The Female Idol – Fastened with a Nail

Study 10

Part 1

[Study Aired April 11, 2026]

Deu 4:15  Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the LORD spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire:
Deu 4:16  Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female,

For anyone other than the Elect of God, to read thus far, in these preliminary reviews of the origins of the Bride of Christ, they all depict an unflattering portrayal of no better description and moral price she pays than that of a whore. Only she understands her God-given worth, recognising that she has relinquished every aspect of herself to acquire that field of buried treasure, the priceless pearl of her Husband’s righteousness to be His Wife. Indeed, it is He who has sacrificed the greatest price of all in redeeming her from among equally flawed humanity, to reflect the sinless path her Lord and Husband has travelled for her to likewise mirror and save her billions of brothers and sisters since Eden.

This study reviews the origin of idol worship, which strangely originated in Eden, due to Adam’s lust for every sensual detail of Eve, representing mankind’s self-proclaimed god-status. So, what is the definition and reason for men’s idolisation of women?

The creation of an idol to worship is generally driven by a deep human need to make the invisible, transcendent, or abstract aspects of life tangible, controllable, and emotionally comforting. It is an act driven by both psychological and emotional motivations, often arising when individuals feel overwhelmed, fearful, or seek a tangible source of meaning, security, and love.

But first, our God’s commands on the veneration of anything substituting Him.

Exo 20:3  Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
Exo 20:4  Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
Exo 20:5  Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;

And for this study’s purpose:

Deu 4:15  Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude [1. form, image, likeness, representation, semblance] on the day that the LORD spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire:
Deu 4:16  Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female, 

As we examine the following five main reasons people adopt an idol, consistently compare them to Adam’s worship of Eve, and highlight how men, especially husbands, invariably worship women and especially wives.

The irony is that wives, and indeed all women, experience a love/hate relationship in wanting to be worshipped, which comes with a sexual price to symbolically pay later in marriage for their youthful paraded appeal (Isa 3). The depiction of sexuality being overly eroticised and saturated in Babylon causes a woman seeking a stable relationship with one man to lose her ‘imprinting’ sexual joy amid numerous hookup experiences. She becomes “old in adulteries”, whereby her “secret parts” are not just discovered by her Lord, but also her husband, who laments the ‘stink’ of a tardy, sexually unresponsive mind, bruised and scarred from old adulteries (Eze 23:43). In a marital match made in an idiomatic hell, she becomes desolate of the desire to minister intimately with her husband. Of course, her image comes with the caveat that she mirrors her husband’s spiritually worse condition, he having facilitated her idolisation to be scripturally ascribed the now considered derogatory term, “whore”.

Isa 3:24  And it shall come to pass, that instead of sweet smell there shall be stink; and instead of a girdle a rent; and instead of well set hair baldness; and instead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloth; and burning instead of beauty.
Isa 3:25  Thy men shall fall by the sword, and thy mighty in the war.
Isa 3:26  And her gates shall lament and mourn; and she being desolate shall sit upon the ground.

In the following primary ways, individuals, characterised by women’s unwavering conviction in the reality of their sensations through sensual experience, consider this to be of greater significance than the long-term outcomes of rational logic, even if they are subsequently ‘deceived.’  I look forward to the post-study discussion, where Body members are inspired by the holy spirit to explore more intriguing realities in the flesh, represented spiritually, than are presented here.

The key emotional motivations for creating and worshipping idols include:

1 The Need for Security and Control (Fear Reduction)

Since leaving Eden, when faced with uncertainty, danger, or the “invisible” nature of a transcendent God, human beings often turn to tangible idols to create a sense of safety. Relief is created from:

Anxiety and Fear: Fear of the unknown or of disasters (such as sickness, famine, or war) can cause people to cling to visible objects or figures that seem stronger than they are, such as idols, wealth, or power. In Adam’s case, the fear of not pleasing Eve and losing his sexual access, and Eve’s patent fear of Adam’s unreliability as her head. Now, creating an inscrutable, chaotic mindset, she feels psychologically stimulated by possessing sensual power over him. However, internally resentfully, she recognises that to have a strong leader guiding her, she needs to satisfy his sensual cravings.

The Illusion of Control: An idol is something a person can see, touch, and move, creating the illusion that they can manage their own fate or manipulate the spirit world into granting blessings, whereas a sovereign, unseen God requires trust and surrender. What a classic description of what Eve’s easy deception concluded, “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat” – Gen 3:6.

Anxious Attachment: Characterised by women, individuals with a high need for reassurance often turn to idols to feel protected and secure.

2 The Desire for Tangible Connection (Relational Needs)

Human psychology often finds it difficult to relate to a purely abstract or distant deity. Idols provide a “relational presence” that feels closer and more responsive to emotional needs.

Need for Comfort and Soothing: Idols (both ancient and modern) act as intermediaries that make God feel near, personal, and reassuring. Notice that all of these highly emotive feelings originate in the very beautiful Eve that Adam is besotted with, thus injuring him in his privy and stones to which he, too would much rather submit to what is tangible by what he can see, and touch in Eve, that she and he can unmistakably observe in his ravishments—indeed for Eve a fascination, comfort and soothing reassurance later weaponised by the sisterhood for the elevation of her “image”. Rachel’s act of safeguarding her father’s “teraphim,” a household idol, by sitting upon it, close to her privy—especially during her menstrual period—underscores numerous traits associated with idol worship commonly observed among women. Ironically, Rachel’s menstrual blood next to the idol was a double witness against the ritual of her impurity (Gen 31:30-35).

Friendship and Belonging: Modern celebrity or fan worship serves as an emotional escape, offering a sense of companionship and community to combat loneliness.

3 The Need for Meaning, Identity, and Significance

Idols are often created to satisfy the deepest hunger for a purposeful life, value, and meaning.

Self-Exaltation and Value: People may elevate items like success, money, or beauty to the status of an idol, looking to them to feel significant, validated, and worthy.

Filling Voids: Idol worship can be a compensatory mechanism for deficiencies in a person’s life, such as lack of parental love, low self-esteem, or a lack of personal purpose—of course, engendered in Eve by the self-emasculated Adam.

4 Desire for “Easy” Worship or No Constraints

Unlike worshipping a transcendent Creator, who requires moral changes and surrender, idols are often created to fit personal and more easily experienced preferences—typifying an emasculated ‘another Jesus’.

Comfortable Deities: Idols are “silent” and do not impose rules or demands, allowing the worshipper to feel they are in charge of their own lives while still having a “god” on their own terms. There is nothing like a god who doesn’t answer back to condemn one’s actions—and neither does Adam, to Eve, and thereafter in the bedroom do husbands to their wives rulership.

Psa 115:4  Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands.
Psa 115:5  They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not:
Psa 115:6  They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not:
Psa 115:7  They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat.

Avoidance of Disappointment: Real-world relationships and people can be disappointing, leading individuals to project their hopes onto a “perfect” idol that will never reject them.

5 Cultural and Social Conformity

The emotional need to belong can drive people to adopt idols to fit into a group, like 40,000-plus  (physically) mostly Jewish worshipping Christian denominations (Rom 2:28-29).

Imitation: People often adopt the idols of their surrounding culture—such as success, material comfort, or entertainment figures—because it is comforting to follow the crowd, as did Solomon’s harem of 1,000 wives, united in methodologies of marital ministrations, while each, and typical of the polygamous times, cunningly vying for the prestige of being the most loved wife (Gen 29-30, 1 Sam 1, Gen 16, 21).

These highlighted elements definitively indicate the character of idol worship, specifically highlighting men’s veneration of women and wives to their female counterparts’ boudoir’s instrumental advantage.

It is one of God’s most revealing truths that the Orthodox Christian world cannot deeply meditate on the idea that women represent churches. They will passively hear or read it, even have the simplicity explained to them, but they lack the spirit to grasp the topic passionately. And multiple churches, beyond a single church, one faith, and one God, clearly reflect polygamy authorised by Moses because of Israel’s hardened hearts—without the holy spirit fighting against unrestrained lust to possess many wives, satisfying Solomon-like desires for the mind, body, and spirit of different wives or harlots—leading to chaos and endless discontent. Without the authority of a righteous husband to uphold God’s word, and with a wife who honours and respects his God-given authority, unresolved discontent will inevitably arise, tearing apart the unity of mind and spirit, as symbolised by unified sexual union. If such union occurs amidst this disunity of spirit, it is, in essence, lustful and unwholesome.

Mat 19:7  They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?
Mat 19:8  He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.
Mat 19:9  And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.

2Co 11:2  For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. 
2Co 11:3  But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

Eve, regarded as the mother of all living, was initially captivated by Satan, the originator of questioning the veracity of God’s word. Once the contrary thought is conceived and validated through personal wisdom, represented as gold and silver, an idol of the heart is thereby moulded, beginning within the woman who symbolises the church, thus perpetuating and substantiating Eve’s desire to be wiser than her husband, spawning endless emblematic harlot churches—sustained by all men and husbands as did Adam with Eve standing idylly by since, and initially in Eden, he couldn’t stand the thought of Eve dying, relegating him again to being alone without a helpmeet.

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.

Isa 31:7 For in that day every man shall cast away his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which your own hands have made unto you for a sin. 

Accordingly, idols always represent false doctrines, the merchandise of the Great Whore Adam, who effectively ‘pimped’ his wife to the Serpent’s spiritual insemination to be as gods.

But for Christ’s strength alone, his Elect are well conversant with their powerlessness in being able to put to flight the unassailable authority of the Beast, they are. We also know the meaning of the seven heads and ten horns. Consequently, for this study, we will focus on how easily compliant men idolise women, and thus destroy virtuous marital relations; and, yet again, knowing that she represents the Great Whore, the world’s religiosity guides and rules mankind’s governing ideologies, and all because he was the signified first whore.

A Beast that can be ridden and guided along the path its rider skillfully directs is a ‘broken-in’ and subdued animal, doing all its owner’s commands. Paradoxically, the Woman in Rev 13:4 is highly skilled at seducing and taming him to be ridden; notwithstanding, the Beast’s ultimate turning upon her and burning her with fire has parallels with Adam reversing his curse, as does Christ with the Bride.

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

Rev 17:3  So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

Rev 17:6  And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.
Rev 17:7  And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.

Rev 17:18  And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth. 

1Co 1:27  But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;

1Co 1:28  And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
1Co 1:29  That no flesh should glory in his presence.

The practice of ‘breaking in horses’ has, in recent years, been replaced by a far better method called “Horse Whispering”, which is much less violent both psychologically and physically to the animal and achieves calm compliance much more quickly. Its principles and methodology, described below, are startlingly parallel to a Whore’s cajoling incitements of a man’s intrinsic lusts and total submission. Many of these methodologies, the everyday Babylonian Christian wife, unaware of their harlot correlations, controls her husband just as skilfully as seen in Eccl 7:23-29. However, when reading the ‘Beast Whispering’ principles below, please remember to juxtapose them with how men and women idolise women.

Key Principles of Horse Whispering Synonymous of Christ’s Spiritual Whispers

Before getting into the attributes of ‘Beast Whispering’, it is worth reviewing a cut and paste from a previous study on “Breasts”, and that of “whispering”.

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

H5175 Serpent – 1. Serpent, snake. From 5172 – 1. To practice divination, divine, observe signs, learn by experience, diligently observe, practice fortunetelling, take as an omen a. (Piel) 1. To practice divination 2. To observe the signs or omens. Strong’s: A primitive root; properly to hiss, that is, whisper a (magic) spell [in one’s mind]; generally to prognosticate [Prophesy].

1Sa 10:6  And the spirit of the LORD [H7307 – 1. Wind, breath, mind, spirit a. breath] will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man [first negatively, the father of lies, following, positively, the mind of Christ all whispered in our hearts and minds spiritually].

1Ki 19:11  And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake:
1Ki 19:12  And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still [H1827] small voice. 

Still H1851 – 1. whisper, calm, silence. From H1826 – 1. to be silent, be still, wait, be dumb, grow dumb. From H1724 –  1. to astonish, astound.

Small H1851 – 1. thin, small, fine, gaunt. From H1854 –  1. to crush, pulverise, thresh.

From those meanings, we can identify some ways the holy spirit is heard. Like a horse trainer whispering, Christ’s word—just as the Serpent’s was to Eve—is symbolically ‘whispered’ into our ears, into our mind’s hearing, also by sensory, nuanced expressions. Although it is spiritually conceptualised, heard in our mind, it, and like the horse whisperer to the horse, is incredibly powerful in motivation to want to obey the supreme’ horse whisperer’s’ voice, even ‘crushing’ all opposition to change.

Key Principles of Horse Whispering Synonymous with Christ’s Still Small Voice

Non-Verbal Communication:

It heavily relies on body language, tone of voice (often low and hushed), and consistent, subtle cues rather than loud commands or physical force. It is highly denotive, spiritually, that Eve heard the Serpent, the prince of the power of the air, by the terminology scripture used, saying that he “subtly said” the deception to her.

Gen 3:1  Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said [H559 –1. to say, speak, utter a. (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one’s heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend] unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

Well, how about that? {Pro 7:9  In the twilight, in the evening, in the black [Indicative of the Shulamite compared to Solomon’s 1,000 wives] and dark night: Pro 7:10  And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart. Pro 7:11  (She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house:} That loudness mostly isn’t verbal, it, and like the allurement of the Babylonian churches, is in what she does in her beguiling walk, highlighted by her attire—if done righteously, we shall see, is a particularly engaging ravishment by the Bride for Christ.

Understanding Horses’, the Beast of Mankind’s Behaviour:

Practitioners study and apply knowledge of horse instincts, their herd mentality, and how they communicate through their senses and body language to better understand and respond to their horses’ needs.

Paraphrased: Women intrinsically study and apply knowledge of Beast-like men’s instincts (including other women’s female instincts, always indicative of churches’ artifices), their herd mentality, and how they communicate through their senses and body language to better understand and respond to their lustful needs.

Building Trust and Respect:

The primary aim is to create a strong bond with the horse, making the horse feel safe and comfortable with the human. In Babylon, her primary aim is to create a strong sensual bond with the man, making him feel safe and comfortable with her machinations.

Calm Confidence:

The human must project a calm, assertive, and confident presence, which horses recognise as effective leadership, avoiding harsh or frightening tactics. How else could the Great Whore gain control of mankind but to insidiously gain control over thousands of years? Consequently, a woman and wife, having learnt subtlety from the Serpent, presents a calm, assertive, and confident demeanour, which paradoxically men and husbands recognise as effective leadership. This approach involves refraining from harsh or intimidating tactics, veiling the humiliation of their sexual prowess.

Positive Reinforcement:

Good behaviour is rewarded, often with gentle touches (like an ear massage), verbal praise, or a tasty treat, thereby strengthening the connection—indicative of carefully managed intimacies by a wife for her restraining advantage.

Pressure and Release:

This technique involves applying gentle, specific pressure to guide the horse, then releasing it as soon as the horse responds, showing the horse that yielding to the pressure results in relief and cooperation.

[This technique involves applying gentle, specific romantic pressure to guide the husband, and then releasing the pressure as soon as he responds consistently, showing him that yielding to the pressure results in relief and cooperation. A parallel to the manipulative adage, “Happy wife, happy life”.

Observation and Listening:

Just as women are innately attuned to nuanced social feelings, a skilled horse whisperer takes the time to observe the horse’s responses, listen to their “vibrations,” and carefully note their physical and emotional cues to understand what the horse needs. It mirrors a woman’s heart like snares and nets for her target man-beast’s sensual need sufficient to subdue him and safely ride.

Goal of Horse Whispering:

The ultimate goal is to achieve willing cooperation and a strong, trusting relationship with the horse, making training easier and helping the horse overcome past negative experiences or trauma.

Of course, while those correlations have startling parallels, they drolly resonate with the substitution of Babylon’s way of a maid with a man. (Pro 30:19)

Fittingly, in keeping with men worshipping women, the ultimate defilement of a man by a woman is his wholesale and richly sensual submission to her, the veritable Queen of Heaven’s Beast-Whispering prowess, riding the gelded docile husband.

Jer 44:17  But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: for then had we plenty of victuals [Bread, food, grain – the brawling female, the church, fights to sustain], and were well [… deceived not sick], and saw no evil. 

A secondary and potent extension to burning incense to the Queen of Heaven, and in offerings of bread, grain and wine, the riches of her sensualities (doctrines), according to the idols of their hearts (Exe 14:1-9), representing Babylonian Christianity’s idolisation of “days, months, times and years” directly represents the idolisation of women. Men are already easily and drearily ensnared by women, but what is of greater importance to her is the endorsement of her standing among other women.

Jer 44:15  Then all the men which knew that their wives had burned incense unto other gods [The Queen of Heaven] and all the women that stood by, a great multitude, even all the people that dwelt in the land of Egypt, in Pathros, answered Jeremiah, saying,
Jer 44:16  As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the LORD, we will not hearken unto thee.

While it isn’t biblically recorded that Israel worshipped the Mesopotamian and Canaanite goddess Inanna, the Queen of Heaven, the Babylonians did so while in the Promised Land. Therefore, it is reasonable to believe that the Israelites classically adopted the customs of their Babylonian captors and worshipped her. In fact, the Semitic goddess Astarte is one of many variations of the goddess Inanna.

Jer 10:2  Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. 
Jer 10:3  For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.
Jer 10:4  They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.

No one in Babylon considers the natural heterosexual coital act degrading of their beautifully designed privies. Women who deeply revere their bodies and are energised by the admiration of other women—much more than by any praise from men—share this perspective. For women, it is a man’s privy, the core of his desires, compelling him to validate their intense emotional needs that go beyond physical intimacy. It is her most valued possession (in a negative sense), which she cunningly guards by controlling intimacy in her private space, always close to him but paradoxically distant. For the nominal first five years of marriage, he never wearies himself, hoping to attain her nirvanic pleasure in unity with his—with her hands like bands, a riddle she delays forever, dissociating the inevitability of his discovery of her innate artifices. The Adams of the world, in being fearful of further insulting Eve’s intelligence for her intrinsic schemes, neutered, afraid of naming the condition to be called misogynistic (a hate of women), fix her, nail her in place, her rulership over him, and an idol is born. It is that idol the Shulamite Bride of Christ tears down, and instead, virtuously never wearies herself in searching to understand her Husband, for what ravishes Him!

Rev 14:4  These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. 

Isa 40:28  Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding [Note: Nobody searches, nor can know Christ bar those he chooses; giving power to his Bride to reverse her curse, and worship Him through his kisses unrivalled spiritual arousals]
Isa 40:29  He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.
Isa 40:30  Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
Isa 40:31  But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. 

Men’s indifference to their runaway passion for the female form insidiously destroys their God-given headship over women, and distinctly their wives. Most hormone-driven young men focus their lives on female sensuality, exemplified by Samson, who was a Judge of Israel, symbolising how every husband’s status of headship and authority is invariably weakened by their submission to women’s influence. Whereas the young women today, equally alert in their seemingly perpetual ‘season’ when they choose, yet mostly rationally in control of their arousals, detach themselves more easily and pursue worldly education over passion—at least during the week. Typified by Old Israel for her Lord, and signified by every woman and would-be wife against her husband’s ardour.

Pro 20:29  The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the gray head.

We are reviewing the meaning of ‘Idol Worship’ and how the day and night worship of women has succeeded every other form of worship by men and women, effectively identifying them both as self-worshipers—worshipers of the flesh, and thus fastening their ‘mark of his name’, the number of the beast by the number 6 (Rev 13:18).

Deu 17:3  And hath gone and served other gods, and worshipped them, either the sun, or moon, or any of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded.

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

As is the term whore, the term “idol” is not mentioned in scriptures until much later; remembering that just because a thing isn’t mentioned scripturally doesn’t mean it isn’t evident in Adam and Eve’s or our carnal minds since Eden. It is first seen in 1 Kin 15:13, and to the discerning Elect, is manifestly evident in Eden of Adam’s worship of Eve!

1Ki 15:13  And also Maachah his [Jeroboam’s] mother, even her he removed from being queen, because she had made an idol [H4656] in a grove [Astarte – ‘the Canaanite goddess of fortune and happiness’ – yes, classically seeking her emotional fulfilment]; and Asa [‘healer’, indicative of Christ and Solomon] destroyed her idol, and burnt it by the brook Kidron.

Idol – H4656 1. horrid thing, horrible thing [doesn’t describe what an idol represents, or does to cause horror] – H6426 – 1. (Hithpael) to shudder, tremble. A terror.

All husbands, soon after marriage, dolefully see that before marriage, they overemphasised their ‘love’, which they didn’t see, or didn’t care, as lust for their wives, a validation that she gratefully pocketed to her advantage. Accordingly, his lust and idolisation of her became a ‘horrid thing’ realised too late for them both! Now, he is ‘terrorised’ by never being sufficient for her sentimental needs—the principle overworked, I know, but, with her ‘hands like bands’ (Ecc 7:26), is the nature of being locked-in to idol worship.

The following scriptures provide a more graphic representation of an “idol”, particularly in reference to worshipping and amplifying in subservience the female phylactery (Mat 23:5).

2Ch 33:7  And he set a carved [graven] image, the idol which he had made, in the house of God…

2Ch 33:15  And he took away the strange gods, and the idol out of the house of the LORD…

Isa 66:3  He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog’s neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine’s blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations.

Zec 11:17  Woe to the idol shepherd that leaveth the flock! the sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened.

Act 7:41  And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands. 

1Co 8:4  As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one. 

1Co 10:19  What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing? 
1Co 10:20  But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. 
1Co 10:21  Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils.
1Co 10:22  Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?

From those verses, we conclude that an “idol” is anything in our hearts that replaces God, thus provoking him to jealousy that we should think that our glorifying and reliance on things are stronger than Him—termed “a horrid thing; abominable”. It first happened in Eden, when Adam effectively bowed before Eve, consciously surrendering to Eve’s ‘well-favoured’ beauty over God’s, signifying her strength over his, and engendering idolised worship. As typified by Adam with Eve in Eden, the harsh reality is that men must be obedient and submissive to female-gifted dominance—accepting her unconditionally, never questioning her fashion choices, supporting her regardless of his authority, and not challenging moral boundaries—undermines his authority and ultimately makes him unattractive, despised, and vastly diminishes his sex and leadership appeal. From that point on, Satan has tricked men and mankind for 7,000 years into loving a flawed human being instead of God.

Eze 16:13  Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver; and thy raiment was of fine linen, and silk, and broidered work; thou didst eat fine flour, and honey, and oil: and thou wast exceeding beautiful, and thou didst prosper into a kingdom. 
Eze 16:14  And thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty: for it was perfect through my comeliness, which I had put upon thee, saith the Lord GOD. 
Eze 16:15  But thou didst trust in thine own beauty, and playedst the harlot because of thy renown, and pouredst out thy fornications on every one that passed by; his it was.
Eze 16:16  And of thy garments thou didst take, and deckedst thy high places with divers colours, and playedst the harlot thereupon: the like things shall not come, neither shall it be so.

Deu 7:25  The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein: for it is an abomination to the LORD thy God.
Deu 7:26  Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, lest thou be a cursed thing like it: but thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a cursed thing. 

Jer 17:5  Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh [For this cause, the worship of women] his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD. 

Upon Adam’s exile from Eden, having abandoned God as their head, mankind did whatever they thought was right in their minds, emotionally driven by their hearts. Eve, representative of all women, we will see, is the most potent ‘sleeper cell’ like idol embedded in their husbands’ hearts. Because the world outside of Eden was dreadfully dangerous, full of wild predatory animals, poisonous snakes, insects and unseen diseases, not to mention famine, life was tenuous. Women, the weaker vessel, couldn’t escape the reality that to merely survive, they had to have males, and specifically a husband, rule over them (Gen 3:16). To counter that troublesome reality, her most effective tool for maintaining her power was her incredible sensuality, which husbands readily idolise.

As we know, some tribes, through logical reasoning and sensory experience, worshipped the sun because they believed it, not God, was the source of physical life and energy. Whatever various tribes deemed the source of survival and richness, they identified it as their god to appease, be it the sun, fire, volcanoes, fish, dogs, cats, crocodiles, or even other men. If that god wasn’t indulged, it could become displeased and angry, and withhold its ministration—appallingly resemblant of wives in carnal marriages, representing mankind’s petulance towards Christ. Ultimately, clandestinely, it is a power struggle to which all Christ-forsaking self-emasculated men submit to their wives, their temple’s greater authority to be quieted with sensual gifts—as always, representing the Great Whore.

Eze 16:30  How weak is thine heart, [Submitting to one’s wife] saith the Lord GOD, seeing thou doest all these things, the work of an imperious whorish woman; 
Eze 16:31  In that thou buildest thine eminent place [Your temple in your wife—a church] in the head of every way, and makest thine high place in every street; and hast not been as an harlot, in that thou scornest hire;
Eze 16:32  But as a wife that committeth adultery, which taketh strangers instead of her husband!
Eze 16:33  They give gifts to all whores: but thou givest thy gifts to all thy lovers, and hirest them, that they may come unto thee on every side for thy whoredom. 

Husbands are always seeking a sensory experience from their wives. Whenever a husband bows to his wife’s imagined authority, he is gifting his authority to her, his idol.

Eze 16:34  And the contrary is in thee from other women in thy whoredoms, whereas none followeth thee to commit whoredoms: and in that thou givest a reward, and no reward is given unto thee, therefore thou art contrary [to God’s word].

“The first man is of the earth, earthy:
the second man is the Lord from heaven” Part 1

(Pro 20:1-10)

[Study Aired October 2, 2025]

Pro 20:1  Wine makes men foolish, and strong drink makes men come to blows; and whoever comes into error through these is not wise.
Pro 20:2  The wrath of a king is like the loud cry of a lion: he who makes him angry does wrong against himself.
Pro 20:3  It is an honour for a man to keep from fighting, but the foolish are ever at war.
Pro 20:4  The hater of work will not do his ploughing because of the winter; so at the time of grain-cutting he will be requesting food and will get nothing.
Pro 20:5  The purpose in the heart of a man is like deep water, but a man of good sense will get it out.
Pro 20:6  Most men make no secret of their kind acts: but where is a man of good faith to be seen?
Pro 20:7  An upright man goes on in his righteousness: happy are his children after him!
Pro 20:8  A king on the seat of judging puts to flight all evil with his eyes.
Pro 20:9  Who is able to say, I have made my heart clean, I am free from my sin?
Pro 20:10  Unequal weights and unequal measures, they are all disgusting to the Lord.

These first ten verses of Proverbs chapter twenty that we will look at today highlight the value of wisdom, integrity, hard work, honesty, and humility, while warning against deception, laziness, and injustice which victory over these powers and principalities is all being accomplished through the faith of Christ (Rom 4:2-6).

Rom 4:2  If he became acceptable to God because of what he did, then he would have something to brag about. But he would never be able to brag about it to God.
Rom 4:3  The Scriptures say, “God accepted Abraham because Abraham had faith in him.”
Rom 4:4  Money paid to workers isn’t a gift. It is something they earn by working.
Rom 4:5  But you cannot make God accept you because of something you do. God accepts sinners only because they have faith in him. [Jas 2:18]
Rom 4:6  In the Scriptures David talks about the blessings that come to people who are acceptable to God, even though they don’t do anything to deserve these blessings. David says, [CEV]

We know that our wisdom comes from Christ (1Co 1:30), as does our righteousness which will manifest in a spirit of integrity, producing a desire to labour in the word, as we present all things honestly before all men (Rom 12:17), with a humble and contrite spirit that is also a gift from God (Isa 66:2).

The natural lessons for our flesh are important [listed below] and always precede the deeper spiritual lesson (1Co 15:46) that each of these proverbs point to and instruct those who have God’s spirit abiding within them (Rom 8:9, Luk 8:10).

1Co 15:46  Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.

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

Luk 8:10  And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.

Natural concepts [generated by AI] that precede the spiritual (1Co 15:46)

Verse 1 – Alcohol can deceive and destroy; those who are misled by it lack wisdom.
Verse 2 – Angering a powerful ruler is dangerous; it puts one’s life at risk.
Verse 3 – Avoiding conflict shows honor; fools are always stirring up trouble.
Verse 4 – Laziness leads to poverty; the lazy miss opportunities and suffer the consequences.
Verse 5 – Wise people are able to uncover deep and thoughtful advice in others.
Verse 6 – Many boast about themselves, but truly faithful people are rare.
Verse 7 – Those who live with integrity bless their children after them.
Verse 8 – A just ruler quickly identifies and removes evil.
Verse 9 – No one can truthfully claim to be completely pure and sinless.
Verse 10 – Dishonest business practices are detestable to God.

And afterward that which is spiritual (1Co 15:46)

Pro 20:1 Wine is a mocker^H3887, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise. (KJV)

Pro 20:1  Wine makes men foolish, and strong drink makes men come to blows; and whoever comes into error through these is not wise. (BBE)

The wine of Babylon is the cup that we all become intoxicated on at first (Rev 18:3), and the spiritual outcome of our drunkenness on false doctrines has us being described in this proverb as mockersH3887 who rage and are not wise, as we walk through this earth as negative ambassadors, and false teachers, blaspheming God’s name amongst the gentiles (Rom 2:24).

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.

Rom 2:24  For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.

H3887 mocker  lûts  loots
A primitive root; properly to make mouths at, that is, to scoff; hence (from the effort to pronounce a foreign language) to interpret, or (generally) intercede: – ambassador, have in derision, interpreter, make a mock, mocker, scorn (-er, -ful), teacher.

Obviously we don’t (normally) see people in the churches coming to fisticuffs with one another, but what we do see is a divided body of Christ (1Co 3:4) which does great violence to the word of God, as we all do at first in our former conversation (Mat 11:12, Eph 2:1-5).

1Co 3:4  For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?

Mat 11:12  And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.

Eph 2:1  And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
Eph 2:2  Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
Eph 2:3  Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
Eph 2:4  But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Eph 2:5  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;[Heb 12:6]).

The ‘whoever’ of “whoever comes into error through these is not wise” is all men because we all must go into Babylon to come out of her, and God’s elect are the first to experience coming out of spiritual captivity to be received of our Father via the chastening and scourging process we are called unto (2Co 6:17, Heb 12:6-7).

2Co 6:17  Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

Heb 12:6  For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
Heb 12:7  If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

Pro 20:2  The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul. (KJV)

Pro 20:2  The wrath of a king is like the loud cry of a lion: he who makes him angry does wrong against himself. (BBE)

The ‘lion’, or ‘king’ spoken of in this verse is Christ, and His wrath against our old man of sin is as the “roaring of a lion” (Hos 11:10, Joe 3:16).

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.

Joe 3:16  The LORD also shall roar out of Zion (Oba 1:21, 1Jn 4:17 we are as Christ roaring like lions against the prey (Isa 58:1)), and utter his voice from Jerusalem (The church, the body of Christ); and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel (The Israel of God, His elect Gal 6:16).

Isa 58:1  Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, [“like the loud cry of a lion”] and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.

We all start off making God angry and doing wrong against ourselves as we abide in the west (Hos 11:10) which symbolizes living by our carnal reasoning, until the man of perdition is destroyed by the brightness of Christ coming to us from the east (Psa 95:10, 2Th 2:8, Mat 24:27).

Psa 95:10  Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways: [40 years means tribulation is coming against our old man if we are God’s elect (1Co 10:11)]
Psa 95:11  Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest. [our first man Adam, flesh and fleshly thinking is not going to inherit the kingdom of God]

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

Mat 24:27  For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

Pro 20:3  It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling. (KJV)

Pro 20:3  It is an honour for a man to keep from fighting, but the foolish are ever at war. (BBE)

We are all Peter at first not able to cease from strife as we meddle in others’ business, even Christ’s with an unsavory spirit of self-righteousness, telling even our Lord what He ought to do for us, and how he ought to conduct his affairs (Mat 16:22-24, Jas 4:2-3).

Mat 16:22  Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.
Mat 16:23  But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men. [the other Jesus is the one who is controlled by the traditions of men that worship him in vain not savouring the things that be of God, and want dominion over the laity as Peter did over Christ (Mar 7:7)]
Mat 16:24  Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. [and not the traditions of men]

Jas 4:2  Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
Jas 4:3  Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. [Peter and all of us at first]

Thanks be to God, Christ died for the ungodly and in due time makes a way for us to overcome and turn the other cheek which we could not do at first (Rom 5:6, Rom 7:24-25). Peter did in time “cease from strife” which was his honour that was given to him, as it will be for all of us by the only one who can cause us to cease from sinning (Joh 8:36-37).

Rom 5:6  For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

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

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.

Pro 20:4  The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing. (KJV)

Pro 20:4  The hater of work will not do his ploughing because of the winter; so at the time of grain-cutting he will be requesting food and will get nothing. (BBE)

The lesson for us in this proverb is to be about our Father’s business as Christ was (Luk 2:49, 1Jn 4:17), no matter what the season in our lives. Pray that your flight be not in the winter or on the sabbath when nothing is happening, pray that God will keep us all zealous and holding fast to our crowns until the return of our King (Mat 24:20-22, Rev 3:11).

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

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

Mat 24:20  But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:
Mat 24:21  For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
Mat 24:22  And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened [God’s elect are the salt of the earth that God will use to save the earth physically, and then save the world spiritually].

Rev 3:11  Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.
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 following verses remind us of the stability that can be ours if we continue to seek the kingdom of God first and his righteousness (Mat 6:33), laying up treasure in heaven “against the time to come” (Tit 3:8,  Joh 6:27, 1Co 15:58, 1Ti 6:19, Psa 37:25, Psa 104:15, Luk 21:26-27).

Tit 3:8  This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.

Joh 6:27  Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

1Co 15:58  Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

1Ti 6:19  Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

Pro 20:5  Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out.

Pro 20:5  The purpose in the heart of a man is like deep water, but a man of good sense will get it out.

We draw the deep counsel out by being dragged to the One who gives us the strength to do so (Joh 6:44, Gen 29:10, Joh 4:10-11).

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

Gen 29:10  And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother’s brother, that Jacob [symbolizing Christ] went near, and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother.

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

Joh 4:10  Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.
Joh 4:11  The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?

With His strength working within us both to will and to do of God’s good pleasure (Php 2:12-13) we will not neglect so great a salvation and will be able to overcome, quenching all the fiery darts of the adversary with that water, and becoming more than conquerors through Christ (Rom 8:37). Great is that faithfulness which we can depend upon (Lam 3:23) to provide for our every spiritual need until the very last breath of our life (Heb 13:5, Php 1:6).

Lam 3:23  They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

Heb 13:5  Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

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

Pro 20:6  Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find? (KJV)

Pro 20:6  Most men make no secret of their kind acts: but where is a man of good faith to be seen? (BBE)

These verses bring the question to mind, will there be any faith on earth when Christ returns? ‘Men proclaiming their own goodness’ is the same spirit found in this verse (Mat 7:22).

Mat 7:22  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? [strong delusion, and no faith to be found]

As in the days of Noah, and Lot, there will be very few on the earth who will be of an understanding heart, as we read in the book of Malachi (Mal 3:16-18), “a faithful man who can find?”. Noah and Lot typify the few elect who will be alive and remain at that time with the mind of Christ (1Th 4:17).

Mal 3:16  Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.
Mal 3:17  And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.
Mal 3:18  Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.

1Th 4:17  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Pro 20:7  The just man walketh in his integrity^H8537: his children are blessed after him. (KJV)

Pro 20:7  An upright man goes on in his righteousness: happy are his children after him! (BBE)

Our children symbolize our doctrines and they will be blessed in the earth because the spiritual seed will go forth from the elect and will not return void (Isa 55:11). Those doctrine will bring great joy to all the earth in time “happy are his children after him!”

Isa 55:11  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

H8537 integrity  tô  tome
From H8552; completeness; figuratively prosperity; usually (morally) innocence: – full, integrity, perfect (-ion), simplicity, upright (-ly, -ness), at a venture. See H8550.

Pro 20:8  A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.(KJV)

Pro 20:8  A king on the seat of judging puts to flight all evil with his eyes. (BBE)

Inwardly when the eye is single, it represents having the mind of Christ whose judgment is in our lives, as he sits on the throne of our hearts and “scattereth away all evil with his eyes”(Rev 19:12).

Rev 19:12  His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.

Pro 20:9  Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin? (KJV)

Pro 20:9  Who is able to say, I have made my heart clean, I am free from my sin? (BBE)

The first thing to consider is this verse (1Jn 1:8).

1Jn 1:8  If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

This verse reveals that we will never, in this physical flesh as the body of Christ, ever be able to say we have perfectly “made my heart clean”. We will sin less and less, Lord willing, and gain dominion over sin in this life (Rom 6:14) if this is written in our books to happen (Joh 3:30). This increasing comes from God as does the ability to decrease, both are predestined by Him. It all comes down to whether we will heed or not heed the admonitions of His word, keeping His works to the very end, which words and works are being accomplished by believing in God’s power, as we’re granted the faith of Christ to do so. Christ is the author and finisher of our faith (Heb 12:1-2, 1Pe 5:7-8, 1Pe 1:7).

Pro 20:10  Divers weights, and divers measures, both of them are alike abomination to the LORD. (KJV)

Pro 20:10  Unequal weights and unequal measures, they are all disgusting to the Lord. (BBE)

The statement ‘the punishment should fit the crime’ is a biblical principal, as well as ‘the reward should fit the sacrifice’ (Php 2:9, 2Ti 2:12-13). Peter asked Christ about how things were going to play out for himself and all the others who forsook all to follow him, and Peter was speaking for all of us who are losing our lives to gain them (Mat 10:39). Christ’s perfectly balanced answer to Peter was not what Babylon teaches (Mat 19:27-30). Babylon teaches eternal torment, an evil divers weight and measure that comes from the mind of Satan.

Php 2:5  Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

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

Book of Obadiah – Oba 1:7 The Men that were at Peace with thee have Deceived Thee

[Study Aired January 17, 2024]

Oba 1:7  All the men of thy confederacy have brought thee even to the border: the men that were at peace with thee have deceived thee, and prevailed against thee; they that eat thy bread have laid a wound under thee: there is none understanding in him.

Oba 1:7  All^H3605 the men^H376 of thy confederacy^H1285 have brought^{H7971 (H8765 Piel)} thee even to^H5704 the border:^H1366 the men^H376 that were at peace^H7965 with thee have deceived^{H5377 (H8689 Hiphil)} thee, and prevailed^{H3201 (H8804 Qal)} against thee; they that eat thy bread^H3899 have laid^{H7760 (H8799 Qal)} a wound^H4204 under^H8478 thee: there is none^H369 understanding^H8394 in him.

H3605 – Kol, all, the whole, the whole of, any, each, every, anything, totality, everything, from a primitive root H3634, Kalal, to complete, perfect, make complete, make perfect

H376 – Eesh, man, male, husband, human being, person, servant, mankind, champion, great man, whosoever, each, contracted for H582, Enoshe, man, mortal man, person, mankind, of an individual, men, from a primitive root H605, Anash, to be weak, sick, frail, be incurable, desperate, incurable, desperately wicked, woeful, very sick

H1285 – Bereeth, covenant, alliance, pledge, treaty, league, constitution, ordinance, agreement, from a primitive root H1262, Barah, to eat, consume, for eating, devouring, to cause to eat

H7971 – Shalach, (Piel) to send off/away/out/forth, dismiss, give over, cast out, let go/down, set free, shoot forth (of branches), shoot, a primitive root

H5704 – Ad, as far as, even to, until, up to, while, of space, in combination, from…as far as, both…and (with ‘min’ – from), of time, unto, till, during, end, of degree, to the degree of, even like, until, while, to the point that, so that even, properly, the same as H5703, Ad, perpetuity, for ever, continuing future, ancient, for ever, of continuous existence, from a primitive root H5710, Ahdah, to pass on, advance, go on, pass by, remove, put on, remove

H1366 – Ghebool, territory, border, region, from a primitive root H1379, Gabal, to bound, border, set bounds, set bounds for

H376 – see above

H7965 – Shalowm, completeness, soundness, welfare, peace, safety, health, prosperity, quiet, tranquillity, contentment, friendship, from a primitive root H7999, Shalam, to be in a covenant of peace, be at peace, peaceful one, one in covenant of peace, make peace with, cause to be at peace, live in peace, be complete, be sound, be finished, be ended, be uninjured, complete, finish, make safe/whole/good, restore, make compensation, pay, requite, recompense, reward, be performed, be repaid, be requited, perform, make an end of

H5377 – Nasha, (Hiphil) to beguile, deceive, a primitive root

H3201 – Yakol, (Qal) to prevail, overcome, endure, have power/ability/strength, be able, be able to gain/accomplish/endure/reach, prevail over or against, be victor, a primitive root

H3899 – Lekhem, bread, food, grain, from a primitive root H3898, Lakham, to fight, do battle, make war, engage in battle, wage war, to eat, use as food

H7760 – Soom, (Qal) to put, place, set, appoint, make, lay, put/lay upon, lay (violent) hands on, direct, direct toward, extend (compassion), ordain, establish, found, appoint, constitute, determine, fix, station, set in place, plant, make for, transform into, fashion, work, bring to pass, give, a primitive root

H4204 – Mahzore, net, trap, (Used once in OT) from a primitive root H2114, Zoor, to be strange, be a stranger, become estranged, strange, another, stranger, foreigner, an enemy, loathsome, strange woman, prostitute, harlot, be estranged, be one alienated

H8478 – Takhath, the under part, beneath, instead of, as, for, for the sake of, flat, unto, where, whereas, under, at the foot of, sweetness, subjection, woman, being burdened/oppressed, of subjection or conquest, what is under one, the place in which one stands, in one’s place, instead of, in place of, in exchange or return for, instead of, instead of that, in return for that, because that, into the place of (after verbs of motion), from under, from beneath, from under the hand of, from his place, from the same as H8430, Toakh, Toah = lowly, from an unused root meaning to depress

H369 – Ayin, nothing, not, nought, have not, without, for lack of, as if from a primitive root meaning to be nothing or not exist

H8394 – Tahboon, understanding, intelligence, skill, intelligence, insight, teacher, from a primitive root H995, Bene, to discern, understand, consider, perceive, know, observe, mark, give heed to, distinguish, have discernment, insight, understanding, be discerning, intelligent, discreet, have understanding, cause to understand, give understanding, teach, to show oneself discerning or attentive, consider diligently, instruct, prudent, regard

In this study we will look at the topic of deception exploring the following words:

[1] H5377 (naw-shaw’) a primitive root word meaning to lead astray, beguile, seduce
[2] H4820 (meer-maw’) meaning guile, deception, fraud, treachery
[3] H6601 (paw-thaw’) meaning to open, deceive, flatter, persuade
[4] H8267 (sheh’-ker) meaning an untruth, a sham
[5] G5579 (psyoo’-dos) meaning a falsehood, lying
[6] G5574 (psyoo’-dom-ahee) meaning to utter an untruth
[7] G533 (ap-ar-neh’-om-ahee) meaning to deny or disown

In verse 7 of Obadiah, the word used for deceived is H5377 (naw-shaw’) a primitive root word meaning to lead astray, beguile, seduce. The word first appears in Genesis:

Gen 3:13  And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.

We know Satan is the father of lies:

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

Satan’s lies are nourished by the prideful heart of man, and it is through the pride of our own heart we are deceived: 

Jer 49:16  Thy terribleness hath deceived thee, and the pride of thine heart, O thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, that holdest the height of the hill: though thou shouldest make thy nest as high as the eagle, I will bring thee down from thence, saith the LORD.

Oba 1:3  The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee.

Here are some examples of how the words associated with deception are used in the old testament.

Rebekah deceives her husband Isaac in blessing Jacob instead of Esau. To carry out the deception, she commands Jacob to obey her voice:

Gen 27:8  Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command thee.

When Jacob questions this, she responds:

Gen 27:11  And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man:
Gen 27:12  My father peradventure will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a deceiver (a cheater); and I shall bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing.
Gen 27:13  And his mother said unto him, Upon me be thy curse, my son: only obey my voice, and go fetch me them.

After Jacob is blessed, Esau returns and the deception is revealed. Isaac is said to have trembled (shudder with terror) upon finding out about the deception

Gen 27:32  And Isaac his father said unto him, Who art thou? And he said, I am thy son, thy firstborn Esau.
Gen 27:33  And Isaac trembled very exceedingly, and said, Who? where is he that hath taken venison, and brought it me, and I have eaten of all before thou camest, and have blessed him? yea, and he shall be blessed.
Gen 27:34  And when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, even me also, O my father.
Gen 27:35  And he said, Thy brother came with subtilty (H4820), and hath taken away thy blessing.

Rebekah orchestrated the deception, causing Jacob to come with subtilty H4820 (meer-maw’) meaning guile, deception, fraud, treachery.

Another example is when Laban acts with treachery in giving Jacob Leah as a wife, instead of Rachel. The word used here is raw-maw’ (H7411) meaning to hurl, delude, or betray.

Gen 29:25  And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled (H7411) me?

Another example of deception is Rachel deceiving both her husband and her father by stealing Laban’s idols and keeping it secret from Jacob. Jacob even went as far to say whoever Laban finds as the thief, shall not live:

Gen 31:32  With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, let him not live: before our brethren discern thou what is thine with me, and take it to thee. For Jacob knew not that Rachel had stolen them.

Rachel deceives her Father in hiding the idols:

Gen 31:34  Now Rachel had taken the images, and put them in the camel’s furniture, and sat upon them. And Laban searched all the tent, but found them not.
Gen 31:35  And she said to her father, Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise up before thee; for the custom of women is upon me. And he searched, but found not the images.

The Lord abhors deception:

Psa 5:6  Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the LORD will abhor the bloody and deceitful (H4820) man.

Pro 11:1  A false (H4820) balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight.
Pro 11:2  When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.

These deceitful acts by Rebekah, Rachel, and Laban are an abomination and abhorrent. However, we know that ultimately, it is the Lord orchestrating deception:

Ezk 14:9  And if the prophet be deceived (H6601) when he hath spoken a thing, I the LORD have deceived (H6601) that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel.

Samson’s wife is instructed to deceive/entice/flatter persuade her husband.

Jdg 14:15  And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson’s wife, Entice (H6601) thy husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father’s house with fire: have ye called us to take that we have? is it not so?

This Hebrew word is further described as a lying spirit:

1Ki 22:20  And the LORD said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner.
1Ki 22:21  And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will persuade (H6601) him.
1Ki 22:22  And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying (H8267) spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so.
1Ki 22:23  Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying (H8267) spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil concerning thee.

H8267 (meaning an untruth) comes from the primitive root word H8266 shaw-kar’ meaning to cheat, that is, be untrue (usually in words): – fail, deal falsely, lie.

Lev 19:11  Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely (H8266), neither lie one to another.

Jer 7:8  Behold, ye trust in lying (H8267) words, that cannot profit.

In the New Testament we see how this lying spirit is destroyed by Christ.

2Th 2:8  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
2Th 2:9  Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying (G5579) wonders,
2Th 2:10  And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2Th 2:11  And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
2Th 2:12  That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

No lie is of the truth, and the antidote to this untruth is to remain in Him and his Word.

1Jn 2:21  I did not write to you because ye have not known the truth, but because ye have known it, and because no lie is of the truth.

1Jn 2:28  And now, little children, remain in him, that when he may be manifested, we may have boldness, and may not be ashamed before him, in his presence;
1Jn 2:29  if ye know that he is righteous, know ye that every one doing the righteousness, of him hath been begotten.

Col 3:9  Lie (G5574) not one to another, having put off the old man with his practices,
Col 3:10  and having put on the new, which is renewed in regard to knowledge, after the image of Him who did create him.

Laban, Rebekah, and Rachel’s deceptive acts are examples, in type and shadow, of the old man with his lying practices.

Conclusion

How are we to handle deception, knowing the Lord is orchestrating all things? We know that discerning truth from error is the process used to strengthen our character in Christ. In Revelation the question is asked, “Who is similar to the beast? Who is able to make war with the beast?” It is discerning truth from error that is the waging of war against the beast and the multitude of lies and false doctrines:

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

In the previous study we saw how similar Jacob and Esau were, because they were twins. In Revelation 13 the question is asked, “Who is like unto the beast?” Ecclesiastes answers the question:

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

Those who know they are desperately wicked and therefore the chief of sinners, understand the need for pruning. Our hedge is removed for the trials to accomplish their good work in us. The Lord will make us overcomers while we strive to work out our own salvation as we wage war against the beast within. Here is how Christ “wages (spiritual) war”:

Rev 2:16  Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight (to be engaged in warfare) against them with the sword (G4501) of my mouth (language).

The Greek word for sword (G4501) is used 7 times in the New Testament:

G4501 ῥομφαία (hrom-fah’-yah) Probably of foreign origin; a sabre, that is, a long and broad cutlass (any weapon of the kind, literally or figuratively): – sword.

Luk 2:35  (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed

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.

Rev 19:15  And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

Rev 19:21  And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.

Christ’s words are spirit and, just as the sword, they proceed from His mouth as fire:

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.

What is the symbolic meaning of fire? The Greek word translated fire here is ‘pur‘, from which we get our English word ‘pure’ or ‘purify’. What is it that purifies all men? Here is what it takes to be purified and made worthy to enter into the temple of God undefiled.

1Co 3:13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire [Greek: pur]; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
1Co 3:14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
1Co 3:15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
1Co 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
1Co 3:17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which [temple] ye are.

“The spirit of God dwells in you… you are saved by fire”. What is that spirit?

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

Christ’s words are spirit, and our new man dwells with these words as we search out the scriptures and are given to be obedient to the words of Christ:

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

We speak uprightly when we speak the words of Christ. We deny our old man as commanded in Matthew 16. The same Greek word for deny (G533) is used to describe Peter’s denial of Christ three times:

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

Mat 26:35  Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.

Mat 26:75  And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.

We have all denied Christ first, but as the old man is defeated in us we are given to start walking in truth and as his children, we remain in him, we remain in his truth.

Spiritual principle: Christ’s words are Spirit, and it is only this Spirit that is sharper than a two-edged sword able to purify our heavens. While the pride of the heart (the old man in us) is susceptible to deception, it is impossible to deceive Christ, because Christ is the truth.

3Jn 1:4  I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

1Jn 2:28  And now, little children, remain in him.

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Awesome Hands – part 166

“The deception of the Gibeonites”

February 19, 2020

In chapter 9 of Joshua, we find Israel being deceived by “those that are of the world”, in this case, those that are Gibeonites.

Our verses for consideration today are found through chapter 9 of Joshua, and the verses containing the words “hand” are found at the end of this chapter.

We will start off with the beginning of the chapter as we read.

Jos 9:1  And it came to pass, when all the kings which were on this side Jordan, in the hills, and in the valleys, and in all the coasts of the great sea over against Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard thereof;
Jos 9:2  That they gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord.

The first thing to note here is that multiple kings decided to band together to defeat Israel because they had heard about the victories that Israel had.

However, there were some inhabitants of Gibeon that that decided to do something a little differently. They didn’t want any part of going to war with Israel.

Jos 9:3  And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai,
Jos 9:4  They did work wilily, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles, old, and rent, and bound up;
Jos 9:5  And old shoes and clouted upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy.
Jos 9:6  And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said unto him, and to the men of Israel, We be come from a far country: now therefore make ye a league with us.

There is a lot that can be said about these few verses, but the first thing that comes to mind is the obvious. The inhabitants of Gibeon put a lot of thought and effort into deceiving Joshua and the Israelites.

Given that we are privy to the whole story since we can read it all together, let us just pretend for a moment to be in the shoes of Joshua and the princes of the congregation.

From the perspective of Joshua, he does have some sort of inclination that something is amiss. He asks these men who they are and where they come from. They answer him, even if it was with a lie, and they make it sound believable.

Jos 9:7  And the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, Peradventure ye dwell among us; and how shall we make a league with you?
Jos 9:8  And they said unto Joshua, We are thy servants. And Joshua said unto them, Who are ye? and from whence come ye?

At first, this may seem like a strange thing for Joshua to say, “Peradventure ye dwell among us; and how shall we make a league with you?”, but it is not strange at all.

The Lord has told the Israelites to not make any covenants with the inhabitants of the land and to kill them all.

Exo 23:32  Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods.

Exo 34:10  And he said, Behold, I make a covenant: before all thy people I will do marvels, such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation: and all the people among which thou art shall see the work of the LORD: for it is a terrible thing that I will do with thee.

Exo 34:11  Observe thou that which I command thee this day: behold, I drive out before thee the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite.
Exo 34:12  Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee:
Exo 34:13  But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves:
Exo 34:14  For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:

And if that is not clear enough language for us to grasp the seriousness of this situation, let us remember Deuteronomy 7:

Deu 7:1  When the LORD thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee, the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than thou;
Deu 7:2  And when the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them:
Deu 7:3  Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.
Deu 7:4  For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly.
Deu 7:5  But thus shall ye deal with them; ye shall destroy their altars, and break down their images, and cut down their groves, and burn their graven images with fire.
Deu 7:6  For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.
Deu 7:7  The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:
Deu 7:8  But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
Deu 7:9  Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;
Deu 7:10  And repayeth them that hate him to their face, to destroy them: he will not be slack to him that hateth him, he will repay him to his face.Deu 7:11  Thou shalt therefore keep the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which I command thee this day, to do them.

As can be seen, The Lord does not want us making deals, oaths, or covenants with the inhabitants of the land. Therefore, Joshua wanted to confirm who these people were exactly.

Jos 9:8  And they said unto Joshua, We are thy servants. And Joshua said unto them, Who are ye? and from whence come ye?
Jos 9:9  And they said unto him, From a very far country thy servants are come because of the name of the LORD thy God: for we have heard the fame of him, and all that he did in Egypt,

Wow, these folks are hearkening way back to the times of Egypt. Appealing to the various connections we have to strong memories is a very strong tactic that the adversary uses to get past our mental defenses.

Then, the inhabitants of Gibeon continue to add some familiarity to the situation by bringing in recent events.

Jos 9:10  And all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites, that were beyond Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, which was at Ashtaroth.
Jos 9:11  Wherefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spake to us, saying, Take victuals with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say unto them, We are your servants: therefore now make ye a league with us.
Jos 9:12  This our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we came forth to go unto you; but now, behold, it is dry, and it is mouldy:
Jos 9:13  And these bottles of wine, which we filled, were new; and, behold, they be rent: and these our garments and our shoes are become old by reason of the very long journey.

Our physical senses are so easily deceived. What we see is not always what is there. You can’t fault the Israelites for seeing with their eyes, and holding in their hands, the moldy bread, spent bottles, and used up shoes and clothes.

The fault is in the conclusions they drew from what they were SEEING.

Moldy bread does not happen due to a long journey, though that can be one reason. Moldy bread happens from, wait for it……., mold.

If an angel suddenly appeared to you, or you suddenly “heard the voice of God”, what would be your first instinct? Naturally, our instinct would be to instantly worship.  However, our first spiritual instinct, Lord willing, would to be to listen for the voice of the True Shepherd in the voice of the one who suddenly shows themselves or speaks.

Remember, if a prophet is deceived, it is the Lord Himself who has deceived that prophet.

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;

Likewise, just because a thing comes to pass, doesn’t mean a person is a man or woman of God. In fact, even when things come to pass, if a person is not speaking the Word of God, or using the sum of the Word, then we are NOT to follow that person.

Jos 9:14  And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD.
Jos 9:15  And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, to let them live: and the princes of the congregation sware unto them.
Jos 9:16  And it came to pass at the end of three days after they had made a league with them, that they heard that they were their neighbours, and that they dwelt among them.

Well, there it is. “And asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord”, is where it all went wrong. The Lord tells us that He listens to our prayers. They aren’t always answered in the ways we want, but they are always answered.

“Pray without ceasing”, is living the life and will of God out. Having a constant connection to God the Father is done by continuing to pray about all things. There is nothing too small or too large to pray about. Prayer allows our thoughts to be formulated and to be weighed against what is in our heart.

“Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks”, (Luke 6:45) tells us that our thoughts in prayer are what the Lord uses to tell us what is REALLY in our hearts.

Therefore, Israel messed up by not going to the Lord to seek His counsel.

Jos 9:17  And the children of Israel journeyed, and came unto their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjathjearim.
Jos 9:18  And the children of Israel smote them not, because the princes of the congregation had sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the princes.

The sign of good leaders is to do what is right even when they know opposition from the masses will be the result. We are not to return evil for evil, but we are to return good for evil.

Though the inhabitants of Gibeon purposely deceived Israel into a treaty, it would have been a grievous sin for Israel to make and oath with Gibeon, with the NAME OF THE LORD as the guarantor of this oath, to then turn back on their word after the deception was found out.

It was the haste of the Israelites to believe what was before them, instead of consulting with the Lord, that led to this situation. Indeed, the pride of Israel most likely led them to being more receptive of this lie because of how the Gibeonites proposed the “fame” of the actions of the Israelites, and their victories throughout all the lands.

“By thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned” is just as true then as it is now.

Mat 12:36  But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
Mat 12:37  For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

The words we speak are being spoken to express our thoughts, not to HIDE our thoughts. Therefore, the princes of the congregation are correct in their reaction and actions in this situation.

Jos 9:19  But all the princes said unto all the congregation, We have sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel: now therefore we may not touch them.
Jos 9:20  This we will do to them; we will even let them live, lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath which we sware unto them.
Jos 9:21  And the princes said unto them, Let them live; but let them be hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the congregation; as the princes had promised them.

Instead of killing them, and so that they could keep their oaths, the Gibeonites were permitted to become slaves in being hewers of wood and drawers of water. This also is one example of how this helped to fulfill the promise made long before that the Canaanites would be “cursed” servants to the Israelites.

Gen 9:24  And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him.
Gen 9:25  And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.

Joshua must now pass the verdict along to the Gibeonsites who themselves have called themselves the servants of Israel.

Jos 9:22  And Joshua called for them, and he spake unto them, saying, Wherefore have ye beguiled us, saying, We are very far from you; when ye dwell among us?
Jos 9:23  Now therefore ye are cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being bondmen, and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.
Jos 9:24  And they answered Joshua, and said, Because it was certainly told thy servants, how that the LORD thy God commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you, therefore we were sore afraid of our lives because of you, and have done this thing.
Jos 9:25  And now, behold, we are in thine hand: as it seemeth good and right unto thee to do unto us, do.
Jos 9:26  And so did he unto them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, that they slew them not.
Jos 9:27  And Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation, and for the altar of the LORD, even unto this day, in the place which he should choose.

Some of the biggest lessons to take away from the deception of the Gibeonites have already been mentioned throughout this short study.

Since it is fairly short for one of my studies, I will just recap that we must all be diligent when dealing with the things the Lord places in our lives.

Looks can be very deceiving. Emotions are even more deceiving.

Just because things or situations look a certain way, whether in a positive or negative light, we must always go to the Lord in prayer for how to proceed in a way that glorifies Him.

Secondly, we must always look to return good for evil and not evil for evil. Vengeance is the Lord’s.

Lastly, our word is very important. So, be careful with the words you utter and think. The Lord controls everything so be mindful of how we speak concerning things that are out of our control, which is everything.

The Lord is very serious about these things because He Himself is Light, and we are His children who are the light of the world as ambassadors for Him.

1Jn 1:5  This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
1Jn 1:6  If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
1Jn 1:7  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

Rulership in both earth (the “visible”) and heaven (the “invisible”) is the powerful inheritance of God’s firstborn, Jesus Christ (Mat 28:18; Rev 3:14; Col 1:15-16). This rulership is what Jesus also promised to all His spiritual sons, even in the thousand year reign on earth, and the time of judgement over those in the spiritual age in the lake of fire (Rev 20:4-15). These sons are the symbolic twenty four elders seated with Christ in judgement (Deu 7:6; Luk 12:41-44; Eph 2:6; 1Pe 2:9). The number twelve spiritually represents foundations and these sons of God will have authority over the foundations of the earth and the foundations of heaven (Gen 17:20; 1Co 3:11):

Luk 22:29 And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me;
Luk 22:30 That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Rev 4:4 And round about the throne were four and twenty seats [Greek: “thronos” = thrones]: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.

But by God’s design, the earth or the flesh is by nature an enemy of the heavenly things of the spirit of God, as it cannot receive or understand the spiritual things of God:

Rom 8:5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
Rom 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Rom 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

Gal 5:17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

1Co 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

This antagonistic relationship between the heaven and the earth was established right in the beginning and hidden in many parables to reveal to us in due time how these opposing spiritual worlds also play their role in our own lives:

Gen 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
Gen 1:2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
Gen 1:3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
Gen 1:4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

Gen 2:9 And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

Gen 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee [the serpent] and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

But both these spiritual dimensions were made for God’s good purposes by which He will establish His peaceful conclusion for all creation:

Isa 45:5 I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me:
Isa 45:6 That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else.
Isa 45:7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

Gen 1:31a And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good.

This enmity and struggle is also typified in the twins of Isaac and Rebekah, even before they were born and it continued throughout their lives (Gen 25:22-23; Rom 9:10-13):

Gen 27:41 And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father [Isaac] blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand [Isaac’s death]; then will I slay my brother Jacob.

Jacob, the second born after his twin brother Esau, was the representative or type of God’s firstborn, Jesus Christ. Jesus came as the “last Adam” who is the only giver of spirit life as opposing to the earthly life which came through the first Adam (Rom 5:14):

1Co 15:45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening [Life-giving] spirit.
1Co 15:46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
1Co 15:47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.
1Co 15:48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
1Co 15:49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

Through Jesus, God made provision for everything the sons of God will need in this earthy life, which He will use to eventually bring them to spiritual maturity:

Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Rom 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

God also uses the evil He created, and also the wicked, to bring about His wonderful and marvellous works which the sons of God appreciate when they are given to see the purposes of all these things. The sons of God learn daily how to respect God’s wonderful works, and how to submit to God’s thoughts and ways (Isa 55:8-9):

Gen 50:19 And Joseph said unto them [his brothers who could not as yet understand that they were instruments in God’s hands to do evil to Joseph], Fear not: for am I in the place of God?
Gen 50:20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

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

In Jacob’s life God provided his mother, Rebekah, to help him to deceive his father, Isaac, to receive the blessing from his father (Gen 27:5-17). Jacob in the process also caused Esau to sell his birthright for a pottage of lentils (Gen 25:29-34). This was one very unhappy and divided home filled with deceit and conniving. Rebekah (her name means “ensnarer”) was the one who worked very hard and very meticulously in the process to see to it that Jacob was getting what she knew was rightfully his according to the word and revelation she received from God:

Gen 25:21 And Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
Gen 25:22 And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the LORD.
Gen 25:23 And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.

In this discussion of the sons of God we see how Rebekah is fulfilling her task. Even while she had the truth of God’s word in her heart, she used evil schemes and instructions of deception. All God’s sons will be exposed to evil influences in their journey to spiritual perfection, and they will fall victim in obeying and following after wrong ways. It will however bring much trouble and tribulation which Jacob in type will have to face and endure in time to come:

Pro 25:26 A righteous man falling down before the wicked is as a troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring.

It is therefore important to note that the sons of God will also give an account to God through the judgment and wrath He will bring on them for “hold[ing] the truth in unrighteousness”:

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

Jacob will also find out in due time that all that has been “spoken in darkness” (after carnal thoughts and words) shall be revealed through judgment, especially as concerns the sons of God and their time in deception (Luk 12:47-48):

Luk 12:2 For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.
Luk 12:3 Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.

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

The spiritual sons of God through Jesus are also very much aware of their walk along this dark road “in times past” (Eph 2:2-3). But they will, by God’s chastening grace, receive the light of Christ and ask forgiveness and correct the wrong to do what is right in the eyes of God, but also in the eyes of the world (Rom 12:17):

2Co 8:21 (GNB) Our purpose is to do what is right, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of others.

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

Rebekah’s last task was to see to it that Jacob is moved to a place of safety to escape the hatred and evil plans of Esau:

Gen 27:42 And these words of Esau her elder son were told to Rebekah: and she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said unto him, Behold, thy brother Esau, as touching thee, doth comfort himself, purposing to kill thee.
Gen 27:43 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice; and arise, flee thou to Laban my brother to Haran;
Gen 27:44 And tarry with him a few days, until thy brother’s fury turn away;
Gen 27:45 Until thy brother’s anger turn away from thee, and he forget that which thou hast done to him: then I will send, and fetch thee from thence: why should I be deprived also of you both in one day?

What she told Jacob is not the same story Rebekah told Isaac as she again weaves her subtle cords of deception in a mastery fashion. The journey from one of the most beautiful love stories between the young Rebekah and Isaac, to where it is now, took many years to develop as no deception and separation happens without a history. When a person deals superficially with the removal of evil in this age, that person will come up with Isaac and Rebekah in the second resurrection where God’s sons (typified also by the seven angels with their seven vials) will judge them. There all will learn that God is extremely thorough in rooting out all evil (Rev 20:11-15). The sons of God are the first to receive these very same vials which opened the way into God’s temple:

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 following are also the last words recorded in scripture which Rebekah spoke. But this is all written to show us that nothing and nobody is of more importance in this life than the purposes of God for His elected sons as God will move heaven and earth for His elect (Psa 2:6-8). We now see how the purposes of God are established even through this marriage of Isaac and Rebekah:

Gen 27:46 And Rebekah said to Isaac, I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth: if Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these which are of the daughters of the land, what good shall my life do me?

The name “Heth” means “terror” or “dread”, as Heth and his offspring are associated in that sense with death and a buryingplace, as revealed through Abraham:

Gen 23:3 And Abraham stood up from before his dead [Sarah], and spake unto the sons of Heth, saying,
Gen 23:4 I am a stranger and a sojourner with you: give me a possession of a buryingplace with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.

The daughters of Heth also represent this death process of flesh even as they are part of the daughters of Canaan (the philosophies and doctrines of this world) which the sons of God were commanded by God not to get involved with. Isaac knew from personal experience through his father Abraham, that God wanted his sons to get their wives from his kindred in Mesopotamia. Mesopotamia spiritually represents Babylon, the land of the Chaldees from where Abraham originated:

Gen 24:2 And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh:
Gen 24:3 And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell:
Gen 24:4 But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac.

All the inhabitants of Canaan are representing our uncircumcised flesh and those who are in the promised land, but never even experienced spiritual Babylon. Canaan also harbours those who never endured the trials, tribulations and rejection needed to crush the old man in us (Gen 9:25; Jos 3:10; Jos 5:1-2; Jos 17:18; Zep 2:5). Canaan is the land of our spiritual father, the spiritual Amorite of flesh, and our spiritual mother, Heth:

Eze 16:3 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto Jerusalem; Thy birth and thy nativity is of the land of Canaan; thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite (a daughter of Heth).

But God will take His spiritual sons, God’s good figs, to an ever increasing period of trials and tribulations, for their good (Jer 24:5):

Exo 3:17 And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with milk and honey.

But this milk and honey period is taken to its fulfillment in the spiritual whore Babylon, where our Amorite nature is brought to its full climax (“the fourth generation” – Gen 15:16):

Jer 24:5 Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel; Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge them that are carried away captive of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans for their good.
Jer 24:6 For I will set mine eyes upon them for good, and I will bring them again to this land: and I will build them, and not pull them down; and I will plant them, and not pluck them up.
Jer 24:7 And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the LORD: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart.

It is in Babylon where the sons of God start to see the abominations in themselves and in that great city. This is when they can hear the voice of God to come out from her and be separated from all her false doctrines (Rev 14:8; Rev 18:1-24). But those born in Canaan (especially the daughters of Canaan) are in no position to appreciate the route that God uses to bring His sons to maturity, and that is also why Isaac, after blessing Jacob, had no choice to instruct him according to God’s divine order:

Gen 28:1 And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan.
Gen 28:2 Arise, go to Padanaram, to the house of Bethuel thy mother’s father; and take thee a wife from thence of the daughters of Laban thy mother’s brother.
Gen 28:3 And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people;
Gen 28:4 And give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger, which God gave unto Abraham.
Gen 28:5 And Isaac sent away Jacob: and he went to Padanaram unto Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob’s and Esau’s mother.

Esau, following his spiritually dead carnal mind, was already married with two daughters of Canaan, but now he wanted to please his father by marrying in the family (Gen 26:34). But he did not know that even the generational line of Abraham through Ishmael was also the rejected line which could not please God (Rom 8:6-8; 1Co 1:29). This all witness once more to Esau’s attraction to the fragrance of death in pleasing the flesh for which he had no resistance (2Co 2:16):

Gen 28:6 When Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob, and sent him away to Padanaram, to take him a wife from thence; and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan;
Gen 28:7 And that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother, and was gone to Padanaram;
Gen 28:8 And Esau seeing that the daughters of Canaan pleased not Isaac his father;
Gen 28:9 Then went Esau unto Ishmael, and took unto the wives which he had Mahalath [also known as “Bashemath” meaning “fragrance” – Gen 36:3] the daughter of Ishmael Abraham’s son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife.

We will hear more about the generations of Esau when we get to Genesis 36, God willing. It is always amazing how God joins those who belong together to also separate the light from the darkness (2Co 6:14). This joining of people has both a positive and a negative applications:

Mar 10:9 What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

Pro 30:18 There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not:
Pro 30:19 The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and the way of a man with a maid.

As Jacob will soon find out, even the sons of God must first be joined to the wrong wife before God will fulfil the divorce through His seven vials when the sons of God are established in the beautiful union to the bride of Christ:

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.

—————————————————————————————
Detailed studies and emails relating to these foundational themes in Scripture are available on the www.iswasandwillbe.com website, including these topics and links:

The Number 12 – The Number of Christ
Come Out and Be Ye Separate
Coming Out of Babylon
What Becomes of Our Flesh?
How to Know God’s True Followers

Dear Mike,

I am reading over your article, The Head of Christ is God, and going on the assumption that you appreciate comments from readers like me, I would like to share my view about Adam and Eve with you. It could be that I am too sheltered, but I have not come across this view of mine about God’s mercy in the “fall” anywhere (and I have heard a lot of sermons in my time). A song I have been listening to for years by John Michael Talbot (a Catholic monk) called “The Shepherd Boy” helped me to see the spiritual meaning of Eve’s deception and Adam accepting her sin, symbolized by the fruit of the tree. After hearing the song many times, I somehow made the connection between the shepherd boy in the song and Adam who loved his wife so much that he took her sin. Eve was just the first to be deceived/beguiled.

Rom 7:11  For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived <1818> me, and by it slew me.

2Co 11:3  But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled <1818> Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

I noticed that Adam was found guilty of two things:  1) taking the fruit and 2) hearkening unto his wife. I found that “hearkening” by Adam, and others such as Abraham (another type of Christ) when he hearkened unto Sarah’s plea for a child by Hagar, is the doctrine of Mercy. As a type of Christ, I believe Adam was showing mercy to Eve. The whole matter of Eve’s deception – and Adam not being deceived – suddenly made wonderful sense to me, from seeing the spiritual side of the first sin.

Thank you for reading.

In Christ,

A____

Hi A____,

Thank you for sharing this with me. I very much agree that Adam knew what he was doing, and he placed his love for Eve above his own spiritual life and his standing with Christ, bringing the plan of God into action to have all who are in Adam subject to death.

Since we had no choice in that decision, and since Adam’s days were all written in God’s book, before there were any of them, God already had Christ “in [His] book… slain from the foundation of the world” as a propitiation for the sins of the whole world and not just for the sins of His elect in this age:

Psa 139:16  Thine eyes did see mine unformed substance; And in thy book they were all written, Even the days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was none of them. 

1Jn 2:2  And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

Those two verses make the meaning of “as in Adam all die” to mean just what they say. “In Christ” is not exclusive of anyone. “Not for ours only [who are] in Christ, but for the sins of the whole world”.

This is reiterated by the apostle Paul:

1Ti 4:10  For to this end we labor and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially [not ‘exclusively] of them that believe.
1Ti 4:11  These things command and teach.

“These things command and teach”. Have you ever heard a sermon commanding and teaching that “Christ is the Savior of all men, specially of them that believe”? Has any minister ever shown you the scripture that teaches that “[Christ] is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world”?

Those are just a few of the many dozens of verses of scripture which teach that God is in Christ bringing His entire creation, whose days He has already written in His book, to Himself through Christ, just as He gave all men over to death through “the first man Adam”.

1Co 15:45  And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
1Co 15:46  Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
1Co 15:47  The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. 
1Co 15:48  As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
1Co 15:49  And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. 

These words are “not for ours only, but for the sins of the whole world”.

What is missing in the doctrine of so many who come to see the Biblical teaching of the salvation of all is the means of producing that salvation. That means is through symbolic “fiery trials” in this age, and through a symbolic “lake of fire” in the coming age. It is fire that will save all men by destroying the old man and birthing the new man. This principle applies to “every man” who has ever lived:

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

So what is it that God’s judgments accomplish?

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

God’s judgments are ultimately for one purpose only:

1Co 11:32  But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world [to the “great white throne… judgment”].

God’s chastening judgments do not exclude the “great white throne… judgment”:

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, 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.

It is the fact so many universalists leave out the entire subject of judgment which causes them to corrupt the doctrine of universal salvation.

I hope this helps you to see that just as Adam knew that he was laying his life down for his love of his wife, Eve, so to Christ has laid down His life to redeem all who are in Adam, through His death and resurrection to live His life of dying to this world in the lives of His elect of this age.

Here is another verse you may never have seen:

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

Your brother who is praying to be granted to suffer with and to be glorified with our Lord:

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

Mike

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Awesome Hands – part 49

“The land stank”

Having the wrath of God poured out on our flesh feels good to know one who experiencing it and KNOWS they are experiencing it.

In the case of the Pharaoh, Moses and Aaron God has been clear what His commandments are. Pharaoh is to let God’s people go so that they can worship Him in the wilderness.

The Pharaoh’s heart is hardened due to the Lord’s work and will of course, and the plaques are just and extension of that will.

As we continue in the book of Exodus, we are going to see the continued hardening of Pharaoh’s heart as the Lord works the second of ten plagues into the life of the Pharaoh and Egyptians, the plague of frogs.

“False doctrine and lying spirits”

Exo 8:1  And the LORD spake unto Moses, Go unto Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Let my people go, that they may serve me.
Exo 8:2  And if thou refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all thy borders with frogs:
Exo 8:3  And the river shall bring forth frogs abundantly, which shall go up and come into thine house, and into thy bedchamber, and upon thy bed, and into the house of thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thine ovens, and into thy kneadingtroughs:
Exo 8:4  And the frogs shall come up both on thee, and upon thy people, and upon all thy servants.

Up until now, the Lord has shown a miracle to Pharaoh and the magicians, wise men and sorcerers. He has also used Moses and Aaron to perform the first plague of turning the water into blood.

We covered some of the meaning of the first plague and how there was an immediate shift of the magicians from using a “fiery enchantment” to then do whatever enchantments they performed with “secret enchantments”.

With this second plague, the Lord is going to cause frogs to leave the river and come into absolutely everywhere.

We are told very specific areas in which these frogs go. However, first let us see from scripture what these frogs represent spiritually so that we can compare spiritual with spiritual.

1Co 2:12  Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
1Co 2:13  Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
1Co 2:14  But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

These frogs are a progression of what happens in the first plague. In the plague of blood, the fish’s all died within the water.

Now, we have something come forth from the water which is going to cause utter destruction.

H6854

tsepharde a

Total KJV Occurrences:13

frogs, 13

Exo_8:2-9(8), Exo_8:11-13 (3), Psa_78:45, Psa_105:30

Eleven times frogs are mentioned in this chapter of Exodus. Two more times frogs are mentioned in the OT, and 1 time in the NT in Revelation.

Psa 78:45  He sent divers sorts of flies among them, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them.

Psa 105:30  Their land brought forth frogs in abundance, in the chambers of their kings.

Pay close attention to how frogs are mentioned in the Revelation of Jesus Christ, the revealing of Jesus the Christ.

Rev 16:10  And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain,

Rev 16:11  And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.

Rev 16:12  And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.

Rev 16:13  And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.

Rev 16:14  For they are the SPIRITS OF DEVILS, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

In our previous study, we just covered the first plaque which caused all the water in Egypt to turn to blood.

The sixth angel in the book of Revelation pours out one of the vials of the wrath of God on the river Euphrates and it dries up. This is done so that the WAY of the KINGS of the EAST might be prepared.

This is all showing us in type what the Pharaoh, his magicians and his wise men are doing as they act out the role of “the dragon, the beast and the false prophet”.

All three of these are within us primarily, but as with all things that happened, they have happened for our admonitions.

You might think this isn’t a direct correlation, but I will point you to Exo 7:8-9.

Exo 7:8  And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
Exo 7:9  When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying, Shew a miracle for you: then thou shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh, and it shall become a serpent.

The Lord calls this a miracle, and we know the magicians and sorcerers performed the same miracle multiple times because multiple rods were made into serpents. So, what was the purpose for these men to be able to perform these miracles?

Exo 7:13  And he hardened Pharaoh’s heart, that he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.

This is done because in order for God to call His people up and out of Egypt, He must send strong delusion that “they would believe a lie.” What stronger lie is there than what these magicians do looks identical to what God’s true prophets do?

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;
Eze 14:11  That the house of Israel may go no more astray from me, neither be polluted any more with all their transgressions; but that they may be my people, and I may be their God, saith the Lord GOD.

2Th 2:10  And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2Th 2:11  And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

So, when we read in Exo 8 that frogs were called up out of the water, and we correlate those frogs to being “lying spirits and spirits of devils”, we can also conclude that we are being told this because the WATER represents the Word of God.

It is the Word of God that is used to deceive as well as give Life. It is the Word of God that at one moment is turned into blood [ of which we spoke about being the blood of Christ in type], and at the next moment is used to cast forth these lying spirits out of the mouth of the dragon, beast and false prophet.

“Intreat the Lord for me”

Exo 8:5  And the LORD spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch forth thine hand with thy rod over the streams, over the rivers, and over the ponds, and cause frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt.
Exo 8:6  And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt.
Exo 8:7  And the magicians did so with their enchantments, and brought up frogs upon the land of Egypt.

Moses is told of the Lord to tell Aaron to bring forth frogs from the river unto Egpyt and Aaron does so.

Notice, the magicians perform this miracle as well. It is a miracle and likewise it is a plague at the same time.

Often times, a miracle or sign is used for unbelievers to deceive them into thinking that their ways are just and right. However, this will be the LAST time that these magicians are able to duplicate or copy the work of the Lord.

This is the third time [ serpents from rods, water into blood, frogs from river] they are able to do what Moses and Aaron do as commanded of the Lord, and this shows the same process the Lord works in His prophets and prophetess.

This process shows a change in the actions of the Pharaoh because this is going to be the first time the Pharaoh asks Moses to ask God to take away the pain and suffering that is being brought to Egypt due to the Lord’s will.

Exo 8:8  Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, Intreat the LORD, that he may take away the frogs from me, and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may do sacrifice unto the LORD.
Exo 8:9  And Moses said unto Pharaoh, Glory over me: when shall I intreat for thee, and for thy servants, and for thy people, to destroy the frogs from thee and thy houses, that they may remain in the river only?
Exo 8:10  And he said, To morrow. And he said, Be it according to thy word: that thou mayest know that there is none like unto the LORD our God.
Exo 8:11  And the frogs shall depart from thee, and from thy houses, and from thy servants, and from thy people; they shall remain in the river only.

If you have understood the pattern up until this point, then you will recognize that the Pharaoh’s has immediately not hearkened to the voices of Moses and Aaron and “retreated back to his house”.

Now, the Pharaoh calls for Moses and Aaron to pray to the Lord on his behalf. Not only that, but Moses permits the Pharaoh to determine when the frogs will be called back in order to PROVE undoubtedly that the Lord Himself is the one who works the work of keeping the boundaries of the frogs.

If you’d been following along, then you should also recognize that we aren’t just talking about frogs here. We are talking about the false doctrines and lying spirits which are manipulating the people of God.

These lying spirits come forth from the “mouths” of those who are in opposition to God. However, there comes a time when even they recognize that something bigger than them is at work here and they must acknowledge this power working in the midst of them.

This is all used to show us the pattern the “seed of the sower follows”. In the case of the frogs, the Pharaoh actually wants to enquire of the Lord and also wants to let the people go do what the need to do for the Lord, with certain restrictions of course.

Mar 4:3  Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:
Mar 4:4  And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.
Mar 4:5  And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth:
Mar 4:6  But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.

The Pharaoh is only reacting to the “stone” which is very present behind the events unfolding, but being in the presence of the “Sun” and having no root is going to cause death to happen none the less.

Exo 8:12  And Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh: and Moses cried unto the LORD because of the frogs which he had brought against Pharaoh.
Exo 8:13  And the LORD did according to the word of Moses; and the frogs died out of the houses, out of the villages, and out of the fields.
Exo 8:14  And they gathered them together upon heaps: and the land stank.
Exo 8:15  But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.

The Pharaoh gains the relief that he desired, but he doesn’t keep his word. He just wanted to be rid of the judgments of the Lord. This is so telling to the work the Lord does in our lives when we first learn of His ways.

The Lord listens to the words of Moses and kills all the frogs, but they must still be disposed of and when they are all gathered up they stink.

Psa 38:5  My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness.

This is the same Hebrew word stink as is used in both of the examples of the fishes and the frogs.

Exo 7:20  And Moses and Aaron did so, as the LORD commanded; and he lifted up the rod, and smote the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants; and all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood.
Exo 7:21  And the fish that was in the river died; and the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river; and there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt.

Exo 8:14  And they gathered them together upon heaps: and the land stank.

The result of both situations is that something dies. The fish and what they represent dies in the water turned to blood. Now, the Pharaoh entreats the Lord via Moses but the result is the same. The frogs now die and stink.

What we can conclude from this is that this process and progression shows us how the Lord will kill everything that moves when it has to deal with all that flesh has to offer.

Everything in the sea and everything in the earth must die.  When it does, it will stink because it is all foolishness to the Lord. This is all caused by the Lord and must be so.

In the next study, we are going to see where the Lord takes this story and progresses beyond what the magicians can duplicate with their enchantments. They are NOT going to be able to turn dust into lice and this will play a significant role in the lives of God’s people because the Lord will purposefully start to separate His people from their taskmasters around them.

Dear Mike,

I was more than a little surprised when I read that you consider it unacceptable to allow an Orthodox Priest (a Christian) to pray for another Christian.

Can you kindly elaborate on why you would consider the oldest Christian denomination to be unworthy of receiving prayer from? These are quite fervent people who spend many hours a week in Christian prayer and worship. Are you perhaps thinking that Orthodox Christians are the same as Orthodox Jews? (they are quite different)

(Quoting you) “…. Orthodox Christian ministers do not “hear God’s words”. They are ‘of their father the Devil’. They ‘do the deeds of their father’, and they do not understand Christ’s speech because they cannot hear His word, simply because they have not yet been given to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of God……”

I assure you, that this does not sound like you are referring to an Orthodox Christian, but rather an Orthodox Jew, and you might consider writing a clarification on this point. Can you kindly clarify your response in a succinct manner please?

To assist, I’ve narrowed it down to 2 basic choices: Orthodox Jews – yes or no and Orthodox Christians – yes or no. If it is because they are considered by God to be apostate, when did this start?

Thank you for your time.

In Christ,

M____

Hi M____,

Thank you for your question. You asked me to clarify whether I was writing about Jews or Christians when I wrote that those who know the Christ of the scriptures should not allow orthodox Christian ministers to pray over them.

Let me assure you that when I write that a follower of our Lord should not permit an orthodox Christian minister, to whom the words of our Lord are pure heresy, to pray for him, I am not referring to an orthodox Jewish Rabbi, to whom the Pope would be considered a scriptural heretic anyway. And I am not speaking of an instance where an orthodox friend or minister, finding out you were sick, asks if you would like prayer for your illness. The point under discussion is an orthodox minister praying for your doctrinal or spiritual understanding. That is just how stark the differences between anyone who takes seriously the words of our Lord and those who proudly proclaim themselves ‘orthodox Christians’ are.

Neither an orthodox Christian nor an orthodox Jewish Rabbi would dare to tell those in their charge that they should love their enemies and “put up thy sword, all who live by the sword shall die by the sword”. If either of them were to abide by that one commandment of our Lord, he would not be an orthodox Christian nor an orthodox Jew.

In this email I will demonstrate for you that the apostasy of the Christian church was an accomplished fact before the death of the original apostles, and that “many have come in Christs name saying He is Christ, [and yet] have deceived many”, and that this process has only gotten worse since the day our Lord uttered those words.

2Ti 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

Mat 24:3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world Greek, aion, age]?
Mat 24:4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
Mat 24:5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

In light of the fact that the word “many” means ‘the majority’ and in light of the fact that Christ said that it would be doubtful that the Son of Man would find faith when He returned, it is super clear, that either our Lord was lying or else the established orthodox Christian church is the “many” who have come in His name, have confessed that Jesus is the Christ, and who are still in the position of “deceiving many.”

Luk 18:7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
Luk 18:8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

If orthodox Christianity is the church of our Lord, then the answer to that question, posed by our Lord, would be, certainly, when the Son of Man comes, he will find that orthodox Christianity is the largest religion on the earth, and the evil men and seducers are the vast minority, and there are but a few who have come in Christ’s name and they have deceived but a comparative few souls, compared to the billions Christians who consider themselves to be a part of the orthodox Christian faith. Is that what the scriptures show us will be the case? Not according to Luke 18:8.

But when I say that we ought not allow orthodox Christian ministers to pray for us, please understand that I am not denying the sincerity of anyone in the orthodox Christian denominations or the Jewish religion. Nevertheless, it is abundantly clear that the Son of God would never allow a dedicated Pharisee, who wanted Him dead and who considered Him to be a heretic, to pray over Him and to ask God to remove Christ’s own doctrine from Christ. That is why we are not to allow those who are completely opposed to everything we stand for to pray over us, and anyone who is an orthodox Christian has virtually nothing doctrinally in common with the Christ, of scripture or with those who know the Christ of scripture.

Having said that, let me confess that I was myself a very sincere orthodox Christian for much of my own life. So I am not condemning anyone for being where God has placed them at this time in their lives. Where any of us are at any given time is all the sovereign work of our Lord Himself according to the scriptures. Every day of life for every human who has ever lived was known and planned of God “before there were any of those days”.

Look at this 16th verse of Psalms 139 in several different translations:

Psa 139:16
(ASV) Thine eyes did see mine unformed substance; And in thy book they were all written, Even the days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was none of them.
(CEV) but with your own eyes you saw my body being formed. Even before I was born, you had written in your book everything I would do.
(GNB) You saw me before I was born. The days allotted to me had all been recorded in your book, before any of them ever began.
(GW) Your eyes saw me when I was only a fetus. Every day of my life was recorded in your book before one of them had taken place.
(MSG) Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you, The days of my life all prepared before I’d even lived one day.
(NIV) your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
(NKJV) Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.

This is all summed up in the New Testament in these verses and many others like them.

Eph 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

Rom 11:36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

So contrary to what every orthodox Christian minister teaches, it was not the Jews or the Romans who were responsible for Christ’s death. Instead both the Jews and the Gentiles were then, and are to this very day, “doing what God’s hand and God’s counsel has before determined to be done… [since] all their days were written in God’s book before there were any of them”. That is the doctrine of Christ, and that is the doctrine of the New Testament. The death of Christ had nothing at all to do with Judas’s or the Pharisee’s or Pilate’s, or the Romans’ supposed ‘free will’. Every detail of Christ’s crucifixion was planned in advance and was executed simply because God’s own “hand and counsel determined before” that it be done, as it was done. That is what the scriptures teach.

Act 4:26 The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ.
Act 4:27 For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,
Act 4:28 For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before [in God’s book] to be done.

This subject of the sovereignty of God is dealt with in depth in a paper which is entitled After The Counsel of His Own Will, which can be located in the Essential Reading section of iswasandwillbe.com here.

So sincerity is not to be confused with obedience to the doctrine of Christ. Christ Himself acknowledged that those who killed Him did not know what they were doing.

Luk 23:33 And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.
Luk 23:34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

Saul of Tarsus, before his name was changed to the apostle ‘Paul’, persecuted the body of Christ thinking he was doing God a service.

Act 22:8 And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.

1Ti 1:13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

We all, and I include myself, “were before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious… doing so ignorantly in unbelief”. When we give the doctrines of Christ lip service and then do the exact opposite, we are “blaspheming the name of God among the Gentiles”.

Rom 2:21 Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?
Rom 2:22 Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?
Rom 2:23 Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?
Rom 2:24 For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.

It seems like only yesterday that I hated the truths I now see in the Word of God. I hated the idea of having to love my enemies. I especially hated the very thought of not having a free will, which was independent of God’s will over my everyday life.

So Christ recognized those who “believed on Him” and who yet “wanted to kill Him” as being “of their father the devil”, and He recognized them as being such by God’s own design, and yet He never once doubted their sincerity, and even asked His Father to forgive them because they were completely unaware that they were crucifying the Son of God.

So when you say:

“These are quite fervent people who spend many hours a week in Christian prayer and worship.”

I have no doubt that is very often true, but then so did the “blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious” Saul of Tarsus, who was later to become the repentant “Paul the apostle” who agreed with our Lord that we are to love our enemies and “endure all things”.

Mat 5:43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
Mat 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
Mat 5:45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
Mat 5:46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
Mat 5:47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?

1Co 13:4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
1Co 13:5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
1Co 13:6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
1Co 13:7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

So this question of yours offers me the opportunity to clarify for you how the established Jewish church of Christ’s day, as well as the Jews of Christ’s day who “believed on Him [and yet] wanted to kill Him”, are the Biblical type of the established church of every generation since our Lord walked the earth. The established church of every generation rejects the above words of our Lord, along with many other teachings of the New Testament.

When we fail to see that the Jewish church and the Jews of Christ’s day are the Biblical symbol of the established Christian church of today and of every day since the apostles, then all of our Lord’s words will always be for, and apply to, someone else besides us. They will always apply to ‘those evil Jews’, ‘those sadistic Roman soldiers’, or to someone who is not part of the orthodox Christian church. When that happens, His “words will have no place in us” (Joh 8:37)..

You see, it was not just those Jews which did not believe on Christ, who wanted him dead. It was also “those Jews which believed on Christ” who wanted Him dead. This is something “the oldest Christian denomination” to this very day does not recognize. They still think it was unbelieving Jews who sought to kill Christ, and they demonstrate their spiritual blindness and their inability to see that it is “believers in Christ” to this very day who reject the Christ of the scriptures, and in doing so fulfill these words of our Lord:

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

It is people “who believe in Christ”, and who “come in His name, [who] shall deceive many”.

Here it is again:

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 8:37 I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye [“who believe on me, and who claim to be Abraham’s seed by being “in Christ”, Gal 3:28] seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.

So it was believers who “had no place in them for Christ’s Word”, who wanted to kill Him. It is the same to this very day, and that is why the established Jewish church of Christ’s day is the Biblical type and shadow of orthodox Christianity to the very day. The Jewish church was even called “the church in the wilderness”.

Act 7:38 This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us:
Act 7:39 To whom our [church] fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt,

Our so-called, orthodox Christian “church fathers”, except for the true apostles of our Lord who are the real “church fathers”, have done the same and have thrust Christ and His Words from them. What orthodox minister can you name for me who would dare to tell a most loyal soldier, fighting for the Son of God Himself, these words, as Christ told Peter and you and me:

Mat 26:52 Then said Jesus unto him [Peter], Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.
Mat 26:53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?
Mat 26:54 But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?

All orthodox ministers teach us to fight for God and country. They despise these words of our Lord when it comes to fighting in the wars of this age and of this world. That is true for both orthodox Christians and Jews.

When orthodox Christians, be they the Pope himself or any Protestant minister, teach you to ‘love your enemies” and then with the same mouth and same forked tongue, tells you to hate our enemies and go out and fight for God and country, while claiming to be Christians, they are doing nothing less than “blaspheming the name of Christ among the Gentiles”.

What orthodox minister or priest, can you name who even knows the meaning of these words?:

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

If Christ really is living His life in us, then we, like Him, will lay down our lives with Him, we will “put up again our swords”, and we will ‘fill up in our flesh what is behind of the afflictions of Christ’ rather than fight to preserve this life.

Luk 17:33 Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.

If Christ really is living His life in us, then our battle for Him and His cause will be fought as He fought that battle. It will be fought against all the false orthodox ministers who have come in Christ’s name, “saying that [He is] Christ”, and yet teaching those in their charge, who are all part of the differing warring denominational factions in this world, to go out and fight and kill their fellow man in the name of God and country.

My intention is to stand on the Words of Christ, and the most obvious thing in this world is that orthodox Christianity is exactly who Christ had in mind when, as quoted earlier, He made this statement concerning the end of this age:

Mat 24:3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? [Greek: aion, age]
Mat 24:4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
Mat 24:5 For many [read orthodox Christians – not Jews who deny Christ] shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

Those words have been true since the day they were uttered. There always have been, and there will always be, “many who come in Christ’s name, confessing that Jesus is Christ, [and yet] deceiving many”.

Now I want you to be honest with yourself. Do you honestly believe Christ was speaking of physical Jews when, in answer to “When will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the world?” Christ’s answer was referring to ‘Many orthodox Jews shall come in My name, saying I am Christ; and shall deceive many’? Would that even be logical, seeing that all but a few of the Jews have completely rejected our Lord?

“Many” does not mean ‘a few’. It means the majority of orthodoxy – Jewish or Christian – who in actual practice, utterly despise these words of our Lord:

Mat 5:43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
Mat 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
Mat 5:45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
Mat 5:46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

Can you name a single orthodox minister or priest who lives by those words? Of course you cannot. If he did, he would not be an orthodox priest or minister. Orthodox ministers teach that you should love your enemy unless he really means you and your family and your country bodily harm, in which case, and I quote one nationally known minister, “You should step on him like a cockroach”. That explains why our Creator used a serpent to symbolize the devil. A serpent has a forked tongue and confesses to the Truth, while at the same time denying it.

Those who read this web page regularly know that the primary application of all scripture is to be understood as being first lived out within the lives of each of us.

Mat 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man [Greek: anthropos – mankind, you and me] shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

We all first fall into the lies of orthodox religion, including orthodox Christianity. Orthodoxy is called in scripture, “Babylon the Great, the Mother Of Harlots, and of the Abominations of The World”.

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:
Rev 17:2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.
Rev 17:3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
Rev 17:4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
Rev 17:5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
Rev 17:6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.

Who is this great spiritual harlot? Many Protestants say it is the Catholic Church. But if that is the case, who then would that make the many Protestant churches? Who also would that make the established Jewish church of Christ’s day? Would Judaism then become the Grandmother of Harlots? It is clear from Christ’s own teachings, that all who hate Christ’s doctrines and in whom “Christ’s words have no place”, are “Mystery Babylon The Great” in every generation of mankind. In Christ’s own words, it was the established church of His day, and so it has always been. It is Babylon The Great, in whom Christ’s Words have no place, who want Him dead. Today’s established church which utterly despises the doctrines of Christ, happens to be both the Jewish religion, who to this day considers Christ to be “a criminal who died for His crimes”, as well as all of the established Catholic and Protestant churches, who have all been killing each other and their enemies since the days when Christ told Peter, “Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword (Mat 26:52 ).

Joh 18:7 Then asked he them again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth.
Joh 18:8 Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way:
Joh 18:9 That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none.
Joh 18:10 Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus.
Joh 18:11 Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?

Who gave Christ this “cup to drink”? That is right, it was “My Father”. We are to drink of that same cup from which our Lord drank by simply obeying His doctrine. That is how we “die daily” and “lose our lives”.

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

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

Our drinking of that same cup is laying down our lives in His service instead of fighting to preserve our physical flesh. This is Christ’s doctrine, and that doctrine to this very day will get Christ and His disciples crucified, by the established Catholic and Protestant ministers, to whom it is not given to drink of His cup.

Mar 10:39 And they said unto him, We can. And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized:

Jesus told His disciples of every age, that if they were willing to follow Him they would “be hated of all men”, and those men would “scourge you in their synagogues” [read ‘churches’].

Mat 10:16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves [A Biblical word for apostate Christians, not Jews, Act 20:29-30]: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
Mat 10:17 But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; [churches]
Mat 10:18 And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.
Mat 10:19 But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.
Mat 10:20 For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.
Mat 10:21 And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.
Mat 10:22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

Act 20:29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
Act 20:30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.

“Christ’s name’s sake” is His doctrine’s sake. It is those who hear, but “cannot receive” Christ’s words who hated Christ while He was here on this earth, and it is the very same people who hear Christ’s words today, who claim to be Christians, but who cannot receive and live by Christ’s doctrines, who hate those who are faithful to that doctrine. It has always been so.

Joh 15:20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they [the church] have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

As I have shown, it was not the Romans who wanted Christ dead. No, it was the church of His day, and what is so little understood to this very day is that it was those of that church “who believed on Him” who wanted Him dead, simply because it was not then, and it is not to this day, granted to the “many which believed on Him” to receive His Words and His doctrine. That is what the New Testament teaches from Mat 1:1 to Rev 22:21.

Here is what has been given us to understand, if we have been given eyes that see and ears that hear the mysteries of the kingdom of God. Here is the very root and beginning of the apostasy of those who believed on Jesus Christ. That apostasy from our Savior began before he was even crucified. It subsided after the founding of His spiritual church, but it gained great momentum even before the death of the original apostles of Christ.

Here is what we have been told by the scriptures themselves as to how “many would come in Christ’s name and would deceive many”:

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.

Speaking to these very same “believing Jews” Christ continues in this same chapter:

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.

Here we have our Savior acknowledging that these believing Jews are “Abraham’s seed”, and yet He also tells us that “those Jews which believed on Him… seek to kill Him… because His Word has no place within the many who believe on Him.

There is one more thing we need to realize concerning when and where the outward apostasy away from the words of our Lord, of the orthodox Christian church began. The truth is that the apostasy moving away from the words of our Lord, was an accomplished fact, even before the death of the apostles themselves.

We are all aware of the sad shape of the seven churches of Asia as a whole, as their sad spiritual condition is made known to us in Rev 2-3.

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.
Rev 2:12 And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;
Rev 2:13 I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas [was] my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.
Rev 2:14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.
Rev 2:15 So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, [Meaning ‘Nico’ – rule, ‘laitans’ – laity] which thing I hate.
Rev 2:16 Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
Rev 2:18 And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet [are] like fine brass;
Rev 2:19 I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first.
Rev 2:20 Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.
Rev 2:21 And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.
Rev 2:22 Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.
Rev 2:23 And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.

Rev 3:1 And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.

Rev 3:14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
Rev 3:15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
Rev 3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
Rev 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

That was the state of the church before the death of the apostles. Here is what the apostle Paul said of these same churches of Asia before his death.

2Ti 1:15 This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.

Paul saw this coming and had warned Timothy of it in his first epistle:

1Ti 1:19 Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:
1Ti 1:20 Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.

How do we “blaspheme the name of God among the Gentiles”? We do so by preaching one thing, and then with a forked tongue preaching and doing the exact opposite. So this epistle concludes with the names of even more of “those who believed on Christ” who forsook the very apostles of Christ, and thereby they forsook Christ.

2Ti 4:9 Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me:
2Ti 4:10 For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.

2Ti 4:14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works:
2Ti 4:15 Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words.
2Ti 4:16 At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.
2Ti 4:17 Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and [that] all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.
2Ti 4:18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom [be] glory for ever and ever. Amen.

To this very day, all orthodox men, men who, like Demas, Cresens, and Titus, who all were formerly Paul’s “fellow laborers in the gospel”, “love this world” more than the words of our Lord, and they forsake those who stand firm on the word of God. That is how it was with Christ, that is how it was with His apostles, and that is how it will be with “all who will live godly in Christ Jesus”, as Paul had just told Timothy.

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

Did the other apostles have this same experience? Yes, of course they all did, but the apostle John makes it clear that the orthodox Christians of his day were already so ensconced as to be able to put the true Christians “out of the church”.

3Jn 1:9 I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.
3Jn 1:10 Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.
3Jn 1:11 Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.

The apostasy had gained so much strength in the churches that the apostates were in control and were “casting out of the church” those who were sent to them by the apostles.

What do we know for certain of these “evil men”? Were they prophesied to be rooted out of the church by those who put the love of God above the love and acceptance of their fellow apostate Christians? No, that is not what we are told would happen. Here is the one thing we know for certain concerning these apostate Christians and their doctrines:

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

To which the holy spirit adds these words immediately after telling us that we are to expect to be persecuted by these very apostates known as orthodox Christians.

2Ti 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
2Ti 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

So that is what has been taking place since the days of the apostles. It was so bad by the beginning of the fourth century that a pagan king named Constantine had co-opted the entire church and was waging wars against his enemies in the name of Christ.

Instead of “rejecting a heretic, and having no company” with him, as the holy spirit admonishes us, Constantine and the Catholic bishops appointed by Constantine, had heretics killed. Orthodox Protestants did no better when Martin Luther waged war against the Catholics of Europe, making the so-called Reformation nothing less than simply a more insidious apostasy.

Tit 3:10 A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;

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

But the words inspired by the holy spirit were not sufficient for either the Catholics or the Protestants, so the great Protestant minister Calvin, had Michael Servetus burned alive at the stake, and had his throat slit so as to keep Servetus from spreading his supposed heresy with his dying breath. I have no doubt that Luther, Calvin and many Popes have been very sincere men who have spent many hours in fervent prayer, but sincerity and due diligence do not equate to obeying the words of our Lord.

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

Orthodox Christianity and each of us within it have “lost (our) first love, dwelled where Satan’s seat is, and held the doctrine of Balaam”, who snared God’s people with the doctrines of the daughters of the people of the lands who they were told to destroy. Those pagan daughters are the Biblical symbol of all the false doctrines which have taken root in the orthodox Christian Church and in each of us who have all been a part of that unholy system called Babylon the great the mother of harlots and of abominations of the world.

Evil men and seducers have waxed worse and worse since the days of the apostles, to the extent that orthodox Christianity now practices the doctrine of the Nicolaitans who lord it over the laity, while supporting the false doctrines of the false prophetess Jezebel.

Orthodox Christianity has a name that it is alive, but it is, in reality, spiritually dead. It thinks it is rich and increased with goods and in need of nothing, not knowing it is wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked.

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

In the epistles of Paul to Timothy, and in the second epistle of John, we have an array of sincere, Christian men, who no doubt had spent many hours in prayer with the apostles Paul and John. They include Paul’s fellow laborers in the gospel like Demas, Crescens, and Titus, whom he considered a son.

Phm 1:24 Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellowlabourers.

Tit 1:4 To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.

They include all the prominent men of the Ephesian congregation: Hymenaeus and Alexander, Phygellus and Hermogenes, and Alexander the coppersmith. This may be the same Alexander of 1Ti 1:20, but whoever these men are, they became the original orthodox Christian church fathers, who “cast out of the church” the true followers of our Lord, and did not allow them to speak in the very churches which the apostles had raised up in all those cities.

We have no record of these men being exposed and rooted out of their prominent positions. We do have scriptures out of the mouth of our Lord which tell us that many would come in His name and deceive many, and we have even later inspired scripture which declares that these very same deceivers would wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.

So you tell me – where are the many who Christ said would come in His name and deceive many? Where are the wicked men and seducers who would wax worse and worse? Are these not words which have proceeded out of the mouth of God which you and I have lived as we have all been partaking in the Babylonian harlot system known as orthodox Christianity, which to this very day would crucify Christ if He returned and taught the multitudes of orthodox Christians of today to love their enemies?

I hope this has made clear of whom I was speaking when I said that no true follower of Christ would receive a prayer over him by an orthodox Christian minister who has nothing spiritually in common with a true son of God who calls Christ his Lord and does what Christ says to do.

Your brother in the true shepherd of His flock, Christ,

Mike

Hi there Mike,

I hope this email finds you in good health and good spirits?

Recently I was asked what I make of this particular scripture:

Jas 5:14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

Note that I have emphasized the “elders of the church… let THEM pray over him” as that was the questioner’s emphasis also.

The question was that if I am not belonging to any particular physical gathered church, how on earth do I apply this scripture and what is its application? I guess being made was regarding literal versus symbolic scriptural meanings and I suppose, the dilemma one sees at this approach.

I explained that the days of the gathered multitudes with revival and mass physical miracles as in the early NT church were over – I likened it to how Joseph and his family were the saviors of Egypt at the conclusion of the book of Genesis and then only 400 years later were oppressed slaves in the very next book of the bible.

This much was understood, but if you have time, I would appreciate it if you could explain how this verse of scripture applies spiritually to us. Any help or light you can shed here would be a blessing, my brother.

Thank you for your time,

B____

Hi B____,

Thank you for sending me your question concerning the proper understanding of Jas 5:14.

Jas 5:14  Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:

It is a logical question for anyone to ask, but it seems that the obvious fact, as you put it, “that the days of the gathered multitudes with revival and mass physical miracles as in the early NT church are over” and the undeniable fact that there are very few miracles taking place these days, is simply unacceptable to a lot of people. Here is another letter on the site on this subject of healing which I encourage you to read. Here is the URL for that letter.

http:// iswasandwillbe. com/ short-sighted_ healings. php

As far as the point of not going to a physical church building with elders who are physically present in that particular physical building, one would have to acknowledge that anointed cloths were sent out even in Paul’s day, demonstrating that “the elders of the church” do not need to be in physical attendance to pray a prayer of faith over the sick.

Act 19:11  And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul:
Act 19:12  So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.

God is completely capable of doing these same “special miracles” today, but it appears that there is simply never a reliable witness or camcorder around to catch all the miracles which are being proclaimed.

The principle that must be kept in mind to understand this, or any other verse of scripture, is that “The sum of thy Word is Truth”.

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

So we cannot just take Jas 5:14 alone, and exclude it from the rest of scripture. If we want a proper understanding of this verse of scripture, then we must take it as a part of the whole of the witness of God’s Word. Truth is designed to be found only “line upon line, and precept upon precept, here a little and there a little” for the express purpose of snaring the multitudes.

Isa 28:9  Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.
Isa 28:10  For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
Isa 28:11  For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
Isa 28:12  To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.
Isa 28:13  But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

Before we go any further, I want to add a word to your statement: ” … the days of the gathered multitudes with revival and mass physical miracles as in the early NT church are over.” That is a true statement that simply needs to be clarified by saying that God still heals people of diseases when righteous men pray fervently for healing. But let’s look closely at what we are being promised in this section of scripture.

Jas 5:15  And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
Jas 5:16  Confess [ your] faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Where in those verses are we promised ‘The prayer of faith shall physically heal the physically sick”? Where, in these verses is that promise? Nowhere are we ever promised that God will always answer our prayers for physical blessings of any kind. All we are ever promised anywhere is that if our petitions are “according to His will” then He will hear that prayer and He will grant them to us.

1Jn 5:14  And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:

What is it that precipitates the healing that is under discussion in the verses there in Jas 5? It is “Confessing your faults, and praying for one another”. These verses do not say, ‘Tell each other of your physical afflictions, and pray for each other’s physical afflictions.’ Instead it says “Confess your faults and pray one for another.” Being healed of a physical affliction is not the point of these verses of Jas 5. We are not told that this “fervent… prayer of faith” will physically heal the physically sick. What we are being told in these verses is that “The prayer of faith will SAVE the sick and the Lord will raise him up.” This is not a physical promise of physical healing, and the physical realm of healing is never to be placed ahead of spiritual healing in the spiritual realm. Christ certainly never made that mistake.

Mat 9:2  And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.

Mat 9:5  For whether is easier, to say, [ Thy] sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk?
Mat 9:6  But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.

The very reason for this man’s healing from his palsy was “That you may know that the Son of man has power on earth to forgive sins.” That was the reason for the sickness itself, and this is reemphasized and demonstrated in the instance of the man who was born blind.

Joh 9:2  And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
Joh 9:3  Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.

It is the power to perform physical miracles which is given to the beast. This power is actually granted by God to the beast for the express purpose of “deceiving the whole world”.

Rev 13:11  And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
Rev 13:12  And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
Rev 13:13  And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
Rev 13:14  And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.

It is His “deadly wound [ which] was healed”, making him a very healthy beast, and God grants this beast which comes up out of the earth, “the power to perform wonders [Greek, semeion – miracles] in the sight of men”.

It is very instructive for those who are “given eyes that see… the things of the spirit” to realize that the word translated “great wonders” in Rev 13:13 is the same word translated as “signs in this verse:

Mar 16:17  And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

Here is Strong’s number and definition of that Greek word.

G4592
σημειον
se meion
say- mi’- on

Neuter of a presumed derivative of the base of G4591; an indication, especially ceremonially or supernaturally: – miracle, sign, token, wonder.

Here are other places in the New Testament, with the various English translations of this word and where this Greek word “semeion” appears.

G4592
σημειον
se meion

Total KJV Occurrences: 77

sign, 29
Mat_12:38-39 (4), Mat_16:1, Mat_16:4 (3), Mat_24:3, Mat_24:30, Mat_26:48, Mar_8:11-12 (3), Mar_13:4, Luk_2:12, Luk_2:34, Luk_11:16, Luk_11:29-30 (4), Luk_21:7, Joh_2:18, Joh_6:30, Rom_4:11, 1Co_14:22 (2), Rev_15:1

signs, 22
Mat_16:3, Mat_24:24, Mar_13:22, Mar_16:17, Mar_16:20, Luk_21:11, Luk_21:25, Joh_4:48, Joh_20:30, Act_2:19, Act_2:22, Act_2:43, Act_4:30, Act_5:12, Act_7:36, Act_8:13, Act_14:3, Rom_15:19, 2Co_12:12 (2), 2Th_2:9, Heb_2:4

miracles, 15
Joh_2:11, Joh_2:23, Joh_6:2 (2), Joh_6:26, Joh_7:31, Joh_9:16, Joh_11:47, Joh_12:37, Act_6:8, Act_8:6, Act_15:12, Rev_16:14 (2), Rev_19:20

miracle, 7
Luk_23:8, Joh_4:54, Joh_6:14, Joh_10:41, Joh_12:18, Act_4:16, Act_4:22

wonder, 2
Rev_12:1, Rev_12:3

token, 1
2Th_3:17

wonders, 1
Rev_13:13

It is by these miracles, these “semeion“, that he deceives those who are not given the ability to try the spirits to see whether they are of God (1Jn 4:1). For ninety nine and forty-four one-hundredths of a percent of mankind, the ability to perform miracles is equated with spiritual and Godly righteousness. After all, we are told that “the fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much”. But physical healing and spiritual righteousness are not to be considered as one and the same, and the “much availed [by] the fervent prayer of a righteous man” is far more than physical healing. There are many unrighteous men who claim to have their prayers miraculously answered. Paul graphically demonstrates this Truth for us when he tells us that the Corinthians “came behind in no gift”, which would include the gift of healing, and in the same breath he tells us that they “were yet carnal.”

1Co 1:7  So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:

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?

So once again we need to take the time to look at what James, under the inspiration of the holy spirit, emphasizes as the result of “the fervent prayer of a righteous man.”

Jas 5:15  And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

“Save the sick… raise him up… forgive his sins”? That is all wonderful, and in reality those are the things that matter, but where in that verse are we told that a physical miracle would be performed? The Truth is that it simply is not there. “Raise him up” can and should be primarily understood in the sense in which the scriptures emphasize that phrase.

Luk 9:22  Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.

Act 2:24  Whom [Christ] God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.

Rom 6:3  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Rom 6:4  Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

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

Having said all of this, it is important that I mention that I have personally witnessed a miraculous healing of a cancer patient who, as a heavy person before contracting his cancer, lost weight to the point that he was just skin and bones and was sent  home to die. He had previously asked all of his acquaintances to pray for his healing. When he was healed, even though I had been praying for that very thing, I was literally shocked. He had been a country music entertainer in the local night clubs around Gainesville and Buford, Georgia, and when he became ill, he stopped entertaining, he stopped smoking and drinking, and he returned to the local Baptist church in which he had been brought up.

For God’s own reasons He saw fit to restore this man to health after bringing his to death’s door.

At this very time I am in the process of asking God daily to heal two of our brothers, just as I have prayed for you. Of course you were treated for your affliction, but even your treatments were the working of our Lord. So all of our prayers must include the instructions were were specifically given for proper praying.

Mat 6:10  Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

1Jn 5:14  And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us

As you are aware, “All of the days ordained for us are written in His book before there were any of them”.

Psa 139:16  Thine eyes did see mine unformed substance; And in thy book they were all written, Even the days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was none of them.

In closing, it will do us well to remember that Christ made it super-clear that our faith was never to be based upon the signs we witness, but solely upon His Words which express His will in all things.

Mat 12:39  But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given it but the sign of Jonah the prophet:

Joh 20:29  Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

That is where the real blessing lies. I hope this is of some help to you.

Your brother in Christ,

Mike

Good day to you again Mike,

I spent quite some time today on the site studying again the sixth seal, covering “…. the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?”. The Holy spirit brought to my remembrance what a friend told me last week. He said he was “so terrible” to his sister, he made her unhappy and kept her quiet because he opened to her some of the Scripture. I think he was growing frustrated at the rank idolatry he is seeing in his home (of which he himself partook only ‘yesterday’ so to speak!), and the things the ravaging wolves were doing in the churches, that he told her God does not dwell in temples made with men’s hands, and the Lord’s money is NO cash as the churches say, and Church tithing is nothing more than men taking away your livelihood for their own gain. I think this really broke his sister’s heart to hear such ‘Good’ News backed up with Scripture… she could not with stand such words. I felt compelled to study the Spiritual reality and significant of the word “TERRIBLE” and terror. The revelations the scripture brought out just coincided with a particular Psalm I noticed you emphasize many times, thus I feel compelled to share this with you.
The “terrible thing” my friend did to his sister surely is after the counsel of God’s will… but is the Lord within him terrible? Are God’s Elect terrible people I thought, is God’s workings terrible? Why is God’s Wrath so terrible none can stand?

Exo 34:10 And he said, Behold, I make a covenant: before all thy people I will do marvels, such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation: and all the people among which thou art shall see the work of the LORD: for it is a terrible thing that I will do with thee.

This seems so scary and horrible to the natural man. God who is Love… doing Terrible things? Sounds like He himself is terrible God to Man doesn’t it?

Deu 7:21 Thou shalt not be affrighted at them: for the LORD thy God is among you, a mighty God and terrible.
Deu 10:17 For the LORD your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward:

HOW is he terrible I asked myself.. what does Moses say?

Deu 10:21 He is thy praise, and he is thy God, that hath done for thee these great and terrible things, which thine eyes have seen.
Neh 1:5 And said, I beseech thee, O LORD God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments: (and Neh 9:32)

Straightaway, the Spirit brought to my remembrance a talk you gave entitled “All things work for Good” You said something which hit me,”God doesn’t think a whole lot of Flesh does He? No big deal to him” 
WOO, what a speech!! Such terrible acts and in your words “incredible catastrophes” that has happened throughout the history of Mankind: the flood, civil war, World War 1& 2, Stalin, etc. not to mention the recent 9/11 Terrible Acts, and so on with all the natural and seemingly ‘unnatural’ causes leading to DEATH and more DEATHS.
Obviously, nothing will be learned if I were to look only outward and not within… except I repent, I WILL likewise perish… left alone, my Flesh will NEVER repent on his own, therefore all these terrible acts will be brought upon my TERRIBLE body of death, causing the outward Man to perish and die daily  through great earthquakes, fire and Brimstone, the flood of Baptism upon it and slain by a great sword in the war ongoing within.
Just as the Spirit is terrible to the flesh and the Flesh contrary to the Spirit, so when we were in the Flesh and walked according to the course of this world, the Lord saw us as none other than a bunch of ‘terrible’ people, natural brute beasts made to be taken and destroyed..

Isa 18:2 … nation scattered and peeled, to a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden down, whose land the rivers have spoiled!
Isa 13:11 And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.
Dan 7:7 After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.

The true God dwells within his elect, of necessity SPIRITUALLY there must be a witness where His Chosen are also  as  the terrible ones to the inhabitants of the Earth.. using 1Jn 4:17 as a principle.

Jer 20:11 But the LORD is with me as a mighty terrible one: therefore my persecutors [ those walking after the flesh] shall stumble, and they shall not prevail: they shall be greatly ashamed; for they shall not prosper: their everlasting confusion shall never be forgotten.

Thus the Lord is a terrible and mighty One to all our terrible ungodliness and terrible unrighteousness and carnal ways.

Zep 2:11 The LORD will be terrible unto them: for he will famish all the gods of the earth; and men shall worship him, every one from his place, even all the isles of the heathen.
Zep 2:12 Ye Ethiopians also, ye shall be slain by my sword.

The day the Lord will be terrible…. to all the gods of the Earth… all the heathen bold within… to slay ALL by His sword, is the day of the Lord’s wrath, covered in the Sixth seal..

Joe 2:11 And the LORD shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?
Rev 6:17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

Now, a smile came to me when the Spirit brought me to the overall workings of God to all the Children of men.

Psa 47:2 For the LORD most high is terrible; he is a great King over all the earth.
Psa 99:3 Let them praise thy great and terrible name; for it is holy.
Psa 66: Say unto God, How terrible art thou in thy works! [ to what end purpose?] through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee.
Psa 66:4 All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing to thy name. Selah.
Psa 66:5 Come and see the works of God: he is terrible in his doing toward the children of men.

When I saw Psa 66:5, only one chapter came to mind; PSALM 107.

Psa 107:8 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men

… which wonderful works include these seemingly terrible acts…

Psa 107:25 For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.
Psa 107:26 They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble.
Psa 107:27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end.

Some of the most horrible and terrible doctrines I hear on Babylon’s TV networks is all worked out because of that terrible swine flesh which the Lord gave the many called to be eating..

Psa 74:14 Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces, and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness.

Some of the most terrible things in our life, as unpopular a doctrine as it appears, is all of the Lord. Even ‘those’ terribly wicked men that oppresses us in the day of evil, of whom we have all lived. That ‘Man’ is part of the terrible work of the Lord. Our great deception in the church in the wilderness was a terrible thing which has cast down many strong; also a terrible thing. The Lord owns the cast of all the deceivers and the deceived….

Job 12:16 With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his.

What a gospel!! God’s terrible works toward the children of men is so we should praise him. Now we are increasing in the knowledge of the severity and terror of the Lord, it is of necessity that we stand in fear and faith and be not high- minded.

Rom 11:22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
Eze 32:22 For I have caused my terror in the land of the living: and he shall be laid in the midst of the uncircumcised with them that are slain with the sword even Pharaoh and all his multitude saith the Lord GOD.

The outcome all these terrible things the Lord brings upon our flesh is for us to forsake and die to the flesh – THE PROCESS OF SALVATION OF THE SPIRIT. The day of his wrath is, was and will be upon all our ungodliness and NOT ONE FLESH will abide, but THROUGH it are we converted, transfigured and reconciled to God the Father by our Lord Jesus Christ.
It is truly mysterious the way the Lord does work. A simple conversation between my friend being “terrible” to his sister coupled with yesterday’s study has now led me to see the spiritual meaning of this word “terrible” and its connection with God’s Wrath. What amazing truths are being opened to us again!

2Co 5:11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.

Without doubt your talk has manifest thoroughly in my conscience. The Love of God in Christ Jesus is nothing but terror, an evil experience and eventually Death to all our Flesh,…

Rom 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

….. BUT……. THE CONSUMMATION IS..

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

The “all things working together FOR GOOD ” most certainly includes his terror and his Wrath. Oh, what wisdom!

Rom 11:33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

Thank you for bearing my little meditation. God Bless and we will speak soon. God Bless you and ALL with you.

Peace and Joy,
A____

Hi A____,
What an incredible revelation!
Thanks for sharing this with me. Now I can share it with the rest of the body of Christ. I was aware of the truth you bring out here, but this study makes it far clearer, especially that verse in Job you quoted:

Job 12:16  With him [ is] strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his.

What a verse of scripture! Where has that verse been all these years? Thanks again. This is a real eye opener for anyone who still doubts that God is “working all things after the counsel of His own will.”

Your brother in Christ,
Mike