“Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge” Part II
(“the just shall come out of trouble”)

(Pro 12:8-13)

Pro 12:8 A man shall be commended according to his wisdom: but he that is of a perverse heart shall be despised.
Pro 12:9 [He that is] despised, and hath a servant, [is] better than he that honoureth himself, and lacketh bread.
Pro 12:10 A righteous [man] regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked [are] cruel.
Pro 12:11 He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread: but he that followeth vain [persons is] void of understanding.
Pro 12:12 The wicked desireth the net of evil [men]: but the root of the righteous yieldeth fruit.
Pro 12:13 The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips: but the just shall come out of trouble.

In this next section of proverbs we’re introduced to the immediate and long term benefit of staying in the word of God (Joh 8:31-32) that will equip us to deal with the dying daily process within ourselves, that we’ve been called unto (1Co 15:31).

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.

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

Godly confidence, as opposed to having confidence in our own flesh, is something that can only be miraculously achieved by His judgements in our lives (1Pe 4:17). God’s elect are therefore likened unto the generation who have no confidence in the flesh. The flesh and the law for the lawless (1Ti 1:9) that governs that flesh are discussed in these scriptures, and the blessing that becomes ours when we go from being of the concision to become spiritually circumcised by God’s spirit, the new governor on our hearts by which we are led (Rom 8:14, Php 3:1-11).

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

Php 3:1 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you [it is] safe.
Php 3:2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.
Php 3:3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
Php 3:4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:
Php 3:5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe [of] Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
Php 3:6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
Php 3:7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
Php 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things [but] loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them [but] dung, that I may win Christ,
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: (Gal 2:20, Php 2:12-13)
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; (Rom 5:10)
Php 3:11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

By God’s grace (Eph 2:8) we can be brought to see the comparative language in these proverbs as a mirror that we are looking into, which God commands us to use to help us cleanse the inside of the cup of our own lives (Jas 1:23-27, Mat 23:26).

It is those who are of the generation that have no confidence in their flesh who come to see that they are the chief of sinners, as typified by the publican who couldn’t so much as lift his head to heaven because he truly saw his own wretchedness as oppose to the Pharisee, which represents our first man Adam with his own righteousnesses and many wonderful works that blind us to how God sees all flesh (Luk 18:10-14, Rom 7:22-25, Rev 3:17).

Luk 18:13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as [his] eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
Luk 18:14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified [rather] than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Rom 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Rom 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord (Joh 8:36). So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

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

God reveals to His people first that they are the generation who are guilty of the blood of the prophets from Abel to Zacharias, and these proverbs like all of God’s word point to that reality of how God alone can bring us to cry out to him (Heb 5:7-8, Luk 12:5), as we recognize our daily need for His deliverance from our own self-righteousness that constantly wants to establish itself on the throne of our hearts (Eph 1:5-12).

Heb 5:7 Who in the days of his flesh (Eph 5:30), when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;
Heb 5:8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;

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.

Pro 12:8 A man shall be commended according to his wisdom: but he that is of a perverse heart shall be despised.

Christ is our wisdom (1Co 1:30), and so in this opening verse we’re looking at we are being told straight out of the gate that if we don’t acknowledge Christ as our wisdom and the reason we know anything about God, then our hearts are going to reflect a perverse spirit that will be rejected of Him. That self-righteous spirit is within us and can only be overcome and ruled over by the brightness of Christ’s coming into our lives to destroy that man of perdition who holds fast to the mystery of iniquity (self-righteousness)(2Th 2:5-8).

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:

2Th 2:5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
2Th 2:6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
2Th 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth [will let], until he be taken out of the way.
2Th 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

Pro 12:9 [He that is] despised, and hath a servant, [is] better than he that honoureth himself, and lacketh bread.

We are striving through Christ to give our flesh no quarter in this life with the rest of the saints so we can find life (Gal 2:20, Mat 10:39). Christ is our hope of glory (Col 1:27), the “servant” within me who makes me better than the self-righteous old man in me that “honoureth himself” and in doing so “lacketh bread” and is starving. These verses in Romans sum up for us what this proverb is telling us about this inward struggle against the powers and principalities that we all wrestle against (Rom 7:22-25, Eph 6:12)

Rom 7:22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: [the spirit of Christ who is a servant in me is who I delight in]
Rom 7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. [my flesh wanting to honour itself and not give all glory and honour to God for all things including the sin in my life (Rom 8:28)]
Rom 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Rom 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

Pro 12:10 A righteous [man] regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked [are] cruel.

With Christ in us we are mindful of the beast that we are, and take care to take care of ourselves and others (Gal 6:10).

Gal 6:10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all [men], especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

No man ever hated his own flesh in other words and we are Christ’s flesh and bones (Eph 5:30) that we nurture and take care of. We have a comparative in this proverb of our old man within us that does not have our best interest at hand, not being able to remain unspotted from this world and visit the fatherless and widow with the tender mercies of God’s word (Psa 146:9, Jas 1:27). The cruel-deceived-first-man Adam cruelly proclaims that God’s punishment on our life should be forever, twistedly thinking this is somehow God’s mercy on those who won’t have to burn in hell forever. We all at first paint God out to be a monster in one way or another, revealing what is actually in our own hearts.

Psa 146:9 The LORD preserveth the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down.

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.

Pro 12:11 He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread: but he that followeth vain [persons is] void of understanding.

The admonition in this proverb is telling us that our labours are not in vain in the Lord, and tilling the land is analogous of fighting a good fight of faith so that we can be satisfied with the word of God. If we follow the traditions of man we will be void of understanding (Isa 3:1) and doing so in vain (Mat 15:9).

Isa 3:1 For, behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the staff, the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water,

Mat 15:9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching [for] doctrines the commandments of men.

“Vain” H2638 châsêr khaw-sare’: From H2637; lacking; hence without: – destitute, fail, lack, have need, void, want.
“Vain” G3155 matēn mat’-ane: Accusative case of a derivative of the base of G3145 (through the idea of tentative manipulation, that is, unsuccessful search, or else of punishment); folly, that is, (adverbially) to no purpose: – in vain.

Pro 12:12 The wicked desireth the net of evil [men]: but the root of the righteous yieldeth [fruit].

Pro 12:12 Whoever is wicked covets the spoil of evildoers, but the root of the righteous bears fruit.[ESV]
Pro 12:12 He that is delighted in passing his time over wine, leaveth a reproach in his strong holds. The desire of the wicked is the fortification of evil men: but the root of the just shall prosper.[DRB]

God is burning up all the wicked desires of the elect, turning us into a new creation that is connected to the vine, Jesus Christ, through whom we can bear much fruit. It is God’s favour in our lives that brings about this growth that would otherwise never happen (Tit 2:11-12). We must expect that in God’s vineyard we are going to be pruned so that more fruit can be borne (Joh 15:2-3, Heb 12:5-7).

Tit 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Tit 2:12 Teaching^G3811 us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

Joh 15:2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every [branch] that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
Joh 15:3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

Heb 12:5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
Heb 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
Heb 12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

Pro 12:13 The wicked is snared by the transgression of [his] lips: but the just shall come out of trouble.

We’ve all done it and said something that we don’t want to say, and in doing that, “The wicked is snared by the transgression of [his] lips” . When Christ’s words and ways become our ways and words and works, we stumble less and less as He increases [the word, his righteousness] and we decrease [our own righteousnesses and the way that seems right unto us]. Christ was never snared by His words and with His life within us, our goal will remain, of bringing every thought into subjection (2Co 10:3-5) unto our faithful high priest who knows how to deliver us from our conscience (1Jn 2:1-3) when we do stumble in this life. It is through Him alone that “the just shall come out of trouble” (Jas 3:5-12).

2Co 10:3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
2Co 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare [are] not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
2Co 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; (Eph 6:12)

1Jn 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
1Jn 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for [the sins of] the whole world.
1Jn 2:3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

Jas 3:5 Even so the tongue [is] a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
Jas 3:6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
Jas 3:7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:
Jas 3:8 But the tongue can no man tame; (Rev 13:4-5, Rev 5:4) [it is] an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
Jas 3:9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.
Jas 3:10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
Jas 3:11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet [water] and bitter?
Jas 3:12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so [can] no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.

Rev 13:4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who [is] like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?
Rev 13:5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty [and] two months.

Rev 5:4 And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.
Rev 5:5 And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.
Rev 5:6 And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.

The Book of Jonah Chapters 2 – 4

[Aired February 15, 2025]

The first study in Jonah finished with the great fish swallowing him. It seems that Jonah wasn’t the least bit concerned about being drowned since he was asleep ‘in the sides of the ship’ as it rolled and pitched violently in the tempest. His lethargy is akin to us formerly at ease in Zionist Christianity, oxymoronically with both the dull eyes of a whore and highly alert eyes of a harlot, hoping to catch the attention of leering paramours (Amos 6:1. Eze 23:20). We saw some of the Bible’s most notable scriptures profoundly related to Christ’s death and resurrection emanating from Jonah’s attempted escape from the Lord. What a marvellous understanding it is, if we are the Elect, to recognise our guarantee of being resurrected in this life, along with Christ’s promise to empower us in completing the task of saving our brothers and sisters in Nineveh the world in the Lake of Fire. The Saints, like Jonah’s symbolic death three days and nights in the deep, is our unnerving spiritual progression (No. 3) in the deep of our flesh through judgement, no matter how hard we resist, to be faithfully delivered to our expected destination.

Mat 12:39  But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:
Mat 12:40  For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
Mat 12:41  The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.
Mat 12:42  The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.

I recently had a very good Babylonian Christian friend semi-consciously and effectively state that he’d take his chance in the Lake of Fire and suffer whatever fear Christ dished out to him rather than give up his materially rich lifestyle and, today, follow Christ’s truth. His understanding was long ago taken away from him, not realising that “unquenchable fire” keeps burning while he retains that impudence. He will, and like Jonah, have his ‘ease in Zion’ spiritually burn him until he does cry out of the fish’s belly, the womb of his re-creation.

Mat 3:11  I indeed baptise you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptise you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
Mat 3:12  Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

Many years ago, when I did a basic first aid course, the ambulance instructor said that people saved from the fire, though suffering extensive third-degree burns, and while their nerve endings are all burnt off and they feel amazingly free of pain, they are at peace with the near inevitability of death. I, too, experienced that while body surfing. My brother and I were swept out several hundred meters from the shore. Utterly exhausted, I did the ‘dead man’s crawl’  doing a dog paddle vertically in the water while sinking; at peace, resigned to going down. A prayer and burst of energy got me to my back, and there I stayed and kicked with all my remaining might and eventually crested the back of a mighty wave and made it to shore. God had unfinished work to do in me in an unseen future event, and like Jonah’s watery saga was about to get worse,

Significations:

A Great Fish Swallows Jonah

Jon 1:17  Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. 

Jonah’s Prayer

Jon 2:1  Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish’s belly [H990 = womb], 
Jon 2:2  And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice. 
Jon 2:3  For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me. 

In these stories, there are two ways of responding: either with lethargy or fear. Lethargy, while life is good in Babylon, is normal until pain sets in, as did the claustrophobic nature of the fish’s belly for Jonah. So, too, is what happens to us when we fail to repent and, out of sheer terror, look to Christ, our ‘holy temple’.

Jon 2:4  Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple. 
Jon 2:5  The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head. 

Christ created us and knows precisely how to get our attention. Jonah, being in the soft mush of a fish’s belly with seaweed wrapped around his head, is the equivalence of despotic military waterboarding torture and worse than drowning. It is where the person is tied down blindfolded with a towel around his head and face while water is steadily poured over the towel, with rarely an opportunity to chokingly gasp for air, rendering a constant panic of drowning, only to have it all repeated for as long as the psychopath desires. No doubt that is what Jonah felt for three days and nights, and it is indicative of our troubled and narrow spiritual progression while enduring judgment in this life. As Christ is and was, so, too are we in this life.

Psa 18:4  The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.
Psa 18:5  The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me.
Psa 18:6  In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.

1Co 3:15  If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. 
1Co 3:16  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
1Co 3:17  If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

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

Jon 2:6  I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God. 
Jon 2:7  When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple. 
Jon 2:8  They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy. 

Even though the oceans are created salty, salt is a derivative of burnt sulphur, indicative of the Dead Sea following Sodom and the cities of the plain’s sulphurous burning. Jonah’s fleeing to the West in a ship headed for Tarshish (Southern Spain) from the light of God behind in the East and his resignation to drowning in the salty sea is, as was Noah’s, a type of baptism in water. His subsequent ‘saving’ by the giant fish in the terrifying pitch blackness of its belly points to the future Saint’s being baptismally salted with like spiritual fiery trials. Ironically, Jonah, a kind of giant worm (Isa 41:14) in the fish’s belly, fearful of fulfilling a more noble task, was spat out back on a beach in the East from whence he came to sullenly accomplish his God-given task in the light of God’s insistent demand.

Mar 9:47  And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:
Mar 9:48  Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 
Mar 9:49  For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. 

To “observe lying vanities” is the same as indolently giving heed to lying doctrines. Any time we witness Christ to a Babylonian Christian, a spirit-led Elect can read their disinterest in their glazed eyes, overlaying Christ’s truth with the traditions of Gentile Christianity; consequently, they, as we in our time, have traded truth for the immediacy of sensualities, like Essau for a pot of bland lentils fulfilling the term ‘forsaking our own mercy’. Conversely, an Elect will glorify God for his fiery trials with thanksgiving for the vow Christ has given us to finish the New Adam in him.

Jon 2:9  But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD. 
Jon 2:10  And the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land. 

One of the greatest expressions of love towards our Lord is the sacrifice of thanking him for our trials and chastisements, knowing that they bring forth righteousness unto salvation.

Psa 116:16  O LORD, truly I am thy servant; I am thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid: thou hast loosed my bonds.
Psa 116:17  I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the LORD.
Psa 116:18  I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people,
Psa 116:19  In the courts of the LORD’S house, in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem. Praise ye the LORD.

Just as the Lord vomits our works of the flesh out of his mouth, Jonah is about to pay his vows in the presence of those outside the Camp of Israel in Niveneh, typically as we do at every opportunity among our Gentile Christian friends. Our Lord will give us the words to say as we somewhat fret their judical enquiries.

Mar 13:10  And the gospel must first be published among all nations [typified by Jonah in Nineveh]. 
Mar 13:11  But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the holy ghost.

Jonah Goes to Nineveh

Jon 3:1  And the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time, saying, 
Jon 3:2  Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee. 
Jon 3:3  So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days’ journey. 
Jon 3:4  And Jonah began to enter into the city a day’s journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown. 
Jon 3:5  So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them. 

The Lord, upon coming to Jonah and us a second time, is a patient double witness against our inevitable tardy obedience. We are that evil great city of Nineveh. Like Christ’s timeframe of submitting to the Father and fulfilling his three years of ministry is reflected in us symbolically taking three days to cross that ‘great city’ to fulfil the progression of merely taking one day, “a short work’ for our Lord to change our hearts. Such is the responsiveness of the ‘very Elect’, enlivened with Christ’s spirit, is given a progressive change of heart yet typified by the people of Nineveh, their excited consternation going ahead of them person to person no doubt before a timeframe of three days was up.

Joh 2:18  Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?
Joh 2:19  Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up [in our God-given spiritual understanding]. 
Joh 2:20  Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?
Joh 2:21  But he spake of the temple of his body.

Rom 9:28  For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.

It took Jonah three days to cross Nineveh since he obviously spent many hours stopping to forewarn its highly attentive people of the expected coming disaster; no doubt otherwise, by walking continuously a nominal 9-hour day’s journey at four mph, the city would absurdly be 36 miles across, and it would have taken much less time, maybe only a day. In fact, records state that the old city was 7.5 miles across. Jonah’s unwilling yet forced submission to God’s authority denotes our formerly unrepentant hearts in Gentile Christianity, condemning others of our very same sins and retiring to the safe distance in our church’ to smugly see their demise in the delusional eternal burning hell fire. Nineveh’s response corresponds to those in the One Thousand Year reign by the rod of iron and their alarm for the coming prophesies, yet they are unable to sustain a genuine change of heart.

2Pe 3:7  But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men [thankfully today in those he is judging first]. 
2Pe 3:8  But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 
2Pe 3:9  The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Jonah’s 40 days of prophecy against Nineveh represent the progression of tribulation in our lives in Christ, recreating the New Adam within.

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

Upon the Beast we are, our hopefully eager acknowledgement of our iniquities and submissive de-throning from God’s rightful seat is our spiritual fasting through deep introspection of our corruptible hearts illustrated by Nineveh’s amazing about-face.

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

The People of Nineveh Repent

Jon 3:6  For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. 
Jon 3:7  And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor Beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water: 
Jon 3:8  But let man and Beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands. 
Jon 3:9  Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not? 
Jon 3:10  And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not. 

The king and people of that great city, Nineveh, proved wiser and more apt to respond to God’s signs and wonders more readily than initially the Lord’s prophets, his Elect, “for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light” – Luk 16:8. The children of the world are already unwittingly “taken” by Satan and don’t always suffer the same intensity of attack as the children of light, and more so in the One Thousand Year reign are in an uneasy forced peace in Zion, and in this case, Nineveh,  to make wiser decisions. But not so Jonah, representing the Lord’s Elect, at Satan’s hand constantly before the Lord, hoping to instigate our death.

Rev 12:11  And they overcame him [Satan] by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

The decree that not just the men of Nineveh are commanded to fast, but the beasts of their herds and flocks, too, denotes us giving our whole heart to the Lord.

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. 
Jer 29:12  Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.
Jer 29:13  And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

Jonah’s Anger and the Lord’s Compassion

Jon 4:1  But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry. 

Wow! Jonah, like we in our fiery journey, is a hard man to toss. His petulant response is reminiscent of Cain’s anger at the Lord’s rejection of his offering.

Gen 4:5  But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.
Gen 4:6  And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
Gen 4:7  If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

It is very wise of us to “do well” and eagerly agree with our Lord’s commands rather than repeatedly flee from his presence; otherwise, too late in our testing of him, our Lord may give us up to fiery serpents or, worse, the Lake of Fire.

1Co 10:9  Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.

Rev 22:11  He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.
Rev 22:12  And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

Jonah is about to argue with God, pointing out that he had already done all that the Lord commanded, and the people rejected him and God and he was not thrilled to be additionally humiliated. Jonah’s approach is akin to us obeying the first milky works in Christ, relying on our own strength and failing the more fiery trials, giving up and going back to Babylon, where life is peaceful, rich and safe from troubles, signified by the greasy grace of Tarshish’s gold and silver.

Isa 60:8  Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows?
Isa 60:9  Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the LORD thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee.
Isa 60:10  And the sons of strangers shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee: for in my wrath I smote thee, but in my favour have I had mercy on thee.

Jon 4:2  And he prayed unto the LORD, and said, I pray thee, O LORD, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil. 
Jon 4:3  Therefore now, O LORD, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live. 

Again, remembering the Lord’s same response to Cain,

Jon 4:4  Then said the LORD, Doest thou well to be angry? 
Jon 4:5  So Jonah went out of the city, and sat on the east side of the city, and there made him a booth, and sat under it in the shadow, till he might see what would become of the city. 

Jonah’s sullen compliance denotes a small advancement in our spiritual growth by him sitting on the sunny ‘east side of the city’ with his back to the rising sun, in his booth, a temporary dwelling, and a disappearing ‘shadow’ of the transitory fleshy nature of our journey in becoming Christs. Of course, we know what will become of that city, our old man, negatively and positively. We are incredibly grateful that our sins are stripped from our land, little by little and not in one devastating death throw. Nonetheless, the inevitability of metaphoric ‘cutworm’ of chastisement suitable for the occasion is thankfully for evermore a sword upon our temporary house.

Exo 23:29  I will not drive them out from before thee in one year; lest the land become desolate, and the beast of the field multiply against thee.
Exo 23:30  By little and little I will drive them out from before thee, until thou be increased, and inherit the land.

Psa 121:5  The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.
Psa 121:6  The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
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.

Jon 4:6  And the LORD God prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head, to deliver him from his grief. So Jonah was exceeding glad of the gourd. 
Jon 4:7  But God prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day, and it smote the gourd that it withered. 

Jonah’s self-made booth facing west towards Nineveh would have been inadequate as the sun peaked at midday and, on its descent, shone harshly under the entrance eve on his frailty. The vignette portrays the Lord’s great mercy to his Saints in their progression spiritually. Being shaded from the early heat of his chastisements prepares us for the direct afternoon light of God shining directly on our frame. Even then, the Lord’s mercy provided a miraculously very fast-growing gourd to shade Jonah’s booth, only the next day, to likewise as Jonah to wither rapidly in the heat. Our lives are but a mist that disappears as the sun rises. The entire account establishes that we are God’s workmanship, and he will smite and treat us how he wills to create in each of his Elect a uniqueness for his use today for saving the rest of humanity.

Jas 4:14  Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

Rom 9:20  Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
Rom 9:21  Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
Rom 9:22  What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:
Rom 9:23  And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory.

The Lord’s chastisements ebb and then violently rise and threaten to destroy us, as did the tempest upon Jonah’s ship bound for Tarshish. Just as one trial finishes, another is at our very door. The Lord knows perfectly how far he can push us to the point of our imagined death, thinking that we are not able to suffer anymore, only like Job, have another trial hot on the heels of the previous one.

Jon 4:8  And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and wished in himself to die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live. 

Job 2:9  Then said his wife unto him [Job], Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.
Job 2:10  But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.

Jonah, along with us, must reflect just as Job did with his wife. Astonishingly and most embarrassingly, Jonah, much like Cain, clings to his self-righteousness and fearlessly fires back at God – a humiliating lesson for the Saints.

Jon 4:9  And God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd? And he said, I do well to be angry, even unto death. 
Jon 4:10  Then said the LORD, Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for the which thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night: 
Jon 4:11  And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle? 

The gourd also represents the many called and not chosen, including those outside the camp of Israel and the world, who are not given to suffer the fiery heat of Christ’s commands. They are expressed by the “sixscore thousand”, safe as Nineveh for the time being but destined as cattle for the slaughter at the end of the One Thousand Year reign under the rod of iron, perishing in the night, having overcome nothing in their lives to be raised to judgement and ultimate saving on the Eight Day.

Eze 18:23  Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?
Eze 18:24  But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.
Eze 18:25  Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal?
Eze 18:26  When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die.
Eze 18:27  Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive.

The Book of Jonah ends abruptly, and Jonah is left introspective and humiliated for questioning God’s chastising grace. The legend is for our understanding, glorifying God our deepest gratitude for burning the idols of self-righteousness out of our hearts for resisting his wonderful works within.

We conclude with these verses:

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.

Joh 16:22  And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.

Psa 92:4  For thou, LORD, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands.

Amen

Rev 13:14-18- Part 1, The Beast Deceives Us Using Miracles

[Study Aired January 31, 2025]

Rev 13:14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by [the means of] those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
Rev 13:15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
Rev 13:16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
Rev 13:17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
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.

Introduction

Keeping in mind that according to verse three of chapter one, we will all “keep the things written” in this book, we have seen that the two beasts of this 13th chapter of Revelation are actually nothing more than the two preordained stages of the one beast which we all are by virtue of being created on the sixth day right along with all the other beasts of the earth.

Gen 1:25 And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
Gen 1:26 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.
Gen 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

Gen 1:30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so. [Mankind was not given to eat meat until after the flood].
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.

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

It was by God’s own design that the beast made in God’s image, which was destined to eventually rule over all the other beasts, would first be designated by the number six. God created Adam on the sixth day to reveal to mankind that His creature was not a completed creature. “The first man Adam” (1Co 15:45) being nothing more than a mere physical beast, created on the sixth day, right along with all the other beasts of the earth, was not yet complete, which is the very meaning and signification of the number ‘six’. Being yet incomplete mankind has by nature “no preeminence above a beast”.

Ecc 3:18  I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.
Ecc 3:19 For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.
Ecc 3:20 All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.

We have seen that the earthly flesh which we all naturally inhabit is symbolized by “the sea” (Rev 13:1, Rev 17:15)

Rev 13:1  And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

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

So our first beast in this chapter comes up out of the sea. The second beast in our progression toward our completion receives “a deadly wound” when he first hears the gospel. While we are not at first told what causes this “deadly wound” we are told that this deadly wound is healed, prompting us to worship this inward beast, to the extent that this second beast within us becomes a God unto himself.

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.

Paul consistently taught that “[We] are the temple of God”:

Rom 8:11  But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

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

2Co 6:16  And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

So our religious beast is symbolized as “coming up out of the earth, with two horns like a lamb”. We are not really converted in the least at this second stage of our progression. The wound that did momentarily inflict a deadly wound quickly heals, and we find that, in reality, we still hate the doctrines of the True Lamb of God. At this stage of our progression, we are told that “he speaks as a dragon” because we are, at this point the sons of the great red dragon, who gives us the power to perform miracles which deceive our inward beast. We watch as our prayers are answered right there in Babylon while we are yet “carnal babes in Christ” (1Co 3:1-4). We are miraculously and physically blessed after we start tithing to that harlot Babylonian system. This inward deception is completely irresistible, to the extent that we, as this “beast [which] came up out of the earth” are granted the power to “overcome and kill the saints.”

Rev 13:14  And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.

No one who “has two horns like a lamb” thinks of himself as a beast who “speaks as a dragon,” so we are blinded to our true state by being “given power to make fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men” in the form of fiery sermons which do indeed change lives and appear to be “many wonderful works”.

Rev 13:11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
Rev 13:12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
Rev 13:13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,

A miracle is a miracle, but a miracle is not a synonym for Truth. The biblical truth is that God actually uses miracles to deceive those to whom He does not impart a love of the Truth.

2Th 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
2Th 2:12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

The fruit of these miracles and wonders performed by the religious beast within us, before our beast who comes up out of the sea, is “strong delusion”, which causes all the earth within us, and them that dwell therein, within us, to worship the first beast whose deadly wound was healed. How does God describe these miracles, which our second beast is given the power to do in the presence of our first beast? Here in this same chapter of 2 Thessalonians is how God describes these miracles which He gives our beast the power to perform:

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 2:5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
2Th 2:6 And now ye know what withholdeth [G2722, ‘Katecho’, to restrain] that he might be revealed [within you] in his time.
2Th 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth [G2722, ‘Katecho’, to restrain] will let [Greek: withhold], until he be taken out of the way.
2Th 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed [within you], whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth [the knowledge of His Word], and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming [within]:
2Th 2:9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, [“Strong delusion”]
2Th 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish [are perishing]; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2Th 2:11  And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
2Th 2:12  That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

So what is it that distinguishes our beast, with the power to perform miracles, from our new man who “dies daily” to the “power and signs and lying wonders” of our religious beast who “shows himself that he is God” and who causes us to worship our first beast? What distinguishes these two parts of our progression is that our new man is not swayed by the miracles performed by our religious beast, and our new man has been given a “love of the truth”. Our second earthly beast is impervious, and he is completely unaffected by Truth. Our old man, our beast with two horns like a lamb but who speaks as a dragon, puts church doctrine before a love of the Truth, and seeks to destroy the True Lamb of God and the knowledge of His doctrines.

It is the doctrines of our inward beast which imparts to us “the image of the beast”, and it is our love of the Truth of the doctrines of Christ which imparts to us the image of our Creator.

Col 3:10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

There it is! It is our “love of the true… knowledge of Christ and His Father”, which changes our old “image” from the image of “our father the devil” into the “new man… the image of Him that created us”. As we come to “see” and “know God and Jesus Christ”, we are “transformed into that same image”, “from glory to glory”.

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

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.

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.

Since Christ tells us “the Words I speak to you are spirit…”, it is His Words and His doctrines which “change us into the same image”. In the same way, the “image of the beast” is given to us via our faith in him and our worship of his doctrines:

Rev 14:11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

Rev 15:2 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.

Notice that “the mark of his name” and “the number of his name” are both “of his name”. In the same way, his name and his image are both the same thing. The name, number, mark and the image of the beast, are all simply the love of, and the faith in, His lies as opposed to “the love of the Truth” and faith in the Words of God.

Rev 13:14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by [the means of] those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.

This is speaking of the second part of our progression, or the second beast in our progression toward the maturing of the wild beast within us. It is only now in this verse, that we are told what caused the deadly wound which was inflicted on the beast of the first part of our progression. That deadly wound was inflicted by the only thing that “can make war with the beast.” It was inflicted “by a sword”, and that “sword [is] of the spirit, which is the Word of God”.

Eph 6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
Eph 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit,which is the word of God:

The “fire”, which is the word of God, inflicts upon us a “deadly wound”, but “the fiery darts of the wicked” cause that deadly wound to be healed, and we are once more a healthy and rebellious beast. “The sword of the spirit… is the word of God.” The Word of God alone can inflict a deadly wound upon our first beast which comes up out of the sea of our flesh (“the sea”). It was the Word of God which first brought us to desire to die to our own flesh, but our religious beast caused that wound to be healed before we could be “twice [killed]”, and the deadly wound be once more inflicted, and our names are reinstated in God’s book of life.

We must “live by every word”, and that includes these words:

Jud 1:12 These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;

“David slew Goliath… with sling and with a stone”, but he also killed Goliath with a sword, and it is only “with the sword” that our second beast will eventually be slain. That will only happen after He gives life to the image of our first beast whose deadly wound he causes to be healed, thus keeping us from entering into the kingdom of God “within us”.

1Sa 17:50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but [there was] no sword in the hand of David.
1Sa 17:51 Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled.

The fact that David slew Goliath, with “his [own] sword”, is a type and a shadow of each of us being judged “out of our own mouths”. Those very words are all right there in the Word of God, and they are “all ours” to be lived and kept.

Luk 19:22 And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, [thou] wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow:

1Co 3:21 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;
1Co 3:22 Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;

Notice the function of the New Testament symbol of our second beast in our progression toward the judgment of our old beastly man. Here is how our deadly wound with a sword is caused to be healed by our second beast within. This is the function of the beast that “comes up out of the earth”.

Mat 23:13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.
Mat 23:14 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.
Mat 23:15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.

It is you and I who have been these scribes and Pharisees. It is each of us, in the image of our father the devil, who “in times past” have blasphemed the name of God by speaking the lies and false doctrines of our father the devil and being conformed to his image.

Rev 13:15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

It is the second beast of our progression which “gives life to the image of the first beast”. It is our second beast with “two horns like a Lamb, but who speaks as a dragon”, who causes us to worship the image of our first beast. Let’s not fail to notice that it is “the image of the beast” that speaks, and causes us to worship the image of the beast, because, as we said earlier, our ‘image’ is determined by our faith in our doctrines. It is the doctrines we speak and for which we stand, which show all men in whose ‘image’ we really are. The father of our beast looks exactly like his son. They both have “seven heads and ten horns”, and it is the doctrines of our father, the doctrines of this dragon, which are spoken by us when we are in his image as this “image of the beast”.

Joh 8:41 Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.
Joh 8:42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
Joh 8:43 Why do ye not understand my speech? [even] because ye cannot hear my word.
Joh 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

… and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

What does this mean? How does the beast which “comes up out of the earth” and causes us to worship the image of the beast, also cause us to be killed when we refuse to continue to worship the image of the beast?

If we have learned anything about this book of revelation it is that this book has been “signified unto us” (Rev 1:1), and the “killing” of those who overcome the image, mark, name and number of the beast is no exception to that rule. So what does “as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed” really mean?

Before we answer that question, let us establish and remember that there is not one person on the face of the earth who is not first “overcome of the beast”. “All that dwell upon the earth shall worship him.” There is not one person who will not first “receive his name, number and mark”.

Rev 13:7  And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
Rev 13:8  And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
Rev 13:9  If any man have an ear, let him hear.

“If any man have an ear, let him hear” is God’s way of telling us that very few will understand these words, because very “few… are given eyes that see and ears that hear… these mysteries of the kingdom of God” (Mat 13:10-15). Not one person in a thousand will understand that everyone’s name is first blotted out of God’s book of life, before it is replaced by receiving a second and permanent deadly wound to our old man, “the beast”.

Exo 32:33  And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.

Who is “blotted out of God’s book of life”? It is only those “whosoever have sinned against God”. So, who is that?

Psa 51:4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.

Rom 3:23  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

That explains how the spirit can say that “all that dwell upon the face of the earth shall worship the image of the beast”. All are first blotted out of the book of life, because “all have sinned” against God. This also explains how the beast is “given power to make war with and overcome the saints and all that dwell on the earth”. So when we are told that there are some who “would not worship the beast”, what we are really being told is that there are some few who will repent of worshiping the beast, and who will “overcome the beast and his mark and his image and his number and his name”.

Is that really what happens to God’s faithful? Is it true that we are all, at first, overcome and killed by the beast, before we overcome him? What do the scriptures teach?

Rev 15:2  And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.

So even God’s elect must “get the victory over the beast, his image, mark and the number of his name”. Truly “all that dwell on the earth” will worship this beast in their own appointed time, and then a few will be granted to “get the victory over the beast, his image, his mark and the number of his name”.

How is this religious beast, with two horns like a lamb who speaks as a dragon, given to “kill the saints”? Here is how that is accomplished. This part of our progression is accomplished by the beast within in the exact reverse of how “Christ in us” kills and destroys the man of sin within us.

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:

Here is what the symbolism of “killing the saints” means:

2Co 2:14  Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour [smell] of his knowledge by [Greek: ‘dia‘, through] us in every place.
2Co 2:15  For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved [Greek: being saved], and in them that perish [Greek: perishing]:
2Co 2:16  To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?

Here is Rotherham’s rendition of verse 15:

2Co 2:15 That, of Christ, a grateful odour, are we, unto God,- in them who are being saved, and in them who are being lost:

It is the saints who “receive a deadly wound” that is healed, and it is the healing of that deadly wound which is the death, or the killing, of God’s elect. “All things are ours” (1Co 3:21-22).

1Jn 3:15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

There is not a man or woman alive who has not, at some time, hated his brother. So it is easy to see how the beast within us causes us to kill those who do not worship his image.

Christ also tells us how we go about killing those who will not worship the image of the beast:

Mat 10:39  He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

“He that finds his life” is us when our deadly wound is healed, and “he that loseth his life” is us when the beast with two horns like a lamb, who speaks as a dragon, “kills us” and we become the smell of death to him and to his. It is only through dying daily and being crucified with Christ that we “find our life”.

“As many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed” is no more literal than any other of the signified words of the book of this prophecy. Our death at the hands of our own religious beast is accomplished when we refuse to do what our self-righteous, religious beast wants us to do, and instead we seek what is commendable to God. We are killed by that beast when we deny the desires of our beast and seek only to please our heavenly Father, instead of pleasing ourselves, pleasing our families and pleasing our friends.

2Co 2:14  Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.
2Co 2:15  For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:
2Co 2:16 To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?

That is how our beast “causes us to be killed”.

Here are many more of the details concerning how our self-righteous, religious, two-horned beast goes about killing God’s elect within us:

Rev 13:16  And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

The word ‘all’ is qualified with six other words, “both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond”. There is not one person who is excluded from those six categories. All men who have ever lived are either small or great, rich or poor, free or bond. There is not as much as one exception. The fact that this mark is in the right hand and in the forehead explains clearly what is being said concerning “all men” to those who are granted to “compare spiritual things with spiritual” (1Co 2:13-14). We have already discussed how it is that we all “blaspheme the name of God among the Gentiles” by the way we live our lives in rebellion against the words of the very Lord whose name we claim as ours. It is by the very life we live and the things we think in our hearts and minds, symbolized by “our foreheads”; these are the things which lead us to what we do with our “right hand”. The holy spirit reveals this to us in the shadows we are given in the Old Testament concerning the “mark” of God.

What is the “mark” of God? First we are told that the mark of God is obedience to His laws. Where does God tell us He places His mark upon us? Here is where God places His mark of our obedience to His laws:

Exo 13:9  And it [obedience] shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the LORD’S law may be in thy mouth: for with a strong hand hath the LORD brought thee out of Egypt.

Exo 13:16  And it shall be for a token upon thine hand, and for frontlets between thine eyes: for by strength of hand the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt.

God’s mark is symbolized as being upon our hand because “with a strong hand hath the Lord brought thee out of Egypt… for by strength of hand the Lord brings us forth out of ” our sins. But which hand of God symbolizes such strength, in the types and shadows of the Old Testament?

Exo 15:6  Thy right hand, O LORD, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O LORD, hath dashed in pieces the enemy [our beast, the “man of sin” within us].

Where does God tells us he has placed His mark upon us? If it is the “strength of hand” that He himself has, then that would be “His right hand”.

“All men both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, receiving a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads” is the symbol of the total commitment of our hearts to the thoughts and doctrines of our father the devil, which demonstrates for all to see who is it that we worship and serve.

We will pause here and continue in our next study to seek to know what happens to those who overcome the mark, name, and number of the beast.

Rev 13:10-13 Part 2, He had Two Horns Like a Lamb, and He Spake as a Dragon

[Study Aired January 26, 2025]

Rev 13:10  He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

The Second Beast

Rev 13:11  And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
Rev 13:12  And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
Rev 13:13  And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,

He had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.

Here is what we are being told about this beast which comes up out of the earth. Here is what is meant by “He had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon”.

Mat 24:4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
Mat 24:5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

Christ has forewarned us about the work of this second beast within us. “Many shall come in my name, saying I am Christ, and shall deceive many”, because they will have “two horns like a lamb”. How will they deceive? The words they speak will be deceitful, smooth words which will, in the end, prove to be the words of the great red dragon.

Isa 30:8  Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever:
Isa 30:9  That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD:
Isa 30:10  Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:

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.

Christ’s words are not “smooth things”, and when we are faithful to His words, we many times are considered to be the enemies of those we consider to be our own spiritual household. Immediately after saying words which were anything but “smooth things… deceits”, Paul poses this question to those who comprised one of the very churches God had used Paul to raise up.

Gal 4:16 Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?

Nevertheless, the very fact that Christ warned us against being deceived demonstrates that He already knew that is exactly what would happen to us. Christ Himself becomes our enemy because His Words are the Truth and we cannot, at first, receive them.

Joh 8:43  Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
Joh 8:44  Ye are [first] of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will [at first] do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
Joh 8:45  And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.

Anyone who has Christ in them will know that the words of the apostle Paul are the words of Christ Himself, because anyone who has Christ in Him will “know Christ’s voice, and a stranger they will not follow.”

Joh 10:2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
Joh 10:3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
Joh 10:4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
Joh 10:5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

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

“Knowing the voice” of “the Shepherd of the sheep” means that we know God’s Word, and with His Word we are able to “try the spirits to see whether they are of God.”

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.

“Every spirit that confesses not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God… this is that spirit of antichrist…”! It is “the flesh”, it is not ‘a flesh.’ It is certainly not speaking of flesh with no connection to Adam. There are many such ‘immaculate conception’ doctrines in the Christian world which all deny in some way that Christ came in the same sinful flesh that we are in. In doing that, they are denying that He is even now in our own sinful flesh. If Christ would not enter into Adam’s sinful flesh by being “made of a woman, made under the law”, why would He do so after His resurrection? “This is that spirit of antichrist… it is even now in the world” is referring to all who deny that Christ was the son of Adam, and that He is even now come in our sinful bodies of sinful flesh:

Col 1:26  Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
Col 1:27  To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

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

Here is one final example of what this beast with “two horns like a lamb, who speaks as a dragon” is among us:

Act 20:25 And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more.
Act 20:26 Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men.
Act 20:27 For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.
Act 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
Act 20:29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
Act 20:30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
Act 20:31 Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.

“Perverse things” certainly include “smooth things… deceits.” I can also include simply refraining from “declaring all the counsel of God”, when that counsel is very unpopular with the world and with God’s own sheep and God’s own people and flock. Let’s read again what the Lord tells us is the mindset of His own people:

Isa 30:9 That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD:
Isa 30:10 Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:
Isa 30:11 Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel [“the Word”] to cease from before us.

Rev 13:12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.

“He exercised all the power of the first beast before him…” “Before Him?” Yes, that is right. This is the second step in the judgment of the beast that we all are. We are signified by “the earth”:

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

We have established beyond any doubt that “the kingdom of God is within us”:

Luk 17:20  And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
Luk 17:21  Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

If indeed ‘the kingdom of God is within [us]’, spiritually, then it follows that all the enemy kingdoms of that nation are also spiritually within each of us. When we collectivize these words and apply them to the corporate church and then exclude ourselves, we have completely missed the message of  chapter one:

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.

So it is we who come up out of the earth and cause all men to worship the beast whose deadly wound was healed. He doesn’t cause us to worship the beast when his first head is wounded with a deadly wound and that first head is being crucified with Christ. Rather, he causes us to worship the first beast only after his deadly wound is healed and he is right back to being a very healthy wild beast who, as we will see, blasphemes God and His temple and those who dwell there. All of those things are exactly what all the ‘Christian’ organizations and corporations of men who declare themselves as ‘Christians’ do, but not do the things Christ tells us to do (Luk 6:46).

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

So what power does the first beast within us have over all the kingdoms of this world within us? Let’s look back at what we have just been told about who we are before Christ truly abides within us:

Rev 13:2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
Rev 13:3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
Rev 13:4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?
Rev 13:5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
Rev 13:6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
Rev 13:7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
Rev 13:8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
Rev 13:9 If any man have an ear, let him hear.

There it is; this beast seems to be invincible. He has the most powerful attributes of all the most powerful wild beasts of the earth. He makes war with and overcomes all of God’s saints. “Power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations, and all that dwell on the earth shall worship him… Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?” When we see that “we are that man”, then, and only then, will ‘that man’ be removed from his throne in the heavens of our heart and mind, and only then will the only person who can make war with the beast which we all are, take His rightful place upon His own throne within our own hearts and minds.

Notice how late in our relationship with our Lord we are brought to face just how pernicious our old man is. We come to see just how hopeless of our own power we are soon after we have been given the kingdom.

2Sa 12:1  And the LORD sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor.
2Sa 12:2  The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds:
2Sa 12:3  But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.
2Sa 12:4  And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man’s lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him.
2Sa 12:5  And David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the LORD liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die:
2Sa 12:6  And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.
2Sa 12:7  And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;
2Sa 12:8  And I gave thee thy master’s house, and thy master’s wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.

Let us not overlook how late in the walk of the Lord’s typical elect this tragedy occurs. This happened to King David after He had been given the kingdom. It happened in his life after fighting for many years against the typical man of sin was seeking his destruction. This happened to King David at this time in his life, and it is written for our admonition for this reason:

1Co 10:6  Now these things were our examples [G5180: ‘tupos’, types of us], to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.

1Co 10:11 Now all this befalls them typically [typifying us]. Yet it was written for our admonition, to whom the consummations of the eons have attained.
1Co 10:12 So that, let him who is supposing he stands beware that he should not be falling. (CLV)

There it is. This battle is all laid out for all who have eyes that can see and ears that can hear the mysteries of the kingdom of God within us. Here is this beast who is sitting on Christ’s throne and is demanding the total worship of himself to the exclusion of Christ and to the “blaspheming of the name of God, His tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven” (Rev 13:6). Here’s this same ‘war in the heavens’ from another perspective:

2Th 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come[“the day of Christ’s” judgment within our lives, vs 2], except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; [Like with King David]
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. [King David was sitting on the throne when he fell to this beast within]
2Th 2:5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
2Th 2:6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he [That pernicious man of sin] might be revealed in his time [At the appointed time when ‘the sins of the Amorites are filled up’, Gen 15:16].
2Th 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity [Our own self-righteous old man] doth already work: only he who now letteth [withholdeth] will let [withhold], until he be taken out of the way. [Until the Lord sends Nathan to us]
2Th 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed [“Thou art the man”], whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: [“The sword will never depart from {our} house”, 2Sa 12:10]
2Th 2:9 Even him [our self-righteous old man], whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, [David’s many wonderful works in the name of the Lord, all nullified by his rebellious self-righteous old man, “the working of Satan” [2Th 2:9 who thought that all he had done for the Lord would cover for what he had done to Uriah. He forgot that the Lord sees and judges our every thought, Pro 16:1 and Eze 33:13]

Pro 16:1  The preparations of the heart in man [when we begin to formulate a thought], and the answer of the tongue, is from the LORD.

Eze 33:13  When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it.

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.

This “man of sin” here in 2Th 2:3 is the beast of Rev 13. Once the Lord gives us eyes that see and ears that hear, that “Ye are the temple of God” (1Co 3:16), only then can we ever hope to see and appreciate “the brightness of Christ’s coming” into our hearts and minds, dethroning and removing and replacing our fearful old “man of sin”, our sinful, Adamic nature with Himself and His “bold as a lion” nature. A man who considers himself “crucified with Christ” (Gal 2:20) is “dying daily” (1Co 15:31), and is “presenting his body as a living sacrifice” (Rom 12:1) is not afraid of death and fears nothing.

Rev 13:13 And he [the beast that comes up out of the earth] doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,

This appears to be the ultimate tool of this “man of sin… beast”. Anyone who can “make fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men”, must surely be a very great man of God. But what is “fire… from heaven in the sight of men”? If we say that the fire of Jer 5:14, and 1Co 3:13-15 is the word of God in the mouths of His people, then we simply must be consistent and declare that this fire is the same fiery word of God, but in this case, those fiery words are here found in the mouth of this beast who is called “the man of sin”.

Jer 5:14 Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.

1Co 3:13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
1Co 3:14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
1Co 3:15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

What does this beast, this man of sin, accomplish with these fiery words of God? What does “He makes fire come down from heaven in the sight of men” mean, if that fire is the Words of God?

What those words mean is that this beast is given the ability to use the words of God to effect great changes and to work miracles in the lives of those who follow him. He is able, by reading and preaching and teaching the very same word of God, to purge great sins out of the lives of those who listen to His words of God. It is given to him to literally perform miracles which would, “if possible deceive the very elect”. What this tells us is that great changes can be made in our outward lives, which still have not changed our stubborn hearts. Here are the scriptures which show that “He makes fire come down from heaven in the sight of men” does not prove that this is a man of God:

Mat 24:4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
Mat 24:5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
Mat 24:23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.
Mat 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
Mat 24:25 Behold, I have told you before.

We have all been impressed by the ability we ourselves and others have to use the Words of our Lord to effectuate many changes in the lives of others through simply showing them what the word of God actually teaches, instead of what they have been falsely taught.

Even Babylonian ministers, even this ‘beast that comes up out of the earth’ has also been given by the Lord the blessing of ministering to us while we were murderers, drunks, gamblers and pornographers. As lost souls we have all been reformed by the fiery words of the Word of God coming from the mouths of ‘a beast which comes up out of the earth.’ All the while we were still in Babylon and being deceived by the very miracles which seemed at that time to prove that we are serving the true God and His True Christ. In every case, Christ’s truths were never glorified, and the beast was always still sitting in center stage, taking Christ’s throne and Christ’s glory to himself and demanding our worship. Here is Christ’s Matthew 24 warning repeated in 2Th 2:

2Th 2:3 Let no man deceive you [“Take heed that no man deceives you… ”(Mat 24:4)] 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 [“You are the temple of God” (1Co 3:16)], shewing himself that he is God.
2Th 2:5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
2Th 2:6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
2Th 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth [will let], until he be taken out of the way.
2Th 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
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.
2Th 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
2Th 2:12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Look at how similar these verses are to Matthew 24:23-25! “Take heed that no man deceive you… Let no man deceive you by any means… Behold, I have told you before… Remember ye not, that, when I was with you, I told you these things?” Both are the same message, and both tell us what withholds that the man of sin is not revealed until His own appointed time in our lives. Both prophecies warn us of  “the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders.” The one thing both warnings have in common is that this “man of sin” is a “false Christ [who] deceives many… with all power and signs and lying wonders”.

Summary and Conclusion

We have seen that the worship of this beast, the blaspheming of God, and the pouring out of God’s wrath upon all our ungodliness is all part and parcel of “the patience and the faith of the saints.”

Rev 13:10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

We saw that this same statement is repeated in chapter 14, where the hour of God’s judgment upon our ungodliness and unrighteousness is again called the patience and faith of the saints and the keeping of God’s commandments.

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

We have seen that the phrase, “another beast”, just like the phrase, “another angel… and a third angel” are just like Pharaoh’s second dream, the three angels are all really the same spirit with the same message concerning the three successive stages of our own judgment. We saw that this second beast with “horns like a lamb, but speaking as a dragon” is really nothing more or less than Satan himself being “transformed into an angel of light, and his ministers being transformed into ministers of righteousness” who are given the ability to perform miracles with which the whole world is deceived.

Rev 13:11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.

This second beast seems to have the strength of the horns of the lamb of God, but his doctrines are the doctrines of the dragon. It is by simply serving ourselves that this first beast worships “the dragon, that old serpent the devil, and Satan”. This beast, which we all are, is “the earth and them that dwell therein.”

Rev 13:12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.

We have seen that the “fire” spoken of here in Rev 13, signifies the same ‘fiery’ Words of God  which are the scriptures being preached in fiery, moving and powerful sermons by ‘two horned lambs in wolves clothing speaking as a dragon’ by twisting and ignoring the sum  of the Lord’s words. It is by the masterful work of using the Word of God, and through that Word effecting great changes in our own lives all the while still living as slaves to the idols of our own beastly hearts, that our own delusions are made to be so powerful that except by the grace of God, none of us would ever escape the delusions we are all first placed under and to which we all first submit:

Rev 13:13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,

In our next study we will see that the Lord gives our beast the power to perform miracles for the express purpose of keeping us deceived. Here are those verses, and they should no longer be the great mystery they have been for so long.

Rev 13:14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
Rev 13:15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
Rev 13:16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
Rev 13:17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
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.

Rev 13:10-13 Part 1, Here is the Patience and Faith of the Saints

[Study Aired January 24, 2025]

Rev 13:10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
Rev 13:11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
Rev 13:12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
Rev 13:13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,

Introduction

Let’s read that again!! “The patience and faith of the saints is to lead into captivity and be led into captivity? The patience and faith of the saints is to kill by the sword and be killed by the sword”? Is that what we just read? Is that how far the holy spirit’s doctrine of “all things are ours” doctrine goes?

1Co 3:21 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;
1Co 3:22 Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;

Is that how far “living by every” word goes?

Mat 4:4  But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Is that how far “keeping the things written therein goes”?

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.

Every time we come to God’s Word thinking that we are coming to it to study history or to seek to know the future, we are failing to approach God’s Word with the proper mindset. That mindset is this:

Mat 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Let us be very clear… ‘living by every word’ means believing and doing everything the scriptures tell us to believe and to do. If the scriptures tell us that we are to follow the footsteps of Christ then that is what we are to do.

1Pe 2:21  For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

1Jn 2:4  He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
1Jn 2:5  But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
1Jn 2:6  He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

If, on the other hand, the scriptures tell us:

Rev 2:11  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.

Then we should believe and teach that all who are the first to die daily with Christ, to die to our old man, and to overcome the wicked one in this present world, and are the first to be judged in this present time, shall not be hurt of the second death. The “second death… [which] is the lake of fire” is ‘second’ in time and in order. It is not common to all men and will not ‘hurt’ the elect (Rev 2:11).

Rev 2:11  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.

God’s elect who will rule with Christ for a thousand years, go through judgment and “die daily… in this present time”:

1Pe 4:17  For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
1Pe 4:18  And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

Rom 8:18  For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

It is only because the Lord’s elect ‘die’ first, in ‘this present time’, and it is only because “judgment… first begins at us” in “this time” that we are granted to “come forth… unto the resurrection of life”, the “blessed and holy… first resurrection” at the commencement of the thousand-year reign of Christ and His ‘Christ’, who will rule with Him for a thousand years. The elect live by those words of God, but they do so “first… to the praise of His glory”, and not later at the “great white throne… judgment/ lake of fire/ second death” (Rev 20:11-15).

Joh 5:29  And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation [G2920: ‘Krisis’, judgment, the “great white throne… judgment”].

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 from the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before before him in love:
Eph 1:5  Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
Eph 1:6  To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
Eph 1:7  In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
Eph 1:8  Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
Eph 1:9  Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
Eph 1:10  That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
Eph 1:12  That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
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 [of His grace, vs 6].

“Man” in Matthew 4:4 is the Greek word ‘anthropos’ and it means ‘mankind’. What that means is that you and I will live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. We will “keep the things written therein… because, all things are ours” (Rev 1:3, 1Co 3:21-22).

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

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.

Now, since mankind will live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God, and since all things present and things to come are ours, and since we must all “keep the things written therein”, then it is a very safe bet that “all things [will] come alike to all” men.

Ecc 9:2 All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.

1Ti 2:3  For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
1Ti 2:4  Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

Now if it is true that “there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked”, and if it is also true that in the end we are all to be redeemed by the blood of the Christ, then the only conclusion we can draw from all of these verses of God’s Word is that we must all first be wicked before we can become righteous, and we must all experience “the day of evil” before we can be “accepted in the beloved.” Put another way, we must all be “in Adam” before we can be “in Christ”.

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

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

All of this is by God’s own deliberate design:

Ecc 1:13 I applied my heart to inquiring and exploring by wisdom concerning all that is done under the heavens: it is an experience of evil Elohim has given to the sons of humanity to humble them by it. (CLV)

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

Eze 20:25 Wherefore I gave them also statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby they should not live;

With this Biblical approach to today’s verses in Revelation 13, let’s look and see…

What is the patience and the faith of the saints?

Rev 13:10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

Now doesn’t a statement like that make you very thankful that you have never led anyone at any time into captivity? Don’t these words make you very thankful that you have never in your life killed anyone with the sword?

But wait a minute. It is the leading into captivity and going into captivity, it is the killing with the sword and the being killed with the sword which is “the patience and the faith of the saints.”

Surely we have read this wrong, or maybe we have simply misunderstood what “keep the things written therein” means. Let us take the time to see if “the patience and faith of the saints” is mentioned anywhere else in this book, and let us look very closely at those verses to see what they tell us is “the patience and faith of the saints.” Is there a “second witness” to this definition of the patience and faith of the saints?  Yes, of course there is always a second witness to any Biblical doctrine, and this ‘second witness’ is found in the very next chapter of this prophecy, and it again demonstrates that we endure everything those in the lake of fire endure, but we do so but once in this present time, and we do so first:

Rev 14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
Rev 14:7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come [1Pe 4:17]: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
Rev 14:8 And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.
Rev 14:9 And the third angel [three signifies the process of being judged] followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
Rev 14:10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
Rev 14:11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
Rev 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

There it is again, just as plain as it can be stated. The patience of the saints and they that keep the commandments of God, and have the faith of Jesus Christ, are those who drink of the wrath of God, poured out without mixture into the cup of His indignation, and are tormented day and night in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. The patience of the saints, and of those who keep the commandments of God and keep the faith of Jesus, is to “keep the things written in this book”, which things happen to include the worship of the beast and his image and receiving the mark of His name. “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.”

“Another angel… another angel… and a third angel” is not speaking of three different spirits. They are all the same spirit with three messages concerning these three steps in the process of the judgment of the worship of beast that is within us all. This message in chapter 14 is the exact same message as the message of chapter 13. Both are the necessary ingredients of “the patience and the faith of the saints.”

Now let’s go back to Rev 13:10 and notice how the preceding verses parallel these verses here in chapter 14:

Rev 13:4 And they [all mankind, you and I] worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?
Rev 13:5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
Rev 13:6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
Rev 13:7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
Rev 13:8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
Rev 13:9 If any man have an ear, let him hear.
Rev 13:10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

Who among God’s elect have not worshiped and served the beast before the coming of Christ into their lives? Who among us has not opened our mouths in blasphemy against God, “to blaspheme His name, and His tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven”? We have all “made war with the saints” when we first heard their doctrine. Here are a few more words which have been inspired by our God, demonstrating that we will all live by every word of God:

1Ti 1:12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;
1Ti 1:13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did [it] ignorantly in unbelief.

“Who before was a blasphemer [who]… led into captivity, [and] killed with the sword…” Those words are not unique to the apostle Paul. They speak of all of us.

Are there any of us who have not first been “the children of wrath even as others”? Think before you answer that question, because we will all be “judged out of our own mouths”. Here is the answer to that question:

Eph 2:1 And you [hath he quickened], who were dead in trespasses and sins;
Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
Eph 2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were [all] by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

Luk 19:22 And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow:

No, there are none of us who were not first “the children of wrath, even as others”. Not one of us was born perfected. We are all ‘shapen in iniquity and conceived in sin’:

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

“We all [have been] in times past… by nature the children of wrath, even as others”. It is all “the patience and faith of the saints” who are given to “look behind [themselves]” and witness this entire revelation of Jesus Christ and to see and understand that this revelation of Jesus Christ includes both the first and then the last Adam, and it is so stated in both chapters 13 and 14. The worship of the beast in both chapters precedes the statement, “This is the patience and faith of the saints.”

Rev 13:11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.

“I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth…” This ‘coming up’ is the same phrase used to tell us “what the Lord is about to do” in Pharaoh’s dream:

Gen 41:1 And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river.
Gen 41:2 And, behold, there came up out of the river seven well favoured kine and fatfleshed; and they fed in a meadow.
Gen 41:3 And, behold, seven other kine came up after them out of the river, ill favoured and leanfleshed; and stood by the other kine upon the brink of the river.
Gen 41:4 And the ill favoured and leanfleshed kine did eat up the seven well favoured and fat kine. So Pharaoh awoke.
Gen 41:5 And he slept and dreamed the second time: and, behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good.
Gen 41:6 And, behold, seven thin ears and blasted with the east wind sprung up after them.
Gen 41:7 And the seven thin ears devoured the seven rank and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and, behold, it was a dream.

Pharaoh’s dream involves seven well favored and fat fleshed cows being eaten up by seven ill favored and lean fleshed cows. This is so troubling to Pharaoh that he is awakened out of his sleep. Then he falls asleep again and dreams a second dream involving seven ears of corn on one stalk “rank and good.” These seven good ears of corn are then eaten up by seven thin ears of corn, blasted with the east wind.

So in Pharaoh’s two dreams we have seven fat cows and seven thin cows, and seven fat ears of corn and seven thin ears of corn. What does it all mean? It all means the same thing. The message in these two dreams is one single message which the Lord is giving to Pharaoh about things He is about to do. Both dreams have one message, and the different kinds of cows and the different kinds of corn are simply expressing the different stages of the progression of that one single message being delivered by God, through Joseph, to Pharaoh.

Here is what Joseph tells the Pharaoh.

Gen 41:25 And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one: God hath shewed Pharaoh what he is about to do.

Gen 41:32 And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.

The fact that the dream was doubled to Pharaoh indicates that it is “written in God’s book” (Psa 139:16), and it will happen very soon. Two is God’s number for witness, and God’s witness is always given as “the time is at hand… it is near, even at the door” (Mat 24:32-33, Rev 1:3).

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

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.

Joseph is sent by God to Pharaoh to confirm to Pharaoh that these two dreams are just one message to Pharaoh. This message has been established by God and will soon be done.

That is just as true of the message we are being given here in Revelation 13. “Another beast” like “other kine” is really nothing less than the same beast, at the next stage of his progression. Just as the “seven other kine” are simply that which follows the first seven cows, here, too, in Revelation 13, this “other beast” which “comes up out of the earth” is the natural, predestined progression of what will become of the first beast which comes up out of the sea.

Rev 13:1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

Rev 13:11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.

Here is the message contained in these two verses, in their Old Testament type and shadow form:

Gen 1:9 And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.
Gen 1:10 And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.

In Biblical terms, the first beast represents the sea of our naked flesh, and the second beast represents the dry land which rises ever so slightly higher than the sea. The second beast is aware of his nakedness and is thereby one step closer to being like God than the first beast. Nevertheless, like the cows and the corn in Pharaoh’s dream, both are a single beast. It is very similar to this statement which “proceeded out of the mouth of God” immediately after our original parents first disobey their Father:

Gen 3:22 And the LORD God said, Behold, the man [H120: ‘adam’, mankind] is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:
Gen 3:23 Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.

The separating of the dry land from the waters of the sea is the preordained progression of God’s work upon His one single creation, you and me, “the earth”, and the beast that comes up out of the earth is the predestined progression of the beast that is within God’s one single creation, the earth, which we are.

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

There are two beasts mentioned in this chapter. There is the first beast which “rises up out of the sea.” Then there is this second beast of our study today, which “comes up out of the earth”. This second beast, has “two horns like a lamb, but he speaks as a dragon.” It is this second beast, ‘which speaks as a dragon’, who makes an image of the first beast and is given the power to give life to the image of the beast and to cause all men to worship the image of the beast, but like the 14 cows and the 14 ears of corn in Pharaoh’s dream, the three beasts are all nothing more than a predestined progression of a single message about a single beast, which beast we and all the rest of mankind are:

Ecc 3:18 I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.

The vision of the two beasts of this 13th chapter of Revelation, like Pharaoh’s different dreams, is also one vision of one beast, but the fact that John sees three angels in chapter 14, tells us that this beast is in the process of being judged. These three angels are really just the three phases of where we are while we are in the process of being judged in this present time, on this earth. God has “made manifest to us that we ourselves are beasts”, and as such we live the process of the judgment of that one beast which is in us all.

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

Three is God’s number for the process of judgment, and all the chapters of Revelation 10-16 are all about the judgment of the beast within us, and that judgment, as we will later see, comes in three separate and distinct phases.

Now what does this mean:

He had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.

In our next study we will seek to discover what the scriptures reveal about this second beast which comes up out of the earth with two horns like a lamb, yet speaking as a dragon. Lord willing, we will learn what these words signify.

Rev 13:3-5 Part 2, Deadly Wound is Healed Forty and Two Months

[Study Aired January 12, 2025]

Rev 13:3  And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
Rev 13:4  And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?
Rev 13:5  And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.

In this study we will seek to understand the spiritual significance of “forty and two months” which signifies the duration of the healing of our deadly wound and the rebellious actions of our beastly seven-headed beast.

We have established in our studies of the first two verses of this chapter that “the beast” is mankind:

Rev 13:18  This calls for wisdom: Let the one who has insight calculate the beast’s number, for it is man’s [G444: anthropos, mankind’s] number, and his number is 666.

Every man who has ever lived has had this mark, name and number of this beast from birth:

Ecc 3:18  I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.

Rev 13:16  And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
Rev 13:17  And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

Lest we misunderstand the fact that this mark is on every man who has ever lived, the holy spirit has seen fit to qualify the meaning of the word ‘all’ with the phrase “both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond”. There has never been a person who was not in one of those categories. “All” of Anthropos, “all” of mankind is marked with this number ‘six’, signifying his incompleted status, because mankind was created on the sixth day along with all the other beasts of the field.

Notice how the Hebrew clarifies how wicked flesh is not the end product of the Creator:

Gen 1:27 And creating is the Elohim humanity in His image. In the image of the Elohim He creates it. Male and female He creates them.
Gen 1:28 And blessing them is the Elohim. And saying to them is the Elohim, “Be fruitful and increase and fill the earth, and subdue it. And sway over the fish of the sea, and over the flyer of the heavens, and over the beast, and over all the earth, and over all life moving on the land.
Gen 1:29 And saying is the Elohim, “Behold, I give to you all herbage seeding seed, which is on the surface of the entire earth, and every tree which has in it the fruit of a tree seeding seed. For you it is coming to be for food.
Gen 1:30 And for all land life, and for every flyer of the heavens, and for every moving animal on the land, which has in it a living soul, all green herbage is for food. And coming is it to be so.
Gen 1:31 And seeing is the Elohim all that He had made, and, behold, it is very good. And coming is it to be evening and coming to be morning, the sixth day.

The verbs ‘creating’ and ‘creates’ are both in the Hebrew Qal stem, signifying that these “earthen vessels… of clay” have not yet “entered into His rest” on the seventh day, the number which signifies completion. We are very plainly told that God’s work is completed only on the seventh day:

Gen 2:2  And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
Gen 2:3  And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

The fourth chapter of Hebrews tells us that we, too, are not complete until we have “entered into His rest [and] ceased from [our] own works”:

Heb 4:1  Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
Heb 4:2  For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
Heb 4:3  For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
Heb 4:4  For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.
Heb 4:5  And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.
Heb 4:6  Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:
Heb 4:7  Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Heb 4:8  For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.
Heb 4:9  There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
Heb 4:10  For he that [“believeth” vs 3] is entered [aorist tense] into his rest, he also hath ceased [aorist tense] from his own works, as God did from his.
Heb 4:11  Let us labour [aorist tense] therefore to enter [aorist tense] into that rest, lest any man fall [aorist tense] after the same example of unbelief.

In these verses we are admonished both to “fear lest we come short of His rest” (vs 1), and to “labor to enter into that rest” (vs 11).

The point being made in both Genesis 2:2 and here in Hebrews 4:1-11 is that the creation process is not completed on the sixth day. Only “he that believes hath entered into His rest… on the seventh day”.

Gen 2:2  And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.

All of mankind will in time be completed, but it is not given to the multitudes who believe on Christ in this age to “abide in His Word” and become “disciples indeed” (Joh 8:30-43, Mat 13:10-15).

Joh 8:30  As he spake these words, many believed on him.[received a deadly wound on “one of {their, our} heads”]
Joh 8:31  Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him [signifying the multitudes of Christians of today],If ye continue [G3306: ‘meno’, abide, vs 35] 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 [G3306: ‘meno’, abide, continue] not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth [G3306: ‘meno, ‘abide, continue (vs 31)]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 [vs 39]; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.
Joh 8:38  I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father [You ‘Jews that believe on Me but do not abide in My Word “are of your father the devil”, vs 44].
Joh 8:39  They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children [vs 37], ye would do the works of Abraham.
Joh 8:40  But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.
Joh 8:41  Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.
Joh 8:42  Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
Joh 8:43  Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word [“It is not given to them to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven” (Mat 13:10-15)].
Joh 8:44  Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

Jews and Christians who “believe on [Christ]” (Joh 8:30-31) have received a “deadly wound” to one of their “seven heads”, and they call themselves His disciples. When these very same Jews and Christians believe on Christ and yet want to kill Him, they are not “disciples indeed”, and do not abide in His Word. These are the multitudes of Jews and Christians who believe on Christ but their “deadly wound is healed.” It is only those who are given the gift of looking behind themselves (Rev 1:10-12) and seeing themselves as “chief of sinners” (1Ti 1:15), and who can confess to being spiritually blind and spiritually having inflicted the wounds of the cross upon their own savior, who have that “deadly wound” re-inflicted upon all seven of the heads of the beast within every one of us who are granted to abide in His Word in this present age.

When we first come to Christ as immature spiritual “carnal babes in Christ” (1Co 3:1-4), that is the spiritual significance of “one of his heads as if it were wounded to death.”

1Co 3:1  And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes [G3516: nepios’, toddler] in Christ.
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.
1Co 3:3  For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
1Co 3:4  For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?

1Ti 1:15  This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

What is “forty and two months”?

Rev 13:3  And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
Rev 13:4  And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?
Rev 13:5  And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.

We have already seen that “forty and two months” is the same as “times, a time and half a time”, or “1260 days”. As Joseph told the Pharaoh, “The dream is one.”

Gen 41:17 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, In my dream, behold, I stood upon the bank of the river:
Gen 41:18 And, behold, there came up out of the river seven kine, fatfleshed and well favoured; and they fed in a meadow:
Gen 41:19 And, behold, seven other kine came up after them, poor and very ill favoured and leanfleshed, such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt for badness:
Gen 41:20 And the lean and the ill favoured kine did eat up the first seven fat kine:
Gen 41:21 And when they had eaten them up, it could not be known that they had eaten them; but they [were] still ill favoured, as at the beginning. So I awoke.
Gen 41:22 And I saw in my dream, and, behold, seven ears came up in one stalk, full and good:
Gen 41:23 And, behold, seven ears, withered, thin, and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them:
Gen 41:24 And the thin ears devoured the seven good ears: and I told [this] unto the magicians; but [there was] none that could declare [it] to me.
Gen 41:25 And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one: God hath shewed Pharaoh what he is about to do.

In this dream which so troubled Pharaoh, seven cows and seven ears of corn both have the same significance. Both are used to signify seven years of plenty followed by seven years of severe drought. The Lord gave Joseph complete faith in his interpretation of Pharaoh’s dream. Joseph did not appear before Pharaoh in fear of his life. Joseph knew that the Lord had made him to know the meaning of the symbols in Pharaoh’s dream. Just two years earlier Joseph had interpreted the dreams of the Pharaoh’s butler and his baker, and his interpretation proved true within three days:

Gen 40:12  And Joseph said unto him [Pharaoh’s butler], This is the interpretation of it: The three branches are three days:
Gen 40:13  Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thine head, and restore thee unto thy place: and thou shalt deliver Pharaoh’s cup into his hand, after the former manner when thou wast his butler.

Gen 40:16  When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said unto Joseph, I also was in my dream, and, behold, I had three white baskets on my head:
Gen 40:17  And in the uppermost basket there was of all manner of bakemeats for Pharaoh; and the birds did eat them out of the basket upon my head.
Gen 40:18  And Joseph answered and said, This is the interpretation thereof: The three baskets are three days:
Gen 40:19  Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thy head from off thee, and shall hang thee on a tree; and the birds shall eat thy flesh from off thee.
Gen 40:20  And it came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, that he made a feast unto all his servants: and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants.
Gen 40:21  And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand:
Gen 40:22  But he hanged the chief baker: as Joseph had interpreted to them.
Gen 40:23  Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him.

Even the butler’s forgetting Joseph was a work of the Lord for Joseph’s good. It was through the interpreting of Pharaoh’s dream that the Lord made Pharaoh to know that Joseph was the savior of his nation and, in type, the savior of the world:

Gen 41:1  And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river.

The same spiritual principles revealed in this story of Joseph interpreting Pharaoh’s dreams apply to our understanding of the book of Revelation. The same principles Joseph was given to apply to Pharaoh’s dreams are at work throughout scripture and here in the book of Revelation. Whether it is a certain number of years, a certain number of months or a certain number of days, “the dream [or vision] is one [and] God is showing us “things which must shortly come to pass” (Rev 1:1), and “what He is about to do” in our lives (Gen 41:25).

Pharaoh’s butler forgot Joseph, and that was no doubt a trial of Joseph’s faith for two long years in that prison. But the Lord had a way of reminding the butler of what Joseph had done for him, and it was through the opportunity to interpret Pharaoh’s dream that Joseph was taken from prison and placed upon the throne of Egypt. It is in the process of Joseph’s interpreting Pharaoh’s dream that we are blessed to learn the principle of “the dream is one”:

Gen 41:17  And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, In my dream, behold, I stood upon the bank of the river:
Gen 41:18  And, behold, there came up out of the river seven kine, fatfleshed and well favoured; and they fed in a meadow:
Gen 41:19  And, behold, seven other kine came up after them, poor and very ill favoured and leanfleshed, such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt for badness:
Gen 41:20  And the lean and the ill favoured kine did eat up the first seven fat kine:
Gen 41:21  And when they had eaten them up, it could not be known that they had eaten them; but they were still ill favoured, as at the beginning. So I awoke.
Gen 41:22  And I saw in my dream, and, behold, seven ears came up in one stalk, full and good:
Gen 41:23  And, behold, seven ears, withered, thin, and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them:
Gen 41:24  And the thin ears devoured the seven good ears: and I told this unto the magicians; but there was none that could declare it to me.
Gen 41:25  And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one: God hath shewed Pharaoh what he is about to do.

The cows and the corn both “signified” the same thing, and “God hath shown Pharaoh what He is about to do” is exactly how the book of Revelation is introduced to us:

Rev 1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:
Rev 1:2 Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.
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 [For “what… God… is about to do” (Gen 41:25)].

When we are “given a mouth speaking great things and blaspheming” while we are signified as “the Gentiles” we “tread the court of the temple underfoot”, and we “continue [to do so for] forty and two months”. Likewise after we have blasphemed Christ and His temple forty and two months, if we are granted repentance, then we become those against whom the beast does his blaspheming, and as God’s two witnesses we “prophesy [against that blasphemous beast] a thousand two hundred and threescore days”.

Rev 11:2 But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months. [The same period of time as “a thousand two hundred and sixty days” of the next verse]
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. [The same period of time as “forty and two months”]

How do we blaspheme?

This verse tells us that our beast is “given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies”.

Rev 13:5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies…

If this beast is us, then it is we who are given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies. But is that true of God’s elect? Do God’s elect really blaspheme?

One way to answer that question is to refer to the four verses we mention so often in these studies. If there is any truth to these four verses, then the answer to our question is yes, God’s elect are indeed blasphemers before they repent of doing so. Here are four verses which prove that God’s elect are blasphemers of God, before they repent and are changed in heart, and begin the process of dying daily and having Christ increase as their old man is destroyed daily by decreasing daily.

1)  Ecc 9:2 All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.

2) Mat 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

3) 1Co 3:21 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;
1Co 3:22 Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;

4) 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.

“All things come alike to all… there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked… Man shall… live… by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God… for all things are yours… the world, life, death, things present and things to come, all are yours.”

Are you and I beasts by nature? What say the scriptures?

Ecc 3:18 I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.

Is it “written in this book” that this beast that we all are is “given… a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies”?  Of course that is exactly what is written here:

Rev 13:5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies…

There it all is. “All things are ours.” We are a beast with “mouth[s] that speak great things and blaspheme” our God. That should and does answer that question for all spiritually honest people. But do we have any scriptural examples of God’s very elect blaspheming? You be the judge. Here is what the scriptures reveal about this subject. It is generally agreed that the apostle Paul is the most prolific writer of the New Testament, and he is certainly one of God’s very elect, and this is what he has to say about his own past:

1Ti 1:12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;
1Ti 1:13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did [it] ignorantly in unbelief.
1Ti 1:14 And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
1Ti 1:15 This [is] a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
1Ti 1:16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

How did Paul blaspheme God? He persecuted God’s elect; he supervised the stoning of Stephen, and went on to do even more damage to the body of Christ by going outside of Israel to Damascus to persecute the body of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. There is not one word of 1Ti 1:12-16 which does not apply to you and to me if we are in Christ. Here is how Saul of Tarsus, who later became the apostle Paul, blasphemed. This is what is in your flesh and in my flesh. This is how we first feel about the truth of God’s Word:

Act 7:58 And cast him [Stephen, God’s elect] out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul.
Act 7:59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon [God], and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
Act 7:60 And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Act 22:6 And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me.
Act 22:7 And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
Act 22:8 And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.

So by Christ’s own words we are “Jesus of Nazareth” who is “hated of all men”, and is persecuted by blasphemers. But if any of those four verses quoted above are true, then we must all be signified by Saul of Tarsus before we can become, “Jesus of Nazareth” and we must all be blasphemers before we can be those who glorify God for bringing us out of darkness into the light of His Truth, that “All things come alike to all; all things present and to come are ours, and it is we who keep the things written in this book”, including this 5th verse of Revelation 13.

Summary

Let’s review what we have seen as revealed in God’s Words here in Revelation 13:3-5.

We were reminded of these three things:

1) “Blessed is he that reads, hears, and keeps the things which are written” in these three verses as well as all the other “prophecies of this book” (Rev 1:3 and 22:7).
2) This chapter, the previous chapter, and the next two chapters, are all part of a long introduction to the revelation of what is the seventh trumpet, which is revealed in Revelation 16, as the pouring out of the seven last plagues upon all of our “ungodliness and unrighteousness” (Rom 1:18).
3) The last thing we need to remember is that it is the working of the Lord Himself to give the beast within us a deadly wound, and it is also the working of the Lord via evil spirits, to heal that deadly wound, and to cause us to “worship the beast”.

We have seen that the beast of this chapter is us as the first Adam, with seven symbolic heads and ten symbolic horns.

We have learned that this beast, according to Ecc 3:18, is all mankind who are “in Adam”, including you and me.

We have learned that we, as this beast, receive a deadly wound when we are first dragged to Christ by God’s own working. We also saw that, like ancient Israel, we received our deadly wound to our beast within by crying out to God for deliverance and being carried out of Egypt “on eagles’ wings. We have learned that Israel typifies us as we cry out to God to be delivered from the sins of this world (1Co 10:6 and 11).

We saw how this wound is inflicted, and what we saw was that it is inflicted and can only be inflicted by the words of fire out of the mouth of Christ and His Christ. What we learned is that these fiery words are also known in scripture as a sharp two-edged sword, and we saw that later in this same 13th chapter we are told this this wound was inflicted “by a sword”.

Rev 13:14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.

We have seen that Christ taught that it is only via obedience to God that we become His children:

Mat 5:43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
Mat 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
Mat 5:45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

We also saw that it is by doing the deeds of “our father the devil” that we worship the dragon and become his children.

Joh 8:41 Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.
Joh 8:42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
Joh 8:43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
Joh 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

We have seen that none of us can hear Christ’s Words when we first are given them in parables which signify the mysteries and secrets of the kingdom of God within us.

We have seen again the dual application of forty and two months, as the time we spend, first blaspheming God and treading down the court without the temple, before we become the Lord’s two witnesses who bear witness against our old man for this same “forty and two months” period of time.

Finally, we have seen that like the apostle Paul, you and I are one and all, first blasphemers of God’s elect and of His Words which are in the mouths of God’s elect, before we become His witnesses of these things. We “live by every word…”

Next week, Lord willing, we will see that the works of Saul of Tarsus against the body of Christ of his day, is a type of the treatment which we receive from the Christian world of today who “cannot hear Christ’s words”. We will learn what it means to blaspheme God, His name and His tabernacle. We will learn how it is scripturally possible to be overcome by the beast in war, worship the beast, not have our names written in the book of life, and still be able to say that we are God’s elect.

Here are next week’s verses:

Rev 13:6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
Rev 13:7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
Rev 13:8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
Rev 13:9 If any man have an ear, let him hear.

Revelation 13:1-2 Part 1, Who is the Beast?

[Study Aired Janary 3, 2025]

Rev 13:1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
Rev 13:2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as [the feet] of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.

Introduction

By now we should all have learned that we are the ones who “live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God, that all things present and things to come are ours, and that we are blessed if we are given to read, hear and keep the things written in this book” (Mat 4:4, 1Co 3:21-22, Rev 1:3).

Mat 4:4  But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

1Co 3:21  Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;
1Co 3:22  Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;

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.

By now we should realize that John is seeing this entire vision as he looks behind himself and sees what God is doing, has done and is continuing to do in his own life, as “the revelation of Christ” is being revealed within him, John, who signifies you and me and all of our “fellowservants who keep the sayings of this book” (Rev 19:10 and 22:8-9).

Rev 19:10  And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am [I signfy] thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

Rev 22:8 And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things.
Rev 22:9 Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.

It is you and I who see these things and immediately tend to worship the messenger instead of God.

Let us remember that this chapter concerning the beast within us, the previous chapter concerning the woman and the manchild and their relationship with the great red dragon, along with the next two chapters, are all “the days of the seventh trumpet when he shall begin to sound” (Rev 10:7).

Rev 10:7  But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.
Rev 10:8  And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth.
Rev 10:9  And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.
Rev 10:10  And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.
Rev 10:11  And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.

This is that excruciating time in our lives leading up to the fulfilling of the great day of God’s wrath, which is poured out on all of our unrighteousnesses and ungodlinesses.

Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

Rev 15:7  And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.
Rev 15:8  And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.

“Holding truth in unrighteousness” is the very function of Babylon the great, out of whom we must all come. ‘Holding the Truth in unrighteousness’ is holding Christ’s name, proclaiming His Truth and at the same time proclaiming that disobedience to His doctrine is Godly. The ministers of Babylon are quick to tell you to ‘Love your enemies’, but they add to the Lord’s words… ‘Unless he means you bodily harm, in which case you can blow him away to the glory of God’. The ministers of Babylon are quick to tell you that you, “Thou shalt not bear false witness”, but with the same forked tongue they will tell you it is just fine to lie to your child if it is a national tradition, and tell that child that Santa comes down the chimney and leaves gifts to good children.

When you and I refuse to follow the traditions of men, then we are in the process of coming out of Babylon, and we can expect to be “hated of all men”:

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.

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

So we will ask once more: if we are to “read, hear, and keep the things written therein” (Rev 1:3), then how do we keep these first two verses of Rev 13? To answer that question we will have to know what is signified in these two verses. So let us ask…

… What is meant by “standing on the sand of the sea”?

If this really is John as the symbol of all of us who read, hear, and keep the things written in this book, then it truly is instructive that he sees himself, at this point as “standing on the sand of the sea”. ‘Sand’, according to our Lord, is very unstable and never to be relied upon as a foundation for anything.

Mat 7:26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
Mat 7:27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

So the “sand of the sea” is the symbol of each of us when we have heard Christ’s words but simply did not see the need to “tremble before [them]”. The “sand of the sea” and standing or building on that sand, is you and me when we consider obedience to every word of God to be fanatical and impractical in a world that completely ignores the words of God.

To whom will God reveal Himself, and where is the place of His rest?

Isa 66:1 Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?
Isa 66:2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.
Isa 66:3 He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog’s neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine’s blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations.
Isa 66:4 I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not.
Isa 66:5 Hear the word of the LORD, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name’s sake, said, Let the LORD be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.

So John “standing upon the sand of the sea” is in type you and me when we “Hear the sayings of Christ and do them not”. “Standing upon the sand of the sea” is “choosing our own ways and delighting in our abominations and doing evil before God’s eyes and choosing that in which God does not delight”. Standing on sand is asking what is permissible (what’s the least I can get by with?) instead of what is commendable and in complete accord with the word of God. That is where we are when this beast is revealed to us as coming up out of the sea.

Rev 13:1  And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

As always we need to know where these verses of Revelation derive their force and power. Once we see where they obtain their force and power, then we will see that all the beasts of the Old Testament become one single beast in the New Testament. If we are given to understand that mankind himself is that beast, then we will know that what applies to the verses from which these verses come applies to each of us individually before God. That is what is meant by “comparing spiritual things with spiritual” (1Co 2:13-14). Instead of seeing the people and events of the Old Testament as mere historical events and people, we see every person and event as what is, what was and what will be taking place in our lives.

So do the scriptures really reveal that mankind is a beast? What do the scriptures actually teach?

Ecc 3:18 I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.

Let us ask a simple question. Where else in scripture are we told that something rises up out of the sea? Here is the answer to that question.

Isa 63:11 Then he remembered the days of old, Moses, and his people, saying, Where is he that brought them up out of the sea with the shepherd of his flock? where is he that put his holy Spirit within him?

In light of what we learned about the woman who was given the two wings of a great eagle to fly into the wilderness last week, could this beast actually be you and me as we are being brought up out of the sea into the wilderness to rebel against the very Savior who is delivering us? Is that possible? Here are God’s own words concerning you and me as His firstborn and as His first fruits:

Hos 11:1 When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.
Hos 11:2 As they called them, so they went from them: they sacrificed unto Baalim, and burned incense to graven images.

That is indeed what we all do. Where do we go from the wilderness? We enter into the land of promise. It flows with “milk and honey”, but there is no mention of the “strong meat of the word” in the “land flowing with milk and honey”:

Exo 33:1  And the LORD said unto Moses, Depart, and go up hence, thou and the people which thou hast brought up out of the land of Egypt, unto the land which I sware unto Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, Unto thy seed will I give it:
Exo 33:2  And I will send an angel before thee; and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite:
Exo 33:3  Unto a land flowing with milk and honey: for I will not go up in the midst of thee; for thou art a stiffnecked people: lest I consume thee in the way.
Exo 33:4  And when the people heard these evil tidings, they mourned: and no man did put on him his ornaments.
Exo 33:5  For the LORD had said unto Moses, Say unto the children of Israel, Ye are a stiffnecked people: I will come up into the midst of thee in a moment, and consume thee: therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee, that I may know what to do unto thee.
Exo 33:6  And the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments by the mount Horeb.
Exo 33:7  And Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp, afar off from the camp, and called it the Tabernacle of the congregation. And it came to pass, that every one which sought the LORD went out [“of her” (Rev 18:4)] unto the tabernacle of the congregation, which was without the camp [out of Babylon].

The scriptures make clear that we do not naturally want to follow the messengers of God. We prefer to return to Egypt. Do we return to Egypt as we want? No, we will not go back to Egypt. Even at this early stage we are told that we will eventually go into Babylon until God sees fit to deliver us from there. It is right here in the same context of Hosea 11, and for those who are given to receive it, it is in the very next verses.

Hos 11:3 I taught Ephraim also to go, taking them by their arms; but they knew not that I healed them.
Hos 11:4 I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love: and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat unto them.
Hos 11:5 He shall not return into the land of Egypt, but the Assyrian [The rebellious churches of Babylon] shall be his king, because they refused to return [“They refused to… tremble at My words”].
Hos 11:6 And the sword shall abide on his cities, and shall consume his branches, and devour them, because of their own counsels.

“Our own counsel” means we do what we want to do in direct opposition to God’s counsel and what God wants us to do. “Their own counsel” is hearing what Christ’s says in His Word, and “doing them not”. That is the spiritual meaning of “standing upon the sand of the sea”.

Why does this beast have “seven heads and ten horns”, just like the great red dragon of chapter twelve?

We saw in our studies in chapter 12 that this beast and the great red dragon were nothing less than father and son.

Joh 8:44 Ye [“Jews which believe on Me… but do not do as I say”, Luk 6:46] are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

Can we “look behind us” and see that we all “walked according to the prince of the power of the air… our father the devil”, and that we were all “the children of disobedience”, before we become the children of God.

Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
Eph 2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

This beast here in Daniel is the spiritual composite within us of all the nation empires of the Old Testament. All of those Old Testament empires are nothing more than the single offspring of the first Adam, whose carnal minded flesh is signified here by ‘the sea’ here in Revelation 13. It is only here in the New Testament that the spirit reveals, for the first time, that from God’s spiritual perspective, everything that was in Adam is revealed to be within each and every one of his children. The result of this revelation is that we find all of the Old Testament empires and the beastly symbols of those empires all wrapped up into one composite beast within each and every one of us. Notice how the four beast empires of Daniel 7 compare to the four features of the single beast of Revelation 13. This is not just coincidence. What we are being told is everything that is in Adam is in all of of his children, including “the fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly… the dragon gave him his power and seat and great authority”. Notice the correlation between Daniel 7 and Revelation 13.

Here are the four beasts of Daniel:

Dan 7:3 And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.
Dan 7:4 The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man’s heart was given to it.
Dan 7:5 And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and [it had] three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.
Dan 7:6 After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.
Dan 7:7 After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it [was] diverse from all the beasts that [were] before it; and it had ten horns.

“It had ten horns”. Here in these five verses we have four beasts, one of which has four heads. That means we have four beasts with seven heads total.

There is no description given of the fourth beast except to say that it was dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns. Who is this fourth beast? Why is it different from the other three? Where else in all of scripture do we read of any creatures which have “seven heads and ten horns”? It is only here in Revelation 12 and 13. Here is the answer to all of those questions:

Rev 12:3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.

Exactly who do the scriptures reveal this great red dragon to be? The scriptures leave no room for speculation:

Rev 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

So as we have already established in our studies in chapter 12, this great red dragon is “that old serpent called the Devil and Satan”.

Now look at the spiritual offspring of this great red dragon, and notice how much the spiritual son is the reflection of his spiritual “father the devil”.

Rev 13:1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
Rev 13:2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as [the feet] of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.

In Daniel 7 we have the same lion, leopard and bear, but in Daniel we are told that the fourth beast has the teeth of a devouring lion, even as we are told that “the fourth beast differs from the other three beasts”. This fourth beast is said to be “dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that [were] before it; and it had ten horns.

Were it not for the 12th chapter of Revelation, we would never know that this fourth beast is “our [first spiritual] father the devil”, and that the beast here in chapter thirteen is merely his spiritual seed and his offspring with the same spiritual “seven heads and ten horns”.

Why seven heads?

The reason there are seven heads here in Revelation and in Daniel tells us what the number seven always tells us. What we are being told when we read that this beast that comes up out of the sea has seven heads is that this is a complete and mature beast, and we are now dealing with the revelation of Adam in his full bloom. Notice what we read of the four beasts with seven heads in Daniel:

Dan 7:7 After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it [was] diverse from all the beasts that [were] before it; and it had ten horns.
Dan 7:8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn [were] eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.
Dan 7:9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment [was] white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne [was like] the fiery flame, [and] his wheels [as] burning fire.
Dan 7:10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.
Dan 7:11 I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld [even] till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.
Dan 7:12 As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time.
Dan 7:13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, [one] like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
Dan 7:14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion [is] an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom [that] which shall not be destroyed.

This prophecy here in Daniel 7 takes us all the way to the day of the judgment of this beast. “I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld [even] till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame”. This is the day of judgment we are now in, but here in Daniel this is all “sealed up”, and we are told that it is not to to be understood until “the time of the end”, the time of judgment and the time when “the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.”

Dan 12:4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.

Dan 7:11 I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld [even] till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.

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

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

Well, we happen to be those upon whom “the ends of the ages have come”. It is we who are living in the time when “many are running to and fro, and knowledge is being increased” in this “time of the end”.

1Co 10:11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples [Greek: tupos, type]: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world [Greek: aion, age] are come.

There it is! Christ is the “ends of the age”, and He was not accessible to those of Daniel’s generation, but He is accessible to us.

Rev 1:8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

We will pause here and in our next study we will learn why Daniel was told to “seal up the book” while John, here in Revelation is told “Seal not the book”.

Ezekial 10:1-22 The Cherubims and the Wheels

[Study Aired March 25, 2023]

Introduction

Our discussion for today is centered on the vision the Lord gave to Ezekiel pertaining to the cherubims and the wheels when he was by the river of Chebar in Babylon. This was the second time that Ezekiel had this vision regarding the cherubims and the wheels. This second vision was to establish what the Lord has shown Ezekiel regarding the cherubims and the four wheels.

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.

This chapter also deals with the scattering of the coals of fire, which were taken from between the cherubim, upon the city. The study also gives us insight regarding the removal of the glory of God from the temple, and its subsequent position over the cherubims.

The Work of the Man Clothed with Linen

Eze 10:1  Then I looked, and, behold, in the firmament that was above the head of the cherubims there appeared over them as it were a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne.

By comparing scripture with scripture, we can see that the cheribims are the same as the four living creatures described in Ezekiel chapter 1 as follows:

Eze 1:22  And the likeness of the firmament upon the heads of the living creature was as the colour of the terrible crystal, stretched forth over their heads above.

Eze 1:26  And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it.

Eze 10:15  And the cherubims were lifted up. This is the living creature that I saw by the river of Chebar.

As we indicated in chapter 1, the four living creatures, or the cherubims, represent the whole of the Lord’s elect of every generation. This conclusion was based on Revelation chapter 5 where the living creatures are symbolized by the four beasts and the twenty-four elders before the throne, and they all confessed to representing every tongue and tribe.

Rev 5:8  And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. 
Rev 5:9  And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book,  and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
Rev 5:10  And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

The firmament that was above the heads of the cherubims in verse 1 is described in chapter 1 of Ezekiel as having the color of a terrible crystal.

Eze 1:22  And the likeness of the firmament upon the heads of the living creature was as the colour of the terrible crystal, stretched forth over their heads above.

The likeness of the firmament or expanse appearing as the color of the terrible or fearful crystal over the heads of the living creatures brings to mind the overcomers standing on the sea of glass. This appearance of the firmament as a fearful crystal is the same as the sea of glass the overcomers were standing on in the Book of Revelation. The difference between the two narrations is the position of the elect. In Ezekiel, the living creatures representing the elect were yet to experience the appearance of the fearful crystal, since it was over their heads. In the case of the sea of glass, the elect had experienced it and had overcome.

Rev 15:2  And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.

Rev 4:6  And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.

The sea refers to the laver filled with water between the tent of meeting and the altar where only the priests were to wash and cleanse themselves before entering the temple. It is also called the molten sea, which is consistent with the sea of glass mingled with fire. The sea of glass is therefore the fire of the word of the Lord which washes us of everything of the flesh to make us transparent before God and man.

Again, by comparing scripture with scripture, we can see that we are given to know who sits on the throne of our hearts and minds – the God of Israel. This God of Israel is our Lord Jesus Christ who comes with His judgment as He comes to us to sit in the throne of our hearts and mind.

Exo 24:10  And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness.

The sapphire stone which appeared over the cherubims represents the truth of the word of the Lord as shown in the following verse:

Rev 21:19  And the foundations of the wall of the city (the New Jerusalem) were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;

The sapphire pavement before the throne of Christ therefore indicates that being given to know the truth of the word of the Lord means Christ coming with His judgment of our old man to sit in the throne of our hearts and minds.

The Scattering of the Coals of Fire Over the City

Eze 10:2  And he spake unto the man clothed with linen, and said, Go in between the wheels, even under the cherub, and fill thine hand with coals of fire from between the cherubims, and scatter them over the city. And he went in in my sight.

As indicated in the previous study, the man clothed with linen represents the Lord’s elect as shown in the following verses:

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.

As we indicated in the study of the wheels under the four living creatures in Ezekiel chapter 1, the wheels represent our lives here on earth which must be controlled by our lives in the spirit signified by the four living creatures or the cherubims. That is, when we walk in the spirit or sit in heavenly places with Christ, our earthen vessels (the wheels) are carried along by the spirit to please the Lord. The Lord asking the elect (the man clothed with linen) to go in between the wheels, under the cherub, to fill his hands with coals of fire from in between the cherubims signifies that it is when we come into the church of the firstborn or the assembly of the elect that we are given to experience the fire of the Lord’s words, which is the judgment of our old man.

1Jn 1:1  That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;
1Jn 1:2  (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)
1Jn 1:3  That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

Scattering these coals of fire over the city means spreading the news or making known the fire of the word of the Lord, which is the judgment of our old man in the church symbolized here by the city. 

The Cherubims and the Glory of the Lord

Eze 10:3  Now the cherubims stood on the right side of the house, when the man went in; and the cloud filled the inner court. 
Eze 10:4  Then the glory of the LORD went up from the cherub, and stood over the threshold of the house; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of the LORD’S glory. 

The position of the cherubims in the house of the Lord is significant. In verse 3, the cherubims were standing on the right side of the house of God when the man clothed in linen entered. As indicated, the cherubims represent the Lord’s elect. Standing on the right side of the house of God means being on the right side of our Lord Jesus Christ. Being at the Lord’s right hand means that the Lord will surely uphold us or save us because of His righteousness.

Isa 41:10  Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

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

Psa 138:7  Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.

The cloud that had filled the inner court represents the Lord coming to us through His elect, who are symbolized by the cloud of witnesses. In this dispensation, it is through us, His elect, that the Lord speaks to His people since we are Jesus whom the world is persecuting.

Heb 12:1  Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Exo 19:9  And the LORD said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee forever. And Moses told the words of the people unto the LORD.

The glory of the God of Israel, which went up from the cherub to the threshold of the house in verse 4, indicates that it is when we enter the church of the firstborn or the house of the Lord, that is, the threshold, that we hear His words out of the midst of the fire of our affliction.

Deu 5:24  And ye said, Behold, the LORD our God hath shewed us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire: we have seen this day that God doth talk with man, and he liveth.

Exo 24:16  And the glory of the LORD abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud. 
Exo 24:17  And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel.

What these verses tell us is that in this age, those who are privileged to see the glory of the Lord are those who are hearing His words in the midst of the furnace of their affliction. In Exodus 24:16, this glory of the Lord was covered by the cloud for six days. The number six represents mankind. What this means is that, in this age (six days), you can only see the glory of the Lord through the elect. The seventh day is when we shall be called by the Lord to reign with Him as we rest from our labors.

The brightness of the Lord’s glory in verse 4 refers to His words which He makes available to us when He comes into our lives with the spirit of His mouth.

2Th 2:7  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
2Th 2:8  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

Eze 10:5  And the sound of the cherubims’ wings was heard even to the outer court, as the voice of the Almighty God when he speaketh.

The sound of the cherubims wings which was heard even in the outer courts in verse 5 refers to our being given to hear the Lord’s voice unmistakably, even while we were in Babylon (outer courts). That was when we started to know the truth of His words from the lies that we were accustomed to in Babylon. 

Eze 10:6  And it came to pass, that when he had commanded the man clothed with linen, saying, Take fire from between the wheels, from between the cherubims; then he went in, and stood beside the wheels.
Eze 10:7  And one cherub stretched forth his hand from between the cherubims unto the fire that was between the cherubims, and took thereof, and put it into the hands of him that was clothed with linen: who took it, and went out.

As indicated, the wheels stand for our lives in this earthen vessel. Standing by the wheels in preparation to obey the command to take fire from between the wheels and the cherubims in verse 6 means realizing our frailties or weaknesses as we live in these earthen vessels. It is when we see our frailties that we come to understand the need to be judged for what we have done in this earthen vessel. That is when we are given to experience the judgment of our old man, signified by the cherub taking the fire between the cherubims and putting it into the hands of the man clothed in linen as shown in verse 7. The man in linen taking the fire and going out means his acceptance of the Lord’s judgment of our old man.

Joh 16:8  And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 

Psa 73:21  Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins.
Psa 73:22  So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee.

Psa 51:1  To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. 
Psa 51:2  Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! 
Psa 51:3  For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. 
Psa 51:4  Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.

The cherubims and the Wheels

Eze 10:8  And there appeared in the cherubims the form of a man’s hand under their wings.

Having the hands of a man under their wings in verse 8 shows our dual citizenship. We live in the flesh here on earth, but at the same time, we are seated in heavenly places with Christ in the spirit.

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.

Eze 10:9  And when I looked, behold the four wheels by the cherubims, one wheel by one cherub, and another wheel by another cherub: and the appearance of the wheels was as the colour of a beryl stone.
Eze 10:10  And as for their appearances, they four had one likeness, as if a wheel had been in the midst of a wheel.

As we have indicated, the cherubims are the same as the living creatures who represent the Lord’s elect. The number four means the whole of the Lord’s elect from every generation. The four wheels by the cherubims are controlled by the spirit of the Lord as shown in the following verse:

Eze 1:20  Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they went, thither was their spirit to go; and the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

What is significant is that this wheel was upon the earth but filled with the spirit of the Lord. The earth signifies us, as earthen vessels, and therefore the wheels on the earth with the spirit of the Lord in them represent the treasure in earthen vessels.

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

This means that the four wheels represent the whole of the elect as earthen vessels that are led by the spirit of the Lord. The cherubims signify the elect in our heavenly status where we are raised up to sit with Christ in heavenly places. The wheels represent us as earthen vessels where we are moved by the spirit of the Lord which empower us to live a life pleasing to the Lord to become witnesses here on earth. This means that without the spirit of the Lord, we are just like the people of this world.

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.

Verse 9 confirms our assertion that the wheels symbolize the elect as the appearance of the wheels resemble the color beryl. The mention of the color of beryl reminds us of the Lord Jesus Christ whose body appeared as beryl in a vision by Daniel. 

Dan 10:5  Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz:
Dan 10:6  His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude.

Beryl is also one of the twelve precious stones that serve as the foundation of the wall of New Jerusalem. These precious stones signify the precious words of the Lord who is also Christ. What this implies is that the appearance of the wheels and their works as the color of beryl is another way of saying that as He is, so are we here on this earth. In other words, we are like Christ here on this earth, and our works serve as witness of Christ even as the Lord Jesus’ works here on earth serve as witness to our Father God.

Rev 21:19  And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;
Rev 21:20  The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst. 

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

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.

Verse 10 also mentions that the four wheels had one likeness in their appearance. The one likeness means the elect of every generation all have the same spiritual experience and therefore they all go through the same judgment of our old man to exhibit Christ. 

Ecc 9:2  All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath. 

In verse 10, the appearance of the wheels was likened to a wheel within a wheel. In Ezekiel 1:16, we are given additional information that the work of the wheels was likened to a wheel within a wheel. It is Christ who lives within His elect, and therefore the wheel within the wheel is Christ within the elect. 

Eze 1:16  The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the colour of a beryl: and they four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel.

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

Eze 10:11  When they went, they went upon their four sides; they turned not as they went, but to the place whither the head looked they followed it; they turned not as they went. 

The wheels are such that they go in any of the four directions without turning as they go. This was because they follow after the head who is Christ, in whom there is no shadow of turning. This is the same as Paul saying that in pursuit of the higher calling of God, we must not turn to look behind but reach for those things which are before us.

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

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.

Eze 10:12  And their whole body, and their backs, and their hands, and their wings, and the wheels, were full of eyes round about, even the wheels that they four had.

Comparing this verse with Ezekiel 1:18, we can see that the rings are the same as the wheels who were full of eyes round about.

Eze 1:18  As for their rings, they were so high that they were dreadful; and their rings were full of eyes round about them four.

Here in Ezekiel 1:18, we are given to know that the “rings” or the rims in the wheels were so high and dreadful and are full of eyes.  The adjective “high” is used in the positive sense in the word of the Lord to signify the heavens. The following verses make this clear:

Job 11:8  It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know?

Psa 103:11  For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.

The word “dreadful” on a positive note is another accolade of the Lord especially to those who do not know Him.

Mal 1:14  But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the LORD of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen.

Dan 9:4  And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments;

The rings being the same as the wheel and being as high as the heavens refer to our walk here on earth which is in the spirit. To those who do not know the Lord, our walk in the spirit is a dreadful or horrible experience because of the fiery trials that accompany it. Being full of eyes roundabout suggest that we, His elect, have been given the mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven to guide our walk here on earth.

Eze 10:13  As for the wheels, it was cried unto them in my hearing, O wheel.
Eze 10:14  And everyone had four faces: the first face was the face of a cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle. 

As He is, so are we here on earth. The number four means the whole of the matter, and therefore the four faces show us the whole of Christ while He was here on earth. The face of a lion shows us the Lord as the lion of the tribe of Judah. The Gospel of Matthew describes the Lord as a lion of the tribe of Judah. Like a lion, the Lord did not turn back from all the trials and tribulations that He encountered in this life. He will not rest until He makes our enemies (our flesh) a footstool, that is, defeat our enemies. What He starts, He is able to bring to completion!!

Rev 5:5  And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. 

Pro 30:30  the lion, which is mightiest among beasts and does not turn back before any;

Isa 31:4  For thus hath the LORD spoken unto me, Like as the lion and the young lion roaring on his prey, when a multitude of shepherds is called forth against him, he will not be afraid of their voice, nor abase himself for the noise of them: so shall the LORD of hosts come down to fight for mount Zion, and for the hill thereof.

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

The Lord is also described as an ox. This is especially portrayed in the Gospel according to Mark where the Lord worked tirelessly during His time here on earth. We are given indication of this as Mark uses the expression ““and straightway… and immediately”. This implies that as His elect, the Lord is tirelessly working out our salvation. We must also work while it is day. 

Pro 14:4  Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox.

Mar 1:10  And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him:

Mar 1:21  And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught.

The wheels also had the face of a man. The Gospel according to Luke shows us Jesus as a man. That is why at the beginning of the Book of Luke, Luke traced the genealogy of Christ back to Adam, the son of God. The Lord Jesus was a man in every way. That is why He represents us as our High Priest since He went through all that we are going through. As a result, we are able to come boldly before Him to receive mercy and grace at our point of need. 

Heb 4:14  Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
Heb 4:15  For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 
Heb 4:16  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

The wheels had the face of an eagle. The Gospel of John focuses on the revelation of the Lord from a heavenly perspective of an eagle, which represents the spiritual realm. In other words, John paid attention to the spiritual aspect of the life of Christ since it is the spirit that gives life. We must therefore focus on having our spiritual understanding enlightened as we seek to know Christ.

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.

As an eagle, the Lord is bearing us, His elect, on His wings as He protects us and leads us in the path of righteousness for His name’s sake. In conclusion, as Christ is, so are we. We therefore must have the faces of a lion, ox, man, and an eagle.

Deu 32:9  For the LORD’S portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.
Deu 32:10  He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye. 
Deu 32:11  As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings:
Deu 32:12  So the LORD alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him.

Eze 10:15  And the cherubims were lifted up. This is the living creature that I saw by the river of Chebar.
Eze 10:16  And when the cherubims went, the wheels went by them: and when the cherubims lifted up their wings to mount up from the earth, the same wheels also turned not from beside them. 
Eze 10:17  When they stood, these stood; and when they were lifted up, these lifted up themselves also: for the spirit of the living creature was in them. 

The cherubims being lifted up signifies the elect being raised to sit in heavenly places with Christ. The wheels also represent the elect having treasure in their earthen vessels here on earth. It is when we are sitting in the heavenly places with Christ, empowered by the spirit, that we are able to influence our earthen vessels or bodies to follow wherever we go.

Gal 5:16  This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
Gal 5:17  For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 
Gal 5:18  But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

Eze 10:18  Then the glory of the LORD departed from off the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubims. 
Eze 10:19  And the cherubims lifted up their wings, and mounted up from the earth in my sight: when they went out, the wheels also were beside them, and every one stood at the door of the east gate of the LORD’S house; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above.

As we have shown earlier, seeing the glory of the Lord is being given to hear the Lord’s words out of the fire of our affliction. The glory of the Lord standing over the cherubims in verse 18 indicates that hearing the voice of the Lord and its accompanying fiery trials is a prerogative given to only the Lord’s elect in this age. It is as the glory of the Lord stands over us, causing us to hear His words, that we are lifted up to sit in heavenly places with Christ as we mount up with wings like an eagle. 

Isa 40:29  He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.
Isa 40:30  Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: 
Isa 40:31  But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Eze 10:20  This is the living creature that I saw under the God of Israel by the river of Chebar; and I knew that they were the cherubims.
Eze 10:21  Every one had four faces apiece, and every one four wings; and the likeness of the hands of a man was under their wings.
Eze 10:22  And the likeness of their faces was the same faces which I saw by the river of Chebar, their appearances and themselves: they went every one straight forward.

This is the second time that the Lord showed Ezekiel a vision relating to the cherubims and the wheels by the river of Chebar in Babylon. It is therefore to establish the fact regarding how we are seated in heavenly places with Christ and at the same time living as ordinary men here on earth. Our lives here on earth is therefore like having a treasure in earthen vessels. This treasure is Christ in us, the hope of glory. If we are indeed seated with Christ in heavenly places, then our lives here on earth must be directed by our walk in the spirit.

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.

May the Lord be merciful to us as we learn to walk in the spirit and therefore deny the desires of the flesh.  Amen!!

The Book of Daniel – Dan 3:1-30  I see Four men Loose, walking in the midst of the fire

[Study Aired February 29, 2024]

Dan 3:1  Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. 
Dan 3:2  Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. 
Dan 3:3  Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 
Dan 3:4  Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages, 
Dan 3:5  That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up: 
Dan 3:6  And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. 
Dan 3:7  Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of musick, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
Dan 3:8  Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews. 
Dan 3:9  They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for ever.
Dan 3:10  Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, shall fall down and worship the golden image:
Dan 3:11  And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.
Dan 3:12  There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. 
Dan 3:13  Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king. 
Dan 3:14  Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? 
Dan 3:15  Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands? 
Dan 3:16  Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. 
Dan 3:17  If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.
Dan 3:18  But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
Dan 3:19  Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated. 
Dan 3:20  And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.
Dan 3:21  Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 
Dan 3:22  Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
Dan 3:23  And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 
Dan 3:24  Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. 
Dan 3:25  He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. 
Dan 3:26  Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire. 
Dan 3:27  And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.
Dan 3:28  Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.
Dan 3:29  Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.
Dan 3:30  Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon.

If we follow the flow of the first three chapters of the book of Daniel, a pattern emerges which reveals the problem, the cause, and now in chapter three, the solution regarding how we are to overcome in this life as the body of Christ.

Chapter one introduced how the undefiled word of God is likened to the food that Daniel and his companions will eat while in captivity, as opposed to the king’s meat which typifies the churches of Babylon who have had the whole stay of bread and water taken away by the Lord, which is the problem (Isa3:1).

Chapter two explains how all the empires of the world have been blinded by the power of Satan that is manifested throughout the ages and represented by the dream about a multi-part statue of which Nebuchadnezzar dreamed. The dream is further interpreted in the seventh chapter of Daniel and Revelation 13:1-3 where various creatures are connected with the different sections of the statue. 

This statue represents the cause of all of humanity’s sinful behavior throughout the ages. The source of that cause is Satan who is typified by the head of the statue, which head is Nebuchadnezzar, a king of kings who ruled over Babylon as Satan has ruled over the kingdoms of this world, all being accomplished according to the counsel of God’s will (2Co 4:4, Eph 1:11). To make this connection even more evident for us, we have the composite beast spoken of in Revelation 13:1-2 which shows how all these beasts in Daniel chapter 2 and 7 are the same beast spoken of in Revelation 13:2, which beast is identified in Revelation 13:18 revealing that this beast is all mankind, and his destruction is prophesied and likened to the man of perdition spoken of in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-8.

2Co 4:4  In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Rev 13:1  And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. 
Rev 13:2  And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon [Satan, the god of this world, represented by the dragon] gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.

The third chapter points to the solution through the miraculous destruction of this statue and all the beasts connected within us, a process of judgment typified by three men, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego” and Christ, the angel who is in the midst of the fire with them making all this possible. These four men represent the whole of the elect who will be used to save all of humanity. We learn in this chapter, very graphically, that we are delivered from the bondage of sinful flesh by going into the fiery furnace, which is the same as going through the Red Sea and being put in the lion’s Den is where we learn how God can stay the mouth of the lions that represent the devil who wants to sift like wheat the people of God (Luk 22:31-32). These three events typify for us how the man of perdition is destroyed by the brightness of his coming, which man of perdition is symbolized by this great statue in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (2Th 2:8).

Dan 3:1  Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. 

Nebuchadnezzar was being shown, by the interpretation of the dream by Daniel, that he is the beast, and instead of repenting in sackcloth and ashes, he rather takes the interpretation of the dream to mean that he ought to build a statue in its likeness and have the people come and bow down and worship this idol. These actions point to these verses in Revelation that parallel what Nebuchadnezzar is doing.

Rev 13:9  If any man have an ear, let him hear [Nebuchadnezzar did not hear].
Rev 13:10  He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. 
Rev 13:11  And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. 
Rev 13:12  And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. 
Rev 13:13  And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, 
Rev 13:14  And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. 
Rev 13:15  And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

Nebuchadnezzar’s newly made statue is “threescore cubits [60 cubits], and the breadth thereof six cubits [6 cubits]” telling us that it represents mankind with those sixes in the measurements. It is built in the “plain of Dura” that is “in the province of Babylon” as it represents that time when we are a defiled temple of God whose Adamic height is connected to the beast [6.6.6] as well as the breadth of six cubits. The word Dura means “circle or dwelling”, and a circle has 360 degrees in it, which is a multiple of six [6x6x10] that points to our Adamic dwelling place that is carnal and not able to inherit the kingdom of God (1Co 15:50). It is not just the head that is gold now, but the entire image is made of gold, which confirms that Nebuchadnezzar, who was the head of gold in the dream, has affected every other lesser empire (the rest of the statue) with his proud and vain spirit, explained in these terms below in Revelation. His golden image is cankered as he has not been ‘tried in the fire’ and as such remains spiritually blind to the spiritual captivity that he is in, as is all the world – the entire statue.

Rev 3:17  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 
Rev 3:18  I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

Dan 3:2  Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. 
Dan 3:3  Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

This section of scripture points to Revelation 13:15. The statue that Nebuchadnezzar had built of gold, which he demanded the people to either worship or they would be killed, represents how the god of this world will demand our unwavering acceptance and worship of his idolatrous ways that permeate society today (1Jn 5:19). How Satan accomplishes this deception is through the multitude of leaders who provide a perverted version of that safety that can only come through God’s counsel found in the body of Christ (Eph 3:10). The world’s counsellors are typified by those who Nebuchadnezzar gathered together, “the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.” The reason they have been gathered together is to stand in a unified way to acknowledge the beast [mankind’s power in themselves independent of God] that is represented by Nebuchadnezzar’s statue, “and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up“. This gathering to do what Nebuchadnezzar requires of the people puts them all in the category of Revelation 13:8.

Rev 13:15  And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

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

Dan 3:4  Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages, 
Dan 3:5  That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up: 
Dan 3:6  And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. 

There we have it! Comply or die is the command that is set forth. The herald crying aloud is like the negative blowing of the last trump that will summon the first resurrection (1Co 15:52). This heralding we’re reading is a cry unto captivity in the devilish world of the sensual, being associated with “the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick“ and compelling the masses to “fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up” or else you will be “cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.” The music represents the unified strong delusion of Babylon whose mantra says “in essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, in all things charity”, taking away the singleness and undivided mind of Christ (2Co 11:3-5) and leaving the power in the hand of the beast to determine what is essential and not essential. All of this signifies how the man of sin operates on the throne of our hearts, demanding our acknowledgement of his power and rule, and wanting us to do nothing less than worship him, making Satan the sovereign figure in our life rather than God and Christ  (Joh 17:3).

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 11:5  For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.

Dan 3:7  Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of musick, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. 
Dan 3:8  Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews.

These verses again demonstrate the unity that is found in the world in regards to worshiping the beast and claiming our own righteousness and free moral agency in this life. It is “all the people, the nations, and the languages” who come and fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. What unites all the world is the belief that they have free moral agency [the golden image], and unless our names are written in the Lamb’s book, that is what the carnal mind will just naturally believe, all the while thinking the things of the spirit as being foolishness for they are spiritually discerned (Rev 13:4-7, 1Co 2:14). We will be hated by all men for his name’s sake, and it is “certain Chaldeans  [who] came near” at this time of worshiping the beast who “accused the Jews“, the Jews being a type of the elect who are hated and persecuted for obeying the commandments of God that we’ve been granted the patience and faith of Christ to hold fast to as a crown of life (1Co 2:15-16, Rev 2:10, Rev 3:11, Jas 1:12, 1Jn 5:2). It is “certain Chaldeans” who came near to king Nebuchadnezzar to be accusers of the brethren, the “certain” implying not all have this role in life, but God has already ordained the ones who would betray Christ and His Christ, and it is they of our own household that “certain Chaldeans” signify, just as it was the religious of Christ’s day, the Sadducees and Pharisees (Mat 10:36, Joh 6:71, Act 20:29, Php 3:18).

[See this article from Mike Vinson on this subject: Enemies of His Own Household]

Rev 13:4  And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast [“all the people, the nations, and the languages“]: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? 
Rev 13:5  And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. 
Rev 13:6  And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. 
Rev 13:7  And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations [“all the people, the nations, and the languages“. This shows us that we all go into captivity (Rev 13:10) and it is the very few who are called out of Babylon by God’s great power (Eph 2:8)] 

Rev 2:10  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. 

Rev 3:11  Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown [1Co 2:15-16].

Jas 1:12  Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

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

Dan 3:9  They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for ever. 
Dan 3:10  Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, shall fall down and worship the golden image:
Dan 3:11  And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.
Dan 3:12  There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
Dan 3:13  Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king. 
Dan 3:14  Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?

This section of scripture reminds us that the world is looking at what the body of Christ is doing, and are bringing their report to ‘the powers that be’ to let them know that “they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.” Satan knows he has a short time, and the fidelity of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego is making Nebuchadnezzar furious in this story as does the faithfulness of the saints in this life cause Satan’s wrath to manifest (Rev 12:12). 

Rev 12:12  Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

Our life is a vapor that appears for a little while (Jas 4:14), and so in that sense Satan knows “he hath but a short time” to try and deceive the very elect, if it were possible, in every age since Pentecost (Mat 24:24). Of course it is not possible, and Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego being brought before the furious king was all purposed by God (Eph 1:11) to give a witness to Nebuchadnezzar and all others of the greatness of the God of heaven and earth that they serve (Mar 13:9). 

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

Mar 13:9  But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them.

Dan 3:15  Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands? 
Dan 3:16  Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. 
Dan 3:17  If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. 
Dan 3:18  But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

God has set the stage for the words that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are about to give to the king, and the first thing they tell him is, “There is no need for us to give you an answer to this question” [BBE], meaning “We already have our minds made up in regard to what we are going to do and so will answer you what God has given us the power to proclaim, and what He proclaims is that we are more than conquerors through Christ and that whether we are delivered or destroyed by this fire, we will live unto the Lord and be delivered regardless.” Their answer typifies the faithful witnesses we have been called to be through Christ (Rev 11:3, Rev 11:7) and whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s, and He will deliver us and not a hair on our head will be hurt (Luk 21:18). This all implies that our spiritual status in the Lord, our crown, is not going to be taken from us if we believe and know that we are more than conquerors through Him in every dire circumstance, via the faith of Christ we’ve been given (Mar 13:11, Rom 14:8, Rom 8:37, Eph 2:8-9).

Luk 21:18  But not a hair of your head will come to destruction. 

Mar 13:11  And when you are taken and given up to be judged, do not be troubled about what to say: but whatever is given to you in that hour, say: because it is not you who say it, but the Holy Spirit.

Rom 14:8  As long as we have life we are living to the Lord; or if we give up our life it is to the Lord; so if we are living, or if our life comes to an end, we are the Lord’s. 

Rom 8:37  But we are able to overcome all these things and more through his love. 

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

Eph 2:9  Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Dan 3:19  Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated.

As we submit to Christ and resist the devil, he will flee from us (Jas 4:7), and regardless of what men can do to our flesh (Mat 10:28), we are being told with this story not to fear men, but fear God (Luk 12:5) who is all-powerful and able to take us through the fiery trials of this life (1Pe 4:12) which will perfect His workmanship in us (1Co 10:13, Eph 2:10). The furnace being “seven times more than it was wont to be heated” typifies for us the seven plagues that must be poured out upon God’s elect. Those plagues represent the cup we drink in this life (Rev 15:8) that Christ makes a way for us to partake of by the power of God who calls us to be more than conquerors through Him (Mat 20:23, Rom 8:37). 

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.

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.

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

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.

Rom 8:37  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

Dan 3:20  And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 
Dan 3:21  Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 
Dan 3:22  Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 
Dan 3:23  And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

Binding Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego by the most mighty men that were in his army, and casting them into the fiery furnace, represents how we are bound by our sins. It is “their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments” symbolizing their own righteousnesses, that cleaves to us in this flesh and must be thrown into the fiery furnace where Christ is in the midst to loose us from it (Joh 8:36).

The king’s commandment was urgent and the furnace was exceedingly hot, so that these mighty men who were putting them in the fire were killed themselves. These men represent the wood, hay and stubble (1Co 3:12), the carnal and natural things that are the first to be burned out of us (1Co 3:13-15). 

1Co 3:12  Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 
1Co 3:13  Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. 
1Co 3:14  If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 
1Co 3:15  If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

Dan 3:24  Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. 
Dan 3:25  He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. 

Here we see God defying the laws of physics which tells us that nothing is impossible for our Father, and when He says He won’t try us beyond what we can endure He means it (1Co 10:13), and will always make a way for us to bear the trials He gives us, even if they destroy our flesh, or the proud image of the beast that we all start off as. The natural man “Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied” and asked his counselors, “Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?” of which they responded “True, O king.“

Nebuchadnezzar then says “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God” which is really an incredibly encouraging statement for us to contemplate. First of all there are “four men loose” which symbolizes that the whole [4] world will be loosed from sinful flesh or set free from sin by that fourth man who is in the midst of the fire, Jesus Christ (Joh 8:36, Rev 5:3, Act 4:12, Luk 17:24). It also tells us that the elect who are represented by the other three men will be saviors who come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau, setting the world free from sin with Christ as the Lord’s scapegoat (Oba 1:21). Three men in the fire also represents the process of judgement [3] we must go through in this life as God’s elect if we are going to be purified by God’s word which is likened to fire (Jer 23:29, 1Pe 4:17).

Jer 23:29  Is not my word like as a fire? [Joh 1:1] saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces? 

Dan 3:26  Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire. 
Dan 3:27  And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.
Dan 3:28  Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.

Nebuchadnezzar came near the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, but he did not get in it, symbolizing that he has not changed yet, but is being witnessed to, as the world will be, by those who have gone through the fiery words of God’s judgment in this life that will prepare the bride for the rulership that is set before the church (Rev 20:6). Again Nebuchadnezzar asks them to “come forth.” However, he does not go toward them because no man can go to the son unless the Father drags him (Joh 6:44). This also shows us how the Lord will use wicked men to accomplish His purpose in the elect, of being dragged into fiery trials (Psa 17:13, Luk 21:12, 1Pe 4:12, Rev 2:10).

Psa 17:13  Arise, O LORD, disappoint him, cast him down: deliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy sword:

Luk 21:12  But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name’s sake.

Rev 2:10  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.

So they came forth and witnessed to all that had occurred to “the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.” This all represents the witness that the elect will be to the world, showing them what God can do through the weak of the world, the not many noble or mighty of this world, who are judged first (1Co 1:26-29, 1Pe 4:17), and whose garments are spoken of in this way at this stage, “upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them” (Isa 33:14-15, Mal 3:2, Rev 16:15, Luk 21:18).

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

Mal 3:2  But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap<:

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

Luk 21:18  But there shall not an hair of your head perish.

Nebuchadnezzar then spake, and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.” The angel who is sent is Christ (Joh 20:21, Joh 3:17-18) who is our savior, and God’s elect are sent for the same purpose of being saviors who are prepared to be those saviors through a process of suffering with Christ, enduring fiery trials symbolized by this event with “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego” (Heb 1:13, Oba 1:21, 2Ti 2:11-12). The elect are called out of Babylon to yield their lives to Christ long before giving the ultimate sacrifice as was demonstrated here in this story. This tells us that he who is faithful in little is faithful in lots (Luk 16:10). The servants trusted in God, and that trust is forged through the many fiery circumstances the Lord causes (2Co 1:9). The world will change its evil ways as a result of the miraculous new creation they will see when the first resurrection occurs “and have changed the king’s word“, but this change of attitude is not a permanent conversion of the mind.

2Ti 2:11  It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:
2Ti 2:12  If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: 

Luk 16:10  He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.

2Co 1:9  But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:

Nebuchadnezzar does not typify someone who is converted at this point, but rather someone who has to see a sign, which is for the unbelieving (1Co 14:22, Joh 20:29), after which he says, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.“

1Co 14:22  Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe.

Joh 20:29  Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. [in type-and-shadow faith that is not unto salvation in their case, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego believe the Lord can deliver them through life or death (Rom 14:8), without having to see him before they claim this news to Nebuchadnezzar (Dan 3:16-18)]

Rom 14:8  For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.

Dan 3:29  Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort. 
Dan 3:30  Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon. 

Nebuchadnezzar’s enthusiasm is not to be mistaken as conversion and is more akin with an ‘anon with joy’ spirit (Mat 13:20) receiving of those things that “the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego“, not his God, but rather their God, has performed. 

Nebuchadnezzar makes this decree, symbolic of the wrath of God that will abide on all mankind until it does not (Rom 1:18), words typifying what will happen to the first man Adam in all mankind: “Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill.” In the negative shadow, Nebuchadnezzar is still in charge and calling the shots independent of truly understanding the sovereignty of God. 

Christ and His Christ, typified by Daniel (a type of Christ),  Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, understand today that God is sovereign. However, Nebuchadnezzar at best, can only make a decree: “That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.” Again he points to the outward miracle but does not have a change of heart in regards to his own personal relationship with God. He believes in God, in other words, like the Christians today and the Jews in Christ’s day who Christ said believed on him, but needed to continue in the truth to become disciples indeed, who are crushed under the stone as a result of being blessed to continue in the truth (Joh 8:30-36, Mat 21:44, Joh 6:44).

Mat 21:44  And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

Nebuchadnezzar then promotes “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon“, typifying for us when the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of the Lord and His Christ (Rev 11:15). This represents what will happen during the thousand-year reign of the saints, and like Israel of old, the Israel of God (Gal 6:16) will ‘spoil the Egyptians’ (Exo 12:36), as Nebuchadnezzar is doing by promoting “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon.“

Next week, Lord willing, we will get into chapter 4 of Daniel where one of the main lessons being shown is how pride comes before a fall.

Dan 4:30  The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty? 
Dan 4:31  While the word was in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee. 

Pro 16:18  Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. 
Pro 16:19  Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.

The Book of Daniel – Dan 2:31-49  Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory

[Study Aired February 22, 2024]

Dan 2:31  Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible. 
Dan 2:32  This image’s head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass,
Dan 2:33  His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay.
Dan 2:34  Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. 
Dan 2:35  Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. 
Dan 2:36  This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king. 
Dan 2:37  Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. 
Dan 2:38  And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold. 
Dan 2:39  And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth. 
Dan 2:40  And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.
Dan 2:41  And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. 
Dan 2:42  And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. 
Dan 2:43  And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay. 
Dan 2:44  And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. 
Dan 2:45  Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure. 
Dan 2:46  Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet odours unto him. 
Dan 2:47  The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret. 
Dan 2:48  Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon. 
Dan 2:49  Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel sat in the gate of the king. 

In the first chapter of Daniel we learned of the captivity of Judah within the first seven verses, and how that captivity represents our going into Babylon to be held captive by Nebuchadnezzar who represents the god of this world Satan who has humanity in spiritual captivity (2Co 4:4). King Nebuchadnezzar is the negative example of a king of kings as he is called in (Dan 2:37 , Rev 19:16).

2Co 4:4  In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. 

Dan 2:37  Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.

Rev 19:16  And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

Satan is the head or god of this world, and the blinded minds of men are his subjects. He is typified by Nebuchadnezzar who was a ruler with vast power and influence over the kings and nations of the world of his time. Nebuchadnezzar’s rulership over Babylon, represented by the head of the great statue in his dream, tells us that he is a type of the god of this world who has ruled over the hearts and thoughts of mankind, from the garden of Eden and throughout the various empires that are typified by a great image. “This image’s head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay” (Dan 2:31-33). The image was interpreted by Daniel, a type of the elect, who won’t eat the false doctrines of this world, represented by the king’s meat, which has been the food source for all these various empires on the great statue that have been orchestrated by the head throughout the ages, Satan, who is typified by Nebuchadnezzar.

Dan 2:31  Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible. 
Dan 2:32  This image’s head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, 
Dan 2:33  His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay.

The second section of the first chapter of Daniel instructs us regarding how we are in the world and not of the world, if we don’t love the things of this world [the king’s meat] (1Jn 2:15), eating the body and blood of Christ and not the meat of Nebuchadnezzar, which meat represents all the millions of lies in Babylon [the briers, the thorns, the scorpions, the locusts] that have held the world in captivity right from the foundation of the world with our first parents Adam and Eve (Isa 9:15, Rev 12:4, Rev 9:2-3).

1Jn 2:15  Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

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

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

Eze 2:6  And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house.

Rev 9:2  And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. 
Rev 9:3  And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.

The statue of which Nebuchadnezzar dreamed is most commonly interpreted in religious circles as representing the empires of this world, and then each empire is very often connected to the four beasts that are spoken of in Daniel chapter 7. This natural outward interpretation is what precedes a spiritual inward interpretation that God’s elect are blessed to see, understanding that it applies to their own lives now with judgment in this age (1Co 15:46, 1Pe 4:17). God is destroying the man of perdition on the throne of our hearts (2Th 2:5-8), which man is typified by the terrible statue and the beasts mentioned in Daniel chapter 7, each representing some part of that body of the statue in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream.

The king’s meat [Nebuchadnezzar’s meat] will only keep us focused on an outward interpretation of this statue and the beasts in chapter seven along with the amalgamated beast that is discussed in the book of Revelation (Rev 12:3,  Rev 13:1-2). This beast is also the beast with which we must identify, along with the beasts mentioned in Daniel 7, or we will be left knowing only a physical history of what Nebuchadnezzar’s dream meant.

Rev 12:3  And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.

Rev 13:1  And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. 
Rev 13:2  And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.

God’s elect have to go into Babylon and then ‘come out of her my people’, and like Daniel, we are able to interpret the dream of king Nebuchadnezzar, which typifies for us our being able to discern the truth in this age with eyes that see and ears that hear what God has given to very few to see and hear (Mat 13:16). Daniel however prophesied these dreams not to himself but for our sakes, and was never left knowing the true spiritual interpretation of these dreams, but rather a type and shadow interpretation that would serve him in his time and stay the hand of Nebuchadnezzar “to destroy the wise men of Babylon” (Dan 2:24, Mat 13:16-17, 1Pe 1:12, 1Co 10:11). When the truth becomes clear on any matter, we come to see that we are the beast in every instance where God is talking about them. The beastly flesh contributes nothing to our salvation is what this all points to, and it is the spirit that quickens us (Joh 6:63) as the treasure within these earthen vessels (2Co 4:7) accomplishes God’s will in this life (Mat 6:10). Until we are given to see that inward application of God’s words, all these dreams and their interpretations will serve as only a history lesson and give opportunity for the beast still on the throne of our own hearts to point out and accuse someone else, some other nation, some other person, anyone, just not me, of being that beast, or that terrible statue (Ecc 3:18).

Ecc 3:18  I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them [Mat 13:16], and that they might see that they themselves are beasts. 

As we go through this last section of chapter 2, we want to ask our Father to help keep us focused on the spiritual inward application of what we are reading. In doing that, we can then see how we live upon those words that help us identify the beast and overcome his mark, by Christ (Rev 20:4-5) who has given us eyes to see and ears to hear the inward spiritual lesson for the very purpose of overcoming (1Jn 4:4).

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

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

Dan 2:31  Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible. 
Dan 2:32  This image’s head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass,
Dan 2:33  His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay.
Dan 2:34  Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.

These opening verses are an overview of the empires of this world represented by the “head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay“, which empires contain all the sins of the world that are within us, which sins are likened unto four metals, ‘four’ meaning the whole, or all, of the sin (1Jn 2:16). The head being gold, which is a precious metal, represents our deceived-by-Satan state as the first Adam who cannot initially acknowledge our marred-in-the-Potter’s-hand state that is a wretched, miserable poor and blind earthen vessel in need of a Saviour who will deliver each man in his appointed time (Jer 18:4, Rev 3:17). 

Jer 18:4  And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.

Rev 3:17  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: [The golden head of the statue]

Salvation comes through the destruction of the marred vessel that is made anew in the Potter’s hand. The marred vessel is broken to pieces like the great statue in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream was destroyed. It takes Christ coming into our lives, the One who accomplishes that destruction of our old man, the stone who destroys the man of perdition on the throne of our hearts (2Th 2:5-8), “a stone was cut out without hands” (1Ki 6:7). It takes a supernatural all-powerful God to create this new creation (Eph 2:10) that has nothing to do with the hands of men, but “by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Rom 7:24-25, Eph 2:8).

1Ki 6:7  And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building. 

Eph 2:10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Dan 2:35  Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. 

What this verse demonstrates is the effect God has on our lives when we are dragged to Christ (Joh 6:44), and what we learn is that all the sin of the world must be dealt with by His goodness leading us to repentance that is connected to the “threshingfloors” (Rom 2:4). This breaking down of all these four metals, “broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors“, represents our overcoming the nations of the world within us, all the sin of the world, through Christ so that we can be made ready to rule all the nations of the world outwardly, “and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth“, and judge them in the great white throne judgment which is preceded by the thousand-year rule and reign [symbolic period of time] under Christ and His Christ (Rev 20:11, Rev 20:6). The stone has to smite the image (Heb 12:6), and it is the spirit of God represented by the wind (“and the wind carried them away“) that will give us victory over all fleshly thinking, “every wind of doctrine”, causing us to cease from sinning (1Pe 4:1, Eph 4:14). The Lord chastens and scourges every son He is receiving in this age, thereby setting us free as we are given to bring every thought into subjection to Christ as we die daily and endure until the end through Him (Rev 13:4, Joh 8:36). If we are granted to judge those empires within us today, then we will be prepared through that judgment (1Pe 4:17) to judge the kingdoms of the world without, when God’s government is established on this earth (Rev 11:15).

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.

Dan 2:36  This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king. 
Dan 2:37  Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. 
Dan 2:38  And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold. “And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold”.

Daniel reminds us that he has others who have been praying and asking the God of heaven and earth what these dreams mean, so he starts off by saying this to Nebuchadnezzar: “This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king.” This scenario with Daniel and his colleagues working together to interpret this dream for the king is what God’s elect will be doing with all of humanity during their rule and reign on earth (Rev 20:6) and at the time of the lake of fire (1Co 6:3-5). What Daniel tells the king is symbolic of what we will tell all men, and that is that God sets up the basest of men (Dan 4:17) to rule over the kingdoms of this world. “Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory“, and God gives them dominion over the “beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold.” This giving dominion over the beasts of the field and the fowl of the air is what God granted Adam and Eve from the very beginning and typifies how they will ultimately be given to rule over the beasts and fowls of the air within them through Christ one day (Gen 1:26, Jas 3:7-10). This rulership that Nebuchadnezzar has over the “beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold“, is the negative example of ruling over men, making them two-fold more the child of hell, which is what carnal men do in positions of power (Mat 23:15, Mat 20:25-26).

Mat 23:15  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.

Mat 20:25  But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.
Mat 20:26  But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;

Dan 2:39  And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth. 
Dan 2:40  And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise. 

It’s important to remember that Nebuchadnezzar is the head of this statue in the dream that represents the Babylonian empire, and as such his influence, or mind, is controlling all the other empires that make up the body. He also typifies Satan who is the god of this world, the head of this present evil age. The first empire, Babylon, is associated with the lion spoken of in Daniel 7:4. Why a lion?, because Nebuchadnezzar typifies Satan, and Satan walks about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour (1Pe 5:8). Satan’s kingdom and the servants of his kingdom will only wax worse and worse as the time goes on, and so the metals in the body decrease in their value, ultimately becoming the base metal of iron that represents the hardened unconverted heart of mankind that has only waxed worse and worse throughout the ages of these empires.

Dan 7:4  The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man’s heart was given to it.

1Pe 5:8  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

The next kingdom to appear is represented by the breasts and the arms of silver on the statue, which typifies the repentance of the world [silver] that is not accompanied with fruits meet for repentance (Mat 3:8). The ten-seconds sinner’s prayer is the gateway to a licentious life of sinning so that grace can abound (Rom 6:2) is what this silver part of the statue teaches us, and it is inferior to the first empire of gold. It is inferior because it is now a lesser-valued metal than gold, bringing forth the fruit of the blinded head of gold “supposing that gain is godliness” (1Ti 6:5). Saying ‘Lord, Lord’, and not doing the things He commands us is the self-righteous state of this empire represented by breasts and arms of silver. We are putting on our own self-righteous breastplate at this stage and glorying in the things that God does in our lives as if it is by our silver arms, our own efforts, that these things are being accomplished, when in fact there is truly no spiritual gain being had (Luk 6:46, 1Co 4:7, Eph 2:8-9).

1Ti 6:5  Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. 
1Ti 6:6  But godliness with contentment is great gain. 

1Co 4:7  For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?

Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 
Eph 2:9  Not of works, lest any man should boast.

The second part of the statue, which is made up of the breasts and arms of silver, is correlated with the bear spoken of in Daniel 7:5. It is a powerful self-righteous beast that is “raised up on one side, and has three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.”

Dan 7:5  And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh. 

The first beast is a lion that “was lifted up^H5191 from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man’s heart was given to it”, and represents how Nebuchadnezzar’s power as a beast was given by the devil who is a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour (Rev 13:2-4). 

Rev 13:2  And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. 
Rev 13:3  And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
Rev 13:4  And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

What is declared of the second beast is “it raised up^H6966  itself on one side” showing that this beast is controlled as well by the man of perdition, the devil’s influence, who deceives us into thinking we have free moral agency and are able to raise ourselves up on one side. With that spirit ruling in our heavens, we devour much flesh like the serpent who is the accuser of the brethren (Gen 3:14, Rev 12:10). The three “ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it” typify that negative outward process of judgment of others that all beasts are prone to do in their flesh. We devour much flesh through this life through our outward judgment of others until we are brought to repentance and stop trying to change others (Rev 11:2). That is when we start seeing those three ribs pointing inwardly at our old man who has to be destroyed through His judgment in our heavens (Heb 9:23).

Rev 13:4  And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

Heb 9:23  It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

The next kingdom that comes on the scene is the “third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth“, and this kingdom is likened unto “a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it” (Dan 7:6). 

Once again the dream is one, and we’re still talking about beasts that are controlled by the head, which is Nebuchadnezzar, who typifies the god of this world. This beast is a leopard that we know cannot change his spots (Jer 13:23), and just as the metals are decreasing in their value on the construct of this statue, so are the beasts becoming more evidently controlled by the powers and principalities of this world. Those powers are demonstrated as being wholly on the leopard who has “four wings of a fowl; the beast also had four heads; and dominion was given to it.” The wings of a fowl represent all the evil spirits of this world that manifest on the whole of mankind, the four heads, and dominion was given to this beast just as the kingdoms of this world are the kingdoms of Satan who has deceived the whole world and have dominion and sway over the hearts and minds of humanity (Rev 12:9, Mat 4:8-9). Brass, which is actually copper, represents the best that flesh has to offer, and as I’ve learned playing hockey, your torso never lies. Whatever direction it moves that’s the direction the body is going to go, and so this empire and section of the statue also demonstrates the inflexible heart of man that goes in the way that seems right to a man but leads unto death as it’s compelled by the spirits of this world to do what God wants (Pro 14:12, 1Ki 22:22).

Jer 13:23  Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.

Rev 12:9  And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. 

Mat 4:8  Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
Mat 4:9  And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 

1Ki 22:22  And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so.

The last kingdom is the basest of all the kingdoms and also the strongest or overtly open in its opposition of truth. “The fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.” This fourth kingdom is “dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth” as shown in Daniel 7:7. It’s from the mouth of the adversary that the accusations come day and night from the accuser of the brethren who has these iron teeth, meaning he is inflexible and a liar and unrepentant, as are his children, represented by this fourth beast, who like Satan wants to sift the elect as he goes about breaking in pieces and bruising whoever God will grant him the power to do (Mat 10:22). Of course the devil will not prevail in his attempt to destroy the church, and in fact it will turn to our deliverance and his being cast out along with his angels (Rev 12:7-9). This fourth beast that is “dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly” is part of the composite beast spoken of in Revelation 13:1-18. The dream-is-one principle is in full effect here, as we see in chapter 13, all four beasts being brought together to represent one beast, and who that beast is all along is revealed in the last verse of this 13th chapter (Rev 13:17-18).

Dan 7:7  After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns. 
Dan 7:8  I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things. 
Dan 7:9  I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.

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.

Dan 2:41  And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. 
Dan 2:42  And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. 
Dan 2:43  And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.

These next verses discuss the condition of the earth prior to our Lord’s return, both in our lives when that happened and outwardly when Christ manifests Himself to the world as our great King and Saviour (Rev 11:15). The fourth beast, as we read in Daniel and the book of Revelation (Dan 7:8-10, Rev 12:10-17), goes on to try to destroy the church that God says ‘the gates of hell won’t prevail against’ (Mat 16:18). As mentioned, all four beasts that we’ve looked at are the composite beast discussed in Revelation 13:1-18 where we learn that this beast, in his time, overcame us, but by the grace of God the elect are given the patience and the faith of Christ to overcome the beasts we are (Rev 13:10, Rev 13:18).

Rev 13:10  He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

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.

It is in the verses below from Daniel chapter 7 that we learn how even “Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ” to those who have God’s spirit within them (Luk 17:20). As such, if we are granted to overcome in this age, we will appear with our Lord as that stone that crashes into “the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay” (Dan 2:41), which is just another way of saying, “And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication” (Rev 14:8).

She falls as a result of the stone hitting her, meaning all mankind, on the foot, on the corrupt foundation of man’s moral existence that is founded on “iron mixed with miry clay“, which was never going to withstand His glorious return announced with a symbolic trumpet blast (Deu 20:16, Mat 7:27). What we’re reading in Daniel 7:8-9 is another example of the power God gives these beasts, symbolized by the three ribs in the bear’s mouth and now in the fourth beast, “I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.” These horns, like the ribs of the other beast which was a bear, represent what comes out of the mouth of the false prophet (Rev 19:20) who is given power by God to deceive the world (Mat 24:5).  It is power that comes from Satan, but we know he has no power except that which our Father gives him (Joh 19:11). All of this must happen before the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and His Christ (Rev 11:15, Dan 7:9-10).

Dan 7:8  I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.
Dan 7:9  I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. 
Dan 7:10  A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened. 

Dan 7:26  But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. 
Dan 7:27  And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. 

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. 
Rev 12:12  Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. 

Dan 2:44  And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. 

What comforting and reassuring words from our Lord! It is in the days of these kings, which represent humanity who all believe they are ruling their own world in their own way via their own mindset of being free moral agents, that God’s kingdom will be established and “which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.” The breaking in pieces (“it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms“) represents the saints ruling with a rod of iron at this time (Rev 2:27,  Rev 12:5, Rev 19:15), bringing His judgments into the earth (Isa 26:9) so that in time men will not just learn of His righteousness but partake of it after His words that went forth throughout the thousand-year reign (Rev 20:6) are purified in the lake of fire (1Pe 1:7).

1Pe 1:7  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

At that time of setting up the kingdom of God to rule over the kingdoms of this world (Rev 11:15), the unconverted mindset of mankind will remain thinking that they are kings unto themselves [the lie of free moral agency]. Satan is bound, but mankind has not changed and cannot exhibit true righteousness, which can only come from God through Christ Who is our righteousness (Pro 14:12, Gen 3:4-5). Even with Satan bound at this point, there can be no conversion in the earth without the spirit of God indwelling in humanity (Rom 8:9). When Satan is loosed for a season, the truth is revealed that mankind has never been converted during that reign of the saints. So what does God say about these kings that the elect will rule over (Rev 17:8-14)?

Rev 17:8  The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is. 
Rev 17:9  And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. 
Rev 17:10  And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space. 
Rev 17:11  And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition. 
Rev 17:12  And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.
Rev 17:13  These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. 
Rev 17:14  These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful  [Rev 20:7-11].

Rev 20:7  And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 
Rev 20:8  And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. 
Rev 20:9  And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. 
Rev 20:10  And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. 
Rev 20:11  And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

Dan 2:45  Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure. 

The dream is certain, flesh and blood, represented by the iron, brass, clay, silver, and gold, cannot inherit the kingdom of God, and this is truly understood only by those who have this stone within them, Jesus Christ as our hope of glory (Col 1:27), who “was cut out of the mountain without hands.” It is that stone that judges us in this age (1Pe 4:17), to have all these metals burned out of us, to become a new creation of God. God cannot lie, and we’re told “the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure” (Heb 6:18).

Heb 6:18  That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:

Dan 2:46  Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet odours unto him. 

Nebuchadnezzar falling down to worship Daniel symbolizes this moment in the life of God’s elect (Rev 3:9). His command “that they should offer an oblation and sweet odours unto him” also implies that during the reign of the saints, the leaders of this world will come up to worship and bring sacrifices to offer before God, which are likened unto oblations and sweet odours (Zec 14:16).

Rev 3:9  Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.

Zec 14:16  And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.

Dan 2:47  The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret.

The king acknowledges with this statement, in type and shadow, what we read of in Revelation 11:15, and it is an acknowledgement that his own kingship was only in the earth and not in the heavens where God rules in the hearts and minds of His people (Col 3:15).

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. 

Col 3:15  And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

Dan 2:48  Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon.

This again represents what will happen during the thousand-year reign of the saints, and like Israel of old, the Israel of God (Gal 6:16) will ‘spoil the Egyptians’ (Exo 12:36), who are typified by “the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon“, i.e. all the kingdoms of this world (Rev_11:15).

Dan 2:49  Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel sat in the gate of the king.

Once again Daniel’s humble spirit is on display, thinking of others, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego“, who with Daniel total four men that typifies the whole of the elect who will work in conjunction to rule over the nations of this world. Daniel also represents Christ here, who resides “in the gate of the king” having that pre-eminence and honor, representing how Christ is our King of Kings and Lord of Lords.