Ezekiel 40:1–27 The Vision of the Temple Part 1

[Study Aired December 16, 2024]

Introduction

Ezekiel chapter 40 is looked at as one of the most difficult sections of scripture in the Bible. According to Matthew Henry Commentary, the Jews will not allow any to read this portion until they are thirty years old and tell those who do read it that, though they cannot understand everything in it, “when Elias comes he will explain it”. However, if we believe that the mysteries of the kingdom of the Lord has been given to us, His elect, then it means that we already have the keys to unlock what the Lord is telling us here in Ezekiel chapter 40.

Mat 13:11  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
Mat 13:12  For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.

Mat 13:16  But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
Mat 13:17  For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

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

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

To understand this chapter, we need to note that this chapter deals with the measurement of the temple in Jerusalem. However, this temple is as large as a city. Thus, the city is the same as the temple in this case. If we look at the description of the New Jerusalem in Revelation chapter 21, we can see that there is no temple within the city.

Rev 21:2  And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Rev 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.   

Rev 21:22  And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.

In other words, the temple of the Lord is the same as the city of the New Jerusalem. This is to let us know that Jerusalem above which is the city of the living God is what is being measured here in Ezekiel chapter 40.

Gal 4:25  For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
Gal 4:26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

The New Jerusalem in Revelation chapter 21 is the final representation of the church which includes all humanity. However, what is presented here in Ezekiel chapter 40 shows us what we go through to become part of the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21.

As we are aware, this temple or city refers to the assembly of the Lord’s elect or our gathering together now. In Hebrews chapter 12, we are told that this assembly is the church of the firstborn and we are given additional information that this church is not perfect yet in the sight of God and therefore He is shaking us once more. This shaking of the earth and our heavens is the judgement of our old man or flesh which shall result in the cleansing of our hearts and minds and the destruction of our flesh. That is how we come to see the Lord as a consuming fire. The fire is the word of the Lord which destroys our old man or flesh.

Heb 12:22  But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
Heb 12:23  To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
Heb 12:24  And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
Heb 12:25  See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:
Heb 12:26  Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.
Heb 12:27  And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.
Heb 12:28  Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:
Heb 12:29 For our God is a consuming fire.

In Ezekiel chapter 40 that we are going to review, we are given information to show us that this city is not perfect yet as we shall see by the measurements given. On the other hand, the city of the New Jerusalem in Revelation chapter 21 is perfection at its best. It gives us glimpses of our perfection as we unite with our Lord Jesus Christ. The measurements of the New Jerusalem are based on twelve or multiples of 12 which signify Christ.

Rev 21:10  And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
Rev 21:11  Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;
Rev 21:12  And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:
Rev 21:13  On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.
Rev 21:14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

On the other hand, the measurements of this city in Ezekiel chapter 40 are based mainly on the numbers 6 and 10 which refer to man with all his weaknesses because of the flesh. A key therefore to understanding this chapter is knowing the spiritual significance of numbers as we shall see shortly.

The Vision of the City

Eze 40:1  In the five and twentieth year of our captivity, in the beginning of the year, in the tenth day of the month, in the fourteenth year after that the city was smitten, in the selfsame day the hand of the LORD was upon me, and brought me thither. 

The number twenty five on a positive note, signifies the time to start reigning as a royal priesthood. That means the beginning of our obedience to the Lord as we learn righteousness through His judgement of our flesh.

2Ki 14:2  He was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem.

2Ki 15:33  Five and twenty years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jerusha, the daughter of Zadok.

2Ki 18:1  Now it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign.
2Ki 18:2 Twenty and five years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Abi, the daughter of Zachariah.

The twenty-fifth year of the captivity of the people of Israel in this case implies the time that the Lord comes to us with the spirit of His mouth and His brightness to liberate us from our captivity to the false doctrines of Babylon and to make us obedient to Him so that we can start reigning over the flesh. The tenth day of the month is to show us that it is when our flesh has reached its fulness in terms of sin that the Lord comes to us with His judgement. The fourteenth year means that we are beginning to make spiritual progress with the Lord’s coming to us. In other words, we have not attained yet but we are definitely on our way.

Gen 31:41  Thus have I been twenty years in thy house; I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle: and thou hast changed my wages ten times.

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

Eze 40:2  In the visions of God brought he me into the land of Israel, and set me upon a very high mountain, by which was as the frame of a city on the south. 
Eze 40:3 And he brought me thither, and, behold, there was a man, whose appearance was like the appearance of brass, with a line of flax in his hand, and a measuring reed; and he stood in the gate. 

When the Lord comes to us and delivers us from our captivity to the false doctrines of Babylon, and causes us to see the church of the firstborn, it is the same as the Lord lifting us up in the spirit and setting us upon a very high mountain to see the New Jerusalem which is described in verse 2 as the frame of a city on the south. In the Bible, high mountains represent the assembly of the Lord’s people. Thus, this high mountain is the gathering of the Lord’s elect that we see as the structure on the mountain representing a city on the south. The fact that the city is “on the south” means that the church of the Lord is not yet perfected as we are still closer to the sea, that is, we are still battling with the flesh of humanity.

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

Isa 13:2  Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice unto them, shake the hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles.
Isa 13:3 I have commanded my sanctified ones, I have also called my mighty ones for mine anger, even them that rejoice in my highness.

The man whose appearance was like that of brass is our Lord Jesus Christ who is standing at the gate.

Rev 3:20  Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

In the Book of Revelation, we also see Jesus with His feet like fine brass, which is consistent with our assertion that the man whose appearance was like brass is Jesus Christ.

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

Jesus standing by the gate in the vision in verse 2 means that Jesus is the gateway to the New Jerusalem or the church of the firstborn. This implies that salvation is through Him alone.

Act 4:12  Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

In verse 2, the Lord was carrying a tape measure and a measuring stick. That is to show us that it is the Lord who is always measuring us to see if we are conforming to His image or standard. For example, when the Lord appeared to John at the island of Patmos, He showed John that the complete church system of this world has fallen short of His standards. For example, let’s take a look at what He said regarding the church in Ephesus.

Rev 2:1  Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;
Rev 2:2  I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:
Rev 2:3  And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.
Rev 2:4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

Dan 5:27  TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.

It is as we leave Babylon to enter the gate of the assembly of the elect that we are measured and found wanting by the Lord.

Eze 40:4  And the man said unto me, Son of man, behold with thine eyes, and hear with thine ears, and set thine heart upon all that I shall shew thee; for to the intent that I might shew them unto thee art thou brought hither: declare all that thou seest to the house of Israel. 

As our eyes are being opened by the Lord to see and our ears are hearing the mysteries of the kingdom of the Lord, we are to declare them to the house of Israel which represents the Lord’s elect.

Exo 19:3  And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel;
Exo 19:4  Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself.
Exo 19:5  Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:
Exo 19:6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.

Setting our heart upon all that the Lord is showing us means that we must obey His words. Obedience to the Lord’s words is how we progress spiritually.

Jer 42:5  Then they said to Jeremiah, “May the LORD be a true and faithful witness against us if we do not act according to all the word with which the LORD your God sends you to us.
Jer 42:6 Whether it is good or bad, we will obey the voice of the LORD our God to whom we are sending you, that it may be well with us when we obey the voice of the LORD our God.”

The Gateway that Faced East

Eze 40:5  And behold a wall on the outside of the house round about, and in the man’s hand a measuring reed of six cubits long by the cubit and an hand breadth: so he measured the breadth of the building, one reed; and the height, one reed. 

The first structure to be measured was the wall that surrounded the city or temple. Our Lord Jesus Christ has a measuring reed of six cubits by the cubit and an hand breadth. It is the Lord’s elect that are being measured to ensure that we attain the standards of Christ. All others are not being measured in this life.

Rev 11:1  And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.
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.

In verse 5, the man who represents our Lord Jesus has a measuring reed of six cubits long. It is important to note that this measurement was not based on the common cubits but the cubits of the sanctuary, which was different. Here in verse 5, we are told that the cubits of the sanctuary is a hand breadth (approximately 4 inches) longer than the common cubits that was used as a measure in those days. The common cubit was eighteen inches. The outer wall of the house measured one reed in thickness and one reed in height. That is to say that the thickness and height of the wall were all six cubits.

It is important to note that the number six is the number of man. What this means is that when the Lord calls us from the churches of this world to come to the church of the firstborn or temple to worship, we were frail men and women with all kinds of weaknesses. However, through the Lord’s judgement of our old man or flesh, we gradually become like Christ. As explained earlier, the New Jerusalem in the Book of Revelation shows us where we are going, that is, becoming like Christ. Here the wall’s measurement is 144 cubits (12×12 cubits). The number 12 is the number of Christ and therefore in the final analysis, we shall be like Christ. The number of Christ in this case refers to His obedience to God while He lived here on earth. As He is, so are we. That is to say that we shall all bear the image of Christ in this life.

Rev 21:17  And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.

Eze 40:6  Then came he unto the gate which looketh toward the east, and went up the stairs thereof, and measured the threshold of the gate, which was one reed broad; and the other threshold of the gate, which was one reed broad. 
Eze 40:7  And every little chamber was one reed long, and one reed broad; and between the little chambers were five cubits; and the threshold of the gate by the porch of the gate within was one reed. 
Eze 40:8 He measured also the porch of the gate within, one reed. 

Our Lord went up the steps to the gateway that faced east and measured the entrance which was one reed broad. The other threshold of the gate was also one reed broad. The east gate means that it is where the sun rises. That is to say that our entering through the gate after our captivity in Babylon is the beginning of the rising of Christ in our lives.  It is worth noting that in verse 6 and 7, the measurement is given in reed but the distance between the little chambers is given in cubits. What this implies is that we must pay attention to the numbers and not to the unit of measurement. The number ‘one’ means ‘unity’. What this suggests is that as His elect, we are required to be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgement for the building of the city or the church of the firstborn.

1Co 1:10  Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

The little chamber here refers to our heart and mind or the temple within each of us which together forms part of the New Jerusalem. The fact that we have a distance of five cubits between the little chambers is to suggest to us that each of us is separate from one another by the grace through faith that we have received (the significance of the number 5).

Eph 4:7  But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

In verse 8, the porch of the gate within also measures one reed. The porch here refers to a covered area that joins the entrance or gate of a city. When we are given the privilege of entering Jerusalem which is above or the church of the firstborn, we are sheltered by the Lord from the world and all that may destroy us during this initial period as we are given to have the same mind and judgement.

Psa 91:1  He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
Psa 91:2 I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

Eze 40:10  And the little chambers of the gate eastward were three on this side, and three on that side; they three were of one measure: and the posts had one measure on this side and on that side. 
Eze 40:11  And he measured the breadth of the entry of the gate, ten cubits; and the length of the gate, thirteen cubits. 
Eze 40:12 The space also before the little chambers was one cubit on this side, and the space was one cubit on that side: and the little chambers were six cubits on this side, and six cubits on that side. 

It is significant to note in verse 10 that the little chambers of the gate were three on one side and three on another side. This is to let us know that the process of our spiritual maturity is through the Lord’s judgement (the significance of the number 3).

In verse 11, the measured breadth of the entry of the gate was ten cubits with the length being thirteen cubits. The number ten means the fulness of the flesh and the number thirteen signifies rebellion. This suggests that it is when our rebellion has reached its climax that the Lord comes to us to usher us into the city of the living God.

In verse 12, we are made aware that the little chambers were six cubits or one reed on each side. The measurement of six cubits is to emphasize that we are dealing with man with all his flaws.

Eze 40:13  He measured then the gate from the roof of one little chamber to the roof of another: the breadth was five and twenty cubits, door against door. 
Eze 40:14  He made also posts of threescore cubits, even unto the post of the court round about the gate. 
Eze 40:15  And from the face of the gate of the entrance unto the face of the porch of the inner gate were fifty cubits. 
Eze 40:16  And there were narrow windows to the little chambers, and to their posts within the gate round about, and likewise to the arches: and windows were round about inward: and upon each post were palm trees. 

The measurement of twenty five cubits of the gateway from the top of one little chamber to the top of the opposite little chamber in verse 13 indicates that entering the gateway to the church of the firstborn is the beginning of our kingship as shown in the following verses:

2Ki 14:2  He was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem.

2Ki 15:33  Five and twenty years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jerusha, the daughter of Zadok.

2Ki 18:1  Now it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign.
2Ki 18:2 Twenty and five years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Abi, the daughter of Zachariah.

What we are therefore being told is that what links us from one to another (from the top of one little chamber to the top of another) is the fact that our entering of Jerusalem above or the church of the firstborn is the beginning of our reign over the flesh and the subsequent reigning over the kingdoms of this world.

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

In verse 14, the room at the far end which led out to the court was measured to be sixty cubits. The number sixty (60 = 6 x 10) signifies the fulness of the flesh in man and therefore the measurement of 60 cubits affirms that the Lord comes to us when our sins have reached the heavens to lead us into His court for cleansing.

As stated in verse 15, the open space of the gate without to the open space of the porch of the gate is fifty cubits. The number fifty means liberty. This verse is therefore to remind us that as we enter the church of the firstborn, we are on our way to be liberated from the shackles of the flesh.

Gal 5:1  Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

2Co 3:17  Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

The narrow windows of verse 16 is to remind us of the narrow road that leads to our reigning with Christ.

Mat 7:13  Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in there at:
Mat 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

The posts which were palm trees is to indicate that this narrow road is preserved for only the Lord’s elect who are symbolized as palm trees.

Psa 92:12  The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.

The Outer Courts

Eze 40:17  Then brought he me into the outward court, and, lo, there were chambers, and a pavement made for the court round about: thirty chambers were upon the pavement. 
Eze 40:18  And the pavement by the side of the gates over against the length of the gates was the lower pavement. 
Eze 40:19 Then he measured the breadth from the forefront of the lower gate unto the forefront of the inner court without, an hundred cubits eastward and northward. 

Our journey through the temple of the Lord starts from the gate of the entrance, through the porch of the inner gate which leads to the outer court. The outer court of the temple was the place for atonement, worship, and cleansing in preparation to meet God. As we have seen from the beginning of the journey through the temple, the measurements we observed were mainly 6 cubits, 10 cubits, 13 cubits, 60 cubits and fifty cubits. With the exception of the 50 cubits which speaks of our liberty in Christ, all the other measurements show us man’s frailties, our rebellion and the fulness of our flesh. It is at the outer courts that we start the process of cleansing as we are judged by the Lord.

It is therefore instructive to note in verse 17 that there were thirty chambers upon the pavement that surrounds the inner court. The number thirty represent our rulership over our flesh and later the kingdoms of this world. This is because both Joseph and David became kings at the age of thirty. The number thirty therefore symbolizes the time that our new man starts to reign in our lives as our old man has commenced the dying process. The fact that there were thirty chambers on the pavement is to tell us that Christ has started his work in us to judge us first in this life by beginning the process of putting the old man to death for the birth of the new man who is to reign in our lives.

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

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

Num 4:23  From thirty years old and upward until fifty years old shalt thou number them; all that enter in to perform the service, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation.

We are informed in verse 18 that the pavement in the lower courtyard ran alongside the gateways. It was as wide as it was long. This implies that all that we go through in the outer court in terms of cleansing is part of the entry process to meet the Lord in the holy of holies. The fact that the pavement in the lower courtyard was wide and long means that there are many who are called but only few are chosen to proceed to the holy of holies.

The fact that in verse 19, we are told that the distance from the inside of the lower gateway to the outside of the inner courtyard is measured as hundred (10×10) cubits eastward and northward is to let us know that at this point of our walk with Christ, we are yet sinners as our sins have reached their fulness and our judgement has begun.

Rev 18:5  For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.

Rev 18:8  Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.

The North Gate

Eze 40:20  And the gate of the outward court that looked toward the north, he measured the length thereof, and the breadth thereof. 
Eze 40:21  And the little chambers thereof were three on this side and three on that side; and the posts thereof and the arches thereof were after the measure of the first gate: the length thereof was fifty cubits, and the breadth five and twenty cubits. 

The north spiritually represents the judgement of the Lord. The gate to the outward court looking towards the north in verse 20 therefore signifies the beginning of the judgement of the Lord as we enter through the north gate to the outward court. As we have indicated, the outer court of the temple is the place for atonement, worship, and cleansing in preparation to meet God.

Jer 1:13  And the word of the LORD came unto me the second time, saying, What seest thou? And I said, I see a seething pot; and the face thereof is toward the north.
Jer 1:14 Then the LORD said unto me, Out of the north an evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land.

Jer 4:6  Set up the standard toward Zion: retire, stay not: for I will bring evil from the north, and a great destruction.

This process of cleansing is symbolized by the judgement of our old man or flesh and is affirmed by the fact that there were three little chambers on one side and another on the other side. The number three means spiritual maturity through judgement. The three little chambers, the arches, and the entrance hall were the same size as those in the east gateway. This northern gateway was fifty cubits in length and twenty five cubit in width. As we have shown earlier, the number fifty means liberty and that of twenty five signifies the beginning of our reign as kings. This implies that the judgement of the Lord is to liberate us from the chains of the flesh and to begin to reign over it. In the fulness of time, we shall reign as kings over the kingdoms of this world.

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.

Eze 40:22  And their windows, and their arches, and their palm trees, were after the measure of the gate that looketh toward the east; and they went up unto it by seven steps; and the arches thereof were before them. 
Eze 40:23  And the gate of the inner court was over against the gate toward the north, and toward the east; and he measured from gate to gate an hundred cubits.

Here in verse 22, we are told that the windows, the arches, and palm tree pictures were the same size as those in the east gateway and that there were seven steps which lead to the inner court.  The fact that the measurement of the windows, and their arches and the palm trees were the same as those in the east gate spiritually signifies that whether we come through the north gate or the east gate the experience is the same. In other words, we all go through the same spiritual experience.  This experience is the seven steps indicated in verse 22.

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 23, we are told that the inner courtyard had a gateway opposite the north gate just like the east gateway and the measurement from gate to gate was an hundred cubits. As indicated, the northern and the eastern gateways being alike means that our experiences are the same in terms of our walk with Christ. The measurement being one hundred (10×10) cubits implies that we come through the gateway to the inner court being full of the flesh and needing to be judged by the Lord.

We therefore thank God for His mercies towards us in choosing us in Him before the foundation of the world.

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

Amen!!

Jer 52:18-34  Everything in the Lord’s Temple is Now Also in Babylon

[Study Aired November 13, 2022]

Jer 52:18  The caldrons also, and the shovels, and the snuffers, and the bowls, and the spoons, and all the vessels of brass wherewith they ministered, took they away.
Jer 52:19  And the basons, and the firepans, and the bowls, and the caldrons, and the candlesticks, and the spoons, and the cups; that which was of gold in gold, and that which was of silver in silver, took the captain of the guard away.
Jer 52:20  The two pillars, one sea, and twelve brasen bulls that were under the bases, which king Solomon had made in the house of the LORD: the brass of all these vessels was without weight.
Jer 52:21  And concerning the pillars, the height of one pillar was eighteen cubits; and a fillet of twelve cubits did compass it; and the thickness thereof was four fingers: it was hollow.
Jer 52:22  And a chapiter of brass was upon it; and the height of one chapiter was five cubits, with network and pomegranates upon the chapiters round about, all of brass. The second pillar also and the pomegranates were like unto these.
Jer 52:23  And there were ninety and six pomegranates on a side; and all the pomegranates upon the network were an hundred round about.
Jer 52:24  And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the door:
Jer 52:25  He took also out of the city an eunuch, which had the charge of the men of war; and seven men of them that were near the king’s person, which were found in the city; and the principal scribe of the host, who mustered the people of the land; and threescore men of the people of the land, that were found in the midst of the city.
Jer 52:26  So Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard took them, and brought them to the king of Babylon to Riblah.
Jer 52:27  And the king of Babylon smote them, and put them to death in Riblah in the land of Hamath. Thus Judah was carried away captive out of his own land.
Jer 52:28  This is the people whom Nebuchadrezzar carried away captive: in the seventh year three thousand Jews and three and twenty:
Jer 52:29  In the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar he carried away captive from Jerusalem eight hundred thirty and two persons:
Jer 52:30  In the three and twentieth year of Nebuchadrezzar Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive of the Jews seven hundred forty and five persons: all the persons were four thousand and six hundred.

These Last Four Verses Concern Jehoiachin’s Release from Prison

Jer 52:31  And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, in the five and twentieth day of the month, that Evilmerodach king of Babylon in the first year of his reign lifted up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah, and brought him forth out of prison,
Jer 52:32  And spake kindly unto him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings that were with him in Babylon,
Jer 52:33  And changed his prison garments: and he did continually eat bread before him all the days of his life.
Jer 52:34  And for his diet, there was a continual diet given him of the king of Babylon, every day a portion until the day of his death, all the days of his life.

In our last study we closed with these verses:

Jer 52:16  But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left certain of the poor of the land for vinedressers and for husbandmen.
Jer 52:17  Also the pillars of brass that were in the house of the LORD, and the bases, and the brasen sea that was in the house of the LORD, the Chaldeans brake, and carried all the brass of them to Babylon.

Brass is the very best of the base metals. Its spiritual significance therefore is the best of our carnal flesh. Here is the study on the spiritual significance of ‘brass’, which should be translated as copper:

Metals – Copper, Part 1

It is through these two ‘pillars of brass’ that everyone entered the temple of God. The only place brass was found in the tabernacle of Moses was in the sockets which supported the five pillars at the door of the tabernacle. All the priests entered the tabernacle over these sockets of brass. These two brass pillars have the same spiritual significance which the sockets of the tabernacle carried. That spiritual significance is that “we have this treasure [Christ] in earthen vessels”, through which we enter into the Lord’s presence.

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.

The temple of Solomon is a more mature type of the Lord’s habitation, and in the temple, we see that the pillars are but two, which signifies the witness of Christ and the witness of His Christ.

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.
Rev 11:4  These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.

Zec 4:1  And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep,
Zec 4:2  And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof:
Zec 4:3  And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof.
Zec 4:4  So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord?
Zec 4:5  Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord.
Zec 4:6  Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.

Here is the study on the spiritual significance of the number two:

Numbers – Two

The following is the description of the size and shape of those two copper pillars at the entrance of the temple of Solomon:

1Ki 7:15  For he cast two pillars of brass, of eighteen cubits high apiece: and a line of twelve cubits did compass either of them about.
1Ki 7:16  And he made two chapiters of molten brass, to set upon the tops of the pillars: the height of the one chapiter was five cubits, and the height of the other chapiter was five cubits:
1Ki 7:21  And he set up the pillars in the porch of the temple: and he set up the right pillar, and called the name thereof Jachin [H3199: ‘He will establish]: and he set up the left pillar, and called the name thereof Boaz [H1162: ‘Fleetness’].

A cubit is a foot and a half, or 45.72 centimeters. With a five cubit cap (2.286 meters) these copper pillars were 34.5 feet tall with a 18 foot circumference. That is 10.5156 meters tall with a 5.4864 meter circumference. They were not intended to be portable, yet Nebuchadnezzar had them broken up and carried to Babylon, along with all the implements with which the priests serviced the temple of the Lord. All those implements which were intended to worship the true God were now in Babylon, typical of ‘Mystery Babylon’ now being used in the service of another god.

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

All these physical things have spiritual counterparts which are all found in Mystery Babylon and which are all given to Babylon by the Lord’s apostate people. There is no doubt that physical Babylon had plenty of gold, silver, and precious stones before the Jerusalem campaign, but now the Old Testament type of Mystery Babylon the Great also has within it the gold, silver, and precious stones of the temple of God in Jerusalem.

Eze 16:17  Thou hast also taken thy fair jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given thee, and madest to thyself images of men, and didst commit whoredom with them,

1Co 3:12  Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;

The building materials of “gold, silver, and precious stones” signify the doctrines of Christ and His gospel, which is likened unto “a treasure hidden in a field [and] a pearl of great price” (Mat 13:44-45). Ezekiel condemns the Lord’s people for using His gold and His silver to “make to [themselves] images of men” which we are told signify “falsehoods”:

Jer 10:14  Every man is brutish in his knowledge: every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.

Jer 51:17  Every man is brutish by his knowledge; every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.

The ‘gold, silver, and precious stones’ of Babylon signify all the false doctrines which the Lord’s own words have been twisted into as “idols of the heart” of the ‘merchants and shipmasters of Babylon’, who signify all the great prominent ministers of the religions of this world.

Eze 14:4  Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the LORD will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols;
Eze 14:5  That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me through their idols.
Eze 14:6  Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations.
Eze 14:7  For every one of the house of Israel, or of the stranger that sojourneth in Israel, which separateth himself from me, and setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to a prophet to enquire of him concerning me; I the LORD will answer him by myself:
Eze 14:8  And I will set my face against that man, and will make him a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midst of my people; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
Eze 14:9  And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the LORD have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel.
Eze 14:10  And they shall bear the punishment of their iniquity: the punishment of the prophet shall be even as the punishment of him that seeketh unto him;

Rev 18:12  The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble,
Rev 18:13  And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men.

That is what happened to Jerusalem. All the implements that were used by the priests in ministering to the people before the Lord are now in Babylon and being used there.

Jer 52:18  The caldrons also, and the shovels, and the snuffers, and the bowls, and the spoons, and all the vessels of brass wherewith they ministered, took they away.
Jer 52:19  And the basons, and the firepans, and the bowls, and the caldrons, and the candlesticks, and the spoons, and the cups; that which was of gold in gold, and that which was of silver in silver, took the captain of the guard away.
Jer 52:20  The two pillars, one sea, and twelve brasen bulls that were under the bases, which king Solomon had made in the house of the LORD: the brass of all these vessels was without weight.

All these implements are now in Babylon signifying that which was already true before the Lord’s people were carried away captives into Babylon. This is what it all signifies:

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,

The bread and the water here signify the same things which the bread and the blood signify in these words of our Lord:

Joh 6:48  I am that bread of life.
Joh 6:49  Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.
Joh 6:50  This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.
Joh 6:51  I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
Joh 6:52  The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?
Joh 6:53  Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
Joh 6:54  Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
Joh 6:55  For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
Joh 6:56  He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.

Jer 52:21  And concerning the pillars, the height of one pillar was eighteen cubits; and a fillet of twelve cubits did compass it; and the thickness thereof was four fingers: it was hollow.
Jer 52:22  And a chapiter of brass was upon it; and the height of one chapiter was five cubits, with network and pomegranates upon the chapiters round about, all of brass. The second pillar also and the pomegranates were like unto these.
Jer 52:23  And there were ninety and six pomegranates on a side; and all the pomegranates upon the network were an hundred round about.

These pillars signify the great men who are the pillars of the Lord’s apostate house just as the Lord’s elect are called “pillars” in His house:

Rev 3:12  Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

These pillars were designed to “go no more out”, but the apostasy of the Lord’s people caused them to be broken down and carried away to Babylon.

Jer 52:24  And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the door:
Jer 52:25  He took also out of the city an eunuch, which had the charge of the men of war; and seven men of them that were near the king’s person, which were found in the city; and the principal scribe of the host, who mustered the people of the land; and threescore men of the people of the land, that were found in the midst of the city.
Jer 52:26  So Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard took them, and brought them to the king of Babylon to Riblah.
Jer 52:27  And the king of Babylon smote them, and put them to death in Riblah in the land of Hamath. Thus Judah was carried away captive out of his own land.

These are the spiritual leaders of the Lord’s people spoken of by the next verses in Isaiah 3, telling us of the extent of the apostasy of the Lord’s own people. I repeat verse one to give the context of the state of all these great men of God:

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,
Isa 3:2  The mighty man, and the man of war, the judge, and the prophet, and the prudent, and the ancient,
Isa 3:3  The captain of fifty, and the honourable man, and the counsellor, and the cunning artificer, and the eloquent orator.
Isa 3:4  And I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them.
Isa 3:5  And the people shall be oppressed, every one by another, and every one by his neighbour: the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honourable.

Isa 3:8  For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen: because their tongue and their doings are against the LORD, to provoke the eyes of his glory. [The ‘harlot’ of Isaiah 1:21 is fallen, is fallen]
Isa 3:9  The shew of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not. Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves.

Speaking to His own apostate people this is how the Lord addresses them:

Isa 1:10  Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.

Sodom is also another name for the “great city” of Mystery Babylon the Great:

Rev 11:8  And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

Lest anyone miss the fact that Mystery Babylon is the Lord’s own people we are told that this is “where also our Lord was crucified”.

Jer 52:28  This is the people whom Nebuchadrezzar carried away captive: in the seventh year three thousand Jews and three and twenty:
Jer 52:29  In the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar he carried away captive from Jerusalem eight hundred thirty and two persons:
Jer 52:30  In the three and twentieth year of Nebuchadrezzar Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive of the Jews seven hundred forty and five persons: all the persons were four thousand and six hundred.

This three-step process of fulfilling the prophecy of Jeremiah telling the Lord’s people that they would be carried away to Babylon signifies the process of being judged which they are now enduring.

Lest we think this has no personal application we need to remember that it is our own old man who is at this very moment enduring the judgments of God upon his own rebellious kingdom within us:

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

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?
1Pe 4:19  Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

All of these events which Judah and Jerusalem endured because of their own wickedness and backsliding happened to them and they are written to let us know that the Lord is at this very moment judging us in this present time, and He is keeping our souls in His service as a faithful Creator, and as a loving husband who simply wants us to repent of our unfaithful ways and return humbly to Him:

Jer 3:13  Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the LORD.
Jer 3:14  Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion:
Jer 3:15  And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.

Look at how this prophecy of Jeremiah ends. It ends with the hope of being fed with knowledge and understanding from the Lord:

Jer 52:31  And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, in the five and twentieth day of the month, that Evilmerodach king of Babylon in the first year of his reign lifted up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah, and brought him forth out of prison,
Jer 52:32  And spake kindly unto him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings that were with him in Babylon,
Jer 52:33  And changed his prison garments: and he did continually eat bread before him all the days of his life.
Jer 52:34  And for his diet, there was a continual diet given him of the king of Babylon, every day a portion until the day of his death, all the days of his life.

Jehoiachin was the youngest of the four kings who followed King Josiah. He is the youngest king to whom Jeremiah prophesied, and he is the only king who followed Jeremiah’s words from the Lord to “go out unto the king of Babylon’s princes”, and accept the judgment which the Lord has prophesied to come upon Judah and Jerusalem:

Jer 38:17  Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel; If thou wilt assuredly go forth unto the king of Babylon’s princes, then thy soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire; and thou shalt live, and thine house:
Jer 38:18  But if thou wilt not go forth to the king of Babylon’s princes, then shall this city be given into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they shall burn it with fire, and thou shalt not escape out of their hand.

2Ki 24:12  And Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon, he, and his mother, and his servants, and his princes, and his officers: and the king of Babylon took him in the eighth year of his reign.

Because Jehoiachin obeyed the Lord he is now being treated as Joseph who was brought out of prison and placed over the house of Pharaoh. He is being set over the kings in Babylon just as Daniel and his fellows were placed over all the wise men in all the province of Babylon just a few years prior to Jehoiachin’s release from prison. All these men, Joseph, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and here in the last part of the last chapter of Jeremiah, we have Jehoiachin, all who obeyed the words of the Lord in their generation are types of the Lord’s elect who are also being taken out of prison and being made kings and priests who will reign with Christ in His soon coming kingdom:

Rev 1:4  John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;
Rev 1:5  And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
Rev 1:6  And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
Rev 1:7  Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

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.

May the Lord give us all the faith to value and to choose to suffer affliction with the people of God in this present time than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, and may the Lord grant each of us to have respect unto the recompense of the reward we are promised:

Heb 11:25  Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
Heb 11:26  Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.

[Study Aired November 25, 2021]

1Ki 7:23  And he made a molten sea, ten cubits from the one brim to the other: it was round all about, and his height was five cubits: and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round about. 
1Ki 7:24  And under the brim of it round about there were knops compassing it, ten in a cubit, compassing the sea round about: the knops were cast in two rows, when it was cast. 
1Ki 7:25  It stood upon twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, and three looking toward the west, and three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east: and the sea was set above upon them, and all their hinder parts were inward. 
1Ki 7:26  And it was an hand breadth thick, and the brim thereof was wrought like the brim of a cup, with flowers of lilies: it contained two thousand baths. 
1Ki 7:27  And he made ten bases of brass; four cubits was the length of one base, and four cubits the breadth thereof, and three cubits the height of it. 
1Ki 7:28  And the work of the bases was on this manner: they had borders, and the borders were between the ledges: 
1Ki 7:29  And on the borders that were between the ledges were lions, oxen, and cherubims: and upon the ledges there was a base above: and beneath the lions and oxen were certain additions made of thin work. 
1Ki 7:30  And every base had four brasen wheels, and plates of brass: and the four corners thereof had undersetters: under the laver were undersetters molten, at the side of every addition. 

The molten sea represents the place where the sea of humanity will be washed with the word of God which is a fiery word (Jer 23:29) that is going to be administered in the lake of fire in the last day “the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day” (Jer 5:14, Rev 20:10-15, Joh 12:48.

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

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 3:12-15].

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 [G1519 G165 G165]. 
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. 
Rev 20:12  And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened…

[Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them (Jer 5:14)]

…which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

[He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day Joh 12:48, Oba 1:21, 1Jn 4:17]

Rev 20:13  And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Rev 20:14  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 
Rev 20:15  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

The strength of the elect’s relationship with God is symbolized by the twelve oxen that support the sea of humanity on their backs. These oxen represent the saviours who will come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau (Oba 1:21). 

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

Those who are called and chosen in this age to endure the chastening grace of God’s judgement (Heb 12:6) are represented by these twelve oxen, three on each side, the three representing the process of judgment which we must endure until the end of our lives in order to be saved so we can be those saviours. There are four sides of three meaning the elect will be used of God to save the whole world (2Ti 2:12, Mat 24:13, 1Co 6:3).

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? 

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

1Co 6:3  Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? 

The power of these animals is represented by the horn, which power is given to the elect of God in this age (Rev 11:3) so that we can push against the powers and principalities against which we wrestle and overcome, through Christ (Eph 6:12, Eph 1:21). Judgment is upon God’s elect today who go without the camp with Christ and are nourished by the burnt offering which represents Christ and Christ in us who gives us the power to endure God’s wrath upon our old man, who must be destroyed outside the camp (Heb 13:13-15, Lev 4:12, Lev 8:17, Rev 15:8 , Mat 10:39).

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. 

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

Heb 13:13  Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp [Lev 4:12, Lev 8:17], bearing his reproach [Isa 53:4, Col 1:24, 1Pe 2:24, Gal 2:20].
Heb 13:14  For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come [Mat 10:39].
Heb 13:15  By^G1223 him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. 
Heb 13:15  But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

Lev 4:12  Even the whole bullock shall he carry forth without the camp unto a clean place, where the ashes are poured out, and burn him on the wood with fire: where the ashes are poured out shall he be burnt. 

Lev 8:17  But the bullock, and his hide, his flesh, and his dung, he burnt with fire without the camp; as the LORD commanded Moses. 

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 [“burnt with fire without the camp“]

The symbolism of the molten sea and all those things attached to it should paint a picture for us as to how the world is going to be saved through Christ’s bride who will wash the world with the living waters as represented by this “molten sea” (Rom 11:31). The gates that humanity must enter into to come to know God and his Son Jesus Christ (Joh 17:3) are spoken of in (Rev 21:9-13). Notice there are again four gates on the north, south, east and west and there are four groups of three oxen represented as supporting the whole world – the north, south, east and west. These oxen represent where the living waters are going to come forth to heal the nations spoken of in (Rev 22:1-2, Joh 7:37-38).

Rev 21:9  And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife. 
Rev 21:10  And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, 
Rev 21:11  Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; 
Rev 21:12  And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: 
Rev 21:13  On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. 

Rev 22:1  And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. 
Rev 22:2  In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 

Joh 7:37  In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
Joh 7:38  He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

1Ki 7:23  And he made a molten sea, ten cubits from the one brim to the other: it was round all about, and his height was five cubits: and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round about.

The statement “ten cubits from the one brim to the other: it was round all about” tells us that all flesh [10], or all carnal thought, will be destroyed and will not inherit the kingdom of God (1Co 15:50). How that will be accomplished is then revealed to us with the dimensions spoken of “and his height was five cubits: and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round about“. The five cubits represents the grace through faith by which all men will be saved (Eph 2:8), and the thirty cubits reminds us that it is a process of judgment [3×10] that takes place while this is being accomplished.

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

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

1Ki 7:24  And under the brim of it round about there were knops compassing it, ten in a cubit, compassing the sea round about: the knops were cast in two rows, when it was cast. 

The “knops compassing it, ten in a cubit, compassing the sea round about: the knops were cast in two rows, when it was cast“, is a symbol that tells us that God is faithful to provide for our fleshly needs in this life “according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus”. It is “cast“^H3333 means that it’s something promised that God will see accomplished (Heb 6:18). If we’re given to seek the kingdom of God first, then He will add what we physically need along the way (Mat 6:33, Php 4:19). 

H3333
yets-oo-kaw’ Passive participle feminine of
H3332 poured out, that is, run into a mould: – when it was cast.

H3332
yaw-tsak’
A primitive root; properly to pour out (transitively or intransitively); by implication to melt or cast as metal; by extension to place firmly, to stiffen or grow hard: – cast, cleave fast, be (as) firm, grow, be hard, lay out, molten, overflow, pour (out), run out, set down, stedfast.

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:

These knops are “under the brim^H8193“and in two rows to witness to that truth which tells us God knows what we need before we ask Him (Mat 6:8). 

brimH8193  saw-faw’,
sef-eth’ 
(The second form is in dual and plural); Probably from H5595 or H8192 through the idea of termination (compare H5490 “hinder part“); the lip (as a natural boundary); by implication language; by analogy a margin (of a vessel, water, cloth, etc.): – band, bank, binding, border, brim, brink, edge, language (Zep_3:9), lip(s)(Isa_6:6-7 ,  Isa_57:19) , prating, ([sea-]) shore, side, speech, talk, [vain] words.

However, we are also being shown that this physical basis of God’s provision is secondary to the exceedingly more important trust that is formed in us via the judgments that are represented in this imagery found in the molten sea which is above the knops. The story of Jonah demonstrates this point very well, and the word knops is related to the word gourd which was a physical provision that was made for Jonah in time of distress in his life, that taught him the importance of showing mercy to others, as God has been merciful to us (Jon 4:1-11).

knops
H6497
peh’-kah  From an unused root meaning to burst; only used as an architectural term of an ornament similar to H6498, a semi-globe: – knop.

H6498   
pak-koo-aw’  From the same as H6497; the wild cucumber (from splitting open to shed its seeds): – gourd.

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. 

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

[This statement of Jonah is very indicting as it shows the lack  of mercy within him and how, when we are in Babylon, we are not seeking “a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God”. Rather our heart is “yet in my country” (Heb 11:10, Gal 3:28)].

…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. 

[Tarshish is a symbol of Babylon as well, and it’s amazingly how, in our yet carnal state in Babylon, we can understand “that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil” believing that we can be saved with that one sinner’s prayer which is a lie of the devil. Then we turn around after we’ve reassured ourselves that we are saved and go on believing that God should let people burn in hell for all eternity. Jonah was us in type and shadow struggling with his yet carnal and very unmerciful heart, which is what God has to reveal to us through suffering (1Co 10:11)]

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 (Ecc 7:1).
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. 
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. 

[The gourd was a shadow over Jonah’s head and we don’t overcome by wrestling with shadows, so the Lord gave and the Lord took away Jonah’s comfort to show him what was in his heart as He does with us (1Co 9:26, Eph 6:12]

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 [Second time he says this to witness to this truth (Ecc 7:1)].
Jon 4:9  And God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd? [Gen 3:9] And he said, I do well to be angry, even unto death [Second time God asks the question to have us witness what is in our heart].
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: 

[God was showing Jonah how self-absorbed he was (flesh is) in those things that were given him of God and yet how lacking he was in concern for others. It takes a lifetime of much tribulation (Act 14:22) to keep us in a humble frame of mind so that we put others first as we learn obedience by the things we suffer in this flesh (Heb 5:8). God can and does brings us to remember through our trials: “Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD” with grateful and content hearts (Job 1:21, 1Ti 6:6).]

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? [Nineveh represents the world to which the Lord is preparing our heart to show mercy in the great white throne judgment (Jas 2:13)]

Jas 2:13  For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment. 

1Ki 7:25  It stood upon twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, and three looking toward the west, and three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east: and the sea was set above upon them, and all their hinder parts were inward.

The molten sea “stood upon twelve oxen” is another way of saying the world will be founded upon the government of God represented by these “twelve oxen“. The temple was dedicated with twenty-four bullocks (oxen) to witness to the truth (2×12=24) that God’s elect are living sacrifices who are the first fruits unto God who are dedicated unto the altar through Christ (Heb 13:10) for the sake of those who will come after us (Num 7:88). 

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

Num 7:88  And all the oxen for the sacrifice of the peace offerings were twenty and four bullocks, the rams sixty, the he goats sixty, the lambs of the first year sixty. This was the dedication of the altar, after that it was anointed. 

The oxen being able to face in every direction tells us again as we saw last week with the pomegranates (1Ki 7:20) that God’s eyes run to and fro throughout all the earth via His elect who are given to rule over the world through Christ (Rev 4:8, 2Ch 16:9, Eph 5:30, 1Co 12:17, 1Co 12:21). 

Rev 4:8  And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.

Then we’re told that “all their hinder parts were inward” to demonstrate that God’s elect are faithful witnesses whose crib represented by the inner part of the molten sea is not clean, meaning we are digesting the word of God that is sweet in our mouth and bitter in our belly, and the end result of that sanctification process (Joh 17:17) is what brings forth “A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies”  (Pro 14:4-5). 

Pro 14:4  Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox. 
Pro 14:5  A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies. 

The “three looking toward the north, and three looking toward the west, and three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east” is a witness of how all things, all directions in our life, work together for the good for those who love God and who are called according to His purpose (Rom 8:28). If it were not for God’s judgment in our life that comes from the north, this would not be the case (Jer 1:14, Jer 4:6, Joh 3:8, 1Pe 4:17, 1Jn 4:17-18).

Rom 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 

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

Jer 4:6  Set up the standard toward Zion: retire, stay not: for I will bring evil from the north, and a great destruction.

Joh 3:8  The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

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?

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. 
1Jn 4:18  There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. 

How love is perfected in the saints (Heb 12:6): Heb 12:6  For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

1Ki 7:26  And it was an hand breadth thick, and the brim thereof was wrought like the brim of a cup , with flowers of lilies: it contained two thousand baths. 

It is the awesome hand of God represented by “an hand breadth thick” that measures the elects’ lives first (Rev 11:1, 1Co 3:16 , 1Pe 4:17) as a kind of first fruits of His. This area of the molten sea was designed to look “like the brim of a cup” because we all must in our appointed time drink the cup of judgment (Jer 49:12) which we will be able to do through Christ who is symbolized by the “flowers of lilies“(Mat 20:23). As Christ did for us, and is doing for us, we will want to show the same mercy to others through the fiery judgment which must come upon all men, each in their own order, and we are promised that Christ in us will make a way for the world to bear up under those trials just as He has done for us and is doing for us in this age (1Pe 4:17), this points back to the imagery of beasts holding up the molten sea (1Co 10:13).

Rev 11:1  And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.

Jer 49:12  For thus saith the LORD; Behold, they whose judgment was not to drink of the cup have assuredly drunken; and art thou he that shall altogether go unpunished? thou shalt not go unpunished, but thou shalt surely drink of it.

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.

The whole world will also be washed through this process by those angels who have already drank of the cup (Rev 16:16-17) and are now administering the living waters of God’s word, a process symbolized by this statement: “it contained two thousand baths“, which represents all the world [4×500=2000]. These numbers show us that all the world [4] will be saved by grace through faith (Eph 2:8).

Rev 16:16  And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. 
Rev 16:17  And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. 

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

1Ki 7:27  And he made ten bases of brass; four cubits was the length of one base, and four cubits the breadth thereof, and three cubits the height of it.

These “ten bases of brass” were movable stands that could transport the water from the molten sea from place to place. This movable stand represents Christ and God’s elect who are sent forth as Christ was to bring those living waters to the world (Joh 20:21, Joh 3:16-17). Its “ten” bases of brass that each had these dimensions “four cubits was the length of one base, and four cubits the breadth thereof, and three cubits the height of it” that symbolize how all the world [4 cubits breadth and height] will go through a process of judgment symbolized with the [3 cubits height of it.]

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

1Ki 7:28  And the work of the bases was on this manner: they had borders, and the borders were between the ledges: 
1Ki 7:29  And on the borders that were between the ledges were lions, oxen, and cherubims: and upon the ledges there was a base above: and beneath the lions and oxen were certain additions made of thin work. 
1Ki 7:30  And every base had four brasen wheels, and plates of brass: and the four corners thereof had undersetters: under the laver were undersetters molten, at the side of every addition. 

The workmanship done on the bases symbolizes the workmanship of God in our lives (Eph 2:10) that is ongoing and in the aorist tense as these words show us in 1Peter 5:10 [perfect^G2675[G5659] stablish^{G4741 [G5659]} strengthen^{G4599 [G5659]} settle^G2311[G5659] you]. These movable stands had wheels that “had borders, and the borders were between the ledges” providing strength to the wheel. In like manner, the many members of the body of Christ can be thought of as these spoke-like features that collectively add the needed strength for the water to be transported on these movable stands (Eph 4:16).

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

To further confirm where our strength comes from to do the work of the Lord, we see the imagery that was “on the borders that were between the ledges” and are told that there were “lions, oxen, and cherubims: and upon the ledges there was a base above: and beneath the lions and oxen were certain additions made of thin work“. Those details were inspired of God and are all symbols of Christ and His Christ. Here are but a few examples of that found in Scripture, as well as a couple of links to more detailed descriptions from Mike’s Revelation series:

Revelation 4:6-7 – Four Beasts, Part 2

Revelation 4:6-7 – Four Beasts – Part 3

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

Isa 65:25  The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent’s meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD. 

1Co 9:9  For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? 

Hos 11:10  They shall walk after the LORD: he shall roar like a lion: when he shall roar, then the children shall tremble from the west. 

Mic 5:8  And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles in the midst of many people as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep: who, if he go through, both treadeth down, and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver. 

Every movable cart had “four brasen wheels” and “plates of brass“, which is more symbolism to show us that it takes the fiery trials in our lives to forge the “four brasen wheels” and the “plates of brass“, the four brasen wheels representing the whole [4] body of Christ that works in unison with one another as many wheels within wheels that are all turning to the glory of God as Christ works in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure (Eze 1:16, Php 2:12-13).

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. 

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

This last section that talks about “the four corners thereof had undersetters^H3802: under the laver were undersetters^H3802 molten, at the side of every addition” is also part of the molten sea used to support the basin, strengthening the whole thing just as the wheel within the wheel of Ezekiel 1 above. Many translations use the English word “supports” instead of “undersetters”, and in some translations the word used is “shoulder” (Rotherham, YLT, LSV). When we look at the root of this Strong’s number, we see that it means “to clothe”, as a symbol to show us that it will be Christ’s righteousness alone that will clothe us and enable (Rev 19:7-9) us to endure to the end accomplishing all the work that we’ve been commissioned to accomplish from the foundation of the world (Joh 15:16, Eph 1:4).

undersetters H3802 
kaw-thafe’  From an unused root meaning to clothe; the shoulder (proper, that is, upper end of the arm; as being the spot where the garments hang); figuratively side piece or lateral projection or anything: – arm, corner, shoulder (-piece), side, undersetter.

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

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

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

Next week, Lord willing, we will look at part two of this last section of verses which illustrate more details of what the molten sea symbolizes for God’s people today (1Co 10:11).

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

1Ki 7:31  And the mouth of it within the chapiter and above was a cubit: but the mouth thereof was round after the work of the base, a cubit and an half: and also upon the mouth of it were gravings with their borders, foursquare, not round.
1Ki 7:32  And under the borders were four wheels; and the axletrees of the wheels were joined to the base: and the height of a wheel was a cubit and half a cubit.
1Ki 7:33  And the work of the wheels was like the work of a chariot wheel: their axletrees, and their naves, and their felloes, and their spokes, were all molten.
1Ki 7:34  And there were four undersetters to the four corners of one base: and the undersetters were of the very base itself.
1Ki 7:35  And in the top of the base was there a round compass of half a cubit high: and on the top of the base the ledges thereof and the borders thereof were of the same.
1Ki 7:36  For on the plates of the ledges thereof, and on the borders thereof, he graved cherubims, lions, and palm trees, according to the proportion of every one, and additions round about.
1Ki 7:37  After this manner he made the ten bases: all of them had one casting, one measure, and one size.
1Ki 7:38  Then made he ten lavers of brass: one laver contained forty baths: and every laver was four cubits: and upon every one of the ten bases one laver.
1Ki 7:39  And he put five bases on the right side of the house, and five on the left side of the house: and he set the sea on the right side of the house eastward over against the south.
1Ki 7:40  And Hiram made the lavers, and the shovels, and the basons. So Hiram made an end of doing all the work that he made king Solomon for the house of the LORD:

Audio Links

Awesome Hands – Part 110

The Brazen Basin

February 3, 2017

In our previous study we learned that the Lord consecrates us as priests of God by “filling our hands”, and this filling of the hands directly corresponds to the work the Lord does through us.

In our study today, we are going to look at the next mentioning of “yad” and find out that the Lord requires that our work be clean.

The verses for consideration today are found in Exodus 30:17-21:

Exo 30:17  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Exo 30:18  Thou shalt also make a laver of brass, and his foot also of brass, to wash withal: and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein.
Exo 30:19  For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat:
Exo 30:20  When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn offering made by fire unto the LORD:
Exo 30:21  So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they die not: and it shall be a statute for ever to them, even to him and to his seed throughout their generations.

That they die not

It should be apparent that the Lord required that His priests have clean hands and feet when they come into the tabernacle, come near the altar to minister or when they burn an offering.

It should also be apparent that this is something that also applies to His spiritual priests today, and it would be neglectful not to teach this spiritual concept to “up and coming priests”.

What, then, is the spiritual significance of washing hands and feet? Additionally, what is the significance of where the priests are to perform this act?

The brazen altar, or laver, sits between the tabernacle and the altar where the offerings were made. The next requirement for going into the tabernacle was that the priests were required to wash in this laver so that they did not die.

Exodus 30 is the first time that this laver is mentioned, but it is also spoken about in other parts of scripture, and we’re going to take the sum of these other verses to find out what the spiritual significance of this laver is.

Mike did include this topic in his Revelation 15 study, so some of this will be review, while some of it will be adding line upon line and applying spiritual principles to the underlying message in washing hands and feet for the priesthood.

The anointing of Aaron and his sons to be priests was not only upon Aaron and his sons but was also done to the instruments and tools they would use as priests. This is very significant because it is with the hands that the tools would be used. Therefore, the hands needed to be clean before touching the anointed items again and again during the normal workflow of the ministering of the priesthood.

Lev 8:4  And Moses did as the LORD commanded him; and the assembly was gathered together unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
Lev 8:5  And Moses said unto the congregation, This is the thing which the LORD commanded to be done.
Lev 8:6  And Moses brought Aaron and his sons, and washed them with water.
Lev 8:7  And he put upon him the coat, and girded him with the girdle, and clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod upon him, and he girded him with the curious girdle of the ephod, and bound it unto him therewith.
Lev 8:8  And he put the breastplate upon him: also he put in the breastplate the Urim and the Thummim.
Lev 8:9  And he put the mitre upon his head; also upon the mitre, even upon his forefront, did he put the golden plate, the holy crown; as the LORD commanded Moses.
Lev 8:10  And Moses took the anointing oil, and anointed the tabernacle and all that was therein, and sanctified them.
Lev 8:11  And he sprinkled thereof upon the altar seven times, and anointed the altar and all his vessels, both the laver and his foot, to sanctify them.
Lev 8:12  And he poured of the anointing oil upon Aaron’s head, and anointed him, to sanctify him.

The brass laver is in the court and not in the tabernacle, but it must be “passed through”, it must be used in order to go into the tabernacle.

In other words, there must be a washing that takes places when the priests entered the tabernacle. For the priests in the old testament the washing was a physical act, but for the spiritual priests it is much more indeed.

The first thing that comes to my mind is what water and washing are told to us as being in the new testament.

Notice where “washing of water by the Word” is nestled in scripture.

Eph 5:25  Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
Eph 5:26  That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
Eph 5:27  That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
Eph 5:28  So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.

The relationship between a husband and wife is meant to be an extremely intimate one. When we are told what “washing of water by the Word” is, it is directly connected to Love and “the order of things”, and we’ll continue to discuss this point as we move throughout this study.

One another’s feet – that you die not

So far we have mentioned that hands are washed here, but feet are also washed in this laver.

Again, immediately I have two distinct washings come to mind when thinking of water and feet.

I know these stories are not new to us, but I am hoping you will be able to see the connection between the old and new treasures and how they connect directly together. This is the Modern King James Version.

Joh 13:2  And when supper had ended, the Devil now having put into the heart of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon to betray Him,
Joh 13:3  Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and went to God,
Joh 13:4  He rose up from supper and laid aside His garments. And He took a towel and girded Himself.
Joh 13:5  After that He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.
Joh 13:6  Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, Lord, do You wash my feet?
Joh 13:7  Jesus answered and said to him, You do not know what I do now, but you shall know hereafter.
Joh 13:8  Peter said to Him, You shall never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, Unless I wash you, you have no part with Me.
Joh 13:9  Simon Peter said to Him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and head.

Oh, how I have felt like Peter so many times! Lord, just clean and purge all of me! Listen to Jesus’ answer for YOU today. He is speaking to you right now.

Joh 13:10  Jesus said to him, He who is bathed has no need except to wash his feet, but is clean every whit. And you are clean, but not all.
Joh 13:11  For He knew who would betray Him. Therefore He said, You are not all clean.
Joh 13:12  So after He had washed their feet and had taken His garments and had reclined again, He said to them, Do you know what I have done to you?
Joh 13:13  You call Me the Teacher, and Lord, and you say well, for I AM.
Joh 13:14  If then I, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.
Joh 13:15  For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.
Joh 13:16  Truly, truly, I say to you, A servant is not greater than his master, neither is he who is sent greater than he who sent him.
Joh 13:17  If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
Joh 13:18  I do not speak of you all; I know whom I have chosen; but that the Scripture might be fulfilled, “He who eats bread with me has lifted up his heel against me.”

When one is washed by the Lamb of God, what are they washed with?

Rev 1:5  And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

Rev 7:14  And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

We are washed with the blood of the Lamb which baths our bodies, but we are always in need of the washing of our walks!

However, not everyone’s walks are cleaned with water! Let us examine ourselves.

What is Jesus really focused on with this story? Didn’t He just wash all the disciples’ feet? Yes, He did. However, it goes on to tell us “you are not all clean”. He knew Judas was going to betray Him, and by way of the sum of thy Word, we know that all the disciples betrayed Christ.

Jesus is speaking DIRECTLY to the “heart of the matter”. It is our HEARTS AND MIND, from which our WORKS and WALKS proceed, as planted by God the Father, which need to be cleansed!

Notice how many times the priests had to wash their hands and their feet: every time they go into the tabernacle! How often do our hands – our work – and our feet – our walk – need to be cleaned and washed?

Here is another story that directly connects this spiritual concept:

Luk 7:37  And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,
Luk 7:38  And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.
Luk 7:39  Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.
Luk 7:40  And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on.
Luk 7:41  There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.
Luk 7:42  And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?
Luk 7:43  Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.
Luk 7:44  And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.
Luk 7:45  Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.
Luk 7:46  My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.
Luk 7:47  Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.
Luk 7:48  And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.
Luk 7:49  And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also?
Luk 7:50  And he said to the woman, THY FAITH HAS SAVED THEE; go in peace.

“Thy faith has saved thee”. Wow! Where do we get faith? It is a gift of God. Therefore, it is always all of Christ and nothing of us; yet, we are included in this whole process.

“For she loved much” is nestled again right in the middle of this story which happens to be centered on the washing of the feet of Christ.

What then, does water, feet, hands, love, faith, “the order of things”, blood and sacrifice have to do with the brass laver sitting OUTSIDE the tabernacle but WITHIN THE COURT?

There was once a very wise king named Solomon. Since we are talking about priests and their role in washing their hands and feet that they die not, what did Solomon do with this laver when he built the temple after the model of the tabernacle and the court?

1Ki 7:22  And upon the top of the pillars was lily work: so was the work of the pillars finished.
1Ki 7:23  And he made a molten sea, ten cubits from the one brim to the other: it was round all about, and his height was five cubits: and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round about.
1Ki 7:24  And under the brim of it round about there were knops compassing it, ten in a cubit, compassing the sea round about: the knops were cast in two rows, when it was cast.
1Ki 7:25  It stood upon twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, and three looking toward the west, and three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east: and the sea was set above upon them, and all their hinder parts were inward.
1Ki 7:26  And it was an hand breadth thick, and the brim thereof was wrought like the brim of a cup, with flowers of lilies: it contained two thousand baths.

We can confirm that this “molten sea” is definitely the same example of WATER in the laver sitting outside the tabernacle, but in the court, we can read 2 Chronicles.

2Ch 4:2  Also he made a molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim, round in compass, and five cubits the height thereof; and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round about.
2Ch 4:3  And under it was the similitude of oxen, which did compass it round about: ten in a cubit, compassing the sea round about. Two rows of oxen were cast, when it was cast.
2Ch 4:4  It stood upon twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, and three looking toward the west, and three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east: and the sea was set above upon them, and all their hinder parts were inward.
2Ch 4:5  And the thickness of it was an handbreadth, and the brim of it like the work of the brim of a cup, with flowers of lilies; and it received and held three thousand baths.
2Ch 4:6  He made also ten lavers, and put five on the right hand, and five on the left, to wash in them: such things as they offered for the burnt offering they washed in them; but the sea was for the priests to wash in.

So, this “molten sea” is the “brass laver” from which only the priests could wash in. Only, this molten sea was constructed on a much more grander scale than the humble tabernacle we rea about in Exodus 30.

Why is it important that we connect this “molten sea” to the brass laver that only the priest can wash in? I’m glad you asked!

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.

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.

I dare say that the only priests capable of going into the tabernacle are those who has been called, chosen and faithful to go PAST the brass laver INTO the tabernacle where the HIGH priest has already gone. Jesus Christ is the Way which has already been laid for us.

The molten sea that Solomon built was a symbol of the sea of glass which is ONLY for those who are caused to sit around the throne of God.

This paints a very keen word picture because “don’t you know that the kingdom of God is WITHIN YOU?

Your flesh is OUTSIDE the kingdom of God, but in the center of all of this is the KINGDOM of God. The connecting functions of the FLESH being used to be BURNT up, but being the CHANNEL from which God is working all things after the counsel of His own will, allows us to see WHY the brass laver is in the COURT, but LEADS to and MUST be used in order to ENTER the tabernacle.

Where do we come from if not from the sea of humanity? However, coming from the sea of humanity connects us to each other to be able to know where we have been so that we can then sing “the song of the Lord”.

Exo 15:1  Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.
Exo 15:2  The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him.
Exo 15:3  The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name.
Exo 15:4  Pharaoh’s chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea.

See? the “sea” is used to cast all that is the flesh into it so that it cannot enter into the tabernacle of God, His habitation.

We are His temple now, and when we wash our hands and our feet, we are able to stand on the sea of glass, the molten sea being a type and shadow of it, so that we can sing with our mouths the praises of the Lord while harping on our harps.

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 kings and priests shall REIGN on the EARTH! Oh earth, earth, earth do you hear the Word of the Lord telling you who you are to Him?

Rev 14:2  And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:
Rev 14:3  And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and NO MAN could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.
Rev 14:4  These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.
Rev 14:5  And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.

Why is it these “many voices” can sing with their harps a new song? They are redeemed from the EARTH. The priests in the old testament washed their hands and feed, their works and walk, with the Word, but the thing they did not do was WASH ONE ANOTHER’S works and walks!

What am I saying? Is that blasphemy? Remember, washing of water BY THE WORD is telling us that we WASH Christ by WASHING the feet of others. How do we do this? We supply the water (tears in type) which comes from within us (our Head) and give it to others. We supply the Word and inspiration which comes from our Lord and is imparted to us.

What is the result of this as it pertains to the brass laver?

Rev 15:1  And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God.
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 15:3  And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.
Rev 15:4  Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.

“Thy judgments are made manifest” and they come via those whom God has made His kings and priests. They come via those, because they have been redeemed from the earth to pour out the seven plagues upon the earth.

They do this to themselves and to OTHERS when the Word of God is preached and shared!

Notice in verses 15:2 that the sea of glass is mentioned first and then “the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened”.

Rev 15:5  And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened:
Rev 15:6  And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles.
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.

The seven plagues must be fulfilled in the lives of priests and kings. Once this happens, the priests can continuously do the work of the tabernacle “in the court”, but the kings and priests must continuously re-wash their hands and feet in the brass laver so that they do not die.

Starting with the priesthood, being added to by King Solomon and finalized in the four beasts and elders around the throne of God, we can see the progression of the need to wash our walks and works on a daily basis so that we remain faithful to the work the Lord has called us to. Judgment must begin at the house of God, and when it does, we will truly be singing the Song of Moses and of the Lamb for ourselves and with one another.

It takes a lot of faith to do what God says to do and to desire that judgment comes to us. It’s a good thing we do not need to worry whether we have faith or not of our ownselves since it is the Lord alone who can give us faith to face His judgments. However, we can and should ask for more faith when we know that we need it. The Lord will answer us in His own way and timing.

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Awesome Hands – part 100

“Brass in the outer court”

June 29, 2016

Confirmation is always very important in all aspects of human life and interactions with others. When we are having conversations, confirmations allow us to connect to one another because we are able to relate to each other.

Confirmations also act as a guide post of sorts to allow us to individually gauge where we are with whatever topic or item the confirmation confirms.

For the body of Christ, having confirmations that we are His beloved and He is ours allows is to move through our lives with confidence that no matter what we do or what we go through, we will have Him there with us.

In our study today we are going to continue the awesome hands series with a few more confirmations of why we matter to Jesus Christ and to each other.

It’s all in the details

Isn’t it amazing that the things that tend to bore us as humans are often the most needed yet neglected of all things to which we give our time?

Take for example the verses we will be covering today. There are many repeating and monotonous details in the description of the outer walls of the tabernacle court, yet they hold very instructive details for one of the things most Christians want to know about - namely, our relationship with God and what it means, how it manifests itself and how we can have a better relationship with God.

For brevity's sake, I will not read our verses today from the KJV so that I can help to make these verses more easily understood, but I do not want to skip them either because the Lord is in the details, so I will read them from the CEV translation below.

Exo 27:9  And thou shalt make the court of the tabernacle: for the south side southward there shall be hangings for the court of fine twined linen of an hundred cubits long for one side:
Exo 27:10  And the twenty pillars thereof and their twenty sockets shall be of brass; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets shall be of silver.
Exo 27:11  And likewise for the north side in length there shall be hangings of an hundred cubits long, and his twenty pillars and their twenty sockets of brass; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets of silver.
Exo 27:12  And for the breadth of the court on the west side shall be hangings of fifty cubits: their pillars ten, and their sockets ten.
Exo 27:13  And the breadth of the court on the east side eastward shall be fifty cubits.
Exo 27:14  The hangings of one side of the gate shall be fifteen cubits: their pillars three, and their sockets three.
Exo 27:15  And on the other side shall be hangings fifteen cubits: their pillars three, and their sockets three.
Exo 27:16  And for the gate of the court shall be an hanging of twenty cubits, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, wrought with needlework: and their pillars shall be four, and their sockets four.
Exo 27:17  All the pillars round about the court shall be filleted with silver; their hooks shall be of silver, and their sockets of brass.
Exo 27:18  The length of the court shall be an hundred cubits, and the breadth fifty every where, and the height five cubits of fine twined linen, and their sockets of brass.
Exo 27:19  All the vessels of the tabernacle in all the service thereof, and all the pins thereof, and all the pins of the court, shall be of brass.
Exo 27:20  And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always.
Exo 27:21  In the tabernacle of the congregation without the vail, which is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall order it from evening to morning before the LORD: it shall be a statute for ever unto their generations on the behalf of the children of Israel.

Instead, I will read these same verses from the CEV (Contemporary English Version).

Exo 27:9  Surround the sacred tent with a courtyard one hundred fifty feet long on the south and north and seventy-five feet wide on the east and west. Use twenty bronze posts on bronze stands for the south and north and ten for the west. Then hang a curtain of fine linen on the posts along each of these three sides by using silver hooks and rods. Place three bronze posts on each side of the entrance at the east and hang a curtain seven and a half yards wide on each set of posts.

Exo 27:10  (SEE 27:9)
Exo 27:11  (SEE 27:9)
Exo 27:12  (SEE 27:9)
Exo 27:13  (SEE 27:9)
Exo 27:14  (SEE 27:9)
Exo 27:15  (SEE 27:9)

Exo 27:16  Use four more of these posts for the entrance way, then hang on them an embroidered curtain of fine linen ten yards long and woven with blue, purple, and red wool.
Exo 27:17  The curtains that surround the courtyard must be two and a half yards high and are to be hung from the bronze posts with silver hooks and rods.
Exo 27:18  (SEE 27:17)
Exo 27:19  The rest of the equipment for the sacred tent must be made of bronze, including the pegs for the tent and for the curtain surrounding the courtyard.

The first thing to keep in mind when listening to or reading anything about the tabernacle is that it is a foreshadowing of who we are in Christ and how we relate to God the Father via Jesus Christ.

Heb 8:1  Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;
Heb 8:2  A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.
Heb 8:3  For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer.
Heb 8:4  For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law:
Heb 8:5  Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.

Heb 10:1  The Law of Moses is like a shadow of the good things to come. This shadow isn't the good things themselves, because it cannot free people from sin by the sacrifices that are offered year after year.
Heb 10:2  If there were worshipers who already have their sins washed away and their consciences made clear, there would not be any need to go on offering sacrifices.
Heb 10:3  But the blood of bulls and goats cannot take away sins. It only reminds people of their sins from one year to the next.
Heb 10:4  (SEE 10:3)
Heb 10:5  When Christ came into the world, he said to God, "Sacrifices and offerings are not what you want, but you have given me my body.

So, as we read about this outer court of the tabernacle what are we being told in all the details of each of the sockets, pillars, curtains, rods and rings?

God wants you to know the details because it is in the details that He reveals Himself. Think about how it is Faith inspires you or hope grasps your heart and mind. You have memories of when God came to you in your darkest times or helped you up when you knew there was no way forward.

It is in these times and the special details of those interactions that you remember God’s presence. Likewise, when we study things like the details in the making of the tabernacle we know that the Lord set in motion all that the Israelites when through, for example, so that He could once again reach out through the vastness of time and touch you with the details He has prepared for His children to know He is and has always been there for them.

Brazen Altar

In Awesome Hands Part 99 the bronze/brazen altar was mentioned. Here in this study we are covering the entrance/gate to the outer court which eventually leads to the tabernacle.

In order to enter the tabernacle, the Israelites had to come through the fine linen gate which was supported by 4 bronze pillars and hanging from silver hooks.

Immediately upon entering the outer court they were presented with the brazen altar which was an immediate reminder that in order to approach the God of Israel at all you need to have a sacrifice prepared.

Of course, there were many Israelites entering into the tabernacle so there would have been blood everywhere in the vicinity of the altar.

Next, is the laver where all the washing would take place with the laver being between the bronze alter and the tabernacle tent. In these two items we can see that Israel was given a glimpse of having privilege with God of being His people yet unless you were a priest you could not enter into the holies nor holy of holies.

Heb 10:6  No, you are not pleased with animal sacrifices and offerings for sin."
Heb 10:7  Then Christ said, "And so, my God, I have come to do what you want, as the Scriptures say."
Heb 10:8  The Law teaches that offerings and sacrifices must be made because of sin. But why did Christ mention these things and say that God did not want them?
Heb 10:9  Well, it was to do away with offerings and sacrifices and to replace them. That is what he meant by saying to God, "I have come to do what you want."
Heb 10:10  So we are made holy because Christ obeyed God and offered himself once for all.
Heb 10:11  The priests do their work each day, and they keep on offering sacrifices that can never take away sins.
Heb 10:12  But Christ offered himself as a sacrifice that is good forever. Now he is sitting at God's right side,
Heb 10:13  and he will stay there until his enemies are put under his power.

Being the Jesus Christ is our offering for sin, and that He is the last sacrifice ever needed, what then is our part in the tabernacle as it relates to all the brass/bronze that we initially are confronted with when entering into the outer court?

Heb 10:14  By his one sacrifice he has forever set free from sin the people he brings to God.
Heb 10:15  The Holy Spirit also speaks of this by telling us that the Lord said,
Heb 10:16  "When the time comes, I will make an agreement with them. I will write my laws on their minds and hearts.
Heb 10:17  Then I will forget about their sins and no longer remember their evil deeds."
Heb 10:18  When sins are forgiven, there is no more need to offer sacrifices.

God does not care about our sacrifices to and for Him which come out of our own carnal reasoning. What He does care immensely for is that our covenant is recognized for what it is and that our hearts and minds are renewed towards Him.

How then are our minds renewed?

Eph 4:23  And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
Eph 4:24  And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

2Co 4:12  So then death worketh in us, but life in you.
2Co 4:13  We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;
2Co 4:14  Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.
2Co 4:15  For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.
2Co 4:16  For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
2Co 4:17  For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
2Co 4:18  While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

It is inevitable that we look on the things that are able to be seen, but we must remind ourselves not to dwell on them.

Life in this aion with wear us down to the point that we would perish if we did not think on the LORD, but we will be raised up when all is said and done.

Just like the laver which sits between the brazen alter and the tent of the tabernacle, we must be renewed by the washing of water by the Word so that we do not concentrate on the blood of the cross always but that we move past it into the very presence of God.

I cannot help to quote the Word and go to the scriptures for comfort. I cannot help but read them and present them to you all to show you how it is we all approach the Lord. Do you put these things into practice? If not, then you are robbing your own heart and mind of the peace of God.

Col 3:10  And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
Col 3:11  Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
Col 3:12  Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
Col 3:13  Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
Col 3:14  And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
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.
Col 3:16  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Col 3:17  And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

With all that being said, there is a price that we will pay for being able to approach and eat at the table of the Lord while in this flesh.

That price is the fiery trials that we must all endure and overcome to the end. There is a reason that the Son of God has brass feet. His feet and His walk are who we ARE to the Lord. We are crucified with Him and it looks something like this. Do you see yourself in Daniel?

Dan 10:4  And in the four and twentieth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, which is Hiddekel;
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.
Dan 10:7  And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves.
Dan 10:8  Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength.

Even though we of ourselves are just corruption, the Lord still speaks to us.

Dan 10:9  Yet heard I the voice of his words: and when I heard the voice of his words, then was I in a deep sleep on my face, and my face toward the ground.
Dan 10:10  And, behold, an hand touched me, which set me upon my knees and upon the palms of my hands.
Dan 10:11  And he said unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee, and stand upright: for unto thee am I now sent. And when he had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling.
Dan 10:12  Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.

The Lord has the answers we need if we’d only trust in Him to provide them in His timing. Yes, even this is all of the Lord yet we are told to desire the heavenly things and to write His words upon our hearts and minds.

For me, one of the strongest examples in scripture of renewing our minds to what the Lord is doing in our lives is found in Psalm 103.

Psa 103:1  A Psalm of David. Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
Psa 103:2  Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
Psa 103:3  Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
Psa 103:4  Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
Psa 103:5  Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.
Psa 103:6  The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.
Psa 103:7  He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.

The tabernacle is the shadow of His ways and His acts being made know to US!

Psa 103:8  The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
Psa 103:9  He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.
Psa 103:10  He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
Psa 103:11  For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
Psa 103:12  As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
Psa 103:13  Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.
Psa 103:14  For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.
Psa 103:15  As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.
Psa 103:16  For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.
Psa 103:17  But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children;
Psa 103:18  To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.
Psa 103:19  The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.
Psa 103:20  Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.
Psa 103:21  Bless ye the LORD, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.
Psa 103:22  Bless the LORD, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the LORD, O my soul.

Brass or bronze is the best that the flesh has to offer and a positive application of bronze is that while we still have to contend with the flesh it is WHILE we are in the flesh that we are able to first approach God.

That simply happens because our old man, the carnal mind and the flesh which produces death that pulls on our hearts and minds, is being destroyed daily has He increase and we decrease. Washing of water by the Word is always needed by those who desire to go into the holy and holy of holies with Christ Jesus.

Fear of the Lord isn’t something that is negative, and spiritual fear of the Lord is not what your carnal reasoning tells you it is. Fear of the Lord is the acknowledgement that you have someone higher up the spiritual food scale than you.

Fear of the Lord is acknowledging that the Lord is, was and will be Lord of all and in all. Fear of the Lord is what CAUSES you and me and anyone else who calls himself a Christian to be able to LOVE!

Keeping His great commandments hinges on our fear of the Lord and fear and respect of whom the Lord our God is, was and will be is the key to understanding how to endure and overcome to the end.

Being that we are being trained up as kings and priests, we must obey the Lord and always have ready the oil that is needed to keep the lights on in the tabernacle.

Exo 27:20  Command the people of Israel to supply you with the purest olive oil. Do this so the lamp will keep burning
Exo 27:21  in front of the curtain that separates the holy place from the most holy place, where the sacred chest is kept. Aaron and his sons are responsible for keeping the lamp burning every night in the sacred tent. The Israelites must always obey this command.

In the next study, we will continue to look at how the Lord works His spiritual hands in our lives to present Himself to us even more with the pattern given to us in all that made up the physical tabernacle of the Jews. In the meantime, keep the Lights on by using the power of the Lord in your lives to present the Lord to others who are in your influence.

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Revelation 1:15 – Feet Like Unto Brass

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

As always, we are being taught to “keep the things written therein.” We are being taught the same things all the apostles were taught. What the apostles all learned was what Paul, Peter and John all called “the revelation of Jesus Christ:”

Gal 1:11  But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
Gal 1:12  For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

1Pe 1:13  Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

… and of course this very book, penned by John himself:

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:

What we are learning in this study is that as Christ’s elect we are to this world exactly what Christ was when He was in a body of flesh and blood.  We reveal Christ to others in this world through our lives, just as the Father was revealed to us by Christ and His way of life.

Joh 14:8  Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
Joh 14:9  Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?

As Christ is to us, the revelation of His Father, even so we are to this world “the revelation of Jesus Christ.” What we are learning is that the revelation of Christ takes place within each of us because we are told… “As He is so are we in this world.”

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.

We are learning that as we come to see more of “the revelation of Jesus Christ,” what we are seeing is that the revelation of Jesus Christ has to do with Christ in us being Christ in this world.

Joh 17:18  As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.

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

So how is it that Christ’s feet are “like unto fine brass,” and why are we told that His feet are “as if they burned in a furnace?” Why are we not told that Christ’s feet are as gold, as if they were in air-conditioned comfort?

“And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace;”

All of these symbols of the book of Revelation come from the Old Testament. For example, Revelation 1:15 comes from Daniel 10:6.

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.

Many months ago we did a study on metals in scripture. That study is to be found in its entirety on iswasandwillbe.com, with the series beginning here. In our study on the base metal copper, we saw that the sockets of the feet of all the boards which made up the tabernacle in the wilderness, were all made of silver, except for the sockets which held the pillars on which the curtains hung, which formed the door of the holy place. What we learned in that study was that God had promised His overcomers that He would make them pillars in His temple, and it just so happens that the sockets which hold the pillars at the door of the tabernacle are not made of silver, but they are made of fine brass.

Exo 26:36  And thou shalt make an hanging for the door of the tent, [of] blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, wrought with needlework.
Exo 26:37  And thou shalt make for the hanging five pillars of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, [and] their hooks [shall be of] gold: and thou shalt cast five sockets of brass for them.

Rev 3:12  Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

What we learned in that study on metals is what we are learning in this study. We came to see that the only place pillars are found in God’s tabernacle were five pillars at the door of the tent and four pillars at the door of the holy of holies. Only the feet, or the sockets of the pillars at the door of the tent, were to be made of fine brass, which should have been translated ‘copper.’ The message we were given in that study was that it is only through God’s elect that anyone can come into the presence of God because “As He is so are we in this world.”

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

So there is a very good reason why Christ’s feet are “like unto fine brass” instead of fine gold, and there is a very good reason why we are told that they are “as if they burned in a furnace.” That reason has to do with the fact that Christ was “made sin,” and “took not on him the nature of angels, but he took on him the seed of Abraham” and in that body of sinful flesh, He endured the fiery trials of resisting sin and false doctrines as a way of life.

“As He is so are we in this world” is true only because of the truth of the verses quoted in earlier studies concerning the fact that Christ “took not on Him the nature of angels, but He took on him the seed of Abraham.” That “seed of Abraham” was indeed the “the same… flesh and blood… seed of Abraham… made in the likeness of sinful flesh… as the children.” It was not some different kind of flesh and blood.

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

Heb 2:11  For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified [are] all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,
Heb 2:12  Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.
Heb 2:13  And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me.
Heb 2:14  Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
Heb 2:15  And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
Heb 2:16  For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.
Heb 2:17  Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things [pertaining] to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

Here again is why Christ’s feet are “like unto fine brass” instead of fine gold. Here again those who deny the truth of Romans 8:3 and Hebrews 2:3-17 are called “that spirit of antichrist.”

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.

So while the whole world is looking for a certain man to come at the end of this age as the Antichrist, we are clearly warned that that prophecy is, was and will be being fulfilled every day that anyone denies that Christ has “come in… the same… sinful flesh and blood… as the children… of Abraham.”  This is a matter of spiritual life and spiritual death. Did Christ come as a man, or does this next verse of scripture contradict what we are told here in 1 John 4:3?

Mat 1:20  But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.

This verse has been used since the days of the apostles Paul and John to deny that Christ was really a son of Abraham and thus a son of Adam, as well as being “of the holy ghost.” The whole orthodox Christian world has taken it upon themselves to save Christ from being tainted with the sin that is in all flesh:

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

If “no good thing” dwells in our flesh would that not also be true of Christ’s flesh? Let’s let Christ himself answer that question:

Mat 19:16  And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
Mat 19:17  And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.

These words out of the mouth of our Lord accord with the words of Hebrews 2… “the same flesh and blood…like unto sinful flesh…not the nature of angels, but the seed of Abraham, flesh and blood,” which it “behoved Him in all things to be like unto His brothers.” Just as men could not see how Christ could be both “out of Judah” and at the same time be “out of Nazareth”, neither can carnal men understand how Christ can be “born of the holy ghost” and also be “the Son of Man.” Until this very day mankind cannot see how our Savior can be “made sin who knew no sin,” and yet that is the doctrine which is according to godliness, as contrasted to the spirit of Antichrist. Here is a second warning against this millennial old doctrine which has always dominated orthodox Christianity.

2Co 5:21 For the man who knew no sin was made sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.

2Jn 1:7  For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist

Just as the Adversary has always done, he speaks with a forked tongue. He admits that God is love, and with the same tongue and in the same breath, he tells you that this loving God and heavenly Father, will burn His children in hell for all eternity. So it is with this doctrine of Christ coming in “the same flesh and blood as the children of Abraham.” All of orthodox Christianity proclaims that Christ came in the flesh, and with the same forked tongue of their father the devil (Joh 6:44) they deny that it is “the same flesh as that flesh and blood of the children of Abraham.”

Here is the doctrine of a dear brother who bought into this body the heretical doctrine which denies that the flesh of Christ is the same as ours:

“Your point about Psalm 51:5 is again out of line with the scriptures. You say my take on this scipture is “Catholic orthodoxy”. No, Mike, that’s just plainly not true. It is you that deny the Gospel of Matthew, and the Gospel of Luke and call those Gospels’ “false doctrines.” The Gospel accounts of both Matthew and Luke tell us that Christ was born of a virgin mother, not conceived in sin as you state. Christ was born Holy, not shapen in iniquity as you state, and both of those statements by Matthew and Luke are in line with all the prophecies of Christ in the O.T. Psalm 51:5 is clearly David talking about himself, and about all of mankind. It is not in reference to Christ. Christ did not come in the “same” flesh as we do, he came in the LIKENESS of our flesh.”

“There is no scripture anywhere that says Christ was either carnally minded, sinful, conceived in sin or shapen in iniquity. Jesus Christ is, was and will be our spotless, unblemished sacrifice and savior, He was perfect just as His Father is in Heaven.”

That is how the phrase “likeness of sinful flesh”  is twisted to make it say that “Christ did not come in the same flesh as we do.” Compare those words to these words of our Lord, and then try the spirits to see whether they are of God:

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

Luk 13:32  And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.

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

Heb 2:14  Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

Do any of those scriptures say “[Christ] was perfect just like His Father in heaven”? I think not!

Why are Christ’s feet as brass? Because they represent “His body… in the likeness of sinful flesh.”

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

Christ’s body, His true church, is always walking in fiery trials:

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

Christ is now in “our flesh.” We are now His body and His feet, which move his body. We are now “His flesh and His bones”:

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

Isa 52:7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!

As if they burned in a furnace, Christ’s feet are what move “His body” as He walks. Christ is now walking in the same sinful flesh and blood in which He came to this earth. He is now in you and in me, and if we are faithful to His doctrines, we are even now “as if we were in a furnace.” Here is the scripture which tells us this is so:

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.

What day is “the day?” “The day” is the day of judgment. It is a fiery day which will burn up all that cannot withstand the fire. It will burn out all of the “wood, hay, and stubble” that is in our lives.

1Pe 4:12  Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
1Pe 4:13  But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
1Pe 4:14  If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy [ are ye]; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.

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?

God’s word is the ‘fire’ which judges all flesh. Yes, it even declares that the flesh and blood of our spotless Savior cannot inherit the kingdom of God, and even Christ had to be “perfected on the third day,” the day of His resurrection.

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

Luk 13:32  And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.

It takes time for the wood, hay and stubble to be burned out of our lives, to bring us to perfection. When we read that His feet burned in a furnace, it is interesting to note that the only other place that this Greek word translated ‘burned’ appears in the book of Revelation is in Revelation 3:18, and here it is translated ‘tried’.

Rev 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried [G4448: ‘puroo’]  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.

Rev 1:15  And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned [G4448: ‘puroo’] in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.

The same word is also translated ‘fiery’ in Ephesians 6:15-16.

Eph 6:15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
Eph 6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

The ‘fiery’ in 1 Peter 4:12 is also from the root of this same Greek word.

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:

Rev 1:15  … And his voice as the sound of many waters.

What is meant by the phrase “many waters?” Why is the voice of Christ said to be “as the sound of many waters? The scriptures demonstrate that the phrase “many waters” is another way of saying the people of God, whether God’s people are being ruled over by a “great whore” or whether they are around the throne of God in heaven. Wherever we see this phrase, we are seeing a reference to the people of God. Here is how the spirit has inspired this phrase to be used:

Rev 17:1  And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:

That is the negative application of this phrase. Look now at these entries for this phrase:

Rev 14:2  And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:

As we will soon come to see, “the voice of many waters and the voice of a great thunder and the voice of harpers harping with their harps” are all one and the same. All three are symbols of God’s people.

Rev 19:6  And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.

Once again, “the voice of a great multitude and the voice of many waters and the voice of mighty thunderings” are all the voices of God’s elect “ saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.”

Conclusion

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

We have seen that the feet “as fine brass” are the feet of Christ and His Christ. We have seen that the feet of Christ are always “as if they burned in a furnace” as we carry the body of Christ through the fiery trials which are “the things which are written therein.” We have also seen that the sound of many waters is also Christ and His elect, speaking the fiery words of Christ which judge this world in us and burn out of us all that cannot withstand that fire.

We have seen that “as He is so are we in this world” (1Jo 4:17).

Does the world need Christ?

Joh 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Joh 3:17  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Yes, the world needs Christ. No matter how popular Oprah may be, the Truth will always remain that the name of Jesus Christ is the only name by which men can be saved.

Act 4:12  Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

What does “the name of Christ” mean? What does “as He is so are we in this world” mean? Can we carry that thought through to the extent that we can be called saviors? Yes, we have already established that fact with these verses:

Neh 9:27  Therefore thou deliveredst them into the hand of their enemies, who vexed them: and in the time of their trouble, when they cried unto thee, thou heardest them from heaven; and according to thy manifold mercies thou gavest them saviours, who saved them out of the hand of their enemies.

“You gave them saviors.” Is this the only verse which brings this out? No, it is not. Here it is again:

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

What kingdom shall be the Lord’s? Is this talking exclusively about the millennial kingdom, or do these “saviors” include you and me as that “kingdom of God within you?”

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 ‘saviors come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau’ and if “the kingdom is the Lord’s” and if that “kingdom is within us,” then it follows that mount Zion and the mount of Esau, must also be within us, the former judging the latter, within us. Is this not what we are being told in these verses of God’s Word?

Joh 17:14  I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
Joh 17:15   I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
Joh 17:16  They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
Joh 17:17  Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
Joh 17:18  As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.
Joh 17:19  And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.
Joh 17:20  Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
Joh 17:21  That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
Joh 17:22  And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
Joh 17:23  I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

In our next study, Lord willing, we will discover what is the meaning of the symbolism of our next verse:

Rev 1:16  And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance [was] as the sun shineth in his strength.

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Base Metals in Scripture

As we have seen that metals in scripture all are used to reveal to us that God’s Work in us all is a purifying process of burning out all of the dross and impurities that are this earth in us. All metals must be taken out of the earth and refined in fire. This is true even for the common, base metals. We have seen that the scriptures use lead to depict our earliest experiences with our heavenly Father. Tin follows lead and is followed by iron. We now come to the last of the base metals mentioned in scripture. Here again are the metals of scripture:

Num 31:22  Only the gold, and the silver, the brass, the iron, the tin, and the lead,
Num 31:23  Every thing that may abide the fire, ye shall make it go through the fire, and it shall be clean: nevertheless it shall be purified with the water of separation: and all that abideth not the fire ye shall make go through the water.

We have two baptisms mentioned in these verses:

Mat 3:11  I indeed baptize 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 baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

We are baptized with water, the Red Sea and the Jordan, before we are truly circumcised and begin fighting the ‘giants in the land.’ These ‘water baptisms’ precede even the beginning of the fiery purifying of the base metals taken from the hills of the promised land within each of us. We all live by every word of God. We all experience John’s water  baptisms before we even begin Christ fire baptisms:

Mat 3:11  I indeed baptize 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 baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

What is that fiery, holy spirit baptism with fire? This will give you an idea if you have been given eyes to see:

Luk 12:47  And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not [ himself], neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many [ stripes].
Luk 12:48  But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few [ stripes]. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.
Luk 12:49  I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled?
Luk 12:50  But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!
Luk 12:51  Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:
Luk 12:52  For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three.
Luk 12:53  The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.

Do we not live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God? Does that not include these words:

Mat 20:20  Then came to him the mother of Zebedee’s children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him.
Mat 20:21  And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom.
Mat 20:22  But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able.
Mat 20:23  And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.
Mat 20:24  And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren.
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;
Mat 20:27  And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:
Mat 20:28  Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

So the fiery refinement of metals in scripture are the fiery baptisms we endure. The refining of the base metals are our fiery baptisms in Babylon. All must be brought to Babylon and fall into the sins of Babylon, before we can be “brought out of her my people.” There is no way to shortcircuit the system simply because “man shall… live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.”

God’s house is not Babylon. It begins there just as Israel as a nation began in Egypt. God’s true house, the house in which He dwells in spirit, is within His elect who are chosen out of Babylon.

The metal that is to be refined out of the hills of the land of promise today is the most precious metal of our Babylonian experience. It is the rarest and most valuable of the yet common base metals. Our metal which reveals our carnal, babe in Christ, Babylonian state, for this week is copper. It is most often referred to as ‘brass’ in the King James Version.

I bought a 3/4 inch by 5 foot long copper pipe a few weeks back and had to pay eleven dollars for that short piece of copper. That seemed to me to be highway robbery, but it does serve to illustrate that copper is far more valuable than lead, tin, or iron.

So what does this tell us about the spiritual significance of copper? Copper is not as hard as iron, but it is more rare, and it is more useful, and therefore far more valuable. The same is true of copper’s availability and value as compared to lead and tin. Tin and lead are much more abundant and much less useful and much less valuable than copper.

In spite of all of this, copper is still a base metal, nowhere near as useful to God, or as rare and valuable as silver or gold.

Copper, like all metals, signifies the work of the holy spirit in our lives, and must therefore go through the furnace of fire before it can be cleansed of the earth from which it is taken. We have already noted that even base metals must be refined in a furnace of fire. Going through that furnace, as hot and as purifying and as purging as that furnace of fire may seem to be, does not make this metal any the less common or base. Copper is still associated in scripture with the line of Cain:

Gen 4:22 And Zillah, she also bare Tubalcain, an instructer of every artificer in brass [Hebrew: copper] and iron: and the sister of Tubalcain was Naamah.

Again, what is this telling us spiritually? We have covered this so many times that I am going to start referring to this spiritual lesson as the John 8 and the 1Corinthians 3 lesson.

Joh 8:30 As he spake these words, many believed on him.
Joh 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, [then] are ye my disciples indeed;
Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Joh 8:33 They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
Joh 8:34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
Joh 8:35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: [but] the Son abideth ever.
Joh 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
Joh 8:37 I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.

1Co 1:2 [Paul] Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:

1Co 3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, [even] as unto babes 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?

Christ’s words have no place in our lives while we are yet in our carnal, ‘copper,’ common, base metal, spiritual babes in Christ, condition, where we still want to kill Christ in our brothers whom we hate:

Joh 8:44 Ye [who believe on Me and yet want me dead] 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.

Who is a murderer? We are all murderers. We all live by every word which proceeds out of the mouth of God.

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

So copper is far superior to all the other base metals that are used to tell us where we are in our purifying, refining journey. Copper is used in scripture to show us the very best that a “carnal babe in Christ” has to offer in service to God:

Exo 25:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Exo 25:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering.
Exo 25:3 And this [is] the offering which ye shall take of them; gold, and silver, and brass,

We do not start out giving God an offering of gold. Yes, gold is mentioned first, but so, too, is the burnt offering. God often speaks to us from His own perspective of what we become in Christ. However, we start off as a sinner who is not a sweet smelling savor, and we become a burnt offering which is a sweet smelling savor. We start off in God’s service as copper. We later become a golden pillar in His temple through which all men will come into the presence of God.

Where Copper Is To Be Found In Most Abundance – The Brazen Altar And All Of Its Implements

“All the vessels of the tabernacle in all the service thereof… shall be of brass“

Exo 27:1 And thou shalt make an altar [of] shittim wood, five cubits long, and five cubits broad; the altar shall be foursquare: and the height thereof [shall be] three cubits.
Exo 27:2 And thou shalt make the horns of it upon the four corners thereof: his horns shall be of the same: and thou shalt overlay it with brass.
Exo 27:3 And thou shalt make his pans to receive his ashes, and his shovels, and his basons, and his fleshhooks, and his firepans: all the vessels thereof thou shalt make of brass.
Exo 27:4 And thou shalt make for it a grate of network of brass; and upon the net shalt thou make four brasen rings in the four corners thereof.
Exo 27:5 And thou shalt put it under the compass of the altar beneath, that the net may be even to the midst of the altar.
Exo 27:6 And thou shalt make staves for the altar, staves [of] shittim wood, and overlay them with brass.
Exo 27:7 And the staves shall be put into the rings, and the staves shall be upon the two sides of the altar, to bear it.
Exo 27:8 Hollow with boards shalt thou make it: as it was shewed thee in the mount, so shall they make it.
Exo 27:9 And thou shalt make the court of the tabernacle: for the south side southward there shall be hangings for the court of fine twined linen of an hundred cubits long for one side:
Exo 27:10 And the twenty pillars thereof and their twenty sockets shall be of brass; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets [shall be of] silver.
Exo 27:11 And likewise for the north side in length there shall be hangings of an hundred cubits long, and his twenty pillars and their twenty sockets of brass; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets of silver.
Exo 27:12 And for the breadth of the court on the west side shall be hangings of fifty cubits: their pillars ten, and their sockets ten.
Exo 27:13 And the breadth of the court on the east side eastward shall be fifty cubits.
Exo 27:14 The hangings of one side of the gate shall be fifteen cubits: their pillars three, and their sockets three.
Exo 27:15 And on the other side shall be hangings fifteen cubits: their pillars three, and their sockets three.
Exo 27:16 And for the gate of the court shall be an hanging of twenty cubits, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, wrought with needlework: [and] their pillars shall be four, and their sockets four.
Exo 27:17 All the pillars round about the court shall be filleted with silver; their hooks shall be of silver, and their sockets of brass.
Exo 27:18 The length of the court shall be an hundred cubits, and the breadth fifty every where, and the height five cubits of fine twined linen, and their sockets [of] brass.
Exo 27:19 All the vessels of the tabernacle in all the service thereof, and all the pins thereof, and all the pins of the court, shall be of brass.

The altar is the cross, the table of God:

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

Here is where that altar is:

Lev 6:14  And this [ is] the law of the meat offering: the sons of Aaron shall offer it before the LORD, before the altar.
Lev 6:15  And he shall take of it his handful, of the flour of the meat offering, and of the oil thereof, and all the frankincense which [ is] upon the meat offering, and shall burn [ it] upon the altar [ for] a sweet savour, even the memorial of it, unto the LORD.
Lev 6:16  And the remainder thereof shall Aaron and his sons eat: with unleavened bread shall it be eaten in the holy place; in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation they shall eat it.
Lev 6:26 The priest that offereth it for sin shall eat it: in the holy place shall it be eaten, in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation.

There is no brass or copper in this room.

And The Laver – Our First Baptism

Exo 30:18 Thou shalt also make a laver of brass, and his foot also of brass, to wash withal: and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein.

The laver, and all the implements of the service of the tabernacle, is where the copper implements of service of the tabernacle stop.

Exo 27:19 All the vessels of the tabernacle in all the service thereof, and all the pins thereof, and all the pins of the court, shall be of brass.

This is where the Levites who are not priests, work and eat. God’s anointed eat at another altar:

Lev 10:12 And Moses spake unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons that were left, Take the meat offering that remaineth of the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and eat it without leaven beside the altar: for it [is] most holy:
Lev 10:13 And ye shall eat it in the holy place, because it is thy due, and thy sons’ due, of the sacrifices of the LORD made by fire: for so I am commanded.

Exactly Where Does The Copper Stop?

There is only one place in the tabernacle where we find copper:

Exo 36:35 And he made a vail of [the holy of holies] blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen: [with] cherubims made he it of cunning work.
Exo 36:36 And he made thereunto four pillars of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold: their hooks were of gold; and he cast for them four sockets of silver.
Exo 36:37 And he made an hanging for the tabernacle door of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, of needlework;
Exo 36:38 And the five pillars of it with their hooks: and he overlaid their chapiters and their fillets with gold: but their five sockets were of brass.

The first veil is this body of flesh in which Christ dwells. The boards were overlaid with gold, “but their five sockets were of brass.”

Heb 10:19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
Heb 10:20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;

The veil of flesh is now our bodies in which earthen vessels He now dwells:

2Co 4:5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.
2Co 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to [give] the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
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 treasure” is these golden boards of Christ “in earthen vessels,” is “but their five sockets were of brass.” This is where copper stops in God’s tabernacle.

This is where we “come out of her my people.” It is a process, but it begins at the door of the tabernacle. No Levite who was not a son of Aaron was ever to go past those first five golden boards, the five pillars, whose “five sockets were of brass.”

Conclusion

We will stop here for now, but copper is mentioned many times in scripture and we must come to see its spiritual applications in all the prophecies of God’s Word.

What we have seen thus far, should demonstrate that:

Exo 27:19 All the vessels of the tabernacle in all the service thereof, and all the pins thereof, and all the pins of the court, shall be of brass.

This is where the Levites who are not priests, work and eat. This is where we all are while we are yet immersed “in the service of the tabernacle”, being prepared to be “called out of Babylon.”