The Book of Nahum – Chapter 2:1-13 

[Aired March 1, 20 25]

Interestingly, in the first study of the Book of Jonah, Nineveh repented in dust and ashes, yet paradoxically, the Lord in Nahum now appears merciless in her destruction. Nineveh, that ‘great city’ within, reflects our spiritually stubborn nature; we are fundamentally corruptible beings, incapable of sustaining obedience without His spirit. Our Lord strikingly reflects our complete spiritual rejection of Him through every biblical character’s catastrophic and positive experiences.

We are that Great City Nineveh the Lord is mercifully destroying in answer to our Nineveh-like fast of repentance — just because we fast and repent doesn’t halt the sword from utterly destroying our former old man. That understanding and humility advance the new Great City, Jerusalem, within.

Significations:  The Destruction of Nineveh

Nah 2:1  He that dasheth in pieces is come up before thy face: keep the munition [siege-works; stronghold; rampart], watch the way, make thy loins strong, fortify thy power mightily. 

It is Christ who dashes to pieces our impudence by sustaining immense trials; his ‘siege works’ against our old man as we maintain our ‘siege works’ of self-righteousness against him. If we are being dragged to him, our Christ-given ‘siege works’, in a positive sense, strengthen our resolve against Satan’s siege works, all designed to strengthen the spiritual walk signified by our “loins.”

Eph 6:10  Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
Eph 6:11  Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
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.
Eph 6:13  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Eph 6:14  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
Eph 6:15  And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
Eph 6:16  Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
Eph 6:17  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God:
Eph 6:18  Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
Eph 6:19  And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,
Eph 6:20  For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. 

Nah 2:2  For the LORD hath turned away the excellency of Jacob, as the excellency [= rising power; majesty] of Israel: for the emptiers [empty; lay waste] have emptied them out, and marred their vine branches. 

Deu 33:26  There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun [= upright one 1. a symbolic name for Israel], who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the sky.
Deu 33:27  The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.

Job 13:11  Shall not his excellency make you afraid? and his dread fall upon you?

Psa 47:4  He shall choose our inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob whom he loved. Selah. 

Our Lord appears to turn away his ‘excellency’ from us when we see boiling waves threatening to swamp our ship, and we cry out in our distress. He is the ’emptier’ who seems heavy-handed in pruning our vines to bare stumps. His “excellency” is in recreating the New Adam within for him to reap his inheritance in his Saints.

The Elect of God is as He is, drenched in the blood from killing every false doctrine; our shields of faith bloodied in protection from the Devil’s machinations. We shake as a fir tree in a mighty wind for what the Lord is doing in the hearts and minds of His very own. 

The Elect are the Lord’s fiery chariots, conveying his fiery words guaranteed to flood the Devil’s formerly delicious lies with fire far more consuming than his strange fire (Lev 10:1-7).

Exo 14:7  And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them. 
Exo 14:8  And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with an high hand.

Jos 11:6  And the LORD said unto Joshua, Be not afraid because of them: for to morrow about this time will I deliver them up all slain before Israel: thou shalt hough their horses, and burn their chariots with fire.

Hag 2:22  And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother. 

Nah 2:3  The shield of his mighty men is made red, the valiant men are in scarlet: the chariots shall be with flaming torches in the day of his preparation, and the fir trees shall be terribly shaken. 
Nah 2:4  The chariots shall rage in the streets, they shall justle one against another in the broad ways: they shall seem like torches, they shall run like the lightnings. 

Babylon’s chariots represent our vehicles of self-righteousness, ignorantly raging in the broad streets of that Great City, Nineveh, collectively with Egypt, Sodom, and Old Jerusalem as Babylon each Sunday in Christendom. We burn their entire doctrinal ‘jostling’ of skin, flesh, head, legs, inward parts, and dung as a sin offering without the camp of the heavenly Jerusalem today.

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

Isa 21:3  Therefore are my loins filled with pain: pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman that travaileth: I was bowed down at the hearing of it; I was dismayed at the seeing of it. 
Isa 21:4  My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night of my pleasure hath he turned into fear unto me.
Isa 21:5  Prepare the table, watch in the watchtower, eat, drink: arise, ye princes, and anoint [= smear, anoint, spread a liquid – {blood}] the shield. 

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

Eze 1:12  And they [Christ’s Elect, the sons of God] went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was to go, they went; and they turned not when they went.
Eze 1:13  As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of lamps: it went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning. 
Eze 1:14  And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.

Nah 2:5  He shall recount his worthies [His Elect]: they shall stumble in their walk; they shall make haste to the wall thereof, and the defence shall be prepared. 

The Lord’s first spiritually born sons, preceding their brothers, are guaranteed to stumble in trials to prove their value, hopefully as gold, as they run forward into battle, destroying the walls of Old Jerusalem to rebuild the New within. The “defence” initially is the Devil defending his own, and we similarly, yet in truth, defend ourselves in Christ’s strength against Satan. In winning the battle, our Lord opens a floodgate of spiritual revelations as the waters overflow and wash away every hidden lie from the nook and crannies of our high places, enthroned where we do not belong.

Isa 28:16  Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone [Christ], a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste. 
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. 

Nah 2:6  The gates of the rivers shall be opened, and the palace [Temple] shall be dissolved.
Nah 2:7  And Huzzab [to stand, take one’s stand, stand upright, be set (over)], shall be led away captive, she shall be brought up, and her maids shall lead her as with the voice of doves, tabering upon their breasts. 

We, the Bride, are the Temple of the living God. Firstly, as a temple of harlotry, her Ashtoreth-like incessant warbling of self-worship and self-righteousness is dissolved and destroyed to create space for the New Temple within, built on Christ’s teachings.

1Ch 29:1  Furthermore David the king said unto all the congregation, Solomon my son, whom alone God hath chosen, is yet young and tender, and the work is great: for the palace is not for man, but for the LORD God. 

1Co 11:8  For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man.
1Co 11:9  Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man [The Temple, the Bride for Christ]. 

Luk 11:21  When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods [his ways in Christ] are in peace:
Luk 11:22  But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.
Luk 11:23  He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth.

Huzzab represents our insolence against our Husband, Christ. Doves and pigeons puff out their breasts like an instrument’s sounding bag and pulse to their sound, depicted as “tabering”. First, we are silly doves like Ahola and Aholibah, seeking courtesan attention and wasting our substance on illusory, desirable young men, our neighbouring nations’ values prattling endless lies. Now, in humble acknowledgment of her sins, she is transitioning positively into a peaceful dove in submissive truth to Christ. 

Isa 59:11  We roar all like bears, and mourn sore like doves: we look for judgment, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far off from us. 

Hos 7:11  Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart: they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria. 

2Ti 3:6  For of this sort [proud men and boaster, proud, blasphemers unholy…] are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women [harlot churches] laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
2Ti 3:7  Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 

Nah 2:8  But Nineveh is of old like a pool of water: yet they shall flee away. Stand, stand, shall they cry; but none shall look back. 
Nah 2:9  Take ye the spoil of silver, take the spoil of gold: for there is none end of the store and glory out of all the pleasant furniture. 

Thus far, this study depicts the Great City Nineveh in Assyria as a stagnant pool of water contaminated with the faeces and urine of the clay beasts of the field, the stench of lying doctrines, and drying up in the summer heat, just as it does in the streets of every city small and great within. 

Isa 10:5  O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation.
Isa 10:6  I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire [H2563 – clay; mixed with foaming, fermenting filth] of the streets. 

That Great City Nineveh is Babylon the Great, where lies our rebellious self-righteousness, its cavernous vault of silver and gold.

While in Babylon as a rebellious wife to our Lord, living in a constant cycle of sumptuous partying, why would we want to look back to rebuilding the wall of a New Jerusalem? However, some, representing the Bride of Christ, led and signified by Zerubbabel, are given the glorious curiosity to know their Lord’s word and rebuild on his foundation (Ezra 3:1-13). But in the meantime, she is barren and wasted. She fears what is before her: a task too burdensome — and boring; fulfilling the prophecy of Eve’s curse, her knees smote together in pain, she brings forth bastard children as of a whore.

Nah 2:10  She is empty, and void, and waste: and the heart melteth, and the knees smite together, and much pain is in all loins, and the faces of them all gather blackness. 

Gen 3:16  Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to against thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. 

Nah 2:11  Where is the dwelling of the lions, and the feedingplace of the young lions, where the lion, even the old lion, walked, and the lion’s whelp, and none made them afraid? 

Where the eagles gather, as do a pride of lions, they feed on the dying and dead of our falsehoods, all guaranteeing nourishing the fearless new man.

Mat 24:27  For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Mat 24:28  For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. 

Pro 30:30  A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any; 

Num 14:8  If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.
Num 14:9  Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not. 

Nah 2:12  The lion did tear in pieces enough for his whelps, and strangled for his lionesses, and filled his holes with prey, and his dens with ravin [prey which is torn to pieces]. 

Christ is the all-powerful head of his harlot pride of lionesses in the wilderness, strangling her enemies for her to feed on. Yet, typically under the command of Eve’s curse, they all feed on his word and still complain, rejecting his love.

Today, since the cross, he is still that mighty lion heading one emblematic lioness, his wife, the Body of Christ, for a sumptuous feast of truth.

Rev 5:4  And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.
Rev 5:5  And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. 

Nah 2:13  Behold, I am against thee, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will burn her chariots in the smoke, and the sword shall devour thy young lions: and I will cut off thy prey from the earth, and the voice of thy messengers shall no more be heard. 

Paradoxically, the Lord is against those who preach his name unrighteously; he burns their chariots, the very vehicles of harlot Christianity, sustaining their barrenness in the One Thousand Year reign with a rod of iron only to smoke it in a mighty furnace of truth in the Resurrection to Judgment. Until then, he administers their casting out of devils to sustain strong delusion since it is not yet their time to hear of salvation.

Mar 9:38  John said to him, Master, we saw one driving out evil spirits in your name: and we said that he might not, because he is not one of us. 
Mar 9:39  But Jesus said, Say not so: for there is no man who will do a great work in my name, and be able at the same time to say evil of me.
Mar 9:40  He who is not against us is for us. 
Mar 9:41  Whoever gives you a cup of water, because you are Christ’s, truly I say to you, he will in no way be without his reward. [first negatively, and then positively in the Lake of Fire]

Luk 8:4-15  And when much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city, he spake by a parable:
Luk 8:5  A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side [“the voice of thy messengers shall no more be heard”]; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.
Luk 8:6  And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.
Luk 8:7  And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it.
Luk 8:8  And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Luk 8:9  And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be?
Luk 8:10  And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.
Luk 8:11  Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 
Luk 8:12  Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
Luk 8:13  They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.
Luk 8:14  And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.
Luk 8:15  But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. 

Ezekiel 41:1–26 The Inner Temple

[Study Aired December 30, 2024]

INTRODUCTION

Today’s study continues with the vision of the temple and how we can access the temple and make our way to the inner court or temple to commune with the Lord. The past two studies focused mainly on the access to the outer court with glimpses of how we can enter the inner temple or court to worship the Lord. To the man who is not given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, he only sees the measurement of the temple in cubits as he reads Ezekiel chapter 40. However, to us, His elect, the numbers of the measurement is what the Lord is spiritually revealing to us of how the Lord makes our temple, that is, our bodies, fit for Him to live in. It is therefore imperative that we understand the spiritual significance of numbers as we go through the study today.

To help our understanding of today’s study, we need to know that we start our walk with Christ still under the domain or influence of the devil. This is what the Lord means when he told those who believed in Him that their father is the devil.

Joh 8:31  Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

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

When we are still controlled by the devil through our flesh, we can only have access to the outer court of the temple. That is why the passageway to the outer court has measurements of mainly six, ten, thirteen and sixty cubits, which all speak of our sins or rebellion which had reached the heavens. These measurements reveal that we naturally rebel against our Lord Jesus Christ, who is our husband, as we come to serve Him as men with all our frailties.

Gen 3:16  Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

It is instructive to note that the woman’s “desire” in Genesis 3:16 in Hebrew is “el” which means “against”. The “shall be” in italics is not in the original manuscript but was added to make the statement understandable. As indicated, initially our desire is against our husband Christ before the Lord comes to us with His judgement to make us willing to obey Him. What we have just said summarizes the study about the temple where we come to the outer court full of sin until the set time that Christ comes to help cleanse our temple where our old man or beast lives, claiming to be God in the sense that we think we make our own decisions. It is in the outer court that we have the multitude who are not given to know the mind of Christ. This multitude represents many people who think they are worshipping the Lord but have not yet been given to know the truth.

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

As stated in the previous study, the story of Zachariah shows us the clear distinction between the outer court worshippers and the inner court or temple worshippers who represent the Lord’s elect and are given to know Christ.

Luk 1:8  And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his course,
Luk 1:9  According to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.
Luk 1:10  And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.
Luk 1:11  And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
Luk 1:12  And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

Today’s study shows us the way to the inner temple or court where we meet the Lord Jesus Christ. The measurements tell us what needs to be done to enter the inner court or temple to commune with the Lord.

The Measurement of the Passageway to the Inner Temple

Eze 41:1  Afterward he brought me to the temple, and measured the posts, six cubits broad on the one side, and six cubits broad on the other side, which was the breadth of the tabernacle. 

We established in the previous studies that the man who was doing the measurements of the temple is our Lord Jesus Christ. He was the one who brought Ezekiel to the holy place in the temple. In the last study, we indicated that the ‘posts’ means ‘pillars’. This is because, according to Strong’s Dictionary, the post means ‘strong support of the covered walkway’. In Ezekiel 40:49, we are told that there were pillars by the posts on each side. This is to let us know that the posts are the pillars which supports the walkway. The pillars, or posts supporting the walkway, represent the Lord’s elect as shown in the following:

Gal 2:9  When they saw the grace which was given to me, James and Cephas and John, who had the name of being pillars, gave to me and Barnabas their right hands as friends so that we might go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcision;

Our walk with Christ is supported by what every joint supplies. Without this support, we cannot get to the holy of holies to commune with the Lord. The measurement of the posts were six cubits wide on one side and six cubits wide on another side. This is to highlight the fact that it is mere men that the Lord is raising up to commune with in the holy place. Those privileged to be in the holy place are the priests of the Lord and they represent the Lord’s elect.

Eze 41:2  And the breadth of the door was ten cubits; and the sides of the door were five cubits on the one side, and five cubits on the other side: and he measured the length thereof, forty cubits: and the breadth, twenty cubits. 

The entrance to the holy place was ten cubits wide and the sidewalls of the entrance were five cubits on either side. The number ten signifies the fulness of the flesh and the number five means grace through faith. What this implies is that those who are privileged to enter the holy place of the temple are those whose recognize that they were the worse sinners but by the grace of the Lord through faith, they have been made the priests of God. This grace involves the chastening or the judgement of our old man or flesh to make us learn righteousness as we are given the faith to endure to the end.

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:

The Lord measured the length of the holy place and it was forty cubits long and twenty cubits wide. The number forty denotes trials in our lives as He gives us an evil experience to humble us. This evil experience is His judgement of our flesh to makes us learn obedience.

Gen 7:4  For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth.  

Ecc 1:13  And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all which is done under the heavens. It is a sad task (evil experience) God has given to the sons of men to be humbled by it. (MKJV)

The breadth of the holy place was measured as twenty cubits. The number twenty signifies our readiness to go to war against our flesh. The length and breadth of the holy place is therefore teaching us that through the judgement of the Lord, we are made ready to go to war against our flesh.

Num 1:3  From twenty years old and upward, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel: thou and Aaron shall number them by their armies.

Num 1:20  And the children of Reuben, Israel’s eldest son, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, by their polls, every male from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

Eze 41:3  Then went he inward, and measured the post of the door, two cubits; and the door, six cubits; and the breadth of the door, seven cubits. 

As we have indicated, the post is the pillar and it refers to us, His elect. The measurement of two cubits implies our role as witnesses of Christ in this life. Remember that the number two means witness.

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

The entrance to the holy place was measured as six cubits in height and seven cubits wide. As we are aware, the number six is the number of man. It shows man as being incomplete as we were created on the sixth day. Being incomplete means we were marred in the hand of our Maker. The number seven signifies completeness. The fact that the width of the entrance was seven cubits suggests that it is as we enter the holy place to commune with the Lord that we are made complete. The ‘complete’ here means that we are being made into another vessel fit for the Lord’s purpose.

Jer 18:3  Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.
Jer 18:4  And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.

Eze 41:4  So he measured the length thereof, twenty cubits; and the breadth, twenty cubits, before the temple: and he said unto me, This is the most holy place. 

The room representing the most holy place had a length of twenty cubits and a breadth of twenty cubits. This implies that the room is a square. As indicated, the number twenty refers to those who are able to war against the flesh. They are the ones who have access to the most holy place. The fact that it is a square is to remind us that those who have access to the most holy place all have the same experience. That means we all started our walk with Christ with the devil as our father before Christ comes to us with the spirit of His mouth and His brightness to makes us ready to war against our flesh. The spirit of His mouth refers to the fire of His words which is the judgement of the Lord, and His brightness is His illumination of His words so that we can understand the mysteries of the kingdom.

Num 1:3  From twenty years old and upward, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel: thou and Aaron shall number them by their armies.

Num 1:20  And the children of Reuben, Israel’s eldest son, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, by their polls, every male from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

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

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

Eze 41:5  After he measured the wall of the house, six cubits; and the breadth of every side chamber, four cubits, round about the house on every side. 

The wall surrounding the room of the most holy place has six cubits in length and a width of four cubits. The number six refers to man as an incomplete being and the number four means the whole of the matter under discussion. In this case, we are talking about the fact that the whole of the Lord’s elect who have access to the most holy place are all men and women with all kinds of weaknesses. However through the Lord’s judgement of our old man or flesh, we are empowered to war against our flesh to become obedient to Christ. The significance of all this is that the Lord’s elect are those who are waging war against our bodies which represent the temple of the Lord, to bring them under subjection so that Christ will take residence in our hearts and mind.

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

Eze 41:6  And the side chambers were three, one over another, and thirty in order; and they entered into the wall which was of the house for the side chambers round about, that they might have hold, but they had not hold in the wall of the house. 
Eze 41:7  And there was an enlarging, and a winding about still upward to the side chambers: for the winding about of the house went still upward round about the house: therefore the breadth of the house was still upward, and so increased from the lowest chamber to the highest by the midst.

A simpler rendition of these verses are as follows:

Eze 41:6  The rooms were arranged on three different stories. There were 30 rooms on each story. These rooms had supports all the way around the temple wall, but these supports were not fastened to the temple wall.
Eze 41:7  The side rooms grew wider all the way around as they went up, story after story. The surrounding structure went from story to story all around the temple. The structure grew wider as it went higher. A stairway went from the first story through the second story to the third story.  (GW)

The rooms or chambers represent us, His elect. This is because the Lord has told us that in His Father’s house are many mansions, signifying the Lord’s elect.

Joh 14:2  In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

The fact that the rooms are arranged in three stories or levels is to show us that we grow in spiritual maturity through the Lord’s judgement. We are also told in verse 6 that there were 30 rooms on each floor. The number thirty signifies those who have started to rule over their flesh. Later, in another age, we shall rule the kingdoms of this world.

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

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

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

The three floors with thirty rooms on each level is therefore to make us aware that it is only the Lord’s elect who constitute the temple of the Lord and that as we are being judged, we grow in spiritual maturity from one level to another, and that we are perfected on the third day, or floor. Verse 6 also indicates that we are supported all the way in the building of our temple by the Lord. However, the fact that we are not fastened to the temple wall is to let us know that our support is through Christ alone.

The fact that the side rooms grow wider as they went up from story to story in verse 7 is to remind us of the growth in spiritual maturity as we progress from one level or floor to another. There is a stairway that went from the lowest floor through the middle floor to the third floor. This stairway is Christ and is the same as the ladder that Jacob saw in a dream when he ran away from his brother Esau.

Gen 28:12  And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.

Eze 41:8  I saw also the height of the house round about: the foundations of the side chambers were a full reed of six great cubits.
Eze 41:9  The thickness of the wall, which was for the side chamber without, was five cubits: and that which was left was the place of the side chambers that were within.
Eze 41:10  And between the chambers was the wideness of twenty cubits round about the house on every side.
Eze 41:11  And the doors of the side chambers were toward the place that was left, one door toward the north, and another door toward the south: and the breadth of the place that was left was five cubits round about.

In verse 8, there was a raised base all around the temple and this base was the foundation for the side rooms. The length of this foundation was a full reed of six cubits. The number six is the number of man and in this case it is the Lord Jesus, who in His life here on earth as man, laid the foundation for the building of our temple and is the one measuring our temple.

1Co 3:11  For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

The outer wall of the side rooms was five cubits in thickness. This means that it is by grace through faith that we become the temple of the Lord. There was an open space between the side rooms connected to the temple and the other rooms. This open space is about twenty cubits in width. As indicated, the number twenty shows us that it is those who are ready to war against the flesh who serve as a conduit to the making of our hearts and minds as temple of the Lord.

In verse 11, we are told that the doors of the side chambers opened on the free space, one door toward the north, and another door toward the south. The width of this free space was five cubits all around. This free space represent our liberty in Christ. Thus, it is by grace through faith that we have this glorious liberty as the children of God.

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

Gal 5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

Eze 41:12  Now the building that was before the separate place at the end toward the west was seventy cubits broad; and the wall of the building was five cubits thick round about, and the length thereof ninety cubits. 
Eze 41:13  So he measured the house, an hundred cubits long; and the separate place, and the building, with the walls thereof, an hundred cubits long; 
Eze 41:14  Also the breadth of the face of the house, and of the separate place toward the east, an hundred cubits. 
Eze 41:15  And he measured the length of the building over against the separate place which was behind it, and the galleries thereof on the one side and on the other side, an hundred cubits, with the inner temple, and the porches of the court; 

At the far end of the open area, on the west side of the temple, was a building seventy cubits wide. The number seventy (70=7×10) shows the completeness of the fulness of the flesh. The wall of this building has five cubits in thickness with the length being ninety cubits. As explained earlier, five cubits means that it is grace through faith. The number ninety (90=9×10) is the number of the Lord’s judgement as our sins have reached its fulness. All that these measurements mean is that becoming the dwelling place of the Lord or our father’s mansion involves coming to the place where we realized that we are the worse sinners as our sins had become complete or reached its fulness and that this calls for us to be judged by the Lord. This judgement is the grace that we receive through faith.

In verse 13, our Lord Jesus measured the temple to be a hundred cubits long; and the yard and the building with its walls, a hundred cubits long. Verse 14 tells us that the eastern side of the temple, including the open area, was also a hundred cubits in width. Again, the Lord also measured the length of the building facing the courtyard on the west side along with its corridors on both sides as indicated in verse 15, and had the same measurement of hundred cubits.

The fact that all these measurements were 100 (100 = 10×10) cubits is affirming that it is those whose sins have reached the heavens and are privileged to obtain the mercy of the Lord, who are the candidates for the building of the temple within them. In verses 13 and 14, the hundred cubits in both length and width means that the temple was a square. That indicates that whatever our background is, we all share the same experience in our relationship with Christ in the building of the temple within us.

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

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

The Images of Cherubims and Palm Trees

Eze 41:16  The door posts, and the narrow windows, and the galleries round about on their three stories, over against the door, cieled with wood round about, and from the ground up to the windows, and the windows were covered;
Eze 41:17  To that above the door, even unto the inner house, and without, and by all the wall round about within and without, by measure. 
Eze 41:18  And it was made with cherubims and palm trees, so that a palm tree was between a cherub and a cherub; and every cherub had two faces; 
Eze 41:19  So that the face of a man was toward the palm tree on the one side, and the face of a young lion toward the palm tree on the other side: it was made through all the house round about. 
Eze 41:20  From the ground unto above the door were cherubims and palm trees made, and on the wall of the temple. 

Verse 16 shows us that the doorposts, the small windows and the corridors of all three stories were paneled with wood. The walls, from the floor up to the windows, were also paneled with wood. The wood being used for paneling in the temple implies that we must all go through the judgement of the Lord to bring out the beauty of the Lord in us as He comes to reside in our temple or hearts and minds.

Psa 83:14  As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire;

Pro 26:20  Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.

In verse 17 to 20, we see that in the space above the door to the most holy place and on the walls all around it, there were pictures of cherubims and palm trees. Palm trees were positioned between each of the cherubims, and each cherubim had two faces: the face of a man, which was turned toward a palm tree on one side, and the face of a lion, which was turned toward a palm tree on the other side. These images were carved all around the temple. Images of cherubims and palm trees were also carved on the walls from the floor to the space above the door. Both the cherubims and the palm trees represent the Lord’s elect. This is to show us that it is the Lord’s elect who are privileged in this age to become the temple of the Lord.

1Co 3:16  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
1Co 3:17  If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

The fact that each cherubim had two faces means that we serve as the Lord’s witnesses. This also implies that we are the two witnesses in Revelation 11, whom the Lord has given us power to speak His words. Being clothed in sackcloth signifies that we are mourning as we go through the Lord’s judgement.

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

It is also significant to note that here in verse 19, we see the cherubims having the face of a man and that of a lion. In the beginning of the Book of Ezekiel, we also observe that each of the cherubims or the four living creatures which represent the whole of the Lord’s elect, had four faces, of a lion, ox, man and an eagle.

Eze 1:10  As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle.

Later in the Book of Revelation, each of the four living creatures has a specific face of either a lion, calf, man, or an eagle.

Rev 4:7  And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.

What we need to note is that Ezekiel was shown these cherubims to know the end result of the Lord’s judgement of our old man. In other words, the result of the Lord’s judgement is for us, His elect, to become like Christ. The four faces of the cherubims show us who the Lord was when He was here on earth and is now working in us to become like Him. In the spirit, it does not matter whether each of the cherubims had four faces or one, as we must all bear the four faces of Christ in the final analysis.

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

The number four means the whole of the matter under discussion and therefore the four faces show us the whole of Christ while He was here on earth. However, the fact that we are shown only two faces of Christ here in Ezekiel 41:19 is to emphasize our role as witnesses of Christ in the building of the Lord’s temple within us. The face of a lion shows us the Lord as the lion of the tribe of Judah. The Gospel of Matthew describes the Lord as a lion of the tribe of Judah. Like a lion, the Lord did not turn back from all the trials and tribulations that He encountered in this life. He will not rest until He makes our enemies (our flesh) a footstool, that is, defeat our enemies. What He starts, He is able to bring to completion!!

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

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

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

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

The Holy and the Most Holy Place

Eze 41:21  The posts of the temple were squared, and the face of the sanctuary; the appearance of the one as the appearance of the other. 
Eze 41:22  The altar of wood was three cubits high, and the length thereof two cubits; and the corners thereof, and the length thereof, and the walls thereof, were of wood: and he said unto me, This is the table that is before the LORD. 

As stated earlier, the square nature of the doorposts of the temple signifies that we all have the same experience as the Lord prepares our bodies or temple for His habitation. In front of the holy place was something resembling an altar of wood, having three cubits high and two cubits in length. This altar of wood represents our hearts and minds. As indicated earlier, the altar being made of wood implies that we must all go through the judgement of the Lord to bring out the beauty of the Lord in us as He comes to reside in our temple or hearts and minds. We are also the table before the Lord.

Psa 83:14  As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire;

Pro 26:20  Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.

Eze 41:23  And the temple and the sanctuary had two doors. 
Eze 41:24  And the doors had two leaves apiece, two turning leaves; two leaves for the one door, and two leaves for the other door. 
Eze 41:25  And there were made on them, on the doors of the temple, cherubims and palm trees, like as were made upon the walls; and there were thick planks upon the face of the porch without. 
Eze 41:26  And there were narrow windows and palm trees on the one side and on the other side, on the sides of the porch, and upon the side chambers of the house, and thick planks.

The holy place and the most holy place had two doors and each of the doors were double doors that swung open. Again, here we are being reminded that our entry into the presence of the Lord to commune with Him is for the purpose of making us His witnesses.

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

Images of cherubims and palm trees were carved on the doors of the holy place as well as on the walls. There was a wooden roof hanging over the outer entrance hall. There were small windows and palm trees on both sides of the entrance hall, on the side rooms of the temple, and on the roofs. The cherubims and the palm trees being carved on the doors of the holy place is to signify that it is through the Lord’s elect that we have access to Christ as we are all building our temple upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Jesus as the chief corner stone. Later, in an age to come, we shall also be the gateway for all humanity to be in the presence of the Lord.

Eph 2:19  Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
Eph 2:20  And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
Eph 2:21  In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
Eph 2:22  In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

May the Lord’s name be praised for counting us worthy of being a habitation of God through His Spirit. Amen!!

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The Book of Amos – Chapter 3:1-15: Israel’s Guilt and Punishment

“Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing,
but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets”– Amo 3:7

[Aired November 30, 2024]

Although this study and much of the Book of Amos focuses on Israel and, specifically, the Priests directly indicting us, highlighting our guilt and punishment, it is all integral to the Feast of Trumpets and the trumpet blasts in Revelation. Thus, a degree of repetition will be reflected during these studies.

Humanity innately desires an easy life that monetary riches enable. With money, we can make ourselves look more appealing than nature has provided; it vainly authorises greater intelligence and access to the world’s best academic institutions. Monetary riches engender personal wealth on all levels of one’s presentation to the world unchallenged while remaining semiconsciously yet unashamedly naked.

Ecc 10:19  A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.

In succession with those riches, our Lord intentionally created sexual awareness to be part of our daily lives, intrinsically. Even though it is a subliminally and constantly present spontaneity of mind, outwardly, we, and even the most debauched, thankfully, practice social sobriety. Accordingly, the Bible is about the marriage of the Lamb of God to the pinnacle of his creation in the Bride who is first to be blessed to see the spiritual implications of every Old Covenant Law. Consequently, the Bible is equally about two women; one a whore and the other the Bride of Christ, as it is about two men, the old and new Adam in Christ, who, paradoxically to the churches of the world, are one representation of the Bride in transition.

Without the Law in Christ’s commandments, we would never know the spirit of the Law. Amos and all the Bible’s prophets’ prophecies are deeply connected to our sexuality and broken covenant and the most profound aspect of indicting guilt for a guaranteed punishment. Incomprehensibly to Cain (Gen 4:13… “my punishment is greater than I can bear”) and the world who see us as masochists, we have learnt to glorify God for our chastisement and send each other gifts in the form of prayers, psalms, and encouragement for the torment He has given us (Rev 11:10). That response is us joyfully ascending into heaven in a cloud while our old enemies left in the old Adam below, mournfully look upward; a chasm impossible to traverse.

Rom 7:7-25  What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.

There, in the last sentence of that scripture, is our realisation for our acknowledgment of the subtlety of spiritual transgressions. As seen in the previous study in Amos chapter two under the Old Covenant, we could lust all we liked physically of mind and not transgress God’s Commandments so long as we didn’t physically engage sexually. However, now and in light of the New Covenant (subtlety juxtaposed in John 8:1-11) in our study of physical Judah and Israel, we are aroused most gloriously in righteous spiritual spontaneity by the lyrics of the song only the 144,000 in Revelations 14:1-5  are learning today!

Rom 7:8  But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence [meaning, inordinate ‘desire, carving, longing’ in the lust of the mind and spirit insidiously for what is now forbiden]. For without the law sin was dead.
Rom 7:9  For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I [learned to] died [daily].
Rom 7:10  And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.
Rom 7:11  For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.
Rom 7:12  Wherefore the law is holy, and the [spiritual] commandment holy, and just, and good.
Rom 7:13  Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.
Rom 7:14  For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
Rom 7:15  For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
Rom 7:16  If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
Rom 7:17  Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Rom 7:18  For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
Rom 7:19  For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
Rom 7:20  Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Rom 7:21  I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
Rom 7:22  For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
Rom 7:23  But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
Rom 7:24  O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Rom 7:25  I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the [spiritual] mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the [disappearing] flesh the law of sin.

Significations:

Israel’s Guilt and Punishment

Amo 3:1  Hear this word that the LORD hath spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family [the twelve tribes inclusive of Judah] which I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying, 
Amo 3:2  You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities. 

Just wow! Don’t those first verses make you shiver? Our Lord addresses his Bride, the few, nonetheless the ‘whole family’ he will drag out of Babylon and sobering us with the stark reality of his will that it is “you only [primarily meaning his Bride] have I known of all the families of the earth“! The ‘kicker’ (colloquially ‘usually unpleasant’) for the spiritually immature is that he “will punish you for all your iniquities“! Now, that is too much for our former Gentile Christian selves to stomach and attracts a jolly good spiritual stoning for the consternation it unsettles the Babylonian within.

With the taste of wording common to the Body of Christ, ‘no person will ever see eternal life without the wrath of God through chastisement in his life at God’s appointed time’. This process of chastening brings salvation and teaches us righteousness (Isa 26:9).

Hos 11:1  When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.
Hos 11:2  As they called them, so they went from them: they sacrificed unto Baalim, and burned incense to graven images.
Hos 11:3  I taught Ephraim also to go, taking them by their arms; but they knew not that I healed them.
Hos 11:4  I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love [hidden chastisement]: and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat unto them.
Hos 11:5  He shall not return into the land of Egypt, but the Assyrian shall be his king, because they refused to return [to God].

Not returning to Egypt and going into Assyria and Babylon is part of our journey towards becoming Christ (Jer 29:3-23).

Tit 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared [in their order of salvation] to all men,
Tit 2:12 Teaching [chastening] us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world [Not all sins are transgression, but are highly apt to lead into transgression. Christ must increase as we decrease the flesh subject to corruption];

Heb 12:5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
Heb 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

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

Heb 12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
Heb 12:8  But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

It is only the Elect who are being chastened since Christ and the foundation of the world. All of the Gentile Christian Church are bastards in their own time and order.

Psa 119:71  It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.

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

It is only the Elect who can hear and live in the fire of his word. The Lord’s Elect, “they that have done good [in] this present time” (Rom 8:18), are being judged in ‘this present time’ and will not need to come up “unto the resurrection of judgment”. “When we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world… unto the resurrection of judgment.” Nevertheless, even those who are condemned to the resurrection of judgment are still being judged by God, and when His judgments are in the earth men will learn righteousness, even those in the lake of fire, the second death, the Great White Throne Judgment:

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.

It is only by the Lord’s sovereign will that some few are given to be judged in “this present time”. If we are blessed to be part of “the house of God [in] this present time”, then we will also be given to believe these words of the apostle Paul concerning this the greatest of all honours:

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. [God chastises us for our good!]

Jer 24:5  Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel; Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge them that are carried away captive of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans for their good.
Jer 24:6  For I will set mine eyes upon them for good, and I will bring them again to this land: and I will build them, and not pull them down; and I will plant them, and not pluck them up.
Jer 24:7  And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the LORD: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart.
Jer 24:8  And as the evil figs, which cannot be eaten, they are so evil; surely thus saith the LORD, So will I give Zedekiah the king of Judah, and his princes, and the residue of Jerusalem, that remain in this land, and them that dwell in the land of Egypt:
Jer 24:9  And I will deliver them to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth for their hurt, to be a reproach and a proverb, a taunt and a curse, in all places whither I shall drive them.
Jer 24:10  And I will send the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, among them, till they be consumed from off the land that I gave unto them and to their fathers.

The answer to all of the following rhetorical verses is profoundly yes.

Amo 3:3  Can two walk together, except they be agreed? 

That verse makes a subtle connection with marriage. Every spirit-led Elect of God coming out of Babylon and married to an unbeliever, like Lot coming out of Sodom with his wife looking back, immaturely experiences initial ‘bitterness’ for their spouse’s seeming ridiculous blindness in not realising that it is God that blinds all people, including the incipient Elect.

2Co 6:14  Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

1Co 7:12  But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away.
1Co 7:13  And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.

Isa 42:19  Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger that I sent? who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the LORD’S servant?

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 [In the Lake of Fire].

And, for the time being,

Isa 42:2 He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street [in this age unless he is asked about his faith].

Amo 3:4  Will a lion roar in the forest, when he hath no prey? will a young lion cry out of his den, if he have taken nothing? 

The Lord assuredly will roar as a lion out of Zion when we haven’t fed the spiritually hungry, just as the wolf feeds her young in the evening (Gen 49:27).

Joe 3:16  The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.

Amo 3:5  Can a bird fall in a snare upon the earth, where no gin [lure for the unfortunate bird we are] is for him? shall one take up a snare from the earth, and have taken nothing at all? 

It is every person since and inclusive of Adam conceived to the end of the One Thousand Year rule who is the bird taken in the snare of our whorish mother, Babylon the Great. Even righteous Gideon bowed to femineity and unconsciously emasculated himself and Israel (Deu 23:1).

Ecc 7:26  And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.

Jdg 8:27  And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah [female fawn]: and all Israel went thither a whoring after it: which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.
Jdg 8:28  Thus was Midian [Effectively the Ammorites] subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted up their heads no more. And the country was in quietness forty years in the days of Gideon.

Gideon’s subduing the Midianites is akin to what some Babylonian Christian girls do today, supposedly for Jesus, by deliberately luring unbelieving young men, justifying sex ‘for Jesus’, deludedly thinking that they have done their duty in saving them. Gideon’s action is a classic act of not trusting in God’s strength over appeasing the downright alluring girls next door who, with exposed thighs, are ‘delightfully’ ensnaring (Ecc 9:12. Prov 7:6-27).

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

Those rhetorical questions asked by our Lord through Amos lead us back to the theme of an earthquake, symbolised by a mighty trumpet blast corresponding to a force of 10 on the Richter scale. The Lord’s Elect, as seen in Isa 42:1, are blessed to have their earth shake their self-styled temple to powder and are wonderfully “afraid” to give Christ all glory. That verse of Amos 3:6 is one of the most profound statements emanating from God’s throne that affects everything we think and do; “shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it?” However, we all inwardly sigh for it being one of the greatest delusions and “gin” (Amos 3:5) to our family and friends for the ‘snare’ it is and them, as we once were, beguiled by the chief ‘birder’, Satan to oppose themselves stubbornly parroting that God allows sin by our will.

2Ti 2:25  In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
2Ti 2:26  And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

For Babylon’s churches, there is no greater enigmatic demonstration of Trumpet blasts than the Seven Trumpets of Revelations. These Trumpets herald the Elect’s swift understanding that the Trumpets, Vials, Woes and associated plagues are different versions of the same great tribulation first to come upon them and, ultimately, all mankind in his order.

Ecc 9:2  All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.
Ecc 9:3  This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

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;

Everyone will hear Christ’s voice in his God-given time and order to hear. Understanding Jesus’s “loud voice” on the “great day of the feast” today is the greatest Trumpet blast the Elect will ever hear. The expression, “for three transgressions and four,” adds up to seven and represents the Seventh Trumpet expressed eight times (judgement) in Amos. The rest of humanity, hearing it, will assuredly hear it without understanding at the end of the One Thousand Year rule in death by fire, be that death his fiery word or both in a literal fire, before being instantly resurrected to hear it all again in the Resurrection to Judgment and the Last Great Day, the Eighth Day following the Feast of Tabernacles. Hence, every generation hears that trumpet blast.

Rom 11:7  What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded.

Rev 1:9  I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Rev 1:10  I was in the spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,

Joh 7:37  On the last day, the great day of the feast, [of Tabernacles] Jesus got up and said in a loud voice, If any man is in need of drink let him come to me and I will give it to him.

For a far more in-depth understanding of the Feast of Trumpets, begin here with other localised links:
https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/revelation-81-6-the-seven-angels-prepare-to-sound-seven-trumpets-part-1/

As is demonstrated in those preceding verses, the Lord says,

Amo 3:7  Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets. 
Amo 3:8  The lion hath roared [Trumpet and Earthquake], who will not fear? the Lord GOD hath spoken, who can but prophesy? 

Luk 8:10  And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others [Everyone who is not given of God to be an Elect] in parables [designed to hide the meanings]; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.

Amo 3:9  Publish in the palaces at Ashdod [Powerful cities of Egypt, Sodom and Old Jerusalem – Babylon], and in the palaces in the land of Egypt, and say, Assemble yourselves upon the mountains of Samaria, and behold the great tumults [confusion] in the midst thereof, and the oppressed in the midst thereof. 
Amo 3:10  For they know not to do right, saith the LORD, who store up violence and robbery in their palaces. 
Amo 3:11  Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; An adversary there shall be even round about the land; and he shall bring down thy strength from thee, and thy palaces shall be spoiled. 

Today, December 2024, the entire world is living in foreboding fear of nuclear war, but not the Bride. She looks upon worldly, apparently end-time events with immense intrigue since she knows her husband’s mind in blessing her with good and not evil. She glorifies in her Lord identifying her confusion and seeing Satan coming afar off and having her old man within destroyed. She utterly disdains the physical riches of this world and shakes her head for having impudently exposed her beauty validated by a leering world to the point of spiritual adultery.

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,
Heb 12:2  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Amo 3:12  Thus saith the LORD; As the shepherd taketh out of the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear; so shall the children of Israel be taken out that dwell in Samaria in the corner of a bed, and in Damascus in a couch. 

The Bride of Christ is the ‘two witnesses’ represented as ‘two legs’, the shepherd who testifies in transition in hearing her husband’s voice represented as ‘a piece of an ear’ in the house of Jacob. She is embarrassed by her whoredoms and steps out of bed, and on looking back, is temporarily shocked that she was in bed with her sisters still fornicating with Damascus and, in humiliation, flees as did Joseph from Potiphar’s wife (Gen 39).

Amo 3:13  Hear ye, and testify in the house of Jacob, saith the Lord GOD, the God of hosts, 
Amo 3:14  That in the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel upon him I will also visit the altars of Bethel [house of God]: and the horns of the altar shall be cut off, and fall to the ground. 

Gen 6:1  And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,
Gen 6:2  That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.
Gen 6:3  And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.

Once our Lord has made us aware of our sins and transgressions and, in symbolic frustration, chastised us multiple times, we hopefully become acutely aware of our tendency to oscillate like Old Israel between physical riches and validating our beauty in bed with Babylon, much like Ohola and Oholibah. When this chastisement ceases, we no longer feel His spirit striving with us. This leads us into a dangerously insidious state as we again begin to act as a law unto ourselves, excusing our behaviour in the absence of His guidance and swift correction (Rom 2:14-18). Consequently, Christ, our horns and altar of his strength to overcome, are cut off, and we fall again to the dust of the earth. Accordingly, we return to a wintery fruitlessness in the summertime when we should spiritually harvest in abundance. Where there isn’t a harvest, our spiritual barns are empty, and we starve of Christ’s word.

Amo 3:15  And I will smite the winter house with the summer house; and the houses of ivory shall perish, and the great houses shall have an end, saith the LORD. 

To that end, and again, the indictment is upon the very Priests of God, his Elect; we shall continue to see in the next chapter our enduring guilt and punishment.

Ezekiel 32:1–16 A Lament Over Pharoah and Egypt

[Study Aired September 16, 2024]

INTRODUCTION

Today’s study reflects the destruction of Pharoah and Egypt. As we have indicated in the previous studies, Pharoah represents our old man or flesh. Today’s study deals with the judgement of Pharoah and Egypt and the resulting benefit that shall follow after the judgement.

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. 

The study concludes with the destruction of the beasts such that there shall be no foot of man or the hoofs of the beasts to trouble the waters. As a result, the waters shall flow like oil. These concluding statements show us the salvation of all men of every age which shall come about after the destruction of the beasts within man.

1Ti 4:9  This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation.
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.

 

A lamentation for Pharoah, King of Egypt

Eze 32:1  And it came to pass in the twelfth year, in the twelfth month, in the first day of the month, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 
Eze 32:2 Son of man, take up a lamentation for Pharaoh king of Egypt, and say unto him, Thou art like a young lion of the nations, and thou art as a whale in the seas: and thou camest forth with thy rivers, and troubledst the waters with thy feet, and fouledst their rivers. 

The number twelve means foundation and it is also the number of Christ. In our walk in the churches of this world, our foundations in Christ were destroyed.

Psa 11:3  If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? 

This means that the twelfth year in the twelfth month in the first day of the month when the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel implies that the Lord’s coming to us with the spirit of His mouth and His brightness is to build our foundation in Him as we go through the judgement of our old man.

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: 

Isa 44:28  That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.

Zec 8:9  Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Let your hands be strong, ye that hear in these days these words by the mouth of the prophets, which were in the day that the foundation of the house of the LORD of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built.

As indicated in the previous studies, Pharoah, king of Egypt, represents our old man or flesh.  Here in verse 2, the Lord requesting Ezekiel to take up a lamentation for Pharoah, the king of Egypt, is to let us know the evil experience we must pass through for the destruction of our old man or flesh symbolized by Pharoah, the king of Egypt. In this verse, the Lord compared Pharoah with a young lion of the nations and also a whale in the seas. A key characteristic of a young lion is his persistent pursuit to capture a prey as shown in the following verses:

Psa 17:12  Like as a lion that is greedy of his prey, and as it were a young lion lurking in secret places.

Isa 5:29  Their roaring shall be like a lion, they shall roar like young lions: yea, they shall roar, and lay hold of the prey, and shall carry it away safe, and none shall deliver it.

Pharoah likened to a young lion of the nations therefore implies that our old man or flesh was made to dominate or capture mankind or people of the world as a prey. A whale represents the sea of our flesh or old man. Therefore, Pharoah being described as the whale in the seas is to show us that Pharoah represents our old man or flesh.

Job 7:12  Am I a sea, or a whale, that thou settest a watch over me?

One key role of the whale as described in verse 2 is churning up muddy waters with his feet. This implies that if we are dominated by the flesh, that is our walk in the flesh, we end up coming up with muddy waters which refer to the false doctrines of man’s wisdom and tradition. As a result, we make the word of the Lord of no effect in our lives.

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

Mar 7:7  Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. 
Mar 7:8  For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.

Mar 7:13 Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.

Eze 32:3  Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will therefore spread out my net over thee with a company of many people; and they shall bring thee up in my net. 
Eze 32:4 Then will I leave thee upon the land, I will cast thee forth upon the open field, and will cause all the fowls of the heaven to remain upon thee, and I will fill the beasts of the whole earth with thee.

The company of many people represent the physical churches of this world or Babylon. Our flesh is likened to fishes of the sea where the Lord cast His net over us, making the churches of this world drag us from the sea to the land. Being cast forth upon the open field in verse 4 means that our walk in the churches of this world is likened to an open field where we live like people of the world as our flesh is empowered by the devil and his cohorts, signified by the fowls of the heavens. It is at this point that the beasts of the whole earth dominate us to the fullest. We need to understand that our flesh or old man or the beast within us was made to be taken and destroyed. Thus, in our walk in the churches of this world, the Lord seeks an occasion to come and destroy our flesh as He allows us to be dominated by the beasts of the whole earth.

2Pe 2:12  But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;

Jud 1:10 But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.

Jdg 14:1  And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines.
Jdg 14:2  And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife.
Jdg 14:3  Then his 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. 

Eze 32:5  And I will lay thy flesh upon the mountains, and fill the valleys with thy height. 
Eze 32:6 I will also water with thy blood the land wherein thou swimmest, even to the mountains; and the rivers shall be full of thee. 

As indicated in the previous study, the mountains and valleys on a positive note represent the assembly of the Lord’s elect, as shown in the following verse:

Eze 6:3 Say this, ‘You mountains of Israel, listen to the word of the Almighty LORD! This is what the Almighty LORD says to the mountains and hills and to the ravines and valleys: I am going to attack you with a sword and destroy your worship sites.

In verse 5, therefore, the laying of our flesh upon the mountains and the filling of the valleys therefore signify the unveiling of the dying of our old man or flesh through the Lord’s judgement in the assembly of the Lord’s elect.

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

The life of the flesh is in the blood and therefore, the land being watered with the blood of our old man or flesh in verse 6 signifies the death of our flesh or old man within our bodies (land). The streams being full of the flesh in verse 6 implies that we shall come to see that the false doctrines (the rivers) in our heavens emanates from the flesh and is about man’s wisdom and tradition.

Lev 17:11  For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.

Eze 32:7  And when I shall put thee out, I will cover the heaven, and make the stars thereof dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give her light. 
Eze 32:8 All the bright lights of heaven will I make dark over thee, and set darkness upon thy land, saith the Lord GOD. 

These verses describe the day of the Lord which is the time of His judgement of our old man or flesh. This is what Apostle Peter describes about the day of the Lord on the day of Pentecost:

Act 2:19  And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
Act 2:20  The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:
Act 2:21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Verses 7 and 8 show us that all the bright lights of heavens, together with the stars, shall be darkened as the sun is covered with the clouds and the moon is not giving her light. Comparing these verses with Apostle Paul’s description of the Lord’s day of judgement shows us that the sun being darkened is equivalent to the sun being covered with a cloud, and the moon not giving her light is the same as the moon not giving her light because it covered with blood. The sun being darkened means that when we are dominated by the flesh, we are not able to see Christ who represents the sun, because of the smoke that comes out of our bottomless pit. That is to say that out of our flesh (bottomless pit) comes false doctrines which prevent us from knowing Christ.

Rev 9:2  And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. 

As part of the Lord’s judgement of our old man or flesh, we are given over to the desires of our hearts which include believing the false doctrines from our flesh. This is to give the Lord the occasion that He is seeking to come and judge us.

Rom 1:18  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; 
Rom 1:19  Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
Rom 1:20  For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Rom 1:21  Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Rom 1:22  Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
Rom 1:23  And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
Rom 1:24  Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
Rom 1:25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

The moon turning into blood or not giving her light implies that we become guilty for the death of the Lord’s saints because we hate them. This is because the little knowledge of the Lord has been taken away from us. We know that hating our brothers or sisters is the same as being a murderer and therefore we are guilty of the death of the Lord and His saints. This is all to give the Lord the occasion that He is seeking to come into our lives to destroy our old man or flesh.

Mat 23:34  Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:
Mat 23:35  That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. 
Mat 23:36 Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.

Eze 32:9  I will also vex the hearts of many people, when I shall bring thy destruction among the nations, into the countries which thou hast not known. 
Eze 32:10 Yea, I will make many people amazed at thee, and their kings shall be horribly afraid for thee, when I shall brandish my sword before them; and they shall tremble at every moment, every man for his own life, in the day of thy fall. 

When Joseph’s brothers came to realize that Joseph was alive, they were troubled, thinking that Joseph would seek revenge or judge them because of the trouble they took Joseph through, especially when Jacob, their father died.

Gen 50:15  And when Joseph’s brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him. 
Gen 50:16  And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying,
Gen 50:17  So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him.
Gen 50:18 And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants.

Our brothers and sisters in Babylon who represent the “many people” shall be troubled as they see that the judgement of their old man is at hand.

Isa 13:8  And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames.

As indicated by Apostle Peter, if we, His elect are scarcely saved through the Lord’s judgement, what shall be the end of them (“many people”) who do not believe? Many people shall be stunned, especially, the leaders of Babylon, signified as the kings of the many people in verse 19, as they see the judgement of the Lord at hand.

1Pe 4:17  For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
1Pe 4:18  And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? 
1Pe 4:19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

 

The Judgement of the Lord

Eze 32:11  For thus saith the Lord GOD; The sword of the king of Babylon shall come upon thee. 
Eze 32:12 By the swords of the mighty will I cause thy multitude to fall, the terrible of the nations, all of them: and they shall spoil the pomp of Egypt, and all the multitude thereof shall be destroyed. 

When we are dominated by the flesh or our old man, the Lord gives us over to be ruled by the sword of the King of Babylon. As we have indicated in previous studies, the negative aspect of “sword” refers to words that are spoken which destroy us. The sword refers to the lying words and false doctrines of the adversary.

2Ti 2:17  And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;
2Ti 2:18  Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.

Psa 64:2  Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity:
Psa 64:3  Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words:

These negative words spoken is one of the tools that the Lord uses to cause people to speak bitter words to us, His elect.

Eze 38:21 And I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord GOD: every man’s sword shall be against his brother.

Jdg 7:22 And the three hundred [men with Gideon] blew the trumpets, and the LORD set every man’s sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host [of the Midianites]: and the host fled to Bethshittah in Zererath, and to the border of Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath.

In verse 12, we are made aware that the swords of the mighty is what causes the multitude to fall including the terrible of the nations. This implies that it is through false doctrines propagated in Babylon which caused many to become spiritually dead. These false doctrines is what gives Babylon control of the nations of this world.

Rev 17:1  And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:
Rev 17:2  With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.
Rev 17:3  So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
Rev 17:4  And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
Rev 17:5  And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
Rev 17:6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration. 

The woman sitting upon many waters means that Babylon or the physical churches of this world have control over people (multitude) and nations. As indicated in verse 12, this control is through the false doctrines or the sword of the king of Babylon which destroys the pomp of Egypt and all the multitude.

The pomp of Egypt refers to the attractiveness or the pride of the world which involves the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. “The multitude” signifies the people of the world including our brothers and sisters in Babylon. Through the Lord’s judgement of our old man, the attraction of the world, the old man or flesh in the lives of the people of the world, shall be destroyed.

1Jn 2:15  Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
1Jn 2:16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 
1Jn 2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.

Eze 32:13  I will destroy also all the beasts thereof from beside the great waters; neither shall the foot of man trouble them anymore, nor the hoofs of beasts trouble them. 
Eze 32:14  Then will I make their waters deep, and cause their rivers to run like oil, saith the Lord GOD.

The “great waters” in verse 13 signify the false doctrines of man’s wisdom and tradition. These false doctrines comes from our flesh or our old man or beast. The destruction of all the beasts shall take place in the Lake of Fire as all mankind from Adam to date shall be judged. The fact that the feet of humans and the hoofs of beasts cannot stir up the water anymore implies that the beast within man, which is the source of the false doctrines in our heavens, shall be destroyed completely, such that there will not be any false doctrines.

As described in verse 14, the only river available shall run like oil. This river is the water of life which proceeds out of the throne of the God and of the Lamb. Oil represents the Spirit and it is the spirit that gives life. The Lord causing the rivers to run like oil therefore signifies that all humanity shall come to have the spiritual understanding of the word of the Lord which gives life.

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

Rev 22:1  And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. 
Rev 22:2  In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 
Rev 22:3  And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:
Rev 22:4  And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.
Rev 22:5 And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.

Eze 32:15  When I shall make the land of Egypt desolate, and the country shall be destitute of that whereof it was full, when I shall smite all them that dwell therein, then shall they know that I am the LORD. 
Eze 32:16 This is the lamentation wherewith they shall lament her: the daughters of the nations shall lament her: they shall lament for her, even for Egypt, and for all her multitude, saith the Lord GOD. 

In verse 15, Egypt symbolizes the world. The making of the land of Egypt desolate therefore represents the Lord’s judgement of the world during the lake of fire age.  The result of this judgement is that all shall come to know who the Lord is.

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. 

1Ti 4:9  This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation. 
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 2:3  For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 
1Ti 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 

The daughters of the nations in verse 16 signifies the physical churches of this world who shall lament the destruction of the old man in their lives, which is the source of all worldliness. This is the order in which these daughters of the nations shall be saved:

Eze 16:53  When I shall bring again their captivity, the captivity of Sodom and her daughters, and the captivity of Samaria and her daughters, then will I bring again the captivity of thy captives in the midst of them:

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.

May the Lord continue to deliver us from our old man or flesh. Amen!!

Rev 10:5-11 Part 1 – In The Days of The Voice of The Seventh Angel

[Study Aired Sept 15, 2024]

Rev 10:5  And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven,
Rev 10:6  And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer:
Rev 10:7  But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.
Rev 10:8  And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go [and] take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth.
Rev 10:9  And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take [it], and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.
Rev 10:10  And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.
Rev 10:11  And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.

Introduction

The first thing we will do today is to review last week’s study. After that, our attention will be focused on the statement that “There should be time no longer”, in verse 6 and the meaning of “in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as He has declared to His servants the prophets”, in verse seven.

Several of the verses in this week’s study were a necessary part of last week’s study, so since we did not have the time to summarize last week’s study, we need to comment on the symbols of those verses as a review of what we learned last week, and as an introduction to our study of what “In the days of the voice of the seventh angel” means.

A review of the seven symbols of Rev 10:1-4

Here is a brief overview of the seven symbols we discussed in our last study:

1) The mighty angel

Who is this “mighty angel” described in verse one? We saw that this angel with His feet on our sea and our earth, speaking as a lion roars, is Christ as the Lord of our lives, who is subduing and putting under His feet our every thought to Himself, at the expense of and making a prey of, the life of our old man.

Eph 1:22  And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church

That is a principle which governs the relationship between these two men throughout scripture:

Joh 3:30  He [Christ] must increase, but I [our old man] must decrease.

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 eyes of our understanding being enlightened”, Eph 1:18]:

2) The little book

What is this “little book” mentioned in verse two? We saw that this “little book” is contained within the book given to the slain Lamb, the lion of the tribe of Judah, in chapter 5, by the man on the throne. This is the same book which is written within and without with “lamentations,  mourning, and woe”, upon the kingdom of our old man because it is the revelation of Christ in His Christ within us, who must enter the kingdom through “much tribulation.”

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.

There is a principle revealed to us in the story of Joseph, which tells us that when the Lord gives us something twice, it is simply a second witness to a single truth. The details may differ, but the meaning is the same, and the time is imminent.

Gen 41:25  And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one: God hath shewed Pharaoh what he is about to do.
Gen 41:26  The seven good kine are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years: the dream is one.

The “book in the hand” in Ezekiel 3 and the book in the hand of the mighty angel in Rev 10, are one book. That is why both men are told to “Eat this book”. Christ told us in John 6 to “eat My flesh”. We are also told in the same sixth chapter of John that His flesh is His words, which are “the bread of life.”

Joh 6:48  I am that bread of life.
Joh 6:49  Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.
Joh 6:50  This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.
Joh 6:51  I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

In this same chapter, what does Christ say gives us life? Here is the answer:

Joh 6:63  It is the spirit that giveth life; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I have spoken unto you are spirit, and are life.(ASV)

So when Christ says “I will give my flesh for the life of the world”, what He is really saying, contradictory as it may sound to the natural man is, “It is the spirit that gives life, the flesh profits nothing: the words that I have spoken unto you are spirit and are life”. “Eat this bread”, and “eat this book”, is one and the same thing. Again, the book in Rev 5 which the man on the throne gives to the Lamb, had this “little book… sealed” within it, detailing through the seals, trumpets, and vials, the trials and tribulations of “Christ in us” (Col 1:27).

Eze 2:10  And he spread it before me; and it was written within and without: and there was written therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe.

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.

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

So the “little book” is sweet in our mouth, but it is bitter in our bellies. Christ is “the book of the life of the Lamb”, and our lives are the life of Christ in us. Our lives are the “little book” which we are told to eat, just as Christ told us to “eat my flesh… the true bread of life.” It is “out of the books” that we are “judged according to our works”.

Rev 13:8 And will worship him [the beast within us] all those dwelling on the earth, of which not has been written the name in the scroll of the life of the lamb of that having been killed, from a casting down of a world. (EDT) Emphatic Diaglott

Rev 20:12  And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

All of Christ’s words are good for us, and we will live by them all. But our lives are not sinless as was Christ’s life, and we will be judged out of those things which were written in the lesser books, according to how Christ has worked in us as the “little book”, as the Lord’s Christ, the Christ of Christ, the anointed of Christ.

Act 4:26  The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ.

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

Rev 12:10  And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

3) His right foot on the sea, and His left foot on the earth

Why does He “set His right foot on the sea, and His left foot on the earth”?

We saw that whatever is under one’s feet is subjected to that person. Christ has been given all power in heaven and in earth.

Mat 28:18  And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

As such He is our King over our lives and over all we do.

Eph 1:22  And [The Father] hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,

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

4) What are “the sea and the earth”?

We saw that “the sea and the earth” are those realms below the heavens. As such they are the realm of the temporal, and the realm of death. The earth is pushed up our of the sea, but both the sea and the earth are still below the heavens, and both oppose heavenly things and are the enemies of Christ.

Col 3:1  If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Col 3:2  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

5) The mighty angel cries with a loud voice, as a lion roars

Why does this mighty angel “cry with a loud voice, as when a lion roars”?

A lion roars only when he has taken his prey. The “roar of the lion” and having “the sea and the earth under His feet” are both compatible with Christ’s destruction of His enemy, “the body of this death”. Our salvation comes only through the death and destruction of our old man. Christ is roaring as a lion against our old man as He destroys and devours him:

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

Joh 5:24  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

1Co 3:17  If any man defile the temple of God [and we all have], him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

Lam 2:5  The Lord was as an enemy: he hath swallowed up [apostate] Israel, he hath swallowed up all her palaces: he hath destroyed his strong holds, and hath increased in the daughter of Judah mourning and lamentation.

Lam 3:10  He was unto me as a bear lying in wait, and as a lion in secret places.
Lam 3:11  He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces: he hath made me desolate.

Amo 3:4  Will a lion roar in the forest, when he hath no prey? will a young lion cry out of his den, if he have taken nothing?
Amo 3:5  Can a bird fall in a snare upon the earth, where no gin [is] for him? shall [one] take up a snare from the earth, and have taken nothing at all?
Amo 3:6  Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it?

6) The connection between the little book and the seven thunders

What is the connection between this “little book” and the seven thunders which are sealed up and not written?

We saw that this little book is introduced to us just before the seven thunders utter their voices. We also saw that John, the type and symbol of God’s elect, heard the voices of the seven thunders and “was about to write” what he had heard. If this little book is Christ and His Words in us, if John is the symbol of us and Christ in us, and if thunder typifies the wrath of God upon the unrighteousness of those who are to become His elect, then the connection between the revelation of this little book and the seven thunders, is the revelation of the work of Christ’s Words upon all that is within us which is contrary to those Words of Christ.

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

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

Mat 24:34  Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
Mat 24:35  Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

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

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

7) Seal up the seven thunders

What is it that has been “sealed up and are not written”? What exactly is thunder? Exactly what is it that we are not being allowed to know?

We saw that ‘thunder’ symbolizes the wrath of God, on all that withstands His Word and His Work.

Psa 18:7  Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth.
Psa 18:8  There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.

Psa 18:13  The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire.

We saw that the Lord withholds nothing good from His elect.

Psa 34:10  The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.

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

We also saw that it is just after telling us that the thunder of God’s wrath will destroy all that is contrary to His Words within us, we are told that “the secret things belong to God”.

Deu 29:24  Even all nations shall say, Wherefore hath the LORD done thus unto this land? what meaneth the heat of this great anger?
Deu 29:25  Then men shall say, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD God of their fathers, which he made with them when he brought them forth out of the land of Egypt:
Deu 29:26  For they went and served other gods, and worshipped them, gods whom they knew not, and whom he had not given unto them:
Deu 29:27  And the anger of the LORD was kindled against this land, to bring upon it all the curses that are written in this book:
Deu 29:28  And the LORD rooted them out of their land in anger, and in wrath, and in great indignation, and cast them into another land, as [it is] this day.
Deu 29:29  The secret things [The seven thunders] belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed [as we are prepared to receive them] belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.

Compare these words of Deu 29 with these words of Rev 10.

Rev 10:2  And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth,
Rev 10:3  And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices.
Rev 10:4  And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.

Since we are told that we will not be given more than we can bear, it is obvious that what the seven thunders utter is “the secret things” which belong to God, concerning that which lies ahead of us which we are not, at this moment, able to bear.

Joh 16:4  But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.
Joh 16:5  But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou?
Joh 16:6  But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart.
Joh 16:7  Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
Joh 16:8  And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
Joh 16:9  Of sin, because they believe not on me;
Joh 16:10  Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;
Joh 16:11  Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
Joh 16:12  I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.

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

1Co 10:13  There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear [it].

We also saw the verses of God’s Word which promise to “prepare our hearts” before we are faced with any trial.

1Ch 29:18  O LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare their heart unto thee:

Psa 10:17  LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:

It is only after we have been prepared, that we, with John, are given ears to hear the voices of the seven thunders and we are prepared for our trial which lies before us. But it is always sealed up, and we only hear it when the Lord has prepared out hearts to receive it:

Joh 16:12  I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
Joh 16:13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come [and has prepared your heart to bear The Truth], 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 [as we are made able to bear it].

Mar 4:33  And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it.
Mar 4:34  But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.

It is “not written” because it is a tailor-made trial for each of us alone at that moment. “The secret things belong to God who alone does knows what we will do tomorrow, but we do not know because “The secret things [of our trials and tests] belong to God… because we have forsaken the covenant of our fathers…  [so] seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not” because:

Jas 4:13  Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:
Jas 4:14  Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
Jas 4:15  For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.
Jas 4:16  But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.
Jas 4:17  Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

We will pause here and continue our study on Rev, 10:5-11 Part 2 in our next study.

Rev 10:1-4, Part 2 – Seven Thunders Utter Their Voices

[Study Aired Sept 8, 2024]

We were in the process of seeking the scriptural meaning of the seven symbols of these four verses:

Rev 10:1  And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire:
Rev 10:2  And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth,
Rev 10:3  And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices.
Rev 10:4  And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.

By way of reminder and review, those seven symbols were:

1)  Who is this “mighty angel” described in verse one?

2)  What is this “little book” mentioned in verse two?

3)  Why does He “set His right foot on the sea, and His left foot on the earth”?

4)  What is “the sea and the earth”?

5)  Why does this mighty angel “cry with a loud voice, as when a lion roars”?

6)  What is the connection between this “little book” and the seven thunders which are sealed up and not written? What is this all about?

7)  Then we will also need to ask ourselves, What is it that has been “sealed up and are not written”?

We had gotten down to:

4) What is “the sea and the earth”?

The dry land is pushed up out of the sea.

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

The gathering together of “the waters” is revealed as that which covers the earth and out of which the beast and the dry land appear:

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

The sea, “the waters under the heavens”, is revealed to be the masses of mankind upon whom the great harlot of Babylon sits as the mother of all religions which have rejected their Creator. Those nations are all dominated by false harlot religions know as “Babylon The Great, The Mother Of Harlots and abominations of the earth”.

Rev 17:1  And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:
Rev 17:2  With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.
Rev 17:3  So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
Rev 17:4  And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
Rev 17:5  And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
Rev 17:6  And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.

Revelation 17:15 reaffirms the meaning of the waters of ‘the sea’:

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

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

“The  dry land” which is pushed up out of the sea when “the waters under the heavens are gathered together” is called earth and is revealed to signify the people of God who have turned their backs on their own Creator, and who refuse to hear the word of their Creator.

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

Jeremiah uses that very moniker to address the Lord’s rebellious, carnal minded people:

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

5) Why does this mighty angel “cry with a loud voice, as when a lion roars”?

Rev 10:3  And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices.

God’s dominion over the sea and the earth is revealed to us only through His wrath upon all unrighteousness. His feet being upon the sea and the earth is in accord with His “crying with a loud voice, as when a lion roars”. It is because the great day of His wrath has arrived that we are told:

Pro 19:12  The king’s wrath is as the roaring of a lion; but his favour [is] as dew upon the grass.

A lion roars when he has taken his prey:

Amo 3:4  Will a lion roar in the forest, when he hath no prey? will a young lion cry out of his den, if he have taken nothing?
Amo 3:5  Can a bird fall in a snare upon the earth, where no gin [is] for him? shall [one] take up a snare from the earth, and have taken nothing at all?
Amo 3:6  Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid; shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it?

The Lord has both the sea and the earth “under His feet”, and He wants the world to know it.

Isa 45:5  I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me:
Isa 45:6  That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else.

The sea and the earth both are the enemies of God, and are both “the body of this death”. We are by nature that world of “the sea and the earth”, and if He is in us, He will rejoice and “roar” because of His dominion over the sea and the earth, which is “the body of this death” which we call our flesh and which flesh, by nature, “serves the law of sin”.

Psa 107:2  Let the redeemed of the LORD say [so], whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;

Rom 7:19  For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
Rom 7:20  Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Rom 7:21  I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
Rom 7:22  For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
Rom 7:23  But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
Rom 7:24  O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Rom 7:25  I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

Christ, as “the lion of the tribe of Judah…, devours his enemy”, our ‘old man’, even as “He redeems us from the hand of [that] enemy… the body of this death.”

1Co 15:25  For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
1Co 15:26  The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

Hos 13:4  Yet I am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for [there is] no saviour beside me.

Hos 13:7  Therefore I will be unto them as a lion: as a leopard by the way will I observe [them]:
Hos 13:8  I will meet them as a bear [that is] bereaved [of her whelps], and will rend the caul of their heart, and there will I devour them [our old man] like a lion: the wild beast shall tear them.

Amo 3:8  The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord GOD hath spoken, who can but prophesy?

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

6) What is the connection between this “little book” and the seven thunders which are sealed up and not written?

What is this all about? Why are the seven thunders “sealed up and not written”? God has taken His “very elect” into His confidence to a very great extent and has seen fit to reveal to them all “the mysteries of the kingdom of God”. Yet he plainly tells us that there are some things which He has not taken us into His confidence to reveal to us.

Deu 29:29  The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.

God shows us what He is doing in us only after He has prepared us to receive it (Psa 10:17). It is a process which involves every word that proceeds out of His mouth, and preparing our hearts to endure our trials is a process which is common to all men.

Psa 10:17  LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:

Deu 29:2  And Moses called unto all Israel, and said unto them, Ye have seen all that the LORD did before your eyes in the land of Egypt unto Pharaoh, and unto all his servants, and unto all his land;
Deu 29:3  The great temptations which thine eyes have seen, the signs, and those great miracles:
Deu 29:4  Yet the LORD hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day.

Witnessing great miracles obviously is not what is required to change one’s heart and turn it toward God. Those things which do change our hearts are His thunders and His wrath upon our sins, and they are revealed only as we can receive them. “Seal them up and write them not” does not mean they will never be revealed, for those are the same words the Lord told Daniel:

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

So, Moses concludes this prophecy in Deu 29 with the words we quoted earlier:

Deu 29:29  The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.

The connection between John hearing seven thunders just before being told not to write what he heard is the same as why Daniel was told to “shut up the words and seal the book, even unto the time of the end” In other words, ‘even unto the appointed time’, when we will then be prepared in our hearts to accept what we cannot at this time accept, just as Christ told His disciples:

Joh 16:12  I have yet many things to say unto you, [‘seven thunders’] but ye cannot bear them now.
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.
Joh 16:14  He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

 7) What then are the seven thunders which John is told to seal up and write them not?

These “secrets things” are not revealed and are “sealed up and not uttered”, until the Lord prepares our hearts to receive them. The Lord has given us to know the outcome of His plan and of His purpose in all things. He has given us the overview of all He is doing. So, what are “the secret things [which] belong to God”? Here is what the scriptures reveal that we do not know:

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

The Lord has taken us into His confidence and has revealed exactly what He is in the process of accomplishing, but it is in His great mercy that He has not revealed to us the details of our daily judgment. It is our complete detailed daily judgment which is signified by “seven trumpets”, and it is in the Lord’s mercy that He does not let us know what tomorrow holds for us.

Mat 24:42  Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

Mar 13:32  But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.
Mar 13:33  Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.
Mar 13:34  For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.
Mar 13:35  Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:

But “the things which are revealed” are written and uttered to only very few.

Mat 13:9  Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Mat 13:10  And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
Mat 13:11  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
Mat 13:12  For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
Mat 13:13  Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

So, the multitudes who come to Christ to hear his parables still, to this very day, think they have eyes that see when in reality “they see not”. They think they have ears that hear, and they believe they can read, but the Truth remains “neither do they understand”. But to His elect He says, “It is given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to them it is not given.” Yet we are told that John himself was to “seal up what the seven thunders had uttered and write them not” because the Lord knows our frame and He knows that ‘He has many things to tell us which we cannot receive’ until after He has prepared out hearts to do so. He know that it is much better that He uses each daily trial to prepare our heart to endure the next trial.

What is the significance of telling us that there is something that is not revealed? Was not John told to write down all he had seen?

Rev 1:19  Write therefore the things which thou sawest, and the things which are, and the things which shall come to pass hereafter;

It was in obedience to this commandment that John begins to write what the seven thunders had uttered. John no doubt thought that this too, would edify and exhort and comfort those who were given to “read, hear and keep the things written therein” (Rev 1:3). After all, we have already been told “Woe, woe, woe to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the three trumpets which are yet to sound.”

Our next trumpet is the seventh trumpet, and the seventh trumpet is “the seven last plagues of God’s wrath” which are poured out upon the inhabiters of the earth. What could be in these seven thunders, which is not to be revealed nor written down? The answer to this question can be understood only when we know what is meant by “thunders” and when we notice that John himself heard the voices of the seven thunders, and was about to write them down when he was told not to do so. If we are given to understand who John typifies, and if we know what the number 7 typifies, and if we know what thunder signifies, then we will understand why John was told to “seal up what the seven thunders had uttered and write it not.”

The number 7 signifies completion of whatever is under discussion. Here is an in depth study on the Spiritual Significance of the Number Seven

We must also understand the spiritual significance of the word ‘thunder’, and we must understand the spiritual significance and symbolism of John himself, and we must know what is not revealed, before we can understand why John himself could hear these seven thunders but was not permitted to write down what he had heard.

What is the spiritual significance of the word ‘thunder’?

The first time this word appears in scripture tells us of its spiritual significance.

Exo 9:23  And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven: and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and the fire ran along upon the ground; and the LORD rained hail upon the land of Egypt.

Exo 9:27  And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned this time: the LORD [is] righteous, and I and my people [are] wicked.
Exo 9:28  Intreat the LORD (for [it is] enough) that there be no more mighty thunderings and hail; and I will let you go, and ye shall stay no longer.
Exo 9:29  And Moses said unto him, As soon as I am gone out of the city, I will spread abroad my hands unto the LORD; and the thunder shall cease, neither shall there be any more hail; that thou mayest know how that the earth is the LORD’S.

That is the fruit of God’s thunder in our lives. That is the fruit of God’s wrath upon our sins:

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

Vengeance belongs only to the Lord, and His vengeance and His wrath produce righteousness, while our wrath, “the wrath of man”, fails in that regard:

Rom 12:19  Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but [rather] give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance [is] mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

Jas 1:20  For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

This very apostle, John, and his brother, James, were called “sons of thunder” by our Lord.

Mar 3:17  And James the [son] of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder:

The reason for this name is revealed in this incident, which is recorded for our edification:

Luk 9:53  And they [the Samaritans] did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem.
Luk 9:54  And when his disciples James and John saw [this], they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?
Luk 9:55  But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.
Luk 9:56  For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.

So, thunder signifies God’s wrath, and these seven thunders signify the complete wrath of God, and John was given to hear what those seven thunders uttered, but he was told to seal it up and write it not. So now we need to remember who John signifies and symbolizes.

Who, spiritually, is John?

John makes clear who he is, and who he symbolizes in the first two verses of this book:

Rev 1:1  The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:
Rev 1:2  Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.

There it is. John is the symbol of all who “bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all thing that he saw.” Now let’s see who else has this testimony, and bares record of these words.

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

And this revelation that John himself is signified by the angel that shows him all these things is repeated in chapter 22:

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

Who is it who shows us all these things?

Mat 24:15  When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand).

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.

Reading and understanding is the same as reading and hearing. It is given to only a few to “read, hear, and keep the things which are written in the words of this prophecy.”

Rev 22:7  Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.

This book is a “two edged sword”, and if we “keep the things written therein,” then we must acknowledge that this means “every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God”, the good with the evil.

Deu 8:3  And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.

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?

How does the Lord humble us?

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.

Job 2:10  But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.

“Job… did not… sin” in attributing “receiving evil… at the hand of God”. Yet the churches of Babylon are blinded to this simple Truth.

We, though, are given eyes which see, and knowing all of this it becomes clear that John, the Lord’s servant who was used of God to convey the message of His judgments upon the kingdom of our old man, signifies, and is the symbol of those who know and understand and live the truth of this verse of scripture:

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

John is the symbol of God’s elect, who know their experience is the same as all men, but in God’s grace, “according to His own will” (Eph 1:11) His elect have that experience first. Nevertheless, even His elect must wait until the Lord prepares their hearts to receive the revelation of the full extent of the work of His judgments within our lives:

Joh 16:12  I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.

There are a few scriptures which tell us that which God has not revealed. Here is the most explicit verse on that subject:

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

It is in love and mercy, that we are not given to know the secrets that God knows concerning the details of our future struggles. God does not withhold from us anything that is for our good.

Psa 34:10  The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.

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

But he does not take us into His confidence to the extent of revealing to us more of the details of our judgment then we are prepared to accept or receive.

Mat 19:12  For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from [their] mother’s womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.

It is only given to a few to receive a gospel which, right up front, asks you to be willing to be “hated of all men… crucified with Christ… and [acknowledge that we are all] children of wrath.” But even those few to whom it is given to receive this calling must have their hearts prepared before they can receive and keep the things which are written in the book of this prophecy.

1Ch 29:18  O LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare their heart unto thee:

Psa 10:17  LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:

Jer 12:3  But thou, O LORD, knowest me: thou hast seen me, and tried mine heart toward thee: pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter.

Before our hearts are ‘tried toward God’, we are first prepared as sheep for the slaughter.

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.

It is in God’s great mercy that the details of our suffering on “the morrow”, “the voices of the seven thunders”, are not made known in advance, and it is in His mercy that we are not told what the seven thunders of God’s wrath utter. John, as the symbol of our election, hears the thunders when his heart is prepared to receive their judgments.

Here are the words that immediately precede that verse in Deu 29, which informs us that the secret, “sealed up” things belong to God.

Deu 29:24  Even all nations shall say, Wherefore hath the LORD done thus unto this land? what [meaneth] the heat of this great anger?
Deu 29:25  Then men shall say, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD God of their fathers, which he made with them when he brought them forth out of the land of Egypt:
Deu 29:26  For they went and served other gods, and worshipped them, gods whom they knew not, and [whom] he had not given unto them:
Deu 29:27  And the anger of the LORD was kindled against this land, to bring upon it all the curses that are written in this book:
Deu 29:28  And the LORD rooted them out of their land in anger, and in wrath, and in great indignation, and cast them into another land, as [it is] this day.
Deu 29:29  The secret things [the “seven thunders” of His judgments] belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.

Summary

Let’s review what we have seen in the scriptures telling us the spiritual significance of the symbols of these first four verses of Revelation 10:

1) Who is this “mighty angel” described in verse one?

We have seen that is angel with His feet on our sea and our earth, is Christ as the Lord of our lives, who has subdued our every thought to Himself.

2) What is this “little book” mentioned in verse two?

We have seen that this “little book” is the revelation of the judgment of Christ in His Christ. Christ is “the book of the life of the Lamb,” and our lives are the books out of which we are “judged according to our works.” (Rev 20:12)

3) Why does He “set His right foot on the sea, and His left foot on the earth”?

We saw that whatever is under one’s feet is subjected to that person. Christ has been given all power in heaven and in earth. As such He is our King over our lives and over all we do.

4) What is “the sea and the earth”?

We have seen that “the sea and the earth” are that realm which is below the heavens. As such they are the realm of the temporal, and the realm of death. Both are the enemies of Christ.

5) Why does this mighty angel “cry with a loud voice, as when a lion roars”?

A lion roars only when he has taken his prey. The “roar of the lion” and having “the sea and the earth under His feet” are both compatible with Christ’s destruction of His enemy “the body of this death”, the kingdom of our old man.

6) What is the connection between this “little book” and the seven thunders which are sealed up and not written? 

We have seen that this little book, which is “bitter in [our] belly” is introduced to us just before the seven thunders utter their voices, signifying the dregs of the Lord’s wrath. We also saw that John, the type and symbol of God’s elect, heard the voices of the seven thunders and “was about to write” what he had heard. If this little book is Christ and His Words in us, if John is the symbol of Christ in us, and if thunder typifies the wrath of God upon the unrighteousness of those who are to become His elect, then the connection between the revelation of this little book and the seven thunders, is the revelation of the judgment of Christ’s Words upon all that is within us which is contrary to those Words of Christ.

7) What is it that has been “sealed up and are not written”? Exactly what is it that we are not being allowed to know?

Since we are told that we will not be given more than we can bear, it is obvious that what the seven thunders utter is that which we “cannot bear now” (Joh 16:12), and  which we are not, at this moment, able to bear. We also saw the verses of God’s Word which promise to prepare our hearts before we are faced with any trial. It is only after we have been prepared, that  we are given to hear the voices of the seven thunders and we are prepared for what next lies before us.

In our next study, Lord willing, we will continue in chapter 10, which deals with “the days of the seventh angel, when he begins to sound… and the finishing of the mystery of God.”

Rev 10:5  And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven,
Rev 10:6  And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer:
Rev 10:7  But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.
Rev 10:8  And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go [and] take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth.
Rev 10:9  And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take [it], and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.
Rev 10:10  And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.
Rev 10:11  And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.

Ezekiel 1:1-14 The Living Creatures

[Study Aired January 22, 2024]

Introduction

Before we go into the details of this chapter, let’s take a look at who Ezekiel was. The name Ezekiel means ‘strengthened by God’, and he grew up in Jerusalem where he trained to become a priest in the temple. Unfortunately, he was part of the second group of captives taken together with King Jehoiachin to Babylon. He was the author of the Book of Ezekiel which entails the visions the Lord gave him. The Book of Ezekiel is regarded as one of the five books of the major prophets of the Bible. These five books are Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel and Daniel. 

The first vision that Ezekiel had was about the throne of God which highlighted the four living creatures and whirling wheels. He also had visions regarding the new temple and the restored people of Israel. 

Today’s study focuses on the living creatures Ezekiel saw in the vision from the Lord. 

Ezekiel in Babylon

Eze 1:1  Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.
Eze 1:2  In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin’s captivity,
Eze 1:3  The word of the LORD came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the LORD was there upon him.

Ezekiel was by the river Chebar in Babylon where many Israelite exiles had settled, when the Lord appeared to him. Chebar means ‘far off’. What this implies is that living by the river Chebar takes us far off from the Lord, since by the rivers of Babylon we cannot worship the Lord. Being among the captives means that we were together with our brothers and sisters in Babylon or the churches of this world before the Lord came to us.

Psa 137:1  By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.
Psa 137:2  We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof. 
Psa 137:3  For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion.
Psa 137:4  How shall we sing the LORD’S song in a strange land?

The river of Chebar, or the river of Babylon, represents the false doctrines that we imbibe during our sojourn in the churches of this world before Christ shows up at the door of our heart and mind. These false doctrines make us worse off or take us far away from the Lord (the meaning of Chebar). This is what Apostle Peter has to say about this:

2Pe 2:18  For when they speak great swelling words of vanity [False doctrines], 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.

It was during our sojourn in Babylon that the Lord came to open our heavens to start understanding the mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven. The time that this vision of the Lord came to Ezekiel is very significant. We are not told what the thirtieth year refers to. However, we know that the number thirty on a positive note signifies being given the power to reign. We can therefore say that it is when our heavens open and we are given to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven that we are also given the power to reign over our flesh.

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

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

The fifth day of the month, or the fifth year of king Jehoiachin’s captivity, implies that our stay in Babylon is all part of the grand design of the Lord to show us His grace through faith. The fact that Ezekiel was part of Jehoiachin’s captivity implies that our bondage, or captivity to the flesh, is only for a period of time. This is because Jehoiachin was released later by the king of Babylon (Christ) to become a king over the kings in Babylon (to reign over the world). In the fullness of time, as we are set free completely from the prison of the flesh (the first resurrection), we are given a change of garment by the Lord, and we shall reign with Him. 

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

In verse 3, we are given to know that the word of the Lord came expressly to Ezekiel. Before this time, although Ezekiel was a priest, he did not have an encounter with the word of the Lord. In other words, it is when our heavens are opened that we hear clearly what the Lord is saying to us in the spirit. 

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

We are also told in verse 3 that the hand of the Lord was upon Ezekiel even during these difficult times in Babylon. That is to say that even when we did not know Him, He was there with us all along and ordering our steps. How much more when we have come to know Him? Surely, He will bring us to an expected end!! The work the Lord has started in us, He will surely bring to completion!! There are times in our lives when we are going through hard times and cannot see the light of day. In the midst of our tribulation, the hand of the Lord is upon us, just as in Ezekiel’s situation in Babylon the Lord was with Him.

Psa 138:7  Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand delivers me. 
Psa 138:8  The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands. 

Php 1:6  And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

The Whirlwind from the North

Eze 1:4  And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire. 

When Christ comes to us, while we are yet sinners and spending our time in Babylon, to show us the mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven, He comes with His judgment. The whirlwind Ezekiel saw is a symbol of the Lord’s judgment as shown in the following verses:

Jer 23:19  Behold, a whirlwind of the LORD is gone forth in fury, even a grievous whirlwind: it shall fall grievously upon the head of the wicked.

Jer 25:32  Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth.

This is what Brother Mike said in his study of the Book of Revelation about the significance of the north where the whirlwind was coming from. The fact that the tribe of Dan was to be on the north during Israel’s travels and when they settled in the land, tells us of the meaning of the symbolism of ‘the north.’ Dan means ‘judge.’

Gen 49:16 Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel.

Num 2:25 The standard of the camp of Dan shall be on the north side by their armies: and the captain of the children of Dan [shall be] Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.

Apart from the whirlwind, which speaks of our judgment, Ezekiel also saw a great cloud and fire infolding itself. The great cloud represents the cloud of witnesses or the elect who had persevered and won the prize and therefore serve as witnesses to us that the Lord who has begun a good work in our lives will see to its completion.  The fire infolding itself also speaks about our judgment as it is by judgment that we learn righteousness.  One version explains the fire infolding itself to mean fire coming one after another. In some versions, it means fire flashing forth continuously. What is significant is that our judgment is not carried out all at once but comes one after another. If we look back at what we have gone through in this life, it is like the fire flashing forth continuously, that is, being judged continuously just like the three Hebrew young men being in the fire continuously until they were delivered.

Jud 1:14  And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints [the cloud], 
Jud 1:15  To execute judgment upon all [the fire infolding itself], and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. 

Eze 1:4 And, looking, I saw a storm-wind coming out of the north, a great cloud with flames of fire coming after one another, and a bright light shining round about it and in the heart of it was something coloured like electrum. (BBE) 

Eze 1:4 As I looked, behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, and a great cloud, with brightness around it, and fire flashing forth continually, and in the midst of the fire, as it were gleaming metal. (ESV)

The brightness around the great cloud with fire infolding itself signifies the Lord’s coming to His saints with His words. 

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:

In the middle of the fire was the color amber which many versions of the Bible translate as polished metal. 

Eze 1:4  I saw a windstorm blowing in from the north. Lightning flashed from a huge cloud and lit up the whole sky with a dazzling brightness. The fiery center of the cloud was as shiny as polished metal, (CEV)

A polished metal is one that has been refined resulting in the removal of dirt and all the dross. What the polished metal in the midst of the fire signifies is that our fiery trials remove all that contaminates our walk with Christ so that we can be presented blameless before God.

Col 1:21  And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
Col 1:22  In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:

Coming to Know The Four Living Creatures

Eze 1:5  Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man.
Eze 1:6  And everyone had four faces, and every one had four wings.

In the midst of the storm, out of great clouds and fire appeared the four living creatures who were likened to man. This implies that these four living creatures represent the elect who were the target of the storm and fire. Being four means that they signify the whole of the elect of every generation. In the Book of Revelation, we are made certain of their identity as the Lord’s elect as follows:

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

Each of the four living creatures which represent the whole of the Lord’s elect had four faces of a lion, ox, man and an eagle. 

Eze 1:10  As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle.

Later in the Book of Revelation, each of the four living creatures has a specific face of either a lion, calf, man, or an eagle. 

Rev 4:7  And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.

What we must realize is that Ezekiel was shown these four living creatures to know the end result of the Lord’s judgment of our old man. In other words, the result of the Lord’s judgment is for us, His elect to become like Christ. The four faces of the living creatures show us who the Lord was when He was here on earth and is now working in us to become like Him. In the spirit, it therefore does not matter whether each of the living creatures has four faces or one as we must bear all the four faces of Christ. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mar 2:8 And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts?

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

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

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

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

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

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

It is also instructive to note that the four living creatures have four wings. We know that it is only birds or fowls of the air that have wings. This means that the four living creatures are likened to fowls of the air. We know from the Lord’s teaching that fowls of the air indicate the spiritual realm. What this signifies is that, although the Lord’s elect (living creatures) are men, they live in a spiritual realm. In other words, we have been raised to live in heavenly places with Christ. The fact that the living creatures have four wings signifies that the whole of the elect lives in the spiritual realm. 

Mat 3:16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:

Eph 2:4  But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 
Eph 2:5  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 
Eph 2:6  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

Eze 1:7  And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf’s foot: and they sparkled like the colour of burnished brass. 
Eze 1:8  And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and they four had their faces and their wings. 

The feet of the four living creatures being straight means that their walk before the Lord is not crooked. In other words, they are blameless before God. The soles of their feet being like that of a calf is very interesting. The feet of human beings are very soft and are susceptible to being easily pierced by a sharp object. Those of a calf are very hard and are not vulnerable to being hurt easily. What this means is that as His elect, it is not easy to derail our walk before the Lord. This is because the Lord protects our walk before Him. 

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

Psa 34:7  The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.

The feet of the four living creatures sparkling like burnished brass is to remind us of the feet of our Lord Jesus when He appeared to John in the island of Patmos. The burnished brass (copper) signifies the fiery trials we experience in this sinful flesh. Our Lord Jesus was the first to be judged in this life, and as we are following His footsteps here on earth, our feet are being burned in the furnace (judged) so that we shall be blameless before the Lord.

Rev 1:13  And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. 
Rev 1:14  His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; 
Rev 1:15  And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.

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

Eze 1:9  Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward. 
Eze 1:10  As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle.
Eze 1:11  Thus were their faces: and their wings were stretched upward; two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies.
Eze 1:12  And they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was to go, they went; and they turned not when they went.

To understand what is said by their wings being joined one to another, we need to look at the function of the wings as stated in the following verse:

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

The sound of their wings is the same as the voice of the Lord. This implies that the joining of their wings means that they have one mind and say the same thing. In verse 11, the two wings which are joined one to another therefore means that they speak the same thing as witnesses of Christ.

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

As indicated, the wings signify the spiritual realm. The two wings protecting the body in verse 11 therefore suggest that in walking in the spirit we do not defile the body or fulfill the desires of the flesh. Our protection in Christ is by walking in the spirit or obeying His words. 

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

The wings of the living creatures stretching upward in verse 11 affirms the fact that the wings of the living creatures signify the spiritual realm as shown in the following verse:

Ecc 3:21  Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?

In verse 9, when the living creatures were moving, they went straight ahead. In verse 11, we are given additional information about this straight-ahead movement. That is, we are shown that they move according to the spirit. This suggests that they are led by the spirit to focus only on the prize of the higher calling. They do not look back to focus on the flesh. In other words, the elect do not remember their past experiences (look back) as they forge ahead through the Holy Spirit to focus on the prize of the Lord’s higher calling.

Php 3:13  Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
Php 3:14  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Eze 1:13  As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of lamps: it went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning.
Eze 1:14  And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.

The appearance of the living creatures as burning coals of fire with lightning emanating from the fire all signify the judgment of the elect which causes us to become the lamps of the world, giving light to those in the household of faith, first in this life and later to the whole world. 

Mat 5:14  “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 
Mat 5:15  Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.
Mat 5:16  In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

The running and returning of the living creatures as the appearance of a flash of lightning in verse 14 is to show us that our struggles (running and returning) in this life are all preparing us to become judges (Flash of lightning) in an age to come.

Rev 20:4  Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

May the Lord continue to help us to become like Him as we focus on the prize of His higher calling. Amen!!

1Ki 13:1-34 “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed” (Gal 1:8)

[Study Aired April 7, 2022]

1Ki 13:1  And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the LORD unto Bethel: and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense. 
1Ki 13:2  And he cried against the altar in the word of the LORD, and said, O altar, altar, thus saith the LORD; Behold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men’s bones shall be burnt upon thee. 
1Ki 13:3  And he gave a sign the same day, saying, This is the sign which the LORD hath spoken; Behold, the altar shall be rent, and the ashes that are upon it shall be poured out. 
1Ki 13:4  And it came to pass, when king Jeroboam heard the saying of the man of God, which had cried against the altar in Bethel, that he put forth his hand from the altar, saying, Lay hold on him. And his hand, which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not pull it in again to him. 
1Ki 13:5  The altar also was rent, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of the LORD. 
1Ki 13:6  And the king answered and said unto the man of God, Intreat now the face of the LORD thy God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored me again. And the man of God besought the LORD, and the king’s hand was restored him again, and became as it was before. 
1Ki 13:7  And the king said unto the man of God, Come home with me, and refresh thyself, and I will give thee a reward. 
1Ki 13:8  And the man of God said unto the king, If thou wilt give me half thine house, I will not go in with thee, neither will I eat bread nor drink water in this place: 
1Ki 13:9  For so was it charged me by the word of the LORD, saying, Eat no bread, nor drink water, nor turn again by the same way that thou camest. 
1Ki 13:10  So he went another way, and returned not by the way that he came to Bethel. 
1Ki 13:11  Now there dwelt an old prophet in Bethel; and his sons came and told him all the works that the man of God had done that day in Bethel: the words which he had spoken unto the king, them they told also to their father. 
1Ki 13:12  And their father said unto them, What way went he? For his sons had seen what way the man of God went, which came from Judah. 
1Ki 13:13  And he said unto his sons, Saddle me the ass. So they saddled him the ass: and he rode thereon, 
1Ki 13:14  And went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak: and he said unto him, Art thou the man of God that camest from Judah? And he said, I am. 
1Ki 13:15  Then he said unto him, Come home with me, and eat bread. 
1Ki 13:16  And he said, I may not return with thee, nor go in with thee: neither will I eat bread nor drink water with thee in this place: 
1Ki 13:17  For it was said to me by the word of the LORD, Thou shalt eat no bread nor drink water there, nor turn again to go by the way that thou camest. 
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. 
1Ki 13:19  So he went back with him, and did eat bread in his house, and drank water. 
1Ki 13:20  And it came to pass, as they sat at the table, that the word of the LORD came unto the prophet that brought him back: 
1Ki 13:21  And he cried unto the man of God that came from Judah, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Forasmuch as thou hast disobeyed the mouth of the LORD, and hast not kept the commandment which the LORD thy God commanded thee, 
1Ki 13:22  But camest back, and hast eaten bread and drunk water in the place, of the which the LORD did say to thee, Eat no bread, and drink no water; thy carcase shall not come unto the sepulchre of thy fathers. 
1Ki 13:23  And it came to pass, after he had eaten bread, and after he had drunk, that he saddled for him the ass, to wit, for the prophet whom he had brought back. 
1Ki 13:24  And when he was gone, a lion met him by the way, and slew him: and his carcase was cast in the way, and the ass stood by it, the lion also stood by the carcase. 
1Ki 13:25  And, behold, men passed by, and saw the carcase cast in the way, and the lion standing by the carcase: and they came and told it in the city where the old prophet dwelt. 
1Ki 13:26  And when the prophet that brought him back from the way heard thereof, he said, It is the man of God, who was disobedient unto the word of the LORD: therefore the LORD hath delivered him unto the lion, which hath torn him, and slain him, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake unto him. 
1Ki 13:27  And he spake to his sons, saying, Saddle me the ass. And they saddled him. 
1Ki 13:28  And he went and found his carcase cast in the way, and the ass and the lion standing by the carcase: the lion had not eaten the carcase, nor torn the ass. 
1Ki 13:29  And the prophet took up the carcase of the man of God, and laid it upon the ass, and brought it back: and the old prophet came to the city, to mourn and to bury him. 
1Ki 13:30  And he laid his carcase in his own grave; and they mourned over him, saying, Alas, my brother! 
1Ki 13:31  And it came to pass, after he had buried him, that he spake to his sons, saying, When I am dead, then bury me in the sepulchre wherein the man of God is buried; lay my bones beside his bones: 
1Ki 13:32  For the saying which he cried by the word of the LORD against the altar in Bethel, and against all the houses of the high places which are in the cities of Samaria, shall surely come to pass. 
1Ki 13:33  After this thing Jeroboam returned not from his evil way, but made again of the lowest of the people priests of the high places: whosoever would, he consecrated him, and he became one of the priests of the high places. 
1Ki 13:34  And this thing became sin unto the house of Jeroboam, even to cut it off, and to destroy it from off the face of the earth. 

This section of Kings is an example of how we must be steadfastly about our Father’s business (Luk 2:49, 1Jn 4:17) which requires that we try every spirit whether it is of God or not, unlike the prophet in this story who fell away from his own steadfast spirit that was initially intent on obeying God’s command and was later deceived by a lying spirit (Psa 51:10, Col 2:5, 2Pe 3:17, 1Jn 4:1). Clearly it is God who has to create this steadfast spirit within us, otherwise we would not be about our Father’s business and moving with fear as Noah did to build the ark, which symbolizes the building of the body of Christ that is being “fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love” (Heb 11:7, Eph 4:16).

Psa 51:10  Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right^H3559 spirit within me. 

Col 2:5  For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ.

2Pe 3:17  Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.

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

Heb 11:7  By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

H3559 – [‘right’]  kûn  Total KJV Occurrences: 234

prepared, 53  Exo_23:20, Num_21:27, Jos_4:4, 1Ki_6:18-19 (2), 1Ch_12:39, 1Ch_15:1, 1Ch_15:3, 1Ch_15:12, 1Ch_22:3, 1Ch_22:5, 1Ch_22:14 (2), 1Ch_29:2-3 (2), 1Ch_29:16, 2Ch_1:4, 2Ch_3:1, 2Ch_8:16, 2Ch_12:14, 2Ch_19:3, 2Ch_20:33, 2Ch_26:14, 2Ch_27:6, 2Ch_29:19, 2Ch_29:36, 2Ch_31:11, 2Ch_35:10, 2Ch_35:14-16 (3), 2Ch_35:20, Neh_8:10 (2), Est_6:4, Est_7:10, Job_28:27, Job_29:7, Psa_7:13, Psa_9:7, Psa_57:6, Psa_68:10, Psa_74:16, Psa_103:19, Pro_8:27, Pro_19:29, Pro_21:31, Isa_30:33, Eze_28:13, Eze_38:7, Hos_6:3, Nah_2:5, Zep_1:7

established, 44  Gen_41:32, Exo_15:17, Deu_32:6, 1Sa_13:13, 1Sa_20:31, 2Sa_5:12, 2Sa_7:16, 2Sa_7:26, 1Ki_2:12, 1Ki_2:24, 1Ki_2:45-46 (2), 1Ch_17:14, 1Ch_17:24, 2Ch_12:1, Job_21:8, Psa_40:2 (2), Psa_89:21, Psa_89:37, Psa_93:2, Psa_96:10, Psa_102:28, Psa_119:90, Psa_140:11, Pro_3:19, Pro_4:26, Pro_12:3, Pro_12:19, Pro_16:3, Pro_16:12, Pro_20:18, Pro_24:3, Pro_25:5, Pro_29:14, Isa_2:2, Isa_16:5, Isa_45:18, Isa_54:14, Jer_10:12, Jer_30:20, Jer_51:15, Mic_4:1, Zec_5:11

prepare, 41  Exo_16:5, Num_23:1, Num_23:29, Deu_19:3, Jos_1:11, 1Sa_7:3, 1Sa_23:22, 1Ch_9:32, 1Ch_29:18, 2Ch_2:9, 2Ch_31:11, 2Ch_35:4, 2Ch_35:6, Job_8:8, Job_11:13, Psa_10:16-17 (3), Psa_59:4, Psa_107:36, Pro_24:27, Pro_30:25, Isa_14:21, Isa_40:20, Jer_46:14, Jer_51:12, Eze_38:7, Eze_43:25, Eze_45:17, Eze_45:22-24 (3), Eze_46:2, Eze_46:7, Eze_46:12-15 (6), Amo_4:12

ready, 17  Gen_43:16, Gen_43:25, Exo_19:11, Exo_19:15, Exo_34:2, Jos_8:4, 1Ch_28:2, 2Ch_35:14, Job_12:5, Job_15:23, Psa_7:12 (2), Psa_11:2, Psa_21:12, Psa_38:17, Eze_7:13-14 (2)

establish, 14  2Sa_7:12, 1Ch_17:11, 1Ch_22:10, 1Ch_28:7, Psa_7:9, Psa_48:8, Psa_87:5, Psa_89:2, Psa_89:4, Psa_90:17 (2), Psa_99:4, Isa_62:7, Jer_33:2

set, 6  2Ch_29:35, Ezr_3:3, Psa_78:8, Eze_4:2-3 (2), Eze_4:7

fixed, 4  Psa_57:7 (3), Psa_108:1, Psa_112:7

right, 4  Job_42:7-8 (3), Psa_51:10, Psa_78:37

order, 3  2Ch_29:35, Psa_119:133, Isa_9:7

prepareth, 3  2Ch_30:19, Job_15:35, Psa_147:8

certain, 2  Deu_13:14, Deu_17:4

confirmed, 2  2Sa_7:24, 1Ch_14:2

directeth, 2  Pro_16:9, Pro_21:29

fashioned, 2  Psa_119:73, Eze_16:7

firm, 2  Jos_3:17, Jos_4:3

preparation, 2  1Ch_22:5, Nah_2:3

provide, 2  2Ch_2:7, Psa_78:20

provideth, 2  Job_38:41, Pro_6:8

stablish, 2  2Sa_7:13, 1Ch_17:12

stablished, 2  2Ch_17:5, Psa_93:1

aright, 1  Psa_78:8

certainty, 1  1Sa_23:23

confirm, 1  Psa_68:9

deed, 1  1Sa_26:4

direct, 1  Jer_10:23

directed, 1  Psa_119:5

faithfulness, 1  Psa_5:9

fashion, 1  Job_31:15

fastened, 1  Eze_40:43

fitted, 1  Pro_22:18

frame, 1  Jdg_12:6

meet, 1  Exo_8:26

ordained, 1  Psa_8:3

ordered, 1  Psa_37:23

perfect, Pro_4:18

preparest, Psa_65:9

provided, 1  Psa_65:9 (2)

provision, 1  1Ch_29:19

setteth, 1  Psa_65:6

stable, 1  1Ch_16:30

stablisheth, 1  Hab_2:12

standeth, 1  Jdg_16:26

stood, 1  Jdg_16:29

tarry, 1  Psa_101:7

very, 1  1Sa_26:4

We must examine ourselves, judge ourselves (1Co 11:31) and be given to grow in our ability to bring every thought into subjection to Christ if we are going to properly try the spirits outside ourselves, and this is the dying daily process God’s elect have been called to mature into (1Co 11:31, 1Co 15:31). Neither the young nor the old prophet in this story has his name mentioned as a symbol to us that God is doing away with our first adamic name and nature through judgment via the word of God that comes from the prophet, and then he gives us a new name in Christ (Rev 2:17).

1Co 11:31  For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. 

Rev 2:17  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

The fiery experience of being brought to repentance is not something we are to despise in our spirits and grow weary. Although our flesh does not enjoy the process (Joh 21:18), God has promised to shepherd us unto salvation via the good shepherd (Joh 10:11) who is “able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him” and knows how to “confirm you unto the end” through the precious trial of our faith (1Co 1:8, Act 14:22, 1Pe 1:7) so that we may receive the reward of eternal life through Christ, the blessing to which we have been called (Rom 2:4, Heb 12:11, Heb 7:25, 1Pe 3:9).

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? 

Heb 12:11  Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby [The elect are exercised through chastening, which is how we are received by the Lord (Heb 12:6)].

Heb 7:25  Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them [Rom 5:10].

1Pe 3:9  Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.

If not for that judgment upon the body of Christ today, which is consistent from a loving Father who does not change (1Pe 4:12, 1Pe 4:17, Mal 3:6), we could not have our senses exercised to discern good and evil as we are dragged to Christ (Heb 5:14, Joh 6:44). Neither could we receive the strong meat which is the result of God’s forbearance and goodness which has been extended to those who are being received by Him today as His children. We are having both the beast and the false prophet burned out of us first in this life and not in the lake of fire as the rest of humanity will experience (Heb 12:6, Rev 20:10).

Mal 3:6  For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

Rev 20:10  And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. 

Twice we are told in Galatians 1:8-9 “let him be accursed”^G331 regarding those who “would pervert the gospel of Christ”. The prophet in this story, in type and shadow, is the one who perverts the gospel of Christ by ultimately disobeying God’s command, being deceived and turned away by a lying spirit from the older prophet, which was all according to the counsel of God’s own will and written for our admonition upon whom the end of the ages is come (Eze 14:9, Eph 1:11, 1Co 10:11).

G33
α
νάθεμα
anathema
Total KJV Occurrences: 5

accursed, 4    Rom_9:3, 1Co_12:3, Gal_1:8-9 (2)

anathema, 1  1Co 16:22

Gal 1:8  But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
Gal 1:9  As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

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

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.

It’s not another gospel being preached (Gal 1:7) that is being perverted but rather a gospel message that is not being spoken in love which is obedience to God’s commands. What naturally precedes from our hearts is a self-righteous spirit that naturally procures the wisdom of men and not the power of God about which we are the first in this life to come to learn as we grow in our ability to trust Christ through our fiery trials. These trials we are able to endure through God’s love that is shed abroad in our hearts as we preach the gospel to all men in this sinful world (Isa 3:1, 1Co 2:5-6, Eph 1:12, Rom 1:16, Rom 5:5, 1Jn 5:19).

1Co 2:5  That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
1Co 2:6  Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:

Eph 1:12  That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. 

Rom 1:16  For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek [1Co 2:6].

Rom 5:5  And hope maketh not ashamed [Col 1:27]; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

1Jn 5:19  And we know that we are of God, and the whole world [1Jn 2:16] lieth in wickedness [Both within and without – there is none good but the Father and so knowing this, our hope has to be in Christ alone! (Mar 10:18, Col 1:27)].

It is “My people” in (Isa 1:3) who “do not consider” telling us that it is the body of Christ who doesn’t consider (until we do). However, if God is working with us in this age, we are going to learn to discern spirits (1Jn 4:1-2) whether they are of the Lord or not, as we learn obedience through the things that we suffer (2Ti 2:12, Heb 5:8). That exercise of discerning spirits is of the utmost importance in order to become mature kings and priests. It will come at the expense of our life being lost and being hated by all men (Luk 21:17), which is how we will find the life of Christ and the peace of Christ which can give us the ability to endure unto the end to be saved (Mat 10:39, Mat 24:13).

Isa 1:3  The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.

The verses we are looking at in this study apply to the elect today as we near the end of our age and overcome the spirit of antichrist through Christ “whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world”. That spirit which wants to rule over our hearts and minds is being destroyed by the brightness of Christ’s coming (2Th 2:3-4). “Let no man deceive you by any means” is a lifelong battle we are called to fight against together as the body of Christ. Through Him and through the wise counsel within Christ’s body, the manifold wisdom of God (Eph 3:10), we will be more than conquerors in this age as we continue in the truth that will set us free through patient continuance in well doing (Rom 8:36-39, Joh 8:32).

1Ki 13:1  And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the LORD unto Bethel: and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense. 
1Ki 13:2  And he cried against the altar in the word of the LORD, and said, O altar, altar, thus saith the LORD; Behold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men’s bones shall be burnt upon thee. 
1Ki 13:3  And he gave a sign the same day, saying, This is the sign which the LORD hath spoken; Behold, the altar shall be rent, and the ashes that are upon it shall be poured out. 
1Ki 13:4  And it came to pass, when king Jeroboam heard the saying of the man of God, which had cried against the altar in Bethel, that he put forth his hand from the altar, saying, Lay hold on him. And his hand, which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not pull it in again to him. 

At the end of the story, we read a statement from the old prophet who deceived the younger prophet which reads: “And it came to pass, after he had buried him, that he spake to his sons, saying, When I am dead, then bury me in the sepulchre wherein the man of God is buried; lay my bones beside his bones: For the saying which he cried by the word of the LORD against the altar in Bethel, and against all the houses of the high places which are in the cities of Samaria, shall surely come to pass.” (1Ki 13:31-32)

The positive meaning of this statement for God’s elect from the older prophet regarding the death and burial of the younger prophet symbolizes the initial death of our old man. So the desire to be buried with our bones beside the younger prophet while we are alive symbolizes our understanding that we must lay down our life and die daily, and endure until the end to see the prophecies fulfilled in our lives which prophecies forecast that God is “against the altar in Bethel, and against all the houses of the high places which are in the cities of Samaria,“ within us. His judgment in time “shall surely come to pass” in destroying all these idols.

Without getting too ahead of ourselves, let’s notice that after all these signs and wonders were performed for the unbelieving (Joh 4:48, Joh 20:29) that we will read of throughout this story, in the end “Jeroboam returned not from his evil way, but made again of the lowest of the people priests of the high places: whosoever would, he consecrated him, and he became one of the priests of the high places. And this thing became sin unto the house of Jeroboam, even to cut it off, and to destroy it from off the face of the earth“, showing us that no matter what miraculous signs happen in the earth, the greatest miracle remains the conversion of our hearts and minds which enables us to try the spirits whether they are of the Lord. The inability of the young prophet and Jeroboam to not be affected by those outward signs inwardly was a testimony of the unbelieving hearts that they and all of mankind have until we’re granted the grace through faith experience God’s elect have in this life which makes it possible for us to believe and do the work of God (Eph 2:8, Joh 6:28, Mat 13:16).

With this background in mind, it becomes more obvious why Jeroboam was reluctant to hear the prophecy which the young prophet brought, as it meant that he was going to be destroyed because of the idolatrous way he was conducting himself. Jeroboam was holding fast to his own righteousness, and this is symbolized by this verse: “And it came to pass, when king Jeroboam heard the saying of the man of God, which had cried against the altar in Bethel, that he put forth his hand from the altar, saying, Lay hold on him. And his hand, which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not pull it in again to him“. He could not lay hold on the things of God via the withered and cursed hand; the weapon formed that was against the prophet of God “he put forth his hand” was not going to prosper (Isa 54:17). The hand drying up is symbolic of the fruitless attempt of Jeroboam who was trying to control the nation of Israel through the idolatrous actions that were taking place at “the altar in Bethel“.

Jeroboam’s rejection of “a man of God out of Judah by the word of the LORD unto Bethel” was conclusive at the end of the story, just as Israel’s earlier rejection and rebellion against Moses, whose rebellious hearts were confirmed via their rejection of the signs and wonders God used Moses to bring to the people (Exo 4:6-9).

Exo 4:6  And the LORD said furthermore unto him, Put now thine hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom: and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow. 
Exo 4:7  And he said, Put thine hand into thy bosom again. And he put his hand into his bosom again; and plucked it out of his bosom, and, behold, it was turned again as his other flesh. 
Exo 4:8  And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign. 
Exo 4:9  And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also these two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land: and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land.

The young prophet “cried against the altar in the word of the LORD, and said, O altar, altar, thus saith the LORD; Behold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men’s bones shall be burnt upon thee“. Josiah was a good king of Israel who typified Christ who would come and outwardly destroy the false prophets and idol worship as Christ does within the temple which we are today (Joh 2:14-15, 1Co 3:16). Josiah’s sign, which was of the LORD, was a dire prophecy that called for the altar to be rent, and the ashes upon it to be poured out, symbolizing the false worship within us that worships God at first at an altar made with men’s hands, men’s efforts and not by the power of God. His power can only manifest after Christ – symbolized by Josiah – offers “the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men’s bones shall be burnt upon thee.“

1Ki 13:5  The altar also was rent, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of the LORD.

As we noted, “the sign which the man of God had given by the word of the LORD” represents our old way of thinking, our former conversation or way of life, at an altar that represents the self-righteous works of our flesh which must be destroyed. Even the ashes are an abomination to God telling us that no part of our past is accepted by Him. Only that which we give back to God through Christ is accepted (Jud 1:23-25, Eph 1:6, 1Ch 29:14).

Jud 1:23  And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. 
Jud 1:24  Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, 
Jud 1:25  To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. 

Eph 1:6  To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. 

1Ch 29:14  But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee. 

1Ki 13:6  And the king answered and said unto the man of God, Intreat now the face of the LORD thy God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored me again. And the man of God besought the LORD, and the king’s hand was restored him again, and became as it was before. 
1Ki 13:7  And the king said unto the man of God, Come home with me, and refresh thyself, and I will give thee a reward. 

The restoring of Jeroboam’s hand is like the beast with the deadly wound that is healed in (Rev 13:3, Rev 13:12), and the first thing Jeroboam requests of the man of God after his wound is healed is to “Come home with me, and refresh thyself, and I will give thee a reward.” Jeroboam represents our yet carnal old man who does not savor the things of God (Mat 16:23) but is like Satan offering creature comforts to “refresh thyself” and wanting to “give you a reward” in the earth (Mat 4:3, Mat 4:8), which in this case if followed through, with would be an act of disobedience to God on the part of the prophet.

Rev 13:3  And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. 

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

Mat 16:23  But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men. 

Mat 4:3  And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. 

Mat 4:8  Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; 

1Ki 13:8  And the man of God said unto the king, If thou wilt give me half thine house, I will not go in with thee, neither will I eat bread nor drink water in this place: 
1Ki 13:9  For so was it charged me by the word of the LORD, saying, Eat no bread, nor drink water, nor turn again by the same way that thou camest. 
1Ki 13:10  So he went another way, and returned not by the way that he came to Bethel.

The now obedient prophet explains to Jeroboam that even up to “half thine house“, half your creature comforts, is not going to entice me to go into your house and partake of your bread and drink. So far so good, this prophet sees in type and shadow there really is no stay of bread and water in this place (Isa 3:1), and whether it is a half or a whole amount that he receives, he recognizes the blessing he is after can only come through complete obedience to God’s word which commanded him to neither “eat bread nor drink water in this place.“

It was “charged me by the word of the LORD, saying, Eat no bread, nor drink water, nor turn again by the same way that thou camest” is a reminder that God’s word is a book of addition, and that the sum of His word is truth and not the half (Psa 119:160), therefore we don’t backtrack once we have proven something via the council of elders (1Th 5:21). This is the positive symbolic meaning behind these words “he went another way, and returned not by the way that he came to Bethel.“

1Ki 13:11  Now there dwelt an old prophet in Bethel; and his sons came and told him all the works that the man of God had done that day in Bethel: the words which he had spoken unto the king, them they told also to their father.

God is the father of spirits to whom we are subject (Eze 14:9, Job 1:7), and He causes us to be subject to our old man in a positive sense at an appointed time as typified in Hebrews 12:9, although most of our life we are subject to our old man in a negative sense within, being in bondage to sin (Joh 8:34).

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

Job 1:7  And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. 

Heb 12:9  Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? [Joh 19:11]

In this section of kings the prophet’s “sons came and told him all the works that the man of God had done that day in Bethel.” It is reminiscent of Satan coming to God to give a report of what was going on in the earth, just as these sons of the “old prophet in Bethel” are going to the prophet seeing they have been “going to and fro in the earth” and have been “walking up and down in it”.

1Ki 13:12  And their father said unto them, What way went he? For his sons had seen what way the man of God went, which came from Judah. 
1Ki 13:13  And he said unto his sons, Saddle me the ass. So they saddled him the ass: and he rode thereon, 
1Ki 13:14  And went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak: and he said unto him, Art thou the man of God that camest from Judah? And he said, I am.

This section of scripture is a negative and reverse example of what Christ did when he came into Jerusalem on the “foal of an ass” (Zec 9:9). First of all, the father inquires where the prophet is, showing that he did not know where he was going unlike Christ who knew where He was going (Joh 8:14). He is leaving Judah on an ass going where his sons are telling him to go, taking his direction, in other words, from false doctrines represented by his sons. His sons are subject to him and provide the saddled beast needed, unlike the foal that was obtained for Christ and was loosed by two disciples who witness to us that this particular beast represents God’s elect who are going to be directed and freed by Christ. Putting our clothes upon the colt symbolizes our subjection to Christ and understanding our need to have Him wash our clothes from our own self-righteousness through His strength which guides us and leads us to repentance (Mat 21:1-7, Rev 7:14, Rom 2:4).

Joh 8:14  Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go.

Mat 21:1  And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, 
Mat 21:2  Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me. 
Mat 21:3  And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them. 
Mat 21:4  All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, 
Mat 21:5  Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass. 
Mat 21:6  And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, 
Mat 21:7  And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. 

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

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?

1Ki 13:15  Then he said unto him, Come home with me, and eat bread. 
1Ki 13:16  And he said, I may not return with thee, nor go in with thee: neither will I eat bread nor drink water with thee in this place: 
1Ki 13:17  For it was said to me by the word of the LORD, Thou shalt eat no bread nor drink water there, nor turn again to go by the way that thou camest. 
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. 

It’s hard to miss the symbolism here, as the young prophet is asked by the older prophet to “Come home with me, and eat bread” and it is the younger prophet being the one who is being enticed to yield himself to this older servant to obey him, specifically in matters of doctrine, which is what eating bread symbolizes (Rom 6:16). This is twice now he has told the older prophet “I may not return with thee, nor go in with thee: neither will I eat bread nor drink water with thee in this place,” but the spirit of a harlot is persistent and contrary to his witnessing twice that he must obey God, it is revealed that his yet carnal spirit is not able to discern the test which is before him (Pro 7:21), It is being illustrated for us here as the older prophet goes on to lie with these words that persuaded the younger prophet to go and eat with him against God’s commandment: “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” (Gal 1:8, 2Co 11:4, 2Jn 1:10). All of this is instructive for us as it shows us how God knows what is in our hearts, and it takes a miracle to be obedient as well as it takes a miracle to be deceived, both of which God is able to manifest according to the counsel of His own will. We are admonished to be obedient, but in the end it is God who gives us that power through Christ to discern and obey our Father through Christ, our hope of glory (Col 1:27).

1Ki 13:19  So he went back with him, and did eat bread in his house, and drank water.

What it took for these actions of the younger prophet to transpire was a series of events which is explained for us in this proverb (Pro 7:21-23), that demonstrates how God’s sword can be wielded through the seductive lies of the devil via the prophet of God whom He can use to deceive another prophet (Eze 14:9-11, Psa 17:13).

Pro 7:21  With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him. 
Pro 7:22  He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks; 
Pro 7:23  Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life. 

Eze 14:9  And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the LORD have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel. 
Eze 14:10  And they shall bear the punishment of their iniquity: the punishment of the prophet shall be even as the punishment of him that seeketh unto him; 
Eze 14:11  That the house of Israel may go no more astray from me, neither be polluted any more with all their transgressions; but that they may be my people, and I may be their God, saith the Lord GOD.

Psa 17:12  Like as a lion that is greedy of his prey, and as it were a young lion lurking in secret places. 
Psa 17:13  Arise, O LORD, disappoint him, cast him down: deliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy sword  [The young prophet was not delivered from the lion who represents Satan who already had devoured the young prophet via the lie of the old prophet, and so we cry out to God through our Lord the stronger Lion of the tribe of Judah (Heb 5:7) “deliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy sword“, in this case the old prophet was God’s sword that did His bidding]

1Ki 13:20  And it came to pass, as they sat at the table, that the word of the LORD came unto the prophet that brought him back: 
1Ki 13:21  And he cried unto the man of God that came from Judah, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Forasmuch as thou hast disobeyed the mouth of the LORD, and hast not kept the commandment which the LORD thy God commanded thee, 
1Ki 13:22  But camest back, and hast eaten bread and drunk water in the place, of the which the LORD did say to thee, Eat no bread, and drink no water; thy carcase shall not come unto the sepulchre of thy fathers. 

It’s important to notice that “the prophet that brought him back” was not the one who was seeking the occasion against the flesh of the young prophet. Rather “it came to pass, as they sat at the table, that the word of the LORD came unto the prophet” and then “he cried unto the man of God that came from Judah, saying, Thus saith the LORD“. This section of the word of God declares it was the Lord who was coming to the prophet, and the same is true of the first part of the process where the Lord came unto the prophet by way of sending a lying spirit: “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” (Eze 14:9). In both instances it was of the Lord and all according to the counsel of His own will (Eph 1:11). Because of these actions of the prophet who “camest back, and hast eaten bread and drunk water in the place, of the which the LORD did say to thee, Eat no bread, and drink no water“, his punishment would be that “thy carcase shall not come unto the sepulchre of thy fathers“, meaning our old man of sin – symbolized by this prophet – cannot be buried in “the sepulchre of thy fathers” which represents our baptism into Christ lineage. Eating the true bread of life, Jesus Christ, and drinking the true living waters of God’s truth is what is required to be baptized into Christ’s death (Rom 6:1-3).

Rom 6:1  What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 
Rom 6:2  God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 
Rom 6:3  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

1Ki 13:23  And it came to pass, after he had eaten bread, and after he had drunk, that he saddled for him the ass, to wit, for the prophet whom he had brought back. 
1Ki 13:24  And when he was gone, a lion met him by the way, and slew him: and his carcase was cast in the way, and the ass stood by it, the lion also stood by the carcase. 

Our own iniquity, which is self-righteousness (Eze 33:13), brings us to eat at an altar that is not the one where God’s elect will ultimately be dragged (Heb 13:10, Joh 6:44, Joh 21:18). In this story, it is another man, the older prophet, who saddled the ass for the younger prophet who he brought back, showing us that the younger prophet is not working out his own salvation, in type and shadow, but is being directed by the old prophet who represents the lying spirits of Babylon out of which we come. This path that the Nicolaitan spirit ruling over the laity within us has is “a lion in the way” who represents Satan who is going to keep us in the bondage of sin until Christ sets us free.

The lion slaying the young prophet on the way is a shadow of the period of time in our lives when the deadly wound is not yet healed (Rev 13:12). Then “the ass stood by it” and “the lion also stood by the carcase” as a witness that this event represents the first deadly wound. If the prophet would have been eaten by the lion, his destruction would have been like Goliath being beheaded with the sword after he was initially killed by the stone that David slew him with (1Sa 17:49-51). The ass is just standing there, meaning there is no more direction to be given by this beast, unlike the beast that took Christ into Jerusalem triumphantly. It was there Christ would die for the sins of the world, so that God’s elect can now go without the camp “bearing his reproach” through Christ who gives us the strength to take this path (Heb 13:13, Php 4:13).

1Ki 13:25  And, behold, men passed by, and saw the carcase cast in the way, and the lion standing by the carcase: and they came and told it in the city where the old prophet dwelt. 
1Ki 13:26  And when the prophet that brought him back from the way heard thereof, he said, It is the man of God, who was disobedient unto the word of the LORD: therefore the LORD hath delivered him unto the lion, which hath torn him, and slain him, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake unto him. 
1Ki 13:27  And he spake to his sons, saying, Saddle me the ass. And they saddled him. 
1Ki 13:28  And he went and found his carcase cast in the way, and the ass and the lion standing by the carcase: the lion had not eaten the carcase, nor torn the ass. 
1Ki 13:29  And the prophet took up the carcase of the man of God, and laid it upon the ass, and brought it back: and the old prophet came to the city, to mourn and to bury him. 
1Ki 13:30  And he laid his carcase in his own grave; and they mourned over him, saying, Alas, my brother! 

Except by the grace of God go we (1Co 15:10), otherwise Babylon will have control of us from birth to death as typified for us in this section of scripture we’re studying. At first, after we were illuminated, we endured a great fight of afflictions (Heb 10:32) and “were made a gazing stock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used” (Heb 10:33), which is what this typical statement is telling us: “And, behold, men passed by, and saw the carcase cast in the way, and the lion standing by the carcase: and they came and told it in the city where the old prophet dwelt“. The young prophet is typical of our initial lying dead in the streets of Jerusalem, but when the old prophet gets word of this, “And when the prophet that brought him back from the way heard“, he reiterates his sins and reminds everyone as a type of the accuser of the brethren (Rev 12:10) who this man was: “It is the man of God, who was disobedient unto the word of the LORD: therefore the LORD hath delivered him unto the lion, which hath torn him, and slain him, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake unto him.“

He then reveals his desire to continue to take control of this dead man’s body as explained with these words: “And he went and found his carcase cast in the way, and the ass and the lion standing by the carcase: the lion had not eaten the carcase, nor torn the ass. And the prophet took up the carcase of the man of God, and laid it upon the ass, and brought it back: and the old prophet came to the city, to mourn and to bury him.” Symbolically the young prophet had started to die daily but was taken back by the old prophet to be buried the way he wanted, under his terms and conditions, showing us that both men were ‘the dead burying the dead’ (Luk 9:60).

Luk 9:60  Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.

It wasn’t enough to just bury him anywhere: “he laid his carcase in his own grave; and they mourned over him, saying, Alas, my brother!” He was his brother in spirit, being prophets who were subject to one another in the negative sense of prophets being subject to one another, and he mourned over him. However, he mourned as others and not as we do for the dying daily process we are blessed to endure together in Christ (1Co 14:32, 1Th 4:13).

1Co 14:32  And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. 

1Th 4:13  But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

1Ki 13:31  And it came to pass, after he had buried him, that he spake to his sons, saying, When I am dead, then bury me in the sepulchre wherein the man of God is buried; lay my bones beside his bones: 
1Ki 13:32  For the saying which he cried by the word of the LORD against the altar in Bethel, and against all the houses of the high places which are in the cities of Samaria, shall surely come to pass. 

What a strange homage coming from the mouth of the old false prophet who wants to be just like his deceived brother and asks his sons, who represent his false doctrine, “When I am dead, then bury me in the sepulchre wherein the man of God is buried; lay my bones beside his bones.” The old prophet is still discerning that the words the young prophet spoke were of the Lord, but does not see how they apply to his own life. We can have all knowledge of God’s word and plenty of wisdom but no love, which is obedience to the commandments of the Lord (1Co 13:1-10). He is inspired to say that these prophecies are true and right and will come to pass and marvels at that and wants his body to be buried next to the young prophet for this reason alone. He is not considering that the man was devoured by a lion which represents Satan and ultimately was deceived by the devil just as this old prophet is and is witnessing to that fact by wanting to be buried alongside his kindred-spirited younger prophet.

1Co 13:1  Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 
1Co 13:2  And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

1Ki 13:33  After this thing Jeroboam returned not from his evil way, but made again of the lowest of the people priests of the high places: whosoever would, he consecrated him, and he became one of the priests of the high places. 
1Ki 13:34  And this thing became sin unto the house of Jeroboam, even to cut it off, and to destroy it from off the face of the earth.

All things are ours and are written for us (1Co 3:21-23, 1Co 10:11), and so when we read of how the old prophet acted toward the young prophet and how the younger prophet responded to the old prophet, we are looking at a progression in their lives that mirrors the progression of the false prophet within ourselves who is deceived and used by God to accomplish this deception that reveals what is in our hearts. What is there is rebellion and stubbornness and sin witnessing to us that we cannot turn from our evil ways, as we let our base nature rule over us, typified by consecrating “the lowest of the people priests of the high places: whosoever would, he consecrated him“ and with all that evil communication around him, “he became one of the priests of the high places” (1Co 15:33-34).

1Co 15:33  Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. 
1Co 15:34  Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.

When Christ is not ruling and reigning on the throne of our hearts, we will remain in bondage to sin, the powers and principalities that are ruling over our heavens stated this way: “After this thing Jeroboam returned not from his evil way, but made again of the lowest of the people priests of the high places: whosoever would, he consecrated him, and he became one of the priests of the high places.” It is through that inability to try spirits by someone who is deceived  that God seeks an occasion against our flesh. These things that happened with Jeroboam and the two prophets were written for our sakes upon whom the end of the ages are come (1Co 10:11), and admonishes us to do this going forward, with the mind of Christ that keeps us unified in Him: “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.” These words cannot be fulfilled in our life unless God gives us to operate as a healthy body that continually tries the spirits within us whether they are of the Lord as we look well to the flock of God by looking well to ourselves first (Act 20:28-31).

Act 20:28  Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. 
Act 20:29  For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. 
Act 20:30  Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. 
Act 20:31  Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears. 

The end result of Jeroboam not being given to discern spirits correctly was “And this thing became sin unto the house of Jeroboam“, and what those events we’ve read about demonstrate to us is how our old man is deceived by God, “even to cut it off, and to destroy it from off the face of the earth”, as was literally going to happen to “the house of Jeroboam” as a type of our old man that cannot inherit eternal life.

“Conquest and Failure”

August 31, 2020

The Awesome Hands series is now at the book of Judges. We have seen the blessings the Lord has given Israel so far, but things will change when the old man dies.

The process of the old man dying is always with us. Moses had to die before the crossing of the Jordan could take place. Now, Joshua must die before the next phase of the relationship with Israel and the Lord can move along. These are just examples of types and shadows of the old man dying and the new being born into the next “phase” of that particular story.

Jdg 1:1 KJV  Now after the death of Joshua it came to pass, that the children of Israel asked the LORD, saying, Who shall go up for us against the Canaanites first, to fight against them?
Jdg 1:2 KJV  And the LORD said, Judah shall go up: behold, I have delivered the land into his hand.
Jdg 1:3 KJV  And Judah said unto Simeon his brother, Come up with me into my lot, that we may fight against the Canaanites; and I likewise will go with thee into thy lot. So Simeon went with him.
Jdg 1:4 KJV  And Judah went up; and the LORD delivered the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hand: and they slew of them in Bezek ten thousand men.

It is so true, and the point of the title of this series I’ve been doing, that the hands of the Lord are in the workings of all things if only we would stop to marvel at it.

Here we read the same story, written in this generation of God’s people from which these events took place, but it is the same story with different details.

We are God’s people, chosen to do something for the kingdom of God during our lifetimes, our aion, for this “age” and on the day of the Lord, and when you look at what happens, it simply points to God being in control of it all. Judah here is a part of the same story, and that is how we can relate to it in the sense of “us and them”, “me and thee”, head and body, above and below, Jesus Christ and another Jesus, Cain and Abel, Joseph and his brothers, Jacob and Esau, Judah and the rest of his brothers.

Judah goes up against the Canaanites first, just like it happens with Jesus Christ, the Lion of the tribe of Judah. He goes before us in the fight.

Gen 49:8 KJV  Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father’s children shall bow down before thee.
Gen 49:9 KJV  Judah is a lion’s whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?

Rev 5:4 KJV  And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.
Rev 5:5 KJV  And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.

The Lion must be changed into something else for the plan of God to work, and therefore the Lion is “raised” into the Lamb.

Rev 5:6 KJV  And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
Rev 5:7 KJV  And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.
Rev 5:8 KJV  And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.
Rev 5:9 KJV  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 KJV  And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

These two aspects are speaking about the Lord from two different angles.

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

So, from the beginning the Lord has been with Judah.

Jdg 1:5 KJV  And they found Adonibezek in Bezek: and they fought against him, and they slew the Canaanites and the Perizzites.
Jdg 1:6 KJV  But Adonibezek fled; and they pursued after him, and caught him, and cut off his thumbs and his great toes.
Jdg 1:7 KJV  And Adonibezek said, Threescore and ten kings, having their thumbs and their great toes cut off, gathered their meat under my table: as I have done, so God hath requited me. And they brought him to Jerusalem, and there he died.
Jdg 1:8 KJV  Now the children of Judah had fought against Jerusalem, and had taken it, and smitten it with the edge of the sword, and set the city on fire.
Jdg 1:9 KJV  And afterward the children of Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites, that dwelt in the mountain, and in the south, and in the valley.
Jdg 1:10 KJV  And Judah went against the Canaanites that dwelt in Hebron: (now the name of Hebron before was Kirjatharba:) and they slew Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai.

The enemies of Judah are completely destroyed in type and shadow. Not only are they conquered, but the king reaps what he sows because Judah requires the king to cut off two thumbs and two big toes. Without big toes, your walk is always affected, and you can barely do anything with no thumbs.

The “walk” of the enemies of God and the “work”, that which is done with working hands, are now controlled by God.

There is so much symbolism being given here in this first introduction to Judah in the book of Judges.

The “old man”, King Adonibezek, goes to Jerusalem to die. The “children” of Judah, spiritually you and I, are the ones who are being used for judgment. These are just types and shadows to show us who we are in the Lord from the foundation of Israel on through from the foundation of the world.

There is a new Jerusalem and an old Jerusalem, one above and one below, and they also strive against each other.

You can see this mini-story here, even though this story is talking about different physical nations. The “children of Judah” go to the mountains, valleys, and south and conquer as they go.

They even slay three more giants. Giants were so common that they are casually named like everyone else here in scripture, “Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai”.

It is clear that the Lord is with Judah, so He is against something or someone else. The next mention of hand is found towards the end of the chapter, but we will read the context of things on the way to getting there.

Jdg 1:11 KJV  And from thence he went against the inhabitants of Debir: and the name of Debir before was Kirjathsepher:
Jdg 1:12 KJV  And Caleb said, He that smiteth Kirjathsepher, and taketh it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife.
Jdg 1:13 KJV  And Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife.
Jdg 1:14 KJV  And it came to pass, when she came to him, that she moved him to ask of her father a field: and she lighted from off her ass; and Caleb said unto her, What wilt thou?
Jdg 1:15 KJV  And she said unto him, Give me a blessing: for thou hast given me a south land; give me also springs of water. And Caleb gave her the upper springs and the nether springs.
Jdg 1:16 KJV  And the children of the Kenite, Moses’ father in law, went up out of the city of palm trees with the children of Judah into the wilderness of Judah, which lieth in the south of Arad; and they went and dwelt among the people.
Jdg 1:17 KJV  And Judah went with Simeon his brother, and they slew the Canaanites that inhabited Zephath, and utterly destroyed it. And the name of the city was called Hormah.
Jdg 1:18 KJV  Also Judah took Gaza with the coast thereof, and Askelon with the coast thereof, and Ekron with the coast thereof.
Jdg 1:19 KJV  And the LORD was with Judah; and he drave out the inhabitants of the mountain; but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron.

The Lord gave Judah many victories, but for some reason, the inhabitants of the valley were not driven out. Maybe these inhabitants become a thorn in the flesh of Judah, spiritually speaking.

When God is with you who can be against you?

From the beginning of this chapter, God has been showing us that He indeed favors certain people for His continuation of His kingdom. While some tribes in Israel could not conquer those around them, Judah and Simeon, and a few other tribes, succeeded overall.

Jdg 1:20 KJV  And they gave Hebron unto Caleb, as Moses said: and he expelled thence the three sons of Anak.
Jdg 1:21 KJV  And the children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites that inhabited Jerusalem; but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Benjamin in Jerusalem unto this day.
Jdg 1:22 KJV  And the house of Joseph, they also went up against Bethel: and the LORD was with them.
Jdg 1:23 KJV  And the house of Joseph sent to descry Bethel. (Now the name of the city before was Luz.)
Jdg 1:24 KJV  And the spies saw a man come forth out of the city, and they said unto him, Shew us, we pray thee, the entrance into the city, and we will shew thee mercy.
Jdg 1:25 KJV  And when he shewed them the entrance into the city, they smote the city with the edge of the sword; but they let go the man and all his family.
Jdg 1:26 KJV  And the man went into the land of the Hittites, and built a city, and called the name thereof Luz: which is the name thereof unto this day.

Speaking of marveling at things the Lord does, when the spies saw a man come out, those spies probably didn’t know this guy would be the future establisher of a opposing city named Luz?

When we follow the breadcrumbs, we see that Luz is only used a few times in scripture.

Jdg 1:26 (KJV+)  And the man^H376 went^H1980 into the land^H776 of the Hittites^H2850, and built^H1129 a city^H5892, and called^H7121 the name^H8034 thereof Luz^H3870: which^H1931 is the name^H8034 thereof unto^H5704 this^H2088 day^H3117.

Jdg 1:26 KJV  And the man went into the land of the Hittites, and built a city, and called the name thereof Luz: which is the name thereof unto this day.

H3870
lûz
Total KJV Occurrences: 8
luz, 8
Gen_28:19, Gen_35:6, Gen_48:3, Jos_16:2, Jos_18:13 (2), Jdg_1:23, Jdg_1:26

H3870
lûz
looz

Probably from H3869 (as growing there); Luz, the name of two places in Palestine: – Luz.

Total KJV occurrences: 8

The Hebrew word H3869 is the root word of Luz.

H3869
lûz
looz

Probably of foreign origin; some kind of nut tree, perhaps the almond: – hazel.

Total KJV occurrences: 1

It is used one time in scripture.

H3869
lûz
Total KJV Occurrences: 1
hazel, 1
Gen_30:37 

There is a certain story that is meant to show the simplicity there is in the Lord and in the Lord Jesus Christ.

It is fairly memorable once you have heard it, but in case you haven’t, I am going to read a little of it out of Genesis 30:37.

This is known as the prosperity of Jacob. Nothing captures the word of God like the Word of God, so I am going to read some of these verses pertaining to the only time we see the root of the word “Luz” used in scripture.

It has to do with the separation of the property of the Lord, us, as opposed to the separation of the property that is of the “them” of the world. Yes, the Lord favors one versus the other.

Gen 30:25 KJV  And it came to pass, when Rachel had born Joseph, that Jacob said unto Laban, Send me away, that I may go unto mine own place, and to my country.
Gen 30:26 KJV  Give me my wives and my children, for whom I have served thee, and let me go: for thou knowest my service which I have done thee.
Gen 30:27 KJV  And Laban said unto him, I pray thee, if I have found favour in thine eyes, tarry: for I have learned by experience that the LORD hath blessed me for thy sake.
Gen 30:28 KJV  And he said, Appoint me thy wages, and I will give it.
Gen 30:29 KJV  And he said unto him, Thou knowest how I have served thee, and how thy cattle was with me.
Gen 30:30 KJV  For it was little which thou hadst before I came, and it is now increased unto a multitude; and the LORD hath blessed thee since my coming: and now when shall I provide for mine own house also?
Gen 30:31 KJV  And he said, What shall I give thee? And Jacob said, Thou shalt not give me any thing: if thou wilt do this thing for me, I will again feed and keep thy flock:
Gen 30:32 KJV  I will pass through all thy flock to day, removing from thence all the speckled and spotted cattle, and all the brown cattle among the sheep, and the spotted and speckled among the goats: and of such shall be my hire.
Gen 30:33 KJV  So shall my righteousness answer for me in time to come, when it shall come for my hire before thy face: every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and brown among the sheep, that shall be counted stolen with me.
Gen 30:34 KJV  And Laban said, Behold, I would it might be according to thy word.
Gen 30:35 KJV  And he removed that day the he goats that were ringstraked and spotted, and all the she goats that were speckled and spotted, and every one that had some white in it, and all the brown among the sheep, and gave them into the hand of his sons.
Gen 30:36 KJV  And he set three days’ journey betwixt himself and Jacob: and Jacob fed the rest of Laban’s flocks.
Gen 30:37 KJV  And Jacob took him rods of green poplar, and of the hazel and chesnut tree; and pilled white strakes in them, and made the white appear which was in the rods.
Gen 30:38 KJV  And he set the rods which he had pilled before the flocks in the gutters in the watering troughs when the flocks came to drink, that they should conceive when they came to drink.
Gen 30:39 KJV  And the flocks conceived before the rods, and brought forth cattle ringstraked, speckled, and spotted.
Gen 30:40 KJV  And Jacob did separate the lambs, and set the faces of the flocks toward the ringstraked, and all the brown in the flock of Laban; and he put his own flocks by themselves, and put them not unto Laban’s cattle.
Gen 30:41 KJV  And it came to pass, whensoever the stronger cattle did conceive, that Jacob laid the rods before the eyes of the cattle in the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods.
Gen 30:42 KJV  But when the cattle were feeble, he put them not in: so the feebler were Laban’s, and the stronger Jacob’s.
Gen 30:43 KJV  And the man increased exceedingly, and had much cattle, and maidservants, and menservants, and camels, and asses.

Though the Lord shows us favors, he still gives us our “Luz”, our thorn in the flesh. Early in our walk we need Luz, but Luz later is sent packing and stays a thorn in our side afterward. It is because Luz is still the “anointed of the Lord.”

I say this because king David points out just who “Luz” is.

1Sa 26:7 KJV  So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the trench, and his spear stuck in the ground at his bolster: but Abner and the people lay round about him.
1Sa 26:8 KJV  Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not smite him the second time.
1Sa 26:9 KJV  And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD’S anointed, and be guiltless?
1Sa 26:10 KJV  David said furthermore, As the LORD liveth, the LORD shall smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into battle, and perish.

David could have killed him here, but he lets him go.

David even wept for Saul and Jonathan.

2Sa 1:17 KJV  And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son:

This rod Jacob used is the root of Luz.

Jdg 1:22 KJV  And the house of Joseph, they also went up against Bethel: and the LORD was with them.
Jdg 1:23 KJV  And the house of Joseph sent to descry Bethel. (Now the name of the city before was Luz.)

Bethel is Luz, and Bethel had such a presence that in the bible there are several times that the house of God is the same word house of Bethel.

H1008
bêytḣ’êl
Total KJV Occurrences: 76
bethel, 66
Gen_12:8 (2), Gen_13:3 (2), Gen_28:19, Gen_31:13, Gen_35:1, Gen_35:3, Gen_35:6, Gen_35:8, Gen_35:15-16 (2), Jos_7:2, Jos_8:9, Jos_8:12, Jos_8:17, Jos_12:9, Jos_12:16, Jos_16:1-2 (2), Jos_18:13, Jdg_1:22-23 (3), Jdg_4:5, Jdg_21:19 (2), 1Sa_7:16, 1Sa_10:3, 1Sa_13:2, 1Sa_30:27, 1Ki_12:29, 1Ki_12:32-33 (3), 1Ki_13:1, 1Ki_13:4, 1Ki_13:10-11 (3), 1Ki_13:32, 2Ki_2:2-3 (3), 2Ki_2:23, 2Ki_10:29, 2Ki_17:28, 2Ki_23:4, 2Ki_23:15, 2Ki_23:17, 2Ki_23:19, 1Ch_7:28, 2Ch_13:19, Ezr_2:28, Neh_7:32, Neh_11:31, Jer_48:13, Hos_10:15, Hos_12:4, Amo_3:14, Amo_5:4-6 (4), Amo_7:10, Amo_7:13

god, 5
Jdg_20:18, Jdg_20:26, Jdg_20:31, Zec_7:2 (2)

house, 5
Jdg_20:18, Jdg_20:26, Jdg_20:31, Zec_7:2 (2)

Jdg 20:18 KJV  And the children of Israel arose, and went up to the house of God, and asked counsel of God, and said, Which of us shall go up first to the battle against the children of Benjamin? And the LORD said, Judah shall go up first.

Jdg 20:26 KJV  Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came unto the house of God, and wept, and sat there before the LORD, and fasted that day until even, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.

Jdg 20:31 KJV  And the children of Benjamin went out against the people, and were drawn away from the city; and they began to smite of the people, and kill, as at other times, in the highways, of which one goeth up to the house of God, and the other to Gibeah in the field, about thirty men of Israel.

Zec 7:1 KJV  And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Darius, that the word of the LORD came unto Zechariah in the fourth day of the ninth month, even in Chisleu;

Zec 7:2 KJV  When they had sent unto the house of God Sherezer and Regemmelech, and their men, to pray before the LORD,

Yes, indeed, the Lord always works out His anointing on those whom He sees fit. I’d day this man was anointed and favored of the Lord to be the one coming toward the spies when he did.

He helps the spies and doesn’t get slaughtered, but is also used to set up a city.

The Lord is always keeping His plan which He has created in order to bring about His kingdom the way He sees fit. Our lives are just another puzzle piece in that plan.

(Key verses: Genesis 49:8-12)

Nearing His death in Egypt, Jacob called his twelve sons to him to inform them “which shall befall [them] in the last days”:

Gen 49:1 And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days.
Gen 49:2 Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father.

The theme of the “last days” is an important aspect of the revelation of Christ, and although there is an outward application of the “last days” (also called “the end of the world”), this applies inwardly to the lives of the elect of God when their old physical temple is being “thrown down” with the coming of the Lord:

Mat 24:1 And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple.
Mat 24:2 And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
Mat 24:3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

What Jacob said to his sons, and what happened in the lives of these sons of Israel, are all “ensamples” or types of the lives of God’s elect. We indeed live by every word that comes from the mouth of God (Mat 4:4).

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 [Greek: aiōn = age] are come.

We already touched on the lives of Jacob’s first three sons, Reuben, Simeon and Levi in previous discussions. In this discussion we will take a look at what we can learn of our own lives from the words of Jacob and through the life of Judah, as written down (Mat 4:4).

Judah

Judah was Jacob’s fourth son from his less loved wife, Leah, and the name “Judah” means “praise”:

Gen 29:35 And she [Leah] conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise [Hebrew: yâdâh] the LORD: therefore she called his name Judah [Hebrew: yehûdâh = praise]; and left bearing.

We know from scripture that the number four spiritually points to the whole of a thing under discussion (Isa 11:12; Mat 24:31; Joh 4:35; Act 10:11; Rev 4:6). In Jacob’s words to Judah we also see how Judah’s function within the commonwealth of Israel affected the whole of Israel:

Gen 49:8 Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father’s children shall bow down before thee.
Gen 49:9 Judah is a lion’s whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?
Gen 49:10 The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.
Gen 49:11 Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass’s colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes:
Gen 49:12 His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk.

Let us break this up to help us see what these words of Jacob mean to us “upon whom the ends of the world are come.”

Gen 49:8 Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: Thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies. Thy father’s children shall bow down before thee.”

The word “Judah” is translated from the Hebrew word “yehûdâh” from which the Hebrew word “yehûdı̂y” comes which means “Jew” in English. We know that the whole nation of Israel is called “Jews” (“yehûdı̂y”) in the scriptures, especially from the time of the trouble with Assyria and their period of exile in Babylon (2Ki 16:6; 2Ki 18:26; Ezr 4:12; Neh 1:2; Est 2:5; Isa 36:11; Jer 32:12; Dan 3:8). This naming of the Jews and the link with the name of Judah again highlights the effect this fourth son of Jacob had on the whole of Israel, especially in terms of authority. Judah’s authority among his father’s children typifies the spiritual authority of Jesus Christ and His name within His elect (Joh 14:6; Act 9:4-5; 1Co 2:16; 2Jn 1:8-9). This connects with knowing who the Father and His Son are in terms of their mind and their teaching, which all bring spirit life to us:

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

Joh 17:6 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.

The natural Jews serve only as a shadow of the real spiritual Jews, who are the true “Israel of God” (Eph 3:4; Gal 6:15-16; Col 2:2; Col 4:3; Rev 10:7). The true spiritual Jew has indeed obtained advantage in “much every way” and profits through the new creation in Christ “chiefly because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.”

Rom 2:28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
Rom 2:29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
Rom 3:1 What advantage then hath the [spiritual] Jew? or what profit is there of [spiritual] circumcision?
Rom 3:2 Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them [that is the spiritual Jew] were committed the oracles [the Word] of God.

Inward circumcision points to this Word of God establishing the new heart and mind which God gives to His church in this age whom He has given authority above all other powers as their “hand shall be in the neck of [their] enemies” (Mat 28:18; Luk 10:19-20; Joh 4:24; Php 3:3). This spiritual authority is revealed in having knowledge, understanding and wisdom of the application of God’s will and judgement (Rom 13:1-2; Eph 2:6-10; Eph 3:7-11; Rev 20:4-15):

1Co 2:15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
1Co 2:16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

1Co 6:2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
1Co 6:3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?

Gen 49:9 Judah is a lion’s whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up.

Judah is a lion’s whelp…a lion…and an old lion – three stages of spiritual growth and progression. Here in the words of Jacob to Judah, we see the first time in the scriptures that this symbol of a lion is connected to any person. The lion is one of the images associated with the beasts, the elect of God, who are “in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne” of God:

Rev 4:6 And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.
Rev 4:7 And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.
Rev 4:8 And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.

The lion is the symbol which spiritually indicates rulership, whether in the negative or the positive application. In the negative application, this lion is roaring and feasting on flesh having the spirit of the world with all its pride and lusts (1Jn 2:16):

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

This symbolic lion is also a wicked deceitful beast in us who deludes us in our spiritual immaturity as he also thinks he is the ruler of his own destiny with his fabled free will (Pro 28:15; 2Th 2:3-4; Rev 13):

Psa 10:9 He [the wicked] lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den: he lieth in wait to catch the poor: he doth catch the poor, when he draweth him into his net.
Psa 10:10 He croucheth, and humbleth himself, that the poor may fall by his strong ones.
Psa 10:11 He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never see it.

After we have lived under the influence of these wicked and evil authorities in our own time, we can appreciate the revelation of the true Lion, Jesus Christ, who is the true spiritual authority and the sovereign Ruler over all that happens in our lives and in this creation from start to finish:

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

The spiritual tribe of Judah follows Jesus in the spirit “of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” to serve God and others in humility (Pro 28:1; Pro 30:29-31; 2Co 7:4; Eph 3:12; Php 1:20; 2Ti 1:7). A true leader does not rule over others with a domineering spirit, as it was Judah who persuaded his brothers not to kill Joseph (Mat 20:25-28; 2Co 1:24):

Gen 37:26 And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood?
Gen 37:27 Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content.

Judah and his offspring are also blessed by Moses to be a help to others who need to be freed from their enemies. True leaders are servants and the helpers of the joy of others (2Co 1:24; Col 1:28-29):

Deu 33:7 And this is the blessing of Judah: and he said, Hear, LORD, the voice of Judah, and bring him unto his people: let his hands be sufficient for him; and be thou an help to him from his enemies.

A true leader seeks to benefit others – to preserve life – and is concerned for the welfare of all. This spirit in Judah also helped him to convince his father Jacob to send Benjamin to Egypt to achieve these aims:

Gen 43:8 And Judah said unto Israel his father, Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go; that we may live, and not die, both we, and thou, and also our little ones.
Gen 43:9 I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame for ever.

It was also Judah who negotiated for the release of Benjamin in Egypt after Joseph’s silver cup was found in Benjamin’s sack, admitting their sin and submitting to authority – more signs of true leadership (Rom 13:1-10; Eph 5:21-33; Heb 13:17; 1Ti 3:1-13; 1Pe 3:1-6; 1Pe 5:1-6):

Gen 44:16 And Judah said, What shall we say unto my lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we clear ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we are my lord’s servants, both we, and he also with whom the cup is found.

Gen 44:18 Then Judah came near unto him [Joseph whom they could not recognised at this stage], and said, Oh my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord’s ears, and let not thine anger burn against thy servant: for thou art even as Pharaoh.

Judah’s intimate plea moved Joseph to finally reveal himself to the brothers as we are also given to see so much more of Christ when we can submit to His authority:

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.

This elevation of Judah is also witnessed in his tribe, as they were also first mentioned in connection to the positions of the tribes around the tabernacle in their time in the wilderness:

Num 2:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
Num 2:2 Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard [no comparing among themselves allowed (2Co 10:12)], with the ensign of their father’s house: far off about the tabernacle of the congregation shall they pitch.
Num 2:3 And on the east side toward the rising of the sun shall they of the standard of the camp of Judah pitch throughout their armies: and Nahshon the son of Amminadab shall be captain of the children of Judah.

“The east side toward the rising of the sun” emphasizes this leadership role of the tribe of Judah as it was also from this position the tribe of Judah was appointed by God to give direction in battle:

Jdg 1:1 Now after the death of Joshua it came to pass, that the children of Israel asked the LORD, saying, Who shall go up for us against the Canaanites first, to fight against them?
Jdg 1:2 And the LORD said, Judah shall go up: behold, I have delivered the land into his hand.

As with the tribe of Judah, it is indeed from this spiritually elevated position “at the east” that the elect in Christ, symbolised in scripture by the Cherubims, which are the four beasts “in the midst…and round about the throne” of God, can do battle in the spirit with the sword of the spirit as they keep His way and do His commandments (Eze 46:1-3; Eph 2:6-10; Eph 6:17; Rev 4:6-8):

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

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

It is from the east gate of the temple that the waters of life issued according to Ezekiel, typifying the words of life coming from the Christ and His elect that will reach everyone in Adam (1Co 15:2).

Eze 47:1 Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront of the house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under from the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar.

John confirms this position of those who can see their spiritual inheritance through this tribe of Judah, as this tribe is also mentioned first of those who are spiritually sealed in the book of Revelation:

Rev 7:4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.
Rev 7:5 Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand.

True leadership also admits mistakes as Judah also acknowledged his sin of fornication and self-righteousness to his daughter-in-law, Tamar, with whom he unknowingly slept and conceived twins with her:

Gen 38:26 And Judah acknowledged them [his signet, bracelets, and staff], and said, She hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no more.

Through the twins born from Tamar we see how the two generational lines of Judah typify the two generational lines of Christ. Through Pharez or Phares (meaning “breach”) we see the physical or earthly linage of Christ “after the flesh”, and through his twin brother, Zarah or Zerah (means “rising” or “east”), we see the spiritual linage of the heavenly Christ (Gen 38:27-30; Mat 1:3):

2Co 5:16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.

The linage through Zarah is obscured in the scriptures, which in itself makes such a powerful spiritual statement of how God indeed reserved His spiritual remnant throughout the church age:

Rom 11:4 But what saith the answer of God unto him [Elijah, who thought he was the only true prophet left]? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.
Rom 11:5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

When the kingdom of Israel divided after the death of Solomon, the tribe of Judah played the dominant role in the southern kingdom with their headquarters in Jerusalem. With the destruction of the temple and the death of the last physical king in Judah, Zedekiah and his sons, after seventy years God caused a small remnant to return to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem – again under the leadership of the tribe of Judah. We move from the temporary rule of the flesh, which was typified by the physical kingly lineage through the firstborn Pharez, to the leadership of the spirit, typified by Zarah. This is what the prophet Ezekiel saw when he wrote down these words:

Eze 21:25 And thou, profane wicked prince of Israel [the kingly linage of the flesh, even in Judah], whose day is come, when iniquity shall have an end,
Eze 21:26 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Remove the diadem, and take off the crown: this shall not be the same: exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high [the rule of the last Adam, Jesus Christ].
Eze 21:27 I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it: and it shall be no more, until he come whose [birth] right it is; and I will give it him [King Christ and His elect].

It is also interesting to note that one of Judah’s offspring through the lineage of Zarah, whose name was Pethahiah, is specifically mentioned in the scripture as being in a position of power with the Persian king, and he was placed “in all matters concerning the people” when the remnant returned to the promised land (Isa 10:22; Isa 37:32-31; Jer 29:10-15; Ezr 1:1-4):

Neh 11:24 And Pethahiah [meaning “God has opened/set free” or “at the gate”] the son of Meshezabeel, of the children of Zerah the son of Judah, was at the king’s hand [Hebrew: yâd = position of power] in all matters concerning the people [of Israel returning to Jerusalem].

It was indeed under the leadership of Zerubbabel that this remnant returned from exile to live in the promised land where the walls of the city of Jerusalem and the temple were rebuilt (Ezr 2:1-2; Ezr 3:8; Ezr 5:2; Hag 1:1-2; Hag 1:14; Mat 1:12). Zerubbabel, also known under his Persian name “Sheshbazzar” in the scriptures, was from the tribe of Judah and was appointed governor over Israel by the Persian king (Ezr 1:11; Ezr 5:14; Ezr 5:16; Zec 4:9):

Ezr 1:8 Even those did Cyrus king of Persia bring forth by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and numbered them unto Sheshbazzar [meaning “worshipper of fire”/“joy in tribulation”], the prince of Judah.

Gen 49:10 The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver [Hebrew: châqaq = engrave/enact] from between his feet, until Shiloh [Hebrew: shı̂ylôh = tranquil/ peaceful/secure/successful] come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.

The sceptre indeed shall not depart from Judah, as we can see how these sons of Judah and their rulership applies to us. Leadership is necessary to affect the gathering of people. As we know Judah and his offspring typify God’s elect and their spiritual development in terms of leadership. This leadership is all the result of the work of Jesus Christ in us to eventually gather all in Adam in Him (1Co 15:22-28; Eph 2:8-10). Christ, who is the foundation and rock of His church, is first gathering His elect from the four corners of the earth, and through all these centuries He has been focussing on this task at hand without fail:

Mat 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Isa 11:12 And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.

Mat 24:31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Jesus Christ and His body becomes this completed “Shiloh”, Mount Zion, to whom the task is given by the Father to gather the rest:

Eph 1:9 having made known to us the secret of His will, according to His good pleasure, that He purposed in Himself,
Eph 1:10 in regard to the dispensation of the fulness of the times, to bring into one the whole in the Christ, both the things in the heavens, and the things upon the earth–in him; (YLT)

Eph 1:22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
Eph 1:23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

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

Gen 49:11 Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass’s colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes: His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk”

The rulership of Christ was typified in the lineage of Judah, the kingly tribe of Israel who was also known as the vine of God in the scriptures, albeit an “empty vine…[which] bringeth forth fruit unto himself” (Mat 1:1-16; Eze 15:6; Hos 10:1; Zec 7:6). It is through the death of this Christ “after the flesh” that the new spiritual lineage of the “Choice Wine” is made available through His resurrection life (Joh 11:25; 1Jn 5:11-12):

Mat 26:26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.
Mat 26:27 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;
Mat 26:28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
Mat 26:29 But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.

It is also by dying daily to the old man in us, and getting the new spirit life through Christ’s righteous mind, that we are born into the spiritual lineage of Christ (Joh 6:63; Joh 15:1-8; 1Co 15:31; Gal 2:20). It is indeed Christ’s body and His blood that is given to all as we all come from physical Edom and in our time of flesh we hate the truth and kill God’s elect. We must die with Christ to this fleshly Edom to receive His glorious righteousness and life:

Isa 63:1 Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save.

The blood is the spirit and life of Christ which produces the white raiment we all need to be in God’s spiritual kingdom as we all will be spiritually translated from the kingdom of darkness into His glorious light:

Rev 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

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

Those who are sitting on these thrones are indeed clothed with white raiment because they overcome this earthly corruption and attachments in this life. They are the ones who indeed follow Jesus and take their own cross moving forward in His strength and righteousness (Mat 10:38-39):

Rev 19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
Rev 19:12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
Rev 19:13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
Rev 19:14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

It is the elect of God who are that white throne through which He brings judgment to all when their book will be opened:

Rev 20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

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

Revelation 4:6-7 – Part 4
Animals in Scripture – Leopards, Bears, Lions, Dragons – Part 1
Animals in Scripture – Leopards, Bears, Lions, Dragons – Part 2
Colors in Scripture
Numbers in Scripture