejected by the Lord as king later in his reign. He therefore signifies the leaders of the church system of this world or Babylon. What this implies is that even during our time in Babylon, the Lord was gradually destroying our flesh through His judgment.

1Sa 9:17  And when Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said unto him, Behold the man whom I spake to thee of! this same shall reign over my people. 
1Sa 9:18  Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer’s house is. 
1Sa 9:19  And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I am the seer: go up before me unto the high place; for ye shall eat with me to day, and to morrow I will let thee go, and will tell thee all that is in thine heart. 
1Sa 9:20 And as for thine asses that were lost three days ago, set not thy mind on them; for they are found. And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on thee, and on all thy father’s house? 

We can see from these verses that Saul did not know Samuel. We all start our walk with Christ not knowing Him. Just as Samuel told Saul to go to the high place to eat with him, so is the Lord telling us, His elect, to go to the church or assembly of the Lord’s elect, signified by the high place. It is in the church that we eat with the Lord, which means being fed with the truth of the Lord’s word in order to know Him. Just as Samuel told Saul that the important thing is to go to the high place and eat with him and then He will tell Samuel what was in his heart, we are to focus on our gathering together to dine with the Lord through His word. It is through this that we become aware of what is in our hearts. That, the heart is desperately wicked and corrupt.

Jer 17:9  The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
Jer 17:10  I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

It is worth noting that Samuel told Saul not to worry about the lost asses because they had been found. All that Saul had to do was to go to the high place to eat with Samuel. Our focus must be on our gathering and the word of truth which is able to give us an inheritance. When we focus on Him, the Lord will take care of our needs.

Php 4:6  Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 

Mat 6:31  Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 
Mat 6:32  (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 
Mat 6:33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Mat 6:34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. 

In verse 20, Samuel also said that Saul is the desire of Israel. At that time, the people of Israel wanted to be like any other nation, and therefore the Lord gave them Saul, who is like them. Later, we saw how the people were disappointed in him. What the world is looking for in leaders are people who are loving, kind, not corrupt, etc. These qualities can only be found in the Lord’s elect. That is why the scriptures tell us that the desire of the people of the world is the revealing of the sons of God. When Christ comes, the sons of God shall be revealed to the world. 

Rom 8:19  For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 

Samuel Dines with Saul

1Sa 9:21  And Saul answered and said, Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou so to me? 
1Sa 9:22  And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the parlour, and made them sit in the chiefest place among them that were bidden, which were about thirty persons.
1Sa 9:23  And Samuel said unto the cook, Bring the portion which I gave thee, of which I said unto thee, Set it by thee.
1Sa 9:24 And the cook took up the shoulder, and that which was upon it, and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, Behold that which is left! set it before thee, and eat: for unto this time hath it been kept for thee since I said, I have invited the people. So Saul did eat with Samuel that day. 

Saul did not consider himself as someone who can become the king of Israel because he was from a small tribe and his family was the least of the families of the tribe of Benjamin. We are all like Saul. We do not deserve to be part of the Lord’s elect. However, in His mercy, He has favored us and chosen us in Him before the foundation of this world. 

Eph 1:4  According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 
Eph 1:5  Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 
Eph 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

As we can see in verse 22, Samuel made Saul sit among those bidden to come to feast. As indicated, Samuel here represents the Lord who has raised us up in him to sit in heavenly places.

Eph 2:4  But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
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.

The thirty people who were invited to the feast represent the Lord’s elect who are destined to overcome to become part of the marriage feast of the lamb. These are those who will reign over the kingdoms of this world. 

Gen 41:46  And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.

2Sa 5:4  David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.

Our coming together is like a feast where we eat and drink as the Lord has set apart our portions for us, just like Samuel reserving a portion for Saul. The eating and drinking is knowing the Lord through His word.

In an age to come, we shall be at the marriage feast of the Lord, where we shall be like Him even as we come to know Him as He is. As we are aware, in this life we only know Jesus in part. However, when we see Him, we shall be like Him and know Him as He is. The feasting at the marriage feast of the lamb is for the purpose of knowing Him as He is.

Rev 19:7  Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 
Rev 19:8  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
Rev 19:9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God. 

1Co 13:9  For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 
1Co 13:10  But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. 

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.

1Sa 9:25  And when they were come down from the high place into the city, Samuel communed with Saul upon the top of the house. 
1Sa 9:26  And they arose early: and it came to pass about the spring of the day, that Samuel called Saul to the top of the house, saying, Up, that I may send thee away. And Saul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel, abroad. 
1Sa 9:27 And as they were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the servant pass on before us, (and he passed on,) but stand thou still a while, that I may shew thee the word of God. 

As indicated earlier, Saul was the Lord’s elect at this stage of his life. Samuel communing with Saul is the Lord communing with us through His word. Therefore, Samuel communing with Saul after they came down from the high place implies that our study of the word of the Lord must not be confined to only our gathering or feasting. In our closet, we must continue to study the word of the Lord to show ourselves approved as workmen who need not be ashamed.

2Ti 2:15  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

It is insightful to note that Samuel told Saul to let the servant pass on before them. In this case, the servant represents our brothers and sisters in Babylon whom the Lord is not opening their eyes and ears to hear the word of the Lord. To our brothers and sisters in Babylon, the word of the Lord is a parable. However, to us, the Lord is showing us the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven as signified by Samuel ready to show Saul the word of God in verse 27.

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. 
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. 
Mat 13:13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 

May the Lord continue to show us the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven as we see the day approaching. Amen!!

Matthew 26:1–35 The Woman With the Alabaster Box Who Anointed Jesus

[Study Aired December 1, 2025]

Today’s study looks at the plot to kill Jesus, the woman with the alabaster box of ointment who anointed Jesus at Bethany, Jesus confirming Judas as the one to betray Him, the last supper with His disciples and Jesus’ prediction of Peter denying Him three times.

The Plot to Kill Jesus

Mat 26:1  And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples, 
Mat 26:2  Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified. 

Jesus finishing all the sayings in verse 1 means that all we need to know about His coming with the spirit of His mouth and His brightness and His appearing with His angels, which heralds the kingdoms of this world becoming the kingdoms of Lord and of His Christ, has been made known to us. The fact that in verse 1 it was stated that all these sayings were directed to His disciples, lets us know that it is the Lord’s elect, symbolized by the disciples, who are given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven. 

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. 
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.  

The feast of the Passover commemorates the time that the Israelites were in Egypt where every male was to kill a lamb and use the blood of the lamb to smear the door post of their abode. As a result, the Lord will pass over their houses as He destroys the Egyptians. It symbolizes the beginning of our salvation as the blood of Jesus atones for our sins. 

Exo 12:1  And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, 
Exo 12:2  This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you. 
Exo 12:3  Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: 
Exo 12:4  And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb. 
Exo 12:5  Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: 
Exo 12:6  And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. 
Exo 12:7  And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it. 
Exo 12:8  And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. 
Exo 12:9  Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof. 
Exo 12:10  And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire. 
Exo 12:11  And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD’S passover.
Exo 12:12  For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. 
Exo 12:13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt. 

The lamb to be killed by every man is Christ. It is for our sins that Jesus came to die for us. It is therefore important to note that the plotters wanted to kill Jesus during the feast of Passover. This emphasizes the point that Jesus was indeed the lamb that was killed by the people of Israel with the blood smeared on the doorposts of their houses and the flesh roasted with fire for food.

Joh 1:29  The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. 

The flesh of the lamb must be roasted with fire and eaten at night. This is to let us know that we cannot separate the judgment of the Lord (roasting with fire) from His words. As we are being given insight into the mysteries of the kingdom of God, we are being judged to conform to His image.

Mat 13:21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

Mat 26:3  Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, 
Mat 26:4  And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him. 
Mat 26:5  But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar among the people. 

The categories of people mentioned here in verse 3 represent the leaders of the church system in Jesus’ days. It implies that we were all involved in the death of our Lord Jesus since we were part of the church system of this world or Babylon. This does not mean that the people of this world were not part of this plot to kill Jesus. In Psalm 2, we are shown that the heathen were also involved in killing Jesus. Thus, every human being (every man) from Adam to date is guilty of the blood of Jesus.  

Psa 2:1  Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? 
Psa 2:2  The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, 
Psa 2:3 Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. 

Jesus Anointed at Bethany

Mat 26:6  Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, 
Mat 26:7  There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat.

Bethany was a village around the Mount of Olives and was about two miles from Jerusalem. Simon had probably been healed by Jesus, and the feast was held in his house. Bethany means house of dates or house of misery. The fact that Jesus was at the house of misery sums up the life of Jesus during His sojourn here on earth. He was indeed the man of sorrow acquainted with grief. 

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.

As He is, so are we. Our lives here on earth cannot be described as easy going. We are to complete what remains of Christ’s sufferings with the view of doing this on behalf of His body, 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 woman with the alabaster box of very precious ointment represents the church of the Lord’s elect. The pouring of the oil on Jesus’ head signifies His rulership over His elect first and later, in an age to come, this rulership will be manifested outwardly as the kingdoms of this world become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ. 

1Sa 10:1  Samuel took a flask of olive oil, poured it on Saul’s head, kissed him, and said, “The LORD has anointed you to be ruler of his people Israel. You will rule his people and save them from all their enemies. This will be the sign that the LORD has anointed you to be ruler of his people. 

What the woman did imply was that our resources in this life as His elect must be spent on affirming the Lord’s rulership in our lives. It is also important to note that Jesus was at this point about to offer His life for our sake and that of the world. He needed the assurance that His work here on earth had not been in vain. God therefore used the church (the woman) to assure Jesus of the reward set before Him – to rule His people. This incidence was therefore to strengthen our Lord Jesus to be able to bear the cross for the salvation of the whole world. 

Heb 12:2  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Heb 12:3  For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. 
Heb 12:4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. 

It is also instructive to note that it was while Jesus sat at meat that He was anointed with oil. This indicates that our gathering together in His name to learn of Him is where we are assured of our reward of ruling the kingdoms of this world with our Lord Jesus Christ through what every joint supplies. 

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.  

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

Mat 26:8  But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste? 
Mat 26:9  For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor. 

It is important to note that the disciples in this case were not converted yet, and therefore they were operating with the carnal mind. As we are aware, the carnal mind or worldly wisdom is enmity against God and cannot please the Lord.  

Rom 8:6  For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 
Rom 8:7  Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 
Rom 8:8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 

The carnal mind has a show of worldly wisdom, but is of no value when it comes to stopping the indulgence of the flesh.  

Col 2:20  If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— 
Col 2:21  “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” 
Col 2:22  (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? 
Col 2:23  These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh. (ESV)

Mat 26:10  When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me.
Mat 26:11  For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always. 

The church of the Lord’s elect, represented here by the woman, is the one that is doing good work upon the Lord in this age. Doing good work upon the Lord means giving our brothers and sisters in the Lord what it takes to become overcomers through the Lord’s words. 

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

However, it is we, the Lord’s elect, who are always facing criticism from our brothers and sisters in the church system of this world or Babylon for not impacting our societies with good works. Here in verse 11, the Lord is turning our focus from spending our resources in this life on feeding and clothing the world. The Lord saying that we do not have Him always in verse 11 is another way of saying that we have a short life span in this age to be able to please the Lord in order to become an overcomer. 

Job 14:1  Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. 
Job 14:2 He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not. 

Psa 39:4  LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am. 
Psa 39:5 Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah. 

Mat 26:12  For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial. 
Mat 26:13  Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her. 

As stated in verse 12, the work of the church of the Lord’s elect (the woman) is pouring oil on the Lord’s body for His burial. The Lord’s body is the church, and the burial here is the death of the flesh. 

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.    

We anointing the Lord’s body is the same as the Lord anointing us through what every joint supplies. This means that the role of the church is to anoint us with oil for the burial of the flesh. That is to say that it is through what every joint supplies that the Holy Spirit empowers us to understand the Lord’s words and to endure the Lord’s judgment of our old man, resulting in the death of our flesh. 

Joh 16:13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. 

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. 

In verse 13, we are told that wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world, what the woman had done shall be told as a memorial of her. As we have indicated, the woman here is the church of the Lord’s elect. What this implies is that the gospel is preached through the church by what every joint supplies. Without the church, there is no gospel. 

Eph 3:9  And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
Eph 3:10  To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, 
Eph 3:11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: 

Eph 4:11  And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 
Eph 4:12  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 
Eph 4:13  Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 
Eph 4:14  That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 
Eph 4:15  But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 
Eph 4:16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.  

Judas to Betray Jesus

Mat 26:14  Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, 
Mat 26:15  And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver. 
Mat 26:16  And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.

Here we see Judas, one of the disciples of Jesus, betraying Him for thirty pieces of silver. In the account of Luke, we are made aware that the reason for Judas betraying Jesus was that he was possessed by Satan. 

Luk 22:3  Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve. 
Luk 22:4  And he went his way, and communed with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray him unto them. 
Luk 22:5  And they were glad, and covenanted to give him money. 
Luk 22:6 And he promised, and sought opportunity to betray him unto them in the absence of the multitude.  

It is important to note that Satan’s possession does not happen all of a sudden. As we yield to sin, we are gradually setting ourselves for Satan to have a stronghold within us. In the case of Judas Iscariot, he was described as a thief who helped himself to what was put in the money bag of the disciples. This flaw of the love of money is the opportunity that the devil exploited to cause Judas to betray Jesus for a fee of thirty pieces of silver. That is why we are admonished by the Lord to refuse to give the devil any foothold. The “foothold” is a small opening that can be expanded, leading to further spiritual compromise.      

Joh 12:4  But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, 
Joh 12:5  “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” 
Joh 12:6 He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it. 

Eph 4:26  Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 
Eph 4:27  and give no opportunity to the devil. 
Eph 4:28  Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.
Eph 4:29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. 

The Passover with the Disciples

Mat 26:17  Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Where will you have us prepare for you to eat the Passover?” 
Mat 26:18  He said, “Go into the city to a certain man and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, My time is at hand. I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.’” 
Mat 26:19  And the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover. 
Mat 26:20  When it was evening, he reclined at table with the twelve. 

The feast of unleavened bread is a seven-day feast where the Israelites were required to put away leaven out of their houses. 

Exo 12:15  Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel.
Exo 12:16  And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, that only may be done of you. 
Exo 12:17 And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance forever.  

As we are aware, the Lord told His disciples to “beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees”, which spiritually signifies the doctrines of the Pharisees and Sadducees. The Lord reclining at table with His disciples for the feast of unleavened bread shows that after acknowledging our role in the death of Christ (the significance of Passover), we are to feast on the word of the Lord alone and in so doing, we let go of the doctrines of men. 

Mat 17:5  While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. 

Mat 26:21  And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. 
Mat 26:22  And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I? 
Mat 26:23  And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me. 
Mat 26:24  The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born. 
Mat 26:25  Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said. 

We must remember that Judas was with the disciples even when many of the Lord’s disciples deserted Him. It is therefore not about how we begin, but how we end in this race, is the matter.   

Joh 6:66  From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. 
Joh 6:67  Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? 
Joh 6:68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

1Co 10:11  Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. 
1Co 10:12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.  

As Paul said, if we are to win the prize, then we must learn to forget those things that are behind us and focus on what lies ahead. Through the Lord’s enabling, we should let go both of our successes and defeats and focus on what lies ahead.

Php 3:12  Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
Php 3:13  Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 
Php 3:14  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 
Php 3:15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in anything ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.  

The Lord’s Supper

Mat 26:26  And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. 
Mat 26:27  And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; 
Mat 26:28  For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. 

Jesus taking the bread, breaking it and giving to His disciples means that it is the Lord who open up His word for us to understand. That is the same as being given the key of David to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. This is a privilege given to only a few (the Lord’s elect).

Isa 22:22  And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open. 

Rev 3:7  And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; 

Jesus told the disciples to eat the bread which represents His body. We are also reminded that Jesus told His disciples to eat His flesh and drink His blood. To be granted to eat the flesh or the body of Jesus means to be given the understanding of the word of the Lord.

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

To drink of the cup of His blood means recognizing that we are guilty of the blood of Christ and all the prophets. In the case of Jesus, the shedding of His blood was for our sins. 

Rev 16:5  And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus. 
Rev 16:6 For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy. 

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

Mat 26:29  But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom. 
Mat 26:30  And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives. 

Jesus saying that He will not drink of the fruit of the vine again until that day when He will be with His disciples in His Father’s kingdom is to remind us of the marriage feast of the lamb when He will come with His elect as the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ. 

Rev 19:6  And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. 
Rev 19:7  Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 
Rev 19:8  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. 
Rev 19:9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.

It is instructive to note that Jesus, together with His disciples, sang a hymn. Singing a hymn is a form of worship. In spite of the ordeal He was about to go through, He worshipped God. This is to show us the way of victory, which is to worship the Lord in His holiness irrespective of the situation we find ourselves in.

Psa 100:2  Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! 
Psa 100:3  Know that the LORD, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. 
Psa 100:4  Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! 
Psa 100:5 For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations. 

After singing a hymn, Jesus went to the Mount of Olives, where He was remembered for his anguished prayers in the Garden of Gethsemane before his arrest, and where he wept over Jerusalem. 

Jesus Foretells Peter’s Denial

Mat 26:31  Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ 
Mat 26:32  But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” 
Mat 26:33  Peter answered him, “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.” 
Mat 26:34  Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” 
Mat 26:35  Peter said to him, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!” And all the disciples said the same. 

We have all fallen away at a certain point of our walk with the Lord during our time in the churches of this world. As we have seen from the word of the Lord, falling away is a necessary evil we must experience before we are given to know Christ. Jesus telling Peter that he would deny Him three times is to let us know that falling away is part of the process of spiritual maturity through the Lord’s judgment of our flesh (the significance of the number three). 

2Th 2:3  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 
2Th 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. 

2Th 2:8  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 

We can see from these verses that the reason that we must fall away is that the Lord wants to reveal to us the man of sin or the flesh in our lives so that when He comes to judge us, we shall see His judgment as a necessary tool for the destruction of our old man or flesh. It is therefore through this process of His judgment that we can worship the Lord acceptably. The scripture which Jesus quoted to support the fact that His disciples will fall away is as follows:

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. 
Zec 13:8  And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. 
Zec 13:9  And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.

It is worth noting that after the fall away, Zechariah talked about the third part (that is, the elect) going through fire to be refined. This confirms why we must fall away at a certain point of our walk with Christ. 

Unfortunately, when we are of the flesh (the man of sin sitting in our temple), just like Peter and the rest of the disciples at that stage of their walk, we think we have what it takes to serve the Lord. It is indeed a privilege to be judged by the Lord in this age!!

Rom 11:33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! 
Rom 11:34  For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? 
Rom 11:35  Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? 
Rom 11:36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory forever. Amen.

Numbers 3:1-26  The Duties of the Levites – Part 1

[Study Aired May 1, 2023]

Num 3:1  These also are the generations of Aaron and Moses in the day that the LORD spake with Moses in mount Sinai.
Num 3:2  And these are the names of the sons of Aaron; Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 
Num 3:3  These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests which were anointed, whom he consecrated to minister in the priest’s office. 
Num 3:4  And Nadab and Abihu died before the LORD, when they offered strange fire before the LORD, in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children: and Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest’s office in the sight of Aaron their father. 
Num 3:5  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 
Num 3:6  Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister unto him.
Num 3:7  And they shall keep his charge, and the charge of the whole congregation before the tabernacle of the congregation, to do the service of the tabernacle.
Num 3:8  And they shall keep all the instruments of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge of the children of Israel, to do the service of the tabernacle.
Num 3:9  And thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron and to his sons: they are wholly given unto him out of the children of Israel. 
Num 3:10  And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on their priest’s office: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death. 
Num 3:11  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 
Num 3:12  And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn that openeth the matrix among the children of Israel: therefore the Levites shall be mine; 
Num 3:13  Because all the firstborn are mine; for on the day that I smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I hallowed unto me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast: mine shall they be: I am the LORD.
Num 3:14  And the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying,
Num 3:15  Number the children of Levi after the house of their fathers, by their families: every male from a month old and upward shalt thou number them. 
Num 3:16  And Moses numbered them according to the word of the LORD, as he was commanded. 
Num 3:17  And these were the sons of Levi by their names; Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari. 
Num 3:18  And these are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families; Libni, and Shimei. 
Num 3:19  And the sons of Kohath by their families; Amram, and Izehar, Hebron, and Uzziel. 
Num 3:20  And the sons of Merari by their families; Mahli, and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to the house of their fathers. 
Num 3:21  Of Gershon was the family of the Libnites, and the family of the Shimites: these are the families of the Gershonites. 
Num 3:22  Those that were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, even those that were numbered of them were seven thousand and five hundred.
Num 3:23  The families of the Gershonites shall pitch behind the tabernacle westward. 
Num 3:24  And the chief of the house of the father of the Gershonites shall be Eliasaph the son of Lael.
Num 3:25  And the charge of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of the congregation shall be the tabernacle, and the tent, the covering thereof, and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, 
Num 3:26  And the hangings of the court, and the curtain for the door of the court, which is by the tabernacle, and by the altar round about, and the cords of it for all the service thereof.

Introduction

In the first and second chapters of the Book of Numbers, we are told about the army the Lord is raising in every generation and how they are to dwell in this life. As we indicated in the previous study, the various tribes of Israel represent the world from which the Lord enlists His army.

We know that we learn more about spiritual matters from physical realities. In any military campaign, there are losses. Not all military personnel who go to war come back alive. The fact that we are blessed to be enrolled in the army of the Lord does not mean that we all will become overcomers. There are always casualties. That is why we are warned by the Lord as follows:

1Co 9:24  Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
1Co 9:25  And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
1Co 9:26  I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: 
1Co 9:27  But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

There are several examples in the Bible of those who were found missing in action from the Lord’s army when it counted. The ten lepers that Jesus healed represent those who were shown mercy by the Lord to be part of His army, but only one returned from the battle of the flesh to give God the glory.

Luk 17:11  And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. 
Luk 17:12  And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: 
Luk 17:13  And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.
Luk 17:14  And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. 
Luk 17:15  And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, 
Luk 17:16  And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. 
Luk 17:17  And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? 
Luk 17:18  There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.
Luk 17:19  And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.

Today’s study focuses on the generation of Aaron and Moses who were from the tribe of Levi. It is from this particular tribe the Lord chooses His priests. The study today therefore focuses on the Levites.

Num 3:1  These also are the generations of Aaron and Moses in the day that the LORD spake with Moses in mount Sinai.
Num 3:2  And these are the names of the sons of Aaron; Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
Num 3:3  These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests which were anointed, whom he consecrated to minister in the priest’s office. 

It is from Aaron and Moses that we have the priesthood. This first group mentioned therefore represents those who are called to minister in the priest’s office. It is the greatest privilege to be called by the Lord and to be chosen to become a priest of the Lord. The names of the sons of Aaron reveal what is expected of the elect. ‘Nadab’ means liberal. The word liberal means willing to respect or accept behavior or opinion different from one’s own. In other words, open to new ideas. On a positive note, the elect being liberal means our willingness to accept the new revolutionary teachings of Christ, the reformer. In accepting Christ’s teachings, we have rejected our own opinion and that of others which constitute man’s wisdom and tradition.

Col 2:8  Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

‘Abihu’ means God is father. Nadab was the first born of Aaron followed by Abihu. This implies that it is when we become liberal, that is, accept the teachings of Christ, that God becomes our father. That is another way of saying the following:

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

‘Eleazer’, who came third, means God is helper. It is when the Lord becomes our father that we realize that He is indeed our helper! The Lord being our helper means that He will keep and uphold us until that day!!

Psa 121:1  A Song of degrees. I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. 
Psa 121:2  My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. 
Psa 121:3  He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. 
Psa 121:4  Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

The name of the last of Aaron’s sons is ‘Ithamar’ which signifies palm coast. It is very instrumental to note that where there are palm trees, there is water. 

Exo 15:27  And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters.

Num 33:9  And they removed from Marah, and came unto Elim: and in Elim were twelve fountains of water, and threescore and ten palm trees; and they pitched there.

As the Lord becomes our helper, we become like palm trees which are planted by the rivers of water that bring forth fruit at the right time ordained by the Lord. 

Psa 1:3  And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

Num 3:4  And Nadab and Abihu died before the LORD, when they offered strange fire before the LORD, in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children: and Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest’s office in the sight of Aaron their father. 

Being called and chosen does not mean that we have won the prize or have become overcomers. As we can see from verse 4, Nadab and Abihu died before the Lord because they offered strange fires. These strange fires symbolize false doctrines.  

Lev 10:1  And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not. 
Lev 10:2  And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD. 

As we are aware, Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus, was called and chosen. However, he missed the mark just like Nadab and Abihu. In Paul’s letters, we see Demas, called and chosen, being very helpful in the ministry. However, He fell in love with the world and therefore missed the cut. This is the word of the Lord which warns us not to be slothful but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Heb 6:4  For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
Heb 6:5  And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
Heb 6:6  If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
Heb 6:7  For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: 
Heb 6:8  But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned. 
Heb 6:9  But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.
Heb 6:10  For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. 
Heb 6:11  And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: 
Heb 6:12  That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Col 4:14  Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you.

2Ti 4:10  For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.

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

On a negative note, the Levites represent our brothers and sisters in Babylon who are also of Abraham’s seed. However, they are not counted as the seed of promise and therefore are not to be given any inheritance. This is not because we, the elect, deserve any inheritance. It is through the hardening of their hearts against belief that we are privileged to receive mercy to believe. In the final analysis, this mercy we have received will be extended to the whole of the human race. 

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

The Levites are given to the elect to help them minister to the Lord. They do the initial leg work of using the law of Moses as our schoolmaster to lead us to Christ. After we get to know Christ through faith, we are no longer under their influence or the law of Moses. Today’s Levites represent the Christian religion. They are focused on building and taking care of physical churches (tabernacle of testimony). In other words, they are protecting the legacy of the Christian religion.

Gal 3:24  Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 
Gal 3:25  But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

On a positive note, the Levites symbolized the elect who are given the charge of protecting the testimony which is the word of God. This role of the elect started immediately after Adam and Eve sinned and were expelled from the garden of Eden. The Cherubims signify the elect who are protecting the truth of the word of the Lord in every generation. It is only through the judgment of our old man (fiery trials) that one can access the way of the tree of life!! 

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

In verse 9, the Levites being given to Aaron and his sons positively signifies the elect being given wholly to Jesus, our High Priest, to assist Him to subdue all things so that God may be all in all. 

1Co 15:25  For he (Jesus) must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. 
1Co 15:26  The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. 
1Co 15:27  For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. 
1Co 15:28  And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.

Num 3:10  And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on their priest’s office: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death. 

In verse 10, Aaron and his sons were to be appointed to wait in the priestly office. Here Aaron and his sons represent the elect who are appointed to the priestly office to minister to the Lord. As indicated in verse 10, this privilege is given by the Lord even before the foundation of the world. In other words, it is not of him that wills or of him that runs, but of God that shows mercy.  

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

Eph 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 
Eph 1:4  According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
Eph 1:5  Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
Eph 1:6  To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

Num 3:11  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 
Num 3:12  And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn that openeth the matrix among the children of Israel: therefore the Levites shall be mine; 
Num 3:13  Because all the firstborn are mine; for on the day that I smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I hallowed unto me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast: mine shall they be: I am the LORD.

As indicated in these verses, the Levites were to replace the firstborn of Israel. The reason why they were to replace the firstborn of Israel was that at the time of Passover in Egypt, all the firstborn were condemned. However, it was only the firstborn of Egypt who were slain. As a result of the Passover, all the firstborn of Israel were redeemed or saved or replaced by the Passover lamb who is Christ, our Lord, who came to serve. The firstborn therefore lost their position and were to be replaced by the Levites who were called to serve. This means that we, who have been redeemed by the Lord, are called to serve.

Mar 10:42  And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 
Mar 10:43  But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 
Mar 10:44  and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all.
Mar 10:45  For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

The Levites replacing the firstborn of the children of Israel is a foretaste of the fact that the Lord’s election is no longer dependent on a person’s pedigree or his or her birth. Paul made this clear when, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he made the statement that it is not one who is born a Jew that counts, but a Jew is a person who worships the Lord in truth and in spirit. 

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

Num 3:14  And the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying, 
Num 3:15  Number the children of Levi after the house of their fathers, by their families: every male from a month old and upward shalt thou number them. 
Num 3:16  And Moses numbered them according to the word of the LORD, as he was commanded.

As we saw in Numbers chapter 2, the Levites were not counted as part of the army of the Lord. The question is, why was Moses required to count the Levites later? The reason the Levites need to be counted is that since they are required to replace the firstborns, it was necessary that the number of Levites had to be equal to the number of the firstborn of Israel and that any shortage would then be redeemed. As we can see in the latter part of this chapter, the counting resulted in a difference of 273, the firstborn being more than the Levites.

Num 3:44  And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 
Num 3:45  “Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the people of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle. The Levites shall be mine: I am the LORD.
Num 3:46  And as the redemption price for the 273 of the firstborn of the people of Israel, over and above the number of the male Levites,
Num 3:47  you shall take five shekels per head; you shall take them according to the shekel of the sanctuary (the shekel of twenty gerahs),
Num 3:48  and give the money to Aaron and his sons as the redemption price for those who are over.” (ESV)

What we need to understand is that the laborers of the Lord’s vineyard (the elect) are always fewer than those who parade themselves as apostles of the gospel but are actually the firstborn who are being replaced. Such apostles think they have the legitimate right to lead the Lord’s people but are false apostles, deceitful workers who have transformed themselves into the apostles of Christ.

Mat 9:37  Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; 
Mat 9:38  Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.

2Co 11:13  For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
2Co 11:14  And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
2Co 11:15  Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

Num 3:17  And these were the sons of Levi by their names; Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari.
Num 3:18  And these are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families; Libni, and Shimei.
Num 3:19  And the sons of Kohath by their families; Amram, and Izehar, Hebron, and Uzziel. 
Num 3:20  And the sons of Merari by their families; Mahli, and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to the house of their fathers.
Num 3:21  Of Gershon was the family of the Libnites, and the family of the Shimites: these are the families of the Gershonites.
Num 3:22  Those that were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, even those that were numbered of them were seven thousand and five hundred.
Num 3:23  The families of the Gershonites shall pitch behind the tabernacle westward.

‘Levi’ means joined. The Levites are to be joined to the elect. In other words, they are to assist us to minister to the Lord. Jacob’s son Levi had three sons – Gershon, Kohath and Merari. ‘Gershon’ means expulsion; ‘Kohath’ signifies an assembly, and ‘Merari’ means bitter. The Levites therefore consist of the Gershonites, the Kohathites and the sons of Merari. Today’s study focuses on the Gershonites. As indicated, the name Gershon means expulsion. The meaning of the word ‘expulsion’ is the act of forcing someone or something out. Thus, the Gershonites are those who have been forced out of the commonwealth of the priesthood by the Lord. This is even made clear by their designated position of dwelling in relation to the tabernacle of the congregation. They were to dwell on the west side of the tabernacle. The west is where the sun (Christ) sets. What this means is that they will be visited by the Lord at the end of the ages through the lake of fire. They will be part of the multitude who are finally given the opportunity to know Christ. 

Rev 7:9  After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;
Rev 7:10  And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.

The number of Gershonites counted was 7,500. This suggests that at the completion of the ages, these Gershonites will receive grace through faith.

Num 3:24  And the chief of the house of the father of the Gershonites shall be Eliasaph the son of Lael. 
Num 3:25  And the charge of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of the congregation shall be the tabernacle, and the tent, the covering thereof, and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, 
Num 3:26  And the hangings of the court, and the curtain for the door of the court, which is by the tabernacle, and by the altar round about, and the cords of it for all the service thereof.

The name of the chief of the house of the father of the Gershonites was ‘Eliasaph’ which means God has added. This implies that the Gershonites will be added to the Lord’s people in the fullness of time. The service the Gershonites were to render was to take care of the tabernacle, the tent with its covering, the hangings for the entrance of the tent of meeting, the hangings of the courts, the hangings for the door of the court and its cords. As we can see, the hangings to the door of the tabernacle are where people enter. What this means is that their role in the plan of God is to bring in people to start their journey to know the Lord in Babylon. The Gershonites represent our brothers and sisters in Babylon and are therefore those who use every means or effort to make a single proselyte. The Gershonites are also to take care of the covering of the tent. In other words, their focus is only on the superficial way of worshiping the Lord as they focus on cleaning the outside of the cup. No wonder they make a converted soul twice a child of hell. This is what our Lord Jesus has to say about the Gershonites or our brothers and sisters in Babylon:

Mat 23:15  Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves. 

Mat 23:25  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. 
Mat 23:26  Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

We thank the Lord for His mercy towards us to be counted part of His royal priesthood in this life!! Amen!!

[Study Aired June 24, 2021]

1Ki 1:31  Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the earth, and did reverence to the king, and said, Let my lord king David live for ever.
1Ki 1:32  And king David said, Call me Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada. And they came before the king.
1Ki 1:33  The king also said unto them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down to Gihon: 
1Ki 1:34  And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel: and blow ye with the trumpet, and say, God save king Solomon.
1Ki 1:35  Then ye shall come up after him, that he may come and sit upon my throne; for he shall be king in my stead: and I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah.
1Ki 1:36  And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king, and said, Amen: the LORD God of my lord the king say so too.
1Ki 1:37  As the LORD hath been with my lord the king, even so be he with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord king David.
1Ki 1:38  So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, went down, and caused Solomon to ride upon king David’s mule, and brought him to Gihon.
1Ki 1:39  And Zadok the priest took an horn of oil out of the tabernacle, and anointed Solomon. And they blew the trumpet; and all the people said, God save king Solomon.
1Ki 1:40  And all the people came up after him, and the people piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth rent with the sound of them.

“Let my lord king David live for ever”  heralds the conclusion of the matter from Bathsheba’s mouth whose words and works typify for God’s elect what should be in our hearts every moment, and that is to let brotherly love continue (Heb 13:1) through Christ who is symbolized by king David.

Heb 13:1  Let brotherly love continue.

In this story of the lineage of king David being preserved, God is the one who is making a way where there seems to be none, and He does so today in our lives by having Christ rule and reign in the hearts of those who have God’s spirit within them (Rom 3:10, Isa 43:16, Rom 8:9), spoken this way in the old covenant: “Let my lord king David live for ever“. These events symbolize for us the promise of eternal life which is given to us through Christ (Joh 6:55-57).

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

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

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

Joh 6:55  For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
Joh 6:56  He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
Joh 6:57  As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.

Bathsheba and Nathan symbolize the witness of the church and the holy spirit that God uses to teach us to forsake ungodliness and worldly lust in this age (Tit 2:12-13). God’s spirit is leading us into all truth, convicting us of unrighteousness just as Nathan was used regarding David’s adultery and now in giving Bathsheba the direction needed to preserve the lineage of King David (Joh 16:13, Rom 8:16).

Tit 2:12  Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
Tit 2:13  Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

Joh 16:13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

Rom 8:16  The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

It is God’s spirit that gives us power to overcome through a process of repentance and forsaking worldly lust (Rev 11:3, Rom 2:4), and as we discussed last week, our flesh has to continually be humbled, “clothed in sackcloth”, dying daily (Ecc 7:1-2, 1Co 15:31), in order to fear God and work righteousness (Pro 9:10, Act 10:35, Psa 115:13, Ecc 12:13-14). This process is all tied into the faith God gives His elect who He intends to purify through the fiery trials of this life (1Pe 4:12, 1Pe 1:7).

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

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

Ecc 7:1  A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.
Ecc 7:2  It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.

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

Pro 9:10  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

Ecc 12:13  Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments:  for this is the whole duty of man.
Ecc 12:14  For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

Bathsheba with her “face to the earth” symbolizes the understanding that the body of Christ has been granted today to be shown how we ought to “tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth” (1Ti 3:15, Mic 6:8), which can only be accomplished “by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts” (Zec 4:6). That tarrying long is the long-suffering process to which God has called the elect so we can be washed by the word of God and be made ready to be the bride of Christ (Eph 5:26, Rev 19:7).

Tit 2:12  Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
Tit 2:13  Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

Pro 9:10  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

Act 10:35  But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.

Psa 115:13  He will bless them that fear the LORD, both small and great.

Ecc 12:13  Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
Ecc 12:14  For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

Mic 6:8  He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

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

Let us give great thanks to God for His mercy which never fails as we let brotherly love continue in His holy temple, the church, where we worship our Father in spirit and in truth (Joh 4:23-24), which is how we are given to “Let my lord king David live for ever“.

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.

1Ki 1:31  Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the earth, and did reverence to the king, and said, Let my lord king David live for ever.

It’s when we bow our face “to the earth” and humble ourselves under God’s mighty hand (1Ki 1:16, 1Pe 5:6) that we begin to see how Christ, who is typified by King David, will preserve the church (Psa 121:7-8, Mat 16:18). This preservation comes as a result of His righteous judgments in our earth (Luk 21:4-5, Isa 26:9, 1Th 3:12, 2Pe 2:9) and with our faces introspectively looking “to the earth” we go through a process of judgment now (Jer 22:29) so we can be among those who will be blessed and holy to have their part in the first resurrection: “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” (Rev 20:6, 1Co 11:31).

Psa 121:7  The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil (1Co 10:13): he shall preserve thy soul.
Psa 121:8  The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore (Pro 3:5-8).

Luk 12:4  And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do [in this life or the next (1Co 6:3, Luk 10:20)].
Luk 12:5  But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.

[have reverence and fear toward the judge, toward the king as Nathan and Bathsheba did which actions typify the right spirit of fearing him, “which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.”]

1Th 3:12  And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you:
1Th 3:13  To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.

[the saints are preserved and the rest of God’s creation is reserved “unto the day of judgment to be punished”. Our time of enduring God’s wrath and punishment on our first man Adam is now (1Pe 4:17, Rev 14:12)]

2Pe 2:9  The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

Nathan and Bathsheba were stedfastly going about to preserve the line of David, which line is a type and shadow of the body of Christ, the remnant that God promised would endure until the end “according to the election of grace” (Rom 11:5). Again Christ’s answer to the world that is yet to be judged is expressed in these verses where David says, “Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them” just as Adonijah who typifies our first man Adam who must experience this stumbling first, a blinding to the word of God that is spoken in parables for that very reason (Luk 8:10). It is only when we are crushed by the stone that was rejected by the builders that we can then see the truth that if we are granted to continue in will set us free (Isa 28:13, Mat 21:42-44, Joh 8:32). These verses in Romans 11:8-16 remind us of that same point that “(According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day. And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them”, which is where we all start until we begin to be judged of God (1Pe 4:17).

Isa 28:13  But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

Mat 21:42  Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
Mat 21:43  Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
Mat 21:44  And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken [Isa 28:13]: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

1Ki 1:32  And king David said, Call me Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada. And they came before the king.

Keeping in mind that king David is a type of Christ we can now look at this very decisive moment when Solomon is going to be anointed and see the correlation being drawn for God’s elect who likewise see the spiritual equivalent of these things happening in their life.

[…as others by God’s design try to usurp the rulership that God had determined to give us from the foundation of the world as Adonijah attempted (Joh 15:16-17, Rev 3:11)

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.

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

The anointing of Solomon is symbolic language referring to the return of Christ in our life in earnest as we are anointed and given this unction that is accompanied with many struggles at the onset and much tribulation throughout our lives that culminates in great tribulation at the end (1Jn 2:20, Heb 10:32-33, Mat 24:21).

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

Heb 10:32  But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions;
Heb 10:33  Partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used.

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.

It is through that lifetime of much tribulation that God’s people will be prepared and learn how He can “preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore”, and it will be by God’s anointing found within the church the body of Christ that this power to overcome will be accomplished, symbolized for God’s people with Nathan, a type of the comforter that brings the sure word of prophesy into the church, typified by Bathsheba, so that we can have light in this dark world in which we live both inwardly and without ourselves (Mat 24:33-36, Psa 121:7-8, 2Pe 1:19).

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.

Psa 121:7  The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.
Psa 121:8  The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.

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

Who David calls to take action is symbolic of what the Lord will do in our heavens to make the bride ready to be in the first resurrection (Rev 19:7). Here are the meanings of those names of people that the king called upon to bring about this coronation, keeping in mind that these were the ones that Adonijah, who represents our flesh, would have never called upon to help him with his schemes, telling us that it is only the Lord who can build the house and that boasting is excluded by the law of faith (Psa 127:1, Rom 3:27).

These all “came before the king” for our sakes (2Co 4:15). In short it is those who are being cleansed and washed by the blood of lamb who are overcoming by the power of God represented by the name Zadok (Rev 12:10-11).

Rev 12:10  And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
Rev 12:11  And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

Zadok the priest H6659 צדוק tsâdôq tsaw-doke’
From H6663; just; Tsadok, the name of eight or nine Israelites: – Zadok.
H6663 צדק tsâdaq tsaw-dak’
A primitive root; to be (causatively make) right (in a moral or forensic sense): – cleanse, clear self, (be, do) just (-ice, -ify, -ify self), (be, turn to) righteous (-ness).

Nathan’s name tells us that it is God who has recompensed us unto himself by reconciling us unto our Father (Rom 11:35-36, Rom 5:10).

Rom 11:35  Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?
Rom 11:36  For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

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

Nathan the prophet H5416 nâthân naw-thawn’
From H5414; given; Nathan, the name of five Israelites: – Nathan.

H5414 nâthan  naw-than’
A primitive root; to give, used with great latitude of application (put, make, etc.): – add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, X avenge, X be ([healed]), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit consider, count, + cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute do, X doubtless, X without fail, fasten, frame, X get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), X have, X indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), +lie, lift up, make, + O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, X pull, put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up). + sing, + slander, strike, [sub-] mit, suffer, X surely, X take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, + weep, X willingly, + withdraw, + would (to) God, yield.

Again we are reassured by the name Benaiah that the Lord will build his temple, the church, Christ’s body (Col 1:24) and the gates of hell won’t prevail against it (Mat 16:18).

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:

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.

Benaiah the son of Jehoiada H1141 benâyâh  benâyâhû ben-aw-yaw’, ben-aw-yaw’-hoo   From H1129 and H3050; Jah has built; Benajah, the name of twelve Israelites: – Benaiah.

H1129 bânâh  baw-naw’
A primitive root; to build (literally and figuratively): – (begin to) build (-er), obtain children, make, repair, set (up), X surely.

1Ki 1:33  The king also said unto them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down to Gihon:
1Ki 1:34  And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel: and blow ye with the trumpet, and say, God save king Solomon.

There is more instruction given from king David in order to turn the tide of Adonijah who represents the man of perdition who wants to remain the ruler of our land, our bodies, but God has other plans and those plans in type and shadow are being revealed for us through what king David who is a type of Christ is going to institute (2Th 2:8-10).

2Th 2:8  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
2Th 2:9  Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
2Th 2:10  And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

Notice the orders that are given to Zadok, Nathan and Benaiah: “The king also said unto them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down to Gihon“. They are told to take “the servants of your lord” which servants represent any and all who are being led of God’s spirit and see themselves as servants who have been humbled in the kings service (2Co 4:5, Rom 8:14).

2Co 4:5  For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.

Rom 8:14  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

We have no dominion over each other’s faith (2Co 1:24) that God is giving to each member of the body of Christ, and because of that relationship, or discipleship that we have in Christ, we obediently go where the Lord would have us go when his servant is sent our way (Mat 4:22, Joh 13:35). In this type and shadow instance, the servants are commanded “and cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down to Gihon” to teach us that we are entering into Jerusalem above upon “mine own mule“, a beast of burden that represent Christ’s flesh that we are (Col 1:24, Eph 5:30). It is upon that beast that we are caused to enter into heavenly places being  bound to the altar (Psa 118:27) and those heavenly places are represented by “Gihon” where we are drawn to Christ (Joh 6:44).

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

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

H1521 gı̂ychôn  gichôn  ghee-khone’, ghee-khone’
From H1518; stream; Gichon, a river of Paradise; also a valley (or pool) near Jerusalem: – Gihon.

H1518gı̂yach  gôach ghee’-akh, go’-akh
A primitive root; to gush forth (as water), generally to issue: – break forth, labor to bring forth, come forth, draw up, take out.

It is with the mind of Christ that is working within the body of Christ that we come together to anoint each other as “Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel“. We are anointed through Christ as we wash each other with the word (Eph 5:26), which is happening at the altar that God has drawn us to, represented by “Gihon“(Heb 13:10).

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

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

We are called to “blow ye with the trumpet, and say, God save king Solomon” meaning we herald the truth while in these earthen vessels that we are more than conquerors through Christ and can overcome. God can “save king Solomon” (Rom 8:37).

Salvation comes to us through judgment and so these verses show us how it is through those judgments represented by the blowing of the trumpet that God will save the king who will rule over “Israel” that represents the world and all the sin that is in our world that needs to be ruled over through Christ (Zec 9:14, Amo 3:6, Joe 2:15, Joe 2:1, 1Jn 2:16-17).

Zec 9:14  And the LORD shall be seen over them, and his arrow shall go forth as the lightning: and the Lord GOD shall blow the trumpet, and shall go with whirlwinds of the south.

Amo 3:6  Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? [Luk 12:5] shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it?

Joe 2:15  Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly:

Joe 2:1  Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand; [1Pe 4:17]

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.
1Jn 2:17  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

1Ki 1:35  Then ye shall come up after him, that he may come and sit upon my throne; for he shall be king in my stead: and I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah.

Verse 35 is a prophesy telling God’s elect we will be saved first, and once again we are shown in this story the order of salvation with the statement, “Then ye shall come up after him, that he may come and sit upon my throne; for he shall be king in my stead: and I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah.” We are appointed to be the first who will rule over sin in our members represented by Israel and Judah, Ohola and Oholabah who are also represented by “thy sisters, Sodom and her daughters, shall return to their former estate, and Samaria and her daughters shall return to their former estate” of Ezekiel 16:55. It is God’s elect today who have Christ sitting on the throne of our hearts because we have been anointed, and so we are told that we are ambassadors for Christ, represented by the phrase “he shall be king in my stead” (2Co 5:20). Christ’s anointing makes it possible for us to be judged and to endure that judgment through Christ (Php 4:13).

Eze 16:55  When thy sisters, Sodom and her daughters, shall return to their former estate, and Samaria and her daughters shall return to their former estate, then thou and thy daughters shall return to your former estate.

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.

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

1Ki 1:36  And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king, and said, Amen: the LORD God of my lord the king say so too.
1Ki 1:37  As the LORD hath been with my lord the king, even so be he with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord king David.

“Benaiah the son of Johaiada answered the king, and said, Amen” because he was of the same mind as the king and saw the blessing that was upon David that was coming from above, from “the LORD God of my lord the king“, just like John the Baptist recognized Christ as being anointed (Joh 1:29). Benaiah goes on to say: “As the LORD hath been with my lord the king, even so be he with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord king David“, which typifies Christ’s words to God’s elect found in John 14:12-13.

Joh 14:12  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
Joh 14:13  And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

1Ki 1:38  So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, went down, and caused Solomon to ride upon king David’s mule, and brought him to Gihon.
1Ki 1:39  And Zadok the priest took an horn of oil out of the tabernacle, and anointed Solomon. And they blew the trumpet; and all the people said, God save king Solomon.
1Ki 1:40  And all the people came up after him, and the people piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth rent with the sound of them.

The earth will be rent^H1234 with the sound of God’s government when it is established, and these closing verses of our study witness to the fact it will be accomplished not by might or power but by God’s holy spirit (Zec 4:6): “And Zadok the priest took an horn of oil out of the tabernacle, and anointed Solomon. And they blew the trumpet; and all the people said, God save king Solomon.”

The order of God’s government is witnessed to us again in 1Kings 1:38, and the end result of Christ ruling and reigning through His body, which is the church, is that all mankind will be saved, typified in this last verse of our study: “And all the people came up after him, and the people piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth rent^H1234 with the sound of them.” The earth represents our flesh that needs to be judged, and when God’s judgments are in the earth men will learn righteousness (Isa 26:9), and the end result, or the fruit of that judgment, is expressed with these words which tell us “And all the people came up after him [1Co 15:22-24, 1Co 15:28], and the people piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth rent with the sound of them“.

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

H1234 bâqa‛ baw-kah’
A primitive root; to cleave; generally to rend, break, rip or open: – make a breach, break forth (into, out, in pieces, through, up), be ready to burst, cleave (asunder), cut out, divide, hatch, rend (asunder), rip up, tear, win.

We started this study off by seeing how Bathsheba bowed her face to the earth, which was a symbol of the humility of Christ within the church who are being judged now so that one day we will rule under Christ to see the veil of all men’s hearts rent, which will bring about everlasting peace (Isa 9:7). This is all symbolically expressed with the words “Let my lord king David live for ever”.

Isa 9:7  Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

[Study Aired March 30, 2021]

Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with his disciples. And the Jews’ passover was nigh at hand: and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the passover, to purify themselves. Then sought they for Jesus, and spake among themselves, as they stood in the temple, What think ye, that he will not come to the feast? Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a commandment, that, if any man knew where he were, he should shew it, that they might take him. Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him. There came unto him a woman,  Mary, having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly,  she brake the box and poured it on his head, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment as he sat at meat. But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste? Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, which should betray him, Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein. And they murmured against her. For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor. When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Let her alone; Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me. For ye have the poor always with you; and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always. For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying. Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her. Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead. But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death; Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.

Our story picks up after the visit to Zacchaeus in Jericho. As we saw in a previous study, Jericho is where the battle for the promised land of Israel began representing our coming out of the wilderness after escaping from Egypt, the land of our old man, and entering into the promised land of our new man. Our first verse starts with “Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews”. This represents us coming out of the world. 

Psa 68:31 Princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God.

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

Joh 11:54 Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with his disciples.

Coming to Ephraim which is near the wilderness; Ephraim means “double fruitfulness”. As we leave the wilderness and come out of the world, we are given to be a witness of Christ and begin to possess the fruit of the spirit.

Joh 11:55-56 And the Jews’ passover was nigh at hand: and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the passover, to purify themselves. Then sought they for Jesus, and spake among themselves, as they stood in the temple, What think ye, that he will not come to the feast?

The passover is approaching, and Christ stays behind while many of His disciples travel to Jerusalem to purify themselves. We all think at this time in our walk that we can purify ourselves not understanding only Christ is our purifier.

Tit 2:11-15 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.

Joh 11:56-57 Then sought they for Jesus, and spake among themselves, as they stood in the temple, What think ye, that he will not come to the feast? Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a commandment, that, if any man knew where he were, he should shew it, that they might take him.

The disciples think because the chief priests and the Pharisees are wanting to take hold of Christ, they question if He will show up for the feast. Christ, on the other hand, is delaying His coming because He is changing the law. Christ does not fear those seeking to take Him. As a matter of fact, He knows this is all part of the fulfillment of the scriptures.

Mat 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Mar 14:48-49 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Are ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and with staves to take me? I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and ye took me not: but the scriptures must be fulfilled.

The following section of this story shows us why we must use the sum of God’s word to see the whole picture. This particular section is put together with three gospels.

Psa 119:160 The sum of thy word is truth; And every one of thy righteous ordinances endureth for ever.

Joh 12:1 Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. 

Six days before the passover in Bethany represents us still being in the flesh, the first man Adam, in the house of misery or house of affliction. This journey to the passover passes through Jericho, Ephraim, and Bethany representing the process of judgment into the kingdom of God. Here are Hitchcock’s definitions.

Jericho
his moon; his month; his sweet smell

Ephraim
fruitful; increasing

Bethany
the house of song; the house of affliction

Gen 1:26-27 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

Gen 1:31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

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

Heb 11:30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.

Gen 41:51-53 And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father’s house. And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction. And the seven years of plenteousness, that was in the land of Egypt, were ended.

Mat 26:6 Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, Joh 12:2 There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him. 

Jesus is now in the house of a leper with Lazarus and his sister Martha once again serving the group. Now their sister Mary comes in and anoints Christ. This all represents the time in our walk when we have seen the miracles of Christ, healing the sick and raising the dead, but not yet understanding that we must die in order to be saved.

Mat 26:7 There came unto him a woman, Joh 12:3 Mary, Mat 26:7 having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, Joh 12:3 a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, Mar 14:3 she brake the box, and poured it on his head, Joh 12:3 and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment Mat 26:7 as he sat at meat. 

Mary having the alabaster box representing Christ; The very precious ointment which is very costly represents the spirit of God and the cost is giving up your life. This is all type and shadow of the receiving of the holy spirit.

Mat 26:8 But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste? Joh 12:4-6 Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, which should betray him,  Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein. Mar 14:5 And they murmured against her. Mat 26:9 For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.

The disciples could not understand that this was done as a type and shadow of what is about to take place, and Christ explains why they should not give Mary a hard time about this.

Mat 26:10 When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Mar 14:6-7 Let her alone; why trouble ye her? for she hath wrought a good work on me. For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always. Mat 26:12 For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, Mar 14:8-9 She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying. Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.

Mary’s legacy is still with us today. She represents the true church of the living God. We are the true church, and every time we share the truth we are anointing Christ as Mary did. The love that Mary showed here is the love we must show each other.

1Jn 4:7-21 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him, because he first loved us. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

The Jews did not have this love in them and this continues until today and will continue until the end.

Joh 12:9-11 Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead. But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death; Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.

The Jews in this story represent those who say they know our Lord but are not given to do the things that He says. They will persecute us and try to take away our love for Christ and each other. They will use all sorts of ways to try and deceive us, but know this, those whom God has given Christ cannot be deceived.

Luk 6:46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? 

Luk 21:8 And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.

This story of coming out the Egypt and entering into the promised land by way of Jericho then onward through Bethany and finally towards Jerusalem is our story. This is a time of great judgment, and the sentence is death. That is not the end though, and we will see in the studies to come that through death we are given life.

Rev 2:8-11 And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive; I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

[Study Aired September 26, 2019]

The title of our study “For thy servant David’s sake turn not away the face of thine anointed” reminds me of the following verses which reveal how Christ and His Christ, by extension (1Jn 4:17), are represented by a physical mirror we look into and continues therein, that is likened unto “the perfect law of liberty” in James 1:25.

Jas 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
Jas 1:23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
Jas 1:24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
Jas 1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
Jas 1:26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.
Jas 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

Christ is our liberty, “and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty” (2Co 3:17, Gal 6:2). It is the disciples indeed, who as a result of continuing in the word by the grace and faith of Christ (Eph 2:8), can be cleansed of those things of which we come to see need to be washed, (Jas 1:21) and “be delivered from, the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God” (Joh 13:14, Rom 8:21).

The disciples who believed on Christ, spoken of in the book of John (Joh 8:31-32, Php 1:29) were coming unto Christ or the mount (Psa 121:1) but would only become a sea of glass [mirror], to which the elect are likened (Rev 15:2) by continuing to be dragged to Christ (Joh 6:44). So, Christ said “If ye continue [abide] in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

Our flesh (2Co 3:14, Eph 5:30) will go where it does not want to go if we are Christ’s disciples (Joh 21:18, Mat 20:22), but the end result is that the beasts within us is/will be destroyed (Exo 19:11-14). Like Moses, who typifies the elect, we will be dragged to the place that results in our being able to reflect His glory (Joh 6:44, 2Co 3:9-14). Moses going to the mount typifies (1Pe 1:12) our going to Christ today (Psa 121:1), not so that we have this temporary reflection of Christ from our outward face, this anon with joy relationship that will soon fade when persecution comes as a result of the word (Mat 13:20-21), but rather to become a new creation with an inward man who has been blessed to be able to read and hear and keep the sayings of the prophecy (Rev 1:3) and continue to fill up what is behind of the afflictions of Christ by abiding and continuing in Christ through God’s holy spirit which causes us to become a new creation (Col 1:24 2Co 5:17).

Exo 19:11 And be ready against the third day: for the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai [process of judgment Luk 13:32].
Exo 19:12 And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it: whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death:
Exo 19:13 There shall not an hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether it be beast or man, it shall not live: when the trumpet soundeth long [Rom 2:4, Rev 8:4-5], they shall come up to the mount.
Exo 19:14 And Moses went down from the mount unto the people, and sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes [type of Joh 17:17)].

2Co 3:9 For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.
2Co 3:10 For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.
2Co 3:11 For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.
2Co 3:12 Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:
2Co 3:13 And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:
2Co 3:14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.

The ‘earth, earth, earth’ of Jeremiah 22:29 goes through a lifetime of much tribulation and fiery trials which come about as the result of being disciples of Christ (2Ti 3:12). We are granted to look into the perfect law of liberty and remember what we saw there, as Christ works in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure (Rom 2:4, 2Co 3:18, Php 2:13).

As a result of that merciful process of being dragged and judged by what we see in the word (1Pe 4:17, Jer 26:9, Psa 12:6) or the mirror, we will continue therein typifying our following Christ, and we will be able to go onto perfection and inherit the kingdom outwardly, even as we now possess it in earnest (Luk 13:32, Luk 12:32, Eph 1:14).

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

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

Washing each other’s feet as Christ commanded us to do is what is happening when we are blessed to “continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed” (1Co 3:8-15). We are blessed because God gives us the strength to continue in the Lord, or in his words, which we are blessed to not only believe but also continue to abide in together so we can be sanctified by those words of life which quicken us (Joh 6:29, Joh 6:63, Php 1:29). We will go on to perfection in this age, Lord willing, not suffering the loss of being saved “so as by fire” in the lake of fire, or great white throne judgment.

The point of God saving the weak of the world first is to demonstrate to all nations that God can make His strength perfect through His disciples indeed, or through His kind of first fruits who are blessed to be examples who first trusted in Christ (Eph 1:12). We are ambassadors of Christ and are the first to become mature sons under the sun of righteousness who is doing the ripening and giving us the power to be the light of the world to one another and to those who will one day glorify God for the work and increase (1Co 3:6) which He did through us today (1Co 11:1-2, Mal 4:2, 1Pe 2:12-13).

1Co 11:1 Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.
1Co 11:2 Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.

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

1Pe 2:12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
1Pe 2:13 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;

Abiding ‘in the mirror’ or in the word or in Christ, leads us to examine ourselves if we be in the faith or not, and God’s holy spirit convicts us that we are an unprofitable servant who has done that which is expected of him day by day as we die daily (Luk 17:10, 2Co 13:5). This conviction and spirit is the gift God bestows upon the bride of Christ who is being made ready because of our Father’s good pleasure to do so today as we are abased through Christ and humbled under His mighty hand (Luk 12:32, Rev 19:7, Mat 23:12). The “on that day” spoken of in John 14:20 is what is required for us to reflect Christ in this world, keeping the ordinances as they were delivered to us via God’s word and submitting ourselves “to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake”. Our conversation, or the way we conduct ourselves as Christ’s ambassadors, must be honest, and that honest relationship includes the statement “We ought to obey God rather than men” and “let God be true, but every man a liar” (Act 5:29, Rom 3:3-4).

Christ, who is working in us both to will and to do of God’s good pleasure, makes it possible for us to be doers of the word, not deceiving our selves by being found with our own righteousness (Php 2:13, Jas 1:22, Php 3:9); and the sentence “For thy servant David’s sake turn not away the face of thine anointed” should now be understood in our hearts to be speaking to us, God’s elect, who are typified by David who is anointed to not turn away his face from the law liberty, or mirror, Jesus Christ.

It is only by continuing in that relationship, and by not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together (Heb 10:25) that we will be able to go from glory to glory as we wash each other’s feet with the spirit of God which quickens us and brings about the liberty God gives us through Him as these books of life are written out to His glory (We are that book of remembrance, that testimony being laid up to the glory of God who is causing our actions and writing the book to His glory to also provide contrast for the ages to come of how those weak of the world, basest of men, who were his called and chosen, had been determined by God’s decree to be faithful witnesses from the foundation of the world – Mal 3:16-18) expressed in this Psalm in this manner, “For thy servant David’s sake turn not away the face of thine anointed.”

God is the one who does the turning or not turning away of a man’s heart (Jer 10:23), but if we are His in this life, we have been anointed for that purpose to demonstrate to the world through our discipleship toward one another (Joh 13:35) that we can continue in the word of God and be our brother’s keeper, enduring to the end through Christ (Php 4:13).

Joh 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

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

The throne of King David is a type (1Co 10:11, 1Pe 1:12) of the thrones God will give to His elect to rule the nations (Mat 19:27-28, Luk 18:29-30, Rev 11:15) and the spirit of antiChrist is the spirit which says there is no time when Christ will rule the nations of men within, and ultimately without, on those twelve thrones that represent the government of God (1Jn 4:1-3).

Mat 19:27 Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? [what is required to forsake all 2Ti 2:1-15]
Mat 19:28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. [1Co 6:3]
Mat 19:29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life [Mat 12:50].
Mat 19:30 But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.

Luk 18:29 And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God’s sake,
Luk 18:30 Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting.

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

1Jn 4:1 BELOVED, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
1Jn 4:2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
1Jn 4:3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world [How God’s elect will overcome that spirit of antiChrist and the vessels of dishonor within and without through Christ as we fight the good fight of faith together (2Ti 2:16-26)]

We must be granted the spiritual fulfillment of these words in our life: “Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne“, and if we are the redeemed of the Lord who are being redeemed then we can labor to enter into that rest (Heb 4:11) knowing that “The LORD hath sworn in truth unto David; he will not turn from it“, meaning our labor in the Lord is not in vain, and it will bring forth “the fruit of thy body” because Christ is producing that fruit through the spiritual lineage of David (The church the body of Christ – Col 1:24) about which this parable in Psalm 132:11 is speaking.

We must however overcome those vessels of dishonor within and without through Christ and come to learn and be convinced (Rom 8:38-39) that the gates of hell within and without cannot prevail against the church or body of Christ, and that overcoming is being done to the glory of God, “the fruit of thy body“, which comes as a result of being connected to the vine, Jesus Christ (Joh 15:5).

Paul likened Timothy to a “beloved son” who was “faithful in the Lord”, and he brought the church into remembrance of Paul’s “ways which be in Christ”.

1Co 4:17 For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.

To read and hear and keep the sayings of the prophecy of Revelation 1:3 is expressed in the old covenant in this manner: “If thy children will keep my covenant and my testimony that I shall teach them“, and the ongoing promise that God’s word will continue to be established from generation to generation upon those whom God has called, ordained, or sealed is stated this way in the old covenant: “their children shall also sit upon thy throne for evermore“, and expressed this way in the new covenant:

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.

Eph 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
Eph 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
Eph 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

Joh 17:10 And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.

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

Why has the LORD “chosen Zion” and “desired it for his habitation“? Zion, as we know, is spiritual language for the church (Oba 1:21), Christ’s footstool^{G5286 G4228} where “This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it“. It is through the church’s experience of being bruised in this life (Col 1:24, Isa 53:10, 1Jn 4:17, 2Ti 2:12) that we will be prepared to rule and reign under him (Rev 20:6).

Mat 5:35 Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.

Mat 22:44 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool?

Mar 12:36 For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The LORD said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool.

Luk 20:43 Till I make thine enemies thy footstool.

Act 2:35 Until I make thy foes thy footstool.

Act 7:49 Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest? [This is my rest for ever!]

He desires this relationship, and He loves us, and He is making His strength perfect through the weak of the world (1Co 1:26). He is preparing the church to show all the world through the church the same love and desire He has toward us (Joh 3:16). He will and does “abundantly bless her provision” and “satisfy her poor with bread” to this end: (1Co 15:22). Twice in verse 15 our Lord inspires the words “I will” to remind us that all of this will be accomplished, not by might or power, but by His holy spirit and the church, and its salvational purpose will be fulfilled (Php 2:13).

Salvation was given to the sons of Aaron in type and shadow, and not to the Levites, and that point accords with the fact that many are called and few are chosen (Mat 22:14) to be in that blessed and holy first resurrection (Heb 13:10, Num 3:2-9). God’s elect are called kings and priests in the new covenant (Rev 5:10), clothed with the righteousness of Christ (Rev 19:8, Isa 61:10) who know that this righteousness has come from Him: “I will also clothe her priests with salvation“, and because of this growing confidence which we have in what He has promised He will start and finish within us, “her saints shall shout aloud for joy” (Php 1:6, Heb 10:35, Php 4:4).

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

Num 3:2 And these are the names of the sons of Aaron; Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
Num 3:3 These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests which were anointed, whom he consecrated to minister in the priest’s office.
Num 3:4 And Nadab and Abihu died before the LORD, when they offered strange fire before the LORD, in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children: and Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest’s office in the sight of Aaron their father.
Num 3:5 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Num 3:6 Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister unto him.
Num 3:7 And they shall keep his charge, and the charge of the whole congregation before the tabernacle of the congregation, to do the service of the tabernacle.
Num 3:8 And they shall keep all the instruments of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge of the children of Israel, to do the service of the tabernacle.
Num 3:9 And thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron and to his sons: they are wholly given unto him out of the children of Israel.

Rev 5:10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

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.

Isa 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.

Still speaking about the church, Christ’s place of rest and where her priests are clothed with salvation, we are told “There will I make the horn of David to bud“, there will I demonstrate my power “the horn of David to bud“. The budding is a reminder that this is the testimony of Jesus Christ being laid up in the lives of the few at first, and was also typified by Aaron’s rod that budded, demonstrating again the miracle of our calling and the tremendous honor of being among those who are given to rule and reign under Jesus Christ (Rev 19:9). God has told us that this will happen, and He has “ordained a lamp for mine anointed” to remind us today that this work He is doing through His little remnant is not being accomplished by might nor power but by His holy spirit, symbolized by the lamp in the temple of God which represents the two witnesses of Jesus Christ, the church which is His body (Zec 4:6-14, Rev 11:3).

Rev 11:3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses [Rev 19:8], and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.

If we are granted to decrease as Christ increases in us (Joh 3:30), then these words will apply to us: “His enemies will I clothe with shame” as we are led to repentance through the process of sanctification and judgment to which we are called (Isa 26:9). That judgment will cause Christ’s righteousness or “his crown” to “flourish” within us, and if we are blessed to grow unto mature sons in this age, we will demonstrate that maturity by living these words today which are found in Revelation 4:10-11 as we daily acknowledge where those crowns of righteousness came from, and Who has always been deserving of all the glory and honor in each and every life (Luk 17:10).

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

Luk 17:10 So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.

The enemies of the cross are primarily within us, but they are also without (Act 20:31) and we are told not to let any man, including and especially within ourselves, take that crown. To take that crown away from ourselves is to be found with our own righteousness and claim that crown as something that we have achieved or had something to do to make it come about (1Co 9:25, Rev 3:11, Mat 7:22, Php 3:9).

Act 20:31 Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.

1Co 9:25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

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

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

Php 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
Php 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

This last verse we’ve looked at will be accomplished by these prophetic words being fulfilled in our life in the generation Christ is working with and will be done to the glory of God: “For thy servant David’s sake turn not away the face of thine anointed“.

Hi Mike,

Thank you, Mike, for this blessing study of the book of Job. If you have time, I was interested in a deeper understanding of this part as prompted by a question by a brother in Christ:

Job 42:13 He had also seven sons and three daughters.
Job 42:14 And he called the name of the first, Jemima; and the name of the second, Kezia; and the name of the third, Kerenhappuch.
Job 42:15 And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job: and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren.
Job 42:16 After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons’ sons, even four generations.

His new daughters have names, they are recognized through the land for their beauty, and they inherited with their brothers.

Here is what I see in this section:

We know that ‘the latter end’ of Job was more blessed than his ‘beginning’:

Job 42:10 And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.
Job 42:12 So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses.

The latter end points to the ‘spiritual’ and the ‘beginning’ points to the ‘natural’ (the “water” in Joh 3:5):

1Co 15:46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
Heb 11:40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

The meaning of the three daughters’ names should thus be seen within this (spiritual) ‘latter end’ context:

Job 42:14 (KJV) And he called the name of the first, Jemima; and the name of the second, Kezia; and the name of the third, Kerenhappuch.
Job 42:14 (ABP+) And he called the first, Day, and the second, Keziah, and the third, Amalthaia’s Horn.

‘Jemima’ = her name means “day” = (new) day = resurrection day:

1Co 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

‘Kezia’ = her name means ‘stripped bark of the cassia’ (a plant known for its sweet fragrance) = used in the anointing oil in the tabernacle of Moses = old life is stripped releasing new fragrance = new spirit of gladness:

Psa 45:7 Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
Psa 45:8 All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad.
Exo 30:23 Take thou also unto thee principal spices, of pure myrrh five hundred shekels, and of sweet cinnamon half so much, even two hundred and fifty shekels, and of sweet calamus two hundred and fifty shekels,
Exo 30:24 And of cassia five hundred shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, and of oil olive an hin:
Exo 30:25 And thou shalt make it an oil of holy ointment, an ointment compound after the art of the apothecary: it shall be an holy anointing oil.
Exo 37:29 And he made the holy anointing oil, and the pure incense of sweet spices, according to the work of the apothecary.

‘Kerenhappuch’ = meaning “horn” = spiritual anointing = spiritual authority = spiritual rulership:

Luk 1:69 And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;

The mentioning of their names helps us to know that Job’s end (as a type of the elect) is better than the days in the flesh (Ecc 7:1). These three daughters (had to come through a process of judgment) point to the new Jerusalem ruling with all the seven (complete church) ‘sons of God’:

1Jn 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

I will appreciate correction if I am off base here, Mike.

Thanks,

Larry

Hi Larry,

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer this brother. You are right on target. Job, his wife, and his sons and daughters, after his trials, are figures of us in our resurrected bodies, which at this time we possess only in down payment, “earnest” (Eph 1:13-14) form. With your permission I would like to post this exchange on iswasandwillbe. com with your name and e- mail address attached. The only change I would like to make is to this paragraph.

The mentioning of their names helps us to know that Job’s end (as a type of the elect) is better than the days in the flesh (Ecc 7:1). These three daughters (had to come through a process of judgment) point to the new Jerusalem ruling with all the seven (complete church) ‘sons of God’:

I would just add links to our studies on the numbers three and seven, and make it read like this:

These daughters are three because they are the fruit of Job coming through a process of judgment. They point to the new Jerusalem ruling with all seven of their brothers, who as ‘sons of God’ are the spiritual figure of the complete church (read the studies on the number three here:

http:// www. iswasandwillbe. com/ completion. php

http:// www. iswasandwillbe. com/ Is_ The_ Significance_ Of_ The_ Number_ Three_ Process_ Or_ Is_ It_ Completion. php

… and the number seven here:

http:// www. iswasandwillbe. com/ judgement. php

There is really no change or correction at all. It is just a clarification of what you have stated. You certainly are ‘hitting the nail on the head’.

Your brother in Christ,

Mike

Mike,

I have been going thru your series on the Law of the Offerings and have come to find that the scriptures also mention a drink offering. I was wondering why you did not mention that specific offering and its importance.

Have you done any teachings on the subject?

Thanks,
J____

Hi J____,

Thank you for your questions. That series of studies had only to do the the offerings given Moses in Lev 1-5 which do not deal with the drink offering, the leprosy offering or the offering of the scapegoat or the red heifer with the water of separation for a person who touches a dead body.

There are several sacrifices which are not covered in that series which was based solely on the sacrifices of Lev 1-5.

If the Lord wills, I will get to them all eventually.

Since you ask about the drink offering, I will point out that it is first mentioned in Genesis, where Jacob had earlier dreamed of a ladder extending to heaven, and had erected a stone and called the place ‘Bethel’ or ‘house of God’. Later, after he returned to Canaan, he poured a drink offering along with olive oil over that stone.

Gen 35:14 And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he talked with him, even a pillar of stone: and he poured a drink offering thereon, and he poured oil thereon.

The next time this phrase ‘drink offering’ occurs is in:

Exo 29:38 Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the altar; two lambs of the first year day by day continually.
Exo 29:39 The one lamb thou shalt offer in the morning; and the other lamb thou shalt offer at even:
Exo 29:40 And with the one lamb a tenth deal of flour mingled with the fourth part of an hin of beaten oil; and the fourth part of an hin of wine for a drink offering.

The drink offering was of wine, and was fulfilled in Christ as all the offerings are. But when I say ‘Christ’ I mean God’s anointed, as well as Christ’s anointed. The Father anointed Christ and sent Him forth to save this world. Hence the word ‘Christ’.

G5547
Χριστος
Christos
khris- tos’
From G5548; anointed, that is, the Messiah, an epithet of Jesus: – Christ.

In turn, Christ has anointed His elect to do exactly the same thing:

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

What did Christ’s Father send Him to accomplish?

Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

To accomplish this commission given Him of His Father, Christ had to pour out His blood, and that is the spiritual significance of the drink offering of wine.

When the mother of James and John asked if her two sons could sit on His right hand and on His left, here is what Christ told them:

Mat 20:20 Then came to him the mother of Zebedee’s children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him.
Mat 20:21 And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom.
Mat 20:22 But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able.
Mat 20:23 And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.

At His last supper with His apostles Christ insisted that all His disciples drink of His cup:

Mat 26:27  And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;

Christ was not as concerned with draining the entire cup as He was with making sure that all His disciples drink of His cup as a type and shadow of what all His disciples of all time must do.

Then in the very next verse He explains the spiritual significance of the drink offering of wine, of which you ask:

Mat 26:28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
Mat 26:29 But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.

In drinking the drink offering and in pouring a drink offering out to God, we are acknowledging that Christ had died for each of us, and that we are therefore complicit in His death. That is why Christ told Peter that same evening that he would deny Him three time before the cock would crow twice. Peter, like all of us, thought he would never do such a thing. Maybe Judas would, but never Peter. Both Judas and Peter are types of us as those for whom, and at whose hands, our Lord shed His “blood of the New Testament”. Unless and until we are humbled and are brought to see our part in our Savior’s death, we will remain in our own self-righteous darkness and not understand the spiritual significance of the drink offering.

I hope all these verses help you to see that all the offerings, including the drink offering, are one offering – Christ and His Christ – through whom God has seen fit to save this world.

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

Col 1:24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and filling up again the deficiencies of the afflictions of the Christ in my flesh for his body, which is the assembly; (ABP)

Mat 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

Joh 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

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.

Your brother in that Christ,

Mike

Hi D____,

This is a very powerful witness to these to men who routinely “think above what is written” and even go to the extent of denouncing and disclaiming “that which is written” as “mere ink on paper”.

Your clear and concise words concerning the function of “many wonderful works in Christ’s name”, and your clear and concise words demonstrating the Biblical definition of ‘love’ are a very powerful witness to anyone which will burn within that one until the disdain for “that which is written” is burned out of him, and he will come to see the spirit that is in those “written” words.

Thanks for sharing this with me. [Shared series of letters is below]
Your brother in Christ,
Mike

G___,

Normally I would be reluctant to comment on teachings by others, but since you sent me notice of this new audio tape, I listened. You spoke on this “gospel of inclusion” about forty minutes, and I think I counted three or four scripture references which served only to bolster a thought you had at the time. The scriptures you managed to include certainly in no way supported the overall theme upon which you spoke. From this one aspect I have to conclude that you have exceeded that which is written:

1Co 4:6 And these things, brethren, I did transfer to myself and to Apollos because of you, that in us ye may learn not to think above that which hath been written, that ye may not be puffed up one for one against the other, (YLT)

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

As you know we are to test the spirits to see whether or not they are of God. How do we do that? It is NOT, as you say, with the “inner guidance system” of the heart:

Jer 17:9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? (KJV)

You may trust your heart in spiritual matters and doctrine, but I certainly cannot. You may be perfected and have a full knowledge of all things, but I emphatically do not. There is much more Truth that I DO NOT see as opposed to what I do see, and this will always be the case. But what God has given me is anchored in “what is written”. So, let’s test the spirits (words) that you have spoken.

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

First, you said that the gospel is the “gospel of inclusion” and that “Muslims, Christians and Jews all believe in the same God”! I think these were your exact words. I did not realize you are the spokesman for all Muslims, Christians and Jews, but nevertheless let’s look at this statement. You said it in such a way as to suggest if only they could come to realize that their “belief system” is what is keeping all of us apart, then we could all learn to love one another and begin to be free of the law. You say that it is only “ignorance” of the fact that we are all created “spirits” originally and that God does not see us as “sinners”.

This sounds too good to be true, and in fact IT IS too good to be true! This is false doctrine of the highest order. Since when is “believing the same God” the criteria for unity among “Muslims, Christians and Jews”? Have you forgotten that it was not the Romans who wanted to kill Christ, it was the Jews. And not only that it was the Jews, it was “the Jews which believed on Him” that wanted to crucify Him:

Joh 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, [then] are ye my disciples indeed;
Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Joh 8:33 They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
Joh 8:34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
Joh 8:35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: [but] the Son abideth ever.
Joh 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
Joh 8:37 I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.

Do you really think it is any different today? Certainly not! They would still crucify Him as well as the Muslims and Christians. Do you think by convincing them they are really “spirits” and not really sinners and that God loves them is what it takes for conversion? What you are saying is your version of the 30-second sinner’s prayer, except in different terms.

YOU say God does not see sin:

Isa 59:1 Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:
Isa 59:2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid [his] face from you, that he will not hear.
Isa 59:3 For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness.
Isa 59:4 None calleth for justice, nor [any] pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.
Isa 59:5 They hatch cockatrice’ eggs, and weave the spider’s web: he that eateth of their eggs dieth, and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper.
Isa 59:6 Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works: their works [are] works of iniquity, and the act of violence [is] in their hands.
Isa 59:7 Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts [are] thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction [are] in their paths.
Isa 59:8 The way of peace they know not; and [there is] no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace.

Who is this talking about? This is you, and this IS me. This IS the “Muslims, Christians and Jews” and every man who is born of a woman, including Jesus Christ. Everyone comes into this age “conceived in sin and shapen in iniquity”, NOT spirit as you and others seem to be bent on. There was no “age of spirit” where man existed before the foundation of the world. I know you base this on Gen 1:26, and I’ll deal with this later. Let me ask you a simple question: How can God NOT see what He Himself has created? You said in the tape God cannot create anything that is not perfect. And to this I wholeheartedly agree. Have not ALL THINGS been created in Christ? Even corruption and evil? This is confirmed in Gen 1:1, 31, but you assume that man began as some kind of celestial “light being” or “spirit” in 1:26. The very fact that man was created on the sixth day, the number of corrupt man, demonstrates his state. But, I know this is what you believe as well as others. I have read every word of everything they have posted. The scriptures must be added to, subtracted from or altered to make this “deceptive belief system” as you put it, to make it work to your advantage.

Secondly, you said “it is only our perceptions of God which separate us”. Now think, do you really believe this foolishness? We know what separates us from God – sin and iniquity, as Isaiah spoke. But YOU say it is “perception”! Or, are you saying “perception” is what is separating God’s people? If this is what you are saying, this is also ludicrous. So, if we can but change our perception and see as YOU see, then we can all come to the unity of the faith. Haven’t there already been councils down through history who have attempted this nonsense?

Thirdly, you referred to Mat 17:5 where the voice from the cloud said “hear ye him”. You emphasized “hear ye him”, but shortly thereafter you said, “God doesn’t care about doctrine”, and “it doesn’t matter what you believe”. I hope I can assume you were just being careless about this, because if you were serious, then we have no common ground to stand on. What about doctrine? Consider these:

Isa 28:9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? [them that are] weaned from the milk, [and] drawn from the breasts.

Isa 29:24 They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine.

Mat 22:23 And when the multitude heard [ this], they were astonished at his doctrine.

Joh 7:16 Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.

1Ti 6:3 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, [even] the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;

2Jn 1:9 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.

Doctrine sounds pretty important to me. Now let’s consider one last point: How do men come to God? If as YOU say we only need to change our “perception” and come to an understanding of who we really are and how God really sees us, then actually, we can SAVE OURSELVES. I know you will say, “no, it takes the redemptive work of Christ”, right? But by what you said the problem is not sin, it is in our thinking, our “perception”. So your doctrine is a “gospel of works” whereby any simple alteration of concepts or “belief systems” will elevate one to sonship. Never mind that “we are DEAD in sins and trespasses”, YOU say we’re just ignorant. How can a “dead man” change his mind? Let’s see:

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

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

Have you ever looked at this term “draw him”? It is the Greek word hello (to drag, carry off). Why would the Father have to drag us to him? Because we are DEAD!!! We have NO tendencies in us whatsoever to approach God. Our carnal, dead minds CANNOT be changed to conform to His doctrine. This show the immeasurable love of God toward us, in that “while we were yet sinners” He came to me, not the other way around.

Do I condemn you? Of course not, but I do and will always judge, try and test every spirit with His Word! Speaking the truth IS love. Correcting and trying the spirits IS love.

Heb 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

I will send you another message later on Gen 1:26

Your brother in Christ,

D____

Hello D____,

I appreciate your taking the time to write, but I will only say that it is your right to disagree with me on anything I may say or write. I follow as you said, my inner guidance more than the written bible. I will always trust my anointing above everything. I also assure you that my heart is not desperately wicked as I have been regenerated and have a new heart that only wants to love God and my fellow man.

You are always welcome to write me and share your comments.

May you always be richly blessed and abundantly satisfied in His presence.
G____

My Brother G____,

When I read your response this morning, I was grieved in my spirit and wept. Not only for you, but the people you teach regularly and the untold number of folks who may be searching for the truth who visit your website, read your works and listen to your tapes. Do you not realize that teachers are held doubly accountable for what they say?

Jas 3:1 NOT MANY [of you] should become teachers (self-constituted censors and reprovers of others), my brethren, for you know that we [teachers] will be judged by a higher standard and with greater severity [than other people; thus we assume the greater accountability and the more condemnation]. (Amplified)

Am I your judge? No, never! But I am expected to judge what you say and teach! What is the “higher standard” that this verse is telling us? It is, as I told you before, Jesus Christ and His Words (doctrine) which are written for our admonition whereby we have no doubts. But as clear as this is YOU say, “I follow as you said, my inner guidance more than the written bible.” I truly did not think you would actually say this, but you did. Let me give you again Paul’s teaching to Timothy:

1Ti 6:3 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, [even] the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;
1Ti 6:4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,
1Ti 6:5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.

You also said, “I will always trust my anointing above everything”. My anointing? Above everything? When you say “above everything” it is clear now this also includes the scriptures. And “your anointing” is NOT of Christ. It is exactly as you say, “yours”!

2Jn 1:9 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.
2Jn 1:10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into [your] house, neither bid him God speed:
2Jn 1:11 For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.

When you say you “trust your anointing” you probably think you are being “led by the spirit” as Rom 8:14 tells us. But what does it mean to be “led by the spirit”? According to YOU it is something mystical, internal, and altogether subjective according to how you “feel”! So whatever YOU teach and whatever YOU do is RIGHT as long as YOU ARE TRUE to “your anointing”. This is the crux of your thinking. So what does the Bible say about spirit? What are Jesus’ words?

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

Joh 12:48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

Every one of us is now judged. HIS judgment is happening NOW as we speak, not in some distant future. Not according to faith within “our anointing” but by the standard of Jesus Christ and His Word. Are we obeying HIS Word? Are we doing all that HE said? Are we living “by every Word that proceedeth from the mouth of God”? I must obey and do according to what is written, and it tells me to “withdraw myself” from those who are opposed to sound doctrine. It is not as though you are a novice and unskilled. You are well aware of what you believe, and therefore I must reject ALL of what you say and teach and leave you to the discipline of our Father and judge of us ALL. I cannot accept you into “my house”, the temple of my body. I will no longer refer anyone to your website nor will I visit again lest I become partaker of your heresies.

I have but one request. Since you have at least been honest with me, will you be honest to those whom you teach? Will you share these e-mails with them and let them decide for themselves? Do you have the courage and honesty to deliver the scriptures to them? If your foundation is solid, then there will be no change. However if your works are built upon yourself, then are you willing to have it torn down and follow Christ?

Your fellow member in Christ,

D____

Hello D____,

I am so sorry that I caused you grief. That was certainly not my intention. I will trust the Lord to reveal to me any areas where I am wrong. I have spent over 40 years in the scriptures and several hours a day for years seeking truth. I truly do hear God speak and reveal his heart to me, and that is all I desire. I never wanted to be a speaker, and I still will not speak unless I really feel it is the Lord who wants me to speak. Many can tell you that most times when I am in a meeting or conference I will never speak unless I really feel I have something to say. I make no defense for myself; I just wanted to let you know my feelings. My heart is to serve the Lord and His people and I must follow the truth that is revealed to me. I do not explain things in the best way, but I try.

I am more than willing to be judged by my Father as I know His judgment is unto righteousness. I must trust my anointing as the scriptures say.

1Jn 2:26 These [things] have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.
1Jn 2:27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

1Jn 2:27 But as for you, the anointing (the sacred appointment, the unction) which you received from Him abides [permanently] in you; [so] then you have no need that anyone should instruct you. But just as His anointing teaches you concerning everything and is true and is no falsehood, so you must abide in (live in, never depart from) Him [being rooted in Him, knit to Him], just as [His anointing] has taught you [to do]. (AMP)
1Jn 2:27 But that anointing which ye received of him, dwelleth in you: and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and it is true and is not lying, and as it taught you, ye shall abide in him. GENEVA (1599)

G____

G____,

No need to apologize to me. Emotions last but a few moments then they are gone, but what we are considering here is age-enduring. There is nothing more important to us than obeying the words of Christ and doing what He says apart from our feelings or opinions. I know you agree.

You said, “I am more than willing to judged by my Father . . .”! This certainly could be a turning point in your life. Every one of us from the least to the greatest at some point “fall away”, “deny Him”, and “lose our first love” Pro 24:16. There was a time in me when I thought I knew it all, puffed up, and full of arrogance. Well, God tore all of that down, sent me into perdition for many, many years until another time appointed by Him. In that time I lost everything, and literally forgot all of those wrong things I had learned. The greatest thing I know now is that I’m totally blind and worthless unless it is revealed to me by Jesus Christ through His Word. Light can only be known as it is thrown into and shines upon the darkness, which I was. (Eph 5:8)

I am encouraged that you at least included a scripture in your response. But it is sort of like all the TV evangelists (false prophets of our day) twisting and distorting the scriptures, deceiving the people for their own personal gain. What you have done here with 1Jn 2:26-27 is used it to justify what you call “my anointing” to set your “feelings” and “My heart is to serve the Lord and His people” above what is written. I hope you can see and hear the import of what I am saying. You must see that there is a grave danger inherent by not precisely and fully obeying His Word. First, let’s look at what it really means to “serve His people” then we’ll look at the subject of anointing.

1Jn 5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
1Jn 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

Now does this sound like serving and loving God’s people is base on feelings and emotions? Certainly NOT! Is it based on what is in “my heart” and a result of “my anointing”? Not in any way! Yes, the love of God is “shed abroad in our hearts” (Rom 5:5), but this also is done by the Holy Spirit which is the Word(s) of Christ (Joh 6:63).

Now let’s look briefly at the “anointing”. The key to what John is telling us is this:

1Jn 2:26 These [things] have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.
1Jn 2:27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

It cannot be any clearer than that; the anointing is truth. Well, just what is truth? First, it is Jesus Christ:

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

Secondly, it is His Word(s):

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

Psa 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

These scriptures are but a minute sampling of the importance of Christ and His Word. Whether we “speak in public” or not has no bearing on the relevance of His Word in us. If the “love of the truth (Christ and HisWord)” is not in us then we are NOT of God.

Yours in Christ, D____

Dear G____,

I really did not want to get involved here, but seems like I have to, so forgive me before I start. Whilst D____ may think he has all the truth because he holds a Bible in his hands he is right on some things. I do not believe that we can have OUR ANOINTING and use it as a guide for our ministry. There is for me no such thing. To begin the Holy anointing oil of the old testament was unique with a formula given by God, and NO ONE WAS ALLOWED TO MAKE anything even like it. IT BELONGS TO GOD. Exo 29:7 No priest could use HIS OWN ANOINTING.

There is one thing that has kept me on track, and that is the Bible. But I am not speaking about using it as our guide to heaven or such like. BUT we need to have some kind of anchor that we can refer to so we can navigate spiritually. The most popular preaching today is the ideas of man being presented as if God is speaking. But nothing is happening in terms of transformed lives and release from the bondage of the Flesh.

The apostle John said this, 1Jn 2:27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. So from my perspective the anointing is a PERSON and that person is CHRIST….. HE IS THE ANOINTING.

To make statements that appeal to the ears but not linked to truth leaves people like you and me up the creek without a paddle. If God is opening up a ministry for you overseas, then there is a great responsibility on you to allow the anointing to flow and flourish in you and to be revealed in your ministry. Jesus Christ said “MY WORDS,” that is what God is actually saying to us, ARE SPIRIT AND LIFE, and the rest float out on the breeze. If there is one thing I would like to say to you personally it is this. If you need someone as your model please let that one be C-H-R-I-S-T. My assesment is that HE IS THE BEST.

I love you very much and always will, and you are in my prayers to see you become strong in the Lord and in the power of HIS MIGHT. My desire for you is to see you become mighty in God and be a Gideon and a Moses and a DAVID to slay the enemy hosts and release God’s people from their slavery to the Pharaohs of this world. YOU ARE WONDERFUL, and that is not just my assessment, but that is what GOD SAYS. We are ONE in Christ.

In his Love,

D____

Dear D____,

It’s good to hear from you on this matter. I didn’t think at all you be able to resist; and there is no need to ask anyone’s forgiveness on such a crucial issue. First of all if a minister, any minister, has gone public with his preaching, teaching, and doctrine, should he not be subject to the highest scrutiny? The TV “evangelists” are so obvious even most of the world sees through them. But, you and several others are in the business of tapes, videos, papers and the like and a lot more subtle than most. So there is no sense in getting upset when we are questioned and inquired of in what we believe, Mat 12:36; Heb 13:17; Rom 14:12; 2Ti 4:2. I expect it of myself, and I certainly WILL “try every spirit” that I encounter 1Jn 4:12 as we are commanded to do. Why should we do this? “Because many false prophets have gone out into the world”!

You said, “D____ may think he has all the truth because he holds a Bible in his hands”. To this I simply ask, What other TRUTH is there? Not only do I hold a Bible in my hands, it is being worked in me as I am beginning to live out every word in this Book! ALL of the GOOD and ALL of the EVIL. I do not believe as you do that we have always been “spirits”, and basically all we need to do is “just remember” who we really are! This is utter nonsense and foolishness. It is just not in the scriptures. And then in the next paragraph you say, “G____ is one that has kept me on track, and that is the Bible.” So you condemn me for holding a Bible, but yet it is commendable for you to “keep you on track”. This is a condemnation I ACCEPT vigorously! Do I have ALL TRUTH? Do I know ALL THINGS? Let’s see:

Php 4:12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
Php 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Tit 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Tit 2:12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
Tit 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
Tit 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
Tit 2:15 These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.

Knowing ALL THINGS does not mean that we have every scripture committed to memory. If this is what you mean about me then you are correct and I am guilty. But, I am experiencing in Christ ALL THINGS for everything “consists in HIM”! Jesus Christ “IS, WAS and WILL BE” and as for me AND you we will live every Word in the “IS, WAS and WILL BE”. He is the “beginning and the end” of ALL THINGS. If he became flesh, so will I. If he was made sin, so am I, 1Jn 4:17. Is He resurrected, so will I be. Am I part of God’s ELECT? Indeed, if I “continue in His Word” and “endure to the end”!

I know you have a disdain for the name of Jesus Christ. YOU once emphatically said in a video that “he is not God” in direct contradiction to Mat 1:23. Time constrains me to list all of the “false doctrine” laden in your teachings. I must admit it is very appealing to the flesh to believe that life in this present age “is but an illusion” according to you. It surely would be nice, as you teach, that all we need is to just become aware of our “true identity” and enter into a “new consciousness” of light and immortality. How wicked and cruel is it to tell someone who is sick and diseased that “it is all in their minds”, that all they need is to just change their thinking? This is heresy of the first order! I have read, studied, and viewed ALL of your doctrine. You have Jesus Christ in “name only” and do not heed His commandment, according to what you publish. I do not say these things simply to be inflammatory but in obedience to the truth. Are you willing to consider what scripture actually says? I know it has taken many years to develop the system you embrace. Would you let God tear it all down and start with “sound doctrine”? Are you able to say you are “blind” in yourself and unless He wills it, we are lost? (Joh 9:39)

If you want to further search the scriptures, we can do that. However, vain disputings are a waste of time. These are matters of life and death and the importance of which must not be underestimated. You may see this as proud or arrogant but we do not have the luxury to “just get along” and let false teaching to “come into my house”. Judgment has already begun in “my house” and this seems to be where the Father has me right now, looking into those subtle things that “creep in unawares”.

Yours in Christ,

D____

Dear D____,

You write as if you hold the only key to TRUTH, No one else has the truth except you. How many people have you helped to get free of drugs, alcohol, deep depression, etc, etc. How many people with your “Truth” have you helped to be find released from the pollution of this world. And before you turn off, I am not suggesting for one moment that D____ did those thing alone, that is the work of the CHRIST DWELLING IN A MAN. Agreeing with Paul that, “I can do all things through Christ who dwells in ME.” I simply wonder what difference YOUR TRUTH THAT YOU KNOW has made in this sin sick and sorry world. The proof for me is in seeing what I believe the Bible says is TRUTH, which is CHRIST (A PERSON) who could say I AM THE TRUTH or the perfect expression of what is truth. He healed the sick; he opened blind eyes; he raised the dead; he opened the sea for Israel to cross, etc, etc. What expression do you manifest in your life today that would suggest that the SAME CHRIST not only dwells in you but is the SAME CHRIST AS Lived and functioned on this earth 2000 years ago doing just what he did then? HE IS THE SAME YESTERDAY, TODAY AND FOREVER and not another CHRIST bound up in doctrines. that deny his power and ability to bring every KNEE to bow to him and every tongue to declare that Jesus Christ is L-O-R-D. You may skite about how faithful you are to the BIBLE, but that only proves how far from TRUTH as a manifestation of Christ you have gone.

I do not expect you will even read this, and that would not surprise me at all. I just feel so sorry for you wasting your time and effort trying to straighten out those who are doing what they believe Christ is doing on the earth today. Don’t waste your time telling me of my imperfections. My Father does that much better that you can. But in the end he tells me I am a SON OF GOD, and I rest in his LOVE.

I just want to thank you for your help in trying to make me a better Christian but I have one who can do much better job than you, and that is the CHRIST IN ME who is my true IDENTITY. SO I know who I AM.

My Prayer for you is, Lord BLESS my brother and direct his Vision AWAY FROM PEOPLE AND CENTER IT ON YOU, so that as he beholds YOU he will be changed into that SAME IMAGE even as by the spirit of the Lord. AMEN…

D____,

I’m going to ignore the personal and emotional aspects of your reply and just focus on a couple of things here. First, my purpose in all of these discussions is to emphasize the importance of “the doctrine of Christ” as set forth in the sum of God’s Word, which is written down for us in the Book that both you and G____ want to ignore. Didn’t I ask you at the end of my last reply, “If you want to further search the scriptures, we can do that. However, vain disputings are a waste of time”? Other than one fleeting reference to Php 4:13 to bolster your workd, there is nothing in your reply but “vain disputings”!

Let’s answer this question: Is it possible for a man to do the works of God and NOT know Him?

Mat 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Mat 7:16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Mat 7:17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
Mat 7:18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither [can] a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Mat 7:19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
Mat 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

So, I ask you, are the many wonderful works you have done proof that you “know him”? Is it proof that I know Him? Not at all. It only proves that you have done works “in his name” only! And, according to Jesus’ “doctrine” in vs. 15, those who do so are “false prophets”. I didn’t write this, these are not my words or some personal truth I dreamed up. Could it be any clearer? Does this apply to you and me? Absolutely! This is NOT for someone else, it is for us and to us. Am I one of those who “worked iniquity”? Yes, yes, yes! I can’t tell you how many times I prophesied, spoke in tongues, healed the sick, helped the poor, ministered to the broken-hearted, but I never knew Him. During my stay in Babylon my flesh was so proud, but so very wicked. Why? because I had no “love for the truth”? What I said and what I believed didn’t matter, I was doing “good works”! Wasn’t that good enough? Isn’t this proof of “the kingdom”?

Joh 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

This is the “fruit” He is looking for. What about this love? Is it some emotion or feeling that you can’t quite determine what it means? No, not at all. It is real, substantial and measurable. Here it is:

1Jn 5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
1Jn 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

Let me ask you, how are we to know what His commandments are apart from “what is written”? Please do not say, as G____ did, by some “inner guidance system” or some “inner voice” or “anointing”. We have already resolved this issue. The fact is we can’t. This is the basis and crux of this entire exercise with you and G____ and anyone that disregards “Christ’s doctrine” in their teachings. It is not to point out anyone’s personal faults or “make them a better christian”. But it is expected and REQUIRED of me to “try (test) the spirits to see whether they be of God”!

You said, “I do not expect you will even read this and that would not surprise me at all.” I did read, and I DO care about what you say and teach, especially your written works and sermons posted for the whole world to see. It is as simple as this: they are replete with error and contradictions to scripture. It is what it is. I simply can’t allow it “into my house”. But, if you write me again, please have a question or comment about what’s written. This is all that matters!

Thank you for your prayers!

Yours in Christ, D___