Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son;
and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

(Pro 29:19-27)

[Study Aired May 28, 2026]

These proverbs are helpful in being able to show us the contrast of our journey in Christ from going from being babes to mature sons of God who by God’s power and might (Zec 4:6) are able to go without the camp becoming heirs of God through Christ (Heb 13:13-16).

Zec 4:6  Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.

Heb 13:13  Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.
Heb 13:14  For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.
Heb 13:15  By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
Heb 13:16  But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

Pro 29:19  A servant will not be corrected by words: for though he understand he will not answer.

Pro 29:19  A servant will not be trained by words; for though the sense of the words is clear to him, he will not give attention. (BBE)

Pro 29:19  A servant won’t learn a lesson if you only talk to him. That servant may understand your words but he won’t obey. (ERV)

The servant who will not be corrected by words at first is each one of us, who are under tutors and governors (Gal 4:1-6). We understand the words but do not yet have the power to obey, “for though he understand he will not answer”, and this is all by God’s design to remind us that only Christ can open the seals that need to be opened in our lives to bring us unto maturity in Him (Luk 6:46 , Rev 5:5). It is only with that maturity which is a gift of God (1Co 3:6 , Eph 2:8) that we can find ourselves in that position to be in the blessed and holy first resurrection.

Luk 6:46  And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

Gal 4:1  Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;
Gal 4:2  But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.
Gal 4:3  Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:
Gal 4:4  But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
Gal 4:5  To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
Gal 4:6  And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

Pro 29:20  Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? there is more hope of a fool than of him.

These are all conditions of the servant who is a son and an heir, but not yet mature enough to see the need to not be hasty with his words (Ecc 5:2). God is teaching the elect to be quick to hear and slow to speak (Jas 1:19), and this can only happen by suffering for a while, so that we can be perfected, stablished, strengthened, and settled in the Lord (1Pe 5:10).

Ecc 5:2  Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.

Babylon is “hasty in his words”, in his words and not Christ’s. In the positive use of the word “fools”, we are fools for Christ as we mature in him (1Co 4:9-10), our hope of glory within who puts us in remembrance that we will be more than conquerors through him, enduring to the end by grace and faith of Christ (Eph 2:8 , Rom 8:16-18)

1Co 4:9  For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.
1Co 4:10  We are fools for Christ’s sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised.

Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Rom 8:18  For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

Pro 29:21  He that delicately bringeth up^H6445 his servant from a child shall have him become his son at the length.

H6445  pânaq  BDB Definition:
1) (Piel) to indulge, pamper, bring up, treat delicately
Part of Speech: verb
A Related Word by BDB/Strong’s Number: a primitive root

The sum of God’s word shows us that if we spare the rod we will spoil the child (Pro 13:24), so if we indulge our children and don’t correct them we won’t have them at the length spiritually.

On the other hand and in a positive context, God considers our life as being ‘indulged’ and ‘pampered’ when we are being bruised as Christ was, as He knows that this is the only way that we can be received of our Father in heaven (Isa 53:10 , 1Jn 4:17 , Heb 12:6 , Tit 2:12-13).

Isa 53:10  Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him;(1Jn 4:17 , 2Ti 2:12) he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, [“shall have him become his son at the length”] and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

Pro 29:22  An angry^H639 man stirreth up strife, and a furious^H2534 man aboundeth in transgression.

The fruit of an angry man is divisive and stirs up strife. Saul of Tarsus was a furious man that abounded in transgressions. His anger was unknowingly against Christ and his Christ as the nation’s anger is according to the council of God’s will (Act 4:27-28 , Eph 1:11).

Angry  H639  ‘aph  af – From H599; properly the nose or nostril; hence the face, and occasionally a person; also (from the rapid breathing in passion) ire: – anger (-gry), + before, countenance, face, + forbearing, forehead, + [long-] suffering, nose, nostril, snout, X worthy, wrath.  Total KJV occurrences: 276

Furious  H2534  chêmâh    chêmâ’  khay-maw’, khay-maw’  – From H3179; heat; figuratively anger, poison (from its fever): – anger, bottles, hot displeasure, furious (-ly, -ry), heat, indignation, poison, rage, wrath (-ful). See H2529. Total KJV occurrences: 124

There is righteous anger that God has against sin within us every day (Psa 7:11), and there is this carnal, out of control anger that tears down and does not build up, that proceeds from those who have this out of control anger that causes them to sin (Pro 29:22 , Eph 4:26-28).

At first we are Simeon and Levi while we are in Babylon, wanting to take vengeance on others and not able to love our enemies (Gen 34:25 , and Jacob is a type of Christ speaking to our old man Gen 34:30), until the man of perdition is destroyed by the brightness of Christ’s coming into our heavens (2Th 2:3) so that we can now through His power obey all of the ‘But I say unto you’ commandments’ of Christ (Mat 5:22).

Gen 34:25  And it came to pass on the third day, when they were sore, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brethren, took each man his sword, and came upon the city boldly, and slew all the males.

Gen 34:30  And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, Ye have troubled me to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites: and I being few in number, they shall gather themselves together against me, and slay me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my house.

Mat 5:22  But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

This proverb also reminds us that there is progression to sin. We go from angrily stirring up strife and then become furious, abounding in transgression (the progression in this story of (Gen 34:25-29) is seen in how Simeon and Levi kill first, and then the thief comes to steal (Joh 10:10). It is the opposite of what God has called the elect unto, where we read that we should be going from glory to glory, and being at peace with all men without which we will not see God (2Co 3:17-18 , Heb 12:14 , Jas 1:18-21).

Gen 34:25  And it came to pass on the third day, when they were sore, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brethren, took each man his sword, and came upon the city boldly, and slew all the males.
Gen 34:26  And they slew Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem’s house, and went out.
Gen 34:27  The sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and spoiled the city, because they had defiled their sister.
Gen 34:28  They took their sheep, and their oxen, and their asses, and that which was in the city, and that which was in the field,
Gen 34:29  And all their wealth, and all their little ones, and their wives took they captive, and spoiled even all that was in the house.

Heb 12:14  Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

The only anger we should have is against sin in our lives, as we beseech our Father to give us victory over the powers and principalities that we war against (Eph 4:26 , Psa 7:11 , 1Jn 4:17 , Pro 16:4 , 1Co 9:26-27).

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

Eph 4:26  Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

Psa 7:11  God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.

1Co 9:26  I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
1Co 9:27  But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

Pro 29:23  A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.

We have to always approach our relationship with Christ and each other and everyone we meet with humility, and if we can’t do that God is assuring us in this proverb that He will abase His children so that we come to that point through His chastening grace (Rom 5:20-21). It is when we are humbled by His mighty hand that we will in due time be exalted to the glory of God (Mat 23:12 , 1Pe 5:6 , Php 2:12-13).

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.

Mat 23:12  And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted. [“honour shall uphold the humble in spirit”]

1Pe 5:6  Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

A pride-filled spirit has nothing to offer anyone, and so God blesses us to become like a child who is humble and teachable in our spirits, “but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit”. Only Christ can bring us to that place of overcoming the sin of pride, and it will bring everyone low before we are ultimately delivered from it through Christ, “A man’s pride shall bring him low” (Rom 8:36-39).

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.

Pro 29:24  Whoso is partner with a thief hateth his own soul: he heareth cursing, and bewrayeth it not.

Satan is the thief (Joh 10:10), and if we have partnered with him or someone who is one his children (Joh 8:44) we are in effect hating our own soul (2Co 6:14), being an empowered ‘joined unto’ beast, or son of the devil (Rev 12:9 , Rev 13:4).  This is the opposite of being of one mind with the body of Christ and nourished by every joint that supplies in love (Eph 4:15-16 , Eph 5:14-19).

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.

Eph 5:14  Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
Eph 5:15  See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
Eph 5:16  Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
Eph 5:17  Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
Eph 5:18  And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
Eph 5:19  Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
Eph 5:20  Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

The fruit of being joined unto a spirit such as this, “Whoso is partner with a thief hateth his own soul”, is that he/we will “hear[s] the curse, but disclose[s] nothing” (ESV) (1Co 15:33). Our inability to do war against those who are an enemy of the cross is something that we need to constantly be on guard against, and Paul tells us our natural inclination is to not even recognize that there are those who are against us and in our midst (Act 20:28-31).

Act 20:28  Take heed therefore unto yourselves,(1Co 9:26-27) and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
Act 20:29  For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
Act 20:30  Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
Act 20:31  Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.

Pro 29:25  The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.

David had no fear of Goliath and the armies of that age, and as such God’s plan moved forward. David is a type of Christ and with God’s spirit within us (Col 1:27 , Rom 8:9) His plan is going to move forward despite ourselves (Mat 16:18 , Php 2:12-13). Christ put it this way in (Luk 12:5):

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. [“The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe”]

This kind of fear of God delivers us from the snare of the devil, if God will permit (2Ti 2:24-26).

2Ti 2:24  And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,
2Ti 2:25  In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; (Heb 6:3)
2Ti 2:26  And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, “The fear of man bringeth a snare” who are taken captive by him at his will.

We know that those who fear God are also those who “trust in the LORD [and] shall be safe”(Eph 1:12).

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

This idea of fearing God is key to our salvation (the beginning Pro 9:10 , the conclusion Ecc 12:13) and it is a gift of God that comes from having God’s spirit within us (Heb 5:7 , Eph 5:30).

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; (1Jn 4:17)

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

Pro 29:26  Many seek the ruler’s favour; but every man’s judgment cometh from the LORD.

We are “Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” at first (2Ti 3:7) without the judgement that comes from God (1Pe 4:17). Until then we turn to “the ruler’s favour”, the earthly carnal counsel of man’s wisdom because we do not yet have the power of God and the faith of Christ to overcome the lies of the adversary (1Co 2:4-6 , 2Ti 1:7-9). The ruler’s favour is no favour at all (that is found in Babylon) where we are promised liberty and only become part of the blind leading the blind at that time in our lives, until we are called out of her, by God’s grace (2Pe 2:18-19 , Mat 15:14).

2Pe 2:18  For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.
2Pe 2:19  While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.

1Co 2:4  And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
1Co 2:5  That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
1Co 2:6  Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:

Pro 29:27  An unjust man is an abomination to the just: and he that is upright in the way is abomination to the wicked.

Polarization! If we think of money or mammon as righteousness or self righteousness, like the rich young ruler parable demonstrates to us (Mat 19:16-26), we can then turn to this verse (Mat 6:24) that shows us that we are going to either serve one or the other, righteousness or self righteousness (Php 3:9), understanding that God has everyone where they are (Eph 1:11 , Rom 8:28 , Mar 10:21).

Mat 6:24  No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

God willing, we will continue to lose our life and serve Christ faithfully to our last breath, going where our flesh does not want to go (Joh 21:18 , Gal 5:16), “no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ”.

Joh 21:18  Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.

Gal 5:16  This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

[Study Aired September 1, 2022]

2Ki 4:17  And the woman conceived, and bare a son at that season that Elisha had said unto her, according to the time of life.
2Ki 4:18  And when the child was grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father to the reapers. 
2Ki 4:19  And he said unto his father, My head, my head. And he said to a lad, Carry him to his mother. 
2Ki 4:20  And when he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died.
2Ki 4:21  And she went up, and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door upon him, and went out.
2Ki 4:22  And she called unto her husband, and said, Send me, I pray thee, one of the young men, and one of the asses, that I may run to the man of God, and come again. 
2Ki 4:23  And he said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him to day? it is neither new moon, nor sabbath. And she said, It shall be well.
2Ki 4:24  Then she saddled an ass, and said to her servant, Drive, and go forward; slack not thy riding for me, except I bid thee.
2Ki 4:25  So she went and came unto the man of God to mount Carmel. And it came to pass, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to Gehazi his servant, Behold, yonder is that Shunammite: 
2Ki 4:26  Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well. 
2Ki 4:27  And when she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught him by the feet: but Gehazi came near to thrust her away. And the man of God said, Let her alone; for her soul is vexed within her: and the LORD hath hid it from me, and hath not told me.
2Ki 4:28  Then she said, Did I desire a son of my lord? did I not say, Do not deceive me? 
2Ki 4:29  Then he said to Gehazi, Gird up thy loins, and take my staff in thine hand, and go thy way: if thou meet any man, salute him not; and if any salute thee, answer him not again: and lay my staff upon the face of the child. 
2Ki 4:30  And the mother of the child said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And he arose, and followed her. 
2Ki 4:31  And Gehazi passed on before them, and laid the staff upon the face of the child; but there was neither voice, nor hearing. Wherefore he went again to meet him, and told him, saying, The child is not awaked. 
2Ki 4:32  And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid upon his bed. 
2Ki 4:33  He went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the LORD. 
2Ki 4:34  And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and he stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm. 
2Ki 4:35  Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes. 
2Ki 4:36  And he called Gehazi, and said, Call this Shunammite. So he called her. And when she was come in unto him, he said, Take up thy son. 
2Ki 4:37  Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground, and took up her son, and went out. 

In keeping with the theme of provision, we come to this section of the story where the “great woman” of 2Kings 4:8, who represents the church, gives birth to a son. The “great woman” can typify both the church of Jerusalem above and also of the church in the wilderness from where the manchild of Revelation 12:5 comes. 

Rev 12:5  And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.

The “great woman”, who starts in the wilderness and represents Babylon the great out of which we all come, can also represent the other later stage of that woman as a new creation (2Co 5:17), or new woman, who is represented by Jerusalem above, the mother of us all, and both women are represented in this one verse: “Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.” (2Co 6:17) 

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

There is a lifelong process involved in being born again, and this story in Kings helps identify that process of which Christ declared, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” The natural birth of a child is nine months, 3×3, which speaks to that process and the need to die daily so we can “see the kingdom of God” within as we endure all things through Christ (Php 4:13) Who makes a way for the called and chosen to remain faithful being brought to full term in the blessed and holy first resurrection (Mat 24:13).

2Ki 4:17  And the woman conceived, and bare a son at that season that Elisha had said unto her, according to the time of life.

The church is also typified by Mary, the mother of Jesus, and this great woman of  2 Kings 4:8 is an earlier type and shadow of Mary (Luk 1:30, Luk 12:32).

Luk 1:30  And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. 

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

The favor that Mary had with God represents the blessing God’s election brings upon those who are called and chosen and faithful to the end of their physical lives having the Lord complete this work of faith within God’s workmanship (Eph 2:10) that will bring forth the manchild in a moment and a twinkling of an eye (1Co 15:52-53). Christ’s maturation in the womb of Mary is typical of that which is happening to the manchild who has been raised to Jerusalem above, the mother of us all (Gal 4:26).

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. 

1Co 15:52  In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 
1Co 15:53  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

Gal 4:26  But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

“The woman conceived, and bare a son at that season that Elisha had said unto her, according to the time of life” reminds us in typical language that our “time of life” in God’s eyes is not when we are physically born, but rather when we are born again and able to see the kingdom of God within. That is when true life begins (Psa 139:16, Joh 3:3, Joh 6:54). 

Psa 139:16  Thine eyes did see mine unformed substance; And in thy book they were all written, Even the days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was none of them. [ASV] 

Joh 3:3  Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 

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

All our days are written in God’s book (Psa 139:16), and the life of those who have the mind of Christ can say, “And we know that to them that love God all things work together for good, even to them that are called according to his purpose.” Because of God’s love that is shed abroad in our hearts, it is possible for us to fulfill God’s purpose to which we have been called (Rom 8:28, Luk 13:32, 1Co 3:6, Rom 5:5). That thought of all things includes the good and the evil, the light and the dark (Isa 45:7) and the way in which God leads us to repentance (Rom 2:4) so we can grow in the mind of Christ and remain zealous in His service.

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 5:5  and hope putteth not to shame; because the love of God hath been shed abroad in our hearts through the Holy Spirit which was given unto us.

2Ki 4:18  And when the child was grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father to the reapers. 

Christ had to mature to a certain stage according to the will of God and that stage was predestinated and prophesied of throughout God’s word (Heb 9:27-28, Heb 10:7), and is typified by this verse, “And when the child was grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father to the reapers.” 

Heb 9:27  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 
Heb 9:28  So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. 

Heb 10:7  Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.

Going “out to his father to the reapers” is symbolic language that tells us Christ went where His father went to do the work or will of God that He was called to do in this life, a work which obediently led him to His death as the first of the kind of first fruits who was reaped of God. God could not have sown more abundantly and shown us more clearly how he would now give us all things freely through the sacrifice of Christ (Luk 2:49, Php 2:8, 2Co 9:6, Eph 3:20, Rom 5:10, Joh 3:16, Joh 5:17).

Joh 5:17  But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.

Luk 2:49  And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?

Php 2:8  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 

2Co 9:6  But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully [1Co 15:22].

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

2Ki 4:19  And he said unto his father, My head, my head. And he said to a lad, Carry him to his mother. 
2Ki 4:20  And when he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died.

Saying “my head, my head” is symbolic language that is repeated by Christ to His spiritual head and Father, “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, (“my head, my head“) [1Co 11:3] why hast thou forsaken me?” (Mat 27:46)

It was the spiritually adolescent “a lad” who carried the son to his mother, and this is a shadow of our helping Christ bear His cross like Simon of Cyrene prior to conversion (Mat 27:32). 

Mat 27:32  And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross.

He is brought “to his mother” so she can behold his state, “Woman, behold thy son!” “And when he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died” (Joh 19:25-27). Again we learn of God’s provision in times of sorrow and death and agony, He never leaves us, and as a high priest who suffered under the most severe circumstances, He is able to comfort us in our times of need (Heb 4:15-16, Rom 5:10).

Joh 19:25  Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. 
Joh 19:26  When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! 
Joh 19:27  Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.

Heb 4:15  For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 
Heb 4:16  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

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.

“He sat on her knees till noon, and then died” is symbolic of how Lazarus was in the bosom of Abraham, who is a type of Christ whose body is represented by this woman (Luk 16:23). We die daily until our last breath “and then died” as a result of bringing Christ to the church, as shown in this story where the son was brought to the mother. That good work God does through us is connected to the bosom of Christ where we rest as we labor to enter into that rest (Luk 6:38, Joh 13:23).

Luk 16:23  And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

Luk 6:38  Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

Joh 13:23  Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.

Heb 4:11  Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. 

2Ki 4:21  And she went up, and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door upon him, and went out.

Laying her dead son on “the bed of the man of God, and shut the door upon him, and went out” is symbolic of being buried into Christ’s death, Who now gives us the strength to be dead to sin and alive in him, as we rest in the Lord (Rom 6:3). 

Rom 6:3  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 

She “went up” to where Elisha’s room was, reminding us that this death and resurrection of the child typifies the passover that was also held in an upper room (Act 1:12-14). That symbolism of the passover is further confirmed with the words “and shut the door upon him, and went out” (Exo 12:22-23). She went out because she has not yet found this man of God who, when he does come, will be able to resurrect her son. That is her hope (Joh 11:32). 

Exo 12:22  And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the bason; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning. 
Exo 12:23  For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.

Joh 11:32  Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

2Ki 4:22  And she called unto her husband, and said, Send me, I pray thee, one of the young men, and one of the asses, that I may run to the man of God, and come again. 
2Ki 4:23  And he said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him to day? it is neither new moon, nor sabbath. And she said, It shall be well. 
2Ki 4:24  Then she saddled an ass, and said to her servant, Drive, and go forward; slack not thy riding for me, except I bid thee. 

Her calling unto her husband demonstrates her submission to her head, and regardless of what he says and does (Eph 5:22), God knows her heart and will make provision for her to take this journey today to find Elisha. She asks for “one of the young men, and one of the asses, that I may run to the man of God, and come again“. Both request “one of the young men”^H5288 which means a young servant and “one of the asses”^H860 (Luk 21:19) which are both also symbols of how God blesses us to search for the Lord as we possess our souls patiently and with the heart of a servant (Php 2:6-7). These things are required and accompany those who are called in this age to be a peculiar people, zealous of good works (Tit 2:12-14) “that I may run to the man of God, and come again“, which is a statement that typifies this verse (Php 3:14).

H5288  na‛ar  nah’-ar the young men

From H5287; (concretely) a boy (as active), from the age of infancy to adolescence; by implication a servant; also (by interchange of sex), a girl (of similar latitude in age): – babe, boy, child, damsel [from the margin], lad, servant, young (man).

H860  ‘âthôn  aw-thone’ one of the asses

Probably from the same as H386 (in the sense of patience); a female ass (from its docility): – (she) ass.

Her flesh is also represented by her husband who does not have the same sense of urgency that she has to go find this man of God. His life represents one bound by the law, and so he asks “And he said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him to day? it is neither new moon, nor sabbath. And she said, It shall be well.” Shouldn’t you go and see him on a particular holy day in order to receive what you’re looking for? This was the question he was asking her, and what the world’s religions do to this very day, assigning new moons and sabbath and holidays, as being important in our relationship with God (Gal 4:10-11).

Her faith is increasing as demonstrated by the words that she uttered and works accomplished: “Then she saddled an ass, and said to her servant, Drive, and go forward; slack not thy riding for me, except I bid thee.” “Except I bid thee” is a significant phrase as she represents a Christian moving with fear and only going where the spirit leads (Rom 8:14) as she moves in haste as opposed to her husband whose actions are being regulated by days, months, times and years (Rom 8:14, Heb 11:7).

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

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.

2Ki 4:25  So she went and came unto the man of God to mount Carmel. And it came to pass, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to Gehazi his servant, Behold, yonder is that Shunammite: 
2Ki 4:26  Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well.

The servant Gehazi runs to the Shunammite woman telling us that when we cleave to Christ and resist the devil, or search for Him with all our hearts He will be found of us, and the devil will flee from us (Jas 4:7, Jer 29:13). God makes provision for those who seek Him diligently as she was granted for her diligent search (Heb 11:6). 

Jas 4:7  Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 

Jer 29:13  And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

Heb 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. 

The spirit of God makes diligent search, which actions are symbolized by Elisha’s servant Gehazi, who is asked this of Elisha, “Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well.” All of this struggle and seeking and using of her resources is for the purpose of bringing forth fruit in her life, as she seeks to save her son. The destination mount Carmel is symbolic of this desire within the woman, “So she went and came unto the man of God to mount Carmel”^H3760. The “man of God saw her afar off” symbolizes the fact that nothing is hidden from God (Heb 4:13).

H3760  karmel  kar-mel’

The same as H3759; Karmel, the name of a hill and of a town in Palestine: – Carmel, fruitful (plentiful) field, (place).

Total KJV occurrences: 25

Heb 4:13  Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

2Ki 4:27  And when she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught him by the feet: but Gehazi came near to thrust her away. And the man of God said, Let her alone; for her soul is vexed within her: and the LORD hath hid it from me, and hath not told me. 
2Ki 4:28  Then she said, Did I desire a son of my lord? did I not say, Do not deceive me? 

This is the moment in her sojourn that typifies our coming “boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” when we are at our wits’ end and our souls are vexed (Heb 4:16). The implication is that there are forces that will try to impede us from doing this as Gehazi did in this instance with the woman (Rom 8:37-39), but if God is for us nothing will separate us from His love as demonstrated with these words, “And the man of God said, Let her alone; for her soul is vexed within her: and the LORD hath hid it from me, and hath not told me.” 

Heb 4:16  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. 

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.

Now the stage is set for her to cast all her care upon this man of God, which is what God causes us to do in our appointed time. “Then she said, Did I desire a son of my lord? did I not say, Do not deceive me?” She needs faith now and sounds like one of the Israelites in the wilderness saying, “Why did you take us out here just to have us die in the wilderness?” In fact that is the present seemingly impossible situation she has been brought to (Exo 14:11, Jer 32:27, Mar 9:24).

Exo 14:11  And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? 

Jer 32:27  Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me? 

Mar 9:24  And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. 

2Ki 4:29  “Gehazi, get ready and go to her house,” Elisha said. “Take along my walking stick, and when you get there, lay it on the boy’s face. Don’t stop to talk to anyone, even if they try to talk to you.”
2Ki 4:30  But the boy’s mother said to Elisha, “I swear by the living LORD and by your own life that I won’t leave without you.” So Elisha got up and went with them. 
2Ki 4:31  Gehazi ran on ahead and laid Elisha’s walking stick on the boy’s face, but the boy didn’t move or make a sound. Gehazi ran back to Elisha and said, “The boy didn’t wake up.” [CEV]

The mother knows that Elisha has the power to do miracles, but she does not have the confidence to believe that Gehazi can do this miraculous act of healing without Elisha being present and instrumental in the healing. Gehazi’s role is somewhat like that of John the Baptist in this story where he is told this from Elisha, “Gehazi, Gird up thy loins, and take my staff in thine hand, and go thy way: if thou meet any man, salute him not; and if any salute thee, answer him not again: and lay my staff upon the face of the child.“

John came preaching the gospel and taking all the right outward actions as Gehazi did, but his baptism did not bring forth the spiritual fruit of life in Christ which will happen in type and shadow when Elisha steps in as a type of Christ who can bring healing and raise this young boy from death. The rod laying on the face of the dead child is a symbol of how God’s word set before us can bring healing and raise us up into heavenly places (Psa 23:4, Psa 107:20). 

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

Elisha’s directive to Gehazi is what Christ requires of us and reminds us of the directive which Christ gave His disciples for them to tarry in Jerusalem until the holy spirit comes (Luk 24:49). These words speak to the singleness or simplicity (2Co 11:3) of mind God requires of us as we remain focused on what He has called us to do: “Gehazi, Gird up thy loins, and take my staff in thine hand, and go thy way: if thou meet any man, salute him not; and if any salute thee, answer him not again: and lay my staff upon the face of the child.“

Luk 24:49  And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

2Co 11:3  But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

2Ki 4:32  Elisha arrived at the woman’s house and went straight to his room, where he saw the boy’s body on his bed. 
2Ki 4:33  He walked in, shut the door, and prayed to the LORD. 
2Ki 4:34  Then he got on the bed and stretched out over the dead body, with his mouth on the boy’s mouth, his eyes on his eyes, and his hand on his hands. As he lay there, the boy’s body became warm. [CEV]

When we recognize death within ourselves, we shut the door and pray to the LORD (Mat 6:6). It is only through Christ that we can be healed of the wages of sin which is death (Rom 6:23), and we can no more be freed from sin than this dead child can live again unless the LORD intervenes as He does (Joh 8:36) and will in this physical instance through Elisha. How we are delivered from death is symbolized by the actions that Elisha takes to bring this child back to his mother.

Mat 6:6  But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

Rom 6:23  For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

Joh 8:36  If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

Elisha brings life back to this lifeless child by stretching forth over him, and this symbolic act is also seen in Genesis where God’s spirit “moved upon the face of the waters” over the marred creation that was “without form^H8414, and void”^H922 and made that way to the glory of God (Joh 11:4) who would bring complete physical healing to His creation over a period of seven days, which seven days represent the process we must go through to go on to perfection (Gen 1:2-3).

Joh 11:4  When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.

Gen 1:2  And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. 
Gen 1:3  And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

God’s spirit that moves upon us quickens us and brings life to us, but our mouth must be next to his mouth, speaking the same thing and breathing the same breath of life that comes from God which is His word. Our “eyes on his eyes” as we look to the Lord (Mic 7:7) whose eyes are like fire that pierce our souls and bring us to see who we are and our need to repent (Rev 2:18, Rom 2:4). The end result of this closeness to Elisha is resurrection, and so it is with the body of Christ. Our closeness to Christ is what will bring us to see Him one day “face to face” (1Co 13:12). Elisha’s hands on the child’s hands symbolizes that we recognize that Christ is the one who is doing the work within us as we work out our own salvation with fear and trembling (Php 2:12-13). God’s provision comes to us through Christ is what we are learning in this parable of the child being healed and warmed by the flesh of Elisha. Otherwise we are just the dead burying the dead (Luk 9:60). We are Christ’s flesh and bones and warm each other up through our communion we have together in Christ (Eph 5:30, 1Co 10:16).

Rev 2:18  And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass;

1Co 13:12  For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. 

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

1Co 10:16  The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?

2Ki 4:35  Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes.
2Ki 4:36  And he called Gehazi, and said, Call this Shunammite. So he called her. And when she was come in unto him, he said, Take up thy son. 
2Ki 4:37  Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground, and took up her son, and went out.

This event of having her son given back to her alive and healed is typical of salvation that comes to God’s elect first as a kind of first fruits. Those saviors who come up on mount Zion will indeed eventually be seen for who we are face to face through a process of judgment, typified by Joseph who eventually saw his brothers who were brought into a typical judgment explained for us in Genesis (Gen 45:7).  The great white throne judgment, or the last great day as it is called (Joh 7:27), is when all humanity will be saved by this close relationship that will be forged through judgment that began at the house of God and ends in the lake of fire (1Pe 4:17). It is a time of great mercy and spiritual healing just as this time with the mother and child, and it will take time which is indicated by this statement, “Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up.“

Joh 7:27  Howbeit we know this man whence he is: but when Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence he is. 

We experience judgment first which is akin to having Christ stretched out over our land where we learn of His righteousness first via the seven last plagues (Exo 6:6-7, Psa 136:6). 

Exo 6:6  Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments:
Exo 6:7  And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. 

Psa 136:6  To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for his mercy endureth for ever.

After a specific amount of time is required in the lake of fire, where the body of Christ has “stretched himself upon him” we will help exorcize all these evil spirits out of the entirety of mankind, typified by what Elisha had done to this child. The world will have sneezed seven times which is a symbol of bad spirits coming out of us as a result of the seven last plagues having been poured out upon them as they are upon the elect today (1Pe 4:12, 1Pe 4:17). This exercise is what is required for all mankind to see with spiritual eyes symbolized by the words, “and the child opened his eyes” which happens after the seven sneezes (Rev 15:8). After those spirits are exorcized, the world will be able to “take up thy son” which represents receiving correct doctrine (Luk 11:28). 

Luk 11:26  Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first.
Luk 11:27  And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked.
Luk 11:28  But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it [Rev 1:3].

Rev 15:8  And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.

There is an acknowledgment of what God has done through His bride symbolized by these words, “Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground” (Rev 3:9). Elisha throughout this story you will notice is giving direction to Gehazi, as Elisha represents Christ, and Gehazi represents our flesh that is against the spirit and must be brought into subjection by the commandments of the Lord typified by the direction that Elisha gives him throughout his walk. Gehazi is us, and his leprous condition will be revealed in later chapters that tells us how God sees all flesh (Act 2:17, Luk 3:6). 

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

Act 2:17  And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: 
Act 2:18  And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:

Luk 3:6  And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

1Ki 5:6-18 “I see men; I see that they walk as trees”

[Study Aired September 16, 2021]

1Ki 5:6  Now therefore command thou that they hew me cedar trees out of Lebanon; and my servants shall be with thy servants: and unto thee will I give hire for thy servants according to all that thou shalt appoint: for thou knowest that there is not among us any that can skill to hew timber like unto the Sidonians. 
1Ki 5:7  And it came to pass, when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly, and said, Blessed be the LORD this day, which hath given unto David a wise son over this great people. 
1Ki 5:8  And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, I have considered the things which thou sentest to me for: and I will do all thy desire concerning timber of cedar, and concerning timber of fir. 
1Ki 5:9  My servants shall bring them down from Lebanon unto the sea: and I will convey them by sea in floats unto the place that thou shalt appoint me, and will cause them to be discharged there, and thou shalt receive them: and thou shalt accomplish my desire, in giving food for my household. 
1Ki 5:10  So Hiram gave Solomon cedar trees and fir trees according to all his desire. 
1Ki 5:11  And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat for food to his household, and twenty measures of pure oil: thus gave Solomon to Hiram year by year. 
1Ki 5:12  And the LORD gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him: and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon; and they two made a league together. 
1Ki 5:13  And king Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel; and the levy was thirty thousand men. 
1Ki 5:14  And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by courses: a month they were in Lebanon, and two months at home: and Adoniram was over the levy. 
1Ki 5:15  And Solomon had threescore and ten thousand that bare burdens, and fourscore thousand hewers in the mountains; 
1Ki 5:16  Beside the chief of Solomon’s officers which were over the work, three thousand and three hundred, which ruled over the people that wrought in the work. 
1Ki 5:17  And the king commanded, and they brought great stones, costly stones, and hewed stones, to lay the foundation of the house.
1Ki 5:18  And Solomon’s builders and Hiram’s builders did hew them, and the stonesquarers: so they prepared timber and stones to build the house.

In the eighth chapter of the gospel of Mark (Mar 8:1-10), we see Christ’s interaction with His disciples, which is a type and shadow of how God’s elect will interact with the disciples God will draw to his elect during the thousand year reign (Joh 6:44) to ultimately bring those disciples to see men clearly, as the elect who are represented by Solomon already do at this point (Rev 20:6, 1Jn 4:17).

There are many things to glean from this parable in the book of Mark that parallel what we will look at in Kings (1Ki 5:6-18) tonight, that will help us see how the government of God will utilize the resources of humanity, of which some will be as our disciples, just as Christ who had a time in the earth when he dealt with His unconverted disciples (1Jn 4:17).

In this story in Mark, these not yet converted disciples of Christ are being shown through Him the example of a blind man being healed. This is how all the world will be healed through Christ via the greater works His disciples will do once they have the spirit of God given to them. The words uttered by the recently blind man who was healed by Christ, “I see men as trees, walking”, were words that were uttered for His disciples’ sake and for ours today (1Ti 4:16, 2Co 4:15).

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.

The next event which transpired with Christ healing this blind man was typical of what will happen to the rest of the world in the great white throne judgment: “After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly” (Mar 8:24-25).

We cannot see God’s plan clearly at first, and it will take the feeding of the multitudes with the word of God to begin to shed light on His glorious purpose for all His creation, which is to have all men saved (1Co 15:22). During the thousand-year reign, the elect are like Christ was during His time on earth with His disciples. Without any expectation of bringing men to see clearly with spiritual eyes that see, we will nevertheless set the stage for that conversion in the lake of fire to happen by being given these exercises of rulership during that time with disciples who will be drawn to us for the express purpose of further bringing about the ultimate healing of men’s eyes that will transpire in the great white throne judgement when humanity will be restored, where every man will see clearly. God’s elect are tremendously blessed to experience that restoration in earnest now, awaiting the adoption, the redemption of our new bodies, having been given blessed eyes that see and ears that hear now (1Co 13:12, Rom 8:23, 2Co 5:17, Mat 13:16).

Mat 13:16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.

With these things in mind, let’s read through this section of Mark and then go into the verses of Kings which will further confirm these typical events written for our sakes upon whom the end of the ages are come.

Mar 8:1  In those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them,
Mar 8:2  I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat:
Mar 8:3  And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far.
Mar 8:4  And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness?
Mar 8:5  And he asked them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven.
Mar 8:6  And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people.
Mar 8:7  And they had a few small fishes: and he blessed, and commanded to set them also before them.
Mar 8:8  So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets.
Mar 8:9  And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and he sent them away.
Mar 8:10  And straightway he entered into a ship with his disciples, and came into the parts of Dalmanutha.

We’ve just read of how the Lord’s compassion was demonstrated in feeding the masses who had not physically eaten for three days. That time is significant as it reminds us that during the thousand-year reign (10X10X10=1o00) there is no stay of bread or water, until the third day when his disciples set before the multitude a few small fishes and seven loaves of bread. The fragments of fish after having been eaten produce “of the broken meat that was left seven baskets”, representing a complete feeding of God’s word that has taken place, along with seven loaves that miraculously fed “about four thousand”.

This event of feeding so many foreshadows how all the world, represented by “four thousand” – the whole (4), will be saved by the complete word of God (7), living upon every word that proceeds from the mouth of God which miraculously grows and matures in our heavens, symbolized by the miracle that happened to this physical food.

In our study of 1Kings 5:6-18, Solomon, who typifies the elect, will have many participate in the physical building of the temple and be made to witness to how “From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness?” Such satisfaction in life comes from knowing God and His Son Jesus Christ, through the knowledge of God that is manifested through the church, the temple that we are, and that temple which Solomon built unto the Lord was typical of John 17:3 and Ephesians 3:10).

The world will see and participate in many wonderful works during the thousand years, of which works none will convert anyone but will be used to bring the whole world into remembrance of what those physical events reveal spiritually for those who have been given eyes to see and ears to hear. Christ’s rhetorical question will be our rhetorical question to all of humanity in the second resurrection: “Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember? When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve. And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? And they said, Seven.” (Mar 8:18-20).

Note that there are “five loaves among five thousand” and “the seven among four thousand“. That’s twelve loaves that were given to lay a foundation of truth that will produce all the fragments of humanity who will come up in the second resurrection to finally receive the spiritual nourishment these events of feeding typified. The “five loaves among five thousand” is a witness that typifies the grace by faith process that all humanity must be saved by (Eph 2:8).

The total amount of people who were fed is about 9000, and that is significant because there is only one way into the holy of holies, and that is to give an accounting through the body of Christ, the church, whose accounting or judgment is unfolding now (Col 1:24, 1Pe 4:17). The four thousand and the five thousand represent all the world which must be dragged to Christ’s pillars in order to come to worship God in spirit and in truth (Joh 4:23). Five is grace and faith, and four is the whole of humanity. Together they add up to nine; judgment that commences with the body of Christ, who are judged so they can become those nine pillars in God’s temple, five at the entrance (the door to the tabernacle) and four at the back (at the veil between the holy place and the holy of holies [1Pe 4:17, Rev 3:12]).

Excerpt from Study of Revelation 3:7-13, Part 2

“Here are the pillars we are discussing:

Exo 26:32 And thou shalt hang it upon four pillars of shittim wood overlaid with gold: their hooks shall be of gold, upon the four sockets of silver.

Exo 26:37 And thou shalt make for the hanging five pillars of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, and their hooks shall be of gold: and thou shalt cast five sockets of brass for them.

The four pillars of verse 32, are the pillars which hold the veil between the holy place and the holy of holies. The five pillars of verse 37 are the pillars at the door of the tabernacle. It is through these pillars we must all go as we seek to come to God. There is no other way to get into the presence of God but through these pillars. “ **** [end quote – emphasis mine].

1Ki 5:6  Now therefore command thou that they hew me cedar trees out of Lebanon; and my servants shall be with thy servants: and unto thee will I give hire for thy servants according to all that thou shalt appoint: for thou knowest that there is not among us any that can skill to hew timber like unto the Sidonians.

In order to have that purpose in our heart to want to “build an house unto the name of the LORD my God” today, we must be given “rest on every side” within (1Ki 5:4); the rest Mike talked about in Sunday’s study this week.

[Jer 17:14-27 Bear no Burden on the Sabbath Day]

God’s elect are the first to obtain that rest which comes by overcoming the nations within us, through a lifetime of warring against powers and principalities that Christ tells us he is far higher than (Eph 1:21) and that we will overcome through God’s spirit. That overcoming process is only being typified for those people during Solomon’s reign, as it will be only typified by those under the rule and reign of God’s elect whose kingdoms are subject unto us (Rev 11:15) at least physically, and who will also be told, “Now therefore command thou that they hew me cedar trees out of Lebanon.” This is not literally of course, but more importantly to hew down the big cedars which are not fruit-bearing trees that represent the whitened [“Lebanon”] walls within us of our former subjection to the whitened sepulchres of which we were part in Babylon and that by the grace of God found ourselves coming out of first (Mat 23:27, Rev 18:4).

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

Solomon represents the elect who have overcome and been resurrected to be found in that blessed and holy first resurrection and are now ruling and reigning under Christ for a symbolic thousand years (Rev 20:6). His command, “hew me cedar trees out of Lebanon; and my servants shall be with thy servants“, is prophesied in Ezekiel 34:14-15. “My servants” is in reference to the elect who are Christ’s servants and “shall be with thy servants” meaning the other fold of which Christ spoke in John 10:16 who would be dragged to Christ to “feed upon the mountains of Israel“, meaning the Israel of God who we are in Christ (Gal 6:16). 

Feeding on the word of God does not mean conversion is necessarily going to happen, however the disciples indeed (Joh 8:31) are granted to continue in the truth and the rest of humanity like those in the thousand-year reign, typified by Solomon’s reign, will have “tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come” but will not be able to continue in them (Heb 6:4-5, Joh 8:31-32, Heb 6:3).

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. 

Eze 34:14  I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel. 
Eze 34:15  I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD.

Joh 10:16  And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

God’s elect will be as fishers of men whose catch will be orchestrated by God, who knows the hearts of men and gives gifts that will be used to build the temple of Solomon, just as the Lord provided artisans for Moses in his day (Exo 31:1-13). This statement typifies for us the relationship that grows between those who are being dragged to Christ during the thousand-year reign in order to appoint workers to do what God has determined from the foundation of the world “and unto thee will I give hire for thy servants according to all that thou shalt appoint: for thou knowest that there is not among us any that can skill to hew timber like unto the Sidonians^H6722“. Sidonians means “hunters”, and God uses the temple, which we are, to seek out or hunt those whom He will drag to that temple (us – Joh 4:23, 1Co 3:16).

1Ki 5:7  And it came to pass, when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly, and said, Blessed be the LORD this day, which hath given unto David a wise son over this great people. 
1Ki 5:8  And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, I have considered the things which thou sentest to me for: and I will do all thy desire concerning timber of cedar, and concerning timber of fir. 
1Ki 5:9  My servants shall bring them down from Lebanon unto the sea: and I will convey them by sea in floats unto the place that thou shalt appoint me, and will cause them to be discharged there, and thou shalt receive them: and thou shalt accomplish my desire, in giving food for my household. 

When we recognize the day of the Lord is at hand in our own lives, we are doing what Hiram was doing in type and shadow who, like ourselves, should greatly rejoice to know that we are blessed this day to have our names written in heaven (Luk 10:20) to be called his sons (1Jn 3:1), typified by Solomon who was the son of David. Hiram’s joy however is more akin to receiving the word anon with joy, and it was sweet in his mouth to know that Solomon, who typifies the elect during the thousand-year reign, would be “giving food for my household” just as Joseph did for his household when he first revealed to his brothers who he was (Gen 50:21).

Luk 10:20  Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

Gen 50:21  Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them. 

Hiram counted the cost of the great endeavour of building Solomon’s temple, and he is a type of the positive use of the word “noble” in this instance (Hiram means  “noble”) as he was confident that what Solomon had started was going to be completed (Php 1:6). So he opened up his resources to this worthy endeavour accomplished through flesh, expressed in this regard: “My servants shall bring them down from Lebanon unto the sea“, that typifies the work God will do through the body of Christ while working working with the “sea” of humanity during the thousand-year reign, with this statement: “I have considered the things which thou sentest to me for: and I will do all thy desire concerning timber of cedar, and concerning timber of fir.

Solomon’s recognition of Hiram reminds us that God’s elect, at the direction of Christ, will understand the need to take great men, who are as trees, to be cut down and integrated into the building of the temple. None of these trees are fruit-bearing, but they do symbolize the great men, the noble men of this earth who will be humbled and hewed down and dragged to Christ for His purpose, which is to establish His kingdom on this earth so men can learn righteousness through judgment (Isa 26:9). The learning is always in stages, and so it is that trees begin the process to house a relationship with Christ. Nevertheless, only when the spirit is sent can we become fruit-bearing trees worshiping God in spirit and in truth (Act 2:1-4).

What Hiram says he will do with these trees is, “My servants shall bring them down from Lebanon unto the sea: and I will convey them by sea in floats unto the place that thou shalt appoint me, and will cause them to be discharged there, and thou shalt receive them: and thou shalt accomplish my desire, in giving food for my household.” This is the work that will produce “food for my household” as it typifies Hiram’s laboring in the word; and like the stones which were taken from the Jordan and brought up to Jerusalem, we’re given another parallel of that taking of resources of the earth and directing them exactly as God would have them be directed (Eph 1:11) so that “thou shalt accomplish my desire, in giving food for my household.“

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: 

These words of Hiram demonstrate what it means for God’s elect to rule with a rod of iron, as God’s purpose for mankind cannot be thwarted. He will use every part of humanity to accomplish what He has set out to do, which is to save all of the world, typified by Solomon’s desire to build this place of worship that would require God’s hand inspiring and leading the entire process to His glory and honour (1Jn 2:2, 1Ch 29:14).

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

1Ki 5:10  So Hiram gave Solomon cedar trees and fir trees according to all his desire. 
1Ki 5:11  And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat for food to his household, and twenty measures of pure oil: thus gave Solomon to Hiram year by year. 
1Ki 5:12  And the LORD gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him: and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon; and they two made a league together. 

Solomon’s wisdom continued to be manifested in his wise dealings with Hiram as the Lord had promised would occur for Solomon: “And the LORD gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him“. His interactions with Hiram are akin to this verse in Luke 6:38 where we are told “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, [Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat for food to his household, and twenty measures of pure oil] shall men give into your bosom [Hiram gave Solomon cedar trees and fir trees according to all his desire]. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.”

During the reign of the saints (Rev 20:6), this principle will unfold of good measure being pressed down and shaken together, as God’s elect will provide the spiritual equivalent of “twenty thousand measures of wheat for food to his household and twenty measures of pure oil” which witnesses to the truth that we will feed this world the word of God, but it will be received in yet carnal hearts (witness 2 x flesh 10 = 20).

Because our ways will be pleasing to our Father who has made us more than conquerors through Jesus Christ in this now glorified state, there will be peace on earth between God’s elect and those with whom we are working, typified by this statement: “there was peace between Hiram and Solomon; and they two made a league together” (Pro 16:7, Mat 3:17).

Pro 16:7  When a man’s ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.

Mat 3:17  And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

That alliance between Solomon and Hiram is caused by God, so this working relationship can continue to unfold where “Hiram gave Solomon cedar trees and fir trees according to all his desire” like the Israelites spoiling the Egyptians (Exo 12:36). Solomon “year by year” continued to faithfully provide for Hiram’s household “twenty thousand measures of wheat” and “twenty measures of pure oil” just as God’s elect will, ‘year after year’, unfailingly not shun to declare the whole counsel of God, represented by the “measures of wheat” and the “pure oil” (Act 20:27). No one will be able to say they were not given a witness during this time, but that witness will not change the heart of mankind, and this mutually beneficial relationship Solomon has with Hiram will be for the express purpose of having Hiram and his household, who represent the world, to have opportunity to eat their fill of God’s word and to be prospered in their earthly experience, still not being able to trust God however, without conversion (Joh 6:26, Eph 1:12).

1Ki 5:13  And king Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel; and the levy was thirty thousand men.
1Ki 5:14  And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by courses: a month they were in Lebanon, and two months at home: and Adoniram was over the levy.

This levy or work force being raised by Solomon “out of all Israel” was made up of  “thirty thousand men” telling us that a process of judgment is being talked about in this section of scripture which these men, symbolizing all the world, must experience in order to be able to worship God in spirit and in truth one day (Joh 4:23).

Solomon, who is a type of the elect, “sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by courses: a month they were in Lebanon“. The ten thousand reminds us that we are dealing with carnal Christians who spend the first of three months in “Lebanon – white“, which is the whitened sepulchres stage of our walk when we wash the outside of the tomb but inside are full of dead men’s bones. (Mat 23:27).

Mat 23:27  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.

After that experience of “a month they were in Lebanon” these men, just as we did in our appointed time, will also spend “two months at home: and Adoniram was over the levy“. “Adoniram“,  the overseer, whose name means “my lord is exalted”, typifies Christ who is exalted throughout the entire process of judgment He oversees in our lives, as Adoniram oversaw the work force, telling us that we must decrease and Christ must increase  through that (3 months) process (Joh 3:30, Psa 57:5) toward spiritual maturity.

Joh 3:30  He must increase, but I must decrease.

Psa 57:5  Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; let thy glory be above all the earth.

1Ki 5:15  And Solomon had threescore and ten thousand that bare burdens, and fourscore thousand hewers in the mountains; 
1Ki 5:16  Beside the chief of Solomon’s officers which were over the work, three thousand and three hundred, which ruled over the people that wrought in the work. 

These men whom Solomon used to bear burdens and hew in the mountains, typify how the Lord will use the elect to motivate the world, first in the physical realm with yet unconverted hearts “ten thousand that bare burdens“. We will teach mankind to love your neighbour as yourself and bear each other’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ, knowing in advance that this love, which is obedience to God’s commands, was already prophesied to wax cold in time. The many who are called and not permitted to endure until the end demonstrate to all flesh that only Christ can gain this victory over the beast which we are (“make me as one of thy hired servants”  Mat 24:12, Gal 6:2, Rev 2:5, Rev 13:4).

Mat 24:12  And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.  [1Sa 3:2 And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see.]

Gal 6:2  Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

Rev 2:5  Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

The 80,000 hewers in the mountains represent those who will labor in the word, in the mountain from whence our help does come during the reign of the saints (Psa 121:1, Rev 20:6). In time, all men will be saved through the gospel message which “is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth” (Rom 1:16), but like these labours during Solomon’s kingdom, and during that time we reign with Christ, man’s heart will not be converted. Just like the parable of the two women grinding at the mill, while both labour, only one remains, and that is by God’s design as many are called but few are chosen (Mat 24:41, Mat 24:13).

Mat 24:41  Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

Mat 24:13  But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

So “Solomon had threescore and ten thousand that bare burdens, and fourscore thousand hewers in the mountains” and “Beside the chief of Solomon’s officers which were over the work, three thousand and three hundred, which ruled over the people that wrought in the work” showing us that there is order in how the elect will rule under Christ as kings and priests (Oba 1:21). The number 3,300 reminds us that a process of judgment is unfolding via God’s elect, and when God’s judgments are in the “earth, earth, earth”, men will learn of the righteousness of Christ. In God’s perfect time, faith that comes from hearing the word of God (Rom 10:17) will be tried in the lake of fire where all men’s hearts will be purified (Isa 26:9, Jer 22:29, Luk 13:32).

Luk 13:32  And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected. [Weak carnal human flesh without God’s spirit worships the infant child Christ who can’t rule and we spit on the mature Lord who goes onto perfection on the third day and has been made ready to rule through his lifetime of suffering (Mat 26:67)]

1Ki 5:17  And the king commanded, and they brought great stones, costly stones, and hewed stones, to lay the foundation of the house. 
1Ki 5:18  And Solomon’s builders and Hiram’s builders did hew them, and the stonesquarers: so they prepared timber and stones to build the house. 

If the king commands something be built, it is going to get built, and this building of Solomon’s temple “the king commanded” typifies the promise that Christ would go and prepare a place for us “and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (Joh 14:1-4, Heb 12:6, Joh 14:20).

Joh 14:1  Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
Joh 14:2  In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. [Rev 19:7]
Joh 14:3  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. [Joh 14:20]
Joh 14:4  And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

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

It is a costly venture to follow Christ (Luk 14:28), and those who are granted to do so will be instrumental in laying “the foundation of the house” with “great stones, costly stones, and hewed stones“, actions that are typified by Solomon’s temple being built, just as Christ will work with the bride, typified by Solomon who will work with the noblemen [Hiram “noble“] of this world represented by “great stones, costly stones, and hewed stones“; stones that are all symbolically baptized in the Jordan, a water baptism that will conclude in fiery baptism that will take place in the great white throne judgment.

There will be a co-operative relationship that God’s elect will have with the world during this period (Rev 20:6), and everything that unfolds will absolutely unfold according to the counsel of His will (Eph 1:11), which is what this verse reminds us: “And Solomon’s builders and Hiram’s builders did hew them, and the stonesquarers: so they prepared timber and stones to build the house.“

We can only see men clearly as trees (“I see men; I see that they walk as trees”) when we are connected to the tree of life, Jesus Christ (Joh 15:5) who gives us eyes to see and ears to hear how God’s elect will work in conjunction with the world to build the house of God, typified by this statement: “And Solomon’s builders and Hiram’s builders did hew them, and the stonesquarers: so they prepared timber and stones to build the house.”

In every great house, as in this house that typifies the workmanship of God which we are, “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 2:20), reminding us of the severity and goodness of God and how so many are sacrificed for God’s elect in our life in order that we may become the bride of Christ who has been made ready: ready to be in the first resurrection, and ready to do the work set before us through the thousand-year reign with Christ, and ready to judge the world in the great white throne judgment (1Co 6:3).

The bride of Revelation 19:7 being made ready tells us that we are being judged now and that the spiritual temple we are is being prepared in this life via the Lord having cut down the idols in our hearts using all the resources of this life to accomplish His workmanship in us, as we will do with the rest of humanity (Psa 17:13, Eph 2:10).

Psa 17:13  Arise, O LORD, disappoint him, cast him down: deliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy sword: 

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.

The end result of this experience of evil is that we will see men clearly for the beasts we all are, and we in like manner will receive the world as we were received of God, extending the same mercy toward the rest of mankind as has been done for us (Rom 11:30-33). Joseph’s story best describes this, and he did not take credit for what God had accomplished in his life or for what God had accomplished in the lives of his brothers. Rather, he was filled with mercy and love for his brothers, who were received by Joseph as we are being received of God today (Gen 50:19-21).

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

Gen 50:19  And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God?
Gen 50:20  But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. 
Gen 50:21  Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them. 

Matthew 25:14-30

[Study Aired September 7, 2021]

Mat 25:14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.
Mat 25:15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.
Mat 25:16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.
Mat 25:17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.
Mat 25:18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money.
Mat 25:19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.
Mat 25:20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.
Mat 25:21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
Mat 25:22 He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.
Mat 25:23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
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:
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.
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: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Our last study covered the parable of the “Ten Virgins”, its key elements being the difference between those in the first resurrection and the second. Those in the first resurrection have their lamps full of oil which will burn throughout the night. This signifies the elect having the holy spirit, and while they abide in the world, Christ is in them. Today’s study is another parable about the kingdom of heaven. The key words and phrases we will review are “a man traveling”, “a far country”, “his own servants”, and “his goods” which are used in out first two verses of the parable.

Mat 25:14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.

“A man traveling” is Christ. Christ is traveling into “a far country” and that is heaven, (the kingdom of God), which is within you. “His own servants” are the many called and few chosen.

Luk 17:20-21 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:  Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

Eph 4:8-10 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also de-scended, first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)

1Pe 2:9-10 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: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

Rev 17:14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

There is a difference between the called, chosen and faithful and what they do with “the goods” received from the “traveling man” Christ. Here are “the goods”.

Mat 25:15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.

The one to whom he gave five talents represents the “grace through faith” we receive from Christ. Number Five

The one who received two talents represents the “witness” we receive from Christ. Witness

And the one he gave one talent represents “unity” we receive from Christ. Number One

This “unity” is in the negative sense representing our self righteousness.

Now all these received these gifts based “according to his several ability”. This represents our measure of faith given to us.

Rom 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

Because of the measure of faith given these servants, here is what they do with their lord’s money.

Mat 25:16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.
Mat 25:17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.

The first two “traded” the money they received and doubled what they had. This represents “doing the things that I say” and “keeping the sayings of the prophecy of this book”.

Luk 6:46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

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.

Here is what the third one did.

Mat 25:18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money.

He took the “one” (unity) and buried in the earth. Being buried in the earth, it is in darkness and cannot receive any light. This is telling us that we cannot grow because of our forsaking the assembly.

Heb 10:23-25 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

Now the lord of those servants returns seeking to find profits produced by his servants.

Mat 25:19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.
Mat 25:20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.
Mat 25:21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
Mat 25:22 He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.
Mat 25:23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

Both of these servants gained profits by doing what their Lord had commissioned them to do. For their efforts they will be rulers over “many” things. This represents ruling over the “many called” in the first resurrection.

Rev 1:5-6 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Rev 20:4-6 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 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.

Now let’s see what happens to the last servant that received one talent.

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:
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.

This servant knew his Lord “reaped where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed” representing our Lord Jesus receiving of his Father and doing what he says.

Joh 5:19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.

Joh 8:28-29 Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.

Here is the punishment the “wicked and slothful servant” receives.

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: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

The chosen and faithful receive the truth in this age, and the many called cannot receive the truth because Christ’s word has no place in them.

Joh 8:31-38 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;  And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you. I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.

Joh 8:42-45 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.

Each of these servants are us at certain points of our walk. We are first given “one talent” being the “many called” and are of our father the devil worshiping ourselves and hiding our talent in the earth. Next, we become the “chosen” by being given “two talents” receiving the true witness of Christ. Finally, we become the “faithful” enduring until the end by receiving “five talents” grace through faith. We are then promised to rule in the kingdom of God.

Rev 17:14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

Joh 16:32-33 Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

We must be careful to keep the commandment of our Lord and pray without ceasing. We all know and understand that it is God Who is working all this in us, yet he tells us to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. Lord willing, we are given to endure until the end.

Mat 24:4-14 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

Eph 1:3-12 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: 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: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

Php 2:12-13 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. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

1Th 5:12-18 And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves. Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

1Jn 2:1-6 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

Gospels in Harmony – Mat 19:1-12 and Mar 10:12, Part 3

[Study Aired October 27, 2020]

Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?

[Scriptures from Mark are inserted within brackets in the paragraph below]

Mat 19:1-15 And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these sayings, he departed from Galilee, and came into the coasts of Judaea beyond Jordan; And great multitudes followed him; and he healed them there [Mark 10:1 and taught them]. The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? And he answered and said unto them, [Mark 10:3 What did Moses Command you?] Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? He saith unto them, Moses [Mark 10:5 wrote this precept] because of the hardness of your hearts [and] suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. [Mar 10:10-11 And in the house his disciples asked him again of the same matter. And he saith unto them,] And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery. His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry. But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given. For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother’s womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.

In our last studies we saw the wife that will not be put away is the elect of God, the true church and the wife that will be put away is the church of Babylon, the strange woman and harlot. In this study we will see what and who the eunuchs are that Christ mentions in His answer to His disciples.

Mat 19:10-12 His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry. But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given. For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother’s womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.

Christ answered their question about putting away a wife, and they only understood the physical issue and could not understand the spiritual language Christ was speaking. Christ then makes the statement, “All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given.” The saying about “the putting away of a wife” was a spiritual statement. He next states why they cannot receive this saying, “For (because) there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother’s womb: and some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake.” Did Christ expect them to understand, by that statement, why some cannot receive the saying about putting away your wife is committing adultery? The disciples had no clue what Christ was saying and neither do the churches of the world today. Only those that are given to receive it can receive the understanding of the spiritual significance of “putting away your wife” and what these “eunuchs” represent.

Here are the definitions and verses containing eunuch.

G2134
εὐνουχίζω
eunouchizō
yoo-noo-khid’-zo
From G2135; to castrate (figuratively live unmarried): – make . . . eunuch.
Total KJV Occurrences: 5
eunuchs, 3
Mat_19:12 (3)
made, 2
Mat_19:12 (3)

G2135
εὐνοῦχος  eunouchos
yoo-noo’-khos
From εὐνή eunē (a bed) and G2192; a castrated person (such being employed in Oriental bed chambers); by extension an impotent or unmarried man; by implication a chamberlain (state officer): – eunuch.
Total KJV Occurrences: 7
eunuch, 5
Act_8:27, Act_8:34, Act_8:36, Act_8:38-39 (2)
eunuchs, 2
Mat_19:12 (2)

Act 8:26-35 And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet. Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth. And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.

“A man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians,… Understandest thou what thou readest? And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me?”

The above scriptures help give us the meaning of eunuch. A eunuch is someone that either lacks or has understanding depending which type of eunuch they are. Christ mentions three types of eunuchs: “Some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother’s womb: and some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake.”

Here is the old testament use of the Hebrew equal of the Greek word for eunuch.

Gen 40:1-8 And it came to pass after these things, that the butler of the king of Egypt and his baker had offended their lord the king of Egypt. And Pharaoh was wroth against two of his officers, against the chief of the butlers, and against the chief of the bakers. And he put them in ward in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound. And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them: and they continued a season in ward. And they dreamed a dream both of them, each man his dream in one night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, which were bound in the prison. And Joseph came in unto them in the morning, and looked upon them, and, behold, they were sad. And he asked Pharaoh’s officers that were with him in the ward of his lord’s house, saying, Wherefore look ye so sadly to day? And they said unto him, We have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter of it. And Joseph said unto them, Do not interpretations belong to God? tell me them, I pray you. 

Officer is also translated as eunuch in the old testament.

H5631
סרס    סריס
sârı̂ys  sâris
saw-reece’,
saw-reece’
From an unused root meaning to castrate; a eunuch; by implication valet (especially of the female apartments), and thus a minister of state: – chamberlain, eunuch, officer. Compare H7249.

Total KJV Occurrences: 42
eunuchs, 15
2Ki_9:32, 2Ki_20:18, Isa_39:7, Isa_56:4, Jer_29:2, Jer_34:19, Jer_38:7, Jer_41:16, Dan_1:3, Dan_1:7-11 (5), Dan_1:18

chamberlains, 9
Est_1:10, Est_1:12, Est_1:15, Est_2:21, Est_4:4-5 (2), Est_6:2, Est_6:14, Est_7:9

officers, 7
Gen_40:2, Gen_40:7, 1Sa_8:15, 2Ki_24:12, 2Ki_24:15, 1Ch_28:1, 2Ch_18:8

officer, 5
Gen_37:36, Gen_39:1, 1Ki_22:9, 2Ki_8:6, 2Ki_25:19

chamberlain, 4
2Ki_23:11, Est_2:3, Est_2:14-15 (2)

eunuch, 2
Isa_56:3, Jer_52:25

Here is a prophecy of Isaiah using a eunuch.

Isa 39:1-8 At that time Merodachbaladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah: for he had heard that he had been sick, and was recovered. And Hezekiah was glad of them, and shewed them the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious ointment, and all the house of his armour, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah shewed them not. Then came Isaiah the prophet unto king Hezekiah, and said unto him, What said these men? and from whence came they unto thee? And Hezekiah said, They are come from a far country unto me, even from Babylon. Then said he, What have they seen in thine house? And Hezekiah answered, All that is in mine house have they seen: there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shewed them. Then said Isaiah to Hezekiah, Hear the word of the LORD of hosts: Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store until this day, shall be carried to Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the LORD. And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon. Then said Hezekiah to Isaiah, Good is the word of the LORD which thou hast spoken. He said moreover, For there shall be peace and truth in my days.

This is the fulfillment of this prophecy of Isaiah.

Dan 1:1-7 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it. And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god. And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king’s seed, and of the princes; Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans. And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king’s meat, and of the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king. Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abednego.

Eunuchs are officers of kings, and they carry out their king’s orders. This particular eunuch is “made a eunuch of men” serving the king of Babylon. We are all first “born from our mother’s womb” as a eunuch. No one has any understanding of the things of the spirit. Next, we become “eunuch of men” and serve the kingdoms of this world – our old man. Finally, those that are able to receive it become “eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake”.

Isa 56:1-5 Thus saith the LORD, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed. Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil. Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the LORD, speak, saying, The LORD hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree. For thus saith the LORD unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant; Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off.

The first two eunuchs are not able to enter into the congregation of the Lord.

Deu 23:1  He that is wounded in the stones, or hath his privy member cut off, shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD.

We all experience this on our journey to the Kingdom of God. Our goal is to become a “eunuch for the kingdom of heaven”. Earlier verses of this story spoke of a virtuous wife. Now the eunuch, being unmarried, represents the same.

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

1Co 7:32-33 But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord: But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife.

Becoming a “eunuch for the kingdom of heaven” gives us the ability to “receive it” and understand the things of the spirit.

Deu 4:1-6 Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers giveth you. Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you. Your eyes have seen what the LORD did because of Baalpeor: for all the men that followed Baalpeor, the LORD thy God hath destroyed them from among you. But ye that did cleave unto the LORD your God are alive every one of you this day. Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the LORD my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it. Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. 

1Co 2:6-14 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 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 that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 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. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Psa 69:26 For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten; and they talk to the grief of those whom thou hast wounded.
Psa 69:27 Add iniquity unto their iniquity: and let them not come into thy righteousness.
Psa 69:28 Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous.
Psa 69:29 But I am poor and sorrowful: let thy salvation, O God, set me up on high.
Psa 69:30 I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.
Psa 69:31 This also shall please the LORD better than an ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs.
Psa 69:32 The humble shall see this, and be glad: and your heart shall live that seek God.
Psa 69:33 For the LORD heareth the poor, and despiseth not his prisoners.
Psa 69:34 Let the heaven and earth praise him, the seas, and every thing that moveth therein.
Psa 69:35 For God will save Zion, and will build the cities of Judah: that they may dwell there, and have it in possession.
Psa 69:36 The seed also of his servants shall inherit it: and they that love his name shall dwell therein.

The scriptures we’re looking at tonight speak specifically about Christ as well as those who are called to be hated of all men for not running to the same excess of riot as “they” do. Without Godly fear we will not deny ungodliness in this world and we will speak evil of those “looking for” to deny this ungodliness in this world (Tit 2:12-13).

1Pe 4:4 Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:

Tit 2:12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
Tit 2:13 Looking for(G4327) that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

Jud 1:21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for(G4327) the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

Mar 15:43 Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable counsellor, which also waited for(G4327) the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus.

Luk 22:15 And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer:

In (Lev 16:10) we read of how God used the “lot” to describe those who are predestined to be chosen to be presented alive before the Lord (Rom 12:1) “to make an atonement with him” and “to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness”.

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.

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.

In order for the ministry of Christ to be completed, we are called to make an “atonement with him” and to be as he is in this world, hated of all men and rejected of the scribes and pharisees.

Mar 13:13 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

Luk 7:29 And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John.
Luk 7:30 But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him.

Luk 10:16 He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.

It is through this entire process of being sent out into the wilderness as the scapegoat with the sins of the world within us that our “ambassadorship” matures and we are made ready to be an “atonement” that can be used to ‘reconcile’ the world as saviours.

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.

It is our Lord, the spotless scapegoat of Leviticus 16, who is accepted of God which atones for the sins of the world that we come to see in us and drive out of our wilderness experience little by little, if God is preparing us to be those living sacrifices in this age.

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.

My/your own life can’t redeem anything or anyone, but the life of Christ in me/you is “looking for” (G4327) and filling up what is behind of His afflictions by God’s predestined ambassadorship unfolding can and will be used of God to atone for the sins of the world as he increases and we decrease.

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

Joh 3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease.

The body of Christ is integral (or the ‘bridge’) to point people to Christ and to bring spiritual healing through this relationship that has been cut off from the world for now, introduced to very few starting at that day of Pentecost and until this day.

Mat 22:14 For many are called, but few are chosen.

Act 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place…

Act 2:5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.

Act 2:40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.
Act 2:41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

Until the world is given to see and understand who Jesus Christ is, they will continue to kick against the pricks and persecute our Lord within each of us, just as we have done in our appointed time (Act 9:5).

Tonight’s verses will hopefully give us a closer view of the way that we attacked Christ and why it is needful and necessary for our maturing to go through those persecutions for the world’s sake as we are held up by an high priest whose suffering we are told to remember and consider less we grow weary in well doing.

Heb 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

Heb 12:3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

Our well-doing in this age is centered around being those ambassadors who are lambs for the slaughter and eventually food and drink for the masses (Rom 8:36-39), yet more than conquerors and very much “persuaded” [more and more], and “bearing witness”(Rom 9:1) of the “rock of offence”(Rom 9:33)

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 9:33 As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

Psa 69:26 For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten; and they talk to the grief of those whom thou hast wounded.

My beloved Gale, when I asked her, immediately pointed to Job as another example of someone who is a type of the elect who was smitten of God and surrounded by his miserable comforters who say in essence what we see this verse saying: “they persecute him whom thou hast smitten and they talk to the grief of those whom thou hast wounded”.

Job 16:2 I have heard many such things: miserable comforters are ye all.

Job’s friends couldn’t judge righteous judgement if their lives depended on it, as it does symbolically all of us in our time. It was only Elihu who typifies the elect (Job 32:4-10) who could comfort Job with the comfort (only in type and shadow, and always through righteous judgment which includes admonition) as we discussed last week.

2Co 1:4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

It is God who allows the suffering, sovereign over all the details of all this persecution being allowed, and using it in our lives to mature us so that we are ready in that day to reign and rule with Him – under Christ – because we have been counted “worthy” to suffer with him in this regard today.

Act 5:41 And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.

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:

2Ti 2:12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:

We go from wanting to avoid pain and rejection to coming to realize by the grace and faith of Christ that we can be as Christ and His Christ “rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name” or despising the shame as we discussed in verse 20 of Psalm 69 last week – but always through judgment and persecution and grief and being wounded in our flesh (Mar 12:4, Luk 10:30, Luk 20:12, Luk 10:34) to get there.

Joh 20:25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.
Joh 20:26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.
Joh 20:27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.
Joh 20:28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.

Psa 69:27 Add iniquity unto their iniquity: and let them not come into thy righteousness.
Psa 69:28 Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous.
Psa 69:29 But I am poor and sorrowful: let thy salvation, O God, set me up on high.

These three verses remind us of who exactly is running the show so to speak! God adds “iniquity unto their iniquity” just as we learned in Mike’s study last Sunday. (a href=”http://www.iswasandwillbe.com/he-hath-chosen-us-in-him-before-the-foundation-of-the-world/”>He Hath Chosen Us In Him Before The Foundation of The World)

“O God” (H430 ‘ĕlôhı̂ym) is sovereign over every [predestinated] step of our lives, both while we are enemies of the cross and when we – at the appointed time and by the grace and faith of God – become living sacrifices or ambassadors unto our great God.

What needs to be “blotted out of the book of the living” is our first man Adam who cannot inherit the kingdom of God. Nothing can and nothing will defile the kingdom of God is what we are being told here. And because we know God is the One writing all the books we can rest assured that what he has determined to accomplished is going to unfold according to the council of His will.

Dan 7:10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.

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

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:

Psa 139:16 Your eyes saw my embryo, And my days, all of them were written upon Your scroll; The days were formed When there was not one of them.”CLV

Isa 46:10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:

The condition that God is forming within the new creation is a heart that is “poor and sorrowful”, and it is a blessed event when we start crying out to God because we have been brought to our wits’ end “let thy salvation, O God, set me up on high”.

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

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

Psa 69:30 I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.
Psa 69:31 This also shall please the LORD better than an ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs.
Psa 69:32 The humble shall see this, and be glad: and your heart shall live that seek God.
Psa 69:33 For the LORD heareth the poor, and despiseth not his prisoners.

Perhaps the most hopeful part of this Psalm 69 in regard to showing us the fruit of what all of our trials produce in this age are found in these verses 30 to 33. These verses speak of the fruit that is manifested in our lives as a result of the tender mercies of God. They reveal to us that it is He that works with us and reinstates us into the book of life that we were once blotted out of because of our sins and transgressions which separated us from God.

Isa 64:8 But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.

Isa 59:2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

“Praise[ing] the name of God with a song” and “magnify[ing] him with thanksgiving” for what he has done/is doing for/in us is a real action that blesses us but it is also a symbol that God uses to describe the harmony we come to understand in the body of Christ — this ‘collective oneness’ or “singleness of mind” that cannot but give thanks to Him for the work that Christ is doing within us, both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

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

Luk 19:40 And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.

1Pe 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

Php 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

The works that we did ‘by the law’ are those ‘many wonderful’ works which are represented by the “ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs”(see Daniel 8 and Ezekiel 34), and it is us at first who push with those horns trying to climb the corporate corrupt tower of Babylon that promises to take you up to the heavens but leads only to confusion of languages and no singleness of mind which God’s family are blessed to grow in as we come out of Babylon. This subject of oneness of mind and voice is very much connected to the “tender mercies of God” being shown to us.

Deu 33:16 And for the precious things of the earth and fulness thereof, and for the good will of him that dwelt in the bush: let the blessing come upon the head of Joseph, and upon the top of the head of him that was separated from his brethren.
Deu 33:17 His glory is like the firstling of his bullock, and his horns are like the horns of unicorns: with them he shall push the people together to the ends of the earth: and they are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh.

Gen 11:4 And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth…

Gen 11:8 So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.
Gen 11:9 Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.

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

Php 2:1 If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,
Php 2:2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

Again, those who have been given a humble and contrite heart in this age know that they are nothing of themselves and that we cannot decide of ourselves that we will “keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway” as stated in. All are admonitions that will be recognized and heeded by those who have Christ in them working in them both to will and to do of His good pleasure.

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.

1Co 9:27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

1Pe 5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

Php 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

What we, who are being working with us in this age, ‘do’ as this part of our Psalm declares is “praise the name of God with a song” and “magnify him with thanksgiving”, given the sight to see clearly that this grafting in and grace that is being worked in us is being used to burn out the conceit that is naturally in the first man Adam (Rom 11:25) that says “haven’t we done many wonderful works” instead of acknowledging our nothingness and God’s absolute power over the whole lump that is holy.

Job 8:9 (For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon earth are a shadow:)

Joh 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

Heb 7:19 For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.

God’s ‘tender mercies’ are truly explained in verse 33 where we learn how incredibly blessed we are: “For the LORD heareth the poor, and despiseth not his prisoners” — the “kings prisoners” who we are.

Dan 5:13 Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king spake and said unto Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, which art of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Jewry?

Gen 39:20 And Joseph’s master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king’s prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison.
Gen 39:21 But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.

Psa 69:34 Let the heaven and earth praise him, the seas, and every thing that moveth therein.
Psa 69:35 For God will save Zion, and will build the cities of Judah: that they may dwell there, and have it in possession.
Psa 69:36 The seed also of his servants shall inherit it: and they that love his name shall dwell therein.

Our Psalm 69 ends off with this incredibly joyful moment of praise coming from “the heaven and the earth” and “the seas, and every thing that moveth therein”.

In other words, all the creation will come to acknowledge God who is turning all of His creation to His glory and it is through the praise that we develop more and more of the mind of Christ, which is a mind of thankfulness and praise. We are learning of his tender mercies now, and growing in our ability to acknowledge all these wonderful works unto the children of men which are His salvation unto us.

Ecc 3:1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

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:

Luk 10:19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
Luk 10:20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.
Luk 10:21 In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.
Luk 10:22 All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.

Psa 107:31 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

It becomes even clearer in Psalms 69 verses 35 and 36 how it is that God is going to show those tender mercies and redeem all of his creation which is praising him. How? By those saviours who are born of that one seed (Gal 3:16), that seed being Jesus Christ who will be used to save the rest of humanity.

“For God will save Zion (Oba 1:21), and will build the cities of Judah: that they may dwell there, and have it in possession.”

“The seed also of his servants (Gal 3:16) shall inherit it: and they that love his name shall dwell therein.”

(Key verses: Gen 24:29-61)

The wedding supper of the bridegroom, Jesus Christ, and all the preparations the Father is making for that feast, is the most beautiful love story ever told. Finding a wife is indeed a good thing, and that opens the favour of God, especially for the bride of Christ, His church (Pro 18:22; 1Co 11:3; Eph 5:31-33). The coming together of Christ and His church fills our hearts with great joy and gladness even through the severe trials we have to endure to get into that elected and faithful initial few:

Mat 22:2 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,
Mat 22:3 And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding….

Mat 22:9 Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.
Mat 22:10 So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.

Mat 22:14 For many are called, but few are chosen.

After the death of Sarah, we read in Genesis 24 that Abraham gave specific instructions to His elder servant, which some supposed to be Eliezer of Damascus, to find a wife for Isaac (Gen 24:1-4, Gen 15:1-2). For the purpose of these discussions, Genesis chapter 24 is divided into four segments:

• Verses 1 to 10: Abraham gives specific instructions to his servant about a wife for Isaac;
• Verses 11 to 28: the servant of Abraham went to find this wife and meet Rebekah;
• Verses 29 to 61: the servant of Abraham meets the family of Rebekah;
• Verses 62 to 68: Isaac meets Rebekah and takes her as his wife.

In this discussion of the foundational theme of faith, we will be focusing on verses 29 to 61 in Chapter 24 of Genesis where this faithful servant of Abraham meets the family of Rebekah. The faith of Christ inspires us to walk a road unknown to us resting in His provisions and directions to bring us to God’s church in Christ (Rom 4:16-22; Gal 2:16; Gal 3:6-9; Php 3:9; Heb 11:8-10):

Gen 24:29 And Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban: and Laban ran out unto the man, unto the well.

Laban is introduced here for the first time in the scriptures, and he will also play an important part in the life of one of his nephews, namely Jacob, who will be born through this union between his sister, Rebekah, and Isaac (Gen 27:43, Gen 28-31). Laban’s heart is revealed to us when he saw these gifts the servant of Abraham presented to Rebekah. Laban’s self-serving attitude and love for material things will be given further detail at a later stage in his dealings with Jacob:

Gen 24:30 And it came to pass, when he saw the earring and bracelets upon his sister’s hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, Thus spake the man unto me; that he came unto the man; and, behold, he stood by the camels at the well.
Gen 24:31 And he said, Come in, thou blessed of the LORD; wherefore standest thou without? for I have prepared the house, and room for the camels.

This servant of Abraham adorned Rebekah first of all with golden earrings, typifying the ability to hear the words of truth which draw us with loving kindness to our spiritual husband (Jer 31:3, Psa 36:10, Son 1:4, Hos 11:4). He also gave her golden bracelets for her hands as she served without asking questions and with great diligence. Not only did she give water to this chosen servant of Abraham and the men with him, but she also gave water to the ten camels. Rebekah typifies the elect of God being called out of the world not only to render diligent and unconditional service to God’s church initially, but they will also give the waters of spirit life to all in unclean flesh eventually, even as the camel represent an unclean animal (Oba 1:21, 2Co 1:6, Rev 20, Isa 11:9, Lev 11:4). This servant of Abraham is welcomed and here the family relationships between Rebekah and Abraham are confirmed:

Gen 24:32 And the man came into the house: and he [that is Laban, the brother of Rebekah] ungirded his camels, and gave straw and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet, and the men’s feet that were with him.
Gen 24:33 And there was set meat before him to eat: but he said, I will not eat, until I have told mine errand. And he said, Speak on.
Gen 24:34 And he said, I am Abraham’s servant.
Gen 24:35 And the LORD hath blessed my master greatly; and he is become great: and he hath given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and menservants, and maidservants, and camels, and asses.
Gen 24:36 And Sarah my master’s wife bare a son to my master when she was old: and unto him hath he given all that he hath.

Abraham left this family several years ago, and to them he must have looked very silly to move to the unknown. This servant of Abraham actually came to reveal to Abraham’s family that his separation from them has brought enormous blessings on Abraham. We are seen as foolish when we leave physical securities and relationships behind as we respond in obedience to the call of the faith of Christ in our lives:

Mat 6:31 (MKJV) Therefore do not be anxious, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, With what shall we be clothed?
Mat 6:32 For the nations seek after all these things. For your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things.
Mat 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you.

In due time all will see how God indeed blesses His elect far beyond what this world can provide because the faith of Christ helps us to invest in the more important and eternal issues:

Mat 19:28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Mat 19:29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.
Mat 19:30 But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.

According to the servant of Abraham Isaac received all that Abraham owned typifying how only Christ was given all things the Father has, even the fullness of His spirit (Gen 25:5):

Col 1:19 For it pleased the Father that in him [Christ] should all fulness dwell.

Joh 13:3 Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;

Joh 16:15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

Christ is the spiritual Head of the body of believers, and all that belongs to the Head therefore belongs to the church as He distributes to each member to “profit withal” (1Co 12:7):

Col 2:6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
Col 2:7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
Col 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
Col 2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
Col 2:10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

This is what Rebekah and her family are being shown by this servant of Abraham, even as the Father is showing the church what He has prepared for them to function as a body (1Co 12:1-31). It is only Rebekah who, in the end, will see this in the proper light when she will make her decisions, as only God’s elect are now given to humbly accept and know their function in His church (Rom 1:20, Eph 1:20-23). Abraham gave the instructions to this servant, and the purpose of his mission is also explained to the family of Rebekah:

Gen 24:37 And my master made me swear, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife to my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell:
Gen 24:38 But thou shalt go unto my father’s house, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son.
Gen 24:39 And I said unto my master, Peradventure the woman will not follow me.
Gen 24:40 And he said unto me, The LORD, before whom I walk, will send his angel with thee, and prosper thy way; and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my kindred, and of my father’s house:
Gen 24:41 Then shalt thou be clear from this my oath, when thou comest to my kindred; and if they give not thee one, thou shalt be clear from my oath.

Abraham and his family were from Ur in the land of the Chaldeans, also known as the region of Babylon in the scriptures (Isa 47:1, Isa 48:14, Dan 2:1-2, Dan 5:30, Dan 3:8-12, Isa 13:19). Even as our route to the spiritual kingdom of God comes via an evil experience of a physical creation first, so must God’s elect also serve their time in spiritual Babylon (Gen 2:7, Jer 18:4, Rom 8:20, 1Co 15:46). There are no shortcuts in this process as our time of capture in spiritual Babylon provides important aspects in our spiritual growth (Jer 24:5-7). As God’s physical elect, the nation of Israel was taken into captivity by the Chaldeans and taken to Babylon for not keeping the Sabbath years of rest for the land for four hundred ninety years, so we are taken into spiritual captivity in our time of the symbolic seventy years, also known as the “seventy sevens” in the scripture (2Ch 36:16-21, Jer 25:11-12, Dan 9:24). This is our time when we cannot “measure” the true temple of God and His altar and have not been given the faith of Christ to accept God’s total provision and cease from our works (Eph 2:8-10, Heb 4:1-16). In the first part of that last “week” of the “seventy sevens”, we also do our share in the killing of the Christ while we sincerely believe all the false things being preached about the Father and Jesus (Dan 9:27). In this time we are in the court outside the temple we, like Gentiles, tread underfoot the holy things of God (Eph 2:2-3):

Rev 11:1 And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.
Rev 11:2 But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.

Our obsession with the physical things and miracles which God supplies blinds us to the true Christ after the spirit in this period symbolized by “forty and two months” – also known spiritually as “a thousand two hundred and threescore days”/ “three days and an half”/“time, and times, and half a time” (Rev 11:3, Rev 11:9, Rev 12:14). Then we are called out of that mind set to fill up what is lacking of the afflictions of the Christ at the end of the eon of the flesh and carnality in us when we die with Christ outside the camp bearing His reproach (Col 1:24, Gal 2:20, Heb 13:13, 1Co 10:11). The true witnesses of Christ will have to suffer the same affliction as their Head, Jesus Christ, during His time in flesh (Php 1:29, 1Th 3:4, 2Th 1:5, 1Ti 4:10, 2Ti 3:12, 1Jn 4:17):

Rev 11:8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
Rev 11:9 And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.

Through the sufferings come the rewards (Psa 73:14, Mat 5:10-12, Rom 8:17-18). This is the call of the servants of God, typified by this servant of Abraham who is trying to explain to the family of Rebekah why she was chosen by God to leave them and be joined to her bridegroom, Isaac. This servant now confirms the deeper spiritual rewards for Rebekah rather than to concentrate on the physical wealth of his master and his son. Rebekah fulfilled the prayer which this servant prayed to God, and through this godly-appointed meeting with Rebekah, the will of God in this regard is slowly being revealed to all present in Rebekah’s family in finer details:

Gen 24:42 And I came this day unto the well, and said, O LORD God of my master Abraham, if now thou do prosper my way which I go:
Gen 24:43 Behold, I stand by the well of water; and it shall come to pass, that when the virgin cometh forth to draw water, and I say to her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water of thy pitcher to drink;
Gen 24:44 And she say to me, Both drink thou, and I will also draw for thy camels: let the same be the woman whom the LORD hath appointed out for my master’s son.
Gen 24:45 And before I had done speaking in mine heart, behold, Rebekah came forth with her pitcher on her shoulder; and she went down unto the well, and drew water: and I said unto her, Let me drink, I pray thee.
Gen 24:46 And she made haste, and let down her pitcher from her shoulder, and said, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: so I drank, and she made the camels drink also.
Gen 24:47 And I asked her, and said, Whose daughter art thou? And she said, The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bare unto him: and I put the earring upon her face, and the bracelets upon her hands.
Gen 24:48 And I bowed down my head, and worshipped the LORD, and blessed the LORD God of my master Abraham, which had led me in the right way to take my master’s brother’s daughter unto his son.
Gen 24:49 And now if ye will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me: and if not, tell me; that I may turn to the right hand, or to the left.

The family of Rebekah could only understand to a certain extent, as her brother and father also could see that this was from God, and no one can actually resist anything which God ordained to take place:

Gen 24:50 Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceedeth from the LORD: we cannot speak unto thee bad or good.
Gen 24:51 Behold, Rebekah is before thee, take her, and go, and let her be thy master’s son’s wife, as the LORD hath spoken.

Obedience to God’s call always brings great joy and rewards to all involved, even to our loved ones who must stay behind, for the time being, in spiritual Babylon as we receive mercy because of the unbelief God put on them at this stage (Rom 11:30-33). God will show mercy through His judgment on all at the appointed time (Isa 26:9, Jas 2:13):

Gen 24:52 And it came to pass, that, when Abraham’s servant heard their words, he worshipped the LORD, bowing himself to the earth.
Gen 24:53 And the servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave them to Rebekah: he gave also to her brother and to her mother precious things.

The fleshly attachments will not let go easily and will cling to us as long as possible even when it knows the inevitable separation from earthly concepts and things, including family and friends, is ordained by God:

Gen 24:54 And they did eat and drink, he and the men that were with him, and tarried all night; and they rose up in the morning, and he said, Send me away unto my master.
Gen 24:55 And her brother and her mother said, Let the damsel abide with us a few days, at the least ten; after that she shall go.

The call in the heart of God’s elect to be with His chosen “ekklēsia” is the strongest pull known to those who are experiencing that, as it also delivers us from temporary earthly attachments. Through the faith of Christ we rather associate with total strangers in the flesh who become the best spiritual companions we will ever meet. This blessing of true spiritual knowledge and pure doctrine is indeed on those who are drawn from the breast and separated from their physical attachments, as the life of Joseph also typified in this regard (Isa 28:9-11):

Gen 49:26 The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren.

As in the case with Lot and his family, our urgency and obedience to the call of God will be vital to our salvation (Gen 19:15-17). When the scriptures say the time is at hand, it is talking about those servants of God who are given to see that all the words of God are extremely important and applicable to them here and now (Psa 119:160, Mat 4:4). They hide God’s Word in their hearts and minds all the time as His words are the most valuable treasure to be found (Exo 15:26, Psa 119:11, Mat 6:21, Mat 13:44, Rev 1:3). This is the same attitude displayed by this elder and faithful servant of Abraham:

Gen 24:56 And he said unto them, Hinder me not, seeing the LORD hath prospered my way; send me away that I may go to my master.

There is still a choice to be made, but the choice is not according to a “free” will as many propagate. Naturally we cannot serve God – it is Him who works His will in us to choose His righteous ways (Jos 24:15-19, Rom 9:16). God works in the hearts (the mind or heaven) of men because His will is indeed done in heaven and also on the earth. His will also include Him sending evil spirits to delude and cause us to sin, for those who can receive this (Heb 12:9, Jdg 9:23, 1Sa 16:14, 1Ki 22:19-23, Isa 63:17). When we are humbled to seek after His righteous ways, we indeed ask and pray for those ways of His kingdom to be established in our minds and in our actions in this earthy body:

Mat 6:10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

As God works in the heart or heaven in us, even so will we work out our own salvation with fear and trembling:

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.

We are not stripped of our will as we need to know that we give an account by the way we think, speak and act in fulfilling the supreme will of God:

Rom 14:11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
Rom 14:12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

This is what is revealed for us in the heart of Rebekah as the will of Rebekah still played an important part in her decision:

Gen 24:57 And they said, We will call the damsel, and enquire at her mouth.
Gen 24:58 And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go.

As with Rebekah, the church of Christ is indeed blessed to eventually bear “thousands of millions” as their spiritual wombs are now being prepared while in the flesh and riding on camels as God provides even through physical and temporary means to bring us all together in the Christ. The church of God will indeed take up the judgment of this world as they will sit in the gate to possess it, even to help those who hate and revile them now:

Gen 24:59 And they sent away Rebekah their sister, and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant, and his men.
Gen 24:60 And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them.
Gen 24:61 And Rebekah arose, and her damsels, and they rode upon the camels, and followed the man: and the servant took Rebekah, and went his way.

Detailed studies and emails relating to these foundational themes in Scripture are available on the iswasandwillbe.com website, including these topics and links:

The Marriage Supper is Furnished With Guests
What Are the Biblical Instructions for Finding a Wife?
Come Out of Her My People
Coming Out of Babylon

(Key verses: Gen 24:11-28)

In Genesis chapter 24 we see the longest chapter in the book of Genesis, which will be divided into four segments for the purpose of our discussions:

• Verses 1 to 10: Abraham gives specific instructions to his servant about a wife for Isaac;
• Verses 11 to 28: the servant of Abraham went to find this wife and meet Rebekah;
• Verses 29 to 61: the servant of Abraham meets the family of Rebekah;
• Verses 62 to 68: Isaac meets Rebekah and takes her as his wife.

In our last discussion we covered verses 1 to 10 of this chapter when Abraham, at a mature age, gave specific instructions to the elder servant in his household in connection with the special task of acquiring a wife for Isaac. This servant is not named in this chapter, but some suppose it to be Eliezer of Damascus, which was mentioned in Genesis 15 as a very trustworthy servant for Abraham (Gen 15:1-2). Abraham, as a loving father to Isaac, typifies our heavenly Father who sends His servants throughout the history of the church to bring the bride to Christ, as Christ is also typified by Isaac (Mat 22:1-3; Rev 19:7; Rev 20:4-6; Rom 9:7; Gal 3:29). All of this displays the faith of Abraham which he also instills in this servant to fulfill the task at hand. It is the faith of Christ in us which the Father sends in our hearts through His Word to draw us to Christ and His bride, His true church (Rom 10:17; Gal 2:16; Rom 4:16-22; Gal 2:16; Gal 3:6-9; Php 3:9; Heb 11:8-10):

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.

In this discussion of the foundational theme of faith, we will be focusing on this faithful servant of Abraham who left for the city where Nahor, Abraham’s brother, lived to find this wife for Isaac:

Gen 24:10 And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed; for all the goods of his master were in his hand: and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor.

All of what the flesh can contain or handle, and by which it is limited by God, is spiritually represented in the number ten in the scriptures (Gen 45:23; Exo 9:14; Exo 26:1; Exo 34:28; Luk 19:13). This burden of flesh, which is our vessel of dishonour, must carry us during our earthly eon which is also emphasised by the camels (Rom 9:21; 1Co 15:44). This unclean beast of flesh and carnality is also represented in the symbol of the ten camels which were created to endure long journeys through very harsh environments. Camels are classified as unclean animals in the scripture as they do chew the cud, but they “divideth not the hoof”:

Lev 11:4 Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: as the camel, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.

This indeed indicates our time when we can chew the cud, which is to meditate on God’s word, but are not able to rightly divide the truth. This chewing of the cud can also include our natural inclination to be striving about words and concepts, and getting involved in fruitless discussions with no works to prove in our lives:

2Ti 2:14 Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.
2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
2Ti 2:16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

The camel is also the symbol of the carrier of physical riches in various forms which so easily impresses and captures the attention of the flesh (Gen 30:43; Gen 32:9-16; 1 Ki 10:2; 2Ch 9:1; 2Ki 8:9; Mat 19:24; Mat 23:24):

1Ki 10:1 And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to prove him with hard questions.
1Ki 10:2 And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.

Abraham was also rich in earthly goods and animals, including camels (Gen 12:16). With this servant of Abraham, these camels were moving in the right direction – toward the bride of Isaac to be released of their earthly burdens. This brings to mind how Jesus describes the positive application of camels and how what seems to be impossible with mankind is indeed possible with God:

Luk 18:24 And when Jesus saw that he [the rich young ruler] was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!
Luk 18:25 For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
Luk 18:26 And they that heard it said, Who then can be saved?
Luk 18:27 And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.

It is when we understand the ministry of the camel in our lives that we make it to bow down to serve God with whatever He blesses us for the benefit of His kingdom. The servant makes these camels to kneel down by a well of water as we all must bow to the waters of the Word where our spiritual thirst can be satisfied, especially when we do not yet have clarity in our spiritual evenings or dark times:

Gen 24:11 And he made his camels to kneel down without the city by a well of water at the time of the evening, even the time that women go out to draw water.

Throughout the scriptures we find references to women who go out to draw water from wells, confirming that the church, typified by these women, is always in need of the cleansing and satisfying waters of the Word of God (Exo 2:16; 1Sa 9:11; Joh 4:7-15):

Eph 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
Eph 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word.

The first step in performing any task is vital in our walk of faith. If we miss the first step, the rest will be built on a false foundation and will not endure the trials and tribulations until the end. This mature servant in Abraham’s household learned from his master that prayer is the essential first step in every task, no matter how big or how small:

Gen 24:12 And he said, O LORD God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and shew kindness unto my master Abraham.
Gen 24:13 Behold, I stand here by the well of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water:
Gen 24:14 And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast shewed kindness unto my master.

It is important to note that this servant did not approach God in his own name, but in the name of his master. This again reveals why this servant’s name is not mentioned in this passage, for our learning. If our Master is Christ, then we come in His name to the Father and to the world, and this has nothing to do with the vocalization of a pronoun, but more to do with knowing and doing His will (Joh 14:13; Mat 10:22; Mat 19:29; Mar 16:17; Joh 14:14; Act 9:1-5).

Joh 15:7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

Joh 16:23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.

This servant of faithful Abraham knew to ask God for directions which would strip him from his natural ideas and solutions. Prayer brings the mind of Christ into operation in us and disempowers the beast of his fabled free will and earthly convictions. The prayer of this servant was also specific in asking for clear understanding and vision in performing this task for his master. This is the prayer which is inspired by faith which is also called “the prayer of faith” in the scriptures. The prayer of faith will always bring the right answer when we use the Name of our Master, which is to know that God’s will is supreme and will always be done in heaven and also on earth, if we can receive this:

Joh 14:13 And whatever you may ask in My name, that I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
Joh 14:14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

This prayer enables us to admit that our own delusions in our natural mind are what spiritual sickness is all about:

Jas 5:14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
Jas 5:15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

As faith comes through the word of God, so does the prayer of faith operate through the application of the oil and the water, which are both symbols of the spiritual words of God (Rom 10:17). Through the anointing of the spiritual words of Christ, we are being saved spiritually and raised to a higher heaven of understanding by the Lord who enables us to be “dead to sin” (Eph 2:6; Rom 6:1-7). Only those who know they are sick call the Elder Physician and submit to His prescriptions:

Luk 5:29 And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them.
Luk 5:30 But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?
Luk 5:31 And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.
Luk 5:32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

This servant’s prayer symbolizes the call of those who know they are in need of direction because they admit and confess daily that God alone directs all our paths and every footstep of every creature all the time:

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

Pro 20:24 Man’s goings are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way?

All things are from God, and this prayer of the servant of Abraham was inspired by God and answered according to His will:

Gen 24:15 And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder.
Gen 24:16 And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her: and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up.

Before this servant finished his prayer the answer was already there. God supplied the answers to our problems before the foundation of this world – in Christ:

Joh 17:24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.

Eph 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

1Pe 1:20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you.

The salvation of the fleshly Adam was in place long before Adam was created. God planned the life of Adam, and all in him, to every minute detail and worked the process according to His one perfect plan from the start. God ordained and purposed it that Adam must come through a body of sin and death to learn vital lessons through failure, trials and tribulations before the spirit life can be given to him and to all in him (1Co 15:21-28; Joh 1:1-4; Col 1:15-19; Rev 1:8; Rev 1:11; Rev 1:17):

Eph 1:9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
Eph 1:10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
Eph 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.

When the servant of Abraham saw this young and beautiful woman, he could not wait but ran to meet her. No one can resist the true bride of Christ when she appears in her splendour and spiritual beauty:

Gen 24:17 And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher.

She was also in a hurry to give to this unknown man what he asked her, even as the church of Christ will serve whoever comes in humility and need. God indeed prepares hearts to do exactly what He wants them to do with all diligence:

Gen 24:18 And she said, Drink, my lord: and she hasted, and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink.

And then she did exactly what the servant of Abraham mentioned in his prayer to God which confirms that God caused the same words of the prayer of the servant and the response in the heart of Rebekah. This was not done according to a fabled “free” will in Rebekah or in the servant of Abraham, but it was all the works of the same God who indeed works all things to be performed 100% after the counsel of His will alone (Eph 1:11):

Gen 24:19 And when she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw water for thy camels also, until they have done drinking.
Gen 24:20 And she hasted, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again unto the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels.

This woman was not only prepared to give water to this chosen servant, but she also gave water to all ten camels. Although the spiritual application of the water of God’s Word is now only revealed to His chosen elect in this age, it will however also be given for all in the generation of the first Adam. This is the test of the true church of God – as Jesus is the saviour of all in Adam, so is the ultimate aim of His body to serve all of humanity as the saviours of the world – not only initially in the thousand-year reign of the kingdom of God on this earth, but finally through the salvation of all which will come in the lake of fire (Rev 20):

Isa 11:9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

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.

This speaks of how true love operates as it does not keep book of its works or seek its own glory or remembers what has been done against it (Psa 103:12; 1Co 13:4-7). Godly love washes the feet of all in unconditional service even those who will betray and deny that love (Joh 13:3-9). Rebekah brought water for all ten camels of this servant of Abraham, and that was no mean task. True service indeed brings great excitement and joy to the heart of those who do not want to rule over others because they serve in meekness and humility knowing all is in God’s hands:

2Co 1:24 Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.

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

1Pe 4:10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

Unselfish servitude always brings amazement to the receiver:

Gen 24:21 And the man wondering at her held his peace, to wit whether the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not.

The true church of God serves even its enemies free of charge as that also heaps coals of fire on the heads of those who belittle and despise the elect of God – even as they are careful not to throw God’s pearls before swine (Mat 10:7-8; Mat 7:6):

Rom 12:20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.
Rom 12:21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

The reward will come at the end of our task after we have endured faithfully until the end (Mat 5:10-12; Rev 22:12):

Gen 24:22 And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden earring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold.

The golden earring this servant gave Rebekah symbolizes the ability God gives us to hear His voice through His Word which is the true “apples of gold” in the redemptive work of His silver. His purified gold, silver and precious stones are being used in building ourselves up in the most holy faith (1Co 3:10-14; Jud 1:20):

Pro 25:11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.
Pro 25:12 As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.

Job was also given golden earrings after God spoke to him and he could eventually hear and understand the works of God in his life:

Job 42:10 And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.
Job 42:11 Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold.

The two golden bracelets for Rebekah’s two hands show how our faith is witnessed by our actions and service to God and His people. To be a witness is the spiritual meaning of the number two as we bare the testimony of Jesus Christ through our deeds (Rev 19:10). That is the true spirit of prophecy which speaks the loudest because without works our faith is dead:

Jas 2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
Jas 2:22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
Jas 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
Jas 2:24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

This is what this elder servant of Abraham also saw in his master’s life and now in the way Rebekah’s hands were diligent in supplying for him and his camels. There was still one more important aspect to be confirmed by Rebekah:

Gen 24:23 And said, Whose daughter art thou? tell me, I pray thee: is there room in thy father’s house for us to lodge in?
Gen 24:24 And she said unto him, I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, which she bare unto Nahor.
Gen 24:25 She said moreover unto him, We have both straw and provender enough, and room to lodge in.

When God answers our prayers, we will acknowledge Him and only Him through worship:

Gen 24:26 And the man bowed down his head, and worshipped the LORD.
Gen 24:27 And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth: I being in the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master’s brethren.

Again the excitement in Rebekah’s heart is visible in her actions even as she did not know at this point in time what the purpose of this unknown man was:

Gen 24:28 And the damsel ran, and told them of her mother’s house these things.

Next week, God willing, we will find out more about the servant of Abraham when he meets the family of Rebekah.

————

Detailed studies and emails relating to these foundational themes in Scripture are available on the iswasandwillbe.com website, including these topics and links:

Numbers in Scripture
Come Out of Her My People
Coming Out of Babylon
Be Not Weary in Well Doing
Metals, Gold – Positive Part 1

Theme: Faith (Part 17 – Faith helps us to see that our growth towards spiritual maturity in His Christ is the work of God IN us to form His character IN us)

(Key verses: Gen 24:1-10)

The faith of Christ is a foundational truth of the doctrine of Christ, but faith also abides now and is in the end an essential part of the mature fruit of the spirit, if we are to please God (Heb 11:6):

Heb 6:1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
Heb 6:2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
Heb 6:3 And this will we do, if God permit.

1Co 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 
Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Rev 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and [keep] the faith of Jesus.

The work of Christ in us is compared to a plant, a building and a human body, among others, in the scriptures. There is something that is a common denominator in all of these:

1Co 3:7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
1Co 3:8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
1Co 3:9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.
1Co 3:10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.

This common denominator is growth or increase (Heb 6:3). A foundation is to a building as roots are to a plant – it is the basis of growth and maturing, and without a sound basis proper growth cannot take place. Growth also is essential to maturing, even as Christ is both the foundation and the finisher of all aspects of His doctrine, including faith (1Co 3:11). This growth is also compared to a race or a battle – not against others who compare themselves with others, but more within ourselves – the old man Adam in us versus to the new man or the last Adam – Christ in us (2Co 10:12; Eph 4:22-24):

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

When faith stays at its foundation level, it is called stagnation (being idle) or spiritual immaturity. That type of faith cannot see beyond the physical application of the Word of God. It is indeed with boldness which God supplies that anyone will be empowered to go beyond the veil of the flesh and to enter into the higher heavens of understanding truth:

Heb 10:19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
Heb 10:20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh.

The apostle Peter describes this growth and maturing in faith and all that should be added to faith, as follows:

2Pe 1:5 (MKJV) But also in this very thing, bringing in all diligence, filling out your faith with virtue, and with virtue, knowledge;
2Pe 1:6 and with knowledge self-control, and with self-control, patience, and with patience, godliness,
2Pe 1:7 and with godliness, brotherly kindness, and with brotherly kindness, love.
2Pe 1:8 For if these things are in you and abound [Greek: pleonazō = grow / increase], they make you to be neither idle nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In the life of Abraham this growth in his faith toward God is given to us as this type of becoming mature through the works which come through the faith of Christ in us (Rom 4:3; Rom 4:12; Rom 4:16; Gal 3:14; Heb 11:8-10; Heb 11:17; Jas 2:21). In Genesis chapter 24 we find another important stage in Abraham’s life in relation to his growth in faith. This is the longest chapter in the book of Genesis which will be divided in four segments for the purpose of this discussion:

 – Verses 1 to 10: Abraham gives specific instructions to his servant about a wife for Isaac;
– Verses 11 to 28: the servant of Abraham went to find this wife and meet Rebekah;
– Verses 29 to 61: the servant of Abraham meets the family of Rebekah;
– Verses 62 to 68: Isaac meets Rebekah and takes her as his wife.

We will only deal today with the first section (verses 1 to 10) where Abraham, as a loving father to Isaac, commissioned his servant to find a wife for Isaac. This also links to our heavenly Father who sends His servants throughout the history of the church to bring the bride to Christ and invite and prepare that bride for the big wedding feast (Mat 22:1-3; Rev 19:7; Rev 20:4-6).

2Co 11:2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

Eph 5:31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
Eph 5:32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

The focus is mainly on this servant in this section. Abraham is said to be of a high age when this servant was given these instructions:

Gen 24:1 And Abraham was old [Hebrew: “zâqên” = aged / an elder in wisdom], and well stricken [Hebrew: “bô” = advancing] in age [Hebrew: “yôm”]: and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.

The concept of age is repeated in that one verse which helps us to see that this is not merely talking of physical age only, but more to Abraham’s maturity in terms of his growth in his relationship to God being blessed “in all things”. Abraham started to act like God because that is the sign of maturity (Rom 12:2; 1Jn 4:17). Another reference to age is also found in the next verse which also links to this concept of maturity:

Gen 24:2 And Abraham said unto his eldest [Hebrew: “zâqên” = an elder in wisdom] servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh:
Gen 24:3 And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell:

This servant is not mentioned by name although some speculate that this could be Eliezer of Damascus which was mentioned in Genesis 15 (Gen 15:1-2). But the point of this servant is to show us that he was a mature servant in the household of Abraham, and God only commissions His mature servants to do certain tasks (Luk 22:32; Acts 1Co 12:28-31; 1Co 13:11-13; Eph 4:11-12; Tit 1:5; Tit 2:3-5; 1Pe 5:1; Heb 5:14). Mature servants listen to all of their master’s instructions and diligently do them. In our time of service to God in His household of faith, we are maturing in the spirit, and God’s spirit also enables us to recognize the true bride of Christ which is His true church. God’s spirit also empowers us to serve the church of Christ in whatever capacity is needed. All of these combine within this symbol of a servant in this story in Genesis 24 as this servant also had to make a vow to Abraham:

Gen 24:2…put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh:
Gen 24:3 And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth…

This is the first time the symbol of a thigh appears in scripture. This manner of making a vow also appears when Joseph had to swear to Jacob about the specifics of the place of his burial (Gen 47:29). The thigh relates to power as the thigh is the most powerful part of the body to bring action forth (Rom 1:20; Gen 32:25; Eze 24:4). The thigh also contains the strongest, longest and heaviest bone in the body, called the femur. It is interesting to note that the thigh is also the place where a sword was attached in the scriptures, also relating to the aspects of might, glory and majesty in power (Son 3:8):

Psa 45:3 Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty.

Rev 19:16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

When we put all the meanings of this symbol of a thigh together it becomes clear that Abraham is giving this servant the legal right (power of attorney in a sense) to find this wife for Isaac. This relates to us as God’s servants who are given this faith of Christ through His powerful Word to unite us to His spiritual bride and to be confident in our work within His church and in the world, even under the worst oppression and tribulations (Rom 10:17; 2Co 10:2; Eph 3:11-13; Eph 6:17; Heb 3:6):

Act 28:30 And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house [while in captivity in Rome], and received all that came in unto him,
Act 28:31 Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.

1Co 2:4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
1Co 2:5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

It is this powerful Word who is sent by the Father and given to His servants to draw the bride to Christ (Joh 6:65):

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.

All God’s true servants use only the Word of God to draw people to Christ because they know the mighty spiritual power in those words through their own experience (Rom 5:1-6). They keep within the safe parameters of what is written and stay far away from the wisdom of man which only puffs up according to human pride and lusts (Joh 2:16):

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

Abraham wants this servant to make this vow to him and to be diligent in following his specific instructions of getting a wife for Isaac. The first instruction concerns our perspective of the bride of Christ:

…that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell.

All the inhabitants of Canaan are representing our uncircumcised flesh, and those who are in the promised land but never endured the trials, tribulations and rejection needed to crush the old man in us (Gen 9:25; Jos 3:10; Jos 5:1-2; Jos 17:18; Zep 2:5). Canaan is the symbol of our first birth and time of enjoying the flesh which is the land of spiritual immaturity of milk and honey (Heb 5:12-13):

Eze 16:3 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto Jerusalem; Thy birth and thy nativity is of the land of Canaan; thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite.

Exo 3:17 And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with milk and honey.

Abraham’s second instruction to his servant is also significant:

Gen 24:4 But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac.

Abraham came from Ur in the land of the Chaldees in Mesopotamia and here we see a very important pattern being set (Act 7:2). This land of the Chaldees is spiritually also very significant in our path to spiritual growth and also to those with whom we associate spiritually (Php 3:17; 2Jn 1:9-11):

Psa 37:37 Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.

We must be careful to mark whether those with whom we spiritually connect were taken “out of” the land of birth by God:

Gen 15:7 And he [God] said unto him [Abraham], I am the LORD that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it.

The land of the Chaldees is also known in the scriptures as part of the region of Babylon (Isa 48:14; Dan 2:1-2; Dan 5:30; Dan 3:8-12):

Isa 13:19 And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees’ excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.

Isa 47:1 Come down, and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon, sit on the ground: there is no throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called tender and delicate.

The wives of Abraham, Isaac and also later Jacob, were all from the land of Babylon where Abraham heard the voice of God for the first time. This spiritually links to the time we heard the call of God on our lives and when we found our first love for Christ in His foundational principles of His doctrine – our first spiritual wound (Heb 6:1-2; Rev 13:3a). This also links to the time after physical Israel applied the blood on the doorpost in the land of slavery and sin (symbolized by Egypt) and after they were “baptized” in the Red Sea. This is also the time when the first spiritual wound is healed, and we are amazed with the physical healings and miracles God performs (Rev 13:3b-17). This relates to the “fathers” of physical Israel who experienced all these things and yet could not enter the promised land:

1Co 10:1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
1Co 10:2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea.

It is to this land of the Chaldees where the elder servant of Abraham was sent to look for a bride for Isaac. It is only the “few” who have been enabled by God to come out of the “many” in spiritual Babylon who are given the will to come to Christ to be His true bride. But the servant of Abraham highlights another important aspect with his question to Abraham:

Gen 24:5 And the servant said unto him, Peradventure the woman will not be willing to follow me unto this land: must I needs bring thy son again unto the land from whence thou camest?

Like this servant of Abraham we also at a certain stage will be more focused on our abilities and qualifications to bring the bride to Christ, and we cannot see clearly that God works all things if we obey Him in doing what he told us to do (Eph 1:11; Php 2:12-13). We always need to be reminded that it is a work of God from start to finish and that He will build His church and nothing and no one can stop Him to fulfill that to the minutest detail. But in our growth in the faith of Christ we will receive the revelation of the Father that He is the One who rules and controls everything. He binds or loosens first in heaven and then that is applied on earth – this is the true chain of command:

Mat 16:15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
Mat 16:16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Mat 16:17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Mat 16:19 (CLV) I will be giving you the keys of the kingdom of the heavens, and whatsoever you should be binding on the earth shall be those things having been bound in the heavens, and whatsoever you should be loosing on the earth, shall be those having been loosed in the heavens.”

Mat 6:10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

Abraham’s third instruction to his servant links to this position of Christ as revealed by the Father and seen in Abraham’s words concerning Isaac as a type of Christ:

Gen 24:6 And Abraham said unto him, Beware thou that thou bring not my son thither again.

Nothing is initiated on the earth and nothing on the earth can limit, change or derail God’s work in any way. As the rain comes from heaven and waters the earth to bring forth all things, so is God’s will the only free will ruling supremely over all of His creation (Isa 55:8-11). This is the line of authority as God will also send His angel ahead of this servant to prepare the hearts of those who must receive His truth as indicated by Abraham also (Psa 10:17; Psa 139:16; Pro 16:1; Mat 13:11-17;Eph 1:11; Rev 21:2):

Gen 24:6 And Abraham said unto him, Beware thou that thou bring not my son thither again.
Gen 24:7 The LORD God of heaven, which took me from my father’s house, and from the land of my kindred, and which spake unto me, and that sware unto me, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land; he shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence.

Abraham wanted the wife of Isaac not to respond according to sight, even as the bride of Christ will only respond to faith and live by faith to endure till the end (Joh 20:29; Rom 1:17; Rom 8:24; 2Co 5:7; Heb 10:38; Heb 11:1). Although we all start off by serving Christ after the flesh while we are in spiritual Babylon, we mature to worship Him in spirit and truth and regard Him no more in physical terms (2Co 5:16). We must fulfill that physical part of our walk in faith first before we are given the humility to see that we are indeed nothing of ourselves as we are called to “come out of her”, even as the wife of Isaac was to take a long journey from the land of the Chaldees to be with Isaac (Mat 4:17; 1Co 10:11-12; 1Pe 5:5-6):

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.

There is no pressure on this servant of Abraham as the choice of a wife for Isaac is not his and Abraham also supplied him with everything:

Gen 24:8 And if the woman will not be willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be clear from this my oath: only bring not my son thither again.
Gen 24:9 And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and sware to him concerning that matter.
Gen 24:10 And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed; for all the goods of his master were in his hand: and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor.

God supplies all His strength and His ability even in our task to be the bride of Christ and to supply for those we must bring into this body of believers in this age (Php 4:13). Jesus said that all spiritual authority was given to Him by the Father and this spiritual authority is given to His servants to fulfil the job He has given them to do:

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

Joh 20:21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
Joh 20:22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:
Joh 20:23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.

Eph 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
Eph 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love.

In our next study we will continue (God willing) with the other segments of this beautiful work of faith in our lives, as also described in Genesis 24.