Hope – Is, Was and Will Be – The Unknown Character of Christ and His Word https://www.iswasandwillbe.com Revelation 1:8 "I am the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty Wed, 09 Jul 2025 01:17:45 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/cropped-headerlogo-32x32.png Hope – Is, Was and Will Be – The Unknown Character of Christ and His Word https://www.iswasandwillbe.com 32 32 Always Ready: The Believer’s Defense https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/always-ready-the-believers-defense/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=always-ready-the-believers-defense Tue, 08 Jul 2025 21:40:29 +0000 https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/?p=33614 Audio Download

Always Ready: The Believer’s Defense

[Study Aired July 8, 2025]

Introduction

The foundation of our study rests upon Peter’s instruction to “sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear” (1 Peter 3:15). This heavenly readiness is demonstrated in the New Testament where “they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:4). Christ Himself established this truth when He taught His disciples, “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” (Matthew 10:19).

The apostle Peter was drawing from the same truth that Christ had taught His disciples years earlier. The Greek word for “answer” here is apologia (Strong’s G627), which means a verbal defense or reasoned argument. However, this is not merely natural reasoning or theological education, but something far deeper that follows the scriptural method of spiritual readiness.

Peter himself demonstrated this truth when he stood before the Sanhedrin and declared “Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:19-20). This was not a prepared theological argument, but the spontaneous overflow of spiritual reality within him. The biblical evidence shows us that being “ready with an answer” flows from spiritual experience rather than academic preparation.

The Source of Our Answer

Christ established the foundation for this readiness when He told His disciples “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. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you” (Matthew 10:19-20). This reveals that the “answer” we are to be ready with is not originated in natural wisdom but in heavenly inspiration.

The New Testament consistently demonstrates this truth. When Peter preached on the day of Pentecost, we read that “they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:4). Later, when questioned about the healing of the lame man, the rulers demanded “By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?” (Acts 4:7). The response came immediately: “Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole” (Acts 4:8-10). Peter’s bold, Christ-centered answer was not a prepared defense but flowed directly from being filled with the spirit in that very moment. The evidence is clear: the disciples’ readiness to give an answer was directly connected to being filled with the spirit.

The Greek concept behind being “ready” (hetoimos, Strong’s G2092) carries the idea of being prepared, adjusted, and ready at hand through heavenly arrangement rather than our own effort. This word indicates not just preparation, but being in a state of fitness and readiness to receive or respond. This aligns with Paul’s teaching that “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” (1 Corinthians 2:14). Paul further emphasizes this dependency when he declares, “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God” (2 Corinthians 3:5). Our readiness to give an answer flows entirely from God’s sufficiency working through us, not from our natural abilities or preparation.

The Heart Sanctified as the Source

Peter begins his instruction with “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts” (1 Peter 3:15), establishing that the readiness to give an answer flows from an inward spiritual condition rather than outward preparation. The Greek word for “sanctify” (hagiazo, Strong’s G37) means to set apart as holy, to consecrate. This echoes Christ’s teaching that “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh” (Matthew 12:34).

The scriptural application of this truth is seen throughout early church ministry. When Paul was brought before Felix, Festus, and Agrippa, he did not rely on rhetorical training from his days at the feet of Gamaliel, but spoke from the heart of his spiritual experience. He testified “Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come” (Acts 26:22). Paul’s answer flowed from his heart being sanctified to God.

This heart condition is rooted in the intimate knowledge that Christ described when He stated, “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” (John 17:3). Our readiness to give an answer springs not from biblical study alone but from this experiential knowledge of the Father and the Son dwelling within our hearts.

The typological significance is revealed when we consider that the Old Testament priests had to sanctify themselves before entering the holy place to minister. Similarly, our hearts must be sanctified as the holy place where God dwells, enabling us to minister His word to those who question us. As Paul wrote, “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” (1 Corinthians 6:19).

The Hope That Motivates Questions

Peter specifically mentions giving “a reason of the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15). The Greek word for “hope” (elpis, Strong’s G1680) indicates confident expectation rather than wishful thinking. This hope is so evident in our lives as believers that it prompts questions from observers. The scriptural record shows that this hope was visible in their conduct even under persecution.

When Paul and Silas were imprisoned in Philippi, “at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them” (Acts 16:25). Their hope was so manifest that it caused the jailer to ask “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (Acts 16:30). The hope within them created the very questions Peter speaks of in his epistle.

This aligns with Christ’s teaching that “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). The hope within us is meant to be visible, causing others to inquire about its source. The early disciples demonstrated this consistently—their hope in Christ was so evident that both persecution and praise followed them wherever they went.

Having seen how hope provokes inquiry, let’s now observe how believers responded—how the spirit gave them utterance when called to testify.

Examples of Spirit-Led Answers

The New Testament provides us with powerful examples of believers whose readiness to give an answer flowed directly from the spirit’s enablement rather than human preparation. These instances demonstrate the very principle Peter taught, showing us what it looks like when hearts sanctified to God respond to questioning.

Stephen stands as perhaps the most striking example. When brought before the council, “all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel” (Acts 6:15). His lengthy defense in Acts 7 was not a prepared speech but a spirit-led recounting of Israel’s history that culminated in a powerful indictment of their rejection of Christ. Stephen’s readiness was so evident that even as they stoned him, he maintained the spirit of meekness, praying “Lord, lay not this sin to their charge” (Acts 7:60).

Paul’s encounter with King Agrippa demonstrates another dimension of spirit-led readiness. Standing before royalty, Paul did not rely on his impressive credentials. Instead, he spoke from his heart experience with Christ, resulting in Agrippa’s remarkable response: “Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian” (Acts 26:28). Paul’s answer was so compelling that it brought this powerful ruler to the very threshold of belief.

Perhaps most encouraging is the collective example of the disciples after Pentecost. When questioned by the religious authorities, we read that “when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13). Their readiness to give an answer did not come from Pharisaic education but from their transformation through being with Christ. The Greek word for “boldness” (parrhesia, Strong’s G3954) indicates fearless confidence and openness of speech—exactly the spirit Peter describes in his epistle.

Unlike the polished rhetoric of the world, which seeks to win arguments through intellect, the believer’s defense springs from a sanctified heart, speaking mysteries hidden from the natural mind— “comparing spiritual things with spiritual” (1 Corinthians 2:13).

Meekness and Fear: The Spirit of Our Answer

Peter concludes his instruction by specifying that our answer should be given “with meekness and fear” (1 Peter 3:15). The Greek word for “meekness” (prautes, Strong’s G4240) indicates gentleness and humility, while “fear” (phobos, Strong’s G5401) refers to reverence toward God rather than intimidation of others. This reflects the same spirit Christ demonstrated when He said, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls” (Matthew 11:29).

Christ also instructed His disciples to “be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves” (Matthew 10:16). This perfect balance of wisdom and gentleness characterizes the spirit in which we are to give our answers. The wisdom of serpents speaks to spiritual discernment and understanding, while the harmlessness of doves reflects the meekness Peter emphasizes—both flowing from our reverent fear of God.

The New Testament example of this spirit is seen in Paul’s ministry approach: “And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling” (1 Corinthians 2:1-3). Paul’s readiness to give an answer was marked by humility and reverence toward God rather than confidence in his own abilities.

This spirit ensures that our answer points to Christ rather than ourselves. When we speak with meekness, we reflect Christ’s character, and when we speak with fear of God, we acknowledge that the answer comes from Him rather than our own understanding. The biblical record shows that this spirit often had more impact than the words themselves, as seen when the Sanhedrin “took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13).

Yet this spirit-filled readiness is not passive. Paul exhorted Timothy, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). The Greek word translated “study” means to be diligent or earnest. It is a call to spiritual labor—a zealous pursuit of walking in truth, rightly dividing the word by comparing spiritual things with spiritual. This diligence ensures that our answers are not only sincere but scripturally sound, flowing from the word hidden in our hearts.

When Questions Don’t Come

While Peter instructs us to be ready to give an answer to those who ask, Scripture also reveals that not all will inquire about the hope within us. Understanding this reality helps us maintain proper perspective and avoid discouragement when our evident hope doesn’t prompt the questions we might expect.

Christ Himself warned His disciples about this reality when He taught them to “give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you” (Matthew 7:6). This sobering instruction reminds us that the spiritual treasures we carry—including our readiness to give an answer—will not always be valued or even recognized by those around us.

The prophet Isaiah received a similar commission that helps us understand God’s sovereignty in opening hearts to receive spiritual truth. When Isaiah was sent to prophesy, God told him: “Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed” (Isaiah 6:9-10). Christ Himself quoted this passage when explaining why He spoke in parables (Matthew 13:14-15).

This reality should humble us and remind us that our mission is not to convince or convert, but simply to be ready with an answer when the spirit opens hearts to ask. As Paul understood, “I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase” (1 Corinthians 3:6). Our readiness must be coupled with trust in God’s timing and sovereignty over those to whom we witness.

When questions don’t come, it may indicate that God is still working in hearts, or that He has other vessels prepared for that particular harvest. Our role remains constant: to maintain hearts sanctified to God, lives that display His hope, and spirits prepared to give answer with meekness and fear whenever He opens the door.

Conclusion

The scriptural understanding of being “ready always to give an answer” reveals a truth that transcends natural preparation and enters the realm of spiritual readiness. Following the model established by Christ and demonstrated by His disciples, this readiness flows from hearts sanctified to God, filled with His spirit, and manifesting a hope so evident that it prompts questions from observers.

The answer we give is not a product of theological education or apologetic training, but the spontaneous overflow of spiritual reality within us. As Christ promised, “for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak” (Matthew 10:19). This heavenly provision is accessed through the sanctification of our hearts, where the Lord God dwells and from which His spirit speaks through us.

Like the early believers before us, our readiness is not in having all the answers memorized, but in having Christ so dwelling within us that His life and hope are visible to all who observe us. When this spiritual condition exists, the questions will come, and the spirit will provide the answers—not through natural wisdom, but through the same heavenly utterance that empowered the New Testament church. In this way, we fulfill Peter’s instruction not merely as a duty to perform, but as a natural expression of the spiritual life within us, given “with meekness and fear” that points all glory to Christ rather than ourselves.

 

]]> The Spiritual Significance of Valleys in Scripture https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/the-spiritual-significance-of-valleys-in-scripture/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-spiritual-significance-of-valleys-in-scripture Tue, 08 Apr 2025 14:47:56 +0000 https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/?p=32852 Study Audio Download

The Spiritual Significance of Valleys in Scripture

[Study Aired April 8, 2025]

Introduction

In our previous study, “The Spiritual Journey Through the Mountains of Scripture,” we explored how mountains in Scripture symbolize significant stages of spiritual growth and transformation. Just as mountains represent divine encounters, covenants, and spiritual victories, valleys hold equally profound spiritual lessons. While mountains highlight spiritual highs, revelation, and closeness to God, valleys emphasize humility, testing, and God’s faithful presence through life’s challenges. This complementary study of valleys deepens our understanding, illustrating that spiritual maturity involves both ascending mountains and traversing valleys.

Remember that “the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:20), and physical patterns in creation reveal spiritual truths, for “the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made” (Romans 1:20). By examining valleys in Scripture, we discover essential insights into God’s transformative work in our lives, equipping us to navigate difficulties with faith, discernment, and hope.

Valleys as Places of Testing and Humbling

Throughout Scripture, valleys often represent places of testing, humility, and preparation before spiritual elevation. David’s experience in the Valley of Elah before confronting Goliath powerfully illustrates this pattern. When facing the giant, David declared, “Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied” (1 Samuel 17:45). This valley encounter preceded David’s elevation to prominence in Israel, showing how God uses valleys to prepare us for greater purposes.

The Valley of Baca, mentioned in Psalm 84, further illustrates this principle: “Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools. They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God” (Psalm 84:6-7). The name “Baca” means “weeping,” suggesting that this valley represents seasons of sorrow and difficulty. Yet notice how those passing through this valley transform it into a place of refreshment — they “make it a well.” This shows that times of humbling and testing, when approached with faith, become sources of spiritual growth and blessing.

The prophet Hosea captures this transformative purpose of valleys: “And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope” (Hosea 2:15). The Valley of Achor, whose name means “trouble,” becomes “a door of hope.” This pattern reveals how God transforms our places of trouble into gateways of hope as we yield to His purifying work.

Ezekiel’s vision of the valley of dry bones powerfully demonstrates this principle. In a place of death and barrenness, God asked, “Son of man, can these bones live?” (Ezekiel 37:3). Through prophesying as commanded, Ezekiel witnessed a resurrection: “and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army” (Ezekiel 37:10). This vision shows how God brings life from death, strength from weakness, in the valleys of our experience.

Valleys as Places of Decision and Judgment

The Valley of Jehoshaphat, or “the valley of decision,” represents God’s judgment and the consequences of spiritual choices. Joel prophesied: “Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision” (Joel 3:14). This valley symbolizes moments of spiritual crisis where destinies are determined based on response to God’s word.

The Valley of Hinnom, later called Gehenna (translated as “hell” in the New Testament), served as Jerusalem’s garbage dump where continual fires burned. Jesus referenced this location when warning: “If thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell” (Matthew 5:29). This valley represents the consequences of unrepentant sin and the judgment that follows.

These valleys of judgment serve as warnings, yet also carry redemptive purpose. As Isaiah prophesied: “Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain” (Isaiah 40:4). This leveling process might seem painful, for valleys must first be filled and mountains must first be brought low. Spiritually speaking, this represents God’s transformative work within us, often through trials, discipline, and humbling experiences. Though such experiences may feel difficult or even overwhelming, they are essential, as they strip away our pride, self-dependence, and reliance upon fleshly wisdom. As God removes these obstacles, He creates a clear pathway for His righteous presence to manifest within our hearts and lives.

This preparation is not without purpose, as it readies us to receive something far greater—the revelation of God’s glory. The valleys that God fills represent our emptiness and need for Him, while the mountains He lowers symbolize our self-exaltation and human pride. Through this divine leveling, God places us on equal footing before Him, enabling us to witness His glory without obstruction.

The next verse beautifully underscores the profound purpose behind this process: “And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together” (Isaiah 40:5). God’s intention is not merely personal transformation but the universal unveiling of His glory. He desires that “all flesh” – every person, regardless of status, position, or strength—might witness the fullness of His majesty and recognize Him as the Sovereign Lord.

Therefore, what may initially feel painful or confusing is, in reality, God’s merciful act of preparation. In smoothing out spiritual terrain and leveling personal pride, He graciously readies each of us for the unparalleled privilege of beholding and reflecting His glory.

Valleys as Places of Provision and Blessing

Despite their association with testing and judgment, valleys in Scripture also represent places of glorious provision and blessing. The Psalmist declares: “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters” (Psalm 23:2). These “green pastures” would typically be found in valleys where water collected and vegetation flourished. The same psalm later mentions “the valley of the shadow of death” (Psalm 23:4), showing that even in death’s valley, God provides comfort and guidance.

The Valley of Eshcol, where the Israelite spies gathered enormous clusters of grapes, represents abundance in lowly places: “And they came unto the brook of Eshcol, and cut down from thence a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bare it between two upon a staff” (Numbers 13:23). Though the spies lacked faith to enter the land, this valley’s bounty testified to God’s provision.

The prophet Zechariah described a dramatic geographical transformation: “And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley… and ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains” (Zechariah 14:4-5). This newly-formed valley becomes a place of refuge during judgment, demonstrating how God provides escape in the midst of tribulation. “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)

Valleys as Places of Spiritual Transformation

The Valley Gate in Nehemiah’s account of rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls holds special significance: “The valley gate repaired Hanun, and the inhabitants of Zanoah; they built it, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof” (Nehemiah 3:13). This gate likely led to the Hinnom Valley and represents the humility required to enter God’s presence. Just as physically one had to descend through this gate, spiritually we must humble ourselves to experience God’s restoration work.

This principle of humility preceding elevation appears throughout Scripture. James declares: “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up” (James 4:10). Peter echoes this: “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time” (1 Peter 5:6). The sequence is clear—humbling precedes exaltation, valleys come before mountains.

Jesus Himself embodied this pattern. Paul describes: “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him” (Philippians 2:6-9). Christ descended into the valley of human experience and death before His exaltation, establishing the pattern we all must follow.

The Valley of Vision: Seeing Spiritually in Low Places

Isaiah receives “the burden of the valley of vision” (Isaiah 22:1), a prophecy concerning Jerusalem. Though Jerusalem sat on hills, spiritually it had become a valley. This paradoxical name—Valley of Vision—reveals how spiritual sight often develops in places of humility. When we’re “brought low,” we gain perspective unavailable from mountaintops of pride forcing us to look up.

This connects to Paul’s experience with his “thorn in the flesh.” When he prayed for its removal, the Lord responded: “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). Paul then concluded: “Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Corinthians 12:9). His valley experience became a place of clearer spiritual vision as he discovered Christ’s strength perfected in weakness.

The Valley Between—From Shadow to Substance

The physical geography of the temple in Jerusalem provides another spiritual pattern. The temple stood on Mount Moriah, while the Mount of Olives lay to the east, separated by the Kidron Valley. To approach the temple from the east required descending into this valley and then ascending the temple mount. Jesus often crossed this valley, physically enacting the spiritual reality that He is “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).

On His final journey to Jerusalem, Jesus descended the Mount of Olives, crossed the Kidron Valley, and ascended to the temple (John 12:12-15; Matthew 21:1-11). Later, after the Last Supper, He reversed this journey, crossing the Kidron to Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives’ slopes (John 18:1; Matthew 26:36). This physical movement between mountains, passing through the valley, symbolizes His role as mediator—bridging heaven and earth, God and man. As John writes, “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:1-2).

This pattern reveals that valleys often represent transitions between spiritual states. Paul explains this principle when discussing how the law serves as “our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ” (Galatians 3:24). The valley experience of law leads to the mountain of grace. Similarly, the tabernacle’s physical patterns showed “the example and shadow of heavenly things” (Hebrews 8:5), with the physical pattern being a valley pointing toward spiritual heights.

Practical Application: Our Valley Experiences

Understanding the spiritual significance of valleys transforms how we view difficult seasons in our lives. When faced with valleys of testing, humbling, or judgment, we can recognize these as necessary parts of our spiritual development. As David testified: “It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes” (Psalm 119:71).

Rather than resisting valley experiences, we can embrace them as opportunities for growth, knowing that “all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). Even the Valley of the Shadow of Death loses its terror when we realize “thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4).

The Valley of Dry Bones reminds us that even in situations that appear completely hopeless, God can bring resurrection life. When Ezekiel prophesied to the dry bones as commanded, “breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army” (Ezekiel 37:10). This miraculous transformation illustrates how God works in our seemingly dead circumstances to display His power.

Conclusion: The Purpose of Valleys

The spiritual pattern revealed through valleys in Scripture shows that they serve multiple godly purposes:

  1. Valleys humble us, preparing us for greater spiritual insight and elevation
  2. Valleys test and purify our faith, revealing what truly motivates our hearts
  3. Valleys serve as places of judgment and decision, where spiritual destinies are determined
  4. Valleys provide unexpected blessing and provision in the midst of lowly circumstances
  5. Valleys transform our spiritual vision, allowing us to see what pride obscures
  6. Valleys mark transitions between spiritual states, serving as bridges in our journey

Ultimately, every valley in our experience prepares us for what lies beyond. As the psalmist declares, those passing through the Valley of Baca “go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God” (Psalm 84:7). The valleys we face are never dead ends but pathways to deeper communion with God.

Understanding this spiritual pattern helps us embrace Isaiah’s prophetic vision: “Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together” (Isaiah 40:4-5). In God’s perfect timing, every valley serves its purpose in revealing His glory and conforming us to the image of His Son.

 

]]> The Book of Daniel – Dan 11:17-20  Be ye not troubled – Part 3 https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/the-book-of-daniel-dan-1117-20-be-ye-not-troubled-part-3/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-book-of-daniel-dan-1117-20-be-ye-not-troubled-part-3 Thu, 23 May 2024 21:23:19 +0000 https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/?p=30016 Audio Download

The Book of Daniel – Dan 11:17-20  Be ye not troubled – Part 3

[Study Aired May. 23, 2024]

The verses we will look at in this section of Daniel will once again be a comfort to us because they all demonstrate that God is the one writing history and declaring the end from the beginning through the mouth of His holy prophets who were “moved by the Holy Ghost” (2Pe 1:20-21) to bring hope to us through His word (1Pe 1:12) that witnesses to God’s unfolding master plan of the salvation of all (1Co 15:22).

2Pe 1:20  Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
2Pe 1:21  For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

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

Once again I’ve included a history portion that reveals what physical events were unfolding in the earth that are relevant to the verses in the book of Daniel. The historical information that I’m using comes from Study Guide for Daniel 11 by David Guzik (blueletterbible.org) and may not be perfectly accurate regarding historical content. Nevertheless it can serve to be a starting point to help us see a prophetic timeline that will shed light on God’s eternal words we are to live by today (Mat 4:4). We understand by God’s grace that the biblical record of the events have an ‘is, was and will be’ application for the end times that are upon those who are the first to trust in the living God (Eph 1:11-12, 1Ti 4:10, 1Ti 6:17).

Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 
Eph 1:12  That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. 

1Ti 4:10  For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe. 

1Ti 6:17  Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; 

My main goal with all of these prophetic events is to show how they are relevant to us today as the body of Christ and how they point to the hope of glory within us, Jesus Christ (Col 1:27), who wants the bride of Christ to not fear, but rather take comfort in knowing there is an expected end for His people that is good (Jer 29:11), and therefore we ought not to worry about the morrow, about the wars and rumors of war that are increasing in this age, but rather focus on the promises of His mercy and supernatural deliverance that is going to come, and is with us every day. With the faith of Christ we can be at peace and not be troubled by the spiritual warfare to which we are called (Eph 6:12). We are promised that we will be victorious as a result of our Saviour and Deliverer Jesus Christ (Mat 6:25-34, Mat 10:26, Mat 10:28, Mat 10:31, Rom 5:10).

Delivered “through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith” (Php 3:9)

Mat 6:25  Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? [1Ti 6:17]
Mat 6:26  Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
Mat 6:27  Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? [God gives the increase (1Co 3:6)]
Mat 6:28  And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
Mat 6:29  And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
Mat 6:30  Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? [God will help us in our unbelief, in other words, and clothe us with the righteousness of Christ (Heb 3:19, Heb 4:11, Rom 11:20, Mar 9:24, Heb 5:7)]
Mat 6:31  Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

God has blessed us to be covered with the faith of Christ, and He gives us spiritual meat in due season so we can be clothed and found with His righteousness in that day (Gal 2:16, Gal 2:20, Php 2:12-13, Php 3:9-10, Luk 22:32)]

Mat 6:32  (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
Mat 6:33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. [The only way we can seek the kingdom first and His righteousness Gal 2:20, Php 2:12-13]
Mat 6:34  Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. 

Mat 10:26  Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known. 

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

Mat 10:31  Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.

Dan 11:17  He shall also set his face to enter with the strength of his whole kingdom, and upright ones with him; thus shall he do: and he shall give him the daughter of women, corrupting her: but she shall not stand on his side, neither be for him. 

These verses that we looked at last week (Dan 11:15-16), represent for us how evil men will wax worse and worse. “The king of the north shall return, and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former, and shall certainly come after certain years with a great army and with much riches” (2Ti 3:13). Whether the time period for these events is happening as the historians suggest does not mean that there is not an aorist, ‘is, was and will be’ manner in which we can understand what we are reading, always applying what we read primarily inwardly as this is the only place where the scriptures we are reading can become relevant for our dying daily sojourn in the Lord (Rev 1:3, 1Co 15:31).

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

Rev 1:3  Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

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

These verses (Mat 24:12-14, Mat 10:21-23, 2Ti 3:1) correspond with the historical events that were taking place at this time in history (Dan 11:15-16). “And in those times there shall many stand up against the king of the south: also the robbers of thy people shall exalt themselves to establish the vision; but they shall fall” and remind us of Christ’s words to “be you not troubled” (Mat 24:5-8), as all these things must happen inwardly in our own heavens, but the end is not yet, and we are assured “but they shall fall” meaning in our inward battles against powers and principalities. No carnal weapon formed against you shall prosper because of Christ (Isa 54:17, Rom 7:24-25).

It is Antiochus III who comes on the scene as a liberator for the Jewish people from Egyptian rule, and he does typify for us how we must go into Babylon to meet our captors [Antiochus III] who promises with great swelling words to deliver us from our Egyptian overlords (2Pe 2:17-19, Isa 3:1) who represent the powers and principalities of our former conversation (Eph 2:1-3) over which we learn we cannot gain dominion without Christ (Joh 8:32-36). Antiochus III turning destruction upon the Glorious Land and its people typifies for us what Babylon does to the words of God in our lives at that time (Isa 3:1) when we have not yet begun to come out of her my people, and are deceived into thinking that we have (2Co 6:17).

2Pe 2:17  These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.
2Pe 2:18  For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. 

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

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.

This plot of Antiochus the III to give his daughter Cleopatra to Ptolemy V of Egypt (Dan 11:17) symbolizes for us the ecumenical spirit of this age out of which God’s people must come. We all initially try to ‘go along to get along’, agreeing in the essentials and tolerating what we consider to be non-essential doctrines, and believing that this is the way to demonstrate love to all men, when of course it is the exact opposite of love (1Co 4:6, 1Jn 5:2) and is a spirit of antiChrist that accommodates such a licentious approach to the word of God that accepts the traditions of mankind so we can fit in and not be hated by all men for His name’s sake (Mar 7:7). Giving his daughter is equivalent to giving his doctrine, and trying to intermarry his beliefs with Egypt, the ecumenical spirit spoken of earlier.

1Co 4:6  And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another. 

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

Mar 7:7  Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

Dan 11:18 After this shall he turn his face unto the isles, and shall take many: but a prince for his own behalf shall cause the reproach offered by him to cease; without his own reproach he shall cause it to turn upon him. 
Dan 11:19  Then he shall turn his face toward the fort of his own land: but he shall stumble and fall, and not be found. 

What happens next to Antiochus III assures us that we can commit our lives to God as unto a faithful Creator (1Pe 4:18-19) who knows how to destroy the man of perdition by the brightness of His coming (2Th 2:8-10, 1Pe 4:17) as He drives away the attempts of the devil to try to sift us like wheat (Luk 22:31-32). When we are under the strong delusion of this world’s false doctrines, we are being bound by a strong man that can only be overtaken by a stronger force, that being Christ who is the fit man giving us the ability to overcome Satan (Mat 12:27-29, Lev 16:21). There’s only two men in the bible being talked about at any given time, and Antiochus III represents our old man whose attempts to overtake us and control our thinking is not going to succeed if Christ is on the throne of our hearts (Rom 8:37). Antiochus III is driven away like the swine that had spirits enter into them causing them to go from the earth and into the sea and ultimately be drowned (Mar 5:12-13). Antiochus III’s demise came upon him after he tried to pillage or waste a Babylonian temple in the earth and was killed by enraged local citizens, and this is a shadow of the destruction of the man of perdition who must go where God commands him to go at an appointed time, like the gentile swine part of us that has to be drowned in the sea as Pharaoh’s chariots and his host were cast into the sea along with his chosen captains who also drowned in the Red sea” (2Th 2:6-7, Exo 15:4). 

1Pe 4:18  And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? 
1Pe 4:19  Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator. 

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

Luk 22:31  And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:
Luk 22:32  But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. [Rom 11:20-22, Rom 3:27]

Mat 12:27  And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges. 
Mat 12:28  But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, [within Christ’s body the church (Col 1:24, Col 1:27)] then the kingdom of God is come unto you [the kingdom of God is within (Luk 17:21)]. 
Mat 12:29  Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house [Joh 8:36]. 

Lev 16:21  And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness

Dan 11:20  Then shall stand up in his estate a raiser of taxes in the glory of the kingdom: but within few days he shall be destroyed, neither in anger, nor in battle.

There are some parallels with Seleucus III who was Antiochus III’s eldest son and successor who would raise taxes, and Rehoboam the son of Solomon who would also raise taxes on the people and rule with a rod of iron. Both men represent the bondage sin brings upon us and how God determines the times and seasons of such bondage (Isa 45:7) and uses it to teach us through these lives how His chastening in our life makes it possible for us to cease from sinning and move forward in the righteousness of Christ (Rom 8:28, Gal 2:20). The phrase “he shall be destroyed, neither in anger, nor in battle” reminds us that this typifies for God’s elect a work that is taking place within us where the battle resides against powers and principalities (Eph 6:12). Even though Seleucus III is assassinated and Antiochus III is killed, both representing our old man, we take comfort in knowing that while our old man is dying through God’s judgments in our lives, not a hair on our head is going to perish (Luk 21:18-19). 

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

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

Luk 21:18  But there shall not an hair of your head perish.
Luk 21:19  In your patience possess ye your souls.

Next week we will look at Daniel 11:21-27 and conclude chapter 11 the following week, Lord willing.

Dan 11:21  And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries. 
Dan 11:22  And with the arms of a flood shall they be overflown from before him, and shall be broken; yea, also the prince of the covenant. 
Dan 11:23  And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people. 
Dan 11:24  He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers’ fathers; he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches: yea, and he shall forecast his devices against the strong holds, even for a time. 
Dan 11:25  And he shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the south with a great army; and the king of the south shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand: for they shall forecast devices against him. 
Dan 11:26  Yea, they that feed of the portion of his meat shall destroy him, and his army shall overflow: and many shall fall down slain. 
Dan 11:27  And both these kings’ hearts shall be to do mischief, and they shall speak lies at one table; but it shall not prosper: for yet the end shall be at the time appointed.

]]> The Book of Micah – Part 7, Micah 7:1-20 https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/the-book-of-micah-part-7-micah-71-20/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-book-of-micah-part-7-micah-71-20 Sat, 06 Apr 2024 05:50:06 +0000 https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/?p=29731 The Book of Micah – Part 7, Micah 7:1-20
[Study Aired April 6, 2024]

The presenter’s studies are designed not only for the Elect of God but also for the greater world and the many called and few chosen whom the Lord chooses to draw to himself. The repeated sub-themes by the teachers may seem repetitive, but they serve a purpose, hopefully dispelling the darkness in everyone’s Babylonian eyes.

Let us not dismiss the Lord’s desire for a deep spiritual connection with His people, likened to a husband’s longing for his vibrant and loving wife. This metaphor, though it may seem repetitive, underscores the intensity of the Lord’s love for His Bride’s creation since Egypt to the present day.

Understanding scripture and the identities of Christ and His Bride are rooted in the principle that the ‘natural precedes the spiritual.’ This theme is profoundly illustrated in Micah chapter 7, where we see a significant pattern: greater Israel’s behavior mirrors the individual Elect’s journey as an experience of evil to become the Bride.

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. 

Ecc 1:12  I the Preacher [Solomon in the ‘natural’ representing Christ spiritually] was king over Israel in Jerusalem. 
Ecc 1:13 I applied my heart to inquiring and exploring by wisdom concerning all that is done under the heavens: it is an experience of evil Elohim has given to the sons of humanity to humble them by it. (CLV)

The sequential pattern of our behavior, which is classically depicted and largely concealed in the book of Micah, begins with destruction. This is followed by a troubling phase where the Lord’s very Priests deceive the nation, leading to ongoing chastisement. The hope of rescue emerges, with a King in the ‘natural’ being born as a Savior. Finally, we find salvation in the hope of the First Resurrection, a concept that is vividly expressed in Micah 7.

Christ is the man to have two wives, one beloved and the other hated. His beloved wife is this very day spiritually coquettishly engaging Him with delightful feminine flirtations that only a woman has the superiorly designed advantage to elegantly arouse her ever-willing Husband, Christ. We do not fully engage our Husband intimately until our wedding day; needless to say, our courting spiritual intimacies are singularly identifiable with marriage. This timeframe before the First Resurrection, although espoused and already considered married, is the engagement period where we Shulamite-like brightly and easily bewitch our Husband with our eager anticipation and engagement in His spiritual arousals – the natural comes before the spiritual – 1Co 15:45-49 (With a righteous wink, remember, no Babylonish eye-rolls…).

Son 1:2  Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine. 

Son 8:4  I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, until he please [Our marriage, the First Resurrection].

Since HE chose us, our daily naturally inherent flirtations simply by innocently being female spiritually lead to marriage. Only a harlot abuses her once beautiful feminine flirtatious quality specifically designed for ‘one’ man adulterously ~ and exhaustively, the world does!

Inheritance Rights of the Firstborn

Deu 21:15  If a man have two wives, one beloved, and another hated, and they have born him children, both the beloved and the hated; and if the firstborn son be hers that was hated:
Deu 21:16  Then it shall be, when he maketh his sons to inherit that which he hath, that he may not make the son [the younger] of the beloved firstborn before the son of the hated, which is indeed the firstborn:
Deu 21:17  But he shall acknowledge the son of the hated for the firstborn, by giving him a double portion of all that he hath: for he is the beginning of his strength; the right of the firstborn is his.

A Rebellious (Hated) Son

Deu 21:18  If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them: 
Deu 21:19  Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place; 
Deu 21:20  And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard. 
Deu 21:21  And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear. 

Verse 16 of Deuteronomy 21 to an unspiritual eye is dreadfully convoluted. It seems to read that the firstborn is to receive the more significant inheritance over his younger brother, and this is precisely what the Muslim world with violence against Jews and Christians (unwittingly one and the same) is dedicated to believing. Throw into the mix Esau and Jacob’s clashes with Leah and Rachel, and the secular world throws up their hands in confusion to default to simply mutter the ten-second sinner’s prayer and believe that Jesus did it all on the cross for them saved in their sins just as they are.

As the secular world rolls its harlot eyes as we once did, giving up on the preconceived boring nature of spiritual arousal by the prolonged flirtatious research into who are the free woman and the bondwoman. Lord willing, if they prolonged their arousal by genuinely asking Christ for His kisses (Pro 27:6), like the Elect, poetically, they would see a brilliant flash of fingered lightning extending into the clouds of their heavens of understanding. (Of high scientific interest connecting the natural to the spiritual with thunderstorms, a lightning positively charged “leader” (Christ) extends down magnetically to the negatively charged earth, man, and as soon as it touches (a chosen Elect), bam, a lightning flash of spiritual manifests and instantly lights up the multi-forked pattern of neuron connections in his cloudy brain, his heavens, and God speaks as thunder).

“… the son of the hated, which is indeed the firstborn” is represented by Esau, who abdicated his birthright and afterwards, with bitter tears, tried to re-inherit his status without any hope of success (Gen 25:19-34).

Heb 6:4  For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened [We who know to whom we are espoused], and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy ghost, 
Heb 6:5  And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 
Heb 6:6  If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

Only to the Bride of Christ is it given to understand the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, and the Lord consistently in scripture ends His chastisements of His Elect with the glorious hope of being that Bride. So, too, does the final chapter of Micah 7 repeat that most potent theme.

Wait for the God of Salvation

Mic 7:1  Woe is me! for I am as when they have gathered the summer fruits, as the grapegleanings of the vintage: there is no cluster to eat: my soul desired the first ripe fruit.
Mic 7:2  The good man is perished out of the earth: and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net. 

That “me” in verse one represents both Christ and His Elect. Jesus in the ‘natural’ is rejected from man’s Babylonian ‘grape harvest’, the rejected “grape-gleanings”, since He represents no comeliness; he looks like Lazarus, ridden with sores and filthy clothes where (ironically, the “little…) dogs” figuratively tend his sores (Luk 16:19-31, Mat 15:21-28) by experiencing the incredible value of crumbs from the Master’s table.

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

Christ is that bunch of grapes the hurried pickers quickly see as not worthy of vintage since he physically appears diseased. He, too, is the gleaner of the harvest whose eyes light upon the bright, plump bunches He has tended as the vinedresser as He similarly seeks good figs and not the ‘naughty’ (Jer 23:2).

Pro 3:9  Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: 

2Ti 2:6  The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits.

Lev 23:39  Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath. 

Exo 22:29  Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits, and of thy liquors: the firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto me.

In verse 1 of Micah 7, Christ, the barley harvest, desires the “firstripe fruit”, which parallels the little harvest of souls, the Bride of Christ, from the first planted wheat harvest. He demands the first and the best of every kind of fruit and grain harvest, including the firstborn males in Israel, according to the Mosaic Laws. Of course, those first firstfruits paradoxically forfeit their birthright to the younger; nonetheless, our Lord likewise demands the best spiritual fruit from them, his new and younger ‘first fruit’, His Bride.

Exo 11:4  And Moses said, Thus saith the LORD, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt:
Exo 11:5  And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts [Even Egypt’s firstborn set the pattern and were sacrificed for Israel’s sake].

Exo 13:1  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Exo 13:2  Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine. 

Christ as “The [first] good man is perished out of the earth, and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net.” Our Lord, by design from before the foundations of the world and Genesis, begins the creation of a wife who will submit to His headship as did Solomon in his heart create the Shulamite in “the Song of Songs which is Solomon’s”! (Song of Solomon).

However, we know that the firstborn Esau, in his great passion for satiating his physical hunger, forfeited his birthright to his younger twin brother, Jacob and set up the God-ordained pattern consistently through scripture that the elder will always serve the younger. That incredibly important pattern of doctrine resolutely points to Old Israel, the Lord’s first wife, abdicating her inheritance to her younger sister, the new covenant Bride of Christ symbolised by Solomon’s Shulamite.

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, [Esau and Jacob] and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people [Jacob] shall be stronger than the other people [Esau]; and the elder shall serve the younger. 

Gen 25:29  And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint: 
Gen 25:30  And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom. 
Gen 25:31  And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright. 
Gen 25:32  And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me?
Gen 25:33  And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. 
Gen 25:34  Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright. 

Heb 12:14  Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: 
Heb 12:15  Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; 
Heb 12:16  Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.
Heb 12:17  For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears. 

Heb 12:22  But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 
Heb 12:23  To the general assembly and church of the [spiritual] firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
Heb 12:24  And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. 

The church of the firstborn is the “firstripe fruit” Christ’s “soul desires” in Micah 7:1 and the first of the firstfruit who is upright among men in verse 2.

In the meantime, Micah summarises his Book in these first few verses of the coming Bride’s experience of evil he is giving mankind and she, and ALL for her sake. She begins as a whore and becomes the faithful city, the Heavenly Jerusalem above. Again, it all is a paradox and parable designed for her alone to understand and for her elder sisters remaining in Babylon to happily live in the unwitting deluded luxury of self-wisdom and ironic confusion of mixed doctrine. (Babylon H894: Phonetic: baw-bel’- Definition: babel or Babylon = confusion (by mixing) 1. Babel or Babylon, the ancient site and/or capital of Babylonia (modern Hillah) situated on the Euphrates)

1Co 3:18  Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. 
1Co 3:19  For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. 
1Co 3:20  And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. 
1Co 3:21  Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; 
1Co 3:22  Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; 
1Co 3:23  And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.

Mic 7:3  That they may do evil with both hands earnestly, the prince asketh, and the judge asketh for a reward; and the great man, he uttereth his mischievous desire: so they wrap it up.

Doing evil earnestly with both hands is a double witness against us when in Babylon since both hands know precisely what the other is doing as he flaunts his self-righteousness. He thus semi-consciously judges himself, his conscience condemning him ~ but he doesn’t care about the ‘pricking brier’ (verse 4) since the reward of unjust gain is uppermost in his mind.

Mat 6:1  Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. 
Mat 6:2  Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 
Mat 6:3  But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: 
Mat 6:4  That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

Mic 7:4  The best of them is as a brier: the most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge: the day of thy watchmen and thy visitation cometh; now shall be their perplexity. 

Thus, the summary of Micah continues with reflection upon Old Israel’s ways that mirror ours spiritually when our Job-like hedge is taken away when we willfully, by the Lord’s hand, hear the watchman’s trumpet blast and fail to take action upon our sins.

Eze 33:6  But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand.

2Co 4:7  But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
2Co 4:8  We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 
2Co 4:9  Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; 
2Co 4:10  Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. 

Mic 7:5  Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide: keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom. 

No greater echoed act of us lying in a woman’s bosom is there than Sampson with Deliah and we formally in Babylon, our elder sister’s bosom and her lewdly tutoring us in false doctrine. Precisely as the lesson was with Sampson and Deliah and us in Babylon, the Lord sets it up for an occasion against us when our hedge is temporarily pulled down for our indulgence in lusts. However, out of darkness comes light, and our experiences of evil are for our ultimate good to gain dominion over our flesh. Sampson dishonored his father and his mother by going against their supposedly better judgment.

Jdg 14:3  Then his [Sampson’s] father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well. 
Jdg 14:4  But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel. 

Mic 7:6  For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter in law against her mother in law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own house.

The Body of Christ is painfully conversant with their spouses, family members, and friends, effectively being enemies of the cross. Even more fearfully remembered are those brothers who formally ate and drank with us at our Lord’s table.

Joh 13:18  I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me. 

1Co 11:19  For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.

Mic 7:7  Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me. 
Mic 7:8  Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me. 

It is a dreadfully sobering occasion our Lord performs by periodically revealing heretics in our midst. We plead with them in tears and prayers, yet, like any ‘occasion’ the Lord has set upon his servant before his birth to be an apostate, we grieve his departing the little flock since he was ordained just like Pharaoh to do the Lord’s will (Eph 1:11-12). Our Lord has given His Elect to rise from the fiery chastisements and become His first fruits.

Lam 3:33  For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men. 
Lam 3:34  To crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth, 
Lam 3:35  To turn aside the right of a man before the face of the most High, 
Lam 3:36  To subvert a man in his cause, the Lord approveth not. 
Lam 3:37  Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not? 
Lam 3:38  Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good? 
Lam 3:39  Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins? 
Lam 3:40  Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD.

Mic 7:9  I will bear the indignation of the LORD, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness. 
Mic 7:10  Then she that is mine enemy shall see it, and shame shall cover her which said unto me, Where is the LORD thy God? mine eyes shall behold her: now shall she be trodden down as the mire of the streets.

We are mightily blessed to see that our worst enemy is us, the man of sin, to see the shame of our nakedness and cry out to Christ to cover us with His righteousness. That understanding washes our clothing from the dung of our many filthy streets of vile scheming within. We are initially worse than our brothers in Babylon since we held the Lord’s truth, yet unrighteously. It is only by our Lord’s choosing that we are separated from our twin brother, Esau and that our supplanting machinations are first beaten out of us to be given headship over him. It is not wise for Esau to gloat over our demise, worse for us to boast over his loss of inheritance.

Oba 1:10  Shame shall cover you [Esau] from the violence against your brother Jacob, and you shall be cut off forever [Cut off from the hope of the First Resurrection].
Oba 1:11  On the day of your standing on the other side, on the day that the strangers were capturing his force, and foreigners entered his gates and cast lots for Jerusalem, even you were like one of them.
Oba 1:12  But you should not have looked on the day of your brother on the day of his alienation; nor should you have rejoiced over the sons of Judah in the day of their ruin; nor should you have enlarged your mouth in the day of distress.
Oba 1:13  You should not have entered into the gate of My people in the day of their calamity; also, you should not have looked on his evil in the day of their calamity. Nor should you have sent out against his force in the day of his calamity.
Oba 1:14  Nor should you have stood on the crossways to cut off those of him who escaped; nor should you have shut up his survivors in the day of distress.

The endlessly repeated theme is our learned joyful recovery from chastisement for Christ to rebuild the walls of the Shulamite Bride we are, the Heavenly Jerusalem, with her embedded breasts in the walls symbolic of her heavenly motherhood.

The Lord’s “decree” in Micah 7:11 (below) is Cyrus’ command that the kingdom worship Daniel’s God with the rebuilding of Old Jerusalem but prophesying the finished walls of the Heavenly Jerusalem, his Bride now a Wife. She, a ruling mother in the One-Thousand Years, doesn’t glory over her children who are not given the spiritual capacity to obey consistently but are forced to obey for fear of her Lord’s ‘rod of iron.’ The impenetrable wall that she is, locks out humanity during the One Thousand Years. Clearly, she is a mother represented by her breasts like towers embedded in her city walls where humanity sees her as a woman, even a disciplining mother wielding an unyielding iron rod.

Gal 4:25  For this Agar [Equivalent to Esau] is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and [Egypt, Assyria, Sodom, Esau, Babylon and Old Jerusalem as one] is in bondage with her children. 
Gal 4:26  But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. 

Son 8:10  I am a wall, and my breasts like towers: then was I in his [Christ’s] eyes as one that found favour. 

Mic 7:11  In the day that thy walls are to be built, in that day shall the decree be far removed.

‘Are to be Built’

The “decree” is our Lord’s mandate reflecting his rebuilding of Heavenly Jerusalem. Darius, King of Persia, upon finding a role where his predecessor Cyrus had signed off that the walls of Jerusalem should be rebuilt, put into effect the ‘decree’ since it was a law of the Medes that once such a command had been instituted and sealed with the King’s signet ring, it was an ironclad legislation. Even though the subsequent verses speak in an ambiguous tense, notice that the decree is “far removed”, meaning that Micah is speaking of a future event that we know is Christ’s completion of building His Wife. Cyrus represents the physical enactment of rebuilding Jerusalem, and Darius represents the spiritual Heavenly Jerusalem as a future event.

Ezr 6:1  Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in the house of the rolls, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon. 
Ezr 6:2  And there was found at Achmetha, in the palace that is in the province of the Medes, a roll, and therein was a record thus written: 
Ezr 6:3  In the first year of Cyrus the king the same Cyrus the king made a decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, Let the house be builded, the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid; the height thereof threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof threescore cubits; 

Mic 7:12  In that day also he shall come even to thee from Assyria, and from the fortified cities, and from the fortress even to the river, and from sea to sea, and from mountain to mountain. 

How appallingly bright is the delusion of verse 12 today with our spiritual understanding that the literal Old Jerusalem, represented as greater Babylon, symbolised by Zionist Israel AND Esau, both today, viciously fighting for the physical fortress of world domination from the Euphrates River to the Mediterranean Sea. Unwittingly, the dismal irony is that their plans will remain desolate since our Lord is building a Heavenly Jerusalem, and the kings of the world will have their pitiful image chopped into chaff and blown away in the summer wind (Dan 2:31-45).

Isa 41:15 Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth: thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shalt make the hills as chaff.

People are hills, mountains, nations, kings, kingdoms, etc., and God is bringing chastisement to the world’s nations, and He will do it through His Elect. 

Isa 42:1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.

Mic 7:13  Notwithstanding the land shall be desolate because of them that dwell therein, for the fruit of their doings.

However, the world’s dominating kingdoms remain desolate and will shortly be made even more desolate just as our ‘fruit’ has spiritually been desolate while the Lord fulfils His decree in creating His Elect as the Heavenly Jerusalem. In the period between now and the First Resurrection, we are being fed our Lord’s inheritance while outwardly, our brothers in Zion unwittingly await the rod of iron as in the days of old.

Mic 7:14  Feed thy people with thy rod, the flock of thine heritage, which dwell solitarily in the wood, in the midst of Carmel: let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old. 

Isa 58:10  And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday: 
Isa 58:11  And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. 
Isa 58:12  And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in. 
Isa 58:13  If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: 
Isa 58:14  Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. 

Mic 7:15  According to the days of thy coming out of the land of Egypt will I shew unto him marvellous things. 
Mic 7:16  The nations shall see and be confounded at all their [the Elect’s…] might: they shall lay their hand upon their mouth, their ears shall be deaf. 

Beginning with the rulership of the world with the rod of iron in the One Thousand Years and culminating in the Resurrection to Judgment, every human conceived since Eve will horrifically come to understand who it is who rules with Christ. The Lord’s Wife is represented as Joseph in the following verses:

Gen 45:1  Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren. 
Gen 45:2  And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard. 
Gen 45:3  And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence. 
Gen 45:4  And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. 
Gen 45:5  Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.
Gen 45:6  For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest. 
Gen 45:7  And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
Gen 45:8  So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me [the Elect] a father [second in command under Christ] to Pharaoh [God], and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt [the World].

Mic 7:17  They [the Jews who say that they are spiritual Jews, and are not inclusive of the World] shall lick the dust like a serpent, they shall move out of their holes like worms of the earth: they shall be afraid of the LORD our God, and shall fear because of thee. 

Licking dust like a serpent is worshiping God at the feet of Christ and His Wife’s feet.

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

Just as earthworms are forced out of the earth by a lot of rain, so, too, will this world’s kingdoms of men, within and without, be forced out of fear to hear the ‘water’ of Christ’s commands. Even though earthworms use exceptionally wet times to mate, similarly in spirit, humanity eating dust will be imbued with the seed of God’s spirit.

God’s Steadfast Love and Compassion

Mic 7:18  Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.
Mic 7:19  He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.
Mic 7:20  Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old. 

What a glorious end to the Book of Micah, as do all books of scripture spiritually conclude!

Isa 52:10  The LORD hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.

Eph 1:5  Having predestinated us [first in his Elect] unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will 
Eph 1:6  To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. 
Eph 1:7  In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; 
Eph 1:8  Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; 
Eph 1:9  Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
Eph 1:10  That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 
Eph 1:12  That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

Amen!

]]> Book of Obadiah – Oba 1:1 https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/book-of-obadiah-oba-11/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=book-of-obadiah-oba-11 Wed, 06 Dec 2023 14:33:57 +0000 https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/?p=28790 Audio Download

Book of Obadiah – Oba 1:1

[Study Aired December 6, 2023]

Oba 1:1  The vision of Obadiah. Thus saith the Lord GOD concerning Edom; We have heard a rumour from the LORD, and an ambassador is sent among the heathen, Arise ye, and let us rise up against her in battle.

Here are the Hebrew words used in Obadiah 1:1, and where there is a root word, it is included in bold below

Oba 1:1  The visionH2377 of ObadiahH5662. ThusH3541 saithH559 (H8804 Qal) the LordH136 GODH3069 concerning Edom;H123 We have heardH8085 a rumourH8052 fromH4480 H854 the LORD,H3068 and an ambassadorH6735 is sentH7971 (H8795 Pual) among the heathen,H1471 AriseH6965 ye, and let us rise upH6965 againstH5921 her in battleH4421 

H2377 – Khawzone, vision, oracle, prophecy, from a primitive root H2372 Khawzaw, to see, perceive, look, behold, prophesy, provide, with the intelligence

H5662 – Obadyah, servant of Jehovah, the 4th of the 12 minor prophets; nothing personal is known of him but it is probable that he was contemporary with Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel, prophesies against Edom, act part of a primitive root H5647 Ahbad, to work, serve, labour, serve another by labour, to serve as subjects, to be worked, be tilled (of land), to make oneself a servant, to compel to labour or work, cause to labour, cause to serve, and H3050 Yahh, Jah (Jehovah in the shortened form), contraction for H3068 Yehovah, Jehovah = the existing one, from a primitive root H1961 Hayah, to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come into being, become, to arise, appear, come, be instituted, be established, be in existence, to abide, remain, continue, to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated, to accompany, be with, be done, be brought about, be done, be finished, be gone

H3541 – Koh, thus, here, in this manner, so, here and there, until now, until now…until then, meanwhile, from the prefix ‘k’ and a primitive root H1931 Hoo, he, she, it, himself, so, that

H559 – Awmar, (Qal) to say, speak, utter, answer, say in one’s heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend, a primitive root

H136 – Adonay, my Lord, Lord, of men, of God, Lord – title, spoken in place of Yahweh in Jewish display of reverence, emphatic form of H113 Awdone, firm, strong, Lord, master, superintendent of household, of affairs, master, king, husband, prophet, prince, father, priest, captain, Adonai (parallel with Yahweh)

H3069 – Yehovih, Jehovah – used primarily in the combination ‘Lord Jehovah’, equal to H3068 (Jehovah) but pointed with the vowels of H430 (Elohim), a variation of H3068 Jehovah, used after H136 Adonai, and pronounced by Jews as H430 Elohim, in order to prevent the repetition of the same sound, since they elsewhere pronounce H3068 Yehovah as H136 Adonai

H123 – Edom, red, descendants of Esau, land of Edom, Idumea – land south and south east of Palestine, from H122 Adom, red, ruddy (of man, horse, heifer, garment, water, lentils), from H119 Adam, to be red, ruddy, be rubbed red, dyed red, reddened, cause to show red, glare, of unknown derivation

H8085 – Shawmah, (Qal) to hear, listen to, obey, hear with attention or interest, understand, give heed, consent, agree, grant request, yield to, be obedient, a primitive root

H8052 – Sehmoohaw, report, news, rumour, tidings, mention, pass part of a primitive root H8074 Shawmame, to be desolate, be appalled, stun, stupefy, to be desolated, be deflowered, be deserted, to be appalled, be awestruck, be made desolate, be stunned, appalling, causing horror, horror-causer, appaller, to devastate, ravage, make desolated, to appal, show horror, to lay desolate, be desolated, to cause to be desolate, be astounded, to cause oneself desolation, cause oneself ruin

H4480 – Min, from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than, some of, after, from…even to, both…and, either…or, too much for, through, because, from an unused root H4482 Mane, string (of harp), portion, to apportion (Root word only used twice in OT)

H854 – Ayth, with, near, together with, from…with, probably from a primitive root H579 Awnaw, to meet, encounter, approach, be opportune, to allow to meet, cause to meet, be sent, be allowed to meet, seek occasion (quarrel), cause oneself to meet (Root word only used four times in OT)

H3068 – See H3069 above

H6735 – Tseer, envoy, messenger, pivot of door, hinge, pang, distress, from a primitive root H6696 Tsoor, to bind, besiege, confine, cramp, secure, shut in/up, enclose, to show hostility to, be an adversary, treat as foe, to form, fashion, delineate

H7971 – Shalakh, (Pual) to be sent off, be put away, be divorced, be impelled, a primitive root

H1471 – Goy, nation, people, swarm of locusts, other animals, from the same root as H1465, Gevah, the back, behind, from H1460, Gev, the back, back, midst, from a primitive root H1342, Ga’ah, to rise up, grow up, be exalted in triumph, be lifted up, be raised up, be exalted

H6965 – Koom, (Qal) to arise, stand, maintain oneself, be established, be confirmed, endure, be fixed, be valid, be proven, be fulfilled, persist, be set, a primitive root

H6965 – See above

H5921 – Al, upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against, on the ground of, on the basis of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, in the matter of, as regards, to, over to, unto, in addition to, with, adjoining, next, at, around, down upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, against, because, although, properly, the same as H5920, Al, height, above, upwards, on high, from a primitive root H5927, Alah, to go up, ascend, climb, meet, visit, follow, depart, withdraw, retreat, come up, to spring up, grow, shoot forth, go up over, rise, extend, excel, be superior to, be taken up/away, be brought up, take oneself away, be exalted, bring up, cause to ascend, cause to go up/ascend, bring against, take away, draw up, train, rouse, stir up, offer, exalt, be carried away, be led up, be taken up into, be inserted in, be offered, lift oneself

H4421 – Milkhamah, battle, war, from a primitive root H3898, Lakham, (Niphal) to engage in battle, wage war (seems to only be used in the Niphal tense)

Here is Obadiah 1:1 including root words where possible. This is an exercise in searching out the deeper meaning of the words in the verse to agree with the sum of God’s word (Psa 119:160) in accordance with the spirit of Truth (Joh 16:13).

Obadiah 1:1 Thus is saying the Lord Jehovah to Edom (the flesh/the old man), ‘Obey the report from (with) Jehovah, an ambassador (Christ) is to be sent off to the heathen (the nations, the earthen vessels), Rise, rise (train) to engage in the battle.’

Symbolically, the Bible is largely about two men: the old man and the new man. The old man represents our flesh and our carnal mind. On the other hand, the New Man is the way, the truth, and the life: Jesus Christ. The New man is Christ in us and it is only because of the New Man that we have life. As flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, we know the old man must decrease.

The process of this old man decreasing, so the New Man can increase, does not occur without a struggle, and it is in our daily dying to the flesh that we become more Christ-like. In the same way Esau supplanted by Jacob, it is the Lord’s preordained intention that our old man is to be rejected and supplanted by the New Man.

Just as Esau was a “strong” man, one acquainted with hunting, the old man may seem physically strong in the flesh, even our human wisdom is considered foolishness by God.

Gen 25:27  And the youths grew, and Esau is a man acquainted with hunting, a man of the field; and Jacob is a plain man, inhabiting tents;

1Co 3:19  For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
1Co 3:20  And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.
1Co 3:21  Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours

The old man then is not just our “flesh and blood” but also includes our “carnal mind.” We are commanded not to glorify the flesh, and “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.” (1Co 1:29)

While there is an outward application for all scripture, there is also an inward application for all scripture that we who have been given eyes to see are able to accept. As the elect, every verse has an application to our lives now, which is why even though this book of Obadiah was written many years ago, and written to the people of Edom, we are able to see it as written to us, Christ’s elect.

Edom as a type and shadow

Scripture makes it clear that Edom is Esau:

Gen 36:1  Now these are the generations of Esau, who is Edom.

Gen 36:8  Thus dwelt Esau in mount Seir: Esau is Edom.

Gen 36:19  These are the sons of Esau, who is Edom.

Spiritually, Edom typifies all religions (all of Babylon) which claim to know God but are in rebellion against the doctrines of Christ. Edom/Esau is the rejected anointed, by the Lord’s design, being supplanted by Jacob.

Rom 9:13  As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

Applying this type and shadow to our own individual lives, Edom signifies our old man who is sitting on the throne of our hearts and minds. We are instructed to come out of her (Babylon).

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

The “battle” described in the first verse of Obadiah is the process of the old man being dethroned and destroyed. This is achieved by the brightness of the truth of Christ when we are finally given eyes that see and ears that hear. 

Only the future tense is used in 2 Thessalonians 2:8 denoting the ‘down payment’ aspect of our election. Also, His brightness which destroys, is a gradual one, as He deals with our false doctrines ‘by little and little’ (Exo 23:30, Isa 28:10).  According to John 6:63, it is the Spirit that gives life; the flesh profits nothing and the words that I speak to you (all words of scripture) are spirit, and they are life:

2Th 2:1  Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
2Th 2:2  That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
2Th 2:3  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; [Our man of sin / Our flesh / Our carnal mind]
2Th 2:4  Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God [sitting on the throne in us].

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

The old man is in every man and is in you and me, until we step out of this body of death (Rom 7:24). It is this old man we are engaged with, in battle and our New Man is commanded to rise up, rise up and get ready for battle. This battle is not physical because we are wrestling principalities and powers in the heavens.

Eph 6:12  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places [G2032: Heaven]

The wrestling is taking place in our heavens. To the carnally-minded natural man, heaven is portrayed as a physical place we are all wanting to end up at, the place with golden streets. A place of eternal paradise. These carnal ideas and false doctrines are considered to be enmity against Christ:

Rom 8:7  Because the carnal mind is enmity (G2189) against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

G2189 echthra. Feminine of G2190; hostility; by implication a reason for opposition: From a primary word ἔχθωechthō (to hate); hateful(passively odious, or actively hostile); usually as a noun, an adversary (especially Satan): – enemy, foe.

We are wrestling with this adversary (our carnal mind) in our heavens daily. We know that heaven is not a place to which we can ascend. Instead, it is a place where the Son of man (Christ) is.

Isa 66:1 Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?

Joh 3:13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, [even] the Son of man which is in heaven.

Jer 18:4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another [entirely different] vessel [a new man, born of the spirit], as seemed good to the potter to make it.

Act 17:24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;

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

Psa 132:13 For the LORD hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation.

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.

Heaven is in the hearts and minds of God’s elect. This peculiar people (a royal priesthood) are those being judged in this age, and that judgment is a fiery experience because it is the battle of our old man being judged. If we overcome and endure to the end, He will be faithful to His promise to us: He will make us a pillar in the Temple of God. 

It is encouraging to know that as the elect, we are overcomers. Our overcoming is not instantaneous though. Our overcoming is a daily struggle / trial / battle/ wrestle as we endure, and endure, and endure! We are engaged in a daily battle with our adversary (the old man / the person in the mirror staring back at us).

Rom 5:19  For as by one man’s (the first adam) disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one (The new man / the second Adam / Jesus Christ) shall many be made righteous.

1Co 3:17  If any man (the old man in us) defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

1Co 3:21  Therefore let no man glory in men (the flesh / our flesh / flesh and blood / the strength of the old man). For all things are yours;

It is encouraging to know we are Christ’s, and He is with us as we wrestle against spiritual principalities and powers in our heavens.

It is comforting to know he is right by our side as we walk each day. Even more edifying is knowing Christ as our friend:

Proverbs 18:24 but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother

Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

We are comforted knowing that Obadiah 1:1 is written to us and for us. We are wrestling against our old man and it is this battle that is strengthening us day by day.

Conclusion

Spiritual Principle: We are to keep the sayings of the prophecy of every word of this book [the sum of thy word is truth Psalm 119:160] and we are guided by the spirit of Truth:

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

]]> Acts 27:23-44 Except These Abide in the Ship, Ye Cannot be Saved https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/acts-2723-44-except-these-abide-in-the-ship-ye-cannot-be-saved/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=acts-2723-44-except-these-abide-in-the-ship-ye-cannot-be-saved Sat, 21 Oct 2023 15:00:43 +0000 https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/?p=28554 Audio Download

Acts 27:23-44 Except These Abide in the Ship, Ye Cannot be Saved

[Study Aired October 22, 2023

Joh 8:31  Jesus was saying, therefore, unto the Jews who had believed on him—If, ye, abide in my word, of a truth, my disciples, ye are; (REV)

Joh 15:4  Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

Act 27:23  For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,
Act 27:24  Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.
Act 27:25  Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.
Act 27:26  Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island.
Act 27:27  But when the fourteenth night was come, as we were driven up and down in Adria, about midnight the shipmen deemed that they drew near to some country;
Act 27:28  And sounded, and found it twenty fathoms: and when they had gone a little further, they sounded again, and found it fifteen fathoms.
Act 27:29  Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day.
Act 27:30  And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, when they had let down the boat into the sea, under colour as though they would have cast anchors out of the foreship,
Act 27:31  Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.
Act 27:32  Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off.
Act 27:33  And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take meat, saying, This day is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried and continued fasting, having taken nothing.
Act 27:34  Wherefore I pray you to take some meat: for this is for your health: for there shall not an hair fall from the head of any of you.
Act 27:35  And when he had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to God in presence of them all: and when he had broken it, he began to eat.
Act 27:36  Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took some meat.
Act 27:37  And we were in all in the ship two hundred threescore and sixteen souls.
Act 27:38  And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, and cast out the wheat into the sea.
Act 27:39  And when it was day, they knew not the land: but they discovered a certain creek with a shore, into the which they were minded, if it were possible, to thrust in the ship.
Act 27:40  And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed themselves unto the sea, and loosed the rudder bands, and hoised up the mainsail to the wind, and made toward shore.
Act 27:41  And falling into a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the forepart stuck fast, and remained unmoveable, but the hinder part was broken with the violence of the waves.
Act 27:42  And the soldiers’ counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim out, and escape.
Act 27:43  But the centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose; and commanded that they which could swim should cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land:
Act 27:44  And the rest, some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship. And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land.

We will go back over these verses and let the Word Himself open the eyes of our understanding to glean the lessons the Lord has for us in putting this disastrous event in His word for our admonition.

Let’s read the last verses of our last study to get the context of how the Lord has used His spirit, His wind, to drag this ship through the sea in such a manner as to deprive all on board of any hope of being saved. As we read these verses, remember that the holy spirit, through Paul, had advised the master and owner of the ship, and Julius the centurion, that they should stay in the harbor of fair havens or face a disaster at sea. Signifying how the Truth is received by the world today, the master of the ship and the centurion ignored Paul’s warning and took to the sea, being lured by the Lord Himself to do so:

Act 27:13  And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete.
Act 27:14  But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon.
Act 27:15  And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive.
Act 27:16  And running under a certain island which is called Clauda, we had much work to come by the boat:
Act 27:17  Which when they had taken up, they used helps, undergirding the ship; and, fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands, strake sail, and so were driven.
Act 27:18  And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship;
Act 27:19  And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship.
Act 27:20  And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.
Act 27:21  But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss.
Act 27:22  And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship.

We ended our last study with Paul offering words of hope to the 276 people on board the ship. The hope given was that they would all be spared from death through the destruction of the ship. That probably sounded like a contradiction to some on board, but by this time the Lord had softened the heart of Julius the centurion to the point that he now had complete confidence in the words of Paul as being the words of the Lord Himself. We begin this study with Paul explaining the source of the hope he is extending to all:

Act 27:23  For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,
Act 27:24  Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.
Act 27:25  Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.
Act 27:26  Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island.
Act 27:27  But when the fourteenth night was come, as we were driven up and down in Adria, about midnight the shipmen deemed that they drew near to some country;
Act 27:28  And sounded, and found it twenty fathoms: and when they had gone a little further, they sounded again, and found it fifteen fathoms.

A ‘fathom’ is six feet. When they first “sounded” the water was 120 feet deep. The second sounding was 90 feet deep. They knew they were approaching land and decided to anchor for the night so they could see if there were any visible rocks near by.

Act 27:29  Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day.
Act 27:30  And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, when they had let down the boat into the sea, under colour as though they would have cast anchors out of the foreship,
Act 27:31  Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.

Notice that Paul did not speak to the sailors or “the master of the ship” who had persuaded Julius to leave the Fair Havens harbor. He spoke only “to [Julius] the centurion and to the soldiers” who were under Julius. When Paul told them their own lives depended upon everyone, including the sailors, remaining in the ship, Julius and the soldiers now had so much confidence in Paul’s words being the words of God Himself that they took matters into their own hands:

Act 27:32  Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off.

So very much of what the Lord requires of us is counterintuitive. Why would anyone build a huge ship to escape a universal flood when it has never been known to rain? Why would anyone go down the west side of the Red Sea when your destination is on the east side? Why should anyone be expected to love his enemies and pray for those who despitefully use and persecute him? Why should anyone expect to die now for the sake of living later? It all makes just about as much physical sense as cutting off a life boat and letting it fall into the sea when it could have been used to ferry people to land. Such are the demands of our faith in the Lord and His provision for this very reason:

1Co 1:25  Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
1Co 1:26  For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
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.

Act 27:33  And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take meat, saying, This day is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried and continued fasting, having taken nothing.
Act 27:34  Wherefore I pray you to take some meat: for this is for your health: for there shall not an hair fall from the head of any of you.

What is true physically in this story is true spiritually in our lives, as Christ said the same thing concerning ‘the hair’ of our new man:

Luk 21:16  And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.
Luk 21:17  And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake.
Luk 21:18  But there shall not an hair of your head perish.
Luk 21:19  In your patience possess ye your souls.

Those are contradictory statements to the natural mind. How can anyone say, “You shall be put to death” and in the same breath tell us, “But there shall not a hair of your head perish??” The next verse reflects how hard it is for us to appreciate the truth of those words:

Luk 21:19  In your patience possess ye your souls.

Fourteen days in waves that go up to heaven and then down to the depths without seeing the stars at night or the sun in the day is enough to soften the heart of the most hardened and rebellious soul. Everyone now was more willing to listen to the Lord’s spokesman and take hope in his encouraging words. There was nothing else left to believe in. They were all now “at their wits’ end”, and only now can they hear the Lord’s words through His prophet, Paul:

Psa 107:24  These see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep.
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.
Psa 107:28  Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.
Psa 107:29  He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.
Psa 107:30  Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.

Notice the order of events… ‘Then they cry to the Lord in their trouble’, He makes the storm calm, and ‘then they are glad…’ That is how the Lord has ordained that we learn about Him. There is no way to the tree of life except we go through that fiery sword in the hands of the cherubims who signify those who have and know that fire themselves, the Lord’s elect:

Rev 5:8  And when he had taken the book, the four beasts [the cherubims (Eze 1 and Eze 10)] and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.
Rev 5:9  And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
Rev 5:10  And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

Act 27:35  And when he had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to God in presence of them all: and when he had broken it, he began to eat.

For those who may think there is never a time to pray in public, both Christ and Paul “gave thanks to God in the presence of them all.”

Mat 14:19  And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.

The Lord gave His Word to Paul, and Paul gave it to the people on the ship. That is how the Lord communicates His Word to mankind. It is “through the church” (Eph 3:10). It is the same today. The Lord speaks to us through His elect who show us what is in His Word. His elect never “think above what is written” (1Co 4:6). However, it takes fourteen days of being thrown about on the sea by the storms of life, and being brought to our wits’ end to get us to the point of being willing to listen to the Lord’s spokesperson. If we are His in this present time, we do get to that point:

Act 27:36  Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took some meat.

The scriptures teach that we are saved by hope (Rom 8:24). Rest assured Paul gave thanks for much more than the food they were all about to eat. He would never have passed the opportunity to thank the Lord for the promise He had given him that all in the ship would be saved.

Act 27:37  And we were in all in the ship two hundred threescore and sixteen souls.

This number included everyone on the ship; the ship’s crew, its master and owner and all the prisoners and any passengers who just happened to be going to Italy. It was “all in the ship.” They had all ‘lost any hope of being saved’ until Paul was reminded by Christ that he must go to Rome and appear before and witness to Caesar:

Act 27:23  For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,
Act 27:24  Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.
Act 27:25  Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.
Act 27:26  Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island.

This promise of being physically delivered from drowning at sea in the midst of a terrible storm that lasted more than two weeks by “being cast upon a certain island” typifies and signifies our own spiritual deliverance through the hope of the promise we are given of the Lord’s spirit as “the earnest of our inheritance, until the redemption of the purchased possession.” These words were penned by Paul after he had arrived in Rome and while he was waiting to witness to Caesar:

Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
Eph 1:12  That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
Eph 1:13  In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Eph 1:14  Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Being ‘cast on this island’ was just the downpayment of arriving safely in Rome to stand before Caesar. Paul’s faith was being tried, and just as Christ Himself was comforted by an angel when His sweat became as great drops of blood when He knew He was about to be apprehended and crucified, Paul, too, was comforted by an angel after all hope of being saved was lost

Luk 22:41  And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,
Luk 22:42  Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
Luk 22:43  And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.
Luk 22:44  And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

Christ is “the Lord’s goat” of Leviticus 16, who physically died for the sins of the world. Paul and you and I are the ‘scapegoat’ which lives and which also bears the sins of the world.

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

Lev 16:21  And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness:
Lev 16:22  And the [scapegoat, the “living sacrifice of Romans 12:1] goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.

What Paul and all who were on that ship enduring this fiery life threatening trial typify is our own ‘daily dying, being crucified with Christ and presenting our bodies as a living sacrifice to God, daily, as we await the “redemption of the purchased possession”, the True deliverance through a resurrection from among the dead.

Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
Eph 1:12  That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
Eph 1:13  In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Eph 1:14  Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession [the resurrection], unto the praise of his glory.

Act 27:38  And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, and cast out the wheat into the sea.

In verse six of this chapter, we are told that this ship was “a ship of Alexandria” in Egypt. Egypt was known as “the breadbasket of the Roman Empire” because of all the wheat which was grown in Egypt. Wheat was the main cargo and the payload of this ship. Casting the wheat out into the sea signifies our willingness to give up all for Christ and to do whatever it takes to save our life in this present time of fiery trials. From a practical perspective, casting all the wheat into the sea will serve to lighten the ship enough to get close enough to land to secure the rescue of all the two hundred seventy-six people on board. The spiritual significance is being brought to the point of willingly giving up everything in this life to secure salvation in this present time:

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

Act 27:39  And when it was day, they knew not the land: but they discovered a certain creek with a shore, into the which they were minded, if it were possible, to thrust in the ship.
Act 27:40  And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed themselves unto the sea, and loosed the rudder bands, and hoised up the mainsail to the wind, and made toward shore.
Act 27:41  And falling into a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the forepart stuck fast, and remained unmoveable, but the hinder part was broken with the violence of the waves.

This “forepart stuck fast… but the hinder part was broken with the violence of the waves” is a picture of how the cross was dropped into a hole that had been dug to keep it upright, while our Lord was the hinder part of this ship which was broken for us:

1Co 11:24  And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.

Not a bone of his body was broken, but His flesh was so mutilated that He died on the cross ahead of the two thieves who were crucified with Him. His “body [was indeed] broken for [us].” Let us not forget that we are His body, which is the church, and that we, too, are broken for “His body’s sake which is the church.”

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

Act 27:42  And the soldiers’ counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim out, and escape.
Act 27:43  But the centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose; and commanded that they which could swim should cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land:

These verses speak volumes about the respect and love Julius the centurion had come to have for Paul. It is an example of how we should be willing to die for our brothers in Christ. Had any of the prisoners been lost, Julius and his soldiers would have paid the price. Nevertheless, for Paul’s sake Julius spared the lives of all the prisoners. It wasn’t Julius who was calling the shots though. It was the Lord who was protecting His elect even as He was destroying the very ship that was also their lifeboat throughout this entire storm. Christ is our captain, and He is our salvation. Like this boat that was broken to save the lives of the two hundred seventy six people who were aboard, Christ’s body was also “broken for [us].”

1Co 11:24  And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.

Act 27:44  And the rest, some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship. And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land.

Again, this temporal deliverance… ‘safe to land’ signifies our calling to be a living sacrifice. We are commissioned and sent to present our bodies as a living sacrifice (Rom 12:1), to crucify our old man with Christ (Rom 6:6), to die daily with Christ (1Co 15:31) and to be crucified with Him (Gal 2:20). That is how we fill up what is behind of Christ’s afflictions and serve as an atonement with Christ for the sins of the people in our capacity as the scapegoat of the day of atonement, and the second bird of the lepers offering in Leviticus 16 and 14 respectively. ‘Coming safe to land’ after “all hope of being saved was taken away” signifies “the earnest of the spirit [which sustains us in our own fiery trials] until the redemption of the purchased possession.”

Eph 1:12  That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
Eph 1:13  In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Eph 1:14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Paul’s appearing before Caesar typifies our appearing before the judgment seat of Christ, and being cast on some island before appearing before Caesar signifies our being sealed with the holy spirit of promise until the redemption of the purchased possession; our appearing before Christ.

2Co 5:10  For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

The rewards of serving Christ are beyond our ability to appreciate in this present time, but if we speak only of the reward and do not admonish each other of the means of attaining those rewards we will have the blood of others on our hands.

Eze 33:6  But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand.

Rom 8:18  For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Rom 8:19  For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

Our calling is to a life of “much tribulation” (Act 14:22), “suffering with [Christ]” (Rom 8:17, 2Ti 2:12) and “fiery trials” (1Pe 4:12). Reminding the Lord’s flock of those words is the blowing of the trumpet to warn His people. It was Christ Himself who warned us against the doctrine which teaches that He came to bring us peace. We do indeed have peace in the spirit, but in this world we are “hated of all men” and considered as cursed of the Lord.

Joh 16:33  These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Mat 10:34  Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
Mat 10:35  For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
Mat 10:36  And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.
Mat 10:37  He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
Mat 10:38  And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
Mat 10:39  He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

If our names are written in the Lamb’s book of life, and if we are the apple of His eye, then these verses of Romans 8 are the lesson for us to be learned from the story of this storm or this life which took away all hope of being saved:

Rom 8:33  Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.
Rom 8:34  Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
Rom 8:35  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Rom 8:36  As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Rom 8:37  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
Rom 8:38  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Rom 8:39  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

In our next study we will see how the Lord provided communications within His body long before Zoom ever existed, when we see the welcome the church at Rome gave the apostle Paul upon his arrival in Rome.

]]> Acts 27:1-22 Except These Abide in the Ship ye Cannot be Saved https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/acts-271-22-except-these-abide-in-the-ship-ye-cannot-be-saved/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=acts-271-22-except-these-abide-in-the-ship-ye-cannot-be-saved Sat, 14 Oct 2023 19:10:51 +0000 https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/?p=28511 Audio Download

Acts 27:1-22 Except These Abide in the Ship ye Cannot be Saved

[Study Aired October 15, 2023]

Act 27:1  And when it was determined that we should sail into Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners unto one named Julius, a centurion of Augustus’ band.
Act 27:2  And entering into a ship of Adramyttium, we launched, meaning to sail by the coasts of Asia; one Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, being with us.

The phrase “certain other prisoners” could have included others who had also appealed to Caesar. Aristarchus and Luke, “Paul’s companions in travel”, are with Paul on this voyage. Paul calls Aristarchus “my fellow prisoner” in his epistle to the Colossians, indicating that Aristarchus had also been arrested and had also appealed to Caesar. Luke could simply be a paying passenger who was led to stay with Paul as he endured his imprisonment. At any rate, both Aristarchus and Luke are with Paul on this voyage to Rome.

Here is the verse in Colossians, which is one of Paul’s prison epistles, where we are informed that Aristarchus was indeed a “fellowprisoner”:

Col 4:10  Aristarchus my fellowprisoner saluteth you, and Marcus, sister’s son to Barnabas, (touching whom ye received commandments: if he come unto you, receive him;)

Aristarchus is first brought before us in Acts 19 where Paul is in Ephesus, the city where Demetrius, a silversmith fearing the loss of his income, set the whole city into an uproar against Paul shouting, “great is Diana of the Ephesians.”

Act 19:28  And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.
Act 19:29  And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul’s companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre.

We are not given any details about Aristarchus, but this 27th chapter of Acts is well over two years after that uproar in Ephesus, because we are told that by the time Paul left Caesarea for Rome, he had been a Roman prisoner in Caesarea for over two years. The events at Ephesus took place several weeks before Paul was apprehended by Lysias the Roman captain in Jerusalem, and Aristarchus is still faithfully by the side of the apostle Paul.

Act 24:27  But after two years Porcius Festus came into Felix’ room: and Felix, willing to shew the Jews a pleasure, left Paul bound.

Now Aristarchus is once again “Paul’s companion in travel” as a “fellowprisoner” on this voyage to Rome. Luke is still using the pronoun ‘we’, so we know that there are at least two men of the church who are traveling with Paul on this journey to Rome to appear before Caesar Augustus.

Act 27:3  And the next day we touched at Sidon. And Julius courteously entreated Paul, and gave him liberty to go unto his friends to refresh himself.

This tells us that Julius, the centurion, knew Paul well enough to know he would not attempt an escape. It is still amazing, because had Julius lost a prisoner under his charge, he would have had to forfeit his own life, as was the case for the guards watching over Peter:

Act 12:19  And when Herod had sought for him, and found him not, he examined the keepers, and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judaea to Caesarea, and there abode.

Julius is the centurion who was charged with ensuring that all these prisoners be delivered to Augustus at Rome. We are not told the exact number of prisoners, but in verse 37 of this chapter we are told that the exact number of people on the ship at the time of its destruction at sea was two hundred and seventy-six:

Act 27:37  And we were in all in the ship two hundred threescore and sixteen souls.

Once again, the Lord makes even Paul’s enemies to be at peace with him, and Julius allows Paul the liberty of going to his friends in Sidon “to refresh himself”. What incredible favor the Lord shows us even as we serve Him in bonds!

Act 27:4  And when we had launched from thence, we sailed under Cyprus, because the winds were contrary.

The Greek word translated as ‘we sailed under’ here in verse 4 is ‘hupopleo’ and it is defined as to sail “to the lee of” by Thayer, and “to sail under the lee of” by Strong. All we are being told is that they had to go in the direction the wind was blowing, and that happened to take them north of Cyprus along the coasts of Cilicia and Pamphylia instead of the much more direct route to Asia, which would have been sailing south of Cyprus.

In the Hebrew scriptures, the Hebrew word for ‘the wind’ is ‘ruach’ (H7307). It is the exact same word which is translated as ‘spirit’. Here is a verse which describes what the spirit of the Lord is doing with Paul and all those in the ship with him:

Isa 17:13  The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters: but God shall rebuke them, and they shall flee far off, and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the wind [H7307: ruach; wind or spirit], and like a rolling thing before the whirlwind.

The Lord uses the wind as He uses His spirit to work all things after the counsel of His own will:

Isa 19:11  Surely the princes of Zoan are fools, the counsel of the wise counsellors of Pharaoh is become brutish: how say ye unto Pharaoh, I am the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings?
Isa 19:12  Where are they? where are thy wise men? and let them tell thee now, and let them know what the LORD of hosts hath purposed upon Egypt.
Isa 19:13  The princes of Zoan are become fools, the princes of Noph are deceived; they have also seduced Egypt, even they that are the stay of the tribes thereof.
Isa 19:14  The LORD hath mingled a perverse spirit [H7307: ruach] in the midst thereof: and they have caused Egypt to err in every work thereof, as a drunken man staggereth in his vomit.

Jer 51:1  Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will raise up against Babylon, and against them that dwell in the midst of them that rise up against me, a destroying wind [H7307: ruach; wind or spirit];

The Lord used “a lying ruach”, a lying spirit”, to persuade King Ahab to go up to Ramothgilead to die there:

1Ki 22:19  And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven [good and evil] standing by him on his right hand and on his left.
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 [H7307: ruach], and stood before the LORD, and said, I will persuade him.
1Ki 22:22  And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit [ruach] 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 spirit [ruach] in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil concerning thee.

It is nothing less than a spirit from the Lord which is driving these two ships all around in the Mediterranean Sea working every detail of this voyage “after the counsel of His own will” (Eph 1:11).

Act 27:5  And when we had sailed over the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia.
Act 27:6  And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing into Italy; and he put us therein.
Act 27:7  And when we had sailed slowly many days, and scarce were come over against Cnidus, the wind not suffering us, we sailed under Crete, over against Salmone;
Act 27:8  And, hardly passing it, came unto a place which is called The fair havens; nigh whereunto was the city of Lasea.
Act 27:9  Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them,
Act 27:10  And said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives.

Paul is speaking for the Lord, and “the Lord hath spoken evil concerning” (1Kg 22:23) this journey, but the ship’s captain and owner persuaded Julius the centurion to try to make it to the next port instead of listening to the words of the Lord via His servant Paul.

Everyone knew that bad weather sets in on the Mediterranean Sea after “the fast”. ‘The fast’ refers to the day of Atonement when all law-abiding Jews fast as commanded in the law of Moses:

Lev 23:26  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Lev 23:27  Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
Lev 23:28  And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the LORD your God.
Lev 23:29  For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people.

“Afflict your soul” means to fast and deny oneself any food from sunset to sunset on “the day of atonement.”

Act 27:11  Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul.

This centurion, Julius, typifies each of us when we place the words of men of this world, be it scholars like Noah Webster or James Strong or the words of any other ‘man’ or any minister, above the words of Christ. Paul is a proven and faithful servant of Jesus Christ. Julius, being a centurion with a hundred soldiers under his command was without a doubt one of “the principal men of the city” who was present when Paul was permitted to speak for himself before the Roman governor, Festus, and King Agrippa and Bernice “and all the principal men of the city” of Caesarea (Act 25:23). This centurion, Julius, knows Paul’s story of meeting the risen Christ.

He was also aware of Paul’s statement to King Agrippa that “this thing was not done in a corner.” Julius the centurion knows that when Paul said, “this thing was not done in a corner”, Paul is referring to the death and resurrection of Christ, and all the undeniable miracles which followed that miraculous event. The miraculous delivery from prison of the twelve disciples and the miraculous delivery from Herod’s prison by Peter were not done in a corner. The death of Agrippa’s father who was eaten with worms shortly after killing the apostle James and intending to do the same to Peter was well known throughout the Jewish world because it all happened in and around the Passover, when Jews from all around the world were at Jerusalem for the Passover:

Act 12:1  Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church.
Act 12:2  And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.
Act 12:3  And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.)
Act 12:4  And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter [G3957: pascha; Passover] to bring him forth to the people.
Act 12:5  Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.

There is every reason for Julius to listen to Paul, but he is persuaded by the captain and owner of the ship to ignore Paul and attempt to make it to Phenice, the next and better port on the eastern end of the island of Crete.

The fact that Julius allowed Paul to visit his friends in Sidon demonstrates how well he knew Paul, and how much he trusted Paul’s judgment. Nevertheless, he is a man of this world, and he listened to and “believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul” (vs 11). It is all by God’s design “for our admonition.”

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

If the “them” of 1 Corinthians 1:11 refers to the people of the Old Testament, how much more do the people of the New Testament signify each of us, as indeed the apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians:

2Co 3:2  Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:
2Co 3:3  Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.

The apostle Paul, who speaks for Christ and who is always rejected of this world and in this age, signifies us as we witness for Christ and against the present evil world. Just as Christ and His words were rejected, so we must expect to be rejected by this world in this age:

Mat 10:25  It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?

Act 27:12  And because the haven was not commodious to winter in, the more part advised to depart thence also, if by any means they might attain to Phenice, and there to winter; which is an haven of Crete, and lieth toward the south west and north west.

To tell the truth, the port of Fair Haven “was not commodious to winter in.” Nevertheless, the Lord, through the apostle Paul, admonished Julius to stay put. The Lord knew that Julius and the captain and owner of the ship would want to sail to Phenice on the east end of the island of Crete. The Lord always gives us a good excuse for disobeying His commandments, just as He gave Eve a reason to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen 3:4-5), and just as He gave “the man of God” a reason to disobey Him when another prophet lied to the man of God and told him that the Lord had told the lying prophet that the man of God should come to his house for dinner. The Lord always provides Himself an occasion to judge our rebellious and sinful flesh.

1Ki 13:18  He said unto him, I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the LORD, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto him.

This ‘man of God’ was set up by God to succumb to the severe hunger and thirst he was enduring, and it was all done to admonish us against giving in to our own weaknesses (1Co 10:11, 1Pe 1:9-12):

1Pe 1:9  Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
1Pe 1:10  Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:
1Pe 1:11  Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
1Pe 1:12  Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

Now the Lord has lured Julius and the captain of the ship back into the sea, and the worst is yet to come:

Act 27:13  And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete.

“Their purpose” was to make it to Phenice on the west end of the island of Crete. Their purpose had no regard for the warning they were given from the Lord through the apostle Paul. The Lord who warned Paul of the impending disaster, which was to destroy this ship, knew just what to do to lure Julius, the centurion and ‘the master and owner of the ship’ to attempt to make it to Phenice. He gave them a “a south wind [which] blew softly” just long enough to get them out of the “Fair Haven” harbor and out to sea. However, as soon at that soft south wind had them out at sea, things began to change for the worse very quickly:

Act 27:14  But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon.
Act 27:15  And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive.

“We let her drive” is just another way of saying ‘We completely lost control of the ship which was being driven of the winds beyond any ability of the crew to direct it.”

Act 27:16  And running under a certain island which is called Clauda, we had much work to come by the boat:

“The boat” means the lifeboat which is contrasted with ‘the ship’ to which ‘the boat’ was attached. All larger ships have lifeboats which hang off the sides of the ships in calm seas and are brought on board in very bad weather to keep them from being lost in the storm. The lesson for us is that our works, which the Lord causes us to undertake as we fight against the storms He places in our lives, cause us to sweat, and it is all in vain because our works cannot save us when the Lord Himself is against us:

Mic 6:14  Thou shalt eat, but not be satisfied; and thy casting down shall be in the midst of thee; and thou shalt take hold, but shalt not deliver; and that which thou deliverest will I give up to the sword.
Mic 6:15  Thou shalt sow, but thou shalt not reap; thou shalt tread the olives, but thou shalt not anoint thee with oil; and sweet wine, but shalt not drink wine.

This stormy voyage to Rome in this ship signifies how the spirit of God deals with us all. Our lives are driven by His will for us, and we are just as helpless to resist His will as this ship and its crew were helpless to resist the winds of this storm.

Nevertheless, we work hard to save ourselves:

Act 27:17  Which when they had taken up, they used helps, undergirding the ship; and, fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands, strake sail, and so were driven.

“Strake sail” means they let the sail down to keep the ship as stable as possible under the stormy winds they were facing. This whole story is written for our admonition. It is telling us that Christ is working with us while we are in this ship, and that being in this ship we are “in Him”, and He is our only hope. Taking down the sails signifies that we are beginning to submit to His guidance in our own stormy lives. There is more for us to learn about the work of the Lord in our lives as this story progresses:

Act 27:18  And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship;

“Being exceedingly tossed with the tempest” is just another way of telling us what Paul and Barnabas told all the churches they had raised up on their first journey:

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

“Much tribulation” refers to great physical and spiritual trial in this physical life, affecting and producing wars in the spiritual heavens of our hearts and our minds. Here is how Peter makes this same admonition to all who are given to accept and rejoice in it:

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

“On their part he is evil spoken of” refers to the carnal mind within each of us. The carnal mind within us blasphemes the name of the Lord when He sends fiery trials into our lives:

Rev 16:8  And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.
Rev 16:9  And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.
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.

Revelation 16 is speaking of you and me:

Rev 15:8  And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God [the “fiery trials” of chapter 16], 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 “fiery trials” of chapter 16].

We are one and all blasphemers of God before we repent of our God-will-burn-sinners-in-hell-for-all-eternity blasphemy. We repent of our blaspheming only when the seventh vial is poured out upon us and Babylon the Great and all her lies within us begin to be destroyed, revealed for what they are. When we see how badly we presented the Lord to this world, that is when the man of sin begins to be destroyed by the brightness of the Truth as it begins to come into our lives and destroy the man of sin within us:

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

2nd Thessalonians 2:8 is a condensed version of these words about the fruit of experiencing the pouring out of the seventh vial in our lives:

Rev 16:17  And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.
Rev 16:18  And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.
Rev 16:19  And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.
Rev 16:20  And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.
Rev 16:21  And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.

We all “blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail.” What does that mean? The religious world of Babylon wants us to believe that the Old Testament has nothing for us. That is what I was taught when I was submerged in Babylonian doctrine. The adversary knows that the proper meaning of all the signs and symbols of the New Testament are revealed only in the Old Testament, so of course the Great Whore churches of this world do not want us to understand the function of hail in scripture. That function is revealed only in the Old Testament:

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

Hail is formed by the winds up in the heavens, and it comes down to us out of heaven. It is this product of the winds of heaven which “sweep[s] away of the refuge of lies.” It is the Lord’s ‘wind’ which creates the storms of life which bring us all to our “wits’ end” and drag us to repent of believing all those lies. That is what the scriptures teach from Genesis to Revelation. It is a loving heavenly Father who raises up all the storms in our lives. The storms and trials of our lives are “His wonderful works to the children of men” which bring us to repentance:

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

Psa 107:21  Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
Psa 107:22  And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.
Psa 107:23  They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters;
Psa 107:24  These see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep.
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.
Psa 107:28  Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.
Psa 107:29  He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.
Psa 107:30  Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.
Psa 107:31  Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
Psa 107:32  Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.

That is the lesson of this stormy trip to Rome. From the very beginning, the wind, signifying the spirit of the Lord, decided where the ships Paul sailed would go. The first one wanted to go straight to “the coasts of Asia” by sailing south of Cyprus, but the winds took them north of Cyprus and eventually to Myra in the province of Lysia.

Look at the verses which tell us how the wind dictated where the ship would go:

Act 27:2  We set sail on a ship from the city of Adramyttium. The ship was going to stop at ports on the coast of the province of Asia. Aristarchus, a Macedonian from the city of Thessalonica, went with us. (GW)

Act 27:4  Leaving Sidon, we sailed on the northern side of the island of Cyprus because we were traveling against the wind.
Act 27:5  We sailed along the coast of the provinces of Cilicia and Pamphylia and arrived at the city of Myra in the province of Lycia.
Act 27:6  In Myra the officer found a ship from Alexandria that was on its way to Italy and put us on it. (GW)

Julius, the centurion, “put us on… a ship… to Italy”, but they were still “traveling against the wind.”

Act 27:7  We were sailing slowly for a number of days. Our difficulties began along the coast of the city of Cnidus because the wind would not let us go further [westward]. So at Cape Salmone, we started to sail for the south side of the island of Crete. (GW)

When Luke writes that “the wind would not let us go further” he is telling us that the wind would not let the ship go directly west to Italy. Instead, the wind drove the ship south to Salmone, a city on the eastern most tip of the island of Crete. From there the wind forced them to sail on the southern side of the island to the port of Fair Haven.

Act 27:8  We had difficulty sailing along the shore of Crete. We finally came to a port called Fair Harbors. The port was near the city of Lasea.
Act 27:9  We had lost so much time that the day of fasting had already past. Sailing was now dangerous, so Paul advised them,
Act 27:10  “Men, we’re going to face a disaster and heavy losses on this voyage. This disaster will cause damage to the cargo and the ship, and it will affect our lives.”
Act 27:11  However, the officer was persuaded by what the pilot and the owner of the ship said and not by the revelation Paul had been given

The Lord “knows our frame”, and He gives us hope when we have no hope, and He delivers us when we cannot see a way to be delivered.

Act 27:19  And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship.

The third day signifies the process of the judgment of our old man and the beginning of the birth of our new man. It is at this point that we are more than willing to “cast out with our own hands” everything we would have used to save ourselves, and we place ourselves at the Lord’s direction and at His mercy.

Act 27:20  And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.

Exactly what King David said would happen to everyone occurs to each one who aspires to truly come to know the Lord:

Psa 107:25  For [the Lord] 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.

Act 27:21  But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss.

‘Long abstinence’ refers to abstinence from food which is exactly what happens to us when we are being judged for our transgressions against our Lord. This is exactly what King David says will happen to us right here in this same 107th chapter of Psalms:

Psa 107:17  Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted.
Psa 107:18  Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat; and they draw near unto the gates of death.

This desperation is essential to bring us to repentance, and once we acknowledge our transgressions and repent then this happens:

Psa 107:19  Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses.

Only “when all hope that we should be saved [is] taken away” can the Lord come to our rescue with words of hope for the hopeless:

Psa 107:20  He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.

“His Word” is Christ:

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

Christ is “the beginning” because He was “in the beginning” (Rev 3:17). “The Word of God” brings us great hope, and “we are saved by hope.”

Rom 8:24  For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
Rom 8:25  But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

Paul, who everyone knew had advised that they stay in the Fair Haven harbor, was a proven prophet, and was now extending words of hope to everyone on this ship:

Act 27:22  And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship.

Next week we will learn why the ship had to be destroyed, and why Paul is so confident. We will learn that we, too, must ‘abide in the ship’ if we want to be saved and to be disciples indeed:

Joh 8:31  Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue [G3306: meno; abide] in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
Joh 8:32  And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Joh 8:31  Therefore, Jesus began saying to the Jews who had trusted and were now believing by Him [or in Him], “If you should remain [dwell, abide] within My word [My message; My communication; My expressed thought; My Idea], you folks are truly [really, genuinely] My disciples.

What we will see in our next study is that we must ‘remain’ and ‘abide’ in Christ if we hope to be saved.

]]> The Book of Romans, Part 11 – We Have Hope Through Tribulation https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/the-book-of-romans-part-11-we-have-hope-through-tribulation/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-book-of-romans-part-11-we-have-hope-through-tribulation Tue, 05 Sep 2023 21:15:52 +0000 https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/?p=28261 Audio Download

The Book of Romans, Part 11 – We Have Hope Through Tribulation

[Study Aired September 5, 2023]

Rom 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
Rom 5:2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 
Rom 5:3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 
Rom 5:4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 
Rom 5:5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. 
Rom 5:6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
Rom 5:7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.
Rom 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Rom 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 
Rom 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. 
Rom 5:11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

To understand Romans 5:1-2 in the context of the first four chapters of Romans, it’s essential to recognize the progression the Apostle Paul builds in this letter. Let’s break down these verses considering the preceding chapters:

Romans 1-4: In the preceding chapters, Paul has been establishing the foundational principles of salvation and righteousness through faith. He explains that all have sinned (Rom 3:23) and fallen short of God’s glory but are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (Rom 3:24). He emphasizes that righteousness comes not through works of the law but through faith in Jesus (Rom 3:28).

Rom 3:21-28  But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

In Romans 4, Paul uses the example of Abraham to illustrate the concept of justification by faith. He points out that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness (Rom 4:3), and this justification was not based on works but on faith (Rom 4:5). Abraham’s faith in God’s promise foreshadowed the faith that would be placed in Christ for salvation.

Rom 4:1-5 What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

Now, with this context in mind, let’s look at Romans 5:1-2:

Rom 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 
Rom 5:2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Considering Paul’s foundational teachings in the preceding chapters, this verse signifies that faith leads to our righteous declaration (justification) before God. This justification brings about reconciliation with God and, as a result, peace. Prior to faith, mankind existed in a state of separation from God, marked by sin – a condition the law, serving as our guide, revealed to us (Gal 3:24). Through faith, we are harmoniously reunited with God, erasing the enmity that once existed, ultimately resulting in peace. This peace finds its source and foundation “through our Lord Jesus Christ” because His sacrificial act on the cross is what underpins both our justification and reconciliation, as explained in Romans 3:25.

Gal 3:24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 

Rom 3:26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. 

Romans 5:2: “By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”

Here, Paul continues to emphasize the role of Jesus Christ in our salvation. He explains that it is through Jesus Christ that we have access to “this grace”. Our faith opens the door to God’s forgiveness. This grace allows us to “stand” in a state of righteousness before God, firmly rooted in His favor and acceptance.

This access to grace leads to rejoicing in hope. As Paul established in Romans 4, just as Abraham hoped in God’s promise, we also hope in the glory of God. Through faith in Jesus Christ, we gain access to God’s grace, and we stand in this grace with confidence. This echoes the Old Testament’s emphasis on the importance of grace, such as in the Psalms where we find, “But he gives us more grace” (Psa 84:11, Jas 4:6).

Psa 84:11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. 

Jas 4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

In summary, Romans 5:1-2 builds upon the foundation laid in the previous chapters by explaining that through faith we are justified, reconciled to God and have access to God. This faith fills us with the hope of future glory, allowing us to stand in a state of righteousness and rejoice in our relationship with God.

Rom 5:3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 
Rom 5:4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:

In our journey, we can find joy, especially in difficult times, knowing that trials produce patience, which leads to experience and ultimately hope. This idea of finding purpose in trials is found in the Old Testament, as in the story of Joseph in Genesis, where his trials led to his exaltation and the saving of many lives.

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.

The following verses emphasize that going through tribulations or trials will develop patience in us, and this patience leads to spiritual growth and maturity.

Psa 37:7-9 Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.

Psa 40:1 I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.

Jas 1:2-4 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

2Co 1:3-4 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

The above verses teach us to rely on God’s strength and faithfulness during times of tribulation, ultimately leading to a deeper relationship with Him.

Rom 5:5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. 

Our hope in Christ is sure and will not disappoint us, because the Holy Spirit, which is given to believers, fills our hearts with the love of God. This aligns with the Old Testament’s promise of the Holy Spirit, as seen in Ezekiel 36:26-27.

Eze 36:26-27 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

Rom 5:6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
Rom 5:7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 
Rom 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

These verses emphasize the incredible love of God. Christ’s sacrifice on the cross occurred when we were still sinners and had no ability to save ourselves. This echoes the concept of God’s unfailing love found throughout the Old Testament, such as in Psalm 136.

Psa 136:1 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. 
Psa 136:2 O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever. 
Psa 136:3 O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever. 
Psa 136:4 To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy endureth for ever. 
Psa 136:5 To him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endureth for ever. 
Psa 136:6 To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for his mercy endureth for ever. 
Psa 136:7 To him that made great lights: for his mercy endureth for ever: 
Psa 136:8 The sun to rule by day: for his mercy endureth for ever: 
Psa 136:9 The moon and stars to rule by night: for his mercy endureth for ever. 
Psa 136:10 To him that smote Egypt in their firstborn: for his mercy endureth for ever: 
Psa 136:11 And brought out Israel from among them: for his mercy endureth for ever: 
Psa 136:12 With a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm: for his mercy endureth for ever. 
Psa 136:13 To him which divided the Red sea into parts: for his mercy endureth for ever: 
Psa 136:14 And made Israel to pass through the midst of it: for his mercy endureth for ever: 
Psa 136:15 But overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red sea: for his mercy endureth for ever. 
Psa 136:16 To him which led his people through the wilderness: for his mercy endureth for ever. 
Psa 136:17 To him which smote great kings: for his mercy endureth for ever: 
Psa 136:18 And slew famous kings: for his mercy endureth for ever: 
Psa 136:19 Sihon king of the Amorites: for his mercy endureth for ever: 
Psa 136:20 And Og the king of Bashan: for his mercy endureth for ever: 
Psa 136:21 And gave their land for an heritage: for his mercy endureth for ever: 
Psa 136:22 Even an heritage unto Israel his servant: for his mercy endureth for ever. 
Psa 136:23 Who remembered us in our low estate: for his mercy endureth for ever: 
Psa 136:24 And hath redeemed us from our enemies: for his mercy endureth for ever. 
Psa 136:25 Who giveth food to all flesh: for his mercy endureth for ever. 
Psa 136:26 O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth for ever.

This Psalms reveals the process we all go through to enter the kingdom of God. We were Pharaoh, the great kings, and the famous kings. 

Rom 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 
Rom 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. 

Through Christ’s sacrifice, we are justified and saved from God’s wrath to come in the lake of fire. This reconciliation through the death and life of Christ reflects the Old Testament’s teachings on reconciliation, as seen in Isaiah 53:5-6.

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

Rom 5:11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

Through Jesus Christ, we find joy and have received peace, atonement and the reconciliation between God and mankind. This concept of atonement for sins is rooted in the Old Testament, particularly in the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16).

Lev 16:11 And Aaron shall bring the bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and shall make an atonement for himself, and for his house, and shall kill the bullock of the sin offering which is for himself.

This verse states the importance of the high priest’s atonement on behalf of himself and his family.

Lev 16:15 Then shall he (Aaron) kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat.

This verse describes the people’s sin offering.

Lev 16:16 And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness.

This verse underscores the comprehensive nature of the atonement, covering both the holy place and the tabernacle itself, symbolizing the cleansing of the sanctuary from the people’s sins.

Lev 16:30 For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the Lord.

Leviticus 16:30 serves as a clear declaration of the Day of Atonement’s purpose. The priest’s actions on that day are aimed at cleansing the people so they may stand before the Lord free from the stain of their sins. This verse underscores the meticulous process of atonement, highlighting the central role of the priest in facilitating purification.

In a similar vein, the order and significance of salvation are elaborated upon in 1 Corinthians 15:20-28. The resurrection of Christ is pivotal, as He is the first to rise from the dead, marking the beginning of a sequence in which all who belong to Him will be made alive. This process follows a particular order, starting with Christ as the firstfruits and continuing with those who are His when He returns. Ultimately, this culminates in the defeat of death itself.

1Co 15:20-28 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.

This journey toward salvation, however, is far from effortless. It demands a significant price, the death of our old man. Faith becomes the sole means of achieving salvation, as relying on adherence to the law is insufficient. While the law has its role in educating us about sin, it isn’t the ultimate path to salvation.

The process is challenging, marked by tribulation and the filling of what remains of Christ’s afflictions. Perseverance until the end is the key, leading to the eventual enjoyment of the fruits of our labor. Through this journey, we move beyond the constraints of the law, having God to become the overarching and all-encompassing presence in our lives.

Rom 5:3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 
Rom 5:4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 
Rom 5:5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. 

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

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: 

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

Here are our verses for our next study:

Rom 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
Rom 5:13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 
Rom 5:14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. 
Rom 5:15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. 
Rom 5:16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.
Rom 5:17 For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) 
Rom 5:18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. 
Rom 5:19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. 
Rom 5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: 
Rom 5:21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

]]> The Book of Romans, Part 10 – “Faith Counted as Righteousness” https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/the-book-of-romans-part-10-faith-counted-as-righteousness/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-book-of-romans-part-10-faith-counted-as-righteousness Tue, 29 Aug 2023 18:23:30 +0000 https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/?p=28203 Audio Download

The Book of Romans, Part 10 – “Faith Counted as Righteousness”

[Study Aired August 29, 2023]

Rom 4:13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. 
Rom 4:14 For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:
Rom 4:15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.
Rom 4:16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all, 
Rom 4:17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
Rom 4:18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. 
Rom 4:19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb: 
Rom 4:20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; 
Rom 4:21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
Rom 4:22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. 
Rom 4:23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; 
Rom 4:24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 
Rom 4:25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

In these verses, Paul intertwines the concepts of faith, the law and God’s promises, using Abraham’s life as a type and shadow of the power of faith. The message is clear: righteousness and salvation come through faith in God’s promises, rather than adherence to the law.

Rom 4:13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. 
Rom 4:14 For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:
Rom 4:15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.

Here, Paul highlights that the promise of inheritance and blessing to Abraham and his descendants was not based on adherence to the law, but rather on the righteousness that comes from faith. The promise was not tied to observance of the law, but to a trust-based relationship with God. The law exposes mankind’s shortcomings and sins, bringing about God’s righteous wrath. Where there is no law, there is no clear violation, but the law reveals our need for redemption.

Rom 4:16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all, 
Rom 4:17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.

Paul reaffirms that the promise is based on faith and by grace, ensuring its accessibility to all who believe, not just those bound by the law. Abraham’s faith serves as a model for all believers, making him a spiritual father to many. Paul quotes from Genesis, emphasizing God’s power to fulfill His promises. Abraham believed in God’s ability to bring life even from the dead, foreshadowing the resurrection and underscoring God’s ability to accomplish the seemingly impossible.

Genesis 15:5 And he (God) brought him (Abram) forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.

Genesis 17:4-5 As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.

Genesis 17:15-16 And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her.

In the narrative of Abraham and Sarah, a transformation occurs as their names are changed by God. This symbolism echoes a broader theme of transition that encompasses all believers. Just as Abraham and Sarah’s identities were altered, signifying their divine calling, our journey involves a shift from the Law of Moses to the Law of Christ.

The alteration of their names mirrors our own spiritual process. In Genesis 17:5, God changes Abram’s name to Abraham, foretelling his role as “a father of many nations.” Similarly, in Genesis 17:15, Sarai’s name becomes Sarah, a symbol of her destiny to be a mother of nations.

This name-changing principle extends to our spiritual transformation. Just as their identities were redefined, we undergo a transition from the carnal Law of Moses to the spiritual Law of Christ. This transition is illuminated in Matthew 5:17-18, where Jesus declares that He came not to destroy the law but to fulfill it. Galatians 3:24-26 reinforces this shift, explaining how the law was a tutor leading us to Christ, enabling us to be justified by faith.

Mat 5:17-18 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. 

Gal 3:24-26 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

Abraham and Sarah’s story serves as a prelude to the shift from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant. The Law of Moses, with its regulations, changes into the Law of Christ, founded on love, grace and faith. This transformation is echoed in Hebrews 8:6, highlighting the superiority of the New Covenant established through Jesus Christ.

Heb 8:6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.

In essence, their narrative foreshadows the broader transition that unfolds for all believers—a change from the confines of the Old Covenant to the freedom and fulfillment found in the New Covenant under the guidance of Christ’s transformative doctrines.

The following verses highlight Abraham’s unwavering faith, his refusal to doubt despite the circumstances of his age and Sarah’s barrenness. His strong faith was characterized by giving glory to God and being fully convinced of God’s ability to fulfill His promises.

Rom 4:18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. 
Rom 4:19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb: 
Rom 4:20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
Rom 4:21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

Abraham stands as a model for us, illustrating the path of faithfulness we are to follow. It is incumbent upon us to embrace the Word of God, placing our trust in His faithfulness to bring His work to completion.

Heb 4:3 For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

Rom 4:22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.

Genesis 15:4-6 And, behold, the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

Rom 4:23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; 
Rom 4:24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 
Rom 4:25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

In these verses, Paul intertwines the concepts of faith, the law and God’s promises, using Abraham’s life as an illustration of the power of faith. The message is clear: righteousness and salvation come through faith in God’s promises, rather than adherence to the law.

If we have the faith of Christ within us our faith is counted as righteousness.

Here are the verses for our next study:

Rom 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 
Rom 5:2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 
Rom 5:3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 
Rom 5:4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
Rom 5:5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. 
Rom 5:6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 
Rom 5:7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 
Rom 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 
Rom 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 
Rom 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
Rom 5:11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

]]> Numbers 9:1-23 Celebrating the Passover https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/numbers-91-23-celebrating-the-passover/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=numbers-91-23-celebrating-the-passover Mon, 26 Jun 2023 18:08:15 +0000 https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/?p=27829

Numbers 9:1-23 Celebrating the Passover

[Study Aired June 26, 2023]

Num 9:1  And the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying, 
Num 9:2  Let the children of Israel also keep the passover at his appointed season. 
Num 9:3  In the fourteenth day of this month, at even, ye shall keep it in his appointed season: according to all the rites of it, and according to all the ceremonies thereof, shall ye keep it. 
Num 9:4  And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, that they should keep the passover.
Num 9:5  And they kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the first month at even in the wilderness of Sinai: according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so did the children of Israel.
Num 9:6  And there were certain men, who were defiled by the dead body of a man, that they could not keep the passover on that day: and they came before Moses and before Aaron on that day:
Num 9:7  And those men said unto him, We are defiled by the dead body of a man: wherefore are we kept back, that we may not offer an offering of the LORD in his appointed season among the children of Israel? 
Num 9:8  And Moses said unto them, Stand still, and I will hear what the LORD will command concerning you. 
Num 9:9  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 
Num 9:10  Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If any man of you or of your posterity shall be unclean by reason of a dead body, or be in a journey afar off, yet he shall keep the passover unto the LORD. 
Num 9:11  The fourteenth day of the second month at even they shall keep it, and eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. 
Num 9:12  They shall leave none of it unto the morning, nor break any bone of it: according to all the ordinances of the passover they shall keep it. 
Num 9:13  But the man that is clean, and is not in a journey, and forbeareth to keep the passover, even the same soul shall be cut off from among his people: because he brought not the offering of the LORD in his appointed season, that man shall bear his sin. 
Num 9:14  And if a stranger shall sojourn among you, and will keep the passover unto the LORD; according to the ordinance of the passover, and according to the manner thereof, so shall he do: ye shall have one ordinance, both for the stranger, and for him that was born in the land. 
Num 9:15  And on the day that the tabernacle was reared up the cloud covered the tabernacle, namely, the tent of the testimony: and at even there was upon the tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire, until the morning. 
Num 9:16  So it was alway: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night. 
Num 9:17  And when the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle, then after that the children of Israel journeyed: and in the place where the cloud abode, there the children of Israel pitched their tents. 
Num 9:18  At the commandment of the LORD the children of Israel journeyed, and at the commandment of the LORD they pitched: as long as the cloud abode upon the tabernacle they rested in their tents. 
Num 9:19  And when the cloud tarried long upon the tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel kept the charge of the LORD, and journeyed not. 
Num 9:20  And so it was, when the cloud was a few days upon the tabernacle; according to the commandment of the LORD they abode in their tents, and according to the commandment of the LORD they journeyed. 
Num 9:21  And so it was, when the cloud abode from even unto the morning, and that the cloud was taken up in the morning, then they journeyed: whether it was by day or by night that the cloud was taken up, they journeyed. 
Num 9:22  Or whether it were two days, or a month, or a year, that the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle, remaining thereon, the children of Israel abode in their tents, and journeyed not: but when it was taken up, they journeyed. 
Num 9:23  At the commandment of the LORD they rested in the tents, and at the commandment of the LORD they journeyed: they kept the charge of the LORD, at the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses. 

Introduction

This chapter talks about celebrating the Passover and also shows us how Israel’s movement in the wilderness is dictated by the cloud covering the tabernacle. The Passover feast was in recognition of the miraculous exodus of the Israelites from Egypt. The name ‘Passover’ comes from the story of the tenth plague (the death of the firstborn), meted out against Pharaoh and the Egyptians, which passed over the Israelites’ houses, sparing their children.

Exo 12:5  Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male a year old. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats, 
Exo 12:6  and you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month, when the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill their lambs at twilight. 
Exo 12:7  “Then they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. 
Exo 12:8  They shall eat the flesh that night, roasted on the fire; with unleavened bread and bitter herbs they shall eat it. 
Exo 12:9  Do not eat any of it raw or boiled in water, but roasted, its head with its legs and its inner parts. 
Exo 12:10  And you shall let none of it remain until the morning; anything that remains until the morning you shall burn. 
Exo 12:11  In this manner you shall eat it: with your belt fastened, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. And you shall eat it in haste. It is the LORD’s Passover. 
Exo 12:12  For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the LORD. 
Exo 12:13  The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt. 
Exo 12:14  “This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the LORD; throughout your generations, as a statute forever, you shall keep it as a feast.

Being the firstborn in the Bible, positively signifies the might or strength and the source of power:

Gen 49:3  Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power:

Deu 21:17  But he shall acknowledge the son of the hated for the firstborn, by giving him a double portion of all that he hath: for he is the beginning of his strength; the right of the firstborn is his.

The plague of the death of the firstborn, therefore, signifies the destruction or the stripping of the power or the strength of the old man (Pharaoh) who dominates us. This is achieved by the coming of the Lord with His words (the spirit of His mouth) into our lives after we have come to clearly see the old man or the beast within us.

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

The Passover, therefore, signifies the process of the destruction or the stripping of the power or the strength of our old man when Christ comes with His brightness in our lives.

Num 9:1  And the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying, 
Num 9:2  Let the children of Israel also keep the passover at his appointed season. 
Num 9:3  In the fourteenth day of this month, at even, ye shall keep it in his appointed season: according to all the rites of it, and according to all the ceremonies thereof, shall ye keep it. 
Num 9:4  And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, that they should keep the passover.
Num 9:5  And they kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the first month at even in the wilderness of Sinai: according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so did the children of Israel.

The Lord speaking to Moses in the first month of the second year is to let us know that to keep the Passover, we must be perfectly joined to the body of Christ, having one mind, as we serve as the Lord’s witnesses on this earth. Keeping the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month is also significant. The number fourteen means spiritual progression.  It is as we progress spiritually through the judgment of our old man that we can keep the Passover. 

Once the source of our strength or power of the old man is being dealt with by the Lord through judgments of the death of the firstborn, we are able to offer a sacrifice of unleavened bread throughout the rest of our lives, which is signified by the seven days of the feast of eating unleavened bread. The unleavened bread here signifies sincerity and truth. This means that through judgment, our understanding of the word of the Lord is deepened and is accompanied by a life of sincerity and truth. In other words, our lives then reflect the righteousness of Christ.

Isa 26:8  Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee.
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.

1Co 5:7  Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: 
1Co 5:8  Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. 

The seven days of unleavened bread refer to the complete period of our lives during which we offer our bodies as a living sacrifice to the Lord by living a life of Christ’s righteousness.

Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 
Rom 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 

Num 9:6  And there were certain men, who were defiled by the dead body of a man, that they could not keep the passover on that day: and they came before Moses and before Aaron on that day:
Num 9:7  And those men said unto him, We are defiled by the dead body of a man: wherefore are we kept back, that we may not offer an offering of the LORD in his appointed season among the children of Israel? 

As we indicated in previous studies, being defiled by the dead means taking in or accepting the teachings of those who are spiritually dead. We become spiritually unclean when we take in or accept the teachings of those who are spiritually dead. That is what characterized our walk with Christ when we were in Babylon. We accepted the teachings of our leaders who were spiritually dead, and so we became defiled. 

2Pe 2:17  These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever. 
2Pe 2:18  For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. 
2Pe 2:19  While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. 
2Pe 2:20  For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 
2Pe 2:21  For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. 
2Pe 2:22  But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

Verse 7 shows us that when we become defiled in our minds by accepting false doctrines, propagated by those who are spiritually dead, we disqualify ourselves from keeping the Passover. This means that we cannot offer our bodies as living sacrifices to the Lord as required by the Lord in keeping the Passover at the appointed time of the Lord. The appointed time here is our time here on earth.  

Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 
Rom 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 

Num 9:8  And Moses said unto them, Stand still, and I will hear what the LORD will command concerning you. 
Num 9:9  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 
Num 9:10  Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If any man of you or of your posterity shall be unclean by reason of a dead body, or be in a journey afar off, yet he shall keep the passover unto the LORD. 
Num 9:11  The fourteenth day of the second month at even they shall keep it, and eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.
Num 9:12  They shall leave none of it unto the morning, nor break any bone of it: according to all the ordinances of the passover they shall keep it. 

It is very insightful to note that whenever Moses was approached about an issue, he sought the Lord’s guidance as to what should be done. He did not depend upon his own insight but relied wholly on the Lord for direction. This should be our attitude as we seek to know the Lord. 

Pro 3:5  Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 
Pro 3:6  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 
Pro 3:7  Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. 

The good news is that those who get defiled by false doctrines from those who are/were spiritually dead will have the chance to also celebrate Passover. However, this will happen in the fourteenth month of the second month. As we have indicated earlier, the number fourteen means spiritual progression. The number two, or the second, means a witness. This signifies that our brothers and sisters in Babylon, who are defiled by false doctrines, together with those come out of Babylon but are defiled by their idols of the heart due to false doctrines, will have the opportunity for Christ to come into their lives to destroy the strength and power of their old man (firstborn) during the lake of fire age in the presence of the elect as witnesses (the second month).

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

During this period in the lake-of-fire age, they shall eat the flesh of the lamb with unleavened bread together with bitter herbs for seven days in keeping with the celebration of Passover.

Exo 12:8  And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. 

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

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

The lamb must be eaten with unleavened bread and with bitter herbs. The unleavened bread here signifies sincerity and truth. This means that our understanding of the word of the Lord must be accompanied by a life of sincerity and truth. In other words, our life must reflect the righteousness of Christ.

1Co 5:8  Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. 

It is so exciting when the Lord reveals some aspects of the truth of the word of the Lord to us. In other words, it is sweet in our mouth. However, when it enters our belly, it is bitter. The bitter herb that must accompany the eating of the unleavened bread refers to the bitter experience we must go through to actualize the word we have received. 

Rev 10:10  And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.

Eze 3:1  Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, eat that thou findest; eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel. 
Eze 3:2  So I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat that roll. 
Eze 3:3  And he said unto me, Son of man, cause thy belly to eat, and fill thy bowels with this roll that I give thee. Then did I eat it; and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness. 
Eze 3:4  And he said unto me, Son of man, go, get thee unto the house of Israel, and speak with my words unto them. 

This bitter experience also includes the words of those we are sent to minister, as shown in Ezekiel’s case.

Eze 2:6  And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house. 
Eze 2:7  And thou shalt speak my words unto them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear: for they are most rebellious.

In verse 12, letting nothing remain of the lamb in the morning means we must not neglect any part of the word of the Lord. We must endeavor to understand the whole counsel of God through His words. 

Act 20:27  For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. 

Our lives here on earth are considered as a long night. It is during our time here on earth that we have to eat the lamb; that is, to know Christ and His words. The morning in verse 12 signifies Christ coming with His elect (the cloud) during the first resurrection.  

Rom 13:12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness and let us put on the armour of light.

Not breaking a bone as we eat the lamb in verse 12 is another way of saying that we should not go beyond what is written in the word of the Lord, which is His flesh. 

1Co 4:6  I have applied all these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brothers, that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one against another.

Num 9:13  But the man that is clean, and is not in a journey, and forbeareth to keep the passover, even the same soul shall be cut off from among his people: because he brought not the offering of the LORD in his appointed season, that man shall bear his sin. 

A man who is clean is someone who is not in touch with a dead body. In other words, such a person has begun to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of God. Not being on a journey means one has come out of the world (Egypt) and Babylon and has come into the assembly of the firstborn or the elect. Such a person must keep the Passover. That means Christ has come with His brightness into his life to destroy the power of the flesh or the old man. If we allow our flesh to dominate us, then it means that we are not observing Passover, even though we have been enlightened and tasted the heavenly gift. In this case, we shall not be counted as part of the Lord’s elect and therefore will not be part of the first resurrection. We shall be cast into outer darkness.     

Heb 6:4  For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 
Heb 6:5  And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 
Heb 6:6  If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. 
Heb 6:7  For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: 
Heb 6:8  But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned. 
Heb 6:9  But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak. 

Mat 8:12  But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Num 9:14  And if a stranger shall sojourn among you, and will keep the passover unto the LORD; according to the ordinance of the passover, and according to the manner thereof, so shall he do: ye shall have one ordinance, both for the stranger, and for him that was born in the land. 

We, the Gentiles, were not part of the commonwealth of Israel, but by the grace of God, we, the strangers, are part of the commonwealth of Israel and therefore can partake of the Passover. Verse 14 also means that the Lord will find a way to bring in all strangers of Christ (those banished) to partake of Him as the Passover.

Eph 2:12  That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: 
Eph 2:13  But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. 
Eph 2:14  For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 
Eph 2:15  Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; 
Eph 2:16  And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: 

2Sa 14:14  For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; neither doth God respect any person: yet doth he devise means, that his banished be not expelled from him.

Num 9:15  And on the day that the tabernacle was reared up the cloud covered the tabernacle, namely, the tent of the testimony: and at even there was upon the tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire, until the morning. 
Num 9:16  So it was alway: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night. 

As we are aware, our bodies represent the temple of the Lord or the tabernacle. When Christ, who is the cloud, comes to us, He comes with His judgment to remove all that offends within us so that He can stay in us. The appearance of fire in the evening is therefore our judgment while we live here on earth. Since we represent Christ here on earth, we are also the cloud covering the tabernacle.

Mal 3:1  Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts. 
Mal 3:2  But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap: 
Mal 3:3  And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness. 
Mal 3:4  Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years.

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

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

Num 9:17  And when the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle, then after that the children of Israel journeyed: and in the place where the cloud abode, there the children of Israel pitched their tents. 
Num 9:18  At the commandment of the LORD the children of Israel journeyed, and at the commandment of the LORD they pitched: as long as the cloud abode upon the tabernacle they rested in their tents. 

These verses are to show us that we are not on our own. In this life, everything that we do, both good and evil, is ordered by the Lord. In other words, our deeds are all written in the Lord’s book even before we were born. 

Psa 139:16  Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.

Jer 10:23  O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.

Act 17:26  And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, 
Act 17:27  that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, 
Act 17:28  for “‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, “‘For we are indeed his offspring.’

Num 9:19  And when the cloud tarried long upon the tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel kept the charge of the LORD, and journeyed not. 
Num 9:20  And so it was, when the cloud was a few days upon the tabernacle; according to the commandment of the LORD they abode in their tents, and according to the commandment of the LORD they journeyed. 
Num 9:21  And so it was, when the cloud abode from even unto the morning, and that the cloud was taken up in the morning, then they journeyed: whether it was by day or by night that the cloud was taken up, they journeyed. 
Num 9:22  Or whether it were two days, or a month, or a year, that the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle, remaining thereon, the children of Israel abode in their tents, and journeyed not: but when it was taken up, they journeyed. 
Num 9:23  At the commandment of the LORD they rested in the tents, and at the commandment of the LORD they journeyed: they kept the charge of the LORD, at the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses. 

These verses reflect how the Lord deals with us at various phases of our lives. There are periods of our lives where the Lord tests our patience as it looks like we are going round in circles, and nothing seems to work even though we cry to the Lord. For example, the Israelites stayed on Mount Sinai for so long until the Lord commanded them to leave. In our lives, we may be battling with some issues which take a long time before we are given a break. There are other times that before we speak, He hears us and comes to our aid. 

Heb 10:36  For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

Jas 1:3  Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
Jas 1:4  But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

Deu 1:6  The LORD our God spake unto us in Horeb, saying, Ye have dwelt long enough in this mount: 
Deu 1:7  Turn you, and take your journey, and go to the mount of the Amorites, and unto all the places nigh thereunto, in the plain, in the hills, and in the vale, and in the south, and by the sea side, to the land of the Canaanites, and unto Lebanon, unto the great river, the river Euphrates. 

Isa 65:24  And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.

May the Lord help us to be patient in our walk with Him in order to win the prize of His higher calling. Amen!!

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