Matthew 22:23–46 The Great Commandment

[Study Aired October 6, 2025]

Today’s study is focused on the Sadducees asking the Lord about the  resurrection. Other issues to be discussed entail the great commandment and finally, the issue about Jesus being the son of David.  

Sadducees Ask About the Resurrection

Mat 22:23 The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him, 

The Sadducees were an aristocratic and priestly sect of Jews in the time of Jesus. They were known for their political power, focused on the written Law of Moses and were rivals to the Pharisees. They did not believe in the resurrection, the afterlife and angels. These Sadducees represent our brothers and sisters in the church system of this world. When our focus is on the false doctrine of rapture, instead of the first resurrection of the Lord’s elect, then spiritually, we are like the Sadducees who did not believe in resurrection.  

The word “Rapture” is taken from the Latin Vulgate translation of 1 Thessalonians 4:16‐17, which says:

1 Thess 4:16-17 “For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first; then we who are alive, who are left, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so we shall always be with the Lord”

The verse above is the basis of the rapture doctrine which an English Protestant minister named John Nelson Darby began teaching to his followers in the 1830s. There was no scriptural basis for Darby’s “Rapture” Theology. Neither was there a basis for it in tradition since it had never been a teaching of the historic Christian Church. The idea that God’s people will be rescued on earth from earthly persecutions is completely anti‐Biblical. At no time in human history did God ever pull His people out of worldly danger. The early Christians suffered horribly at the hands of their persecutors. They were crucified, fed alive to wild animals, beheaded and set on fire for following Christ. The idea that Christians in the future will be spared persecution is wishful thinking.

Heb 11:35  Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: 
Heb 11:36  And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:
Heb 11:37  They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; 
Heb 11:38  (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. 
Heb 11:39  And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: 
Heb 11:40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. 

Mat 22:23  The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him, 
Mat 22:24  Saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. 
Mat 22:25  Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother: 
Mat 22:26  Likewise the second also, and the third, unto the seventh. 
Mat 22:27  And last of all the woman died also. 
Mat 22:28  Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her. 
Mat 22:29  Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. 
Mat 22:30 For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.  

Jesus’ response to this story about each of the brothers marrying the wife of the eldest to preserve posterity, not only affirmed the fact of resurrection but also explained that the Lord is God of the living, not of the dead. Jesus’ explanation shows us that what holds us back from knowing the truth is our false doctrines or the idols of our hearts. These Sadducees’ inability to know the scriptures is their false doctrines which is described as the stumbling block of iniquity, which causes us to be deceived according to these false doctrines in our hearts and minds. 

Eze 14:1  Then came certain of the elders of Israel unto me, and sat before me. 
Eze 14:2  And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 
Eze 14:3  Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumbling block of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them? 
Eze 14:4  Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the LORD will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols;

Not knowing the scriptures does not mean that we do not know the letter of the word. What it means is that we are not given to understand the spiritual interpretation of His word. 

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. 

2Co 3:6  Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. 

Jesus’ answer in verse 29 also shows us that if we do not know the power of God, we end up erring from the truth. The question is, “What is the power of God?” According to the scriptures, the power of God refers to the word of God but specifically, the word of the Lord which deals with the cross we must bear or the judgment of our old man or flesh. 

2Co 6:7  By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,

2Co 13:4  For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you.

2Ti 1:8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;

It is through this judgment of our old man or flesh that we are able to hear the voice of the Lord. 

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

Jesus’ response in verse 30 shows us that the angels of God do not marry. This statement refutes the false doctrine of angels (sons of God) marrying human beings and producing giants. 

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. 
Gen 6:4 There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.

The sons of God in these verses represent the Lord’s elect, in those days before the flood, who ended up marrying pagan women instead of the Lord’s elect. In other words, the Lord’s elect are seduced by the harlot woman or Babylon in every generation.  

Mat 22:31  But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, 
Mat 22:32  I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.

When the Lord revealed Himself to Moses in the wilderness to instruct him to rescue His people from captivity in Egypt, He had to introduce Himself in a powerful way for Moses to believe Him. He told Moses that He is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Moses responding to the Lord’s call to rescue His people from captivity means that Moses believed in a living God, since no one will follow a dead God. Here in verse 32, Jesus is showing us that He is indeed, the God of the living and not a dead one. In other words, He is a God who is actively working out His salvation plan through us. 

Exo 3:6  Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God. 
Exo 3:7  And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; 
Exo 3:8  And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 

We can know the Lord’s purpose and His ways through His dealings with our fathers – Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. What we need to understand is that the patriarchs were three, and the number three spiritually means the process of spiritual maturity through judgment. This implies that the God of our fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, is showing us how He takes us from the pit of darkness to become spiritually mature sons through His judgment to accomplish His purpose. If we add together all the different aspects of the experiences of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob including Joseph, who was technically part of Jacob, we see a clear picture of the complete experience of the elect and our understanding of God’s eternal purpose and how His eternal purpose is being fulfilled through His elect.

Mat 22:33  And when the multitude heard this, they were astonished at his doctrine. 

Jesus was the first to explain the spiritual aspect of the word of the Lord. Before Jesus came, all the prophets focused only on the letter and therefore did not understand what they were saying. To the multitude, who represent the church system of this world or Babylon, they were amazed or astonished because Jesus’ teaching was not according to what they had heard before. As Isaiah stated, when we are exposed to new things of the word of the Lord, we refuse to believe. That is why many in the churches of this world reject our message, simply because they have not heard before.

Isa 52:15  So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider. 

Isa 53:1  Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?   

The Great Commandment

Mat 22:34  But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. 
Mat 22:35  Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, 
Mat 22:36  Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
Mat 22:37  Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Mat 22:38  This is the first and great commandment. 

We can see that during the time approaching for the Lord to be sacrificed for our sins, the scribes, the Pharisees, the Sadducees and the Herodians were all trying to find fault with the Lord so they could put Him to death. These represent all of humanity including us.  

Psa 2:1  Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? 
Psa 2:2  The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, 
Psa 2:3  Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. 
Psa 2:4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. 

All of these attempts to entrap our Lord did not yield any result. It rather portrayed the wisdom of the Lord.

Rom 11:33  O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! 
Rom 11:34  For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? 
Rom 11:35  Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? 
Rom 11:36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory forever. Amen.

As indicated, the great commandment of the law is to love the Lord with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. As we are aware, our love for the Lord is expressed through our obedience. We cannot say we love the Lord if we do not obey Him. On the other hand, our Lord expresses His love towards us by giving. 

Joh 14:15  If ye love me, keep my commandments. 
Joh 14:16  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; 
Joh 14:17  Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. 

Joh 14:21  He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
Joh 14:22  Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? 
Joh 14:23  Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. 
Joh 14:24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me. 

Joh 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 

The whole of the law of Moses hinges on our obedience to the Lord. We know from the word of the Lord that on our own, we do not have the capacity to love the Lord or to obey Him. This implies that the whole essence of the law is to show us our sinful state as we are not capable of obeying the Lord on our own. It is when we come to this realization that we are given the power through faith to obey the Lord.

Rom 3:19  Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 
Rom 3:20  Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. 
Rom 3:21  But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 
Rom 3:22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 

Mat 22:39  And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. 
Mat 22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. 

To love thy neighbor as thyself means to extend the mercy that we have received from the Lord to others. The story of the good Samaritan illustrates this point. 

Luk 10:25  And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? 
Luk 10:26  He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? 
Luk 10:27  And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. 
Luk 10:28  And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. 
Luk 10:29  But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour? 
Luk 10:30  And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. 
Luk 10:31  And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 
Luk 10:32  And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. 
Luk 10:33  But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, 
Luk 10:34  And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 
Luk 10:35  And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. 
Luk 10:36  Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? 
Luk 10:37 And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise. 

As demonstrated in this story, being a neighbor means showing mercy to others. It is worth pointing out here that some in their quest to demonstrate their love for their neighbors, have focused on the physical needs of those around us and in so doing, have strayed from the faith. It is good to meet the needs of those around us, given the opportunity. However, our calling is not to save the world now. In the fullness of time, the mercy we have received shall be extended to the whole of the human race. That is when we become true neighbors.

Rom 11:30  For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: 
Rom 11:31  Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. 
Rom 11:32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. 

Currently, our focus as the Lord’s elect is on the house of faith, that is, the Lord’s elect. 

Gal 6:9  And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
Gal 6:10  As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. 

Whose Son is the Christ?

Mat 22:41  While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 
Mat 22:42  Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David. 

In these verses, Jesus was subtly telling the Pharisees that He is Lord over David and all of humanity and not just a physical descendant of David. As we are aware, the Pharisees represent us when we were in the church system of this world. During this period, the Lord spoke to us in parables.

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. 

The Jews, through the scriptures, knew that a descendant of David will ascend on the throne of David. They therefore believed that this Messiah shall deliver the people of Israel from captivity to the Romans. However, they were not given to know that Jesus was not going to be a physical king sitting on the throne of David. Their expectation was based on the following verses:  

Isa 9:7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

Isa 11:1  And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: 
Isa 11:2 And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;

Psa 89:35  Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David. 
Psa 89:36 His seed shall endure forever, and his throne as the sun before me. 

The Pharisees’ answer to Jesus in verse 42 that Christ is the son of David was therefore something that they had known through the letter of His word. 

Mat 22:43  He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, 
Mat 22:44  The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? 
Mat 22:45  If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? 
Mat 22:46  And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions. 

Here in these verses, Jesus was trying to point the Pharisees to the fact that this son of David is Jesus and has a higher pedigree than David. That is why David called Him Lord. The reason Jesus did not reveal Himself to them as the Lord is that they treasured the idols of their hearts more than the truth. It is these idols of the heart which were causing them to find means to murder Jesus. This is the problem with the church system of this world. They consider themselves as spiritually rich because of the false doctrines in their hearts and minds as they consider we, His elect, as spiritually dead in the street of Jerusalem. As a result, they remain in their ignorance. Their unbelief is our gain as we are being shown mercy at their expense. In the fulness of time, they will also be shown mercy. 

Rom 11:30  For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: 
Rom 11:31  Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. 
Rom 11:32  For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. 
Rom 11:33  O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! 
Rom 11:34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? 

On the other hand, if we look at Jesus’ encounter with the woman at the well, she also had idols of the heart as she did not want to have anything with do with Christ because she was not only a Samaritan, but a woman. However, her willingness to know the truth about the living water made it easier for the Lord to reveal Himself to her. The difference was that the Pharisees did not want to know the truth, but this woman wanted the truth.  

Joh 4:10  Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. 
Joh 4:11  The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? 
Joh 4:12  Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? 
Joh 4:13  Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:
Joh 4:14  But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. 
Joh 4:15  The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.
Joh 4:16  Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither. 
Joh 4:17  The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: 
Joh 4:18  For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly. 
Joh 4:19  The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. 
Joh 4:20  Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. 
Joh 4:21  Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. 
Joh 4:22  Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
Joh 4:23  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
Joh 4:24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
Joh 4:25  The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. 
Joh 4:26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he. 

Are you hungry for the truth? When the word of the Lord says that blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, it means that it is those who thirst for the truth regarding righteousness, which entail the Lord’s judgment, who are the ones who are going to be filled. 

Mat 5:6  Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. 

May the Lord be merciful to us as we seek for the truth of His word. Amen!!

“Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding” Part 3 (Pro 18:17-24)

[Study Aired September 10, 2025]

Pro 18:17 He that is first in his own cause seemeth just; but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him.
Pro 18:18 The lot causeth contentions to cease, and parteth between the mighty.
Pro 18:19 A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle.
Pro 18:20 A man’s belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled.
Pro 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
Pro 18:22 Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.
Pro 18:23 The poor useth intreaties; but the rich answereth roughly.
Pro 18:24 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

These last few proverbs of chapter 18 that we’ll look at today stress the importance of fair judgement, the power of words, the value of strong relationships, and the contrasting behaviours of people in different life circumstances. I’ll be using the story of the two harlots in (1Ki 3:16-28) as a sort of guide and template to help bring out some of these points.

Pro 18:17  He that is first in his own cause seemeth just; but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him.

In this story of the two harlots that were brought before Solomon (1Ki 3:16-28), it was the woman who was just that spoke up first before the king, but it’s not about the order of who speaks first, rather it is the attitude of the one speaking, and the second woman who was not just was the one trying to sound like she was just in her cause, “first in his own cause”. This third chapter of Kings gives us one of the best examples of someone, or in this case of two people, pleading their cause to then have the truth rightly divided by Solomon who typifies God’s judgements that are working in the body of Christ today, “but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him”.

1Ki 3:16  Then came there two women, that were harlots, unto the king, and stood before him.
1Ki 3:17  And the one woman said, O my lord, I and this woman dwell in one house; and I was delivered of a child with her in the house.
1Ki 3:18  And it came to pass the third day after that I was delivered, that this woman was delivered also: and we were together; there was no stranger with us in the house, save we two in the house.
1Ki 3:19  And this woman’s child died in the night; because she overlaid it.
1Ki 3:20  And she arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me, while thine handmaid slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom.
1Ki 3:21  And when I rose in the morning to give my child suck, behold, it was dead: but when I had considered it in the morning, behold, it was not my son, which I did bear.
1Ki 3:22  And the other woman said, Nay; but the living is my son, and the dead is thy son. And this said, No; but the dead is thy son, and the living is my son. Thus they spake before the king.
1Ki 3:23  Then said the king, The one saith, This is my son that liveth, and thy son is the dead: and the other saith, Nay; but thy son is the dead, and my son is the living.
1Ki 3:24  And the king said, Bring me a sword. And they brought a sword before the king.
1Ki 3:25  And the king said, Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other.
1Ki 3:26  Then spake the woman whose the living child was unto the king, for her bowels yearned upon her son, and she said, O my lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it. But the other said, Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it.
1Ki 3:27  Then the king answered and said, Give her the living child, and in no wise slay it: she is the mother thereof.
1Ki 3:28  And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the king: for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do judgment.

Both of these women reside within us, and it is by God’s power and chastening grace in our lives that we will be able to come to the point where we can discern the good and evil within ourselves having had our senses exercised by the trial of our faith, which is precious unto us (1Pe 1:7).

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

It’s precious because this exercise of faith makes it possible for us to partake of strong meat, and purifies God’s word in our hearts that is likened unto gold, so that by “the God of all grace”, “who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.” (Heb 5:14, Psa 12:6, 1Pe 5:10).

Heb 5:14  But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Psa 12:6  The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.

The ability to judge and discern good and evil is a gift from God that is received of those who are given a hunger and thirst to ask for it in faith (Jas 1:5, 1Jn 5:4, Mat 5:6 , Rom 3:27), and Solomon, who typifies the elect, was granted that desire to ask for and to know the truth, as typified by this prayer that he made in (1Ki 3:9).

1Ki 3:9 “Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?”

The “neighbour” that comes and searches him, “but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him”, is represented by Solomon in (1Ki 3:16-28), and it is our prayer that the Lord will be that friend who sticks closer than a brother within us, and faithfully administers the wounds that judgement brings so we can die daily, and be buried in His baptism so we can be raised with Christ in heaven (Psa 139:23-24, Pro 27:5-6, Heb 12:3, Gal 6:9, 1Co 15:31).

Psa 139:23  Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
Psa 139:24  And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Pro 27:5  Open rebuke is better than secret love.
Pro 27:6  Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

Heb 12:3  For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners [the one harlot against the other in 1Ki 3:16-28] against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

Gal 6:9  And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

1Co 15:31  I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.(Psa 116:15, 1Pe 1:7)

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:

Pro 18:18  The lot causeth contentions to cease, and parteth between the mighty.

The [CLV] version of this proverb reads “Casting the lot causes quarrels to cease, And keeps staunch foes apart”, and that is definitely what Solomon was doing with these two woman. The contention was over their children which represents doctrine (Mat 13:37-38), and it would take the judgement of God ‘in the lot of the matter’ to bring about the truth (Pro 16:33).

Pro 16:33  The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD.

The powers and principalities that we wrestle against are higher than us and stronger than us (Eph 6:12) and would sift us like wheat as Christ told Peter (Luk 22:31), unless Christ and his body prayed for us (Luk 22:32).

With God’s spirit within us (Rom 8:9) we are able to “parteth between the mighty” within us and cause “contentions to cease” in our heavens because He is greater and higher than all those powers and principalities we wrestle against (Eph 1:21), and can give us victory over our condemning conscience and the accuser of the brethren who wants to sift us like wheat (1Jn 4:4, 1Jn 2:1).

Eph 1:21  Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

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

1Jn 2:1  My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

Pro 18:19  A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle.

Have you offended anyone lately? We don’t go out purposely trying to offend people, but if we stand on God’s word we are promised that we are going to be an offence to the world around us (2Co 2:15-17, Mat 10:22-23).

2Co 2:15  For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:
2Co 2:16  To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?(2Co 3:5)
2Co 2:17  For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.

Mat 10:22  And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: “in the sight of God speak we in Christ” but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
Mat 10:23  But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.

The “strong city [the city is a church]” of the world is being run by the god of this world (2Co 4:4) and the gates of hell are symbolized by “the bars of a castle” that protect the false doctrines of mankind, and they will not prevail against the body of Christ (Mat 16:18).

2Co 4:4  In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.(Luk 16:26, Joh 3:3, Joh 8:43-44)

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.

In due time all of those strongholds will be torn down by Christ and His Christ through judgement that will destroy the man of perdition in the hearts and minds of all of mankind who holds fast to the traditions of men (2Th 2:7-8, Rev 19:20, Rev 20:14-15).

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:

Rev 19:20  And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.

Rev 20:14  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire [the gates of hell that God’s elect will destroy in others having overcome and not been hurt by the second death, having died first (Rev 2:11, Rev 14:10-12)]. This is the second death.
Rev 20:15  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Pro 18:20  A man’s belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled.

Positively speaking, God knows our need for daily spiritual bread and our heavenly Father gives the increase in our lives (1Co 3:6, 1Th 3:12), and prunes the branches of our life so that we can continue to bring forth much fruit (Joh 15:2, Tit 2:12-13, Mat 7:18-21).

Joh 15:1  I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
Joh 15:2  Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it (Tit 2:12), that it may bring forth more fruit.
Joh 15:3  Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
Joh 15:4  Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
Joh 15:5  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

Tit 2:12  Teaching^{G3811 (Paideuo = chasten (-ise) instruct learn teach)} us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
Tit 2:13  Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

Mat 7:18  A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Mat 7:19  Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
Mat 7:20  Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Mat 7:21  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven (Mat 12:48-50, Rom 8:28).

When it is the “good fruit” of our mouth coming forth because of the life of Christ in us that is increasing as we decrease (Mat 7:15-20), then it is likened unto living waters that come forth from our “belly” (Joh 7:38), the abundant and satisfying life in Christ we are blessed to be dragged unto (Joh 6:44).

Mat 7:15  Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Mat 7:16  Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Mat 7:17  Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
Mat 7:18  A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Mat 7:19  Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
Mat 7:20  Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Joh 7:38  He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

Pro 18:21  Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

Having a love of the truth produces a hunger for righteousness which blesses God’s people who are now speaking the truth in love (Eph 4:14-15). It is not what goes into a man that defiles him, but what comes out of him, and so we must die to ungodly patterns of old, so that our conversation or way of life is not being conformed to this world but transformed by the renewing of God’s spirit within us day to day (Rom 12:1-3). Today the world is being given over to evil spirits because there is no love of the truth, and this is happening all according to the counsel of God’s will (2Th 2:12, 1Jn 1:6, 1Jn 2:21, Eph 1:11).

Eph 4:14  That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
Eph 4:15  But speaking the truth in love,(1Jn 5:2) may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.(Jas 1:27)
Rom 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Rom 12:3  For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

Pro 18:22  Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.

We have all found a wife and obtained favour of the LORD, that wife being the bride of Christ, Jerusalem above (Psa 137:5-6, 2Co 11:2-3, Rev 21:2-3, Rev 21:9, Rev 22:17).

Psa 137:5  If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning.

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

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

Rev 21:9  And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.

Rev 22:17  And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely (Eph 2:8).

Pro 18:23  The poor useth intreaties; but the rich answereth roughly.

Pro 18:23 One who is destitute speaks with supplications, Yet the rich man responds with roughness.” [CLV]

The contrite and broken spirit spoken of in (Isa 66:2) is a gift from God, and that is the man that God looks to and acts upon his request, his importunate intreaty (Luk 18:13-14, Heb 5:7, Eph 5:30).

Isa 66:2  For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.

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

Heb 5:7  Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;  “and trembleth at my word”

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

The rich man who responds with roughness is the Pharisee in us who thinks his many wonderful works are going to save him, and is sure that he is clothed, and not naked, blind and miserable (Rev 3:17). The publican is the one who goes away justified in this parable as a result of having a contrite and broken heart that acknowledges his sinful condition (Luk 18:13-14, Rev 3:17-18)

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

Pro 18:24  A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

This last proverb of chapter 18 reminds us that with Christ as our friend in this life (Joh 15:14-15, Luk 12:4) we can show ourselves friendly to one another, which will manifest if we don’t neglect so great a salvation (Heb 2:3), but rather stir up God’s spirit within us so that you can be a joint that supplies in love, and with God’s love being shed abroad in our hearts (Rom 5:5), we can be “a friend that sticketh closer than a brother”, because we are a member of the same one body. You can’t get any closer than that, and there is nothing in this life that can bring us greater joy than knowing we belong to each other in the LORD. That is where our true lasting happiness comes from.

Rom 12:4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:
Rom 12:5  So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
1Co 6:16  What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.[Eph 5:30]
1Co 10:17  For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.
1Co 12:12  For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
1Co 12:13  For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
1Co 12:20  But now are they many members, yet but one body.
Eph 2:16  And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
Eph 4:4  There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
Col 3:15  And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

Joh 15:13  Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Joh 15:14  Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
Joh 15:15  Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.[“Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding”]

Luk 12:4  And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.

[What will a true friend do, who sticks closer than a brother?
He will deliver Mat 10:19,
He will cast the fear out of us Luk 12:32, 1Jn 4:18, Rom 5:5,
He will bind the sacrifice to the altar Psa 118:27,
He will help us in our unbelief Mar 9:23-24,
He will give us Godly confidence with the faith of Christ Php 3:3, Heb 10:35,
He will never leave or forsake us, for great is His faithfulness, Heb 13:5, Lam 3:22-23].

Audio Links

”Light from Darkness”

December 27, 2017

Since the beginning of all of creation, God the Father has proclaimed and has wanted us to know there is a purpose to the separation of His creation. Indeed, He has started all creation with telling us there are two opposing forces in it.

We often refer to these forces as good and bad, old versus new, day and night, life and death, but the Truth is that they are only seen this way from our perspective. The Lord see things in a whole other light, and He tells us so in scripture.

Our study today is going to cover these “opposing forces”, and we are going to do so from the concept of light and darkness. While this study will briefly scratch the surface of this topic, I hope it can be used as a springboard to open our hearts and minds to who we are to the world, and to each other, now in this age in which we live.

From the beginning

Gen 1:1  In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
Gen 1:2  And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
Gen 1:3  And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
Gen 1:4  And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
Gen 1:5  And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.

Psa 139:12  Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.

While these verses may be familiar to us, there is a lot being said “from the beginning” from which we can learn and grow.

As many of you know, I am currently in school and during my studies I have had to take a “physical science” course which covers physics, chemistry and earth sciences.

During the study of this course material, I ventured out to the internet to cover some of the topics that were being talked about in the course, and I realized that science, as a whole, is “discovering” more and more about just how connected we all are versus not being very connected.

If the darkness and light are both alike to the Lord, but physically they are so different, then how should we consider light and darkness? More than that, how should we view all of the categories I mentioned before of good and bad, old and new, life and death?

Before we really get started, I think it is incumbent upon me to say this study is about much more than light and darkness.

Right after being told that the light and darkness are alike to the Lord, we read these miraculous words in the ESV version/translation:

Psa 139:13  For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.
Psa 139:14  I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.
Psa 139:15  My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
Psa 139:16  Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.
Psa 139:17  How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!

It is easy to read these words, as wonderful as they are, and only apply them to ourselves. Obviously, this is David speaking and recording these words, but if I can apply them to myself while they have been written by David, them I can assume, with time, that they apply to all of humanity when they come to read and apply them to themselves the way I am doing now.

If you are wondering why I call them miraculous and wonderful, it is because the Lord knows me, formed me from the womb, and has always known who I am and who I will become. Here I sit blessed, speaking before you all, and the Lord has put us all together.

Now, extend this concept to the whole of humanity, and the miracle of the creation of everyone and everything starts to come to light, pun intended.

It is out of darkness that the Lord calls light, and it all happened by the Lord “speaking” it into existence. “And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.” What powerful words those are!

My question today is, are these words of creation only meant for us? Is the light that comes forth out of darkness only meant for a select few or is it meant for everyone?

In the physical sense, they were meant for all of creation, because all of creation came about because of them. So, why or how are they meant any differently for all of humanity when it comes to our spiritual connection to the creator of the universe and all the things contained in the universe?

Again, this is all about perception. It is also about time and timing. What do I mean?

Psa 18:28 (ESV)  For it is you who light my lamp; the LORD my God lightens my darkness.

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

Isa 9:2  The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.

Mat 10:27  What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.

Joh 8:12  Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

Joh 9:4  I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
Joh 9:5  As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

Mat 5:14  Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
Mat 5:15  Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
Mat 5:16  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Jesus said as long as He is in the world He is the light of the world. Then we read in John 9 that we are the light of the world. So, which is it? We know that Jesus is in us, and we are in Him, so it must mean that Jesus is in us, being the light.

Jesus had this to say about who He is:

Joh 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

This verse comes from the following set of verses. Listen to the context of where it is Jesus explains to us who He is. This is from the ESV translation again:

Joh 14:1  “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.
Joh 14:2  In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?
Joh 14:3  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.
Joh 14:4  And you know the way to where I am going.”
Joh 14:5  Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”
Joh 14:6  Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Joh 14:7  If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

Philip is going to ask Jesus one of the most common questions we all ask ourselves at some point in our lives. Philip says “show us the Father” but in its own way, this is asking for God to show Himself to us.

Joh 14:8  Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.”
Joh 14:9  Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
Joh 14:10  Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works.
Joh 14:11  Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.
Joh 14:12  “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.

Here we are then, back to “words”. “The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority” is something we all must come to understand because it is the essence of who we are and how it is we are the light of the world.

Being the light of the world, out of where were we pulled? Well, it is out of the darkness of course. If we were pulled out of the darkness, so, too, are others pulled out of the darkness into His marvelous light.

We were pulled out of darkness with those now infamous words, “And God said, Let there be.” And, God said, “Let there be …. Light”.

We read in Genesis 1 how the beginning came to be. Now, let us compare that, under the guidance of the Spirit of God, to how John describes the beginning.

Joh 1:1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Joh 1:2  The same was in the beginning with God.
Joh 1:3  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Joh 1:4  In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
Joh 1:5  And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

Life, light and the Word. Death cannot comprehend life, but life comes forth from death. The Word of God came to us, so who are the “us” of whom I speak?

Joh 10:34  Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?
Joh 10:35  If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;
Joh 10:36  Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?
Joh 10:37  If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.

It is the Word of God that came to us, in His timing now we are the group called “us”, but in time that group will include everyone.

See, the Word of God is powerful. I submit to you all now that all words are very powerful. “God said” is a very powerful action.

My speaking with you today is done with the use of words, which create in us reactions called thoughts. These thoughts then cause reactions within us which often cause actions to come out of us.

If I say a kind word to you, and you are receptive to this through the filter of your thoughts, then a physical and chemical reaction happens to you. You feel pleasure from these kind words.

Likewise, if I speak hateful or mean words to you, you might become very angry and act out of this anger. Your blood might start “to boil”. Indeed, words are very powerful. They are the tool from which all of creation was made, and they create today still. Words come from thoughts and create thoughts.

Isa 55:8  For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
Isa 55:9  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

The world in which we live has just gone through the Christmas holiday. Just the word “Christmas” is VERY powerful. It causes thoughts, good or bad (from our perspective) to happen within us based on what that means to us.

Likewise, the world in which we all live has many words that cause us to think certain things or to follow certain trains of thoughts. Words literally create all sorts of things WITHIN us, and the Lord is causing it all.

White, black or brown, male or female, smarter or dumber, old or young, rich or poor, educated or illiterate, American, Chinese, European, etc., all cause us to think certain things. These words box us into a certain category of thinking and into a certain way to think.

These groups or categories cause us to label one another as separate from each other instead of the Truth that we are all connected to one another.

It is in the ways that we are alike that create in us a strong connection to one another. The world today uses “diversity” to show why it is we are important, but the most important thing we can be is one with Christ. We need unity in the Oneness that we have with the Lord.

A husband and wife are intimate, therefore they see more similarities than differences in their goals, desires and wants. Parents have children and know that they have come forth from them, therefore an immediate bond is made.

We are gathered here today in meeting of likeminded belief because we have a connection through the Holy Spirit. Therefore, we feel and know of the things that are common to us.

This connection happens because we are able to look past the outward appearance of things and realize there is much more to each of us than what can be seen, and the common thread connecting us all is the Lord.

The reason I chose this topic is to talk about how we are not only connected because we “are the light of the world” but because we have all come from the common state and place of darkness.

2Co 4:6  For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

1Pe 2:9  But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

We have been called out of darkness into light, but is that the only purpose to be called from darkness simply to be in light, or is there something more to this “being the light” thing?

Remember, Jesus walked and talked and ate with sinners and publicans. He was never, while He walked this earth in the flesh, around converted Christians. Yet, He loved them VERY much. He was elevated because He was the Light of the world. He was humbled by it.

He certainly HATED their sin, but He loved them individually. He knew who they would be and did not only see them as they were currently. He knew when He healed the blind and lame or fed the poor and hungry, that they would still get hungry again and would remain spiritually blind – most of them anyway.

Yet, He still stayed around them and walked among them. Why did He do this? Among the reasons He did this we find this explanation:

1Th 5:1  But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
1Th 5:2  For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
1Th 5:3  For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
1Th 5:4  But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
1Th 5:5  Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
1Th 5:6  Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
1Th 5:7  For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
1Th 5:8  But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

We are sober in the Word. We have the armor of God to protect us from the wiles of that old serpent. We must walk our walk as a solider of Jesus Christ, knowing that some with whom we are in contact now will also be called out from darkness NOW, into this marvelous Light in which we now walk. We also know the rest will come into the light later.

We have hope that remains within us. That is what separates “us” from “them”.

We press forward toward the mark of the prize of the high calling in Jesus Christ, forgetting the past and moving forward.

I have often asked, “when is it that you are awake that it is not “today”? It is always “today”, which also happens to be that day of the Lord that the Lord has made.

That is not to say that those in darkness will appreciate that we have this knowledge and simply want to live it themselves. They that are in darkness will not appreciate that we simply want to share this light by being doers of the word and not only hearers.

Joh 3:19  And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

Act 26:15  And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.
Act 26:16  But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;
Act 26:17  Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,
Act 26:18  To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

In order to receive forgiveness of sins, one must be turned from darkness to light. How does that happen?

Have you ever walked into a bright room or turned on the bathroom light and immediately knocked your head back while swiftly closing your eyes to the sudden brightness that the light causes to happen to your eyeballs? Yeah, that is what the light does to darkness.

When you are in darkness and it is all you have known, there is no way to compare what light is from darkness. Light is literally not a concept of something that can be understood by those who are in darkness UNTIL light is shown to them.

How does that happen? Well, we are right back to words and specifically the Word of God.

God said, let there be light, and there was light.

Jas 1:22  But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

Mat 12:35  A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.
Mat 12:36  But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
Mat 12:37  For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

1Jn 2:7  (ESV) Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard.
1Jn 2:8  At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining.
1Jn 2:9  Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness.
1Jn 2:10  Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling.
1Jn 2:11  But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

What I hope is among the things taken away from this study is that words are very powerful, and words matter. What we do with the words that come forth from our mouth, and also those words which come into our ears, is VERY important.

Heb 4:12  For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Heb 4:12 (ESV)  For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

2Co 10:5 (ESV)  We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,

2Co 10:7  Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is Christ’s, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ’s, even so are we Christ’s.

I mentioned earlier that the light will be brought forth from everyone, each in their own timing. What is really profound to me, is that while there is a past we can learn from and a future to look forward to, there is only the present that we live in.

It is always today and it is always the present that we experience. Therefore, we need to realize that we are the light of the world NOW, in this generation in which the Lord has placed us.

We are the light of the world NOW, to our family and friends, peers and colleagues, enemies and fellow soldiers of Christ. Our words must be tempered and obedient to the Word of God so that we can NOW be the sons of God.

We must be as Jesus was and simply speak the Truth of the Word while also realizing that it is not for anyone now but the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Mat 15:22  And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.
Mat 15:23  But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.
Mat 15:24  But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Mat 15:25  Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.

However, that doesn’t mean that the rest of humanity is left out.

Mat 15:26  But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs.
Mat 15:27  And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.
Mat 15:28  Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

We are all living in an age which can be very difficult in which to be the light of the world. However, the Lord is with us, and it does help knowing that whatever it is we must endure, it is all for the benefit of those the Lord has placed in our lives.

Whether those around us know it or not, we are sacrificed for them as lambs to the slaughter, but they, too, are sacrificed for us so that we can live now in Jesus Christ.

Act 8:32  The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:

Rom 11:25  (ESV) Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.
Rom 11:26  And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”;
Rom 11:27  “and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.”
Rom 11:28  As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers.
Rom 11:29  For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
Rom 11:30  For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience,
Rom 11:31  so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy.
Rom 11:32  For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.
Rom 11:33  Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

The Prophecy of Isaiah - Part 71 Discussion

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Isa 19:2-7 Every One Against His Brother, And Every One Against His Neighbor

Isa 19:2  And I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians: and they shall fight every one against his brother, and every one against his neighbour; city against city, and kingdom against kingdom.
Isa 19:3  And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof; and I will destroy the counsel thereof: and they shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits, and to the wizards.
Isa 19:4  And the Egyptians will I give over into the hand of a cruel lord; and a fierce king shall rule over them, saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts.
Isa 19:5  And the waters shall fail from the sea, and the river shall be wasted and dried up.
Isa 19:6  And they shall turn the rivers far away; and the brooks of defence shall be emptied and dried up: the reeds and flags shall wither.
Isa 19:7  The paper reeds by the brooks, by the mouth of the brooks, and every thing sown by the brooks, shall wither, be driven away, and be no more.

We will begin our study by repeating verse one from last week's study:

Isa 19:1  The burden of Egypt. Behold, the LORD rideth upon a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt: and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it.

Now we will begin to see how the Lord will begin moving the idols of Egypt and melting the hearts of the Egyptian in the midst of it, both within us first and then, in time, we will see these things all fulfilled outwardly in the world:

Isa 19:2  And I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians: and they shall fight every one against his brother, and every one against his neighbour; city against city, and kingdom against kingdom.

Let's read this verse together with verse one to get the full force of what we are being told:

Isa 19:1  The burden of Egypt. Behold, the LORD rideth upon a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt: and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it.
Isa 19:2  And I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians: and they shall fight every one against his brother, and every one against his neighbour; city against city, and kingdom against kingdom.

The inward application of what these verses are telling us is that when we begin to see the true Christ, at that very moment we also begin to see the conflict of "the Egyptian against the Egyptian... every one against his brother" which is inherent in the doctrines we all believed for so long. A good example of "Egyptians and the Egyptians" within our heavens was manifested in a church marquee which read: "God is love... sinners will burn in hell". That self-conflicting doctrine is to this day believed by millions of people who profess to be Christians.

"Every one against his neighbor" has a very clear outward fulfillment which tugs at the hearts of even God's very elect. As we witness the injustices of mankind against their brothers, it will take Christ within us to keep us aloof from "the affairs of this life" and keep us from being against our brother. We simply cannot stay aloof from the affairs of this life of ourselves, but we can do so through Christ who strengthens us:

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

2Ti 2:3  Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
2Ti 2:4  No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

We will first take a closer look to see how Isaiah 19:2, "Egyptian against Egyptian is fulfilled within the kingdom of God within us, where our old man's Babylonian kingdom with all of its Babylonian lies is being invaded by the fiery words of the truth of the doctrines of Christ. My own person experience of "Egyptians against the Egyptians" began in my early twenties and continued for many years as I struggled with the scriptures I was being given to see for the first time in my life.

I first began to realize the meaning of the Greek word 'aion' and the Hebrew word 'olawm' in 1973. There were no personal computers to be bought at a local store, and there was no e-sword or any other such helps to search out how those words were used in the scriptures. Inwardly "the Egyptians [fought] against the Egyptians" for many years before that conflict subsided and Christ began to reign over all those conflicting doctrines within me which I had never before seen as contradictions.

The kingdom of our first old man is typified by the firstborn son of Abraham with his bond maid who was later cast out and of whom we are told:

Gal 4:29  But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.
Gal 4:30  Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.

We may find it hard to understand, but this "son of the bondwoman" is none other than our own first-born "old man", and as we continue to compare spiritual things with spiritual (1Co 2:3-14), we will see that he is described as "a wild man":

Gen 16:12  And he [Ishmael, Abraham's first born son by Hagar, his "bondwoman" wife] will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.

Our old man "dwells in the presence of his brothers" inasmuch as he cohabits with Christ as an "earthen vessel". He is decreasing as Christ is increasing, and our old man is dying daily (1Co 15:31) simply because he is that "earthen vessel" in which Christ dwells at this time. We must all contend with the beast, that "earthen vessel" within, and we must do so on a daily basis:

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

Notice carefully, "the dying of the Lord Jesus" and "the life also of Jesus" are both "manifest in our body".  "Christ in [us]" (Col 1:27) is dying daily to the pulls of His own flesh, meaning the flesh of each of us within these earthen vessels because:

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.

As shown already, inwardly "brother against brother" first speaks of the conflict of the lies of the Babylonian "spiritual... Egypt", the kingdom of our old man within us, conflicting with and warring with the Truth of the Words of Christ which comes as a fiery sword to destroy those lies "with the brightness of His coming" within us (2Th 2:3-8). It is this inward struggle that brings us all "to [our] wits' end" as we saw earlier in:

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

While Christianity and Islam will certainly have their part in the fulfillment of the work of this "wild man" in the outward fulfilling of the Lord "set[ting] the Egyptians against the Egyptians", it is nevertheless the spiritual beastly nature within every man which the Lord has always used and which He will continue to use to bring to pass this "every man's hand against his brother" prophecy of world-wide civil unrest, as these verses demonstrate:

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

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

Isa 3:5. And the people shall be oppressed, every one by another, and every one by his neighbour: the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honourable.

1Sa 14:20  And Saul and all the people that were with him assembled themselves, and they came to the battle [against the Philistines]: and, behold, every man's sword was against his fellow, and there was a very great discomfiture.

Jer 25:30  Therefore prophesy thou against them all these words, and say unto them, The LORD shall roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation; he shall mightily roar upon his habitation; he shall give a shout, as they that tread the grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth.

Eze 38:20  So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.
Eze 38:21  And I will call for a sword against him [Gog and Magog - vs 1-2] throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord GOD: every man's sword shall be against his brother.
Eze 38:22  And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone.
Eze 38:23  Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the LORD.

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.

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.
Zec 8:10  For before these days there was no hire for man, nor any hire for beast; neither was there any peace to him that went out or came in because of the affliction: for I set all men every one against his neighbour.

Zec 14:13  And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the LORD shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour.

"Egyptian against Egyptian" will be accomplished "throughout all [of God's] mountains" (Eze 38:21), which has the same meaning as "...all the nations in the four quarters of the earth".

Rev 20:7  And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
Rev 20:8  And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.

The Lord tells us His words "shall not pass away":

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

So these words concerning Gog and Magog have both a present and a future application, as well as being applicable at the time these words were written, just as surely as Joseph's brothers physically bowed down to him in his lifetime. These words in Psalms are also addressed to "the kings of the earth", and they are addressed to all nations who "take counsel together against the Lord and against His anointed", whether in the days of King David, at the time of the crucifixion of Christ, or at the time of the "little season" of rebellion against the rulership of the Lord's elect following the thousand years of the reign of God's elect over the kingdoms of this world.

Psa 2:2  The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,
Psa 2:3  Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.
Psa 2:4  He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.
Psa 2:5  Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.

Rev 20:1  And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
Rev 20:2  And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
Rev 20:3  And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

Here is the application of these words at the time of Christ's crucifixion:

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

All these words are first to be applied within each of those in whom Christ will take up His abode. Then these words will also have a pre-millennial application when the kings of this world will resist the installation of the thousand-year reign of the Lord's elect over the kingdoms of this world:

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

Rev 19:19  And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.

Then they will have a final outward application to the nations at the end of the "little season" of rebellion, which follows the thousand year reign of Christ:

Rev 20:7  And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
Rev 20:8  And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
Rev 20:9  And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
Rev 20:10  And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

The rest of our study details the destruction of Egypt within and without:

Isa 19:3  And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof; and I will destroy the counsel thereof: and they shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits, and to the wizards.

When any of us first hear the truths of Christ, those truths sound so incredibly radical that we reject them out of hand as utter heresy. It just does not seem possible that so many of the people we know, love and respect could all be that wrong, and besides we have read the Bible for ourselves, and we, in our spiritually blind state, have never seen this doctrine there in the Bible. So we all at first rebel against Christ, and this is what we are told God thinks about that mindset:

1Sa 15:23  For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

It is our old man who turns to the idols of our heart, and in doing so we become guilty of the sins of witchcraft and idolatry. At that time, we are comfortable with our bondage to the traditions of men. We like paying tithes on our gross income, and we dearly love keeping days, months, times and years, for just two examples.

The story of Elijah and the four hundred prophets of Baal is actually a type of what will become of all the false ministers who are this very day making merchandise of the Lord's flock. The Lord had delivered Israel into the hands of an apostate king who had married Jezebel, the daughter of a pagan Zidonian king (1Kg 16:31). Jezebel was intent upon destroying all the Lord's prophets and was making good on her intention, so Elijah, with Ahab's apparent consent, challenged them to a showdown. Our old man has a showdown with Christ written in his book, and all the nations of this world also must face a day of accounting for turning away from their Creator to idols of their own hearts.

See if you can see your own old man in the confidence these prophets of Baal had in the doctrines of their god:

1Ki 18:25  And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under.
1Ki 18:26  And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made.
1Ki 18:27  And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.
1Ki 18:28  And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.
1Ki 18:29  And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.
1Ki 18:30  And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down.
1Ki 18:31  And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be thy name:
1Ki 18:32  And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed.
1Ki 18:33  And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood.
1Ki 18:34  And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time.
1Ki 18:35  And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water.
1Ki 18:36  And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.
1Ki 18:37  Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.
1Ki 18:38  Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.
1Ki 18:39  And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.
1Ki 18:40  And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.

It requires a miracle from God for any of us to come to Him. Paul's 'road to Damascus' conversion is not that different from any of ours, nor is it different from this story of Elijah and the prophets of Baal. We do not willingly come to God. Rather, He drags us to Himself (Joh 8:44, 65). In the same manner, it will require a miracle to strike the fear of God into the kingdoms of this world before they will give up their dominion over the Lord's elect. However, the Lord specializes in miracles, and His word is sure:

Isa 19:4  And the Egyptians will I give over into the hand of a cruel lord; and a fierce king shall rule over them, saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts.

Our old man is a cruel taskmaster who rules us with a rod of iron. It is because of how he abuses us that we are all brought to our wits' end and cry out for the Lord's mercy. In the same way the outward kings of this world think little of sacrificing the lives of the sons of other men and women to maintain their own power and pride, the Lord has also placed this whole world into the hands of the basest of men who are all "fierce kings" who will not hesitate to go to war and to "destroy the earth":

Rev 11:18  And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.

There was a three and a half year drought at the time Elijah slew the four hundred prophets of Baal:

Luk 4:25  But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land;

The whole world is under just such a drought at this moment, but it is not a physical drought:

Amo 8:11  Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD:

We all live through the days when God truly does dry up the waters that nourish Babylon. At that time the ten horns upon the beast are burning the doctrines of the great whore with fire and are devouring her flesh:

Rev 16:12  And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.
Rev 16:13  And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
Rev 16:14  For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

When we come to see Babylon as 'spiritual Sodom and Egypt', then we will also see the drying up of the river of Egypt as the same thing as the drying up of the Euphrates. It is merely two ways of saying the same thing.

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

The drying up of the waters of the river of Egypt and the drying up of the Euphrates River symbolize the rejection of the doctrines of Babylon and the doctrines of the religions of this world, which we honestly believe bring so much wealth to ourselves and to the coffers of the churches of this world. The Lord is at this very moment drying up the Euphrates and the Nile, and everything sown by the brooks of these rivers is beginning to wither away, 'to be driven away and to be no more'.

Isa 19:5  And the waters shall fail from the sea, and the river shall be wasted and dried up.
Isa 19:6  And they shall turn the rivers far away; and the brooks of defence shall be emptied and dried up: the reeds and flags shall wither.
Isa 19:7  The paper reeds by the brooks, by the mouth of the brooks, and every thing sown by the brooks, shall wither, be driven away, and be no more.

This is what must happen to the kingdom of our old man and to Babylon within us, and it will happen just this way because:

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 17:16  And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.
Rev 17:17  For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.

It was the waters of the Euphrates by which the riches of the kingdoms of Babylon came into that city, and it was by the Nile that Egypt was made rich. Those are outward literal rivers and countries, but water also symbolizes the Word of God and the doctrines of Christ:

Joh 7:38  He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

Eph 5:26  That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

As we have seen, when the water of the Word of God was taken from Israel, there was "a famine in the land".

Amo 8:11  Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD:

In the same manner, the revelation of Christ and His Truth within us and within this world will effect a famine of the lies and falsehoods of Babylon, and when that happens Babylon's source of nourishment and wealth will dry up and wither away.

Isa 19:6  And they shall turn the rivers far away; and the brooks of defence shall be emptied and dried up: the reeds and flags shall wither.
Isa 19:7  The paper reeds by the brooks, by the mouth of the brooks, and every thing sown by the brooks, shall wither, be driven away, and be no more.

King Cyrus turned the waters of the Euphrates and diverted them far north of Babylon. When the waters were no longer flowing through Babylon, his armies marched into the city through the empty channel which had been the Euphrates River and took the city without having to fight a battle. That is the outward fulfillment of the "drying up of the Euphrates". The spiritual fulfillment is coming in the form of the rejection of the doctrines of the Babylonian religions of this earth, and the eating of the flesh of that great whore and burning her with the fire of that rejection.

That is the deep darkness that comes just before the light of dawn. That is the great high waves which bring us and the kingdoms of this world to our wits' end just before we are brought to our haven of rest, and just before the kingdoms of this world are given into the merciful hands of the Lord's 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.

We have read a lot about how the Lord melts the hearts of the men of Egypt and the inhabitants of the promised land. Here are more verses which make that a personal experience and give us a much deeper understanding of what must take place within us before it can take place outwardly:

Psa 107:25  For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.
Psa 107:26  They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble.
Psa 107:27  They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits' end.
Psa 107:28  Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.
Psa 107:29  He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.
Psa 107:30  Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.

It is He who "commands and raises the stormy wind", and it is also He, who at the time He has appointed for our good, will in the end 'makes the storm a calm and bring us into our desired haven of peace and safety' and "[His] rest" (Heb 4:1-5).

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.

Next week, Lord willing, we will continue to see more of the kingdom of our old man and his fate, presented to us in the form of the drying up of the river of Egypt.

Isa 19:8  The fishers also shall mourn, and all they that cast angle into the brooks shall lament, and they that spread nets upon the waters shall languish.
Isa 19:9  Moreover they that work in fine flax, and they that weave networks, shall be confounded.
Isa 19:10  And they shall be broken in the purposes thereof, all that make sluices and ponds for fish.
Isa 19:11  Surely the princes of Zoan are fools, the counsel of the wise counsellors of Pharaoh is become brutish: how say ye unto Pharaoh, I am the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings?
Isa 19:12  Where are they? where are thy wise men? and let them tell thee now, and let them know what the LORD of hosts hath purposed upon Egypt.
Isa 19:13  The princes of Zoan are become fools, the princes of Noph are deceived; they have also seduced Egypt, even they that are the stay of the tribes thereof.
Isa 19:14  The LORD hath mingled a perverse spirit in the midst thereof: and they have caused Egypt to err in every work thereof, as a drunken man staggereth in his vomit.
Isa 19:15  Neither shall there be any work for Egypt, which the head or tail, branch or rush, may do.

Every Man’s Hand Against His Neighbor

Zec 8:10 For before these days there was no hire for man, nor any hire for beast; neither was there any peace to him that went out or came in because of the affliction: for I set all men every one against his neighbour.

Jer 14:10 Thus saith the LORD unto this people, Thus have they loved to wander, they have not refrained their feet, therefore the LORD doth not accept them; he will now remember their iniquity, and visit their sins.
Jer 14:11 Then said the LORD unto me, Pray not for this people for their good.
Jer 14:12 When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and an oblation, I will not accept them: but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence.

Introduction

The last part of this study will be dealing with a question I am asked on a regular basis. It concerns the outward application of the spiritual words of Christ.

In Matthew 24, Christ is asked by His disciples, ‘What will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?’ Christ gave what we all understand to be a very spiritual answer to a very carnal-minded question from His carnal-minded disciples who had just earlier been arguing among themselves which of them would be greatest in Christ’s impending kingdom on this earth. Christ’s disciples were so carnal they knew and understood nothing concerning the kingdom of God with us.

Mar 9:33 And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way?
Mar 9:34 But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest.

These very same carnal-minded disciples were really looking forward to this man they were following setting up that kingdom of which He kept speaking. Now they really wanted to know, just how much longer would they have to wait? Even after Christ’s resurrection they were still anticipating a carnal, outward kingdom. The very first thing Christ mentions in answer to the question “…What shall be the sign of your coming, and of the end of the age?” is “Beware of false prophets”:

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?
Mat 24:4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
Mat 24:5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
Mat 24:6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
Mat 24:7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
Mat 24:8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.

All of these things have been taking place in God’s elect inwardly and in this world outwardly for the past 2000 years. So what does any of this have to do with the question posed by Christ’s disciples? They were as carnal as the day is long, and they had no understanding of the spiritual significance of what Christ was saying at this point in their service to our Lord.

The reason Christ answered as He did is that Christ was not speaking only to His carnal disciples of that generation. He knew His words had an is, was and will be character to them which His disciples could not yet grasp.

Joh 17:20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;

Mat 24:15, as we will read, reveals that Christ knew that His disciples’ words would be read by coming generations. He knew that because of this is, was and will be quality His words would not pass away, in any generation, and He comes right out and tells his disciples in verse 35:

Mat 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

After telling us to expect false Christs, wars and rumors of wars, nation rising up against nation, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes, Christ continues, telling us what we are to expect before His outward kingdom would be set up to outwardly rule this earth:

Mat 24:9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.
Mat 24:10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
Mat 24:11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
Mat 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
Mat 24:13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
Mat 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
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)

Again, all of this has an is, was and will be application, which doesn’t really give us a definite natural, outward answer to the question concerning when the end of the age would come, even though He says “this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world “and then shall the end come”. It is not an explicit, outward answer simply because the scriptures define “the end” as the time of the “put[ting] away [of] sin” which we are told is “now once [being done] in the end of the age”:

Heb 9:26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

So “the end of the world” of Heb 9:26 is the same as “the end of the world” of Matthew 24: 3 and 14 because the preaching of the gospel in all the world is as internal as the abomination of desolation.

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)

Luk 17:21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

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.

“He that readeth let him understand” this:

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.

“You are the temple of God”, and it is you and I who are also guilty of defiling that temple, which defiling is known as “the abomination that makes desolate”. It is this same apostle Paul who reveals to us that “Ye are the temple of God” who also reveals to us that it is we who are found to be sitting in the temple of God, proclaiming ourselves to be God:

2Th 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
2Th 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
2Th 2:5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? [1Co 3:16]

So there must first come “a great falling away” before we will be able to see ourselves as that “man of sin”, and it is here that “every man’s hand against his neighbor” comes into this study. If the words of Christ are spirit and are primarily to be understood internally, rather than placing them outside ourselves, and on that “wicked [man]… made for the day of evil” (Pro 16:4), then the words “every man’s hand against his neighbor” are also to first and foremost to be understood in that way. But take note how often this principle is repeated in the Old Testament natural ‘shadows’ of New Testament spiritual realities, I will refer to just a few of the many times we are told “every man’s hand [will be] against his neighbor”:

Isa 3:4 And I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them.
Isa 3:5 And the people shall be oppressed, every one by another, and every one by his neighbour: the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honourable.
Isa 3:6 When a man shall take hold of his brother of the house of his father, saying, Thou hast clothing, be thou our ruler, and let this ruin be under thy hand:
Isa 3:7 In that day shall he swear, saying, I will not be an healer; for in my house is neither bread nor clothing: make me not a ruler of the people.
Isa 3:8 For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen: because their tongue and their doings are against the LORD, to provoke the eyes of his glory.
Isa 3:9 The shew of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not. Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves.

This self-destructive principle mentioned here in Isaiah is repeated in Ezekiel 38 and in Zechariah 11:

Isa 19:2 And I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians: and they shall fight every one against his brother, and every one against his neighbour; city against city, and kingdom against kingdom.

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.

Zec 8:10 For before these days there was no hire for man, nor any hire for beast; neither was there any peace to him that went out or came in because of the affliction: for I set all men every one against his neighbour.

Zec 11:6 For I will no more pity the inhabitants of the land, saith the LORD: but, lo, I will deliver the men every one into his neighbour’s hand, and into the hand of his king: and they shall smite the land, and out of their hand I will not deliver them.

Zec 14:13 And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the LORD shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour.

Only those who have lived these words know that Christ, through the holy spirit, comes to take our peace with this world out of our lives, and to replace it with the peace that excels and surpasses all carnal understanding, even as we are being hated and persecuted by our own families, our own children and our own neighbors.

All these verses speaking of outward turmoil, are experienced spiritually and inwardly as internal turmoil. All who come to know God and His Son, will know the suffering and the rejection that Christ experienced. As Christ came face to face with just how much His own people had rejected Him, He made this statement:

Mat 26:38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.

Luk 22:44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

But as that inward turmoil and that great earthquake is taking place within us, it always inevitably has an outward manifestation. Christ warned us to expect that outward manifestation in Matthew 10:

Mat 10:17 But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;
Mat 10:18 And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.
Mat 10:19 But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.
Mat 10:20 For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.
Mat 10:21 And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.
Mat 10:22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

Our judgment takes place during “the day of the Lord”, which comes at “the time of the end” within each of us “in [our] own order”.

This is how the holy spirit describes this time in our lives:

Isa 13:9 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it. [“… with the brightness of His coming” 2Th 2]:
Isa 13:10 For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.
Isa 13:11 And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible. [This is not someone else]
Isa 13:12 I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir. [the death of our old man]
Isa 13:13 Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.

2Th 2:6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he [the man of sin, vs 8, sitting on the throne of God within our hearts and minds] might be revealed in his time.
2Th 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth [Greek: restrains] will let [restrain], 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:

But this judgment and destruction of our carnal-minded man of sin, who sits in the temple of God, is not accomplished by a ten-second prayer. This is a long drawn-out process that begins even before we are “hated of all men for [Christ’s] sake”. We all must first endure a great “trial of affliction” within (2Co 8:2) as all of the kingdoms of this world within us are being destroyed with ‘the brightness of the coming of the truth of the words of Christ’.

All of these verses should primarily be applied to our inward doctrinal world, which must be taken from us as we are being spiritually shaken within. In time we come to see all the lies and contradictions we have been believing for so long, and we begin to hate those lies and false doctrines, and we want to save those who taught us those lies. This part of our walk tends only to increase the persecution and hatred which the world has been given for Christ and His Christ. It is at this point in our experience that we cast our pearls before swine and give that which is holy unto the dogs, and they turn and rend us. It is all just part of our calling:

Php 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
Php 3:11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
Php 3:12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
Php 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
Php 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

The outward application at the end of this age

In the last part of this study, I want to answer a question that was posed to me in an e-mail which I answered yesterday, and then was again asked in a phone conversation I had just a couple of hours later. That question involves the outward application of all of these verses which speak of “every one against his brother, and every one against his neighbor”.

In scripture Egypt symbolizes this outward world and the doctrines of this world within us. What we have just demonstrated is that all of this is what must first happen to our ‘world’ within us before that man of sin can be dethroned and cast out of our hearts and minds. But never think that the same is not true for the outward rulers of this world who must also be judged outwardly and be outwardly dethroned and removed or else made to be outwardly subject to those who will be given to judge the kingdoms of this world for a symbolic thousand 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.

Rev 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

While these verses certainly have a spiritual application, “the kingdoms of this world” will also be ruled outwardly, and just as the man of sin, who sits in the temple of God within our hearts, is loathe to give up that power over us, so also will be the rulers of the kingdoms of this world. So what must be done?

Mic 4:3 And he [we] shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

What form will that rebuke take?

Psa 2:9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.

Jer 13:14 And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, saith the LORD: I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy them.
Rev 2:26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
Rev 2:27 And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers [Psa 9:2]: even as I received of my Father.

We have all read the story of how God “broke to shivers” the nation of Egypt in the process of delivering His people. He is quite capable of doing the same again.

Look what happened at the rebellion of Korah and company:

Num 16:32 And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.
Num 16:33 They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.
Num 16:34 And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also.

God is not lacking in how He is capable of dealing with our rebellious spirit. This is how He dealt with the Assyrians when King Hezekiah cried out for help:

2Ki 19:35 And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.

This is what He did with Moab, Ammon and Edom when they made the mistake of confronting His people in the days of King Jehoshaphat:

2Ch 20:22 And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.
2Ch 20:23 For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another.

So the verses we have applied inwardly will and do also have an outward application:

Isa 19:2 And I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians: and they shall fight every one against his brother, and every one against his neighbour; city against city, and kingdom against kingdom.

This principle is being played out in the natural, outward realm before our very eyes, as we witness almost all western governments, which seem to have a suicidal desire to destroy themselves, inviting literally millions of migrants of another culture who openly declare that they are intent upon destroying the existing pseudo-Christian society and replacing it with their own culture, which isn’t even compatible with the constitutions of the host countries.

So let us not overlook the words of our Lord which provoked the prophecies of Matthew 24, which we have just read and which we have properly applied first and primarily within.

Here is what Christ said to His disciples which provoked them to ask about the signs of His coming, and of the end of this age:

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?

We have gone to great lengths to demonstrate that not one stone of the temple of Babylon has been left upon another inwardly as we have experienced and are experiencing our journey out of Babylon, but there was also and outward, physical fulfillment of this prophecy Christ made about the destruction of the temple, which occurred less than 40 years after Christ’s death and resurrection.

Here is a cut and paste from Barnes Notes On The Bible concerning the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem, which seemed about as likely when Christ made His prophecy as the kingdoms of this world becoming the kingdoms of our Lord and His Christ.

Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

There shall not be left here one stone upon another – At the time this was spoken, no event was more improbable than this. The temple was vast, rich, splendid. It was the pride of the nation, and the nation was at peace. Yet in the short space of 40 years all this was accomplished exactly. Jerusalem was taken by the Roman armies, under the command of Titus, 70 a.d. The account of the siege and destruction of the city is left us by Josephus, a historian of undoubted veracity and singular fidelity. He was a Jewish priest. In the wars of which he gives an account, he fell into the hands of the Romans, and remained with them during the siege and destruction of the city. Being a Jew, he would of course say nothing designed to confirm the prophecies of Jesus Christ; yet his whole history appears almost like a running commentary on these predictions respecting the destruction of the temple. The following particulars are given on his authority:

After the city was taken, Josephus says that Titus “gave orders that they should now “demolish the whole city and temple,” except three towers, which he reserved standing. But for the rest of the wall, it was laid so completely even with the ground by those who “dug it up from the foundation,” that there was nothing left to make those believe who came hither that it had ever been inhabited.” Maimonides, a Jewish writer, has also recorded that “Terentius Rufus, an officer in the army of Titus, with a plowshare tore up the foundations of the temple, that the prophecy might be fulfilled, ‘Zion shall be plowed as a field,'” Micah 3:12. This was all done by the direction of divine Providence. Titus was desirous of preserving the temple, and frequently sent Josephus to the Jews to induce them to surrender and save the temple and city. But the prediction of the Saviour had gone forth, and, notwithstanding the wish of the Roman general, the temple was to be destroyed. The Jews themselves first set fire to the porticoes of the temple. One of the Roman soldiers, without any command, threw a burning firebrand into the golden window, and soon the temple was in flames. Titus gave orders to extinguish the fire; but, amid the tumult, none of the orders were obeyed. The soldiers pressed to the temple, and neither fear nor entreaties, nor stripes could restrain them. Their hatred of the Jews urged them on to the work of destruction, and thus, says Josephus, the temple was burned against the will of Caesar. – Jewish Wars, b. 6 chapter 4, section 5-7.

We are told with all the authority of the word of God:

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

Now let’s read this verse with the three preceding verses and the following verse:

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?
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, who will not fear? the Lord GOD hath spoken, who can but prophesy?

He who prophesies speaks to men to edify, exhort, and to comfort.

1Co 14:3 But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.

The lion has roared because he has taken his prey. The trumpets are being blown, and the people are afraid.

Luk 21:25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
Luk 21:26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
Luk 21:27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
Luk 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

Those who are in Christ have nothing to fear because they are already crucified with Christ, and they have nothing to lose in this world, and they have everything to gain by following in the footsteps of Christ and dying daily to “the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches”.

If we are given faith in the words of God, then we will be grateful for our calling. We will have peace of mind at a time when the whole world is in terror, simply because we know we can depend on these words:

Rom 11:30 For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:
Rom 11:31 Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.
Rom 11:32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.
Rom 11:33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
Rom 11:34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?
Rom 11:35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?
Rom 11:36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.