Spiritual Significance of Numbers – The Number 18

[Study Aired March 15, 2026]

We have already learned that the multiplication of any number simply amplifies or matures that number’s meaning. For example, if the number six signifies incomplete mankind, created on the sixth day, then the number 666 amplifies and matures that concept of an incomplete mankind. If twelve signifies foundations, then 144,000 would amplify and mature that concept.

Our study today is concerned with the number eighteen, which is a multiple of the number nine. The number nine is unlike any other number in that no matter which number you multiply it with, the product of that number will always reduce back to nine when added together. If we multiply 9×2=18, and the sum of the numbers which make up that product will always equal 9 because 1+8=9. 3×9=27, and when you add 2+7 it equals 9. 4×9=36 and 3+6=9… 5×9=45 and 4+5=9, etc. etc.

The spiritual significance of the number 9 is judgment which leads to salvation as demonstrated by this verse of scripture:

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.

Here is an in depth study on what the scriptures reveal the number nine signifies spiritually: https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/numbers_nine/

If indeed the number nine signifies the Lord’s judgments, leading to repentance and deliverance, and knowing that multiples of any number amplify and mature that number, we should expect to find that principle being demonstrated throughout the scriptures, and indeed in the first two places when this number eighteen appears in scripture that is exactly what we see:

Jdg 3:14  So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.
Jdg 3:15  But when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man lefthanded: and by him the children of Israel sent a present unto Eglon the king of Moab.

Israel’s subjection and enslavement by Eglon the king of Moab, is the Lord’s judgment upon them for their sins. It was their judgment which led to their repentance and their deliverance. ‘When your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.’(Isa 26:9)

The next time we see this number 18 is in:

Jdg 10:7  And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hands of the Philistines, and into the hands of the children of Ammon.
Jdg 10:8  And that year they vexed and oppressed the children of Israel: eighteen years, all the children of Israel that were on the other side Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead.
Jdg 10:9  Moreover the children of Ammon passed over Jordan to fight also against Judah, and against Benjamin, and against the house of Ephraim; so that Israel was sore distressed.

What is the result of the Lord’s judgment of our sins and our repentance for those sins?

Jdg 10:10  And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, saying, We have sinned against thee, both because we have forsaken our God, and also served Baalim.
Jdg 10:11  And the LORD said unto the children of Israel,  Did not I deliver you from the Egyptians, and from the Amorites, from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines?
Jdg 10:12  The Zidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites, did oppress you; and ye cried to me, and I delivered you out of their hand.
Jdg 10:13  Yet ye have forsaken me, and served other gods: wherefore I will deliver you no more.
Jdg 10:14  Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation.
Jdg 10:15  And the children of Israel said unto the LORD, We have sinned: do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee; deliver us only, we pray thee, this day.
Jdg 10:16  And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the LORD: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.
Jdg 10:17  Then the children of Ammon were gathered together, and encamped in Gilead. And the children of Israel assembled themselves together, and encamped in Mizpeh.

Once again, the Lord’s judgments of our sins produces the repentance of those sins and the deliverance we all so desperately need:

Jdg 11:32  So Jephthah passed over unto the children of Ammon to fight against them; and the LORD delivered them into his hands.
Jdg 11:33  And he smote them from Aroer, even till thou come to Minnith, even twenty cities, and unto the plain of the vineyards, with a very great slaughter. Thus the children of Ammon were subdued before the children of Israel.

The sins and the judgment of those sins of Israel, leading to the repentance and deliverance from those sins, is signified by this number 18. That was the number of years Israel was oppressed by her enemies. Paul tells us that all these things happened to Israel and they are written for our admonition:

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

The ‘Israel’ of the Old Testament signifies those who are now claiming the name and character of Jesus Christ. It is now we who must come to see our sins and repent of those sins before we can be delivered from our bondage of desiring to be as the nations and the people around us.

The next time we see this number 18 is in the story of the destruction of the tribe of Benjamin for raping to death the concubine of a Levite who had spent the night in Gibeah, a city of Benjamin, in the home of a man of that city who had invited him to his house for the night. We will see in this story that both Israel and Benjamin lose 18,000 men each in two separate battles.

The men of Gibeah had demanded that the host send his Levite guest out to them so they could do to him what the men of Sodom had wanted to do to the two angels who had been invited into Lot’s home. The Levite gave the men his concubine and the men of Gibeah raped her to death. The next day the Levite cut her body into twelve pieces and sent a piece to each tribe of Israel hoping for revenge for the loss of his concubine who had given her life for him. The story of what had been done to the Levite’s concubine outraged the entire nation, and they determined to discipline Gibeah for this atrocity:

Jdg 20:11  So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, knit together as one man.
Jdg 20:12  And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, What wickedness is this that is done among you?
Jdg 20:13  Now therefore deliver us the men, the children of Belial, which are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from Israel. But the children of Benjamin would not hearken to the voice of their brethren the children of Israel:
Jdg 20:14  But the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities unto Gibeah, to go out to battle against the children of Israel.

Israel wanted only the guilty men, but all of Benjamin refused to punish these perverts among themselves. Benjamin was of Israel, and what had been manifested at Gibeah was lying dormant in all Israel and is dormant in all flesh. The Lord used this occasion to punish both Israel and Benjamin even though Israel inquired of the Lord daily before going to war.

Jdg 20:14  But the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities unto Gibeah, to go out to battle against the children of Israel.
Jdg 20:15  And the children of Benjamin were numbered at that time out of the cities twenty and six thousand men that drew sword, beside the inhabitants of Gibeah, which were numbered seven hundred chosen men.
Jdg 20:16  Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men lefthanded; every one could sling stones at an hair breadth, and not miss.
Jdg 20:17  And the men of Israel, beside Benjamin, were numbered four hundred thousand men that drew sword: all these were men of war.
Jdg 20:18  And the children of Israel arose, and went up to the house of God, and asked counsel of God, and said, Which of us shall go up first to the battle against the children of Benjamin? And the LORD said, Judah shall go up first.

It is in this situation amidst the loss of thousands on both sides that both Israel and Benjamin lost 18,000 men in two separate battles:

Jdg 20:25  And Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah the second day, and destroyed down to the ground of the children of Israel again eighteen thousand men; all these drew the sword.

These “eighteen thousand” were just on “the second day.” Israel lost many more on the first day:

Jdg 20:19  And the children of Israel rose up in the morning, and encamped against Gibeah.
Jdg 20:20  And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin; and the men of Israel put themselves in array to fight against them at Gibeah.
Jdg 20:21  And the children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah, and destroyed down to the ground of the Israelites that day twenty and two thousand men.

Eighteen plus twenty two equals a loss of 40,000 men of Israel in just two days with apparently very few of Benjamin being slain. It is plain for all to see the Lord was not happy with either side. Nevertheless, He did give Israel the final victory over Benjamin for the atrocities committed by the men of Gibeah against the concubine of a Levite.

Jdg 20:26  Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came unto the house of God, and wept, and sat there before the LORD, and fasted that day until even, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.
Jdg 20:27  And the children of Israel enquired of the LORD, (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days,
Jdg 20:28  And Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before it in those days,) saying, Shall I yet again go out to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease? And the LORD said, Go up; for to morrow I will deliver them into thine hand.

Israel was given to exercise a much better strategy on the third day acting as if they had come to fight in the same manner as they had the first two days. Then they intentionally fled before the men of Benjamin while “liers in wait” came out of the fields and burned the city behind the Benjamite soldiers causing them to flee for their lives:

Jdg 20:29  And Israel set liers in wait round about Gibeah.
Jdg 20:30  And the children of Israel went up against the children of Benjamin on the third day, and put themselves in array against Gibeah, as at other times.
Jdg 20:31  And the children of Benjamin went out against the people, and were drawn away from the city; and they began to smite of the people, and kill, as at other times, in the highways, of which one goeth up to the house of God, and the other to Gibeah in the field, about thirty men of Israel.
Jdg 20:32  And the children of Benjamin said, They are smitten down before us, as at the first. But the children of Israel said, Let us flee, and draw them from the city unto the highways.
Jdg 20:33  And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place, and put themselves in array at Baaltamar: and the liers in wait of Israel came forth out of their places, even out of the meadows of Gibeah.
Jdg 20:34  And there came against Gibeah ten thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and the battle was sore: but they knew not that evil was near them.
Jdg 20:35  And the LORD smote Benjamin before Israel: and the children of Israel destroyed of the Benjamites that day twenty and five thousand and an hundred men: all these drew the sword.
Jdg 20:36  So the children of Benjamin saw that they were smitten: for the men of Israel gave place to the Benjamites, because they trusted unto the liers in wait which they had set beside Gibeah.
Jdg 20:37  And the liers in wait hasted, and rushed upon Gibeah; and the liers in wait drew themselves along, and smote all the city with the edge of the sword.
Jdg 20:38  Now there was an appointed sign between the men of Israel and the liers in wait, that they should make a great flame with smoke rise up out of the city.
Jdg 20:39  And when the men of Israel retired in the battle, Benjamin began to smite and kill of the men of Israel about thirty persons: for they said, Surely they are smitten down before us, as in the first battle.
Jdg 20:40  But when the flame began to arise up out of the city with a pillar of smoke, the Benjamites looked behind them, and, behold, the flame of the city ascended up to heaven.
Jdg 20:41  And when the men of Israel turned again, the men of Benjamin were amazed: for they saw that evil was come upon them.
Jdg 20:42  Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel unto the way of the wilderness; but the battle overtook them; and them which came out of the cities they destroyed in the midst of them.
Jdg 20:43  Thus they inclosed the Benjamites round about, and chased them, and trode them down with ease over against Gibeah toward the sunrising.
Jdg 20:44  And there fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men; all these were men of valour.
Jdg 20:45  And they turned and fled toward the wilderness unto the rock of Rimmon: and they gleaned of them in the highways five thousand men; and pursued hard after them unto Gidom, and slew two thousand men of them.
Jdg 20:46  So that all which fell that day of Benjamin were twenty and five thousand men that drew the sword; all these were men of valour.
Jdg 20:47  But six hundred men turned and fled to the wilderness unto the rock Rimmon, and abode in the rock Rimmon four months.
Jdg 20:48  And the men of Israel turned again upon the children of Benjamin, and smote them with the edge of the sword, as well the men of every city, as the beast, and all that came to hand: also they set on fire all the cities that they came to.

Israel was given deliverance from the sins of Gibeah while Benjamin was almost wiped out as a tribe.

Jdg 21:2  And the people came to the house of God, and abode there till even before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept sore;
Jdg 21:3  And said, O LORD God of Israel, why is this come to pass in Israel, that there should be to day one tribe lacking in Israel?

Israel was given to find a way to give wives to the six hundred Benjamites who had survived and were at the Rock Rimmon for four months. In the end they, too, were delivered and returned to rebuild their cities and the foundation of Israel was preserved in the twelve tribes.

The spiritual lesson in this story is the same as the story of the sin of Achan:

Jos 7:10  And the LORD said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face?
Jos 7:11  Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff.
Jos 7:12  Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you.
Jos 7:13  Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow: for thus saith the LORD God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you.

Israel had just destroyed Jericho, and they were moving on to war against another very small city called Ai. For some strange reason they were defeated by this very small town:

Jos 7:5  And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water.
Jos 7:6  And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the LORD until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads.
Jos 7:7  And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord GOD, wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the other side Jordan!
Jos 7:8  O Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies!
Jos 7:9  For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear of it, and shall environ us round, and cut off our name from the earth: and what wilt thou do unto thy great name?

The Lord revealed to Joshua there was someone who had taken for himself what the Lord had forbidden, and for that reason a curse was upon the whole nation. That ‘someone’ was Achan, who confessed his sin and was put to death:

Jos 7:19  And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the LORD God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me.
Jos 7:20  And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done:
Jos 7:21  When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.
Jos 7:22  So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran unto the tent; and, behold, it was hid in his tent, and the silver under it.
Jos 7:23  And they took them out of the midst of the tent, and brought them unto Joshua, and unto all the children of Israel, and laid them out before the LORD.
Jos 7:24  And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had: and they brought them unto the valley of Achor.
Jos 7:25  And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the LORD shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones.
Jos 7:26  And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day. So the LORD turned from the fierceness of his anger. Wherefore the name of that place was called, The valley of Achor, unto this day.

Once the sin was repented of and removed then the Lord delivered Ai into Israel’s hands, and Israel destroyed their enemy with the same strategy used by Israel to destroy Benjamin many years later:

Jos 8:10  And Joshua rose up early in the morning, and numbered the people, and went up, he and the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai.
Jos 8:11  And all the people, even the people of war that were with him, went up, and drew nigh, and came before the city, and pitched on the north side of Ai: now there was a valley between them and Ai.
Jos 8:12  And he took about five thousand men, and set them to lie in ambush between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of the city.
Jos 8:13  And when they had set the people, even all the host that was on the north of the city, and their liers in wait on the west of the city, Joshua went that night into the midst of the valley.
Jos 8:14  And it came to pass, when the king of Ai saw it, that they hasted and rose up early, and the men of the city went out against Israel to battle, he and all his people, at a time appointed, before the plain; but he wist not that there were liers in ambush against him behind the city.

While the number 18 is not mentioned in the story of the conquest of Ai, the principle of judgment leading to repentance followed by deliverance, signified by the number 18, is very evident.

The next appearance of this number eighteen is when King David was renowned for slaying 18,000 Syrians in the valley of salt. At that time the Lord delivered David from all his enemies:

2Sa 8:13  And David gat him a name when he returned from smiting of the Syrians in the valley of salt, being eighteen thousand men.
2Sa 8:14  And he put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom put he garrisons, and all they of Edom became David’s servants. And the LORD preserved David whithersoever he went.

This was following David’s trials and his judgment at the hands of wicked king Saul. At this time David was humble and was delivered from all of his enemies.

Another appearance of this number eighteen, is in giving us the measurements of the two huge copper pillars at the front of the temple of Solomon. Each pillar was eighteen cubits high. That is 27 feet or 8.23 meters high:

The placement of these two pillars, which were 18 cubits high, at the front of the temple signifies that we are being delivered from our sins after being judged for those sins and repenting before entering into the house of our Lord.

We find this same number with the same significance in the New Testament. Christ makes it clear in Luke thirteen that this number signifies the repentance and deliverance which we all must experience when being judged of the Lord:

Luk 13:1  There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.
Luk 13:2  And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things?
Luk 13:3  I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
Luk 13:4  Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?
Luk 13:5  I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

This same number with the same spiritual significance appears twice more in this same thirteenth chapter of Luke:

Luk 13:10  And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath.
Luk 13:11  And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself.
Luk 13:12  And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity.
Luk 13:13  And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.
Luk 13:14  And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day.
Luk 13:15  The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering?
Luk 13:16  And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?
Luk 13:17  And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.

This woman was delivered from “a spirit of infirmity” which kept her “bowed together to the extent that she could not straighten herself up for 18 years. But at that point she was delivered from that infirmity and made whole.

There is much more that can be pointed out in scripture concerning the number eighteen but I will close this study at this juncture by pointing out that eighteen is three sixes, three signifying the process of judgment and six signifying our incomplete, carnal-minded old man who is in the process of being delivered from that sad state through the Lord’s judgments:

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.

That is truly good news!

Spiritual Significance of Colors – White, Part 2

Introduction

[Study Aired December 26, 2025]

The main truth we need to glean from this entire series on colors in scripture is the truth of this verse:

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.

God is the creator of both light and darkness. Both are instruments in His hand.

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

The Father uses light to describe Himself, and He uses darkness to describe how the flesh and the Adversary perceive Him and His Works. These two verses reveal who is the Creator of light and darkness, and they reveal that the Creator of both is sovereign over both light and darkness. Both are instruments in His hand to accomplish His will:

Isa 45:6  That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else.
Isa 45:7  I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

God is using light and darkness, black and white, “after the counsel of His own will… that we should be to the praise of His glory who first trusted in Christ.”

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

Our last  study was mainly concerned with the negative application of the color white. The word for ‘white’ in Hebrew is ‘laban’, and we learned that in its negative application, a white hair in a scall indicated the presence of leprosy (Lev 13:24-25):

Lev 13:24  Or if there be any flesh, in the skin whereof there is a hot burning, and the quick flesh that burneth have a white bright spot, somewhat reddish, or white;
Lev 13:25  Then the priest shall look upon it: and, behold, if the hair in the bright spot be turned white, and it be in sight deeper than the skin; it is a leprosy broken out of the burning: wherefore the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is the plague of leprosy.

The bricks used to build Babel were white bricks. The word for ‘bricks’ in Hebrew is from the root of the word for white:

H3843
לְבֵנָה
lebênâh
leb-ay-naw’
From H3835; a brick (from the whiteness of the clay): – (altar of) brick, tile.

When we look up H3835, the root word from which H3843 is derived, this is what we find:

H3835
לָבַן
lâban
law-ban’
A primitive root; to be (or become)  white; also (as denominative from H3843) to make bricks: – make brick, be (made, make) white (-r).

Those are a couple of verses from our last study where our focus was on the negative application of the word ‘white’ in scripture. In today’s study we will focus on the positive application of the word ‘white,’

The first positive application of the word “white” in the Old Testament is in Genesis 30:35, where Jacob uses white-streaked rods to distinguish his portion of the flock from Laban’s. White in this story is tied to the concept of divine provision and God’s favor.

Gen 30:37  And Jacob took him rods of green poplar, and of the hazel and chesnut tree; and pilled white strakes in them, and made the white appear which was in the rods.
Gen 30:38  And he set the rods which he had pilled before the flocks in the gutters in the watering troughs when the flocks came to drink, that they should conceive when they came to drink.
Gen 30:39  And the flocks conceived before the rods, and brought forth cattle ringstraked, speckled, and spotted.

Isaiah gives us the single most profound meaning of the word white in its positive application in scripture:

Isa 1:18  Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as [white] wool.

The imagery of this verse demonstrates the efficacy of the blood of Christ upon the manifest sins of the weakest and most despised people of this age:

1Co 1:26  For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
1Co 1:27  But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen  the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
1Co 1:28  And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
1Co 1:29  That no flesh should glory in his presence.

The Lord has called us because we are indeed foolish, weak, and despised in this present time… “that no flesh should glory in His presence. In other words, if the Lord can cleanse us, He can cleanse any and all men, because all men’s sins are “as scarlet” before our spotless Lord:

Rev 7:9  After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;
Rev 7:10  And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.
Rev 7:11  And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,
Rev 7:12  Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.
Rev 7:13  And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? And whence came they?
Rev 7:14  And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

This is how our Father sees His Son:

Dan 7:9  I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.

That is how God describes Christ who is “the express image” of His Father and who is our door to His Father.

Joh 10:7  Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
Joh 10:8  All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.
Joh 10:9  I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

Exo 14:19  And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them:
Exo 14:20  And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night.

Christ separates His people from the world and keeps them from coming near each other. He does this by appearing as “a cloud and darkness to them.” This was our focus last week. In this study, we will focus on how the color white is used by God to show us that He “gives light by night to these.”

God’s elect fall, but rise to be “made white”

Dan 11:32  And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.
Dan 11:33  And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days.
Dan 11:34  Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries.
Dan 11:35  And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed.

White is intimately connected with God’s chastening grace

Once the Lord opens our eyes when we see the word ‘white’ then “they of understanding” will now know and “instruct many” that God’s Words all have both a positive and a negative application, because God is the creator of both the light and the darkness and the good and the evil in us all. They will also “instruct many” that when all is said and done, we will all be “made white” through purging trials. So when we read:

Dan 12:6  And one said to the man clothed in [white, (Rev 19:8)] linen, which was upon the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?
Dan 12:7  And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these [things] shall be finished.
Dan 12:8  And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things?
Dan 12:9  And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.
Dan 12:10  Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.

Rev 19:8  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

There it is! It comes out and tells us, “Many shall be made white and tried…” It is only through our fiery trials that we are “made white.”

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

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

Tit 2:11  For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Tit 2:12  Teaching [Greek: paideuo, chasten] us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

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

It is our fiery trials that make us worthy to wear “white linen.”

1Pe 4:12  Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
1Pe 4:13  But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

Rev 19:7  Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
Rev 19:8  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

White is intimately connected with light and clothing or raiment.

“The righteousness of the saints” is Christ’s righteousness. It is in Him that the saints are “clean and white.”

Mat 17:2  And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.

Luk 9:29  And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering.

Mat 28:3  His [the angel at the tomb] countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:

Mar 9:3  And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them.

Rev 3:4  Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.
Rev 3:5  He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

Rev 7:9  After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

Rev 7:13  And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?
Rev 7:14  And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

White is associated with righteousness

Rev 19:8  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints

Joh 4:35  Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.

White is associated with God’s elect

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

Rev 3:4  Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.
Rev 3:5  He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

Rev 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.

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

Who are these “four and twenty elders”? The four beasts and the four and twenty elders also symbolize God’s elect:

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

The next chapter tells us that all of God’s elect are “given… white robes.”

Rev 6:9  And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
Rev 6:10  And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
Rev 6:11  And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.

When Christ appears to this world, it will be on a white cloud:

Rev 14:14  And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.

That “white cloud” on which He is seated signifies the “great… cloud of witnesses” which we all are:

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,

The seven angels who pour out the seven last plagues upon us are “clothed in pure and white linen.”

Rev 15:6  And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles.

Who are these ‘seven angels?’

Rev 21:17 And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.

Rev 19:10 And I fell at his feet to worship him [one of the angels that poured out the seven last plagues]. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

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

Christ’s bride is just one more type of the Lord’s elect, and she is “arrayed in fine linen, clean and white”, signifying the righteousness of Christ in her.

Rev 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

Here are a few more verses connecting the righteousness of Christ with the color white:

Rev 19:14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

Rev 20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them [This ‘white throne’ is the same as the ‘white cloud’ in an earlier scripture].

Rev 14:14 And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.

Conclusion – White signifies Christ and all who are in Him

Rev 1:12  And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;
Rev 1:13  And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
Rev 1:14  His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;

Rev 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.

Rev 6:2  And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer [This first white horse is Christ when He first comes to us and deals our beast his deadly wound, and He is Christ who comes to us as mature sons. White signifies the beginning and the end of the revelation of Jesus Christ].

Rev 19:11  And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

Rev 19:14  And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

Never let us forget what we started with:

Exo 14:19 And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them:
Exo 14:20 And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night.

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.

]]> https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/pro-128-13-whoso-loveth-instruction-loveth-knowledge-part-ii/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=pro-128-13-whoso-loveth-instruction-loveth-knowledge-part-ii Thu, 03 Apr 2025 04:50:38 +0000 https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/?p=32471 Study Audio Download

“Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge” Part II
(“the just shall come out of trouble”)

(Pro 12:8-13)

Pro 12:8 A man shall be commended according to his wisdom: but he that is of a perverse heart shall be despised.
Pro 12:9 [He that is] despised, and hath a servant, [is] better than he that honoureth himself, and lacketh bread.
Pro 12:10 A righteous [man] regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked [are] cruel.
Pro 12:11 He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread: but he that followeth vain [persons is] void of understanding.
Pro 12:12 The wicked desireth the net of evil [men]: but the root of the righteous yieldeth fruit.
Pro 12:13 The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips: but the just shall come out of trouble.

In this next section of proverbs we’re introduced to the immediate and long term benefit of staying in the word of God (Joh 8:31-32) that will equip us to deal with the dying daily process within ourselves, that we’ve been called unto (1Co 15:31).

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

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

Godly confidence, as opposed to having confidence in our own flesh, is something that can only be miraculously achieved by His judgements in our lives (1Pe 4:17). God’s elect are therefore likened unto the generation who have no confidence in the flesh. The flesh and the law for the lawless (1Ti 1:9) that governs that flesh are discussed in these scriptures, and the blessing that becomes ours when we go from being of the concision to become spiritually circumcised by God’s spirit, the new governor on our hearts by which we are led (Rom 8:14, Php 3:1-11).

Rom 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Php 3:1 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you [it is] safe.
Php 3:2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.
Php 3:3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
Php 3:4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:
Php 3:5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe [of] Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
Php 3:6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
Php 3:7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
Php 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things [but] loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them [but] dung, that I may win Christ,
Php 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: (Gal 2:20, Php 2:12-13)
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; (Rom 5:10)
Php 3:11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

By God’s grace (Eph 2:8) we can be brought to see the comparative language in these proverbs as a mirror that we are looking into, which God commands us to use to help us cleanse the inside of the cup of our own lives (Jas 1:23-27, Mat 23:26).

It is those who are of the generation that have no confidence in their flesh who come to see that they are the chief of sinners, as typified by the publican who couldn’t so much as lift his head to heaven because he truly saw his own wretchedness as oppose to the Pharisee, which represents our first man Adam with his own righteousnesses and many wonderful works that blind us to how God sees all flesh (Luk 18:10-14, Rom 7:22-25, Rev 3:17).

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.

Rom 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Rom 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord (Joh 8:36). So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

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:

God reveals to His people first that they are the generation who are guilty of the blood of the prophets from Abel to Zacharias, and these proverbs like all of God’s word point to that reality of how God alone can bring us to cry out to him (Heb 5:7-8, Luk 12:5), as we recognize our daily need for His deliverance from our own self-righteousness that constantly wants to establish itself on the throne of our hearts (Eph 1:5-12).

Heb 5:7 Who in the days of his flesh (Eph 5:30), 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;
Heb 5:8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;

Luk 12:5 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.

Pro 12:8 A man shall be commended according to his wisdom: but he that is of a perverse heart shall be despised.

Christ is our wisdom (1Co 1:30), and so in this opening verse we’re looking at we are being told straight out of the gate that if we don’t acknowledge Christ as our wisdom and the reason we know anything about God, then our hearts are going to reflect a perverse spirit that will be rejected of Him. That self-righteous spirit is within us and can only be overcome and ruled over by the brightness of Christ’s coming into our lives to destroy that man of perdition who holds fast to the mystery of iniquity (self-righteousness)(2Th 2:5-8).

1Co 1:30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:

2Th 2:5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
2Th 2:6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
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:

Pro 12:9 [He that is] despised, and hath a servant, [is] better than he that honoureth himself, and lacketh bread.

We are striving through Christ to give our flesh no quarter in this life with the rest of the saints so we can find life (Gal 2:20, Mat 10:39). Christ is our hope of glory (Col 1:27), the “servant” within me who makes me better than the self-righteous old man in me that “honoureth himself” and in doing so “lacketh bread” and is starving. These verses in Romans sum up for us what this proverb is telling us about this inward struggle against the powers and principalities that we all wrestle against (Rom 7:22-25, Eph 6:12)

Rom 7:22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: [the spirit of Christ who is a servant in me is who I delight in]
Rom 7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. [my flesh wanting to honour itself and not give all glory and honour to God for all things including the sin in my life (Rom 8:28)]
Rom 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Rom 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

Pro 12:10 A righteous [man] regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked [are] cruel.

With Christ in us we are mindful of the beast that we are, and take care to take care of ourselves and others (Gal 6:10).

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.

No man ever hated his own flesh in other words and we are Christ’s flesh and bones (Eph 5:30) that we nurture and take care of. We have a comparative in this proverb of our old man within us that does not have our best interest at hand, not being able to remain unspotted from this world and visit the fatherless and widow with the tender mercies of God’s word (Psa 146:9, Jas 1:27). The cruel-deceived-first-man Adam cruelly proclaims that God’s punishment on our life should be forever, twistedly thinking this is somehow God’s mercy on those who won’t have to burn in hell forever. We all at first paint God out to be a monster in one way or another, revealing what is actually in our own hearts.

Psa 146:9 The LORD preserveth the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down.

Jas 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, [and] to keep himself unspotted from the world.

Pro 12:11 He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread: but he that followeth vain [persons is] void of understanding.

The admonition in this proverb is telling us that our labours are not in vain in the Lord, and tilling the land is analogous of fighting a good fight of faith so that we can be satisfied with the word of God. If we follow the traditions of man we will be void of understanding (Isa 3:1) and doing so in vain (Mat 15:9).

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

Mat 15:9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching [for] doctrines the commandments of men.

“Vain” H2638 châsêr khaw-sare’: From H2637; lacking; hence without: – destitute, fail, lack, have need, void, want.
“Vain” G3155 matēn mat’-ane: Accusative case of a derivative of the base of G3145 (through the idea of tentative manipulation, that is, unsuccessful search, or else of punishment); folly, that is, (adverbially) to no purpose: – in vain.

Pro 12:12 The wicked desireth the net of evil [men]: but the root of the righteous yieldeth [fruit].

Pro 12:12 Whoever is wicked covets the spoil of evildoers, but the root of the righteous bears fruit.[ESV]
Pro 12:12 He that is delighted in passing his time over wine, leaveth a reproach in his strong holds. The desire of the wicked is the fortification of evil men: but the root of the just shall prosper.[DRB]

God is burning up all the wicked desires of the elect, turning us into a new creation that is connected to the vine, Jesus Christ, through whom we can bear much fruit. It is God’s favour in our lives that brings about this growth that would otherwise never happen (Tit 2:11-12). We must expect that in God’s vineyard we are going to be pruned so that more fruit can be borne (Joh 15:2-3, Heb 12:5-7).

Tit 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Tit 2:12 Teaching^G3811 us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

Joh 15:2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every [branch] that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
Joh 15:3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

Heb 12:5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
Heb 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
Heb 12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

Pro 12:13 The wicked is snared by the transgression of [his] lips: but the just shall come out of trouble.

We’ve all done it and said something that we don’t want to say, and in doing that, “The wicked is snared by the transgression of [his] lips” . When Christ’s words and ways become our ways and words and works, we stumble less and less as He increases [the word, his righteousness] and we decrease [our own righteousnesses and the way that seems right unto us]. Christ was never snared by His words and with His life within us, our goal will remain, of bringing every thought into subjection (2Co 10:3-5) unto our faithful high priest who knows how to deliver us from our conscience (1Jn 2:1-3) when we do stumble in this life. It is through Him alone that “the just shall come out of trouble” (Jas 3:5-12).

2Co 10:3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
2Co 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare [are] not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
2Co 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; (Eph 6:12)

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:
1Jn 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for [the sins of] the whole world.
1Jn 2:3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

Jas 3:5 Even so the tongue [is] a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
Jas 3:6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
Jas 3:7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:
Jas 3:8 But the tongue can no man tame; (Rev 13:4-5, Rev 5:4) [it is] an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
Jas 3:9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.
Jas 3:10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
Jas 3:11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet [water] and bitter?
Jas 3:12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so [can] no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.

Rev 13:4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who [is] like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?
Rev 13:5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty [and] two months.

Rev 5:4 And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.
Rev 5:5 And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.
Rev 5:6 And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.

“Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge” Part I

(Pro 12:1-7)

Pro 12:1 Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof [is] brutish.
Pro 12:2 A good [man] obtaineth favour of the LORD: but a man of wicked devices will he condemn.
Pro 12:3 A man shall not be established by wickedness: but the root of the righteous shall not be moved.
Pro 12:4 A virtuous woman [is] a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.
Pro 12:5 The thoughts of the righteous [are] right: [but] the counsels of the wicked [are] deceit.
Pro 12:6 The words of the wicked [are] to lie in wait for blood: but the mouth of the upright shall deliver them.
Pro 12:7 The wicked are overthrown, and [are] not: but the house of the righteous shall stand.

The opening verse and last verse of this chapter of proverbs (Pro 12:1, Pro 12:28) work in conjunction with each other, and remind us how all the verses that we’ll study in proverbs or elsewhere in God’s word (2Ti 3:16-17), point to the blessing that will be given to those who are blessed to love instruction and love knowledge, in this life.

Pro 12:1 Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof [is] brutish.
Pro 12:28 In the way of righteousness [is] life; and in the pathway thereof there is no death.

2Ti 3:16 All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2Ti 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

The reward for loving instruction and loving knowledge is stated in the last verse this way, “In the way of righteousness [is] life; and [in] the pathway [thereof there is] no death”, which is another way of saying that those who are blessed in this life to read, hear and keep the sayings within all of scripture (Rev 1:3), will be sanctified and purified by living by every word that proceeds from God’s mouth (Joh 17:17), and will enter into life (Mat 4:4, Mat 19:17). Living by those words means those words are changing us and are no longer being cast behind us (Luk 6:46), as we’re now led of God’s spirit which His words are (Rom 8:14, Joh 6:63).

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

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

Mat 19:17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? [there is] none good but one, [that is], God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.[“In the way of righteousness [is] life”]

The words of eternal life will perfect holiness in time in each person who is blessed to abide in the truth and endure to the end (Mat 24:13), thoroughly furnishing us unto all good works in this life and the next by recognizing that we are the ones who first “hateth reproof”, and hold fast to “wicked devices” and live with a heart that is “deceitful above all [things], and desperately wicked” (Jer 17:9, Rom 7:24), the negative spiritual state that can only be overcome by the “life” of Christ within us (Rom 8:9, Col 1:27) who makes a way for us through God’s spirit to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts in this age in advance of all the world (Eph 1:11-12, Tit 2:12-13, 2Co 4:4, Rom 8:28-29).

Eph 1:12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ [2Co 1:9, Psa 23:4].

Tit 2:12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; (“enter into life”)

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.

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

With God’s mercy being shown to us in this life (Rom 11:30-32, Rom 11:25-26) through judgement that includes fiery trials (1Pe 4:12), we can lie dead in the street of that great city of (Rev 11:8), and gain great hope that saves us (Rom 8:24-25 , Rom 5:5, Rom 5:10) as we come to be convinced through this dying daily process that we are more than conquerors through Christ, and that nothing can separate us from the love of God (2Co 4:7, 2Co 4:14-18, Rom 8:31, Rom 8:38).

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

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

Rom 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. (“enter into life”) [“And hope maketh not ashamed” Col 1:27]

2Co 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels (Rom 8:9), that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

2Co 4:14 Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present [us] with you (now in earnest Eph 2:6).
2Co 4:15 For all things [are] for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.
2Co 4:16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward [man] is renewed day by day.
2Co 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding [and] eternal weight of glory;
2Co 4:18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen [are] temporal; but the things which are not seen [are] eternal. [“For we are saved by hope”]

In short, “In the way of righteousness [is] life; and [in] the pathway [thereof there is] no death” is telling us that those who are blessed to endure unto the end of this life, through a lifetime of judgement, will be able to extend that same mercy and goodness of God to the rest of humanity (Rom 11:30-32, Rom 11:25-26), having been judged and made ready to do so (Rev 19:7-8, Rev 21:2).

That “righteousness” of God that is formed in this “life” is the greatest of all gifts that God bestows upon very few (Mat 22:14, 1Co 15:46, Joh 18:8-9, Joh 10:28-29) that are prepared by God alone who makes a way for His people to endure to the end of this life, changing our hearts so these words can be spoken of us, “Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge”, no longer being that brutish first man who “hateth reproof” (Rev 22:7, Rev 20:6).

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

Rev 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

Pro 12:1 Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof [is] brutish.
Pro 12:2 A good [man] obtaineth favour of the LORD: but a man of wicked devices will he condemn.

If God blesses us to become as children, we will be entreatable like that little child of (Mat 18:3-6), loving the instruction of a loving Father as His spirit leads us into all truth (Rom 8:14, Joh 16:13). It is by God’s favour, His grace that chastens us (Heb 12:6), that we have the “wicked devices” of our life burnt out of us.

Rom 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

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

Pro 12:3 A man shall not be established by wickedness: but the root of the righteous shall not be moved.

God must deal with that first root and branch within us by destroying it (Mal 4:1-2) if we are to become “the root of the righteous” that “shall not be moved”.

Mal 4:1 For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
Mal 4:2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.

Here are some encouraging verses that explain why the root of the righteous will not be moved, and point us to the truth that in time all will be saved and made holy.

Rom 11:16 For if the firstfruit [be] holy, the lump is also [holy]: and if the root [be] holy, so [are] the branches.
Rom 11:17 And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;
Rom 11:18 Boast not against the branches [the rest of the world to be grafted into the body in the second resurrection]. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee [boasting against the world is excluded by the law of faith, Christ faith that is given to us as a gift from God (Eph 2:8, Rom 3:27)].

Rom 15:12 And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust.[Christ will rule over all gentile flesh, starting with the Gentile nations within the body of Christ who are first judged in this life, so that one day they can outwardly rule over all the gentile nations of this world, which all flesh is to God. (1Pe 4:17, Col 1:27, Oba 1:21)]

Col 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

Oba 1:21 And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD’S.

Pro 12:4 A virtuous woman [is] a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed [is] as rottenness in his bones.

We are Christ’s flesh and bones (Eph 5:30) and can only become that virtuous woman who is a crown to her husband by having that “rottenness in his bones”, in our bones, destroyed and removed through judgement.

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

Rev 2:10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast [some] of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. [“a crown to her husband”]

Rev 3:11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.[our crown is the righteousness of Christ that is represented by the fine linen that is given to us in this age (Rev 19:8)]

Rev 4:10 The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,
Rev 4:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things,(Rev 19:8) and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

The “virtuous woman” represents the church, the bride of Christ; and the crown being on the head of our husband, Christ, signifies that the Lord directs the church and leads us in paths of righteousness for his name sake (Psa 1:1-3, Psa 23:3). We cast our crowns before the throne of God which is symbolized in these verses (1Ch 29:15-16).

Psa 23:3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

1Ch 29:15 For we [are] strangers before thee, and sojourners, as [were] all our fathers: our days on the earth [are] as a shadow, and [there is] none abiding.
1Ch 29:16 O LORD our God, all this store that we have prepared to build thee an house for thine holy name [cometh] of thine hand, and [is] all thine own.(Rev 19:8)

Pro 12:5 The thoughts of the righteous [are] right: [but] the counsels of the wicked [are] deceit.
Pro 12:6 The words of the wicked [are] to lie in wait for blood: but the mouth of the upright shall deliver them.
Pro 12:7 The wicked are overthrown, and [are] not: but the house of the righteous shall stand.

More and more contrast is given to us in these next three verses that remind us that, when we lean unto our own understanding, we are being positioned to find out that the counsels of the wicked within me will lead to deceit (Jer 17:9). If God blesses us to not lean unto our own understanding and trust the Lord with all our hearts, which can only happen through judgement (Pro 3:5-7, 1Pe 4:17), then our thoughts will be right before God, “The thoughts of the righteous [are] right”.

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.

Satan constantly wants to sift us like wheat, as described with these words, “The words of the wicked are to lie in wait for blood” (Luk 22:31), and it takes the mouth of the upright, those who have God’s holy spirit within them, “the mouth of the upright”, to speak to us spiritual words in due season (Luk 12:42, Gal 6:9) so that those words “shall deliver them”(1Ti 4:16, 1Jn 4:6).

Luk 12:42 And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom [his] lord shall make ruler over his household, to give [them their] portion of meat in due season?

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

1Ti 4:16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee. [Joh 8:31-32]

The wickedness or wretchedness within us can only be overthrown by the Lord building the house (Psa 127:1, Rom 7:24-25) is what we are being shown in this proverb, “The wicked are overthrown, and are not: but the house of the righteous shall stand”.

Psa 127:1 A Song of degrees for Solomon. Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh [but] in vain.

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

Christ has promised God’s elect that this first corrupt marred-in-the-hand-of-the-Potter temple or vessel that we are, is going to be torn down and built up in three days, speaking of his own body, the church which is his flesh and bones, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (Col 1:24, Eph 5:29-30, Joh 2:19-21).

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

Eph 5:29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
Eph 5:30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

Joh 2:19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.
Joh 2:20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?
Joh 2:21 But he spake of the temple of his body. (Eph 5:30)

It is the Lord alone who will stand, “but the house of the righteous shall stand”, as He builds the church up and blesses us to come to a point where we have the whole suit of armour on us by God’s grace (Eph 6:13-14, 1Pe 4:17, Rom 14:10), and having done all, are now able to stand, through Christ (Php 2:12-13, Eph 6:13). The whole suit of armour tells us that there is a process that is required to put on the righteousness of Christ that is revealed to “Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge”

Eph 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Eph 6:14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

Having done all, Lord bless us to be found with your righteousness and not our own on that glorious day of your return (Luk 17:10, Php 3:9).

Luk 17:10 So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.[Php 2:12-13]

Php 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

Pro 1:17-23 “The righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: much more the wicked and the sinner” Part II

[Study Aired March 13, 2025]

I’ve kept the same title as last week for this section of chapter 11, seeing the majority of the verses point to the reality that “the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth much more the wicked and the sinner” (Pro 11:31) which is something the Lord wants us to “behold”, to know!

Many of the proverbs are written with a clear message of opposing positive and negative behaviour and the resultant effect of acting one way or the other. For a very blessed few on this earth, we do not separate ourselves from any part of the proverbs but see them as an ongoing, is was and will be admonition in this age [as we do the rest of God’s word], and a continual encouragement of how God can give us victory over the wretchedness that just naturally resides within flesh (Rom 7:24-25).

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

This section of chapter eleven has a lot to do with how God has called his people to be productive in this life, that we live by the faith of Christ (Gal 2:20-21), who can give us the power and ability to overcome the negative aspect of each of these proverbs to become fruit bearing trees to the glory and honour of our Great God (2Ti 1:9-10) who gives the increase in our life so that we can bring forth much spiritual fruit (1Co 3:6).

Gal 2:20  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Gal 2:21  I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.  

2Ti 1:9  Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, [Tit 3:8, Jas 2:14-17]
2Ti 1:10  But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel: 

The “good ground” of (Mat 13:8) is in the house of God where the “manifold wisdom of God”(Eph 3:10) is “now made manifest” to the saints in every generation that is being judged (Mat 13:8, 1Ti 3:15, Mat 24:34, 1Pe 4:17).

Eph 3:10  To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, 

Mat 13:8  But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. 

1Ti 3:15  But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. 

Mat 24:34  Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. 

1Pe 4:17  For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? 

Pro 11:17  The merciful man doeth good to his own soul^H5315: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh^H7607.

H5315  nephesh  neh’-fesh
From H5314; properly a breathing creature, that is, animal or (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental): – any, appetite, beast, body, breath, creature, X dead (-ly), desire, X [dis-] contented, X fish, ghost, + greedy, he, heart (-y), (hath, X jeopardy of) life (X in jeopardy), lust, man, me, mind, mortality, one, own, person, pleasure, (her-, him-, my-, thy-) self, them (your) -selves, + slay, soul, + tablet, they, thing, (X she) will, X would have it.
Total KJV occurrences: 753

H7607 flesh she’êr sheh-ayr’
From H7604; flesh (as swelling out), as living or for food; generally food of any kind; figuratively kindred by blood: – body, flesh, food, (near) kin (-sman, -swoman), near (nigh) [of kin]
Total KJV occurrences: 16

This proverb gives more evidence to God’s elect that when we do good unto our own soul^H5315, or flesh and bones (Eph 5:29-30, Isa 58:7), or do evil unto it, we are doing this unto Christ (Mat 25:40-46). If we want to obtain mercy we need to show it to others (Mat 5:7) and if we trouble our own flesh and do belong to God, His grace will abound toward our sinful condition (2Co 9:8, Rom 5:20-21) burning out that evil spirit that troubles our “own flesh^H7607” [one spirit 1Co 6:17, one bread 1Co 10:17, one flesh Joh 6:51]. So in a healthy body of Christ we can say no healthy spiritual man ever hated His own flesh (Eph 5:29)

Eph 5:29  For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: 
Eph 5:30  For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 

Isa 58:7  Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?[Eph 5:30] 

Mat 25:40  And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. 
Mat 25:41  Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 
Mat 25:42  For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 
Mat 25:43  I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. 
Mat 25:44  Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 
Mat 25:45  Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. 
Mat 25:46  And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

2Co 9:8  And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: 

Rom 5:20  Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: 
Rom 5:21  That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. 

Joh 6:51  I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. 

Pro 11:18  The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward. 

No one wants to think that their first tree works a “deceitful work”, but that is the point of this proverb. We all must first be the tree that is on the unproductive ground of Babylon where our talent is buried in the earth due to fear (Mat 25:25), to then by God’s mercy become a tree that is worked with on the good ground, which casts out that fear (Mat 13:8, 1Ti 3:15, Rom 5:5) as God’s workmanship that has been predestinated to bring forth works (Luk 13:6-9, Eph 1:4). God’s elect are called unto a lifetime of seeking and knowing and believing that there will be a “sure reward” for their labour of sowing righteousness through Christ (Heb 11:6, Mat 6:33) as we die daily and are washed by the word that gives us the power to progressively, “by little and little”, drive the beast out of our land, which represents our bodies (Exo 23:29-30, Tit 2:11-12).

The patient process of salvation:

Luk 13:6  He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. 
Luk 13:7  Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? [1Ti 3:15]
Luk 13:8  And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:
Luk 13:9  And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.[Heb 6:3]

Exo 23:29  I will not drive them out from before thee in one year; lest the land become desolate, and the beast of the field multiply against thee. 
Exo 23:30  By little and little I will drive them out from before thee, until thou be increased, and inherit the land. 

Tit 2:11  For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 
Tit 2:12  Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 

God has purposed that we must experience both conditions, of being unproductive to then become productive, and the contrast blesses us and puts us in remembrance that He is the one who is working all of this holding and withholding of those spirits that inhibit our growth until they are destroyed by the brightness of His coming (2Th 2:3-8).

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? 
2Th 2:6  And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. 
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: 

“The day of evil” is something that God has made within us (Isa 45:7, Pro 16:4) that we will be delivered from when we begin to “soweth righteousness” through Christ, resulting in a “sure reward” (Pro 11:18). That ultimate reward at the end of a life of fighting a good fight of faith is to be found in that blessed and holy first resurrection (1Ti 6:12, Rev 20:6, 2Ti 4:8).

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

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

Pro 11:18  The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward. 

1Ti 6:12  Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. 

Rev 20:6  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. 

2Ti 4:8  Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. 

Pro 11:19  As righteousness tendeth to life: so he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death. 

By God’s grace we’ll recognize any evil thing that is within us (Rom 8:1-9) that must be cleansed by Him through Christ (Psa 51:10-11) who alone can bless us to have His righteousness ruling and reigning in our thoughts and actions (2Co 10:5) so that we can go unto perfection on the third day (Luk 13:32).

Rom 8:1  There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 
Rom 8:2  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 
Rom 8:3  For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 
Rom 8:4  That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. [Rom 8:14-16]
Rom 8:5  For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh;[“so he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death”] but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.[“As righteousness tendeth to life”] 
Rom 8:6  For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 
Rom 8:7  Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 
Rom 8:8  So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 
Rom 8:9  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. 

Psa 51:10  Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. [“righteousness tendeth to life”]
Psa 51:11  Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

2Co 10:5  Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; [“righteousness tendeth to life”] 

Pro 11:20  They that are of a froward^H6141 heart are abomination to the LORD: but such as are upright in their way are his delight. 

We are all that froward^H6141 man at first who God answers according to the idol of our own hearts (Pro 16:28, Eze 14:4, Mat 25:24).

H6141 ‛iqqêsh ik-kashe’
From H6140; distorted; hence false: – crooked, froward, perverse.
Total KJV occurrences: 11

Pro 16:28  A froward^H8419 man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends.

Eze 14:4  Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Every man of the house of Israel [typifying the church] that setteth up his idols in his heart, [crooked, froward, or perverse words] and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity (Eze 33:13, Php 3:9) before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the LORD will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols; 

Mat 25:24  Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: 
Mat 25:25  And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. 
Mat 25:26  His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: [“I the LORD will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols”] 
Mat 25:27  Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. [Jas 2:20]
Mat 25:28  Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. 
Mat 25:29  For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. 
Mat 25:30  And cast ye the unprofitable servant  into outer darkness:[Heb 10:29, Heb 6:9] there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

The “but such as are upright in their way are his delight” part of this proverb can only happen if God will grant that we be dragged to His son in this age (Joh 6:44) through whom we are accepted of the Father (Eph 1:6). There is no boasting in the life of those that God chooses to bring forth much fruit (Rom 3:27, Gal 2:20, Php 2:12-13); the few who are being blessed to heed the admonitions of the Lord in this age, that reveal the needful severity and goodness of God upon all flesh (Rom 11:22, Rom 2:4).

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

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

Rom 11:22  Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.

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

Pro 11:21  Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished: but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered. 

Christ has delivered the elect over and over throughout history, most notably via the typical deliverance in the old covenant of the nation of Israel, which represents the very real spiritual deliverance from our Father who says that nothing shall separate the Israel of God from the love of God (Gal 6:16, Rom 8:35-39). Our old man does not go unpunished in this life, but it is through God’s chastening grace that we are received of Him (Heb 12:6) as we are delivered by the one seed, “the seed” Jesus Christ who abides within the body of Christ (Gal 3:16), “but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered” (Col 1:27). In other words, “the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Mat 16:18).

Gal 6:16  And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God. 

Rom 8:35  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 
Rom 8:36  As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 
Rom 8:37  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 
Rom 8:38  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 
Rom 8:39  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

Heb 12:6  For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 

Gal 3:16  Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. 

Pro 11:22  As a jewel of gold in a swine’s snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion. 

This proverb is talking about the “fair woman which is without discretion” who represents Babylon where we had our former conversation in the world (Eph 2:1-4) that we now must continue to die daily to. The “gold, and silver, and precious stones” of (Rev 18:12) represent our own confidence in our fleshly carnal reasoning that causes us to believe we are rich and increased with goods, not knowing we are actually wretched, miserable, poor and blind (Joh 9:41, Rev 3:17). All of these conditions are represented by the “jewel of gold in a swine’s snout”. In order for us to become a woman of discretion, we must have that gold on our snouts pulled off and put in the fire (Rev 3:17-18, Exo 32:3, Exo 32:20-24).

Joh 9:41  Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.

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. 

Exo 32:3  And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron. 

Exo 32:20  And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strawed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it. [the idol turned to nothing through a fiery process]

Pro 11:23  The desire of the righteous is only good: but the expectation of the wicked is wrath. 

Our desire will be what God has determined from the foundation of the world (Pro 16:1-2), and if we are His and Christ is working in us both to will and to do of God’s good pleasure (Php 2:12-13), then and only then “The desire of the righteous is only good” (Rom 3:10-12).

Pro 16:1  The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the LORD. 
Pro 16:2  All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits.

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. 

Rom 3:10  As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 
Rom 3:11  There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 
Rom 3:12  They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

The only way that “desire of the righteous” can be realized in our lives is by having “the expectation of the wicked” destroyed by God’s “wrath” which abides on all unrighteousness of men [Rom 1:18]. We suffer so that we can cease from sinning (1Pe 4:1-2) and overcome all that is in the world within us (1Jn 2:16) via the power of God’s holy spirit that makes it possible for us to fulfill His will, and “be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith” (1Jn 2:15-17, Php 3:9).

1Pe 4:1  Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; 
1Pe 4:2  That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men [all that is in the world of ], but to the will of God. 

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

In conclusion, we thank God for His wonderful works onto the children of men that are setting us free from sin (Joh 8:36), which resides in a deceived world that is currently being held in bondage by the god of this world (2Co 4:4).

God’s elect are typified by Abraham’s one seed and are now the one holy seed with Jesus Christ within (Gal 3:16-17, Col 1:27), and so we give thanks to our loving Father for the process of salvation we’ve been called unto that will lead to the salvation of all men (1Co 15:22-23).

The elect are called to have these words fulfilled in their lives, “Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: much more the wicked and the sinner”. The elect are recompensed with the life of Christ within our earth today, and outwardly by receiving a double portion, or inheritance (Col 1:12, Col 3:24, 1Pe 1:4, Heb 11:8, Heb 9:15). These last few verses incentivize us to keep fighting a good fight of faith as we strive for the mark of the prize of the high calling in Christ (1Ti 6:12, Php 3:14).

Col 1:12  Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: 

Col 3:24  Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

1Pe 1:4  To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

Heb 11:8  By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. 

Heb 9:15  And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

Pro 11:13-16 “The righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: much more the wicked and the sinner” Part I

[Study Aired March 6, 2025]

In this section of Proverbs chapter 11 we’ll look at the following verses (Pro 11:13-16) with the final verse in mind throughout, that states God shall recompense the righteous in the earth, much more the wicked and the sinner (Pro 11:31).

Inwardly the deceitful and desperately wicked heart of man, of all men (Jer 17:9), will not inherit the kingdom of heaven (1Co 15:50), which is another way of saying nothing that defiles the kingdom of God will enter into its gates of (Rev 21:27).

Rev 21:27  And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life. 

Right now if God is judging us (1Pe 4:17), then we are a blessed people above all of God’s creation, and that judgement and the suffering that it brings upon the body of Christ is a manifest token of His workmanship that God’s people are in this age (2Th 1:4-6, Php 1:28-29, Eph 2:10).

2Th 1:4  So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure: 
2Th 1:5  Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer: 
2Th 1:6  Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; 

Php 1:28  And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God. 
Php 1:29  For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake; 

Eph 2:10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. 

All of God’s word is “given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2Ti 3:16), as those words sharpen us (Pro 27:17) with the present truths that we hold fast to, and are established in (1Th 5:21, 2Pe 1:12).

1Th 5:21  Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. 

2Pe 1:12  Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth. 

Speaking of sharpening, I’ve been learning how to use a straight blade to shave, and the sharpening process takes a lot of time and proper technique against a specific honed glass stone. The blade has to go through many passes against this specially designed stone in order to become sharp enough to cut facial hair. Accomplishing the razor sharp results I’m looking for is an ongoing work in progress that has not yet been realized yet as it turns out to be something that requires a lot more time and skill to attain then I expected.

Whether I end up succeeding at this physical challenge or not the Lord knows, and it reminds me of these verses “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind [my old razor], and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Php 3:13-14).

The good news is that although salvation is something that is scarcely obtained by God’s design as we grow spiritually sharper in the Lord (1Pe 4:18, 2Pe 3:18), we are also blessed to know that it will all be accomplished by the faith of Christ alone (1Jn 5:4, Rom 3:27), who is the stone that God has placed in our lives as our hope of glory (Col 1:27). If we truly love the brotherhood and have become fellow servants who sharpen each other in this life, then that which He has begun will be finished in each of our lives in this manner, “from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love”(ESV) (Php 2:12-13, Php 1:6, Eph 4:15-16).

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

This simple analogy of sharpening a blade against glass reminds us that God’s elect are represented by what we read in these verses (Rev 21:21-27) that include reference to “transparent glass”. All of these qualities of the temple described in (Rev 21:21-27) describe what it takes for God’s people to be “meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work“(2Ti 2:20-21). The work of witnessing during the thousand year reign (Rev 20:6) and the work of judging all of humanity who will come up in the great white throne judgement are all made possible by Christ the chief corner stone who prepared the bride for the service she was called unto (1Pe 2:6). That service cannot be accomplished unless we become like the stone, Jesus Christ (1Jn 4:17), that God will use with Christ as our head to be saviours to this world (Oba 1:21).

2Ti 2:20  But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. 
2Ti 2:21  If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work (Rev 19:7).

Pro 24:27  Prepare thy work without [Heb 13:13], and make it fit for thyself in the field;[Mat 13:38, Joh 17:16] and afterwards build thine house.[Isa 9:7] 

Luk 9:62  And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. [It takes the strength of the fit man to accomplish God’s work within the scapegoat in this age (Lev 16:10-11, Lev 16:21)]

Luk 14:34  Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned? 
Luk 14:35  It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.[It takes the strength of the fit man to accomplish God’s work within the scapegoat in this age which entails the living sacrifices that we are to God, being salted with fiery trials (Lev 16:10-11, Lev 16:21, Mat 5:13, 1Pe 4:12, Mar 9:49)] 

Lev 16:10  But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness. 
Lev 16:11  And Aaron shall bring the bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and shall make an atonement for himself, and for his house, and shall kill the bullock of the sin offering which is for himself: 

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

Mat 5:13  Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. 

1Pe 4:12  Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 

Mar 9:49  For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice [Rom 12:1] shall be salted with salt. 

These verses in the book of Revelation (Rev 21:21-27) represent a time when the elect are ruling and reigning over the kingdoms of this world (Rev 11:15) as they are “recompensed in the earth: much more the wicked and the sinner“, having been judged in this age, and by God’s grace, overcome our corrupt flesh that cannot inherit the kingdom of God.

The world will be learning of His righteousness with His judgements in the earth (Isa 26:9), executed by the elect (1Pe 4:17), who were made ready at this time, to be the saviours who come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau (Oba 1:21, Jer 23:5, Rev 11:15). “Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth“, has an inward application for God’s people today who have this earnest relationship (Rom 8:19) unfolding by the grace through faith process we’ve been called unto (Eph 2:8), and a dispensational fulfillment that is expressed perfectly in these verses (Rev 21:21-27)

Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: much more the wicked and the sinner.

Rev 21:21  And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl:

[Unity is being expressed in this section of the first verse, that has been completely formed in Christ’s body through judgment, resulting in the fulfillment of this verse (2Co 11:3) that speaks to the goal of unity that we are striving toward in the body of Christ today (Php 2:2)]

Rev 21:21  And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city [the church]was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. 
Rev 21:22  And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.

[no more earnest relationship, but the fulness of this verse (Joh 14:20) now being experienced as spirit beings in God’s glorious service]

Rev 21:23  And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it:[no need for the church to know Christ the sun of righteousness after the flesh for God’s elect at this point, no need for the process that the moon typifies for God’s elect (2Co 5:16)] for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. 
Rev 21:24  And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth [Rev 11:15, Rev 17:14, Rev 19:16] do bring their glory and honour into it. 
Rev 21:25  And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. 
Rev 21:26  And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it [God’s elect have been made ready and are represented by “the glory and honour of the nations” God having given them the power to rule over, and overcome the nations within us in this life]. 
Rev 21:27  And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth [Gen 3:24], neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life. 

Pro 11:13  A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter. 

Pro 11:13 He who goes about as a defamer reveals secret deliberation, Yet one faithful of spirit covers a confidential matter.”[CLV]

Today’s world is full of talebearers which were prophesied to be (2Ti 3:2-7), and the Lord is showing us what is within ourselves except for the grace of God that changes our talebearing hearts into one “that is of a faithful spirit [that] concealeth the matter”. We are extending that mercy toward each other today as the body of Christ showing pity and kindness to one another even as Christ had toward us (Jas 5:11, 1Pe 3:8, Mat 18:32-33)

Jas 5:11  Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy. 

1Pe 3:8  Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: 

Mat 18:32  Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: 
Mat 18:33  Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? 

Pro 11:14  Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety. 

Here we have a multitude of verses with the word ‘counsel’ in them that will help us understand why “safety” is associated with counsel.

Pro 1:25  But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: 

Pro 1:30  They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. 

Pro 8:14  Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength. [Christ who is our mighty counsel, and our wisdom (Isa 9:6)]

Pro 11:14  Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety. 

Pro 12:15  The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise. 

Pro 15:22  Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established. [1Pe 5:10]

Pro 19:20  Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end. 

Pro 19:21  There are many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand. [Eph 6:13]

Pro 20:5  Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out. (Gen 24:63-64, Luk 21:36)

Pro 20:18  Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war. 

Pro 21:30  There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD.(Rom 8:31) 

Pro 24:6  For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety. 

Pro 27:9  Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man’s friend by hearty counsel. 

Pro 11:15  He that is surety^H6148 for a stranger^H2114 shall smart for it: and he that hateth suretiship^H8628 is sure. 

The opposite of seeking wise counsel, and finding saftety in the multitude of counselors that we’ve just looked at, is what happens to us when we are “surety for a stranger“, key word “a stranger^H8628“.

H2114 zûr zoor
A primitive root; to turn aside (especially for lodging); hence to be a foreigner, strange, profane; specifically (active participle) to commit adultery: – (come from) another (man, place), fanner, go away, (e-) strange (-r, thing, woman).

God is not saying that we can’t learn from those in the world whose actions are commendable like the unjust steward who teaches us a great physical lesson that has a spiritual application to God’s elect, a lesson that tells us to forgive everyone including yourself, the debt that you owe, and be willing to take a loss, losing an eye, or a hand so you don’t lose out on being in the first resurrection (Luk 16:8, Mat 5:29). Christ is telling us to get rid of our own righteousness, our own perceptions and natural self-willed tendency, of which we can do with the life of Christ in us, as our hope of glory, of obedience (Mat 26:39, Php 3:9, Php 2:12-13).

Luk 16:8  And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light. 

Mat 5:29  And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. 
Mat 5:30  And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. 

Safety is in the multitude of counselors and so that same mindset should be applied to how we approach the financial matters of our life, being careful not to put ourselves in a position where we become a slave to creditors. These verses are very instructive for us as to how we ought to be using the riches of this world that God gives us (Pro 22:6-9 , 1Jn 3:17-18), and how we must be careful to not become the borrower who is servant to the lender (Pro 22:6-9).

Pro 22:6  Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. 
Pro 22:7  The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender. 
Pro 22:8  He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail. 
Pro 22:9  He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.

1Jn 3:17  But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? 
1Jn 3:18  My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. 

No one does this perfectly at first, but by God’s mercy and grace we will get better at it and the Lord will provide for those who are blessed to learn to trust him in this life whether we have a little or a lot (Php 4:11-13). We can always ask God for wisdom and He will provide abundantly for us in whatever challenges we are facing, financially and most importantly spiritually so that we are not being held in bondage to past mistakes (Jas 1:5-8).

Php 4:11  Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
Php 4:12  I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 
Php 4:13  I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. 

Pro 11:16  A gracious woman retaineth honour: and strong men retain riches. 

The gracious woman represents the bride of Christ who is blessed in this age to positively lay-up spiritual store against the day of wrath by not despising God’s goodness that leads to repentance, making us zealous toward the Lord (Rom 2:4-5, 2Co 7:11). Christ is the fit man, or the strong man in our lives who makes it possible for us to “retain riches”.

Rom 2:4  Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? 
Rom 2:5  But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;

2Co 7:11  For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter. 

In conclusion:

This “gracious woman” who retains honour is the church, and the strong who retain riches are the elect who are doing this through Christ who is able “also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them” (Php 4:13, Heb 10:25).

It is the church of the firstborn who are the first to trust God until our last breath (Heb 12:23, Eph 1:12) as we come to know by God’s grace that we are the unprofitable servants who have done that which was expected of them through Christ (Luk 17:10, Php 2:12-13), and as such will experience the fulfillment of these words, “Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: much more the wicked and the sinner” in that blessed and holy first resurrection (1Co 15:52, Rev 20:6).

Pro 11:4-12 “Righteousness delivereth from death”

[Study Aired February 27, 2025]

Pro 11:4 Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death.
Pro 11:5 The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way: but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness.
Pro 11:6 The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them: but transgressors shall be taken in their own naughtiness.
Pro 11:7 When a wicked man dieth, his expectation shall perish: and the hope of unjust men perisheth.
Pro 11:8 The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead.
Pro 11:9 An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered.
Pro 11:10 When it goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth: and when the wicked perish, there is shouting.
Pro 11:11 By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted: but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.
Pro 11:12 He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbour: but a man of understanding holdeth his peace.

In this section of chapter eleven we will explore the meaning of what true riches are in God’s mind and how He is bringing His children to have a great appreciation for the joy that has been set before us (Heb 12:2-3) so that we don’t set our affections on the temporal things of the earth that are passing (Heb 11:26, Gal 5:24, Col 3:2-3).

Heb 11:26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.

Gal 5:24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

Col 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
Col 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

The only way that an appreciation for things of the spirit can grow in us, is by the Lord delivering us from the deceitfulness of our flesh [Jer 17:9], that naturally wants the riches of this world, the immediate and deceitful bowl of pottage that represents “the flesh with the affections and lusts”(Gen 25:34) that will rob us of an eternal reward described in the following verses, (Mat 11:11, Php 3:8, Mat 10:28-31).

Lay hold of eternal life:

Mat 11:11 Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. [luk 17:20]

Php 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord:[Eph 3:10] for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, [to continue to have the mind of Christ, is to win Christ (1Ti 6:12, 1Ti 6:19, Joh 17:2-3, Joh 3:15, Joh 6:45, Joh 6:68)

1Ti 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

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

Joh 17:2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
Joh 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

Joh 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

Joh 6:54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

Joh 6:68 When Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

Be content – Be stedfast:

If the Lord is working with us in this life, as our hope of glory within (Col 1:27), we will be learning to be content whether we have a little or a lot (Php 4:11-13) seeing our hearts will not, by God’s grace, be set on the temporal, but rather on the things above which will give us the hope and vision we need to stedfastly endure until the end of this life (Act 7:55-56, Joh 17:3).

Php 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

Act 7:55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven (Heb 3:14-15, Heb 6:19, 1Co 15:58, 1Pe 5:9, Heb 2:2), and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, [Joh 17:3, Heb 12:2]

Heb 3:14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;[Rev 3:3, Rev 3:11]
Heb 3:15 While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.

Heb 6:19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;

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

1Pe 5:9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith [1Jn 5:4, 1Jn 5:14, Eph 6:16, Col 3:14, 1Co 13:2-3], knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

Heb 2:2 For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward;
Heb 2:3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;

Pro 11:4 Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death.

This opening proverb reminds us that our riches, which are analogous of our righteousnesses (Php 3:9), amount to nothing when God’s judgements come into our lives “in the day of wrath“. It will only be by the righteousness of Christ that we will sell all that we have and come and follow Christ who alone can “delivereth from death” (Mat 19:20-26).

Mat 19:20 The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?
Mat 19:21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.(Php 3:9)
Mat 19:22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.(Php 3:9)
Mat 19:23 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 19:24 And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
Mat 19:25 When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?
Mat 19:26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. [Joh 8:32, Joh 8:36, Joh 14:6]

Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. [“righteousness delivereth from death“]

Joh 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. [“righteousness delivereth from death“]

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. [“righteousness delivereth from death“]

Pro 11:5 The righteousness of the perfect^H8549 shall direct his way: but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness.

We follow each other as we follow Christ (1Co 11:1) who makes it possible for us to live lives that are led by God’s spirit (Rom 8:14) that “shall direct his way”. The perfect^H8549 way or better way or more excellent way (1Co 12:31) is shown in (1Co 13:1-13), and that way is only made possible with the life of Christ within us (Rom 5:5, Col 1:27). That spirit within us bears witness that we can take on these qualities described in the word “perfect^H8549” hat describe our Lord and Saviour, and the new man within us (Rom 8:9).

“Perfect” H8549 tâmı̂ym taw-meem’
From H8552; entire (literally, figuratively or morally); also (as noun) integrity, truth: – without blemish, complete, full, perfect, sincerely (-ity), sound, without spot, undefiled, upright (-ly), whole. [Rom 8:1, Rom 8:9, Rom 8:14]. Total KJV occurrences: 91

Pro 11:6 The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them: but transgressors shall be taken in their own naughtiness.

God delivers us from our own selves everyday as we die daily (1Co 15:31), and he uses “the righteousness of the upright” to accomplish this (1Ti 4:14-16, Mat 4:19), which is His righteousness that we can only be drawn to as our Father drags us unto Christ in each other (Joh 6:44).

1Ti 4:14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.
1Ti 4:15 Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.
1Ti 4:16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them:(Joh 8:31-32) for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

We are drawn to Christ in ourselves (Joh 6:44, Col 1:27) as well as in each other as we work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, not neglecting so great a salvation (Heb 2:3). Our being drawn to Christ within and without ourselves is what God is accomplishing within His workmanship, “both to will and to do of his good pleasure” which is to give us the kingdom (Php 2:12-13, Joh 4:14, Luk 12:32).

Heb 2:3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;

Luk 12:32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

It is the ‘kind of first fruits’ of God’s creation who are the first to come to acknowledge that there is no good thing is this flesh and so this section of the proverb, “but transgressors shall be taken in their own naughtiness”, is written to remind us of the fact that we must be “taken in their own naughtiness” and will suffer in this life through judgement so that we will continue to cease from sinning (Tit 2:12-13, 1Pe 4:1).

Pro 11:7 When a wicked man dieth, his expectation shall perish: and the hope of unjust men perisheth.

The wicked man in each of us must die, and Lord willing we will see our false aspirations torn down and destroyed by the brightness of Christ coming into our heavens as we die daily (2Th 2:2-5).

The opposite of the hope of glory within us (Col 1:27) is the hope that our carnal minds hold out that we can somehow glorify God by our own might and power, like the disciples who fished all day to learn this powerful lesson of where our power comes from (Joh 21:5-11).

Joh 21:5 Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No. [our efforts produce no spiritual meat, only God can give this increase (1Co 3:6)]
Joh 21:6 And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.

We live by every word of God and “the hope of unjust men perisheth” is something that must be lived in the elect’s lives in order to learn that only Christ’s righteousness within us will preserve us. “Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find“, and all else will be destroyed by the brightness of His coming into our heavens to cleanse us from our own iniquitous, self-righteous ways that cast the net all the day long on the left side of the ship, until the Lord comes along and tells us to do otherwise (Eze 33:13).

Eze 33:13 When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it.

Pro 11:8 The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead.

God is dealing with the sins of the Amorites in the elect’s life today, which is what “the righteous is delivered out of trouble” tells us. He is setting us free from sin, an aorist event that is unfolding in our lives, and so “the wicked cometh in his stead” is a reminder that we are not ‘once saved always saved’, but rather little and by little the Lord is giving us victory over the beasts of the land (Exo 23:30) or “the wicked that cometh in his stead” in this instance. God’s people will continue to overcome through His power within us that gives us nourishing victories (Num 14:9) as we battle the many giants that have been written in our books to overcome until we go unto perfection on the third day (Luk 13:32).

Pro 11:9 An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered.

It’s easy for the flesh to think of some other hypocrite other than our own flesh, as was demonstrated in king David’s life, when he could easily see who the unjust person was in the story that the prophet Nathan brought to him, but was speaking about David who was ‘the man’ (2Sa 12:7).

In this story, David represents all the characters in this proverb (Pro 11:9) just as we do. Our hypocritical flesh has to be brought to a point, Lord willing, where we confess our iniquities (1Jn 1:9), and that event of forgiveness will happen if we are given to not despise God’s goodness (Rom 2:4) that came by way of Nathan the prophet, showing us that it is “through knowledge shall the just be delivered” as the Lord leads us unto repentance and blesses us so that the sword of his word does not depart from our house, as it makes war against our old man with a spiritually sharper than any two edged sword (Heb 4:12), typified by the sword of war that will not depart from David’s house going forward (2Sa 12:10, Psa 32:2).

Pro 11:10 When it goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth: and when the wicked perish, there is shouting^H7440.

The city in this proverb represents the church where we rejoice in the Lord and again I say rejoice for the wonderful works that God is doing unto the sons of men (Psa 107:15), causing the man of sin to perish within me and bringing about great rejoicing for the new man that is being formed (Luk 15:7). When the wicked man within me perishes, it happens as a result of my being brought to acknowledge that he resides in me and must be destroyed by the brightness of Christ’s coming into the temple, bringing great rejoicing for the new man for whom “all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Rom 2:4, Rom 8:28-31).

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

“Shouting” H7440 רִנָּה rinnâh rin-naw’
From H7442; properly a creaking (or shrill sound), that is, shout (of joy or grief): – cry, gladness, joy (Psa 30:5,), proclamation, rejoicing (Psa 126:6), shouting, sing (-ing), triumph. Total KJV occurrences: 33

Pro 11:11 By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted: but it is overthrown^H2040 by the mouth of the wicked.

“No man ever hated his own flesh” (Eph 5:29-30) is a proverb in itself that reminds us that with God’s spirit within us we can acknowledge that we are a many membered body, who are one bread and one spirit, and so when we bless one person in the body, the whole church that is represented by a city is exalted, “By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted“.

Conversely when we don’t guard out thoughts and actions we can negatively affect the church, as it is “overthrown by the mouth of the wicked” within us (Mar 9:42, Heb 12:15).

Mar 9:42 And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.

Heb 12:15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

“Overthrown” H2040 הָרַס hâras haw-ras’
A primitive root; to pull down or in pieces, break, destroy: – beat down, break (down, through), destroy (Psa 28:5), overthrow, pluck down, pull down, ruin, throw down, X utterly. Total KJV occurrences: 43

The goal we are working toward is to not offend or cause our brother to stumble (1Co 8:13), and we can rest assured that although God’s elect will be guilty of being “the mouth of the wicked” that overthrows the church, in the end if we are God’s children that spirit of disobedience will be burnt out of us and we will learn to walk in harmony with the rest of the body parts that make up the bride of Christ. The gates of hell will not prevail against the church in other words, and those gates are as much within each of us as they are in Babylon, that we will overcome by the gift God’s grace and the faith of Christ in our lives (Mat 16:18, Gen 4:7, Eph 2:8).

Pro 11:12 He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbour: but a man of understanding holdeth his peace.

Another way of saying “He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbour” is that without Christ [our wisdom] in our lives who softens our hearts and deepens His love within us (Rom 5:5-6), we would be easily sifted by the devil (Luk 22:31) and iniquity would abound in our heavens causing us to despise our neighbour as God’s love waxes cold within us (Mat 24:12-13).

Rom 5:5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
Rom 5:6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

Luk 22:31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:

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.

It is solely because of Christ within as our hope of glory that we can be men and woman of “understanding” who know how to hold our peace, and acknowledge that it is Christ who is growing us in that ability to be more than conquerors through him, our great King of “Peace” typified by the name Melchisedec.

Heb 7:1 For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; 
Heb 7:2 To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;

The title of our study, “Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death”, reminds us that today is a day of living and abiding in bodies of death, or the shadow of the valley of death as it’s called (Psa 23:4-5), and it is only by the righteousness of Christ that we will be delivered from our own self-important flesh that thinks it’s rich and increased with goods (Rev 3:17) when in fact it cannot inherit the kingdom of God unless, Lord willing, it is being destroyed today of these negative attributes “in the day of wrath”.

Psa 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Psa 23:5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

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:

Proverbs 4:1-27

“Keep thy heart with all diligence;
for out of it are the issues of life”

[Study Aired Nov 28, 2024]

The body of Christ can and does benefit from the wisdom that God gave to Solomon who passed this wisdom onto his physical children. That relationship that he had with his children typifies the spiritual relationship that God’s children have with Christ who is our wisdom (1Co 1:30-31), who freely gives to us what we freely give away (Mat 10:8 , Joh 3:21 , 1Co 12:4-6 , Eph 4:7-16) as his wisdom and knowledge is made manifest to us via the church (1Pe 1:12 , Eph 3:10-12 , Col 1:26).

1Co 1:30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
1Co 1:31 That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

Righteousness, and Sanctification, and Redemption:

Php 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

2Th 2:13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:

Rom 6:19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. (sanctification)

Rom 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
Rom 3:25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

Eph 3:10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
Eph 3:11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:
Eph 3:12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.

It is one thing to apply the wisdom of Solomon in a very practical earthly way, versus seeing the hidden messages that are there for the benefit of the few branches that are called and chosen to be connected to the vine, Jesus Christ, who is typified by Solomon. Being connected to the vine requires the faith of Christ, otherwise our house will not stand in the day of adversity (Mat 22:14 , Pro 24:10 , Luk 22:32).

Keeping our heart with all diligence, spoken of in (Pro 4:23), is speaking about not neglecting the mind of Christ that has been given to the body of Christ (1Co 2:16). With these principles in mind we can now look at chapter four of proverbs and, Lord willing, be spiritually enriched as we are reassured of the benefit and blessing that has been promised to those who are blessed in this life to read, hear and keep the sayings of the prophecies of this book, from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21.

Pro 4:1 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.

These opening words are so instructive, as they represent Christ pointing to God the Father who is ultimately the one who is giving all the instruction that we receive through Christ and His body. Christ attended to the instruction of His Father as we must attend ^H7181 to what Christ our head tells us.

H7181 qâshab kaw-shab’

A primitive root; to prick up the ears, that is, hearken: – attend, (cause to) hear (-ken), give heed, incline, mark (well), regard.

Total KJV occurrences: 46

“Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father” is a verse that reminds us that we are to hear Him through Christ just as wives are to hear Christ in their husband who is the head (1Co 11:3). Christ heard the Father and obeyed him, setting us an example of how we are to be subject onto Him and to Christ in each other (Deu 6:4 , Eph 5:21-25).

1Co 11:3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.

Deu 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:

Eph 5:21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
Eph 5:22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
Eph 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
Eph 5:24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
Eph 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

Pro 4:2 For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.

He has given us “good doctrine” and, when we value the things of the spirit, we, like Peter, will say “to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life” (Joh 6:68). Only God can give us the power to not forsake His law, “forsake ye not my law“, and only Christ can give us the faith and strength to not faint in the day of adversity, so boasting is excluded by the law of faith as we “press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Luk 22:32 , Php 3:14).

As an important side point, when we forsake the assembling of ourselves together, we are forsaking that part of the law that tells us not to do that (Heb 10:25), thereby robbing God and ourselves of the true riches that come to us when we do present our whole life unto Him as a living sacrifice (Mal 3:10 , Rom 12:1). You may have, by physical circumstances beyond yourselves, never attended a gathering of the saints and yet because of a dedicated wholehearted desire to serve God, you have never forsaken the assembly of God. Conversely, we can show up physically and be guilty of abusing our time together (1Co 11:20-22). The point being, God looks on our hearts and we are striving together in heavenly places to be sanctified through Christ wherever we are, and blessed by the occasions that we can do so physically, or via Zoom or email etc. (Php 3:14 , 1Co 9:24 , Eph 2:6 , Eph 3:10 ,  Heb 10:14).

Mal 3:10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

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.

Pro 4:3 For I was my father’s son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.
Pro 4:4 He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.
Pro 4:5 Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.
Pro 4:6 Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.

These next verses explain that Christ was born of a virgin and came in corruptible flesh (Mat 1:23 , Psa 51:5). He was the only begotten of the Father (Joh 1:18) and “tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother“, which signifies Christ and our blessed relationship with the church that is typified by Mary.

As a physical man, Christ was taught of his Father just as we are taught of Christ now via the church of whom Christ is the head. What the Father taught Christ is what Christ teaches the church and that is, “Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live“(Rev 1:3).

Christ was told to “Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth” and these following verses show that relationship of growth that both the head and the body of Christ must experience: (Luk 2:52 , 2Pe 3:18 , 1Jn 4:17). If we are granted to not forsake God’s law which is found in his doctrine, not forsaking the words of His mouth (Luk 6:46), “she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee“, again the “she” representing the body of Christ, in the feminine.

Luk 2:52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.

2Pe 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

We are as Christ in that regard as well (1Jn 4:17), needing to be judged in this life (1Pe 4:17) as we learn obedience by the things we suffer (2Ti 2:12 , Col 1:24). We are called to not “decline from the words of my mouth“, growing in grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (Heb 5:8 , 1Th 5:21 , Joh 8:31-32 , 2Pe 3:18).

If we “Forsake her not“, we are told that we will be blessed with wisdom, and Christ will “preserve thee“. If we show love to Christ and the church by keeping God’s commands (1Jn 5:2-3), the church will keep us, “she shall keep thee“.

The church is also represented by Noah’s ark, whose family was preserved. The ark did not build itself either, it took planning and consistent hard work on the part of Noah and his family. We are told specifically that Noah moved with fear, which is the spirit that we must have if we are going to go unto perfection on the third day (Heb 11:7 , Heb 5:7).

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

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;

Pro 4:7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.
Pro 4:8 Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.
Pro 4:9 She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.

Christ’s mind is the principle thing, and it is through our Lord who is the head of the church that we can “get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding“.

We exalt Christ and glorify our Father in heaven as Christ did when we have a desire and hunger to know the Lord and His body with all our hearts. Therefore we are told, “Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her“. The “her” again in these verses represents Christ in the church and we “embrace her” by following each other as we follow Christ (1Co 11:1).

When the Lord builds the house within us (Psa 127:1), it is being done through the church and so when we read, “She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee“, we are looking at words that typify the earnest of our inheritance (Eph 1:14) that will ultimately lead to our being in that blessed and holy first resurrection as kings and priests (Rev 20:6). The goal is reached via the many members that supply their part in love (Eph 4:16 , Rom 8:17) within the church (1Co 9:24 , 2Co 9:6), provoking one another unto love and good works, thereby helping each other obtain “an ornament of grace” and a “crown of glory“.

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.

Rom 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: (1Jn 3:1)
Rom 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.(Rev 1:13)

Pro 4:10  Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.
Pro 4:11 I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.
Pro 4:12 When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.

If we receive the sayings of Christ and continue in them, they will set us free and “the years of thy life shall be many“. This is a spiritual statement telling us that if we are blessed to read, hear and keep the eternal words of God, enduring until the end of this life, we will be saved and be in that blessed and holy first resurrection. The years of our life are abundant and many when Christ’s life is in us (Col 1:27 , Joh 10:10).

Joh 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

We are that angel to each other that not only strengthens Christ in the garden (Luk 22:43 , 1Jn 4:17), but also the angel that God uses to help each other remain on the “right paths” so that we don’t stumble (Mat 4:6 , 1Jn 4:17). When we move forward together as one body, with one spirit, as one bread, then “our steps shall not be straitened“, and when we run we “shall not stumble”, seeing we will hold each other up in those moments when we need to bear each other’s burden and so fulfill the law of Christ (Gal 6:2).

Pro 4:13 Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.
Pro 4:14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.
Pro 4:15 Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.

Taking fast hold of instruction; and not letting go is saying the same thing as (1Th 5:21).

1Th 5:21  Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

The mystery that has been hidden from the ages is this very relationship with our “life” which is Christ (Joh 14:6) who is the only “way” by which we can come to know the Father as we continue in the “truth” (Eph 5:32 , Col 1:18 , Eph 5:25 , Joh 8:31-32).

With Christ as our shepherd in this life, the holy spirit is going to lead us into right paths “not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil“. Through Christ we will be compelled to “Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away” as he leads us by still waters, for His name sake (Psa 23:1-3 , Rom 8:14-16).

Psa 23:1 A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
Psa 23:2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
Psa 23:3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Psa 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Rom 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
Rom 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
Rom 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

Pro 4:16 For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.
Pro 4:17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
Pro 4:18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
Pro 4:19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.

“They sleep not” means the world does not rest in the Lord but rather lives in spiritual darkness being mischievous (2Co 4:4 , Rev 12:9 , 1Jn 5:19), and can only find rest after they have caused others to stumble. This causing others to stumble and not even knowing what they are stumbling at, “The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble“, is what Christ calls the dead burying the dead (Luk 9:60). It is not the true bread of life, it is the mammon of this world and the pursuit of evil that sustains the first man Adam described as “the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence“. It seems right but it leads to death (Pro 14:12).

The sleeplessness of the wicked is contrasted with the path of the just which is “as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day” (2Pe 1:19 , 1Pe 2:9).

2Pe 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

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:

Pro 4:20 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
Pro 4:21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.
Pro 4:22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
Pro 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
Pro 4:24 Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.
Pro 4:25 Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.
Pro 4:26 Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.
Pro 4:27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.

In conclusion, with these last verses of chapter four, Christ brings us back to the principle points that we are to know, as we sojourn in the Lord who tells us we can be victorious through Him when we are granted to know and believe [blessed eyes that see and ears that hear Mat 13:16] that we are more than conquerors through Him, as these verses demonstrate: (Rom 8:28 , Rom 8:31-39 , Rom 5:5 , Rom 5:10).

The earmarks of a true son of God (Rom 8:14) and the blessing of knowing our Father and Christ are made very clear in these last few verses (Pro 4:20-27). We simply must attend to God’s word, which Christ brings to the body, and we are told to incline our ears unto these sayings, and never let them depart from our eyes, keeping them in the midst of our hearts, binding mercy and truth on our hearts as we die daily, and stand on God’s word (Rev 1:3).

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

God’s words are the spiritual manna that sustain us, and it is meat and drink indeed as Christ told us to eat the body of Christ and drink his blood, which is the true bread from heaven that the manna only typified in the wilderness. That bread will be “life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh“(Eph 5:30 , Pro 3:6-9), unto those who “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life“, who will as a result of that diligent search caused by Christ (Php 2:12-13), be able to “Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee” from within primarily, but also knowing when we need to leave a situation of evil communications that will corrupt good manners, fleeing fornication, idolatry, and youthful lusts (1Co 15:33 , Gal 6:7).

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.
Pro 3:8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones. “health to all their flesh”
Pro 3:9 Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:

[We honour God by simply acknowledging that He is the one who gives that increase in our lives (1Co 3:6), and He is the one who leads us unto repentance (Rom 2:4), and He is the one who gives us the ability to confess our iniquities (Psa 32:5  , 1Jn 1:9), it is all of the Lord.]

The elect must first experience not letting “thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee” before we can teach this way to others (Isa 30:21), and it is when we “Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established” by committing our ways unto the Lord (Psa 37:5), that we will be given the spiritual strength to “Turn not to the right hand nor to the left:“, “removing our foot from evil“!

Rom 8:31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
Rom 8:32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

Rom 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

Rom 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Rom 8:36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Rom 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

Ezekiel 11:1-25  The Promise of a New Heart and Spirit

[Study Aired April 1, 2024]

Introduction

What we are going to learn today is about the Lord’s judgment of the Elect in this age and the resulting transformation of the elect as we are promised a new heart and spirit. In this chapter, the Lord showed Ezekiel why He was going to judge the people of Israel for what they had done. As we have learned, the Lord is always seeking an occasion to come and judge our old man so that we can learn righteousness. This is portrayed clearly in the story of Samson as follows:

Jdg 14:1  Samson went down to Timnah, and at Timnah he saw one of the daughters of the Philistines.
Jdg 14:2  Then he came up and told his father and mother, “I saw one of the daughters of the Philistines at Timnah. Now get her for me as my wife.”
Jdg 14:3  But his father and mother said to him, “Is there not a woman among the daughters of your relatives, or among all our people, that you must go to take a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?” But Samson said to his father, “Get her for me, for she is right in my eyes.”
Jdg 14:4  His father and mother did not know that it was from the LORD, for he was seeking an opportunity against the Philistines. At that time the Philistines ruled over Israel.

The chapter also makes it clear that without the Lord giving us a new heart and spirit, we cannot please the Lord. By comparing scripture with scripture, we shall see what the Lord means by giving us a new heart and spirit.

The Wicked Counsellors of the City

Eze 11:1  The Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the east gate of the house of the LORD, which faces east. And behold, at the entrance of the gateway there were twenty-five men. And I saw among them Jaazaniah the son of Azzur, and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, princes of the people.

The Spirit of the Lord lifting Ezekiel up to be shown what was happening signifies that what Ezekiel was going to see can only be understood when he is in the spirit. Being in the spirit means his eyes being opened and his ears given to hear the mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven.

Mat 13:16  But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. 
Mat 13:17  For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

What happened to Ezekiel in terms of the spirit lifting him up is the same as what happened to the Apostle John when he was given to see the woman who is a harlot and represents Babylon in the Book of Revelation. What this means is that without being in the spirit, there is no way that one can understand the spiritual decadence of the church system of this world. 

Rev 17:3  And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names, and it had seven heads and ten horns

In verse 1, the spirit which lifted Ezekiel up brought him to the east gate of the house of God. In a negative context, the east in this case refers to our lives when we are not given to pursue the Lord’s agenda in this life, as shown in the following verses: 

Gen 13:11  So Lot chose for himself all the Jordan Valley, and Lot journeyed east. Thus they separated from each other.

Gen 25:6  But to the sons of his concubines Abraham gave gifts, and while he was still living he sent them away from his son Isaac, eastward to the east country.

Thus, the twenty-five men that Ezekiel found in the entrance of the eastern gate of the house of the Lord refers to those who have tasted the goodness of the Lord but are not pursuing the Lord’s agenda in this life. They refer to our lives as the Lord’s elect in Babylon. We started with the Lord but were sidetracked by what we heard and believed in Babylon. This is affirmed by the number 25 of those found at the east gate. The number twenty-five in a negative note, refers to those who started the Lord’s work but did not go the long haul. 

2Ki 14:2  He (Joash) was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jehoaddin of Jerusalem. 
2Ki 14:3  And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, yet not like David his father. He did in all things as Joash his father had done. 
2Ki 14:4  But the high places were not removed; the people still sacrificed and made offerings on the high places.

2Ki 15:33  He (Jotham) was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jerusha the daughter of Zadok. 
2Ki 15:34  And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, according to all that his father Uzziah had done.
2Ki 15:35  Nevertheless, the high places were not removed. The people still sacrificed and made offerings on the high places. He built the upper gate of the house of the LORD.

Having Jaazaniah and Pelatiah, the princes of the people, among the twenty-five is also significant. Jaazaniah means ‘Jehovah hears’ and that of Pelatiah signifies ‘Jehovah has freed.’ These names show us that the people found in the east side of the house of God have a relationship with Christ in name, but they do their own thing.

Isa 4:1  And seven women shall take hold of one man in that day, saying, “We will eat our own bread and wear our own clothes, only let us be called by your name; take away our reproach.” 

The mention of these men and their status as leaders of the people of Israel suggests that it is an established fact that the whole of the leadership of our brethren in Babylon have gone astray and are not pursuing the Lord’s agenda.

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.
Jud 1:12  These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;
Jud 1:13  Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.

Eze 11:2  And he said to me, “Son of man, these are the men who devise iniquity and who give wicked counsel in this city;
Eze 11:3  who say, ‘The time is not near to build houses. This city is the cauldron, and we are the meat.’

As indicated in the previous studies, the city of Jerusalem here is Babylon.  In verses 2 and 3, we are given to know the sins of these twenty-five men. They devise iniquity and give wicked counsel in the city. Devising iniquity and giving wicked counsel means bringing in false doctrines which causes us to walk in iniquity. Verse 3 shows us the essence of the preaching in Babylon, which is that the time is not near to build houses. What this preaching means is that we should not focus on what is permanent but that which is temporal. In other words, the preaching in Babylon causes us to focus on things which are seen. 

2Co 4:18  While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

A cauldron is a large metal pot used for cooking in an open fire. Saying that the city is the cauldron and the people are the meat is the same as saying that man is born to suffer. What this kind of preaching does is that it causes us to be hardened by our suffering such that no matter what we go through, we do not pay attention to what the Lord is trying to say.

Isa 1:4  Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward. 
Isa 1:5  Why should ye be stricken anymore? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.

Eze 11:4  Therefore prophesy against them, prophesy, O son of man.
Eze 11:5  And the Spirit of the LORD fell upon me, and said unto me, Speak; Thus saith the LORD; Thus have ye said, O house of Israel: for I know the things that come into your mind, every one of them.
Eze 11:6  Ye have multiplied your slain in this city, and ye have filled the streets thereof with the slain. 
Eze 11:7  Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Your slain whom ye have laid in the midst of it, they are the flesh, and this city is the caldron: but I will bring you forth out of the midst of it. 
Eze 11:8  Ye have feared the sword; and I will bring a sword upon you, saith the Lord GOD. 

These verses show us the result of the wicked counsel or the false doctrines that we imbibe in Babylon. As we can see in verses 6 and 7, the whole city is filled with the slain. In other words, the whole of Babylon or the church system of this world is filled with spiritually dead people. The sad part of this is that they do not recognize that they are spiritually dead!!  That was what happened to us in our time in Babylon. We were spiritually dead, but we thought that we were spiritually alive in Christ. In verse 7, the Lord is referring to the saying that the city is the caldron to mean that it is in the church (represented here by the city) that we (the flesh) are boiled and therefore killed. In other words, the church system has become a pot for boiling or killing the people.

Luk 13:33  Nevertheless I must walk to day, and to morrow, and the day following: for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem.
Luk 13:34  O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not! 
Luk 13:35  Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. 

As the Lord’s elect, in spite of our spiritual depravity while we were in Babylon, the Lord had promised in verse 7 that He would bring us out of the midst of Babylon.

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

Verse 8 tells us that even though we fear the sword, the Lord will bring the sword upon us. The sword is a symbol of the Lord’s judgment, and when we were in Babylon, we were afraid of the Lord’s judgment and did not want to even hear that we shall be judged. However, as the Lord came to us, we were given to know that the Lord’s judgment of our old man in this life is the best thing that can happen to us. The Lord’s assurance that He will bring the sword upon us therefore brings to the fore our position as children of the Lord.

Heb 12:5  And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
Heb 12:6  For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 
Heb 12:7  If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
Heb 12:8  But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
Heb 12:9  Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
Heb 12:10  For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
Heb 12:11  Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
Heb 12:12  Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;

Eze 11:9  And I will bring you out of the midst thereof, and deliver you into the hands of strangers, and will execute judgments among you.
Eze 11:10  Ye shall fall by the sword; I will judge you in the border of Israel; and ye shall know that I am the LORD. 
Eze 11:11  This city shall not be your caldron, neither shall ye be the flesh in the midst thereof; but I will judge you in the border of Israel:

In verse 9, the process of the Lord delivering us out of the midst of Babylon involves the Lord’s judgment of our old man where He uses the sword in verse 10 as His instrument of our judgment. The negative aspect of the sword refers to words that are spoken which destroy us. The sword refers to the lying words and false doctrines of the adversary. One of the key factors which causes our exit from Babylon is our realization of the lying words or false doctrines prevalent in Babylon.

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

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

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

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

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

Being judged in the border of Israel signifies that our judgment begins as we start our journey to exit Babylon. In verse 11, we are told that the saying that the city of Jerusalem is a caldron and that we are the flesh in the midst thereof shall not be applicable to us as the Lord facilitates our exit from Babylon. As we have indicated earlier, saying that the city is the caldron and the people are the flesh is the same as saying that man is born to suffer, and therefore, we become accustomed to suffering such that no matter what we go through, we do not pay attention to what the Lord is trying to say.

Isa 1:4  Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.
Isa 1:5  Why should ye be stricken anymore? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.

The Lord saying that we shall not be part of the saying that the city of Jerusalem is a caldron and that we are the flesh signifies that the Lord’s judgment of our old man will cause us to learn righteousness.

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.

Eze 11:12  And ye shall know that I am the LORD: for ye have not walked in my statutes, neither executed my judgments, but have done after the manners of the heathen that are round about you.
Eze 11:13  And it came to pass, when I prophesied, that Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died. Then fell I down upon my face, and cried with a loud voice, and said, Ah Lord GOD! wilt thou make a full end of the remnant of Israel?

Verse 12 shows us why the Lord is judging us. It is because we have done evil as we did not walk in the Lord’s statutes as we lived just like the heathen around us when we were in Babylon. The Lord therefore is justified as He comes with His judgment to put to death our old man or the man of sin in our lives. In verse 13, we are told that when Ezekiel prophesied concerning the judgment of our old man as a result of the sins of the people, Pelatiah, one of the leading members of the twenty-five men that Ezekiel saw, died. The dying of Pelatiah signifies the end result of the fire of the word of the Lord spoken by Ezekiel. This fire of the word of the Lord is the tribulation or persecution which comes as a result of the word of the Lord we have received. That is what destroys our old man.

Mat 13:20  But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;
Mat 13:21  Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

In verse 13, Ezekiel complained to the Lord about the killing of the remnant of Israel. This is because the process of the death of our old man is not an enjoyable experience. When we are being judged, it is as if our lives are coming to an end as we come to our wits’ end. Ezekiel came to his wits’ end when he saw the death of Pelatiah and thought that the end had come for the Lord’s remnant.

Psa 107:25  For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof. 
Psa 107:26  They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble.
Psa 107:27  They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end. 
Psa 107:28  Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.
Psa 107:29  He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. 
Psa 107:30  Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven. 
Psa 107:31  Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! 

The Lord’s Promise of a New Heart and Spirit

Eze 11:14  Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 
Eze 11:15  Son of man, thy brethren, even thy brethren, the men of thy kindred, and all the house of Israel wholly, are they unto whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, Get you far from the LORD: unto us is this land given in possession.
Eze 11:16  Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Although I have cast them far off among the heathen, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet will I be to them as a little sanctuary in the countries where they shall come.
Eze 11:17  Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even gather you from the people, and assemble you out of the countries where ye have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.

The Israelites who remained in Jerusalem after the Babylonian invasion considered themselves as the chosen ones as they proclaimed that the Lord had given them the land for possession. These Israelites thought that those who were exiled were outcasts and that these exiles were far from the Lord. In verse 16 and 17, the Lord is saying that although He had scattered the exiles among the countries, He was with them, and that they were the ones to inherit the land of Israel. This is the mindset of our brothers and sisters in the churches of this world (Babylon). They think that they are the chosen ones and that they will inherit the earth. On the other hand, they see our leaving the city of Jerusalem or Babylon as being the Lord’s outcasts. However, the Lord is assuring us in verse 17 that He will gather and assemble us out of the countries where we are scattered and that we are the ones to inherit the earth.

Rom 4:13  For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law (which is practiced in Babylon) but through the righteousness of faith.
Rom 4:14  For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void.
Rom 4:15  For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression. 
Rom 4:16  That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all,  (ESV)

Eze 11:18  And they shall come thither, and they shall take away all the detestable things thereof and all the abominations thereof from thence.
Eze 11:19  And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh: 
Eze 11:20  That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.

The Lord is gathering us together as the church of the firstborn or the New Jerusalem as He takes away all the detestable things and abominations in our lives. The taking away of the detestable things and all the abominations in verse 18 symbolize the destroying of the old man with his fleshly deeds in our lives. This old man within us is the beast within us or our flesh. The Lord’s promise of giving us one heart means we shall all be of one mind, speaking the same thing and having the same judgment. 

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

In verse 19, we are also told that the Lord will give us a new spirit within us as He takes away the stony heart out of our flesh and gives us a heart of flesh. This giving of a new spirit and a new heart represent the birth and growth of the new man within us which is created in righteousness and true holiness. The stony heart in verse 19 refers to our old man who must be put to death to give way to the new man within us. As the old man is dying within us, the new man is gaining ascendancy.

Eph 4:24  And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Col 3:10  And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

It is when we are under the control of the new man that we are able to walk in the Lord’s statutes and keep His ordinances. That is when we shall indeed be the Lord’s people and He becomes our God.

Eze 11:21  But as for them whose heart walketh after the heart of their detestable things and their abominations, I will recompense their way upon their own heads, saith the Lord GOD. 

Here we are being warned that if we continue to be under the control of the flesh, we shall surely face the second death. 

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

Eze 11:22  Then did the cherubims lift up their wings, and the wheels beside them; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above.
Eze 11:23  And the glory of the LORD went up from the midst of the city, and stood upon the mountain which is on the east side of the city.

As we have indicated in our previous studies, the cherubims represent the Lord’s elect as they sit in the heavenly places in Christ. The wheels signify our lives here on earth as we have this treasure in earthen vessels. The glory of the God of Israel refers to hearing the words of the Lord in the midst of our fiery trials. The glory of the God of Israel being over the cherubims means that it is only the elect (cherubims) who are given the privilege in this age to hear the words of the Lord in the midst of our fiery trials. This is confirmed in verse 23 where the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city and stood over the mountain on the east side of the city.

The city here is Jerusalem which is in bondage with her children. It represents Babylon where they are not given to see the glory of the Lord. That is why the glory of the Lord departed from the city. The mountain where the glory of the Lord stood symbolizes the house of the Lord or the gathering of the Lord’s elect. It is on the mountain of the house of the Lord that we are given to see the Lord’s glory.

Isa 2:2  And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. 
Isa 2:3  And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 

Mic 4:1  But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it.

Eze 11:24  Afterwards the spirit took me up, and brought me in a vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea, to them of the captivity. So the vision that I had seen went up from me.
Eze 11:25  Then I spake unto them of the captivity all the things that the LORD had shewed me.

As we have indicated, those in captivity represent the Lord’s elect. It is in our midst that we speak to each other of all the things that the Lord has shown us for the edification of the body.

Eph 4:11  And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
Eph 4:12  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
Eph 4:13  Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 
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, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 
Eph 4:16  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

May His name be praised forever more. Amen!!

The Book of Micah – Part 5, Micah 5:1-15

[Study Aired March 23, 2024]

When we reflect upon what the prophets of old are inspired to write, they all have the profound underlying theme of our God powerfully establishing His physical righteousness first in the nation of Israel. From her torrid experiences, the prophets have a hazy yet profound understanding that the world will be saved by some other source than Israel and their own works. However, like Solomon, they see dimly that a spiritual reality must emerge since keeping the Commandments by one’s own strength has proven endlessly by Israel to be utterly useless. Micah is dedicated faithfully to the same understanding that some element which the holy spirit keeps hidden is “black” to their discernment and is yet to be revealed. In the meantime, Micah and the entire Old Testament of continuing dead works, herald the coming of the holy spirit that will bring all understanding to truth.

Joh 1:29  The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
Joh 1:30  This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.
Joh 1:31  And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptising with water.
Joh 1:32  And John bare record, saying, I saw the spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.
Joh 1:33  And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptise with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. 
Joh 1:34  And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God. 

Joh 14:26  But the Comforter, the holy spirit whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance, whatever I have said to you.

1Co 2:9  But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them [First with his Bride who is the only woman since Adam and this age who does love Him] that love him.
1Co 2:10  But God hath revealed them unto us [His Bride] by his spirit: for the spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 
1Co 2:11  For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the spirit of God. 

1Pe 1:11  Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow [that is to follow Micah and all the prophets of old].
1Pe 1:12  Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels [Christ’s Elect] desire to look into.

The Ruler to Be Born in Bethlehem

Mic 5:1  Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops: he hath laid siege against us: they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek.
Mic 5:2  But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah [ef-rawth], though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

The daughter of troops symbolises the many harlot churches of Babylon that relentlessly lay siege against Christ’s commandments. Indeed, they did smite Christ, the judge of Israel, upon sending him to the cross.

Joh 18:22  And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so? 
Joh 18:23  Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me?

Bethlehem and Ephrathah (ef-rawth) are one and the same, as are Leah and Rachel, Jacob’s wives. Leah bore the many troops of Israel with her ten sons, while Rachel figuratively birthed Bethlehem, which represents Christ. Bethlehem, Christ’s ‘little flock’, is diminutive, scattered and mostly unknown to each other among the thousands of “troops” of Israel exiled into Babylon.

Ephratah’s (ef-rawth) Definition: Ephrath or Ephratah = ash-heap: place of fruitfulness n pr loc 1. a place near Bethel where Rachel died and was buried. 2. another name for Bethlehem.

Even though Ephrath is to be an enduring ‘ash heap’ ground to powder, Agar of Mt Sinai is incredibly materially fruitful, particularly in her distortions of Christ’s word and subsequent worship of ‘another Jesus’ (2Co 11:4). Yet, out of her travail, first comes Christ, the ruler, “whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting” and, close on His bruised heels, His Bride and co-ruler, represented as Rachel being spiritually fruitful!

Gal 4:25  For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. [Babylonian Christianity, the “moon”, remains in bondage in Babylon, oblivious to being in subjection under the feet of her younger sister – Rev 12:1]
Gal 4:26  But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. 
Gal 4:27  For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren [symbolised as Rachel]  that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate [Rachel] hath many more children than she [The Great Whore] which hath an husband [… another Jesus. 2Co 11:4, Rev 18:7].

Following Israel being ‘given up’ for hundreds, even two thousand years in her coming exile into Babylon, a prophesied ‘remnant’ (“everlasting” Micah 5:2) will return in Zerubbabel’s name to rebuild the broken city of Jerusalem which parallels spiritually Christ’s building of His new Heavenly Jerusalem above.

Mic 4:2  And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

However, in the meantime, Micah goes on to say:

Mic 5:3  Therefore will he give them up, until the time [appointed] that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel.
Mic 5:4  And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth.

Zerubbabel represents Christ who comes to build His new heavenly Jerusalem, to feed His remnant little flock in training as His Bride who will come first in the One-Thousand Year reign with the rod of iron to prove to her ‘children’ yet again, as old Israel endlessly proved impossible to keep Christ’s commands without the holy spirit. Her children, risen in the Resurrection to Judgment and numbered as the sand of the sea, will be chastised and fed God’s word on the Eighth Day, the Lake of Fire.

Lev 23:23  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Lev 23:24  Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month [eighth day], shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation.
Lev 23:25  Ye shall do no servile work therein: but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD [Lev 9:1-24].

Rev 17:11  And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.

Joh 7:37  In the last day, that great day of the feast [the Eighth Day, the Lake of Fire], Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.

Mic 5:5  And this man shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land: and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men.

Micah and all the so-called ‘minor prophets’ are not ministering to themselves, but to us today since the cross to the Bride Christ, forewarning her of her inward destruction spiritually yet with an astonishing glorious ending first for her and following the rest of the world )1Pe 1:10-12).

The ‘man of peace’ is easily seen as the coming of Christ to rout the Assyrian out of the lying wealth of our own doings and raise seven angels to first rule our heavens. The word of God is hidden in the dichotic meaning of peace when, in fact, there is coming war, yet the Elect of God are well-versed in the reality of the joy that trials (Jas 1:1-18) bring since they make their spiritual character strong.

Rev 1:19  Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter; 
Rev 1:20  The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches. 

Rev 8:2  And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.

The seven trumpets are the Elect of God in training, first blowing a warning of the seven plagues of the same seven vials within themselves and then collectively in the seven churches that are one Church, the Lord’s Bride in the Resurrection to Judgment.

Rev 16:1  And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.
Rev 16:2  And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image.

In the next verse (Mic 5:6) the land of Assyria and Nimrod are figuratively the same as Babylon, that ‘the man of peace’ (Micah 5:5), Christ from Bethlehem, will first destroy us in the winepress of His wrath upon our inward borders before bringing us into His glory.

Mic 5:6  And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod [rebellion] in the entrances thereof: thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian, when he cometh into our land, and when he treadeth within our borders.

As we know, Assyria, Egypt, Sodom and old Jerusalem all represent Babylon.

Jer 23:14  I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness: they are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah.
Jer 23:15  Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets; Behold, I will feed them with wormwood [bitterness], and make them drink the water of gall [venom, bitter, poisonous]: for from the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the land.

The Lord in scripture is consistent in bringing His beloved chastisement before glory. Christ, the one seed, spiritually conceives in His little remnant-Bride the beginnings of a mighty harvest. One seed of wheat with today’s genetic breeding brings forth a highly varied number of kernels. In my day as a wheat farmer, depending on the soil moisture and soil fertility, one head of wheat would produce a nominal average of thirty-three seeds (Today’s genetics raises that figure to 50).

A Remnant Shall Be Delivered

The remaining verses of Micah 5:7-15 are, in part, a repeat of the exact theme for the salvation of man consistently shown throughout the entire Bible. Man is shown his sin to be acknowledged, and since he is designed to rebel, seven thousand years of chastisement ensues for his torturous learning to obey Christ’s commands. However, there is always a thread of people with God-given righteousness hand-chosen by Christ to present His coming. Since the cross, that ‘remnant’ continues hidden as a materially and academically dishevelled little flock who is given a double portion of His spirit to be unified in Him to bring forth the many children as the sand of the sea in the Resurrection to Judgment.

Mic 5:7  And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the LORD, as the showers upon the grass, that tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of men.

The Bride of Christ is well-versed in knowing that the ‘remnant’ is her represented as “dew”, diminutive like the manna  which looked like hoar-frost fed to the Israelites. The dew of Christ’s word upon one kernel of wheat grows into a flood and mighty harvest of souls for everyone who is made to tarry on the Lord for one of the two resurrections. Just as consistently does Christ’s Bride know that it is she who is first to be beaten and ground to powder like a double portion of chastisement to be made worthy to be glorified in Christ. She is the “remnant” that shows her brothers and sisters the pattern of the heavenly they must endure in the Lake of Fire, the Resurrection to Judgment.

Gen 27:26  And his [Jacob’s] father Isaac said unto him, Come near now, and kiss me, my son.
Gen 27:27  And he came near, and kissed him: and he smelled the smell of his raiment [treachery, deceit], and blessed him, and said, See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the LORD hath blessed: 
Gen 27:28  Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn [wheat] and wine:
Gen 27:29  Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee: be Lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother’s sons bow down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee.

Mic 5:8  And the remnant of Jacob [Joseph and Benjamin as one] shall be among the Gentiles in the midst of many people as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep: who, if he go through, both treadeth down, and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver. 

Judah, the priestly nation and today, is the reality of the Bride of Christ, likened to a male lion who has the authority to be intently watched and respected as it strolls through the midst of the beasts of the field, and woe upon any he fixes his gaze.

Gen 49:8  Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father’s children shall bow down before thee. 
Gen 49:9  Judah is a lion’s whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up? 
Gen 49:10  The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh [Christ] come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.

Num 23:24  Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion, and lift up himself as a young lion: he shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, and drink the blood of the slain. 

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

Christ alone has the right to open ‘the book’, and as He is, so she, his Wife, also has that right, being utterly one in unity of spirit. 

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

Mic 5:9  Thine hand shall be lifted up upon thine adversaries, and all thine enemies shall be cut off. 

Rev 3:9  Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews [Christ’s Elect], and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. 
Rev 3:10  Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
Rev 3:11  Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

Mic 5:10  And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD, that I will cut off thy horses out of the midst of thee, and I will destroy thy chariots [mode of delivering 200,000,000 smothering (covering) lies Rev 9; particularly verse 16]: 
Mic 5:11  And I will cut off the cities of thy land, and throw down all thy strong holds [all spiritually within]: 
Mic 5:12  And I will cut off witchcrafts out of thine hand; and thou shalt have no more soothsayers: 
Mic 5:13  Thy graven images also will I cut off, and thy standing images out of the midst of thee; and thou shalt no more worship the work of thine hands. 
Mic 5:14  And I will pluck up thy groves out of the midst of thee: so will I destroy thy cities. 
Mic 5:15  And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the heathen, such as they have not heard. 

Micah 5:7-14 is a mighty orchestral frenzy of chastising instrumentation reaching a crescendo in verse 15, a trumpet-like blast and deathly silence for inward trembling reflection as the Lion of Judah royally strolls among us, His gaze fixed on each of us, and we, initially utterly unable to hold a single-eyed returned ravishing (Son 4:9).

Rev 4:8  And the four beasts [around the throne of God] had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.
Rev 4:9  And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, 
Rev 4:10  The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 
Rev 4:11  Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

However, before the First Resurrection, the Lord’s Bride has a God-designed devastating beauty matching Christ’s glory when he, in Solomon’s words, says,

Son 4:9  Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse; thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, with one chain of thy neck.