Numbers 36:1-13 Marriage of Female Heirs

[Study Aired January 15, 2024]

Introduction

Chapter 36 is the last chapter of the Book of Numbers, and it focuses on how we can guarantee our inheritance through marriage with Christ. In Chapter 27, we encountered the five daughters of Zelophehad who came to Moses to demand the inheritance of their father. Their father Zelophehad did not have a son but only five daughters. This is how the story unfolds in Numbers chapter 27: 

Num 27:1  Then drew near the daughters of Zelophehad the son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh, from the clans of Manasseh the son of Joseph. The names of his daughters were: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.
Num 27:2  And they stood before Moses and before Eleazar the priest and before the chiefs and all the congregation, at the entrance of the tent of meeting, saying,
Num 27:3  “Our father died in the wilderness. He was not among the company of those who gathered themselves together against the LORD in the company of Korah, but died for his own sin. And he had no sons.
Num 27:4  Why should the name of our father be taken away from his clan because he had no son? Give to us a possession among our father’s brothers.”
Num 27:5  Moses brought their case before the LORD.
Num 27:6  And the LORD said to Moses,
Num 27:7  “The daughters of Zelophehad are right. You shall give them possession of an inheritance among their father’s brothers and transfer the inheritance of their father to them.
Num 27:8  And you shall speak to the people of Israel, saying, ‘If a man dies and has no son, then you shall transfer his inheritance to his daughter.
Num 27:9  And if he has no daughter, then you shall give his inheritance to his brothers.
Num 27:10  And if he has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his father’s brothers.
Num 27:11  And if his father has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to the nearest kinsman of his clan, and he shall possess it. And it shall be for the people of Israel a statute and rule, as the LORD commanded Moses.’”

Zelophehad means ‘firstborn.’ From the scriptures, we know that the Lord is the firstborn of creation. What this implies is that Zelophehad symbolized our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Col 1:15  Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

What we need to understand is that during the Lord’s life here on earth, He did not convert anybody and therefore died without having sons. However, after His death, the church was born when the Holy Spirit descended on the disciples to endow them with power on the day of Pentecost. We can therefore say that at the Lord’s death, He left us the church of the firstborn. The five daughters of Zelophehad therefore represent the church. Being five daughters means that the church is born by grace through faith, which is the significance of the number five.

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

The names of the daughters of Zelophehad reveal to us the process the church goes through to become mature to receive an inheritance. The first daughter’s name “Mahlah” means ‘disease.’ We start our walk with the Lord being diseased. That is, we were burdened by sin. The second daughter’s name is “Noah” which means ‘rest’ or ‘relief.’ It is when Christ comes to us that we begin to experience relief or rest in Him. The third daughter’s name is “Hoglah” which means ‘a partridge’, a kind of bird. It is when we find rest in Him that we are likened to a bird that has escaped from the snare of the fowler.

Psa 124:6  Blessed be the LORD, who has not given us as prey to their teeth! 
Psa 124:7  We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we have escaped! 
Psa 124:8  Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.

The fourth daughter of Zelophehad is called “Milcah” which means ‘Queen.’ Since the Lord is the king of Kings, being His bride means we are queens. The fifth daughter is called “Tirzah” which means ‘Delight.’ On the day that we shall sit on thrones with our Lord Jesus Christ, that will be a delight!!

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.

The daughters of Zelophehad told Moses and Eleazer that their father did not have sons and was not part of those who rebelled against Moses and Aaron. However, he died in his own sin. The statement “he died in his own sin” must be interrogated. According to Strong, the statement can mean sin or the punishment for sin. Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB) also affirms that the statement could also mean punishment for sin as shown below:

H2399
חטא
chêṭ’
BDB Definition:
1) sin
1a) sin
1b) guilt for sin
1c) punishment for sin

As we indicated, Zelophehad symbolizes the Lord Jesus Christ. As shown in verse 4, Zelophehad did not rebel against Moses and Aaron. This implies that our Lord Jesus Christ never rebelled against God the father who is symbolized by Moses and Aaron. As explained, Zelophehad dying in his own sin means that our Lord Jesus Christ died as a result of the punishment of sin as the sins of the whole world were laid on Him. As indicated, Zelophehad having no sons implies that while Jesus was here on earth, He did not convert anybody.

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

The daughters of Zelophehad petitioned Moses and Eleazer to consider giving them an inheritance since it was not the fault of their father for not having sons but only daughters. At His death, the Lord gave birth to the church, which is represented by the five daughters. However, before He died, not any of the disciples was converted to become a son.

One good thing about Moses is that he consulted the Lord in everything. When this matter was brought before him by the daughters of Zelophehad, he did not use his own discretion to judge the matter. As the Lord’s elect, we need to depend wholly on the Lord for guidance and not rely on our own understanding.

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

The bride of Christ or the church of the firstborn, represented by the daughters of Zelophehad shall surely be rewarded with an inheritance. Verses 9 to 11 all say the same thing but in different perspectives. We, His elect, are Jesus’ brethren, His sons and at the same time, His kinsmen that are next to Him of His family and therefore are destined to receive an inheritance. 

Heb 2:11  For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, 
Heb 2:12  Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.

The time the church of the firstborn shall receive an inheritance is when the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ. That is at the time of the first resurrection.

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.

With all these in mind, let’s look at today’s study which shows us what we must do to maintain our inheritance.

The Request not to Marry from Other Tribes

Num 36:1  And the chief fathers of the families of the children of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of the sons of Joseph, came near, and spake before Moses, and before the princes, the chief fathers of the children of Israel:
Num 36:2  And they said, The LORD commanded my lord to give the land for an inheritance by lot to the children of Israel: and my lord was commanded by the LORD to give the inheritance of Zelophehad our brother unto his daughters.
Num 36:3  And if they be married to any of the sons of the other tribes of the children of Israel, then shall their inheritance be taken from the inheritance of our fathers, and shall be put to the inheritance of the tribe whereunto they are received: so shall it be taken from the lot of our inheritance.

The elders of the families of Manesseh, the son of Joseph, came to Moses concerned that if the daughters of Zelophehad married men from the other tribes of Israel, they shall lose their inheritance to other tribes over time. As a result, the inheritance of the families of Manesseh which they received by lot will diminish. The inheritance signifies the reward we shall receive in the fullness of time. Receiving our inheritance by lot means that it is the Lord who does all the work through us to make us worthy of a reward or prize. 

Pro 16:33  The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.

These verses bring to our attention the fact that our reward is not guaranteed. The Bible has in several places warned us about not being able to receive the reward. That is the same as being disqualified for the prize or crown.

Rev 3:11  Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

Rev 3:3  Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.

Heb 6:7  For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. 
Heb 6:8  But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned.
Heb 6:9  Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation.

In these verses under discussion, we are made aware of one of the specific reasons why we may fall short of receiving the prize – through marriage. In other words, if the daughters of Zelophehad marry men from other tribes, they run the risk of losing their inheritance. That is to say that we must avoid being unequally yoked. It is not only in marriage that we become unequally yoked. When we find ourselves still under the dictates of the flesh, even though the light of Christ has shown forth in our hearts, then we are unequally yoked. 

2Co 6:14  Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? 
2Co 6:15  What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever?
2Co 6:16  What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
2Co 6:17  Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you,
2Co 6:18  and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.”

In the Bible, a typical example of a man who lost it even though he started well is Solomon. No wonder his name is absent from Hebrews chapter 11 which talks about the hall of fame of faith. That is, those who had persevered in faith. The reason for Solomon’s fall was due to being unequally yoked. 

1Ki 11:1  Now King Solomon loved many foreign women, along with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women,
1Ki 11:2  from the nations concerning which the LORD had said to the people of Israel, “You shall not enter into marriage with them, neither shall they with you, for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods.” Solomon clung to these in love. 
1Ki 11:3  He had 700 wives, who were princesses, and 300 concubines. And his wives turned away his heart.
1Ki 11:4  For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.
1Ki 11:5  For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.
1Ki 11:6  So Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the LORD and did not wholly follow the LORD, as David his father had done.

These things are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come.

1Co 10:11  Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. 
1Co 10:12  Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

Num 36:4  And when the jubilee of the children of Israel shall be, then shall their inheritance be put unto the inheritance of the tribe whereunto they are received: so shall their inheritance be taken away from the inheritance of the tribe of our fathers.

The Jubilee year is the fiftieth year. It is the time that liberty is proclaimed throughout the land of Israel as each person returns to his property and to his clan. It is a time that the people of Israel rest from their labors and slaves are set free. This time of Jubilee is when the inheritance of the daughters of Zelophehad shall be added to the inheritance of the tribes that they marry other than their tribe. Spiritually, we are being told that it is during the first resurrection that we come to see those who had lost their reward during their time here on earth.

Lev 25:8  “You shall count seven weeks of years, seven times seven years, so that the time of the seven weeks of years shall give you forty-nine years. 
Lev 25:9  Then you shall sound the loud trumpet on the tenth day of the seventh month. On the Day of Atonement you shall sound the trumpet throughout all your land. 
Lev 25:10  And you shall consecrate the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you, when each of you shall return to his property and each of you shall return to his clan. 
Lev 25:11  That fiftieth year shall be a jubilee for you; in it you shall neither sow nor reap what grows of itself nor gather the grapes from the undressed vines. 
Lev 25:12  For it is a jubilee. It shall be holy to you. You may eat the produce of the field.

Num 36:5  And Moses commanded the children of Israel according to the word of the LORD, saying, The tribe of the sons of Joseph hath said well.
Num 36:6  This is the thing which the LORD doth command concerning the daughters of Zelophehad, saying, Let them marry to whom they think best; only to the family of the tribe of their father shall they marry.
Num 36:7  So shall not the inheritance of the children of Israel remove from tribe to tribe: for every one of the children of Israel shall keep himself to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers. 
Num 36:8  And every daughter, that possesseth an inheritance in any tribe of the children of Israel, shall be wife unto one of the family of the tribe of her father, that the children of Israel may enjoy every man the inheritance of his fathers.
Num 36:9  Neither shall the inheritance remove from one tribe to another tribe; but every one of the tribes of the children of Israel shall keep himself to his own inheritance.

In these verses, the daughters of Zelophehad are required to marry within the tribe of their father in order to keep their inheritance. That is another way of saying that we must marry only those who are in the Lord. Marrying anyone who does not share in our common faith or being unequally yoked is a sure way to lose our crown.

1Co 7:39  A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord.

We can easily become unequally yoked by association. We can depart physically from Babylon, but if we continue to retain in our heavens their false doctrines, then they can become false idols which will eventually cause us to lose our inheritance. 

Eze 14:1  Then certain of the elders of Israel came to me and sat before me. 
Eze 14:2  And the word of the LORD came to me:
Eze 14:3  “Son of man, these men have taken their idols into their hearts, and set the stumbling block of their iniquity before their faces. Should I indeed let myself be consulted by them? 
Eze 14:4  Therefore speak to them and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: Any one of the house of Israel who takes his idols into his heart and sets the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and yet comes to the prophet, I the LORD will answer him as he comes with the multitude of his idols, 
Eze 14:5  that I may lay hold of the hearts of the house of Israel, who are all estranged from me through their idols.

Num 36:10  Even as the LORD commanded Moses, so did the daughters of Zelophehad: 
Num 36:11  For Mahlah, Tirzah, and Hoglah, and Milcah, and Noah, the daughters of Zelophehad, were married unto their father’s brothers’ sons:
Num 36:12  And they were married into the families of the sons of Manasseh the son of Joseph, and their inheritance remained in the tribe of the family of their father. 
Num 36:13  These are the commandments and the judgments, which the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses unto the children of Israel in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho.

At the Lord’s command, the five daughters of Zelophehad all married their cousins to retain their inheritance within the tribe of Manasseh. We can see that it is what the Lord wants that is important and not what we desire. The five daughters may have had their preferences in terms of who to marry which may be outside their tribe. However, they set their desire aside to be obedient to the Lord since they value their inheritance more than their lives here on earth. Moses also was looking forward to the reward as He considered the reproach of Christ greater than the treasures of Egypt or the world. Our Lord Jesus Christ set us the ultimate example of focusing on the joy that was set before Him as He despised the shame of what He was to go through.

Heb 12:1  Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
Heb 12:2  looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Heb 11:24  By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 
Heb 11:25  choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.
Heb 11:26  He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.

Talking about how we can guarantee our reward or inheritance, we are also told through the word of the Lord to keep our bodies under subjection.

1Co 9:24  Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.
1Co 9:25  Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we, an imperishable.
1Co 9:26  So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air.
1Co 9:27  But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. (ESV)

The question is how do we keep our bodies in subjection? The word of the Lord tells us that if we walk in the spirit, then we do not come under the dictates of our flesh or bodies. The “walk” in this case means being ‘occupied with’ according to Strong’s Dictionary. The word of the Lord is spirit, and as we desire to live by His word or become occupied with His words, the Lord enables us to obey His words and therefore we are able to walk in the spirit.

Gal 5:16  But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
Gal 5:17  For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.
Gal 5:18  But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

May the Lord help us to focus on the joy that is set before us just as our Lord did and is seated on the right hand of God!! Amen!!

Jdg 15:1-20 With the Jawbone of an Ass, Have I Slain a Thousand Men

[Study Aired July 19, 2021]

Jdg 15:1  But it came to pass within a while after, in the time of wheat harvest, that Samson visited his wife with a kid; and he said, I will go in to my wife into the chamber. But her father would not suffer him to go in.
Jdg 15:2  And her father said, I verily thought that thou hadst utterly hated her; therefore I gave her to thy companion: is not her younger sister fairer than she? take her, I pray thee, instead of her.
Jdg 15:3  And Samson said concerning them, Now shall I be more blameless than the Philistines, though I do them a displeasure. 
Jdg 15:4  And Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took firebrands, and turned tail to tail, and put a firebrand in the midst between two tails. 
Jdg 15:5  And when he had set the brands on fire, he let them go into the standing corn of the Philistines, and burnt up both the shocks, and also the standing corn, with the vineyards and olives. 
Jdg 15:6  Then the Philistines said, Who hath done this? And they answered, Samson, the son in law of the Timnite, because he had taken his wife, and given her to his companion. And the Philistines came up, and burnt her and her father with fire. 
Jdg 15:7  And Samson said unto them, Though ye have done this, yet will I be avenged of you, and after that I will cease. 
Jdg 15:8  And he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter: and he went down and dwelt in the top of the rock Etam. 
Jdg 15:9  Then the Philistines went up, and pitched in Judah, and spread themselves in Lehi. 
Jdg 15:10  And the men of Judah said, Why are ye come up against us? And they answered, To bind Samson are we come up, to do to him as he hath done to us. 
Jdg 15:11  Then three thousand men of Judah went to the top of the rock Etam, and said to Samson, Knowest thou not that the Philistines are rulers over us? what is this that thou hast done unto us? And he said unto them, As they did unto me, so have I done unto them. 
Jdg 15:12  And they said unto him, We are come down to bind thee, that we may deliver thee into the hand of the Philistines. And Samson said unto them, Swear unto me, that ye will not fall upon me yourselves. 
Jdg 15:13  And they spake unto him, saying, No; but we will bind thee fast, and deliver thee into their hand: but surely we will not kill thee. And they bound him with two new cords, and brought him up from the rock. 
Jdg 15:14  And when he came unto Lehi, the Philistines shouted against him: and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and the cords that were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands loosed from off his hands.
Jdg 15:15  And he found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and took it, and slew a thousand men therewith. 
Jdg 15:16  And Samson said, With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps, with the jaw of an ass have I slain a thousand men.
Jdg 15:17  And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking, that he cast away the jawbone out of his hand, and called that place Ramathlehi.
Jdg 15:18  And he was sore athirst, and called on the LORD, and said, Thou hast given this great deliverance into the hand of thy servant: and now shall I die for thirst, and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised?
Jdg 15:19  But God clave an hollow place that was in the jaw, and there came water thereout; and when he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he revived: wherefore he called the name thereof Enhakkore, which is in Lehi unto this day.
Jdg 15:20  And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years.

This chapter deals with our realization of what Babylon really is and also the struggle we go through with our flesh as we see Samson engage the Philistines in a fight of his life.

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

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

Jdg 15:1  But it came to pass within a while after, in the time of wheat harvest, that Samson visited his wife with a kid; and he said, I will go in to my wife into the chamber. But her father would not suffer him to go in.

Samson’s return visit to claim his Philistine wife occurred during the time of the wheat harvest. Spiritually, the wheat harvest is when we come to know the difference between the tares and the wheat, or good from evil. It is also the time period that we come to see ourselves as the greatest sinner and therefore cannot help ourselves unless God intervenes.

Mat 13:30  Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

1Sa 12:17  Is it not wheat harvest to day? I will call unto the LORD, and he shall send thunder and rain; that ye may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking you a king.

Here in 1 Samuel 12:17, we are made aware that it is through the word of God (rain) and judgment (thunder) that we come to see who we really are. It is during this period of wheat harvest that we come to see who the Philistine woman really is – that is, she is married to another Jesus. The statement that her father “would not suffer him to go in” means that all that is happening is according to the counsel of God. God, in His mercy and wisdom, delivers us from continuing our fellowship with Babylon if we are marked as His elect.

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

Jdg 15:2  And her father said, I verily thought that thou hadst utterly hated her; therefore I gave her to thy companion: is not her younger sister fairer than she? take her, I pray thee, instead of her.

It is the Lord who takes the initiative to disengage us from Babylon. Our flesh would want to continue having dominion over us by suggesting that even though the churches we attended were not up to the standard of God, there may be other churches (younger sister) who may be doing well with which we can have fellowship. The truth about the younger sister, who is called Aholibah in the scriptures, is that she is worse than her elder sister.

Eze 23:2  Son of man, there were two women, the daughters of one mother:
Eze 23:3  And they committed whoredoms in Egypt; they committed whoredoms in their youth: there were their breasts pressed, and there they bruised the teats of their virginity.
Eze 23:4  And the names of them were Aholah the elder, and Aholibah her sister: and they were mine, and they bare sons and daughters. Thus were their names; Samaria is Aholah, and Jerusalem Aholibah.
Eze 23:5  And Aholah played the harlot when she was mine; and she doted on her lovers, on the Assyrians her neighbours,

Eze 23:11  And when her sister Aholibah saw this, she was more corrupt in her inordinate love than she, and in her whoredoms more than her sister in her whoredoms.

Jdg 15:3  And Samson said concerning them, Now shall I be more blameless than the Philistines, though I do them a displeasure.

This verse is confirming to us that our Lord (represented here by Samson) looks for an occasion or a reason to come into our lives to judge us just like a father punishes a son or daughter when they do something wrong. This is the way our Lord treats us so that at the end of the day, we will know that He is more blameless than us – as spoken by Samson!! Like Job, we want to bask in our own self-righteousness, and in doing so condemn our Lord as being unjust for all the suffering we are going through.

Job 40:6  Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said:
Job 40:7  “Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me.
Job 40:8  Will you even put me in the wrong? Will you condemn me that you may be in the right? (ESV)

Jdg 15:4  And Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took firebrands, and turned tail to tail, and put a firebrand in the midst between two tails. 
Jdg 15:5  And when he had set the brands on fire, he let them go into the standing corn of the Philistines, and burnt up both the shocks, and also the standing corn, with the vineyards and olives.

The foxes here stand for our leaders or prophets in Babylon during our time there. The tails of these foxes also signify prophets that teach lies. What these “men of God” teach is like fire that burns down or destroys the standing corn with the vineyards and olives, which represent the truth of the word of God we had while we were in Babylon. Thus, we become worse off in Babylon than when we started.

Eze 13:4  O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts.

Isa 9:15  The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail.

Jud 1:4  For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Jud 1:8  Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.

Jud 1:10  But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.
Jud 1:11  Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.

What this means is that in Babylon, even the little truth that we had received from the word of God is taken away from us. We therefore become impoverished in Babylon. Our time in Babylon was just like the time when Samuel was ministering in the presence of Eli.

1Sa 3:1  Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the LORD in the presence of Eli. And the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision.

Jdg 15:6  Then the Philistines said, Who hath done this? And they answered, Samson, the son in law of the Timnite, because he had taken his wife, and given her to his companion. And the Philistines came up, and burnt her and her father with fire.
Jdg 15:7  And Samson said unto them, Though ye have done this, yet will I be avenged of you, and after that I will cease. 

As stated earlier, the time of the wheat harvest is when we come to realize that instead of Christ, we have been given another Jesus during our time in Babylon. Therefore, like the Philistines, we come to loathe all we have acquired in Babylon. It is when we have come to this realization that Christ comes in with the word of His mouth, which is like fire, to start the burning down of Babylon (Samson’s wife) and the flesh (Her father and the Philistines) within us.

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

Jdg 15:8  And he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter: and he went down and dwelt in the top of the rock Etam.

Samson went and dwelt at the top of the rock called Etam.  According to Strong, Etam means a Hawk. We know from the scriptures that the rock is Christ, and here Christ is described as a Hawk. Hawks have hunting techniques which makes them capture their prey easily. In a similar vein, Christ is like a hawk who flies to and fro over the earth to capture His prey, which is His elect for the kingdom.

2Ch 16:9  For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.

As we abide in Christ, who is the rock, we are given victory over the flesh, which is the great slaughter. The smiting of the hip and thigh is another way of saying that anything that affects our walk with Christ initially is dealt with by the Lord.

Psa 31:1  To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness.
Psa 31:2  Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me.
Psa 31:3  For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me.

Jdg 15:9  Then the Philistines went up, and pitched in Judah, and spread themselves in Lehi. 
Jdg 15:10  And the men of Judah said, Why are ye come up against us? And they answered, To bind Samson are we come up, to do to him as he hath done to us.

The Philistines pitching in Judah is to let us know that the enemies are within us – that is our flesh. Lehi, according to Strong’s dictionary, means soft as in the softness of the flesh covering our cheek bone. Spreading themselves in Lehi implies that the enemies focus on the vulnerable areas of our lives to defeat us. These areas of least resistance in our lives are the sins that easily beset us, which are the focus of the devil’s attacks. In other words, a little leaven (propensity towards error), leavens the whole lump.

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

Gal 5:9  A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.

Verse 10 indicates that the purpose of the flesh within is to bind us and ultimately destroy us; that means destroying our relationship with Christ. That is the same as being unable to do the things that we would in Galatians 5:17.

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

Jdg 15:11  Then three thousand men of Judah went to the top of the rock Etam, and said to Samson, Knowest thou not that the Philistines are rulers over us? what is this that thou hast done unto us? And he said unto them, As they did unto me, so have I done unto them.

The three thousand men of Judah is symbolic to let us know that all which is happening to us in terms of our struggle with the flesh is part of the process of becoming spiritually complete (3000 = 3x10x10x10). Within us sometimes, we hear voices of the flesh telling us, like the men of Judah, that this war with the flesh can never be won since we are flesh and therefore dominated by the flesh. This is the same as saying, “Who can make war with the beast?”

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

Jdg 15:12  And they said unto him, We are come down to bind thee, that we may deliver thee into the hand of the Philistines. And Samson said unto them, Swear unto me, that ye will not fall upon me yourselves.
Jdg 15:13  And they spake unto him, saying, No; but we will bind thee fast, and deliver thee into their hand: but surely we will not kill thee. And they bound him with two new cords, and brought him up from the rock.

Verse 12 shows us the intent of the flesh within us – that is to bind us to deliver us to the devil to sift us like wheat and destroy us. However, the good news is that our High priest Jesus is praying for us that our faith will not fail!!

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

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

Like Samson, we become apprehensive about being overcome by the flesh and therefore being put to death spiritually. That is what Samson meant when he told the men of Judah, his own flesh, that they should swear that he would not be killed by them. We all struggle like Esther and wonder whether the King will extend his sceptre to us in our time of need or if we will be put to death. This is contrary to the teaching we had in Babylon that claims we are already saved, and we quote some scriptural verses to support our assurance of salvation.

Est 4:16  Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.

In Philippians 2:12, we are admonished to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. The fear and trembling means that we may wonder at times whether we are going to make it to the first resurrection. As we indicated in the previous review, one of the things that assures us that we are on the right track to our destination is that our eyes are seeing and our ears are hearing!

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

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

Outwardly, the men of Judah represent our brothers and sisters in Babylon. As indicated in verse 12, the whole period of our engagement with Babylon is that we end up being bound in chains or groping in the dark and needing deliverance from the Lord just like Samson as he was brought to the Philistines in bondage. It is significant to note that the men of Judah removed Samson from the rock in verse 13. As indicated earlier, the rock is Christ and so at the end of our journey in Babylon, we are removed from abiding in Christ.

2Pe 2:20  For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
2Pe 2:21  For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
2Pe 2:22  But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

Samson was bound by the men of Judah with the purpose of delivering him to the enemy, the Philistines. Like Samson, we become entangled in sin again and again even after the victories we have won over the flesh. In our battle with sin, we may lose some fights but not the war. If we have been penciled to be part of the elect, then whatever the devil throws at us, we shall overcome. Jesus admonished us that in our struggle against sin, we do not have to resist to the point of shedding blood. In other words, we would not be cut short through death (shedding of blood) in our journey of overcoming the flesh if we are called and chosen.

Heb 12:3  For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
Heb 12:4  Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.

Psa 124:6  Blessed be the LORD, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth.
Psa 124:7  Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped.
Psa 124:8  Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.

Jdg 15:14  And when he came unto Lehi, the Philistines shouted against him: and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and the cords that were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands loosed from off his hands.

As indicated earlier, Lehi means soft as it relates to the softness of our flesh covering our jaw bones in our face. So what we are being told here is that, as we get to know our Lord Jesus more through the word of God (the Spirit of the Lord), the chains binding us from our Babylonian captivity are broken. This comes at a time that we realize our weakness (Meaning of Lehi) that we can of ourselves do nothing. That is when our Lord raises a standard against the enemy within (the Philistines) when he comes at us like a flood!!

Isa 59:19  So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.
Isa 59:20  And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD.

Paul puts it this way: “when I am weak, then I am strong!!”

2Co 12:9  And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
2Co 12:10  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

My brothers and sisters, the only way we can win this fight to overcome the flesh or the old man is that we look to Jesus. If we look within, we will see all our weaknesses, and the devil will use these weaknesses to discourage us from running the race. The devil comes to us to tell us that we are not up to the standard God requires with all these weaknesses in us. We might as well give up the fight because there is no way we can overcome. however, in our weakness, like Samson at Lehi, we are made strong!! All the disciples before us had weaknesses but through Christ they were made strong.

Heb 12:1  Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Heb 12:2  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

The weaknesses we are talking about here is explained by Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:10. It relates to infirmities, persecutions, the distress we go through, our anxieties, worries, challenges, etc.; in other words, our inadequacies to do anything. It is when we realize our inadequacies that we rely on Christ alone to deliver us. That is what makes us strong – depending on Him alone!! That was what happened to Samson.

Jdg 15:15  And he found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and took it, and slew a thousand men therewith.
Jdg 15:16  And Samson said, With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps, with the jaw of an ass have I slain a thousand men.

As suggested earlier, the jawbone is taken from the softness of the flesh from the cheek. In Exodus 34:20, the firstling of an ass is compared to the firstborn sons of Israel. This indicates that an ass can also represent the elect. Again, Jesus, in answering the Pharisees about the healing of a man on a Sabbath day, made the statement that when an ass falls into a pit on a Sabbath day, will the Pharisees not care about it? So this is to confirm that an ass represents the elect. Let’s also remember that it was with an ass that Jesus made His triumphant entry to Jerusalem. This means it is through the elect that Christ would be made known to Babylon and the world.

Exo 34:20  But the firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb: and if thou redeem him not, then shalt thou break his neck. All the firstborn of thy sons thou shalt redeem. And none shall appear before me empty.

Luk 14:1  And it came to pass, as he went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the sabbath day, that they watched him.
Luk 14:2  And, behold, there was a certain man before him which had the dropsy.
Luk 14:3  And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day?
Luk 14:4  And they held their peace. And he took him, and healed him, and let him go;
Luk 14:5  And answered them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath day?

Zec 9:9  Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.

What we are being told here in verse 15 is that out of our weaknesses (the jawbone of an ass), comes strength from the Lord to defeat the enemies on our behalf. The thousand men being slain signify the dying of our flesh or our old man as we look up to the Lord in our weaknesses.

2Co 12:9  And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 
2Co 12:10  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

Jdg 15:17  And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking, that he cast away the jawbone out of his hand, and called that place Ramathlehi.

At the end of Samson’s speaking, he put away the jawbone out of his hands. Our end of speaking is when the tent of our body is destroyed – when we physically die. That is when we shall cast away our weaknesses or the jawbone out of our hands. This means that in this life, we shall have weaknesses, but God will carry us through to the end if we are destined to reign with Him.

2Co 5:1  For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
2Co 5:2  For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling,
2Co 5:3  if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked.
2Co 5:4  For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.
2Co 5:5  He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.
2Co 5:6  So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord,
2Co 5:7  for we walk by faith, not by sight.
2Co 5:8  Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
2Co 5:9  So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. (ESV)

Jdg 15:18  And he was sore athirst, and called on the LORD, and said, Thou hast given this great deliverance into the hand of thy servant: and now shall I die for thirst, and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised?

In the midst of victory, Samson became apprehensive and wondered whether he may end up falling into the hands of the uncircumcised Philistines. In the same way, we sometimes become vulnerable as a result of all that we are going through even in the face of victories. Except the Lord comes to our aid through our brothers and sisters, we would not be able to finish this race which is marked out for us. What will sustain us in our vulnerability is the word of God which every joint supplies as we gather together. That is why we are cautioned to get together as we see the day of the Lord approaching. The day of the Lord is our judgment day.

Heb 10:24  And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
Heb 10:25  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

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

When we read the letters of Paul, we can see that sometimes he needed encouragement from other brethren. This is exemplified in the following:

2Ti 1:15  This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.
2Ti 1:16  The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain: 
2Ti 1:17  But, when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found me.
2Ti 1:18  The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day: and in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well.
2Ti 4:9  Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me:
2Ti 4:10  For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.
2Ti 4:11  Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry.

This race we are running is not for the strong but for the weak who put their trust in the Lord.

Ecc 9:11  I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.

Jdg 15:19  But God clave an hollow place that was in the jaw, and there came water thereout; and when he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he revived: wherefore he called the name thereof Enhakkore, which is in Lehi unto this day.

In our weakness, God comes to us to revive us through the word of God given to us by our brothers and sisters who also have weaknesses. This water that comes from the hollow place in our jaw to nourish us is the word of God which comes to us in season at our weakest points in life. If we pay attention to these words from our brethren (that is, if we drink this water), we become strengthened to face the challenges of the day.

There are times, too, that God open our eyes to see a well of water which we haven’t seen before to strengthen us in our desert situation as we walk with Him. This was what happened to Hagar when she was with her son Ishmael, and she ran out of water in the desert and didn’t know what to do. God intervened by helping her see what she had not seen before – water in the desert, which is the word of God. May the Lord help us to see what we have not seen before as we go through His words.

Gen 21:15  And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs.
Gen 21:16  And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept.
Gen 21:17  And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is.
Gen 21:18  Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation.
Gen 21:19  And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink.

Jdg 15:20  And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years. 

As we have learned earlier, the name Samson means sunlight. Now, let’s look at the significance of the twenty years in the days of the Philistines under Samson. In the scriptures the number twenty signifies the beginning of maturity as we are now ready to become enlisted in the Lord’s army to war against the enemies of our land.

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

Num 1:22  Of the children of Simeon, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, those that were numbered of them, according to the number of the names, by their polls, every male from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;

Based on this, we can say that the twenty-year rule of the Israelites under Samson is a period in our lives that we are dominated by the flesh (Philistines), but we are gradually becoming mature in the things of God as a result of the sunlight (Samson) or the light of the glorious gospel we are receiving from the Lord. This beginning of maturity pertains to recognizing our appalling situation and beginning to rely on the Lord through His words to begin the cleansing process in our heavens, which results in the gradual death of our flesh or the old man.

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.

That period is when we recognize we have been deceived in Babylon, and we begin to see that the time has come for our temple to be cleansed. This was what our Lord Jesus was alluding to when He told His disciples about the destruction of their temple.

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?
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.

We all, like the disciples, are enchanted by the outward appearance of our temple, which is our bodies.  This is because we were taught to focus on the outside rather than on the inside by our leaders (the scribes and Pharisees) in Babylon.

1Co 6:19  What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

Mat 23:25  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.
Mat 23:26  Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

It is when we recognize that we have been deceived in Babylon (Mat 24:4-5) that we know the time has come for our temple to be cleansed. That is the beginning of our maturity, which is symbolized by the twenty years. That is the message of this whole chapter of Judges 15 – that is, the beginning of the cleansing process of our temple!!!

Audio Links

Awesome Hands – part 89

“Teach them … to continue in my love”

October 14, 2015

“Teach them … to continue in my love”, is a spiritual concept that has been around since Jesus Christ started to contend with the sinful flesh He had been created as .

2Co 5:17  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

2Co 5:21  For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

His entire life, even while living as a law abiding Jew, was to do the will of the Father. There are a lot of things that come to my mind as I utter that sentence, but the one thought that desires to dominate my mind is how He could do that and then “well, He was the Son of God so He was able to do that”.

If I were asked today, as if I were somehow important enough for someone to ask me this question, what the meaning of life is, my answer today would be, “the meaning of life is to help another person’s life [be better]”.

In this study today, I hope to be used to show you why I believe this statement about the meaning of life is accurate. However, making a person’s life better is not what it appears to be on the surface.

What race am I running?

We all know the verse where Paul tells us that we must run a race.

1Co 9:24  Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

I make no claim to fame that the understanding and knowledge I am about to reveal in this study, has not already been stated and has not already been known before I am about to repeat it. However, what I do make a claim on is that it has been made real in my life even if I work daily to perfect it.

What race is Paul speaking about? In the context of 1 Corinthains 9 Paul “spells it out” but I venture to say that there are not many that have been given to truly grasp the healing that is in his Holy Spirit inspired writings.

Before we see what our Father, via Paul, has to say about this race, let us connect it to the scriptures that inspire this study today.

Exo 25:2  Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering.
Exo 25:3  And this is the offering which ye shall take of them; gold, and silver, and brass,
Exo 25:4  And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats’ hair,
Exo 25:5  And rams’ skins dyed red, and badgers’ skins, and shittim wood,
Exo 25:6  Oil for the light, spices for anointing oil, and for sweet incense,
Exo 25:7  Onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod, and in the breastplate.
Exo 25:8  And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.
Exo 25:9  According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.

In the previous study it was pointed out that the spiritual representatives of the various words mentioned above in verses 3 and 4 are pointing to the spiritual concept that those who have “gold, silver, brass” are those that teach and that “blue, purple and scarlet” represent the process of this fruit [teaching what is the mind of God] being born in the life of the servant of God.

Exo 35:30  And Moses said unto the children of Israel, See, the LORD hath called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah;
Exo 35:31  And he hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship;
Exo 35:32  And to devise curious works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass,
Exo 35:33  And in the cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of wood, to make any manner of cunning work.
Exo 35:34  And he hath put in his heart that he may teach, both he, and Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan.

How does 1 Corinthians 9 connect to Exo 25 and Exo 35? Well, what race are we running? Here is the context of, “So run, that you may obtain” in 1 Co 9:24.

Remember, Paul had just told these same Corinthians how they were acting, and chapter 9 is a further exposition on how they should be living.

1Co 3:1  And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
1Co 3:2  I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
1Co 3:3  For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

We are all “men” i.e. mankind, so it is most natural for as to live as men? However, we as the children of God, should be LIVING as God. How do we do that?

How did Christ Jesus do it?

These words are easy to say but much harder to live, and because it is ME saying this to YOU, can I be considered a reprobate when one examines my life?

1Co 9:3  Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,
1Co 9:4  Have we not power to eat and to drink?
1Co 9:5  Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?
1Co 9:6  Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working?

What Paul is asking the Corinthians is if he and Barnabas have the right to eat and drink as it is offered freely from the brethren, if he has the power and ability to take a wife with him during the work of the ministry just like other Apostles including Peter do, and if they have the right to not work and be provided for by the ministry.

He is asking these questions for a very good reason and we’ll cover that in just a moment after we see Paul further expound why it is he is asking these questions.

1Co 9:7  Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?
1Co 9:8  Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?
1Co 9:9  For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?
1Co 9:10  Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.
1Co 9:11  If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?
1Co 9:12  If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.

Everything Paul has just stated here is based on the Truth that Spiritual things are of FAR MORE value than physical and carnal things, and if we HOPE to partake of spiritual it is not a stretch to hope that our physical needs are provided for too.

Furthermore, Paul goes on to say they have not used this power and have suffered so that they did not hinder the gospel. However, it is made obvious that other apostles DID PARTAKE of the power given to them to reap what they had sown in both physically relying on the brethren for their needs as well as spiritually benefitting from being the husbandmen of the gospel to those they taught.

The concept of receiving of our labors comes from Deu 25:4.

Deu 25:4  Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn.

The book of Timothy further expounds on this concept in 1 Tim 5.

1Ti 5:16  If any man or woman that believeth have widows, let them relieve them, and let not the church be charged; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed.
1Ti 5:17  Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.
1Ti 5:18  For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward.

I included 1 Timothy 5:16 concerning widows because it gets to the crux of why my answer to what the meaning of life is, is that it is to help the life of someone else be better.

After 1 Co 9:12 Paul says this:

1Co 9:13  Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?

See, the study today isn’t just about “gold, silver and brass, blue, purple and scarlet”. It is about what those things represent.

When we talk about spiritual types and shadows, we are talking about what these things represent in our lives. When we are slaves we represent out masters.

When we are slaves to our masters we do their bidding.

If I am a slave to my carnal mind and flesh, and we ALL ARE initially as brute beasts, then I serve that flesh and my life seems void, empty and pointless.

When I have been FREED by the Lord to be HIS SERVANT, then I am now in bondage to SERVE HIM Faithfully. My life is NOT ABOUT ME, but about HIS WILL.

We collectively, as the body of Christ, as MINISTERS to the temple of God and the Holy Things that are of the temple. Likewise, we all partake of that temple.

I clearly acknowledge that Paul’s references in 1 Corinthians and 1 Timothy are to the elders that labor in word and doctrine, but just as Deuteronomy referenced ONLY OXEN but was used by Paul to expound on the spiritual meaning behind ox partaking of their labors, I am now expounding on who it is that partakes of the temple.

Partakers of the temple are the priests that minister to it, and we are all being trained up as PRIESTS in the kingdom of God. What is the temple I speak of with “gold, silver, brass, blue, purple and scarlet” holy things in it?

Mat 26:61  And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.

Mat 27:40  And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.

Luk 2:37  And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.

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.
1Co 3:18  Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.

I asked everyone earlier what race we are running. Paul references it and so does Hebrews.

1Co 9:24  Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

Heb 12:1  Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Heb 12:2  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Heb 12:3  For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

When life becomes so burdensome that the weight of the concerns of life slam us to the ground from the sheer heaviness of it all, we are told to SET IT ASIDE with the SIN THAT EASILY BESETS US, and run the race by looking toward JESUS CHRIST as the example of the JOY and REWARD we will receive as a result of WINNING the RACE.

Brethren, this is much harder than it sounds because everything that makes us who we are is not easily set aside.

I get this whole heartedly. I feel it every day I am given to open my eyes. I know the struggle that you all feel because I am weighted down by it too. I often times fail at keeping on track and not stumbling at each step I take in this race I’m racing.

The only reason I am able to continue each day is because I am NOT alone. I have someone who calls me friend and runs beside me, picks me up, cheers me on, and rallies me to never give up. I find it is only when I am silent and still that I can hear this voice speaking to me.

The way we set aside the weight that we feel is to look to the side, back, front and inside to see that we are not alone. “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses,” we also look toward Christ Jesus as our example of how to achieve winning the race.

Not as one that beateth the air

 

1Co 9:14  Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.
1Co 9:15  But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me: for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void.
1Co 9:16  For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!
1Co 9:17  For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.
1Co 9:18  What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.

Again Paul tells us that he himself could live off of preaching the gospel and would be justified in doing so. He is referencing physical needs, but I ask you to ALSO think of this as SPIRTIALLY being sustained by preaching the gospel.

He tells us that if he were preaching the gospel willingly, i.e. by free will, he would gain his wage, his reward, but his true emphasis is that He is a PRISONER of

Jesus Christ and it is his DUTY, his dispensation form the foundation of the world to preach the gospel.

His reward is to be a PARTAKER of the GOSPEL by PREACHING and TEACHING it!

Exo 25:2  Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: OF EVERY MAN THAT GIVETH IT WILLINGLY with his heart ye shall take my offering.
Exo 25:3  AND THIS IS THE OFFERING WHICH YE SHALL TAKE THEM; gold, and silver, and brass,
Exo 25:4  And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats’ hair,
Exo 25:5  And rams’ skins dyed red, and badgers’ skins, and shittim wood,
Exo 25:6  Oil for the light, spices for anointing oil, and for sweet incense,
Exo 25:7  Onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod, and in the breastplate.

What did the children of Israel have to willingly offer to God that had not already been given to them by God to offer?

What was in their possession that had not already been freely given to them so that they would have it when the time came so that they could give it as an offering so that the SANCTUARY could be BUILT?

There’s a famous quote supposedly by Mark Twain that I really like. It goes like this, “Good judgment is the result of experience, and experience the result bad judgment”.

Now, we can individually make bad judgments and reap the results of that with one of the results hopefully being that we learn from our mistakes and don’t make them again. Being human, it usually takes most of us a few times or more to really have lessons like that sink in.

However, we can also learn from the experiences of others so that we do not make the same mistakes others have made as well as being able to BENEFIT from the experience of their successes.

Jesus Christ is the perfect example of this for us, as well as all the apostles. We can learn from them because their example TEACHES us if we are as children on the knee of our parent.

With all of that being said, how do we willingly offer to the Lord what He has given to us so that we have an OFFERING ready when it comes time to BUILD the SANCTUARY?

It is important to note that the kingdom of God is within us and within others, and anyone who is in your life be it parents, children, peers, friends, co-workers or enemies are potentially having that sanctuary built for them as you interact with them in your life.

1Co 9:19  For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.
1Co 9:20  And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;
1Co 9:21  To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.
1Co 9:22  To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
1Co 9:23  And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.
1Co 9:24  Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

I can’t count how many times in my life I have felt like I was at the bottom of the barrel or at my wits in with this or that weight that has been placed on my shoulders. We all feel this way a lot of our lives.

However, when we are bene made a new creature in Jesus Christ our lives should not be the only focus we have. We have been BAPTISED by the Word and have bene raised to NEWNESS of LIFE.

So, the meaning of “LIFE” is to do the will of the Father, and the will of the Father was shown us by JESUS CHRIST during His entire life.

I have been learning the hard way, by discerning good and evil, that Jesus Christ really meant it when He said, “Why calleth me good? There is only One that is Good and that is the Father.”

Luk 18:18  And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
Luk 18:19  And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.

As we know from scripture, eternal life is to know God the Father and Jesus Christ, but in order to do that we must do what Christ said is the method to obtain this life.

Luk 18:22  Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.
Luk 18:23  And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.
Luk 18:24  And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!
Luk 18:25  For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
Luk 18:26  And they that heard it said, Who then can be saved?
Luk 18:27  And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.

What riches has the Lord given you that you still hold onto willingly?

Before you think that I am referencing mere money, I am referring to, “gold, silver, brass, blue, purple, scarlet and fine linen, goats hair, rams skins dyed red, badgers skins, shittim wood, oil for light, spices for anointing oil, and various stones of value to be used in the ephod and breastplate worn by the priests.”

All of these items hold much value to the person that “owns” them. Willingly giving them up results in LOSS to that person, but GAIN to the SANCTUARY that they will help build.

If you find that you do not know your “purpose in life”, that you sometimes think God is not working with you, that you do not understand how or why God has chosen you to reveal His mysteries to, yet you have many trials, tribulations and sufferings mentally, physically, financially and spiritually and seem to be BEATING the AIR OVER and OVER experiencing and doing the same things, maybe it is because you are focused on YOU and who “you are” versus who you are becoming.

1Co 9:25  And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
1Co 9:26  I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air
1Co 9:27  But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

We are fighting a fight in which there is a war going on in our heavens between what our carnal mind wants for us and our flesh and what the Spirit of God in us is producing for the kingdom of heaven.

I challenge us all to live our lives as a +Jew to the Jew and as weak to the weak so that we take our focus off of ourselves and look toward the author and finishers of our Faith being built up in us and in others.

That is why Jesus told us this:

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

We sell all that we have and distribute to the poor by:

2Co 5:16  Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.
2Co 5:17  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
2Co 5:18  And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
2Co 5:19  To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
2Co 5:20  Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.
2Co 5:21  For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.