Matthew 27:1–31 Jesus Appears Before Pilate

[Study Aired December 15, 2025]

Today’s study is about the purposeful suffering of Christ, emphasizing Judas hanging himself, our Lord Jesus’ trial before Pilate, the crowd choosing Barabbas, Jesus being delivered by Pilates to the Jews to be crucified and finally, the soldiers mocking Him.

Jesus Delivered to Pilate

Mat 27:1  When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death: 
Mat 27:2  And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor. 

Before Jesus was delivered to Pilate, the chief priest, together with the elders of the people, had condemned Jesus to death. However, they could not proceed to kill Him. This was because prior to this event, the Romans had taken from the Jews the power of capital punishment, and therefore they could not put to death any man. That was why the Jews had to deliver Jesus to Pilate so that he might execute the sentence they had passed upon him. It is insightful to note that delivering Jesus to Pontius Pilate, who represents the Gentiles, is to make both the Jews and the Gentiles responsible for the death of our Lord Jesus Christ. In other words, the whole of humanity, including you and I, are responsible for the death of Christ.     

Luk 11:49  Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute: 
Luk 11:50  That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation; 
Luk 11:51 From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation. 

As we can see, Judah at this time of history was being ruled by Rome with Pilate as the Roman governor of Judea. According to Jacob’s prophesy to His son Judah, when the scepter, a symbol of rulership, has departed from Judah, then it means that Shiloh must come. 

Gen 49:10  The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.  

According to Strong, Shiloh is an attribute of a person and comes from tranquil which means free from disturbance or calm. This implies that Shiloh here represents Christ, the prince of peace. Thus, the rulership having departed from Judah means that the time of Christ has come. However, the leaders of the church system of Jesus’ day, together with the people, were not given to know that Christ has come. The same is happening today. Christ has come to us in the spirit bringing peace, and therefore we represent Christ here on earth. However, the church system of this world or Babylon has no clue of this as they mistreat us, not knowing that they are mistreating Christ, just as the church leaders and the people in Jesus’ day mistreated Him. 

2Co 2:14  Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. 
2Co 2:15  For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: 
2Co 2:16 To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things? 

Judas Hangs Himself

Mat 27:3  Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, 
Mat 27:4  Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. 
Mat 27:5  And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself. 

Here we are told that Judas repented of himself when he realized that Jesus had been condemned to die. Judas hanging himself show us that he had no place of repentance because true repentance results in bringing forth fruit worthy of repentance. It is not enough to realize that we have sinned. We must go the extra step of doing what is consistent with our repentance. The fact that he killed himself means that he did not bring forth the fruit commensurate with his repentance and therefore found no place of repentance. 

Luk 3:8  Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. 

Heb 12:15  Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; 
Heb 12:16  Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. 
Heb 12:17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

When he regretted his actions, Judas brought back the thirty pieces of silver that Judas sold Jesus for to the chief priests and elders. The number thirty signifies our reward of rulership when the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ.

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

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

What this means is that Judas rejected the reward of rulership because of the love of money which is the root of all evil. 

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

1Ti 6:9  But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 
1Ti 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

It is also worth noting that when Judas confessed that he had sinned and betrayed an innocent man, the response of the chief priests and elders was that it meant nothing to them (verse 4). This implies that their conscience was seared with a hot iron. A person with conscience seared with a hot iron is a state where a person’s inner moral compass (conscience) becomes numb, insensitive, and unresponsive to right and wrong due to habitual sin and deception. This was the state of the leaders of the church system in Jesus’ time, and it applies to the leaders and the adherents of the church system of this world (Babylon) today. We also had our conscience seared with hot iron at a certain stage of our walk with Christ, when we were in the church system of this world, until the Lord had mercy on us.

1Ti 4:1  Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 
1Ti 4:2  Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

These verses in Timothy show us how we come to this state of having our conscience seared with a hot iron. It is when we give heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of the devil that our conscience are gradually seared. 

Mat 27:6  And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood. 
Mat 27:7  And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in. 
Mat 27:8  Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day. 

It is important to note that the price of thirty pieces of silver paid to Judas denotes the price paid for the hire of a whore, and is also equivalent to the price of a dog. It is therefore against the word of the Lord to bring the price of a dog into the house of God.

Deu 23:18  Thou shalt not bring the hire of a whore, or the price of a dog, into the house of the LORD thy God for any vow: for even both these are abomination unto the LORD thy God. 

The silver pieces represent the price of blood. The question is, “What is the price of blood?” When Jesus was praying in Gethsemane, His sweat became like great drops of blood. Thus, the price of blood represents our labor or sweat in this life. 

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

The treasury is a special place of the Jerusalem Temple where worshipers deposited various offerings. We know that the temple is our body, and therefore, it is in our hearts and minds that we have the treasury. This implies that the chief priests saying that it is not lawful to put into the treasury the money representing Jesus’ betrayal because it is the price of blood signifies that we should not labor for food or the things of this world which perishes. 

Joh 6:27  Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. 

It is important to note in verses 7 and 8 that the chief priests took the money left by Judas and bought the potter’s field to bury strangers. The strangers here are those who are not Jews. We know that we are the spiritual Jews and not those who are physical descendants of Abraham. Therefore, strangers are all those who are not the Lord’s elect. 

Rom 2:28  For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
Rom 2:29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God. 

Verses 7 and 8 therefore show us that the leaders of the church system of this world use the resources or the labor of their adherents, to make them spiritually dead. Making our brothers and sisters in Babylon spiritually dead is through false doctrines. 

2Pe 2:18  For when they speak great swelling words of vanity (false doctrines), they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. 

2Pe 2:19  While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. 
2Pe 2:20  For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 
2Pe 2:21  For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. 
2Pe 2:22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire. 

Mat 27:9  Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value; 
Mat 27:10  And gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord appointed me. 

We can see from these verses that it is the Lord who has appointed that the labor or resources of our brothers and sisters in Babylon be used to make them blind. 

Mat 13:13  Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 
Mat 13:14  And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
Mat 13:15 For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. 

Jesus Before Pilate

Mat 27:11  And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest. 
Mat 27:12  And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. 
Mat 27:13  Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee? 
Mat 27:14 And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly. 

It is instructive to know that when Jesus was asked whether He is the King of the Jews, he witnessed a good confession and was not ashamed to own himself a king. Being king of the Jews means that He is the Lord of His elect in this age, since we are the spiritual Jews. In the fullness of time, when the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, His lordship over the whole of humanity shall be made known.  

Psa 24:1  A Psalm of David. The earth is the LORD’S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. 

On the other hand, Jesus did not respond to the false accusations of the chief priests and the elders. This was to fulfill what was written about Him regarding the fact that He did not open His mouth, just like a lamb which does not open its mouth when being led to the slaughter. 

Isa 53:7  He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. 

We must note that the Lord’s will was to do the will of His Father, and His Father’s will was for Jesus to be willing to be sacrificed as a lamb for the sin of this world. This means that He could not complain or talk back to His accusers to exonerate himself, irrespective of their false accusations. 

Joh 6:38  For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. 
Joh 6:39 And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.  

The Crowd Chooses Barabbas

Mat 27:15  Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would. 
Mat 27:16  And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas. 
Mat 27:17  Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ? 
Mat 27:18 For he knew that for envy they had delivered him.

According to the custom of the Roman governors, for the honoring of the Jews and to grace the feast of the Passover, a prisoner is released. This custom actually was an obstruction of justice as it encourages wickedness as we see many of our customs of this world not aligning with the word of the Lord. Barabbas was a hardened criminal of which the people were aware.  

Luk 23:18  And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas: 
Luk 23:19 (Who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison.) 

Jer 10:3  For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.

Pilate thought that his proposal would cause the release of Jesus as he knew it was because of envy that the chief priests wanted Him killed, and that it was not Jesus’ guilt, but His goodness, which they were provoked at. 

Mat 27:19  When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him. 

Pilate’s wife’s assertion that Jesus was a just man is to affirm the fact that Jesus was the lamb without blemish and without spot, who was offered for our sins.

1Pe 1:19  But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 
1Pe 1:20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, 

It was through a dream that Pilate’s wife came to know that Jesus was a just man. Throughout the Bible, we can see that the Lord uses dreams as a form of communication to the people of this world including our brothers and sisters in Babylon and also to His elect, especially in our immature state. Knowing the Lord through His words is a mature way the Lord communicates with us, His elect. 

Jer 23:27  Which think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbour, as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal. 
Jer 23:28 The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the LORD. 

The verses above show us that many are deceived by dreams. Does it mean that every dream is about the Lord speaking to us? The answer is no. This is because the Lord has indicated that our dreams are sometimes the result of the multitude of business. 

Ecc 5:3  For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool’s voice is known by multitude of words.

What we need to know about dreams is that there is the need for it to be interpreted, and when we know the word of the Lord and their spiritual significance, it becomes easier to interpret dreams.  

Dan 4:6  Therefore made I a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known unto me the interpretation of the dream.

Mat 27:20  But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus.
Mat 27:21  The governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas. 
Mat 27:22  Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified. 
Mat 27:23  And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified.

The chief priests and the elders influencing the people to vote for the release of Barabbas signifies that it is the leaders of the church system of this world who cause our brothers and sisters in Babylon to err. 

Isa 59:14  And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. 
Isa 59:15 Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment. 

Isa 5:7  For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry. 

Isa 5:13  Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge: and their honourable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst. 

Pilate Delivers Jesus to Be Crucified

Mat 27:24  When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it. 
Mat 27:25  Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children. 
Mat 27:26  Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified. 

Pilate confessing that he was innocent of the blood of Jesus is to highlight Jesus, the lamb without spot or wrinkle which was sacrificed for our sins. Pilate washing his hands before the people to signify his innocence of the blood of Christ does not absolve him from being a partaker of the killing of our Lord Jesus Christ. This was because he had the authority to release Jesus but wanted to please the Jews. Of course, Jesus must be put to death as atonement for our sins, but woe to those who were directly involved in His death. Spiritually, when we cause our brothers and sisters to stumble in their walk with the Lord, we are putting Jesus to death. 

Luk 17:1  Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come! 
Luk 17:2 It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. 

Isa 53:3  He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 
Isa 53:4  Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 
Isa 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 

The response of the people that the blood of Jesus be on them and their children is true in every generation. This makes every man or woman in every generation responsible for the death of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Luk 11:49  Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute: 
Luk 11:50  That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation; 
Luk 11:51 From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation.

Jesus Is Mocked

Mat 27:27  Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers. 
Mat 27:28  And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. 
Mat 27:29  And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! 
Mat 27:30  And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head. 
Mat 27:31  And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him. 

Jesus went through a lot for our sake. What helped Him to go through this suffering was His focus on the reward that was set before Him. As He is, so are we. We must also be motivated by the joy that is set before us to be able to endure the present suffering. 

Heb 12:2  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 
Heb 12:3  For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. 
Heb 12:4  Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. 
Heb 12:5  And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: 
Heb 12:6  For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 
Heb 12:7  If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 
Heb 12:8  But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. 
Heb 12:9  Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? 
Heb 12:10  For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
Heb 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. 

May His Name be Praised for His Wonderful Plan of Salvation, Amen!!

Proverbs 5:1-23

“Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father,
and attend to know understanding”

[Study Aired Nov 28, 2024]

There are two words that I want to draw our attention to, which summarize for us the central point being given to us in this fifth chapter of Proverbs. Those two words are attend^H7181 found in the first verse, and the word instruction^H4148 found in the last verse of this chapter.

If we look at the root of the word silver^H3701, which we know is connected to repentance (Rom 2:4), it is similar to the word attend^H7181, in that we won’t repent without a strong desire to do so, and that desire comes about by hearing the word of God that we are blessed to hear in this life if God is working with us (Rev 1:3, Mat 13:16). For a more in-depth study on this concept, please see Mike Vinson’s 7-part series on Silver, of which Part 1 starts here.

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

attend H7181 kaw-shab’

silver H3701 H3700 kaw-saf’

H7181 Attend qâshab kaw-shab’
A primitive root; to prick up the ears, that is, hearken: – attend, (cause to) hear (-ken), give heed, incline, mark (well), regard.
Total KJV occurrences: 46

H3700 root word of silver – kâsaph  kaw-saf’
A primitive root; properly to become pale, that is, (by implication) to pine after; also to fear: – [have] desire, be greedy, long, sore.
Total KJV occurrences: 6

God considers His leading us to repentance as the riches of his goodness where we learn of his forbearance and longsuffering spirit (Jas 5:7, Luk 21:19) not knowing at first that it is God’s goodness that leadeth thee to repentance for an extremely valuable purpose (Heb 11:24-25, Mat 19:27-28). It is instructive to note that the first time H7181 qâshab kaw-shab’ is used, it is in the context of what God considers most valuable in our relationship with Him, and that is that we hearken unto Him and obey him (1Sa 15:22, 1Jn 5:2-3).

1Sa 15:22 And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken^H7181 than the fat of rams.

If God has granted us a humble and contrite heart (Isa 66:2), then this process of going from glory to glory as we acknowledge our shortcomings by looking into His word, that is likened unto a mirror, (2Co 3:17-18) will turn us into a peculiar and zealous people toward the Lord through this examination of self, becoming doers of the word and not hearers only. Hearing the word but also attending to what those words say as they motivate us to move with fear in obedience toward our heavenly Father (2Co 7:11, 1Pe 2:9, 1Co 11:31-32).

1Pe 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: [the light that reflects off this mirror we look into, and remember what we see, and then attend to what God shows us in the process]

1Co 11:31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
1Co 11:32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

The second word we are considering is instruction^H4148, which is in the last verse of this study. It takes on a much brighter meaning when we see how it is used in the context of this fifth chapter of proverbs. As we noted, it is God’s forbearance and longsuffering spirit that needs to be working within us (Php 2:12-13) in order for us to not grow weary of His correction, as we are received as sons of God through it [Heb 12:6]. This word instruction^H4148, is connected to ‘chastening’, ‘chastisement’, ‘correction’,’ discipline’,’ doctrine’, and ‘rebuking’.

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

H4148 Instruction  mûsâr  moo-sawr’
From H3256; properly chastisement; figuratively reproof, warning or instruction; also restraint: – bond, chastening ([-eth]), chastisement, check, correction, discipline, doctrine, instruction, rebuke.
Total KJV occurrences: 50

There’s no getting around this point. Every son has to suffer in this life in order to cease from sinning and fulfill the will of God, which is to prepare us to become kings and priests who will rule and reign under Christ (1Jn 2:16-17, 1Pe 4:1-2, 2Pe 3:11-12).

1Jn 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
1Jn 2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

1Pe 4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh (Eph 5:30), arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;
1Pe 4:2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.

Christ is the one who can take us through these humbling experiences (Ecc 1:13) that will bring us to cease from sinning, being given a humble and contrite heart that is subject to our Creator and to one another as unto Christ (1Pe 5:6, Heb 12:2, Php 1:6, Eph 5:21). God will be exalted through Christ who washes us of all our iniquities and cleanses our hearts and creates in us a new spirit that is zealous for the Lord (Psa 51:10-12, Eze 36:26). These are the wonderful works within us that God’s elect are to offer up as a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving to our merciful Father (Psa 107:22-30, Heb 13:15).

We must go through a process as His children, bringing us to see the hypocrisy of our own flesh, and also how, in the end, the Lord is far greater than the power that sin has over us (Joh 8:36). We will deny him less and less, and if He is working with us in this age, he will abide faithful to finish this work of grace through faith in us (Eph 2:8), not denying himself as the author and finisher of our faith (2Ti 2:13, Mat 26:34).

Pro 5:1 My son, attend^H7181 unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my understanding:
Pro 5:2 That thou mayest regard discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge.

We’ve looked at the word attend^H7181, showing how it is connected to repentance, and in this opening couple of verses we are being shown that ‘attending unto wisdom’ requires that we go through a humbling process, bow thine ear to my understanding. The fruit of that experience of being humbled under God’s hand is that we will be able to regard discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge. It is only through having our senses exercised that we can then grow in that discreet and discerning spirit of the Lord and truly have lips that keep knowledge (Heb 5:14, Rev 13:4, Isa 6:5-8, Rev 5:2-5).

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

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

Isa 6:5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. [Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?]
Isa 6:6 Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:
Isa 6:7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.
Isa 6:8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.[After we go through a process of purification we have a strong desire [silver – kaw-saf] to serve the Lord and to be sent Joh 20:21, Joh 3:17, 1Jn 4:17].

Rev 5:2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?
Rev 5:3 And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. [no one is worthy and no one can open the book, but Christ in us as our hope of glory]
Rev 5:4 And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. [Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?]
Rev 5:5 And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals [free indeed Joh 8:36] thereof.

Pro 5:3 For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil:

The lips of a harlot that represent mystery Babylon the mother of harlots (Rev 17:5) is contrasted with those who have lips that keep knowledge in the previous verse. This strange woman [whose lips] drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil is a perfect description of the churches of this world who are estranged from Christ and speak words that are easy to digest like honey, and smoother than oil which is no oil at all (Isa 3:1, Mat 25:8, 2Co 11:4).

Rev 17:5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

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

Mat 25:8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.

2Co 11:4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus [strange woman [whose lips] drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil], whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, strange woman [whose lips] drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

Pro 5:4 But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a twoedged sword.

The end of those who are seduced by this harlot system is one that is bitter as wormwood^H3939, and not in the positive sense of God’s word being sweet in the mouth like honey and bitter in the belly. No, this is the exact opposite of that, just as this sharp as a twoedged sword does not represent the word of God (Heb 4:12), but rather is a counterfeit sword that is used to pierce Christ and keep the words of life that He wants to bring us, dead and hidden (2Co 4:3, Joh 19:34, 2Sa 14:14).

H3939 wormwood la‛ănâh lah-an-aw’
From an unused root supposed to mean to curse; wormwood (regarded as poisonous, and therefore accursed): – hemlock, wormwood.
Total KJV occurrences: 8

Joh 19:34 But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.

2Sa 14:14 For we must needs die, [Gal 2:20] and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; neither doth God respect any person: yet doth he devise means, that his banished be not expelled from him.

Pro 5:5 Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell^{H7585(‘sheol’, grave)}.
Pro 5:6 Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of life, her ways are moveable, that thou canst not know them.

Pro 5:6 Lest you should ponder the path of life, Her routes rove about, yet you know not where.”(CLV)
Pro 5:6  For she goes not upon the paths of life; but her ways are slippery, and not easily known. (Brenton)

This harlot system directs the laity down to death as her steps take hold of hell , all telling us that the spiritually dead can’t help but bury their spiritually dead, as the world is further and further deceived and being deceived (Luk 9:60, Mar 13:22, 2Ti 3:13).

Mystery Babylon is a mystery to those who are blinded to how the god of this world operates (2Co 2:11), but unto the elect, Babylon is falling within and is being exposed by the grace of God (Eph 2:8) as we ponder the path of life which path of life is Christ (Joh 14:6).

Studying to show ourselves approved is how we can avoid being deceived by the myriad of lies in Babylon (Rev 9:2), not laying hold of Christ, having ways that are slippery, deceiving even the very elect if it were possible (Mar 13:22).

It is through the judgement that comes upon the elect in the house of mourning where we die daily (1Co 15:31, Ecc 7:2) that we can continue to overcome the lies of the harlot system that God’s people are blessed to come out of (2Co 6:17) in this life, through judgement (Psa 84:10, 2Pe 3:8).

Pro 5:7 Hear me now therefore, O ye children, and depart not from the words of my mouth.
Pro 5:8 Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house:
Pro 5:9 Lest thou give thine honour unto others, and thy years unto the cruel:
Pro 5:10 Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth; and thy labours be in the house of a stranger;
Pro 5:11 And thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed,
Pro 5:12 And say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof;
Pro 5:13 And have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me!
Pro 5:14 I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly.

In order to Hear me now therefore, O ye children, and depart not from the words of my mouth, we must be given to attend to the instruction in these verses in the book of James (Jas 1:19-24). Right after telling us to hear and not depart from God’s word, we are shown the consequence of not doing this when we don’t remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house. This harlot represents Mystery Babylon and all the false religions of this world of whom God says we are not to give thine honour unto nor thy years unto the cruel. This section of our study is an admonition to give heed unto Christ’s words and hold fast to the crown that God has given us, not being seduced by the lies and falsehoods of Babylon. Giving our honour to others and our years unto the cruel is what we do when we cast our pearls before swine (Mat 7:6) who represent the unconverted that we witness to with fear and trembling, when the Lord requires it of us, as opposed to carelessly casting our pearls to the unconverted who never asked an answer of the hope within us in the first place (1Pe 3:15, Php 2:12).

Mat 7:6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

1Pe 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts (Jas 1:19-24): and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

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.

The pearl of great price is Christ who is hidden within us and we must walk circumspectly in this world we’ve been sent forth into, “I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves” (Mat 10:16, Mat 7:6).

If we’re not wise then strangers [will] be filled with thy wealth; and thy labours be in the house of a stranger. This grave mistake of saying too much to the unbelieving, filling their house with our wealth in other words, is what was typified as being done in the life of Hezekiah (2Ki 20:13). The end result for Hezekiah and the nation he ruled (2Ki 20:16-21) is what the proverb continues to reveal would happen: you will mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed.

2Ki 20:13 And Hezekiah hearkened unto them [from Babylon], and shewed them all 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.

Hezekiah’s house was his empire which does represent a kingdom within that he was supposed to rule over properly, but he did not. We all must go into Babylonian captivity to come out of it and so How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof are words that discuss our own inability, without Christ, to be faithful to God’s words as we come to realize, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof; And have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me! I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly. It is in the midst of the congregation and assembly for a reason, as this is talking to us about how we can just naturally take for granted God’s exceedingly great and precious promises (2Pe 1:4), until we are chastened and scourged of Him for doing so.

Pro 5:15  Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well.
Pro 5:16Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in the streets.
Pro 5:17 Let them be only thine own, and not strangers’ with thee.
Pro 5:18 Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth.
Pro 5:19 Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love.

We are not left in the dark to know what the solution is to overcome that typical spiritual apathy of Hezekiah, that caused the nation to go into Babylonian captivity, or exile, which is where God intends we will lose our first love. If He shows mercy toward us in this age, we will come out of her and be drawn to the living waters that are found in Christ alone, and not in the churches of this world (Isa 1:3, Isa 3:1, 1Jn 4:6).

The singleness of our relationship with Christ (2Co 11:3) and his body is being discussed with these verses, (Pro 5:15-19).

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^G572, that is in Christ.

G572 Simplicity haplotēs hap-lot’-ace
From G573; singleness, that is, (subjectively) sincerity (without dissimulation or self seeking), or (objectively) generosity (copious bestowal): – bountifulness, liberal (-ity), simplicity, singleness.
Total KJV occurrences: 8

That singleness which we share in Christ as His flesh and bones (Eph 5:30) is likened unto the fidelity that we are to have between husband and wife, and this is the mystery that is hidden from this world (Eph 5:32, Col 1:27), where there is no fidelity but rather many lovers, many churches, vain philosophies, and only infidelity to the word of God (1Co 3:4). Therefore we are told to Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well, meaning we are to protect the word of God and not let it be defiled by the iniquity that is abounding more and more in this age (Mat 24:12). We protect God’s word by labouring in it, and sowing bountifully in this life so that we can reap bountifully (2Co 9:6). His word goes with us in our day-to-day affairs, as we pray without ceasing and bring every thought into “the obedience of Christ” (2Co 10:5). That is how we Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in the streets.

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

Again, as we go about our life being led of the spirit of God (Rom 8:14-15), we are ready to give to others an answer for the hope that is within us, not being ashamed of the gospel, but we are not forcing our faith on others, and so it is written, Let them be only thine own, and not strangers’ with thee. Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth. The wife of our youth is the wife of Christ who we are associated with as a many membered body of Christ that makes up his wife. We protect and hold fast to the words that God has given us and Let them be only thine own, and not strangers’ with thee. Once again, this relationship that we have with Christ and His body is described in the most intimate of terms, Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love, because that is the way Christ feels toward His wife, and how we should respond to the body of Christ as no spiritual man [the body of Christ] ever hated his own flesh (Eph 5:29-30).

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

Pro 5:20  And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?
Pro 5:21 For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he pondereth all his goings.
Pro 5:22 His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins.
Pro 5:23 He shall die without instruction;^H4148 [Heb 12:6] and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.

Nothing is hidden from God “with whom we have to do” (Heb 4:13-14) and so the question is asked, why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?

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.
Heb 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

All of our ways are before the Lord and he knows that this is exactly what will happen to all of us at first. We will be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger, and that won’t be hidden from God but rather is caused by Him (Eph 1:11) in order to snare us in Babylon, which represents this stranger that we first embrace. Our own sins will correct us, our own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins (Jer 2:19), until the son of God sets us free (Joh 8:36) by binding the sacrifice to the altar (Psa 118:27). The simple truth is that we will die without instruction^H4148 [Heb 12:6] and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray, speaking of what happens to all of us until God shows mercy to us and causes us to attend^H7181 unto his words. Lord willing, or God permitting that will happen to each of us in this age, we pray (Heb 6:3).

The Book of Joel – Chapter 3:4-6

[Study Aired October 5^th 24]

The previous three verses of Joel Chapter 3 repeated our Lord’s seemingly endless plea and biblical theme for his wife, Old Israel and spiritually his incipient Bride, today, to reflect upon the dry bones scattered at their feet in the Valley of Jehoshaphat. That valley’s name is the same site named Armageddon, a name that strikes fear and mystery in the hearts of all Babylonian Christians. It is a place where all unbelievers are slaughtered because of Viles containing The Seven Plagues and The Seven Bowls of God’s Wrath, as seen in Rev 15 and 16. The last verse of Rev 16:16 is the only place in the Bible where that inscrutable and terrifying name, Armageddon, appears,

And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.

The unnerving scriptural imagery of the result of the Vials containing the Seven Last Plagues and Seven Bowls of God’s Wrath is too chilling for the “fearful” to dwell upon.

1Jn 4:17  Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is [understanding all the mysteries of God], so are we in this world. 
1Jn 4:18  There is no fear in love [understanding Christ’s truth and living by it]; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

The Valley of Megiddo is a measly 380 square km that equally incomprehensibly contains the billions of humanities not found in the Book of Life in the First Resurrection. Consequently, it is relatively easy to imagine their blood running to the depth of a horse’s bridle. Historically, with the major battles fought in that valley, no wonder the soil is fertile today—it is highly symbolic of them being food to enrich us.

Num 14:9  Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not.

Psa 106:24  Yea, they despised the pleasant land, they believed not his word:

The Bride of Christ is losing her fear of Armageddon because she alone is given the understanding of the mysteries and is given to use the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven (Mat 16:19). Her “fear” is converted into the most profound honour and respect in walking in her Husband’s every commandment in honour and glory and worship for the headship in and of the Father. She, today, is experiencing the vials of God’s wrath in personalised plagues as she fills up behind the afflictions of Christ. Her startling realisation is that the Seven Last Plagues are for her alone. She, the Elect of God, is pouring out the seven last plagues upon herself, in the same way, the Elect “show [are showing] the things to the Elect“. As seen here in Rev 17:1,

AND there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:

The Elect of God come out of the sea, the “many waters” of humanity represented as Babylon the Great, the Great Whore and mother of harlots. After the Elect shows these things to herself, the Body of Christ, this is what we all do:

Rev 19:10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy [Babylon, the Great Whore that we are becoming less, once didn’t have the testimony of Jesus and worshipped another Jesus].

Rev 22:6 And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.
Rev 22:7 Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.
Rev 22:8 And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things.
Rev 22:9 Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book [Rev 1:3]: worship God.

And so, instead of rolling our eyes at being told that we have been a whore represented as Tyre, Zidon, Egypt, Sodom and Old Jerusalem, our wide eyes eagerly see that these dry bones in the Valley of Jehoshaphat are ourselves dying (a process) to our sins at the hands of our brothers and sisters, the Elect of God.

Overview:

Joe 3:4  Yea, and what have ye to do with me, O Tyre, and Zidon, and all the coasts of Palestine? will ye render me a recompence? and if ye recompense me, swiftly and speedily will I return your recompence upon your own head; 
Joe 3:5  Because ye have taken my silver and my gold, and have carried into your temples my goodly pleasant things: 
Joe 3:6  The children also of Judah and the children of Jerusalem have ye sold unto the Grecians, that ye might remove them far from their border. 

Significations:

The key to this episode in the study of Joel, beginning in verse 3, is our Lord’s three opening questions,

Yea, and [1] what have ye to do with me, O Tyre, and Zidon, and all the coasts of Palestine? [2] will ye render me a recompence? and if ye recompense me, swiftly and speedily[3] will I return your recompence upon your own head; 

The two cities of Tyre and Sidon were delegated to the tribe of Asher to conquer when Israel settled in the promised land. The tribe of Asher, however, disobeyed God when they found Tyre and Sidon well “fortified” (Joshua 19:29) and submitted to their perceived greater strength than the Lord’s. Subsequently, Tyre and Sidon, both unconquered pagan cities, were thorns in the side of Israel who became intrigued by their gods:

Jdg 10:6  And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Zidon [Sidon = hunting 1. ancient Phoenician city, on Mediterranean coast north of Tyre], and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the LORD, and served not him.

Since Israel didn’t dispatch Tyre, Zidon and the coasts of Palestine and entirely cast out all the giants of her inheritance as the Lord requested, he acidulously mocks them with that first question, “What have you to do with me?” ~ effectively saying that ‘you have humiliatingly rejected my kisses for you, my harlot wife, and demonstrated that you don’t care one jot for my word, so, what do I owe you? Since you are profoundly sure of your (self) righteousness, you must be confident in giving me a swift answer to null my ignorance of your Queen Vashti-like beauty and rulership, and what to me might that glorious benefit be?’ Well, and for the much later Bride of Christ’s glorious hindsight, Old Israel was replaced by her since the Bride was given to enthusiastically receive her Lord’s kisses of spiritual understanding, knowing that her enchantment of him would further unite her.

Job 38:1  Then the LORD answered Job [Israel – you and I] out of the whirlwind, and said,
Job 38:2  Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? 
Job 38:3  Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me. 

Mat 11:20  Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not: 
Mat 11:21  Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
Mat 11:22  But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you. 
Mat 11:23  And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 
Mat 11:24  But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.

Mat 10:14  And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.
Mat 10:15  Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.

What the Lord is saying in Joel 3:4 is that had the people of pagan Tyre, Zidon, Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum been given the Lord’s commandments, their immense passion for seeking nation-building knowledge, wisdom and illusive moral standing was a greater passion than what Israel had for their Lord’s Commandments! Israel rejected her husband’s wisdom and laws that would ultimately lead to eternal life, the very thing the Sodomites and cities of the plain equally sort with like intensity! Hence, ‘It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for that city, Israel’.

Exo 32:9  And the LORD said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people:
Exo 32:10  Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation.

Act 7:51  Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.

A “recompense” H1576 means a ‘dealing’ or a ‘benefit’ to ‘requite God’s wrath. We, having insisted upon eating our own doctrinally kneaded bread, find more palatable than his “light bread” he now demands we give an acknowledgement of our sins, and his tone is one venting from eyes like flames of fire (Rev 19:11-12).

Subsequently, the answer to the Lord’s third question in Joel 3:4 is acidly rhetorical. “… will I return your recompense upon your own head?” ~ A resounding ‘YES’, he will return what Israel has sown to herself upon her own head! Because Israel didn’t route all the pagans out of her land, she is now reaping a harvest of pain and suffering that will ‘requite God’s wrath’ as it does with his chastisements upon our like disobedience for his goodness towards us and our subsequent acknowledgement and repentance!

Gal 6:7  Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Gal 6:8  For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting.

Israel, like the Athenians, Greeks and Sodomites, intrinsically lusts for God-like wisdom by their standards to toss intellectualised debate back and forth for self-elevation and status among their peers. People love to be the first to discover an outstanding new insight by which they can academically debate and win an argument against the nobility. It is precisely what Christianity does today with its 40,000-plus disputing doctrines and more ‘acidly’ pointing at the Bride herself for any lingering spiritual disjointedness; worse, that sniping at a fellow Saint should ensue.

Act 17:16-23  Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.
Act 17:17  Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him.
Act 17:18  Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, [colloquially speaking, people who love to grandstand ( G4770 – “a portico”) a debate and brawl a concept and be puffed up and bowed to as wise], encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.
Act 17:19  And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is? 
Act 17:20  For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean.
Act 17:21  (For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.)
Act 17:22  Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. 
Act 17:23  For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.

Eph 2:18  For through him we both have access by one spirit unto the Father.

Joe 3:5  Because ye have taken my silver and my gold, and have carried into your temples my goodly pleasant things: 
Joe 3:6  The children also of Judah and the children of Jerusalem have ye sold unto the Grecians, that ye might remove them far from their border. 

A “Grecian” (H3125 1. Grecian, Ionian) is a person from Greece, a Greek and its associated Mediterranean Islands. Classically, they are known in the H1121 equivalence as “mire” and “wine” (from H3196) and representative of being a “grandson member of a group”, suggesting the intrinsic habit of sitting around being drunk in the mire of their academic doctrinal disputes and never coming to the truth of God! Melbourne, Australia, where I live, has up to 400,000 Australians with Greek ancestry. Thus, it has the largest Greek population outside of Greece, and I notice the Epicurian habit of “old” (“grandsons”) Greek men sitting around at shopping centres, drinking short black coffee deep in debate, much as I suspect they did for ‘eternity’ (… and ogling the women with equal Epicurian leers).

Thus, and as demonstrated in 2 Tim 3:7, the Grecians represent the world’s, Israel’s and particularly our former propensity for,

Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

1Co 1:20  Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 
1Co 1:21  For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
1Co 1:22  For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
1Co 1:23  But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; 
1Co 1:24  But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
1Co 1:25  Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

Isa 56:9  All ye beasts of the field, come to devour, yea, all ye beasts in the forest.
Isa 56:10  His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. 
Isa 56:11  Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter.
Isa 56:12  Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and tomorrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant.

Our traditional Babylonian Christian focus is to point at the evil of others and thus unconsciously cloud our understanding that the primary point of a matter should lie at our feet. Subsequently, the exploits of the men of Sodom are almost always overly represented as homosexual. However, that confusing act against the order of God’s headship has a more profound spiritual connection.

Gen 19:5  And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.

For us, knowing that ‘first comes the natural (in this case ironically unnatural) and then the spiritual’, the Sodomite’s lust to “know” the Angels of the Lord tremendously amplified their Grecian/Epicurean-like enthusiasm to get first-hand knowledge from the very gods themselves! What an incredible opportunity! Hence, the Sodomites, sitting at the known world’s crossroads of commerce and Epicurean-like knowledge and wisdom, had an incredible thirst to “know” (H3045) the Angels in the natural academically, as a heterosexual man righteously ‘knows’ (H3045) his wife, as did Adam with Eve. While ‘knowing’ another man sexually is in accordance with the meaning of H3045, is an abomination to the Lord and ‘his Christs’; the primary point of “knowing” another person is to represent Christ’s Bride “knowing” Him spiritually.

In the opening verses of The Song of Solomon, the Shulamite, representing the Bride of Christ, utterly turns on its head the world’s insatiable worship of women, where she, the Bride, worships Christ, her husband. (That act of a wife in a physical marriage symbolically worshipping her husband in all that she does, rather than having her husband fawn on her every need, would solve almost all bitter marital disputes and 100% of accursed marital difficulties if both parties are Christs).

Son 1:2  Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine.
Son 1:3  Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins [Joints in the Bride of Christ] love thee.
Son 1:4  Draw me, we will run after thee: the king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee.

Of course, Lot did the degenerate act of presenting his daughters to the Sodomites. However, the Sodomites already knew every detail about a woman’s sensuality, effectively stating (and particularly to our former selves) that the world’s churches (“another Jesus” 2 Cor 11:4) bored them, whereas these new and exciting ideologies these ‘gods’ opportunistically dumped into their laps were too good to reject! Thus the Sodomite’s lecherous desires had to be satiated with this new philosophy, and our Lord designed their debauched ways to represent our lust for any new and more sensual doctrinal ideology that we likewise lustily have to “know“!

Lev 18:22  Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.
Lev 18:23  Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion.
Lev 18:24  Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you:
Lev 18:25  And the land [we are] is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants.
Lev 18:26  Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you:
Lev 18:27  (For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled;)
Lev 18:28  That the land spue not you out also, when ye defile it, as it spued out the nations that were before you.
Lev 18:29  For whosoever shall commit any of these abominations, even the souls that commit them shall be cut off from among their people.
Lev 18:30  Therefore shall ye keep mine ordinance, that ye commit not any one of these abominable customs, which were committed before you, and that ye defile not yourselves therein: I am the LORD your God.

Hence, and as seen in Joel 3:3, Israel sneered at her Lord’s word and sorted the more sensual Aholah and Aholibah-Epicurean lusts, thus disastrously casting lots for (gambling) the truth,

And they have cast lots for my people; and have given a boy for an harlot, and sold a girl for wine, that they might drink. 

Such was and is the world without Christ’s commandments. Abominable confusion results in the forms of “knowing” all and any sexual intimacy with any living man or beast of any interchangeable gender, Angels included, the very gods themselves having come to Sodom, delivering the imagined holy grail of knowledge and wisdom!

Since Israel, like Sodom, insisted upon “knowing’ every other ideology, especially ones of ‘unknown gods’, the Lord vexatiously demanded of Israel in Joel 3:4,

Yea, and what have ye to do with me, O Tyre, and Zidon, and all the coasts of Palestine? will ye render me a recompence? and if ye recompense me, swiftly and speedily will I return your recompence upon your own head [?];

Thus, the spiritual mirroring of “knowing” someone sexually is to be intimately acquainted with every detail of their mind and body, just as Solomon at Christ’s hand penned the creation of the Shulamite in “The Song of Solomon, which is Solomon’s”, meaning, Christ’s song of anticipation for the spiritual pattern of the heavenly, his Bride, “knowing” every detail about him. But, no, and by the act of “knowing”, mankind would rather worship women who broadly represent every other deviation from Christ’s truth by us falsely “knowing” them as we would righteously “know” one’s wife. How?

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, 
Eph 5:27  That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
Eph 5:28  So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.

Hence, the act of a physical husband ‘knowing‘ his wife, his OWN FLESH’s every jot and title detail, and she in equal enthusiasm his, in righteous spiritual inspection, she is worshipping Christ, her husband by that Shulamite-like eagerness and so, too is her carnal husband in order of headship. It all represents the Church, the wife worshipping her husband, Christ..

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

Pro 9:9  Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach [H3045 – “know”] a just man, and he will increase in learning. 

Ecc 8:16  When I applied mine heart to know [H3045] wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth: (for also there is that neither day nor night seeth sleep with his eyes:)

Mar 12:30  And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

Joe 3:5  Because ye have taken my silver and my gold, and have carried into your temples my goodly pleasant things:

Since, formally, we have magically twisted our Lord’s silver and gold, representing his righteous word, hammered into an image to increase our physical and unrighteous spiritual wealth, how do we answer our Lord for the “recompense” he demands?

God owns all the silver and gold; they represent his righteousness.

Hag 2:8  The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts. 
Hag 2:9  The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the LORD of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the LORD of hosts.

Eze 7:19 They shall cast their silver in the streets, and their gold shall be removed: their silver and their gold [Their false doctrines] shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the LORD: they shall not satisfy their souls, neither fill their bowels: because it is the stumblingblock of their iniquity. 

Gentile Christian’s false doctrines representing their imagined silver and gold, which were our very same doctrines, are a stumbling block and an iniquity. In fact, anything different to God’s word is iniquity and a stumbling block since, at that point, it blocks the truth of correlating scriptures, and the entire ‘lump’ of the Bible becomes corrupty leavened (Gal 5:9. 1 Cor 5:6).

Eze 14:3 Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them? 

… is the same as the Lord in Joel 3:4 asking, “… what have ye to do with me, O Tyre, and Zidon, and all the coasts of Palestine?”

An “idol in the heart” is a false doctrine, a stumbling block of iniquity, which the Lord will not tolerate. 

Isa 42:8 I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images [false doctrines].

God will not give his glory to a Gentile Christian who was all of us when we, the symbolic treacherous Judah, the priests of God, were in far worse error.

Mat 22:12  And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
Mat 22:13  Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Mat 22:14  For many are called, but few are chosen.

The Lord answers his own question, “… what have ye to do with me, O Tyre, and Zidon, and all the coasts of Palestine?” in Joel 3:4 with Joel 3:6, he says,

The children also of Judah and the children of Jerusalem have ye sold unto the Grecians, that ye might remove them far from their border. 

The act of Israel selling her unconquered self in the form of Tyre and Zidon, who in the time of Joshua’s wars should have utterly destroyed those heathen nations, she has now sold her Lord’s righteousness for the fascinating academic philosophies of the Greeks! Such is Israel’s and our former hatred for Christ’s Commandments. And, now, today, approaching 2025, the Gentile Christian nations seem to be in the final stages of selling their imagined remaining spiritual sight of God’s word (Rom 11:25) to the very same people as did Israel, with the perceived Sodomite-like intelligence whose governance is fast enslaving the world! Subsequently, and today, the Christian world has sold all the remains of their alleged spiritual wealth to Tyre, increasing the wealth of modern greater Babylon, the world. It won’t be long before the Bible will be assigned to misinformation and disinformation so that all of Christ’s truth will be ‘removed far from our borders’.

Rom 11:25  For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
Rom 11:26  And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion [“a parched place” of God’s word] the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
Rom 11:27  For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
Rom 11:28  As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes.
Rom 11:29  For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
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. 

Rev 6:5  And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.
Rev 6:6  And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.
Rev 6:7  And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
Rev 6:8  And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.

In these apparent ‘latter days’ before the outward return of Christ, and by all news accounts, personal experience and observations, it appears that our physical food will become scarce. Its spiritual meaning is that God’s word will be very difficult to acquire since the world’s hatred of Christ will make it an offence to speak his name without being hauled off to stand before judges and kings of authority. However, the Lord’s “little flock” retain the “oil and wine” of spiritual understanding hidden in their hearts where no man can rob, or moths devour.

Rev 2:9  I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. 
Rev 2:10  Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. 

Although inwardly, we are in and out of prison all the time in a struggle to keep Christ’s commandments, there is every likelihood that it will happen physically for some of the Elect to stand before a glowering magistrate as witnesses against this world and possibly be thrown in prison among the vilest of people.

Rom 7:23  But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

Zec 9:11  As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water. 

And so, the narration of Israel in the Book of Joel, is mirroring us and our insatiable acts of seeking every spiritual Epicurean sensuality imaginable beyond the borders of our former coastline’s estate in Christ for the ‘water’ and ‘bread’ of another Jesus. And next week, Lord willing, we will see what Christ’s answer is to his questions, “… will ye render me a recompence? and if ye recompense me, swiftly and speedily will I return your recompence upon your own head [?]

Zec 11:1-17  “The wine of the wrath of her fornication” (Rev 18:3)

[Study Aired August 10, 2023]

In the last chapter of Zacharias, we saw how the elect will water and plant God’s word during the thousand-year reign of the saints (Rev 20:6, Rev 12:5), and how God never intended to give any spiritual increase regarding all those labors in Christ (1Co 3:6-7). That is the main witness left for us in chapter ten of Zacharias, and in chapter eleven we will see how the initial baptisms of the water of God’s word will play out for the world during the reign of our Lord and His Christ (Rev 11:15). 

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.

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.

That rod of iron spoken of in Revelation 12:5 will burn away the wood, hay and stubble that is taken from man, but this process does not change the inner man who can only be renewed with Christ’s spirit within him that makes it possible for the gold, silver and precious stones to be purified within him (Heb 6:1-3, 1Co 3:12, Tit 2:13-15, 1Pe 2:9).

Tit 2:13  Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 
Tit 2:14  Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. 
Tit 2:15  These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee. 

1Pe 2:9  But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
1Pe 2:10  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 [Rom 11:30-32].

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego (Dan 3:20-22) are a type of the elect who go through the entire process of judgment in their flesh [3 men] with Christ in their midst who symbolizes the spirit of God abiding in us through that judgment upon us today. Lord willing. The world, which will have the Lord and His Christ in their midst outwardly during the symbolic time frame of one thousand years, will ultimately be consumed by the word of God in the negative sense as were the men that brought Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to the fire (Dan 3:22, Rev 20:8-9) 

Dan 3:22  Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

Rev 20:8  And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. 
Rev 20:9  And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them [This event parallels what happens to those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego].

God willing, we will move forward and be baptized with fiery trials in this age that will purify the faith of Christ within us, which is what happens when we are crushed under the stone (1Pe 4:12, 1Pe 1:7, Mat 21:44).

1Pe 4:12  Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 
1Pe 1:7  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: 

Mat 21:44  And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

A rod of iron expresses the unbending and unwavering way in which the elect will not compromise any part of the word of God during that rulership, regardless of the fact that mankind is not capable of doing what is required, nor able to change the corrupt nature we are all given when born into these vessels of dishonor, which can only be changed through Christ (Rom 9:18-21, 2Ti 2:21).

Rom 9:18  Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. 
Rom 9:19  Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? 
Rom 9:20  Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? 
Rom 9:21  Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? 

2Ti 2:21  If a man therefore purge himself from these [Tit_2:13-15], he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work. 

Tit 2:13  Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 
Tit 2:14  Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. 
Tit 2:15  These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.

Zec 11:1  Open thy doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may devour thy cedars. 
Zec 11:2  Howl, fir tree; for the cedar is fallen; because the mighty are spoiled: howl, O ye oaks of Bashan; for the forest of the vintage is come down. 
Zec 11:3  There is a voice of the howling of the shepherds; for their glory is spoiled: a voice of the roaring of young lions; for the pride of Jordan is spoiled.
Zec 11:4  Thus saith the LORD my God; Feed the flock of the slaughter; 
Zec 11:5  Whose possessors slay them, and hold themselves not guilty: and they that sell them say, Blessed be the LORD; for I am rich: and their own shepherds pity them not.
Zec 11:6  For I will no more pity the inhabitants of the land, saith the LORD: but, lo, I will deliver the men every one into his neighbour’s hand, and into the hand of his king: and they shall smite the land, and out of their hand I will not deliver them.
Zec 11:7  And I will feed the flock of slaughter, even you, O poor of the flock. And I took unto me two staves; the one I called Beauty, and the other I called Bands; and I fed the flock. 
Zec 11:8  Three shepherds also I cut off in one month; and my soul lothed them, and their soul also abhorred me. 
Zec 11:9  Then said I, I will not feed you: that that dieth, let it die; and that that is to be cut off, let it be cut off; and let the rest eat every one the flesh of another.
Zec 11:10  And I took my staff, even Beauty, and cut it asunder, that I might break my covenant which I had made with all the people. 
Zec 11:11  And it was broken in that day: and so the poor of the flock that waited upon me knew that it was the word of the LORD. 
Zec 11:12  And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver.
Zec 11:13  And the LORD said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prised at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the LORD. 
Zec 11:14  Then I cut asunder mine other staff, even Bands, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel. 
Zec 11:15  And the LORD said unto me, Take unto thee yet the instruments of a foolish shepherd. 
Zec 11:16  For, lo, I will raise up a shepherd in the land, which shall not visit those that be cut off, neither shall seek the young one, nor heal that that is broken, nor feed that that standeth still: but he shall eat the flesh of the fat, and tear their claws in pieces. 
Zec 11:17  Woe to the idol shepherd that leaveth the flock! the sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened. 

Zec 11:1  Open thy doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may devour thy cedars.

In order for our own self-righteousness to be destroyed, which is iniquity (Eze 18:20), we must be granted to have our minds opened (“open thy doors“) to the reality that the ministries in which we put our trust in this world were all part of a self-righteous harlot system that must be devoured within us by our ‘coming out of her, my people’ (2Co 6:17-18). The doors are open by God’s grace as the son of man sets us free by cleansing us from all self-righteousness, typified by the word Lebanon^H3844 which means whiteness, our own righteousness, in other words.

H3844 lebânôn
BDB Definition:
Lebanon = “whiteness”

The cedar is a tree that produces no fruit and must be cut down and put in its proper perspective in order to benefit the temple of God which we are today. The cedar represents the ministries of Babylon throughout the ages; those who serve the elect in the court as Levi who is joined to the elect in that service (Num 4:17-20, 1Co 3:16). When we can honestly and without any guile admit that we are coming out of Babylon and can see the blind state we were in, we are at that moment opening “thy doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may devour thy cedars.” The elect experience this cleansing first so that the rest of humanity can be ministered to through the saints (1Th 5:23).

Num 4:17  And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 
Num 4:18  Cut ye not off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites: 
Num 4:19  But thus do unto them, that they may live, and not die, when they approach unto the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in, and appoint them every one to his service and to his burden:
Num 4:20  But they shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered, lest they die [Heb 13:10].

During the reign of the saints, the world will recognize the lies of the harlot, as many do even today, the beast then making war with the harlot as a result of those revelations (Rev 17:16). That stance without God’s spirit within us (Rom 8:9) just translates into more self-righteousness and further deception as we become convinced, “If someone had just shown me these things, I would have figured it out and rejected the churches of this world” (Mat 23:29-30). That may be true, but again, rejecting Babylon and continuing in Christ are two separate events, one which is a very wood-hay-and-stubble experience in its nature [coming out of Babylon] and the other requiring the miracle of God’s holy spirit within so we can be disciples indeed of Christ continuing in the truth (Joh 8:30-32).

Rev 17:16  And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. 

Mat 23:29  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,
Mat 23:30  And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.

Joh 8:30  As he spake these words, many believed on him. 
Joh 8:31  Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
Joh 8:32  And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Zec 11:2  Howl, fir tree; for the cedar is fallen; because the mighty are spoiled: howl, O ye oaks of Bashan; for the forest of the vintage is come down.

“The cedar is fallen” is another way of saying “Babylon is fallen, is fallen” of Revelation 14:8, meaning the influence of Babylon’s tall and fruitless trees in the earth has come to an end “because the mighty are spoiled“, and the howling fir tree demonstrates the great burden this judgment brings upon humanity, represented by the “fir tree” who is seeing Babylon fall (Rev 18:19). They are being spoiled by their previous life of lies and deception that Babylon produced (2Pe 2:17-20, Eph 2:2). The elect will fell all these mighty trees that represent men, to the glory of God. If we are judged in this age, we will be used by God to tear down all the false spiritual temples of mankind and begin to feed the world the words of life that spring forth from the true temple of God, which typifies Christ’s body (1Co 3:16, Mar 8:19-20, Exo 36:36-38). 

Rev 14:8  And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. 

Rev 18:19  And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate. 

The positive use of the cedar is found in these verses (Lev 14:4, Lev 14:6, Lev 14:49), which demonstrate how our life in Christ as living sacrifices (Rom 12:1) is founded upon cedar wood where we lay down our life with Christ by going without the camp, being bound to the altar where Christ was sacrificed for us (Gal 2:20, Heb 13:13).

Lev 14:4  Then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds alive and clean, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop:

Lev 14:6  As for the living bird, he shall take it, and the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water:

Lev 14:49  And he shall take to cleanse the house two birds, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop:

Heb 13:13  Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.

“Bashan” is an area that is east of the Jordan and the “oaks^{H437 = great tree or other strong tree} of Bashan^{1316 = fruitful, fertile”} represent more powerful religious scholars and leaders in the world who are also missing the mark (Jos 13:12, Jos 17:1, Jos 17:5), not being yet baptized in the Jordan which symbolizes our being baptized into Christ’s death where that mark is found (Rom 6:3-4). 

Jos 13:12  All the kingdom of Og in Bashan, which reigned in Ashtaroth and in Edrei, who remained of the remnant of the giants: for these did Moses smite, and cast them out [Num 14:9].

Jos 17:1  There was also a lot for the tribe of Manasseh; for he was the firstborn of Joseph; to wit, for Machir the firstborn of Manasseh, the father of Gilead: because he was a man of war, therefore he had Gilead and Bashan. 

Jos 17:5  And there fell ten portions to Manasseh, beside the land of Gilead and Bashan, which were on the other side Jordan;  [Deu 31:2 , Jos 1:2]

Rom 6:3  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 
Rom 6:4  Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

The oaks, like the fir trees, are also howling at the thought that all their deep-seated roots of intellectual endeavors have missed the mark (Isa 2:13, Eze 27:6, Hos 4:13, Amo 2:9), “the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low: and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day” (Isa 2:17).

All will come to know that they were sacrificed for the elect’s sake; some to be trees that would bear much of the burden of the temple, the physical revealing the spiritual (Rom 1:20) shown in the support beams that these beloved servants of God represent (Rom 11:28, 1Ki 6:9, Mat 7:22).

1Ki 6:9  So he built the house, and finished it; and covered the house with beams and boards of cedar.

1Ki 6:15  And he built the walls of the house within with boards of cedar, both the floor of the house, and the walls of the ceiling: and he covered them on the inside with wood, and covered the floor of the house with planks of fir.

The statement “for the forest of the vintage^H1208 is come down” also reminds us that ‘old’ does not mean it is ‘correct’, and what comes to mind are the three ancient scholarly works of “Alexandrinus, Sinaiticus, Vaticanus” (Isa 3:1, Isa 2:11).

H1208 vintage baw-tsore’ From H1219 (related to being inaccessible by height or fortification; clip off); inaccessible, that is, lofty: – vintage [by confusion with H1210].

Isa 2:11  The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day.

Zec 11:3  There is a voice of the howling of the shepherds; for their glory is spoiled: a voice of the roaring of young lions; for the pride of Jordan is spoiled.

This verse makes it clear that the trees previously talked about which are howling are in fact the shepherds who are howling because “their glory is spoiled.” The voice “of the roaring of young lions; for the pride of Jordan is spoiled” is again another way of saying and realizing “Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication” which wine represents another gospel and not the “the everlasting gospel” of Revelation 14:6.

Rev 14:6  And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,

The “pride of Jordan” represents the pride of life that brings forth “another gospel” (2Co 11:4, Gal 1:6-7). In Babylon, Christ’s death does everything. It is substitutionary and not exemplary as it should be, leaving no way for us to be baptized into His death and dying daily so we can fill up what is behind of the afflictions of Christ in our flesh, which is Christ’s body (1Co 15:31, Col 1:24). It is another gospel, one that has been perverted by only knowing Christ after the flesh and not by considering the singleness that is in Christ and His body which makes up the church. The context of Satan’s subtle deceiving is centered around a false gospel, the leaven of the Pharisees that speaks smooth things, drawing us away from carrying our cross and filling up what is behind of the afflictions of Christ (2Co 11:3, Mat 16:6, Col 1:24).

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.
2Co 11:4  For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

Gal 1:6  I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
Gal 1:7  Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.  

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 simplicityG572 that is in Christ.

G572 haplotēs hap-lot’-acenn   From G573; singleness, that is, (subjectively) sincerity (without dissimulation or self seeking), or (objectively) generosity (copious bestowal): – bountifulness, liberal (-ity), simplicity, singleness.

It is our pride that prevents us from standing in the Lord, and it is only God Who can destroy that “pride of Jordan” which represents the way we naturally serve the Lord in our yet carnal minds and not as those who have been granted to be broken and contrite in our spirits (Isa 66:2) through His hand dragging us to be baptized into the Jordan representing where we become dead to sin and alive in Christ (Rom 6:3, Rom 6:11-12).

Zec 11:4  Thus saith the LORD my God; Feed the flock of the slaughter;
Zec 11:5  Whose possessors slay them, and hold themselves not guilty: and they that sell them say, Blessed be the LORD; for I am rich: and their own shepherds pity them not.

God has called the elect as a body to be shepherds, to be kings and priests, who will “feed the flock of the slaughter” (1Pe 2:9). The statement “flock of the slaughter” and “they that slay them” is talking about those who ruled over the laity and took advantage of God’s people by killing their potential relationship with Christ by monetizing the gospel “and they that sell them say, Blessed be the LORD; for I am rich” and preaching Christ for their own advantage, thinking nothing of it “whose possessors slay them, and hold themselves not guilty.“

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

This spirit of avarice we’re reading represents what is inside all of us until the Lord burns it out. We all, in our appointed time, see ourselves as rich and increased with good not knowing we are “wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked” (Rev 3:17) and so lacking in His compassion and love. Lord willing, we go from being self-centered to other-people-centered, with Christ’s mind that tells us “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others” (Psa 103:8-10, Psa 145:8-10, Php 2:3-4).

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

This verse speaks of how God will deliver and receive every son in time (Heb 2:14-15) through His chastening grace that is His favor upon us (Heb 12:6) as it transforms our thinking so that we are no longer conformed to this world but rather are looking to God to “prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Rom 12:2). 

Heb 2:14  Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 
Heb 2:15  And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

It does feel at times (1Pe 4:12) like God is not showing any pity to the inhabitants of the land within us when we are going through a severe trial (Mat 27:46, 1Jn 4:17) and likewise for the people during the rule with a rod of iron “For I will no more pity the inhabitants of the land, saith the LORD.” God will use every means at His disposal to accomplish that chastening leading up to the ultimate destruction of the man of perdition on the throne of mankind’s hearts in the lake of fire (2Th 2:8). This is what we are reading about here: “I will deliver the men every one into his neighbour’s hand, and into the hand of his king: and they shall smite the land, and out of their hand I will not deliver them.” It is these actions of God that demonstrate His love toward us, and in the end He will show great pity and kindness to all His creation, whose mercy starts with the elect who are first judged (Heb 12:6-7, Mal 3:17, Jas 5:11).

Heb 12:6  For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 
Heb 12:7  If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

Zec 11:7  And I will feed the flock of slaughter, even you, O poor of the flock. And I took unto me two staves; the one I called Beauty, and the other I called Bands; and I fed the flock. 
Zec 11:8  Three shepherds also I cut off in one month; and my soul lothed them, and their soul also abhorred me. 

The two staffs or rods God takes represent the elect, who are typified by the two witnesses of Revelation 11:3, who will be used by God to “feed the flock of slaughter, even you, O poor of the flock.“

These two staves or staffs or rods, Beauty^{H5278 (Grace)} and Bands^H2256(Union), have names that represent what God has already done in the lives of those who endure until the end in this life (Mat 24:13) and are then used by God to feed the world with the truth of God’s word. At the same time that the elect are feeding the masses with God’s word, they are also cutting off, through a process of judgment, the false prophets and shepherds of the world, “Three shepherds also I cut off in one month” who we are told “and my soul lothed them, and their soul also abhorred me.”

God is destroying the old carnal man who is against Christ, “and their soul also abhorred me“, through those who have already been judged and gone through the process of judgment (1Pe 4:12, 1Pe 4:17). God’s resurrected elect bride comes up in the first resurrection with agreeable spirits that are childlike and humble in nature that is what all these words tell us of the pleasant and beautiful bride of Christ who has become a teachable child of God (Mat 18:3) “agreeableness, that is, delight, suitableness, splendor or grace: – beauty, pleasant (-ness)”.

H5278 nô‛am no’-am   From H5276; agreeableness, that is, delight, suitableness, splendor or grace: – beauty, pleasant (-ness).

The bride’s role during the reign of the thousand years will be to measure the nations by ruling over them with a rod of iron. The two staffs represent the life of Christ within the elect who will have the power to execute that judgment in the earth so that men will learn of God’s righteousness (Isa 26:9). God’s elect go from being witnesses of these things in the earth today with the earnest of our inheritance within, to receiving an inheritance that will be ruled over with a rod of iron represented by the witness of two staffs called ‘Beauty’ and ‘Bands’. The definition of the staff or rod called ‘Bands’ demonstrates that there will be judgment in the earth during the thousand-year reign of the united-in-Christ saints, the “company (as if tied together)” that is also defined as:

H2256 chêbel kheh’-bel, khay’-bel   From H2254; a rope (as twisted), especially a measuring line; by implication a district or inheritance (as measured); or a noose (as of cords); figuratively a company (as if tied together); also a throe (especially of parturition); also ruin: – band, coast, company, cord, country, destruction, line, lot, pain, pang, portion, region, rope, snare, sorrow, tackling.

Zec 11:9  Then said I, I will not feed you: that that dieth, let it die; and that that is to be cut off, let it be cut off; and let the rest eat every one the flesh of another.

God’s word is rejected because God has not given the world a hunger and thirst to retain His word as He has done for the elect (Mat 5:6). The word goes forth throughout the thousand-year reign, however long it needs to as a witness that His word will not return void (Isa 55:11). It will not be sown in vain even though the world will once again reject Christ and crucify Him afresh as we all do in our appointed time. God’s outlook is clear. He has no intention of giving spiritual life to this lifeless generation which is still being nourished by “the flesh of another” and not by the body and blood of Christ (Joh 6:54-56, Eph 5:30).

The flesh and the blood both represent the word of God; the blood being more connected to the word that should be coursing through us (Col 3:16) to keep us alive as blood does, and the flesh being more representative of the works that a healthy fleshly body can produce.

Mat 5:6  Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: [Joh 6:54-55, Eph 5:30] for they shall be filled.

Joh 6:54  Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
Joh 6:55  For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
Joh 6:56  He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.

Eph 5:30  For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. [1Co 10:16]

Zec 11:10  And I took my staff, even Beauty, and cut it asunder, that I might break my covenant which I had made with all the people. 
Zec 11:11  And it was broken in that day: and so the poor of the flock that waited upon me knew that it was the word of the LORD. 

The famine of the word will progressively come upon the world during the thousand-year reign because God will cause that to happen, which is what this statement means, “And I took my staff, even Beauty, and cut it asunder, that I might break my covenant which I had made with all the people.” It is when God’s word and His favor is taken away from us that we stand up and take notice (Deu 31:21), whether that is today as those who first experience the rejection and hunger that the prodigal son went through or among those who initially are captivated by the many wonderful works and miracles that the Lord and His Christ will achieve at the onset of their reign on this earth, only to later reject that gospel and be turned to hoping in their own flesh (Gen 6:5). This cutting asunder of the people is what will naturally happen as Christ and His Christ will be rejected when the world comes to understand the true gospel message that does not include their rulership in the great white throne judgment, also revealing to themselves that there is judgment yet to come to those who are being reserved to that day (Rev 20:11-12, 2Pe 3:7). 

Rev 20:11  And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 
Rev 20:12  And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works [more or less stripes].

2Pe 3:7  But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment [Rev 20:11] and perdition of ungodly men. 

There will always be those who are left as a witness that these things were so, and they will have a heart to wait upon the word of the LORD in type wanting to attain to a better resurrection as others have (Heb 11:35). “And it was broken in that day: and so the poor of the flock that waited upon me knew that it was the word of the LORD.” John the Baptist was just such a person, who pointed to Christ yet still the least in the kingdom of God is greater than John who did not have God’s spirit within him (Luk 7:28, 1Co 10:11).

Zec 11:12  And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver.

When we acknowledge our sins, we are acknowledging the weight of the judgment that must come upon the body of Christ while in these earthen vessels. The thirty pieces of silver [3×10] represent the process of judgment that must come upon us. If we despise that judgment, which is God’s goodness and forbearance unfolding (Rom 2:4), we will be judged later in the lake of fire, which is what the “and if not, forbear” part of this sentence means. 

The world will learn that it was by grace through faith that both Christ and the body of Christ, the church, were able to endure to the end and be saved. The thirty pieces of silver represent Christ’s redemptive process (Mat 26:15) and the twenty pieces of silver of Joseph represent the redemptive process that the body of Christ experiences (Gen 37:28). The combination of the 30 pieces and the 20 pieces of silver that add up to 50 [5×10] reveals to us how, as the scapegoat and the second dove, God’s elect are connected to the salvation process toward all the world through Christ (Oba 1:21).

Zec 11:13  And the LORD said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prised at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the LORD.

It is the LORD who tells us to cast our cares upon our Father for He cares for us, and our communion is in the house of God where we learn of the body and blood of Christ (1Co 10:16). This is what we do when we obey God and cast our cares upon the Master Potter, bringing our pricked hearts to our Father of whom it was declared, “Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; 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, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.” All of this is for our sake so we could be cleansed from all unrighteousness (Act 4:27-28 , Isa 53:10, 1Jn 1:9). 

Casting it “to the potter” is another way of saying bring the whole tithe into the house, which is accomplished by the grace through faith process we just looked at [5×10=50] (Luk 11:51, Mal 3:10). The symbolism of casting the silver into the house of the potter is the same as acknowledging what sinful flesh is and what we are guilty of, expressed with the sentence, “And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the LORD“. The “thirty” reveals the need for the process of judgment to unfold so we may go onto perfection on the third day (Luk 13:32).

Also noteworthy is the sarcasm in the way this verse is written, as seen in other versions (LITV and ERV for example), showing us how little regard our flesh has for the holy things of God. God’s spirit within us is only able to make that change (Eze 22:8, Eze 44:8), so that the natural enmity of flesh does not rule over our hope of glory within (1Jn 4:4, Col 1:27):

Zec 11:13  And Jehovah said to Me, Throw it to the potter, the magnificent price at which I was valued by them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw it to the potter in the house of Jehovah. [LITV]

Zec 11:13  Then the Lord told me, “So that’s how much they think I’m worth. Throw that large amount of money into the temple treasury.” So I took the 30 pieces of silver and threw them into the treasury at the Lord’s temple. [ERV]

Mat 27:9  Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value; 
Mat 27:10  And gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord appointed me.

Psa 118:22  The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. 

1Pe 2:4 Whom approaching, a living Stone, having been rejected indeed by men, yet chosen by God, held in honor, [CLV]

1Pe 1:18  Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 
1Pe 1:19  But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 

Zec 11:14  Then I cut asunder mine other staff, even Bands, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel. 

The false sense of unity in the churches of this world is being talked about in these verses; the company of believers joined in a lie that will soon be parted (Pro 14:18, Pro 14:24). 

God has allowed for the ecumenical spirit of this world to thrive, the mantra that says ‘unity in the essentials and tolerance in the non-essentials and love in all things.’ Love is not defined as obedience to God’s words in Babylon (1Jn 5:2, 1Co 14:37-38). 

The world would rather be united in a lie than divided by the truth, and during the thousand-year reign of the saints, the Lord will use the body of Christ to “break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel” meaning the false relationship between the religions of the world between themselves and God, typified by “Judah and Israel” who say they are Jews and are not (Rev 2:9, Rev 3:9). 

Rev 2:9  I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. [God knows the works in the body of Christ]

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. [God knows the unholy works in the synagogue of Satan]

Zec 11:15  And the LORD said unto me, Take unto thee yet the instruments of a foolish shepherd. 

The elect are represented by both Beauty and Bands that represent Christ in us who makes it possible for us to be a rod of iron that will use the words of Babylon against themselves to judge them: “And the LORD said unto me, Take unto thee yet the instruments of a foolish shepherd” (Luk 19:22). 

Luk 19:22  And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow:

The world will not learn of war anymore (Isa 2:4), and physically there will be a forced compliance to that effect via the elect. As time progresses however, the world will, by whatever means God has ordained, come up against the camp of the saints with the intention of destroying God’s people (Rev 20:7-9)

Rev 20:9  And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

Zec 11:16  For, lo, I will raise up a shepherd in the land, which shall not visit those that be cut off, neither shall seek the young one, nor heal that that is broken, nor feed that that standeth still: but he shall eat the flesh of the fat, and tear their claws in pieces.

While the world will consider this verse to be speaking of the antichrist (Albert Barnes et al) or the likes of Antiochus (F. B. Meyer) or scribes and Pharisees (Matthew Henry) or the bishop of Rome (John Gill), the dispensational view of this verse is also speaking of how the Lord will raise up the church as a shepherd in the land, meaning the elect will be in the midst of all the living on the earth, and no conversion will be accomplished in the land, which is what this means: “shall not visit those that be cut off, neither shall seek the young one, nor heal that that is broken, nor feed that that standeth still“.

The world will stand still when God’s elect are resurrected and the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and His Christ (Rev 11:15), and we will take away the power the world has, the corrupt spiritual influence from Babylon which promotes the traditions of men in the churches of Babylon, along with the multi-trillion dollar industry of war. God’s elect during the thousand-year reign will “eat the flesh of the fat, and tear their claws in pieces“, which is another way of saying they shall be bread for us (Num 14:9), and their power will be taken away from them symbolized by tearing “their claws in pieces.” The claws which are used by the wild beast to tear at the word of God and not rightly divide it is what we are being told. That power will be taken away due to the rod of iron, Beauty and Bands that are in the hands of God’s people, and the earth will be filled with the knowledge of God as the oceans are filled with water (Hab 2:14).

Num 14:9  Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not. 

Hab 2:14  For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

Zec 11:17  Woe to the idol shepherd that leaveth the flock! the sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened.

All of this chastening of Israel that represents the world is the natural chastening that precedes the spiritual chastening (Heb 12:6) which will happen in the lake of fire. It will be accomplished during the thousand-year reign to demonstrate to all the world of that time and all who will come up in the second resurrection how God disdains the false shepherds of the world, “Woe to the idol shepherd that leaveth the flock!“

It is impossible for any of us to understand in an immature state why God would cause these shepherds to err and then punish them for those caused actions. The punishment is described with this verse, “the sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened.” This punishment is upon the iniquity the self-righteousness, that naturally cleaves to us unless the Lord chastens us, driving that out of us and bringing us to see and believe and lay hold of the strength of His arm, having lost our self-righteous definition of what it means to see. When our arm is dried up and our right eye, representing our own righteousness and spiritual perception, then and only then will we see (Joh 9:41).

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

Lord willing, God will continue to bless us to acknowledge in this age our blindness, and in so doing we can grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ as Babylon falls within us and Christ increases as we die daily (Joh 3:30).

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

[study Aired April 6, 2023]

2Ki 22:1  Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty and one years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah of Boscath. 
2Ki 22:2  And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left. 
2Ki 22:3  And it came to pass in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, that the king sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the house of the LORD, saying,
2Ki 22:4  Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, that he may sum the silver which is brought into the house of the LORD, which the keepers of the door have gathered of the people: 
2Ki 22:5  And let them deliver it into the hand of the doers of the work, that have the oversight of the house of the LORD: and let them give it to the doers of the work which is in the house of the LORD, to repair the breaches of the house,
2Ki 22:6  Unto carpenters, and builders, and masons, and to buy timber and hewn stone to repair the house. 
2Ki 22:7  Howbeit there was no reckoning made with them of the money that was delivered into their hand, because they dealt faithfully. 
2Ki 22:8  And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD. And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it. 
2Ki 22:9  And Shaphan the scribe came to the king, and brought the king word again, and said, Thy servants have gathered the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of them that do the work, that have the oversight of the house of the LORD. 
2Ki 22:10  And Shaphan the scribe shewed the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king. 
2Ki 22:11  And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes. 
2Ki 22:12  And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Michaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asahiah a servant of the king’s, saying, 
2Ki 22:13  Go ye, enquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found: for great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us. 
2Ki 22:14  So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asahiah, went unto Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college;) and they communed with her. 
2Ki 22:15  And she said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Tell the man that sent you to me,
2Ki 22:16  Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah hath read: 
2Ki 22:17  Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched. 
2Ki 22:18  But to the king of Judah which sent you to enquire of the LORD, thus shall ye say to him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, As touching the words which thou hast heard;
2Ki 22:19  Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the LORD, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith the LORD. 
2Ki 22:20  Behold therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace; and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place. And they brought the king word again.

Josiah, like Hezekiah, is one of the few kings of Judah who typifies Christ and in this section of Kings we see how God’s judgments unfolded through this section of his reign that was going to set the affairs of the nation of Judah in order, especially in regard to “the oversight of the house of the LORD.”

That oversight is revealed to have been lacking, and Josiah is the introspective king who sets out to change all that so that through those judgments that are brought upon “the house of the LORD” order can be restored and the breaches repaired spoken of in (2Ki 22:5).

2Ki 22:5  and let them deliver it into the hand of the workmen that have the oversight of the house of Jehovah; and let them give it to the workmen that are in the house of Jehovah, to repair the breaches of the house,

There were physical issues in the distribution of the silver to the workers on the temple which symbolize an unrepentant [silver] body of Christ that was sick from the foot to the head (Isa 1:5-6), with no humble and contrite heart that is softened, tender and yielded to God’s will, as was revealed to be the case with king Josiah, “Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the LORD.” Josiah typifies for God’s elect our hope of glory within (Col 1:27) who is working within each member of the body of Christ to create such an heart of humility and brokenness by which the works of God can manifest in the church (Isa 66:2).

Isa 1:5  Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.
Isa 1:6  From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment. 

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

Isa 66:2  For all these things hath my hand made, and so all these things came to be, saith Jehovah: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and that trembleth at my word.

Josiah sent “Shaphan the son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the house of the LORD” to “Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, that he may sum the silver which is brought into the house of the LORD, which the keepers of the door have gathered of the people: And let them deliver it into the hand of the doers of the work, that have the oversight of the house of the LORD: and let them give it to the doers of the work which is in the house of the LORD, to repair the breaches of the house.” Josiah sent Shaphan to discover this point that there was much physical damage done that typifies the spiritual neglect during the reign of Manasseh and Amon and this was all about to change with Josiah in rule (2Ki 22:4-5).

This story of king Josiah is a shadow of Christ’s judgments that are now coming upon the years of corrupt and defiled leadership that came forth from these two kings Manasseh and Amon, and is written for our sakes to give us hope in how the Lord can and will search out the hidden places in our hearts and cleanse us from all our sins and all our iniquities (Isa 28:7, Isa 28:17, Zec 4:10), which is impossible to detect without this chastening process being brought upon us by the LORD (Psa 19:12, Psa 90:8, Isa 53:4-6, Col 1:24, Col 1:27).

Psa 90:8  Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, Our secret sins in the light of thy countenance. 

Isa 53:6  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and Jehovah hath laid on him the iniquity of us all [function of the scapegoat and the means by which that function is being accomplished (Col 1:24, Col 1:27, Php 2:12-13)].

Col 1:24  Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, [Eph 5:30] which is the church;

2Ki 22:1  Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty and one years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah of Boscath. 
2Ki 22:2  And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left. 

King Josiah being eight years old reveals he is a type of the new man who has God’s holy spirit within him (Rom 8:9), and he is going to affect the nation that will be coming to learn what they were not doing right in regard to the “scroll of the law” that “Hilkiah the priest” finds in the temple. These events typify Christ (Josiah the type) stirring up the spirit of God within the temple of God that has been neglected (Heb 2:3, 2Ti 1:6). 

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

2Ti 1:6  Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. 
2Ti 1:7  For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 

The “scroll of the law” is a type of the law found in Galatians 6:2, which is the law of liberty spoken of in the book of James (Jas 1:25) and the means by which the Israel of God (Gal 6:16), the temple of God which we are, can be restored, a law being typified by the “scroll of the law” which will be discovered in the temple and implemented by King Josiah who typifies our Lord who is doing that restorative work within us as our hope of glory (Col 1:27).

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

Jas 1:25  But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

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

What that “scroll of the law” can do for the nation of Israel if implemented is restore the breaches, and the means by which this is going to be accomplished is typified by the names that surround king Josiah’s life, his own name meaning “sustained of Jehovah” (Php 4:13, Rom 3:27) which is the only way this restorative work of the temple can be accomplished by those who are born of God and meant to be adorned as the bride of Christ (Jas 2:5, Deu 33:12, Rev 19:7) who will be raised up (Rev 12:5) in order to mature and become the  foundation of God’s government built upon Christ the chief corner stone (Mat 16:18, Psa 118:22). All those points are brought out with this one sentence:

2Ki 22:1 Josiah’s [sustained of Jehovah] “mother’s name was Jedidah [beloved], the daughter of Adaiah [Jah adorns] of Boscath [rising ground]”. PNB-kjv

Josiah’s life was typical of what Christ can do through those who are led of the holy spirit: “he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in all the way of David his father” (Rom 8:14-15), and foreshadows those who will be granted to look into “the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein“. That continual pressing forward process, the “turned not aside to the right hand or to the left” part of our walk, is accompanied with tribulation that teaches us obedience as were given the faith and strength through Christ to endure to the end, God willing (Heb 5:8, Act 14:22, Mat 24:13). God’s elect are granted to walk in the light turning not aside to the right hand or to the left as the Lord cleanses us from all our iniquities (Psa 103:3-6) and show us what needs to be changed in our lives as we walk in the light, symbolized by “the scroll of the law“(Php 3:13-15, 1Jn 1:7, Psa 119:105).

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

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

Php 3:13  Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 
Php 3:14  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 
Php 3:15  Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

1Jn 1:7  But if we walk in the light, [“press toward the mark for the prize“] as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin [“God shall reveal even this unto you“]. 

Psa 119:105  NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

2Ki 22:3  And it came to pass in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, that the king sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the house of the LORD, saying,
2Ki 22:4  Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, that he may sum the silver which is brought into the house of the LORD, which the keepers of the door have gathered of the people: 

We grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (2Pe 3:18) as we are judged by God (1Pe 4:17), and those judgments and instructions of the LORD keep us on the straight and narrow path that takes us from “death to life” (Pro 5:1-6, Pro 10:17, Joh 5:24, Mat 7:14, Mat 22:14).

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

Mat 7:14  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

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

The eighteenth year (2×9 or 1+8 connected to judgment) is the year king Josiah sends “Shaphan the son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the house of the LORD” and he is the one who is sent to “Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, that he may sum the silver which is brought into the house of the LORD, which the keepers of the door have gathered of the people.” 

Shaphan^H8227 typifies the holy spirit which is sent to God’s elect, the treasure in earthen vessels (2Co 4:7), that is able to lead us into all truth (Joh 14:16). Shaphan goes to “Hilkiah^H2518 the high priest” who represents that portion of God’s spirit that God has been given us and that He is working in our lives as our high priest (Eph 2:8-10 , Col 1:27). 

H8227 Shaphan  shâphân shaw-fawn’

From H8226; a species of rock rabbit (from its hiding), that is, probably the hyrax: – coney.

H8226śâphan saw-fan’

A primitive root; to conceal (as a valuable): – treasure.

H2518 Hilkiah chilqı̂yâh    chilqı̂yâhû khil-kee-yaw’, khil-kee-yaw’-hoo

From H2506 and H3050; portion of Jah; Chilhijah, the name of eight Israelites: – Hilkiah.

Joh 14:16  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

The work that is at hand in the lives of God’s elect is symbolized by this statement “that he may sum the silver which is brought into the house of the LORD, which the keepers of the door have gathered of the people” and only made possible by God’s spirit working within us, symbolized by “Hilkiah the high priest” who is the one who will  “sum the silver which is brought into the house of the LORD, which the keepers of the door have gathered of the people”. Christ is the one who gives us the power to give an accounting of our sins in this age, which is what Hilkiah the high priest typifies for us today (Rom 2:4).

The “keepers of the door” who have gathered represents those who have watered and planted, but God must give the increase and that comes by way of the holy spirit that is sent and shed abroad in our hearts. The watering and planting is the Body’s part that we do with fear and trembling, knowing that it is God who is working in us both to will and to do, giving the increase that comes from Him alone (1Co 3:6, Php 2:12-13, Rom 5:5, Rom 2:4). 

1Co 3:6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.

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

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

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

2Ki 22:5  And let them deliver it into the hand of the doers of the work, that have the oversight of the house of the LORD: and let them give it to the doers of the work which is in the house of the LORD, to repair the breaches of the house,
2Ki 22:6  Unto carpenters, and builders, and masons, and to buy timber and hewn stone to repair the house.
2Ki 22:7  Howbeit there was no reckoning made with them of the money that was delivered into their hand, because they dealt faithfully.

Those who have “the oversight of the house of the LORD” is speaking of the fellow labourers that we are in the Lord, “doers (Rom 2:13) of the work which is in the house of the LORD” who have been called to work together to “repair the house” each joint supplying in love what is needed “to repair the breaches of the house“.

Rom 2:13  (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.

The body of Christ has many members but is one bread and one spirit (1Co 10:16-17). This multi-faceted body is typified by these different trades who were used to repair the physical temple of God, “Unto carpenters, and builders, and masons, and to buy timber and hewn stone to repair the house.”

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? [Eph 5:30]
1Co 10:17  For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.

To carry on with the analogy, once the gifts (the monies) are given to the builders of the house there was “no reckoning made with them of the money that was delivered into their hand, because they dealt faithfully“, telling us that the work that God does in us through Christ is a faithful work that he will start and finish as he is the builder, the author and finisher of our faith (Php 1:6, Psa 127:1, Heb 12:2).

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

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

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.

2Ki 22:8  And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD. And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it. 
2Ki 22:9  And Shaphan the scribe came to the king, and brought the king word again, and said, Thy servants have gathered the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of them that do the work, that have the oversight of the house of the LORD. 

God’s wisdom is hidden from the world and foolish in the heart of the natural man, and it takes Christ in us as our hope of glory to find the truth: “I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD“(1Co 2:7, 1Co 3:19). This account of Hilkiah the high priest giving the book that he found to Shaphan the scribe to read is symbolic of how God’s spirit can lead us into all truth (Joh 14:16), and reveal things that have been hidden from us. 

1Co 2:7  But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: 

1Co 3:19  For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. 

Joh 14:16  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

The work of God is given to those “that have the oversight of the house of the LORD” and Shaphan brings this message to king Josiah who typifies Christ, “Thy servants have gathered the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of them that do the work, that have the oversight of the house of the LORD”, which typifies for us how we acknowledge Christ who is typified by Josiah whose servants, “thy servants“, that represent God’s workmanship are given gifts to be used for the body, that is fitly framed by God (1Co 12:18) as we learn to operate in the measure of faith given (Eph 4:7) so we can demonstrate the right “oversight of the house of the LORD” and come to the same unity of faith to the glory of God (Eph 4:13).

1Co 12:18  But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. 

Eph 4:7  But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

Eph 4:13  Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

2Ki 22:10  And Shaphan the scribe shewed the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king. 
2Ki 22:11  And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes. 

It is after we read and understand the word of God that we learn how spiritually lacking we are, it is “when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes“, a symbol of the elect who read, hear and keep the sayings of the prophecy (Rev 1:3) that convict us so that we mourn and sigh and cry for our own wretchedness and nakedness that is now exposed: “he rent his clothes“. In this case Josiah represents Christ who rends his heart and not his garments as he weeps over Jerusalem (Joe 2:13) typified by Josiah who sees the need for judgement upon the nation of Judah who have not kept “the words of the book of the law“(Rev 1:3, Rev 3:17, Luk 19:41).

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. 

Rev 3:17  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

Joe 2:13  And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.

Luk 19:41  And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,

2Ki 22:12  And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Michaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asahiah a servant of the king’s, saying, 
2Ki 22:13  Go ye, enquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found: for great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us.

We must, at the command of the King, study to show ourselves approved which will benefit everyone in time (2Ti 2:15, 1Ti 4:16). This is what enquiring “of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found” will produce, in type and shadow. Until we do that God’s wrath continues to abide upon all unrighteousness of men “for great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us” (Rom 1:18), and the reason being is that the natural carnal status of mankind leaves us in a state where “our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us”. It is only when we “enquire of the LORD” and seek him with all our hearts that we are promised that we will find him, which cannot happen unless we are dragged to His son (Jer 29:13, Joh 6:44).

2Ti 2:15  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

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.

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

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.

2Ki 22:14  So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asahiah, went unto Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college;) and they communed with her. 
2Ki 22:15  And she said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Tell the man that sent you to me,
2Ki 22:16  Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah hath read: 
2Ki 22:17  Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched. 

Hilkiah, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan and Asahiah went unto “Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe” and she in no uncertain terms explained the punishment that was going to come upon Judah: “Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched“. The number of men that went up to see the prophetess is significant as it is by God’s grace symbolized by the five men that the nation of Judah will learn of the Lord’s chastening grace for forsaking him.

Huldah is married to “Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college;) and they communed with her” creating imagery for us that tells us that she is a type of Jerusalem above the mother of us all whose lineage has someone in it who is a “keeper of the wardrobe” which symbolizes the words of God that are eternal and being preserved (Joh 6:68). Dwelling in “Jerusalem in the college” also reminds God’s elect today in type and shadow language where we dwell with knowledge which is described in this verse (1Ti 3:15).

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

2Ki 22:18  But to the king of Judah which sent you to enquire of the LORD, thus shall ye say to him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, As touching the words which thou hast heard;
2Ki 22:19  Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the LORD, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith the LORD.
2Ki 22:20  Behold therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace; and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place. And they brought the king word again.

This is the key point being made in this study “Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the LORD, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith the LORD“.  God grants the king to have that humble and contrite heart just as he does His elect, who sigh and cry for the abominations that are now being revealed to us just as they were to King Josiah (Eze 9:4). This sighing and crying which occurs is true of both Christ and His body (1Jn 4:17), and that’s the main typical message of this chapter of Kings. When God is working with you, He is humbling your heart which is a miracle because the natural status of the human heart is deceitful and desperately wicked, not able to be known (Jer 17:9, Eze 36:26).

Eze 9:4  And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof. 

Jer 17:9  The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? 

Eze 36:26  A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

The fact that we are even inquiring of the LORD is a miracle as king Josiah demonstrates, and we have not because we ask not (Jas 4:2). Josiah not only asked, he asked with a humble and contrite heart and was heard “Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the LORD“. So God made him to be a type of a vessel of honour who demonstrated that God was working with him because thou “hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith the LORD“. That act of sighing and crying before the LORD also can remind us of this verse that says for the elect sakes those days shall be shortened (Mat 24:22).

Mat 24:22  And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.

God will physically stop the destruction of this earth from unfolding because of the elect who will be the reason that God will not bring about utter destruction upon the nations of the world and then at the end of the thousand year reign the elect will fulfill the spiritual counter point of saving the world from physical destruction by saving all mankind in the lake of fire judgment (1Co 15:46, Rom 1:20, Oba 1:21).

1Co 15:46  Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. 

Rom 1:20  For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 

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.

The Book of Joshua – Part 7: Fame and Fear of the Sword Wielded by the Elect of God will go Globally – Joshua 6:18-27

[Study Aired April 1, 2023]

We concluded Part 6 in the Study of Joshua 6:1-17, with the Lord through Joshua detailing the events for Israel to take the ‘moon-city’ of Jericho. Joshua finishes the Lord’s directive by commanding the Israelites to not take anything the Lord has forbidden into the camp of Israel.

Jos 6:18 And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it. 
Jos 6:19 But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated unto the LORD: they shall come into the treasury of the LORD. 
Jos 6:20 So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city. 
Jos 6:21 And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword. 
Jos 6:22 But Joshua had said unto the two men that had spied out the country, Go into the harlot’s house, and bring out thence the woman, and all that she hath, as ye sware unto her. 
Jos 6:23 And the young men that were spies went in, and brought out Rahab, and her father, and her mother, and her brethren, and all that she had; and they brought out all her kindred, and left them without the camp of Israel. 
Jos 6:24 And they burnt the city with fire, and all that was therein: only the silver, and the gold, and the vessels of brass and of iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the LORD. 
Jos 6:25 And Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive, and her father’s household, and all that she had; and she dwelleth in Israel even unto this day; because she hid the messengers, which Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.
Jos 6:26 And Joshua adjured them at that time, saying, Cursed be the man before the LORD, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho: he shall lay the foundation thereof in his firstborn, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it. 
Jos 6:27 So the LORD was with Joshua; and his fame was noised throughout all the country. 

The Body of the Study:

Jos 6:18 And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it. 
Jos 6:19 But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated unto the LORD: they shall come into the treasury of the LORD.
Jos 6:19 But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated unto the LORD: they shall come into the treasury of the LORD.

In verses 17 and 18, the Lord announces every detail of Jericho being cursed other than Rahab, whose minimal faith saved her and her household, including the base metals iron and brass and the precious metals silver and gold alone from Jericho. He reinforces his doctrine that only those who obey his commands will be accepted; he will never suffer a hint of corruption (accursed thing) by his people, Israel subverting his laws in letter and spiritually for the Body of Christ.

Accursed is H7045 – and means curse, vilification, execration [Detestation]. Its origin is H7043, and highly interestingly means,
to be slight, be swift, be trifling, be of little account, be light
(Qal) to be slight, be abated (of water)
to be swift
to be trifling, be of little account
(Niphal)
to be swift, show oneself swift
to appear trifling, be too trifling, be insignificant
to be lightly esteemed
(Piel)
to make despicable
to curse

The Lord is telling the Israelites and us to take His commands seriously and not permit a little trifling doctrinal leaven or seemingly innocuous thing to rule in our lives. An accursed thing also is H2764 origin H2763 – meaning, to ban, destroy utterly anything that festers corruption from sound doctrine and is to be immediately destroyed from within the Temple that we are.

Israel is in its infancy of being the Lord’s first wife, so base metals such as brass (copper) and iron identify that infancy to be purified by them keeping all the Commandants of their Lord. Since the Israelites were commanded to keep the silver of Jericho, it represents the Lord’s word, and the preservation of Jericho’s gold re-smelted epitomises the expected perfection in the individual.

Hag 2:8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts. 

Psa 24:1 A Psalm of David. The earth is the LORD’S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. 

Psa 50:10 For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. 
Psa 50:11 I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine. 
Psa 50:12 If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof.

Why can Israel take the base metals and silver and gold on this occasion, yet the Lord went to extraordinary lengths in Deuteronomy 6–9, hammering home to not take anything an Israelite deems precious from the nations to be utterly destroyed, including silver and gold? What we do with those items corrupts His spirit in the Temple we are.

Silver represents God’s unadulterated redemptive word as we transform into gold, the most precious of all metals, and represents their fullness in Him. They are nothing of their own as metals, nor is the molded image of idols anything unless they are considered worthy of worship. For the Body of Christ, it is similar to eating unclean meats or taking up deadly things such as symbolic poisonous snakes or drinking symbolically poisonous fluid representing “accursed” doctrine. Infant Israel had to be taught the physical lesson for us to learn spiritually; she had to listen closely to what her Lord said, even if it did seem a contradictory parable.

Deu 12:32 All the things I command you, be careful to do it. You shall not add to it, nor take away from it.

Eze 16:14 And thy [Israel and us in the flesh] renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty: for it was perfect through my comeliness, which I had put upon thee, saith the Lord GOD. 
Eze 16:15 But thou didst trust in thine own beauty, and playedst the harlot because of thy renown, and pouredst out thy fornications on every one that passed by; his it was. 
Eze 16:16 And of thy garments thou didst take, and deckedst thy high places with divers colours, and playedst the harlot thereupon: the like things shall not come, neither shall it be so.
Eze 16:17 Thou hast also taken thy fair jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given thee, and madest to thyself images of men, and didst commit whoredom with them, 
Eze 16:18 And tookest thy broidered garments, and coveredst them: and thou hast set mine oil and mine incense before them. 
Eze 16:19 My meat also which I gave thee, fine flour, and oil, and honey, wherewith I fed thee, thou hast even set it before them for a sweet savour: and thus it was, saith the Lord GOD.
Eze 16:20 Moreover thou hast taken thy sons and thy daughters, whom thou hast borne unto me, and these hast thou sacrificed unto them to be devoured. Is this of thy whoredoms a small matter,
Eze 16:21 That thou hast slain my children, and delivered them to cause them to pass through the fire for them? 
Eze 16:22 And in all thine abominations and thy whoredoms thou hast not remembered the days of thy youth, when thou wast naked and bare, and wast polluted in thy blood.

Mar 16:17 And miraculous signs will follow to those believing these things: in My name they will cast out demons; they will speak new tongues; 
Mar 16:18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will be well.

As such, Joshua 6:18 says you surely shall keep clear of the cursed thing, lest you make yourselves cursed when you take of the cursed things, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it. For Christ’s Body, we do not look upon a cursed thing to lust after it because once lust is dwelt upon, we toy with the idea that the ‘little leaven’ of an accursed thing can’t hurt us and could amplify the inherent curse by taking that doctrine to our friends and family. To the spiritual church that rightly divides the word of God, normally, the accursed thing wouldn’t have an effect. However, for unspiritual Israel, the natural or physical law had to precede its spiritual application for our learning.

God’s Church came out of the harlot, Israel, and had her silver, gold, bronze and iron vessels taken from Jericho and resmelted to his modified use. The fiery purification of the accursed thing by refining its gold and making it into the purity of His image is the only process that will satisfy the Lord. That process is a perfect example of us, a figurative Rahab harlot being changed into His Wife eagerly consenting to her Lord’s judgments. First, Israel in the flesh is on a predetermined path, unconsciously in the future returning to being one immense Whore (Rev 17:1-18).

Isa 1:21 How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers.
Isa 1:22 Thy silver is become dross, thy wine mixed with water: 
Isa 1:23 Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them. 

In taking these metals from Jericho and recasting the innocuous metal in the refining fire, Old Israel is unwittingly prophesying the future event for the spiritual Israel of God symbolically as their refinements through fiery trials.

Jos 6:21 And they completely destroyed all in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword. 

The spiritual man is likewise overjoyed with a figurative “great shout” at the ram’s horns being blown within, with the walls protecting his idols of the heart falling flat, entering and leaving nothing that breathes alive. He likewise goes straight up into his city within. During the Resurrection to life, he learns to go through the gates of the Heavenly Jerusalem, whose foundation and gate are built in him by his Lord.

Eph 2:19 Now therefore you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God,
Eph 2:20 and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone,
Eph 2:21 in whom every building having been fitly framed together, grows into a holy sanctuary in the Lord; 
Eph 2:22 in whom you also are built together for a dwelling place of God through the Spirit.

Rev 22:14 Blessed are they who do His commandments, that their authority will be over the Tree of Life, and they may enter in by the gates into the city.
Rev 22:15 But outside are the dogs, and the sorcerers, and the fornicators, and the murderers, and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and makes a lie.

Joh 10:1 Truly, truly, I say to you, He who does not enter into the sheepfold by the door, but going up by another way, that one is a thief and a robber. 
Joh 10:2 But he who enters in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

Jos 6:22 And Joshua had said to the two men who had spied out the country, Go into the harlot’s house, and bring the woman out from there, and all that she has, as you swore to her. 
Jos 6:23 And the young men who were spies went in and brought Rahab out, and her father and her mother, and her brothers, and all that she had. And they brought out all her kindred and set them outside the camp of Israel.

Rahab and her family were undoubtedly not ready for such a climactic and devastating exhibition from the God of Israel, with the entire walls surrounding the city thunderously collapsing. Undestroyed was one remnant of the wall standing prominently alone as a tower. From that perspective, Rahab and the Shulamite in the Song of Solomon share a commonality. Both found peace in the eyes of God by being a tower within a wall.

Rahab symbolised the Bride of Christ while living in and amid sin, while the Shulamite was a wall that symbolically couldn’t be breached by sin. Within the walls of both women resolutely stood their breasts, denoting their gender and, particularly beneath, their faithful hearts.

With the tower of one breast, Rahab typifies unity with the budding old carnal Israel and Jerusalem going before future spiritual Israel with the two breasts (witness) of the Shulamite embedded in the wall of the Heavenly Jerusalem above.

Son 8:8 We have a little sister, and she has no breasts; what shall we do for our sister in the day when she shall be spoken for? 
Son 8:9 If she is a wall, we will build on her a palace of silver; and if she is a door, we will enclose her with boards of cedar. 
Son 8:10 I was a wall, and my breasts like towers; then I was in His eyes as one finding peace.

Towers in a city wall were strong fortifications, often on the corners of the city walls or astride the city’s gates, and added a buttress-like strength to better withstand the mighty boulder-throwing engines of the enemy. (Tower: G4444 – 1. a tower. 2. a fortified structure rising to a considerable height to repel a hostile attack or to enable a watchman to see in every direction). In defence, they, too, were prominent points commanding a wide view of the enemy’s positions for the defendants to respond with their engine’s projectiles and arrows. Because of the embedded tower’s structural strength, they were often the only edifice under siege left standing ~ so, too, is a woman’s heart magnified beneath her peaceful ‘towers’, especially spiritually for the Church.

Similarly, in the flesh, all women are highly aware of their relative beauty, and their hearts reject the lecherous boulders and arrows from the leering attentions of presumptuous suitors. So, too, is the Body of Christ fiercely watchful for lewd doctrines striking her spiritual heart.

As seen in the Song of Solomon study series, apart from a woman’s overall feminine shape, the heart beneath her breasts spiritually, for us, is emphasised figuratively by twin towers defending the word of God most fiercely. Whereas the peaceful city of Jerusalem is represented by the Shulamite, our dear harlot sister, Rahab, figured as only one tower remaining in the wall of Jericho, she represented. Rahab and Jericho saw what the Lord did for the Israelites. This frightened woman holding on with a little faith to not be destroyed desires to be one flesh with Israel, her saviour, her carnal Christs. 

Psa 61:2 From the end of the earth will I [Rahab and we] cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
Psa 61:3 For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy. 
Psa 61:4 I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah. 

Oba 1:20 And the captivity of this host of the children of Israel shall possess that of the Canaanites, even unto Zarephath; and the captivity of Jerusalem, which is in Sepharad, shall possess the cities of the south. 
Oba 1:21 And saviours [plural – Christs] shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD’S.

The young men did as they had pledged for Rahab and her entire household, just as the Christs will do for the entire world in the Resurrection to Judgment, saving the Camp of Israel and those outside the Camp.

While in the nation of Israel, Rahab, her family and her descendants were considered unclean until Christ’s death; hence, she and her family were set apart outside the Camp with the mixed multitude. Since Jericho was burnt, Rahab is a type of sin offering outside the Camp.

As was the Commandments of Moses:

Num 5:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 
Num 5:2 Command the children of Israel, that they put out of the camp every leper, and every one that hath an issue, and whosoever is defiled by the dead: [Rahab was influentially defiled by Jericho’s dead]
Num 5:3 Both male and female shall ye put out, without the camp shall ye put them; that they defile not their camps, in the midst whereof I dwell. 
Num 5:4 And the children of Israel did so, and put them out without the camp: as the LORD spake unto Moses, so did the children of Israel.

Lev 4:21 And he shall carry forth the bullock without the camp, and burn him as he burned the first bullock: it is a sin offering for the congregation.

Jos 6:24 And they burnt the city with fire, and all that was therein: only the silver, and the gold, and the vessels of brass and of iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the LORD. 

The idols we subconsciously believe will save us by the power of our might, is us chasing the wind and utter vanity; they are nothing. They shall be soundly burnt and purified, and we fashioned into the Lord’s image.

Isa 44:9 They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed. 
Isa 44:10 Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image that is profitable for nothing? 
Isa 44:11 Behold, all his fellows shall be ashamed: and the workmen, they are of men: let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; yet they shall fear, and they shall be ashamed together. 

Jos 6:25 And Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive, and her father’s household, and all that she had; and she dwelleth in Israel even unto this day; because she hid the messengers, which Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.
Jos 6:26 And Joshua adjured them at that time, saying, Cursed be the man before the LORD, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho: he shall lay the foundation thereof in his firstborn, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it. 

The fact that Rahab and her household dwelt in Israel “unto this day”, again is a testament to their descendants, the entire world being eventually saved. 

The Bride of Christ, the spiritual messengers who have spied out their inheritance (Christ), is likewise hidden by Him on a rooftop in the figurative walls of Old Jerusalem, the Babylonish system whose walls fall flat, leaving Christ, our tower for us to see our enemies within, from all directions.

2Sa 22:50 Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and I will sing praises unto thy name. 
2Sa 22:51 He is the tower of salvation for his king: and sheweth mercy to his anointed, unto David, and to his seed for evermore.

The last half of Joshua 6:26 seems incongruous with the first half ~ And Joshua adjured them at that time, saying, Cursed be the man before the LORD, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho: he shall lay the foundation thereof in his firstborn, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it. Any man who rebuilds Jericho will be cursed, yet, in the same breath, the builder is laying a foundation in his firstborn and establishing the youngest in the city’s gates.

The ‘tel’ or ‘tal’ (mound of dirt and debris) formed by people subsequently rebuilding time and again upon an ancient city’s foundation is starkly seen today on Jericho’s site. https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=jericho+archaeological+dig

What can we learn from any who dares reconstruct Jericho? Of course, King Ahab would go to any lengths to do the opposite of what the Lord says.

1Ki 16:30 And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him. 
1Ki 16:31 And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him.
1Ki 16:32 And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria. 
1Ki 16:33 And Ahab made a grove; and Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him. 
1Ki 16:34 In his days did Hiel [khee-ale] the Bethelite build Jericho: he laid the foundation thereof in Abiram his firstborn, and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son Segub [saw-gab], according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Joshua the son of Nun.

Ironically, the name Abiram (H48  Phonetic ab-ee-rawm – Definition: Abiram = my father is exalted or (the) Exalted one is (my) father 1. Origin H7311 – 1. to rise, rise up, be high, be lofty, be exalted a Reubenite, son of Eliab in exodus) 2. son of Hiel the Bethelite who worked to rebuild Jericho) is synonymous with a rebellious father; he was the son of Eliab from the tribe of Reuben (Num 16:1). Abiram and his brother Dathan were kingpins in Korah’s rebellion and were swallowed up by the earth. 

The second man named Abiram in Joshua 6:26 prophetically alludes is his father, Hiel. Hiel relaid the foundations of Jericho at the cost of eldest son Abiram’s life fulfilling the first part of 1 Kings 16:34, and Hiel setting up the gates of Jericho cost the life of his youngest son, Segub (saw-gab). The tragic irony of the meaning of Segub’s name cascades self-exultation within the family since his name means H7687 – exalted, and origin H7682 – 1. to be high, be inaccessibly high a. (Qal) 1. to be (too) high (for capture) 2. to be high (of prosperity).

For the Body of Christ’s spiritual learning, we had better take His word seriously; no matter how many decades or thousands of years pass, His word endures. Unless the Lord lays the foundation of the Heavenly Jerusalem within, and we enter through the straight gate, we die with Old Jerusalem to be raised in the refining Lake of Fire.

1Pe 1:24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: 
1Pe 1:25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

1Co 3:9 For of God we are fellow-workers, a field of God, and you are a building of God.
1Co 3:10 According to the grace of God which is given to me, as a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let every man be careful how he builds on it.
1Co 3:11 For any other foundation can no one lay than the one being laid, who is Jesus Christ. 
1Co 3:12 And if anyone builds on this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble, 
1Co 3:13 each one’s work shall be revealed. For the Day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try each one’s work as to what kind it is. 
1Co 3:14 If anyone’s work which he built remains, he shall receive a reward.
1Co 3:15 If anyone’s work shall be burned up, he shall suffer loss. But he shall be saved, yet so as by fire. 
1Co 3:16 Do you not know that you are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 
1Co 3:17 If anyone defiles the temple of God, God shall destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which you are. 

Mat 7:13 Go in through the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many there are who go in through it. 
Mat 7:14 Because narrow is the gate and constricted is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Just as Hiel rebuilt Jericho on its destroyed foundations, our symbolic elder son dies if we try to spiritually rebuild Old Jerusalem on even part of its former foundations since Old Jerusalem represents the rejected anointed Woman in the wilderness; we metaphorically return to Babylon.

Rom 9:12 it was said to her [Rebekah], “The elder [Esau] shall serve the younger [Jacob].” 
Rom 9:13 As it is written, “Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.”

If the elected anointed in the Body of Christ, representing the younger son, likewise spiritually (who would dare physically?) attempts to build a gate for Christ to enter the bondage of Old Jerusalem (symbolically Jericho), like Segub (saw-gab), we will die to be raised in the Resurrection to Judgment.

Sarcastically, Babylon’s Ishtar Gate has been rebuilt to the grandeur of its originality and remains today ~ how fitting for an unwitting world.

Gal 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty with which Christ has made us free, and do not again be held with the yoke of bondage. 
Gal 5:2 Behold, I, Paul, say to you that if you are circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. 
Gal 5:3 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do all the Law, 
Gal 5:4 you who are justified by Law are deprived of all effect from Christ; you fell from grace. 
Gal 5:5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness out of faith.

Jos 6:27 So the LORD was with Joshua; and his fame was noised throughout all the country. 

Joshua represents the Body of Christ, and for the moment, their fame to the world is insignificant and laughable. They are covertly being dressed in pure white linen that the world sees metaphorically as sackcloth, whereas their Babylonian Christian brothers and sisters in the court outside the temple dance an unwitting naked deluded dance thinking they are now saved.

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.
Rev 11:3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. 
Rev 11:4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. 
Rev 11:5 And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed [particularly in the One Thousand Year Reign].

The two witnesses, the altar, the two olive trees and two candlesticks are one and the same Elect of God whose fame will go throughout the entire world at their hopeful First Resurrection to life. However, there will be a mighty turbulence of emotions see-sawing in every person outside the camp of the Lord, between joy and immense fear during the rule with the rod of iron in the One-Thousand Year Reign.

Rev 11:11 And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them [The Elect], and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them [The rest of the world] which saw them.

Rev 15:4 Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest. 

The nations will not come to worship with a willing spirit in the One-Thousand Year Reign, for they will worship from the fear of a fleshy heart.

Isa 30:27 Behold, the name of the LORD cometh from far, burning with his anger, and the burden thereof is heavy: his lips are full of indignation, and his tongue as a devouring fire: 
Isa 30:28 And his breath, as an overflowing stream, shall reach to the midst of the neck, to sift the nations with the sieve of vanity: and there shall be a bridle in the jaws of the people, causing them to err. 

Indeed, the Elect’s fame will go worldwide and be a constant fearful name on the world’s lips and minds.

Exodus 36:1-38  The People Brought Much More than Enough for the Service of the Work

[Study Aired February 6, 2023]

Exo 36:1  Then wrought Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise hearted man, in whom the LORD put wisdom and understanding to know how to work all manner of work for the service of the sanctuary, according to all that the LORD had commanded.
Exo 36:2  And Moses called Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise hearted man, in whose heart the LORD had put wisdom, even every one whose heart stirred him up to come unto the work to do it: 
Exo 36:3  And they received of Moses all the offering, which the children of Israel had brought for the work of the service of the sanctuary, to make it withal. And they brought yet unto him free offerings every morning. 
Exo 36:4  And all the wise men, that wrought all the work of the sanctuary, came every man from his work which they made; 
Exo 36:5  And they spake unto Moses, saying, The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work, which the LORD commanded to make. 
Exo 36:6  And Moses gave commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, Let neither man nor woman make any more work for the offering of the sanctuary. So the people were restrained from bringing. 
Exo 36:7  For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much. 
Exo 36:8  And every wise hearted man among them that wrought the work of the tabernacle made ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubims of cunning work made he them. 
Exo 36:9  The length of one curtain was twenty and eight cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: the curtains were all of one size. 
Exo 36:10  And he coupled the five curtains one unto another: and the other five curtains he coupled one unto another.
Exo 36:11  And he made loops of blue on the edge of one curtain from the selvedge in the coupling: likewise he made in the uttermost side of another curtain, in the coupling of the second.
Exo 36:12  Fifty loops made he in one curtain, and fifty loops made he in the edge of the curtain which was in the coupling of the second: the loops held one curtain to another.
Exo 36:13  And he made fifty taches of gold, and coupled the curtains one unto another with the taches: so it became one tabernacle.
Exo 36:14  And he made curtains of goats’ hair for the tent over the tabernacle: eleven curtains he made them. 
Exo 36:15  The length of one curtain was thirty cubits, and four cubits was the breadth of one curtain: the eleven curtains were of one size. 
Exo 36:16  And he coupled five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves. 
Exo 36:17  And he made fifty loops upon the uttermost edge of the curtain in the coupling, and fifty loops made he upon the edge of the curtain which coupleth the second.
Exo 36:18  And he made fifty taches of brass to couple the tent together, that it might be one.
Exo 36:19  And he made a covering for the tent of rams’ skins dyed red, and a covering of badgers’ skins above that.
Exo 36:20  And he made boards for the tabernacle of shittim wood, standing up. 
Exo 36:21  The length of a board was ten cubits, and the breadth of a board one cubit and a half. 
Exo 36:22  One board had two tenons, equally distant one from another: thus did he make for all the boards of the tabernacle. 
Exo 36:23  And he made boards for the tabernacle; twenty boards for the south side southward: 
Exo 36:24  And forty sockets of silver he made under the twenty boards; two sockets under one board for his two tenons, and two sockets under another board for his two tenons. 
Exo 36:25  And for the other side of the tabernacle, which is toward the north corner, he made twenty boards, 
Exo 36:26  And their forty sockets of silver; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board.
Exo 36:27  And for the sides of the tabernacle westward he made six boards. 
Exo 36:28  And two boards made he for the corners of the tabernacle in the two sides. 
Exo 36:29  And they were coupled beneath, and coupled together at the head thereof, to one ring: thus he did to both of them in both the corners. 
Exo 36:30  And there were eight boards; and their sockets were sixteen sockets of silver, under every board two sockets. 
Exo 36:31  And he made bars of shittim wood; five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle, 
Exo 36:32  And five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the tabernacle for the sides westward. 
Exo 36:33  And he made the middle bar to shoot through the boards from the one end to the other. 
Exo 36:34  And he overlaid the boards with gold, and made their rings of gold to be places for the bars, and overlaid the bars with gold. 
Exo 36:35  And he made a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen: with cherubims made he it of cunning work. 
Exo 36:36  And he made thereunto four pillars of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold: their hooks were of gold; and he cast for them four sockets of silver. 
Exo 36:37  And he made an hanging for the tabernacle door of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, of needlework; 
Exo 36:38  And the five pillars of it with their hooks: and he overlaid their chapiters and their fillets with gold: but their five sockets were of brass. 

The chapter basically deals with the freewill offering brought to Moses and how the tabernacle was constructed. The tabernacle individually refers to our bodies as the temple of the Lord. Collectively, the tabernacle refers to the  church of the first born or the New Jerusalem. This study will therefore give us insight into how the church of the firstborn is built by the Lord through us.

1Co 3:16  Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? 

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

Exo 36:1  Then wrought Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise hearted man, in whom the LORD put wisdom and understanding to know how to work all manner of work for the service of the sanctuary, according to all that the LORD had commanded.
Exo 36:2  And Moses called Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise hearted man, in whose heart the LORD had put wisdom, even every one whose heart stirred him up to come unto the work to do it:

Bezaleel and Aholiab, together with all that were wise-hearted were given wisdom and understanding to know how to do the work of building the tabernacle.  Aholiab means ‘tent of his father’. Our bodies are the earthly tent of our Father, Jesus. Aholiab, therefore, represents the body of Christ or the Lord’s elect as we are given to work with the Lord, who is represented here as Bezaleel in the building of the New Jerusalem for our Lord to dwell. The wise-hearted are also the elect.

2Co 5:1  Our bodies are like tents that we live in here on earth. But when these tents are destroyed, we know that God will give each of us a place to live. These homes will not be buildings that someone has made, but they are in heaven and will last forever. (CEV)

We are therefore co-workers with the Lord as we work together as a unit to achieve what God desires. That is, by building the church of God which is the Lord’s body.

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. 

Exo 36:3  And they received of Moses all the offering, which the children of Israel had brought for the work of the service of the sanctuary, to make it withal. And they brought yet unto him free offerings every morning. 
Exo 36:4  And all the wise men, that wrought all the work of the sanctuary, came every man from his work which they made; 
Exo 36:5  And they spake unto Moses, saying, The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work, which the LORD commanded to make.

Moses here represents the Lord who has given us, the elect, (the wise-hearted) more than enough spiritual blessings to carry out the work of building the temple of the Lord within each one of us and collectively, to build the New Jerusalem or the church of the firstborn. These spiritual blessings, signified here by the offering, include the physical blessings we need for our living.

Eph 4:7  But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
Eph 4:8  Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. 
Eph 4:9  (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? 
Eph 4:10  He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) 
Eph 4:11  And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 
Eph 4:12  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 
Eph 4:13  Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 
Eph 4:14  That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
Eph 4:15  But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
Eph 4:16  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

In verse 5, we are told that the people brought more than enough for the service of the work. This means that the Lord has given us more than we need for the building of the temple of the Lord within each one of us. It is the abundance of the spiritual blessing the Lord has bestowed on us which ensures that we are not barren but fruitful in the knowledge of the Lord.

2Pe 1:3  According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 
2Pe 1:4  Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 
2Pe 1:5  And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 
2Pe 1:6  And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 
2Pe 1:7  And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 
2Pe 1:8  For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 
2Pe 1:9  But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

One thing we have to learn is that the Lord’s spiritual blessings upon us come in abundance. Our Lord does not give us His blessings sparingly. This is all to give us a foretaste of what will happen in the fullness of time. We shall be overwhelmed by the joy that is set before us as shown by Judah’s inheritance.

Mat 13:12  For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.

Jos 19:9  Out of the portion of the children of Judah was the inheritance of the children of Simeon: for the part of the children of Judah was too much for them: therefore the children of Simeon had their inheritance within the inheritance of them.

Exo 36:6  And Moses gave commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, Let neither man nor woman make any more work for the offering of the sanctuary. So the people were restrained from bringing.
Exo 36:7  For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much. 

Moses’ command for the people of Israel not to give any more offering for the sanctuary is to let us know that when the Lord comes to us with His spiritual blessings, we cease from our own strivings. In other words, we come to rest in the Lord of all sufficiency. Indeed, our Lord’s grace is more than sufficient for us to worry ourselves with our own works!!

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

Heb 4:10  For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. 
Heb 4:11  Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

Exo 36:8  And every wise hearted man among them that wrought the work of the tabernacle made ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubims of cunning work made he them.

The tabernacle is made of ten curtains of fine twined linen with the colors of blue, purple and scarlet. The curtains in the scriptures are synonymous with tents. In other words, tents and curtains are the same. The following verses affirm this point:

Hab 3:7  I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction: and the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble.

Isa 40:22  It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers;  that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:

Isa 54:2  Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes;

The tent, in turn, represents our bodies as follows:

2Co 5:1  For we know that if the tent, our earthly home, is torn down, we have a building from God—a home not made with human hands, eternal in the heavens. (TLV)

The fact that the curtains must be ten confirms the fact that we are talking about our earthly tent, which is our bodies. As we know, the number ten symbolizes corruptible dying flesh throughout scripture and therefore refers to our earthly bodies, which we are to offer as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to God.

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. 
Rom 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

The curtains must be of fine linen and colored blue, purple and scarlet. The curtains also represent the elect, who are the Cherubims. The color red or scarlet symbolizes the first Adam being of the earth, while the color blue symbolizes the last Adam – Jesus Christ coming to be in our heavens. The curtain of fine linen colored purple and scarlet represents us while we are in Babylon where our adamic nature became obvious while living under the law as shown in the following verses:

Rev 18:15  The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, 
Rev 18:16  And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! 

What this means is that a prerequisite of becoming a habitation for the Lord to dwell is the recognition of our spiritual poverty (purple and scarlet linen) before we are turned into blue linen.

Exo 36:9  The length of one curtain was twenty and eight cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: the curtains were all of one size. 

The measurement of each of the curtains is the same and therefore refers to Christ, who is our standard of measurement. This means that every one of the curtains having the same measure means that to become a habitation for our Lord to dwell, we must all measure up to the standard of Christ. We are therefore constantly being measured and judged to conform to the standards of Christ. All those who are not measured are not part of those who are made a habitation for the Lord to dwell. They belong to the Gentiles!!

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.

Exo 36:10  And he coupled the five curtains one unto another: and the other five curtains he coupled one unto another. 

The dividing of the ten curtains into two groups of five is very significant. This is very symbolic in the sense that it is faith through the grace of God (the meaning of the number five) that we become a habitation for the Lord. That is when we become witnesses of Christ (the meaning of the dividing of the curtains into two groups).

Rom 5:1  Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 
Rom 5:2  By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

The five curtains being coupled together means that, as His elect, we must have the same mind and the same judgment. Being coupled together is the work of the Lord. It is from Him that the whole body (the elect) is fitly joined together and compacted by what every joint supplies. So, the curtains being coupled together is to facilitate the supply of our spiritual food by every joint.

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

Exo 36:11  And he made loops of blue on the edge of one curtain from the selvedge in the coupling: likewise he made in the uttermost side of another curtain, in the coupling of the second. 
Exo 36:12  Fifty loops made he in one curtain, and fifty loops made he in the edge of the curtain which was in the coupling of the second: the loops held one curtain to another.
Exo 36:13  And he made fifty taches of gold, and coupled the curtains one unto another with the taches: so it became one tabernacle. 

The two sets of curtains are connected together with fifty blue loops as well as fifty gold clasps. What connects us together as the Lord’s elect is the spirit of the Lord.

1Co 12:11  But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. 
1Co 12:12  For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
1Co 12:13  For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
1Co 12:14  For the body is not one member, but many.

Exo 36:14  And he made curtains of goats’ hair for the tent over the tabernacle: eleven curtains he made them. 
Exo 36:15  The length of one curtain was thirty cubits, and four cubits was the breadth of one curtain: the eleven curtains were of one size. 
Exo 36:16  And he coupled five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves. 

The goats’ hair was used as a weather resistant external covering of the tabernacle. The dimensions of the goats’ hair show that they were longer than the first curtains, thus providing total protection of the inner curtains and items inside the tabernacle. What is insightful is the source of the goats’ hair cover. The curtains of goats’ hair were obtained by the killing of live goats and the subsequent removal of their skins. The curtains of goats’ hair therefore represent our Lord Jesus Christ who was the goat slaughtered on our behalf. It is also significant to note that the number of goats’ hair curtains needed was eleven. The number eleven symbolizes the ruin and disintegration of the perfection of the flesh. It is through the ruin and disintegration of the flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ that we are found in Him, as we represent the inner curtains, and He signifies the outer goat hair cover. As He is, so are we. We, too, are being slaughtered daily to complete the Lord’s preparation of our hearts and mind to become His habitation.

Lev 16:7  And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
Lev 16:8  And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat. 
Lev 16:9  And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the LORD’S lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering. 
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. 

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:

The fact that the eleven curtains must be of one measure is another way of saying that as He is, so are we. In other words, we must also be “killed” before we can become useful for the habitation of God.

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

The coupling of the five curtains by themselves means that it is faith through the grace of God (the meaning of the number five) that we become a habitation for the Lord. The number six signifies mankind. Thus, the other six curtains are to affirm to us that the dwelling place of the Lord is with man.

Rev 21:3  And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

Exo 36:17  And he made fifty loops upon the uttermost edge of the curtain in the coupling, and fifty loops made he upon the edge of the curtain which coupleth the second.
Exo 36:18  And he made fifty taches of brass to couple the tent together, that it might be one.

The two sets of curtains are connected together with fifty blue loops as well as fifty gold clasps. What connects us together as the Lord’s elect is the spirit of the Lord.

1Co 12:11  But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. 
1Co 12:12  For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. 
1Co 12:13  For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 
1Co 12:14  For the body is not one member, but many.

This spirit of the Lord is the same as His words. Through His words, we become of one mind and that is what connects us together.

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

Exo 36:19  And he made a covering for the tent of rams’ skins dyed red, and a covering of badgers’ skins above that.

A ram also represents Christ. The use of the rams’ skin as a covering is to let us know that it is through the death of Christ (the killing of the ram) that we are found in Him (covering us). The fact that the rams’ skins must be dyed red is to point to the fact that our Lord Jesus Christ was made like us – earthy (red).  In a similar vein, the Badger (probably antelope) also represents Christ, and it is through His death that are found in Him.

Lev 16:5  And he shall take of the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering.
Lev 16:6  And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and make an atonement for himself, and for his house.

Exo 36:20  And he made boards for the tabernacle of shittim wood, standing up. 
Exo 36:21  The length of a board was ten cubits, and the breadth of a board one cubit and a half. 
Exo 36:22  One board had two tenons, equally distant one from another: thus did he make for all the boards of the tabernacle. 
Exo 36:23  And he made boards for the tabernacle; twenty boards for the south side southward: 

The tabernacle was constructed with boards made of acacia wood. Apart from the fact that acacia wood grows wild in the desert, it is considered incorruptible. It is very dense and resistant both to disease and insects, just like cedar. Each of the boards is required to stand upright, not laying down and must have two tenons. A tenon is an end of a piece of wood that is cut into a special shape to fit into a hole on another piece of wood to make a strong joint. Twenty boards were to be fixed in the southern part of the tabernacle. The boards of shittim wood represent the elect whom the Lord is using to build His temple. The fact that the boards must stand upright is to remind us of our standing in the presence of the Lord.

Rev 11:4  These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.

We are the two candlesticks and the two olive trees that are standing before the presence of the Lord, just as the boards are standing before the Lord. Each of the boards must have two tenons or supports. As indicated, a tenon must be shaped to fit into another wood to make a strong joint. As boards, we are being shaped to fit the standard of Christ. This is being done through the judgment of our old man in this life. The result of the judgment process we are going through is to form a strong joint with Christ for the building of His temple.

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

In verse 23, twenty boards were to be used for the southern side of the tabernacle. The number twenty, on a positive note, refers to those who are mature enough to wage war. This means that the twenty boards on the southern side signify those whom the Lord is using to build His temple are those who are mature enough to wage war with the flesh to overcome it.

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

Exo 36:24  And forty sockets of silver he made under the twenty boards; two sockets under one board for his two tenons, and two sockets under another board for his two tenons.
Exo 36:25  And for the other side of the tabernacle, which is toward the north corner, he made twenty boards, 
Exo 36:26  And their forty sockets of silver; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board.
Exo 36:27  And for the sides of the tabernacle westward he made six boards. 

As indicated, each of the boards must be supported by two tenons. A tenon must be shaped to fit into another wood, which in this case is the socket to hold the boards firm. Since there were twenty boards for the southern side, there must be forty sockets which were made of silver. The northern side also had twenty boards which were also supported by forty sockets of silver. The forty sockets on each side of the tabernacle – the south and the north sides show us that our trials (the significance of the number forty) form an integral part of becoming part of the temple the Lord is building.

Psa 95:9  When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work.
Psa 95:10  Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways: 
Psa 95:11  Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest.

On the west side, there were sixteen sockets supporting eight boards. Thus, in total, there were 100 sockets for the boards. Apart from supporting the boards, it is the sockets on which stood the pillars that support the veil.  These sockets therefore represent the foundation of the tabernacle. What this means is that the hundred sockets of silver symbolize the atonement and the redemptive work of Christ on our behalf. The strength of the whole structure depended on this foundation, which rested on the silver of atonement. Fellowship with God can only be based on redemption.

1Ki 20:39  And as the king passed by, he cried unto the king: and he said, Thy servant went out into the midst of the battle; and, behold, a man turned aside, and brought a man unto me, and said, Keep this man: if by any means he be missing, then shall thy life be for his life, or else thou shalt pay a talent of silver.

Jesus Christ therefore has laid the foundation for our temple to be built.

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

Silver also signifies the doctrine of Christ as shown in the following verse:

Eze 16:17  Thou hast also taken thy fair jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given thee, and madest to thyself images of men, and didst commit whoredom with them, 

Joe 3:5  Because ye have taken my silver and my gold, and have carried into your temples my goodly pleasant things:

As we are aware, Christ is the word of God. This means that the materials that we need for the foundation of the Lord’s temple within us are Christ’s work of atonement and redemption and His words.

Exo 36:28  And two boards made he for the corners of the tabernacle in the two sides. 
Exo 36:29  And they were coupled beneath, and coupled together at the head thereof, to one ring: thus he did to both of them in both the corners. 
Exo 36:30  And there were eight boards; and their sockets were sixteen sockets of silver, under every board two sockets. 

At the two corners at the rear, the setup was different. Two boards were made for each corner, thus a total of four boards. The corner boards, however, were to be coupled together by a ring at the top and at the bottom. The two corner boards, plus six boards, totaling eight boards were to be at the west end. The Bible does not describe in detail how the corner boards were made. The joining of the boards at the corner provided the needed stability to the rear of the tabernacle. It is through our coming together as one that we become witnesses of Christ (the meaning of the number two) and therefore become established in Christ. What brings us together is the spirit of the Lord, which in this case refers to the ring at the top and the bottom used to couple the corner boards together.

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

Act 5:32  And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

The coupling of the two boards at each corner results in eight boards being at the rear of the tabernacle. As we are aware, the number eight signifies a new beginning. In the process of becoming a habitation of the Lord, we are turned into new creatures before God – the old things are gone!!

2Co 5:16  Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.
2Co 5:17  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Exo 36:31  And he made bars of shittim wood; five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle, 
Exo 36:32  And five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the tabernacle for the sides westward. 
Exo 36:33  And he made the middle bar to shoot through the boards from the one end to the other. 
Exo 36:34  And he overlaid the boards with gold, and made their rings of gold to be places for the bars, and overlaid the bars with gold.

Along with the boards and the sockets, bars were made. They were needed to reinforce the frame of the tabernacle walls. The Israelites were to make bars of acacia wood. The bars mentioned here, were probably crossbars that supported the sides of the tabernacle. As we have indicated in previous studies, the bars being made of acacia, which were found growing wild in the Sinai desert and the Jordan River valley, means that they were not planted and taken care of by man. In other words, it is not the work of man. If we are to become a habitation for the Lord, then we need to know that from the beginning until our maturity it is all the work of God – not man. Even our sins are all part of the work of God. All we do to become like Christ is to believe in Him.

Joh 6:28  Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 
Joh 6:29  Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

There were to be fifteen bars in all. Ten bars were to be used for the boards on each side – five on the north side and five on the south side. Another five bars were to be used on the back (west) side of the tabernacle. The middle bar in the center of the boards shall pass through from end to end. This might mean that the middle bar was longer than the rest. It apparently passed through a hole drilled in the boards, whereas the other bars passed through rings.

Overlaying the bars with gold means that to become like Christ, we must be refined just like gold refined in the fire. This is the judgment of our old man which brings us to learn righteousness. That is what will qualify us to be crowned with gold just as our Lord Jesus Christ overcame.

Job 23:10  But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

Rev 3:18  I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

Exo 36:35  And he made a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen: with cherubims made he it of cunning work.
Exo 36:36  And he made thereunto four pillars of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold: their hooks were of gold; and he cast for them four sockets of silver. 
Exo 36:37  And he made an hanging for the tabernacle door of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, of needlework; 
Exo 36:38  And the five pillars of it with their hooks: and he overlaid their chapiters and their fillets with gold: but their five sockets were of brass.

The word “veil” in Hebrew means “to separate.” The veil was at the gate of the entrance into the tabernacle just before the bronze altar. We are the veil. This means that it is through us that all the people of the world, including Babylon, will have access to the Lord.

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.

The veil acted as a barrier between the Lord and the world. The fact that Cherubims must be woven on the veil was to remind us that, just as the Cherubims served as a barrier to Adam and Eve from accessing the tree of life, which is Christ, we, as the veil, are playing the same role as the Cherubims in preserving the things of God from the world in this age.

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

The veil must be of fine linen and colored blue, purple and scarlet. This means that we are those who are being changed from our Adamic nature to that of Christ.

The four pillars upon which the veil must be hung represent the whole of the elect in every generation. The fact that the pillars were made of shittim wood and were overlaid with gold means that to become the dwelling place of God is the Lord’s work as He takes us through fiery trials to learn righteousness.

Gal 2:9  And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.

May the Lord help us to become lively stones for the building of the Lord’s spiritual house!! Amen!!

Song of Solomon 3:6-11 – Part 7, Solomon Arrives for the Wedding

“Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom; [with gladness in his heart].” (Luke 12:32, Son 3:11)

[Study Aired December 10, 2022]

Christ has almost finished building His Temple, the Body of Christ, His Bride, and is on His way, even at the door. While living the Shulamite’s dream, we are watchful and careful in preparing to receive our Lord. With growing gladness in our hearts, the Lord, more than any preceding groom could ever experience, has immense gladness for the forthcoming wedding.

Son 3:6 Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant? 
Son 3:7 Behold his bed, which is Solomon’s; threescore valiant men are about it, of the valiant of Israel. 
Son 3:8 They all hold swords, being expert in war: every man hath his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night. 
Son 3:9 King Solomon made himself a chariot of the wood of Lebanon. 
Son 3:10 He made the pillars thereof of silver, the bottom thereof of gold, the covering of it of purple, the midst thereof being paved with love, for the daughters of Jerusalem. 
Son 3:11 Go forth, O ye daughters of Zion, and behold king Solomon with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals, and in the day of the gladness of his heart. 

To the Elect of God, it is obvious that the Shulamite’s Groom is Christ. In chapter 3:6, Christ is the pillar of smoke.

Son 3:6 Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant?

Notice that the towering pillars of smoke are plural. I remember the early pioneering days in the Wandoan district of Queensland, Australia, back in the late fifties and into the seventies, pillars of smoke. New farmland needed clearing, and crawler tractors with ship anchor chains linked between them would pull down swathes of trees on tens of thousands of acres. In subsequent years when the dead trees lay in thick summertime grass, the farmers would sporadically light up huge areas, sometimes a thousand acres or more, in one hit. Random pillars of smoke could be seen dotted up to eighty kilometres or more in any direction most summers for decades. Within the fire, violent tornados (thermals) of fire fed the Sodom-like furnace forming an atomic bomb-like pillar of smoke, often with a thundercloud atop. Such a sight was what Lot’s wife saw when she turned and looked back; the entire plains were ablaze, and she became a pillar of salt.

The Seven Candlesticks in the Temple (and incense), as they burn daily (Rev 1:12, 13), are effectively smoke pillars. Undeniably, those pillars of smoke result from the aromatic incense, the prayers ascending from the Elect of God. Every word in Joel 2 speaks of an event perfecting the Elect.

Joe 2:28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: 
Joe 2:29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. 
Joe 2:30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. 
Joe 2:31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come. 
Joe 2:32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.

Pillars are almost always metaphors for Christ and his Christ; even the pillars that Moses built at Sinai were an outward affirming of the Covenant and pointed to the twelve tribes that are the twelve pillars of Israel (Exo 24:4).

Pillars – H8490
– Original: תּמרה תּימרה
– Transliteration: Tiymarah
– Phonetic: tee-maw-raw’
– Definition:
pillar, column
palm-like spreading at top
– Origin: from the same as H8558
– TWOT entry: 2523d
– Part(s) of speech: Noun Feminine
– Strong’s: From the same as H8558; a column that is cloud: – pillar. 
Total KJV Occurrences: 2 
pillars, 2
Son_3:6; Joe_2:30
Pillars. Strongs for H8558 means erect, with emphasis on palm trees.

H4670 – A monument, a personal memorial; altar.

H5324
– To station oneself; take one’s stand; be appointed.

Upon having his dream of angels ascending and descending a ladder to the heavens, Jacob named the location Bethel and built a pillar representing Christ, the Lord’s house of Israel.

Gen 28:22 And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God’s house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.

Of course, the original Tabernacle had twenty pillars of the court, with many more references to pillars within the Tabernacle. Most famously, the Lord stood over the Tabernacle by day as a pillar of cloud that turned into a pillar of fire by night.

Exo 13:20 And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness. 
Exo 13:21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: 
Exo 13:22 He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people. 

Exo 24:4 And Moses wrote all the words of the LORD, and rose up early in the morning, and builded an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel.

Solomon coming out of the wilderness with his command of soldiers like pillars (plural) of smoke can be established in the next verse (vs 7) with his threescore valiant men all representing pillars of smoke. With Shulamite-like imagination, seeing 60 men walking through the shimmering mirage distorting their movement, they would look like ill-defined shapes as small pillars of smoke. Of course, the Shulamite didn’t understand the spiritual nature of her dream, with the number 6 representing the entirety of mankind x 10 for the completeness of dying flesh, ground to powder as fine incense going up as a pillar of smoke with Solomon representing Christ as their head.

Solomon’s sixty men coming out of the wilderness represent the end of David’s household, where war through the physical sword was largely finished. Solomon and the dual witness of the Shulamite represent a coming from the wilderness of perpetual war to a kingdom of peace. The Elect of God will deliver that peace through the sword of the spirit, a fiery sword and billions of pillars of smoke following the one-thousand year reign beginning with the eighth day of judgment.

The 60 men of Solomon’s troupe are effectively perfumed with myrrh, frankincense and powders of a merchant (God’s word), and can also physically represent those renowned and mighty men who serve the Tabernacle and the Elect of God. These unwittingly surround and protect the Lord’s priests, the chariot of his word, and Solomon’s consummative bed since Christ’s death.

Christ is the merchant who grinds the world to powder (Triturator – not a biblical term), with the Bride of Christ being the first to experience the merchant’s stone breaking her into pieces and ground to powder. (Triturator – one grinds into powder or pulverizes; a device grinds into powder or pulverizes). The trituration stone, a millstone (abrasion; friction; grinding; pulverization), has a central hole to receive the grain or broken pieces of rock to be ground to flour or powder; hence, in Matthew 21:44 they fall on the stone into its central hole and are ground to powder and propelled outwardly to the grinding stone’s perimeter for collection.

Mat 21:42 Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? 
Mat 21:43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. 
Mat 21:44 And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

Continuing…

Son 3:7 Behold his bed, which is Solomon’s; threescore valiant men are about it, of the valiant of Israel.
Son 3:8 They all hold swords, being expert in war: every man hath his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night.

These threescore valiant men also represent every joint of the Bride holding a sword of the word and being expert with its use against the forces of darkness within. They don’t fear the night since Christ is fighting their spiritual battles. The fear spoken of in verse 8 is for disobeying the Lord and is a healthy, alert fear for the machinations of the Devil speaking against her, day and night, and her knowing that her Lord goes before her as the sword of his word.

The Lord has chosen the Bride, the New Jerusalem above, for himself, and the Bride rests assured of His protection with His name fire-branded in her heart, having been plucked from being thrown into the Lake of Fire.

Zec 3:1 And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. 
Zec 3:2 And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?

Rev 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. 
Rev 12:10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

SOS continued…

Son 3:9 King Solomon made himself a chariot of the wood of Lebanon.
Son 3:10 He made the pillars thereof of silver, the bottom thereof of gold, the covering of it of purple…

A chariot is a conveyance, a covering, even a cloud (Psa 104:3). Solomon’s chariot is not a war chariot; it appears to be a carriage of extravagant majesty and elegance with an open cabin with silver pillars upholding a covering of purple, somewhat reminiscent of the majesty of the much larger British Royal family’s ceremonial horse-drawn carriage. Although Solomon’s carriage is made of wood, like the wood in the Temple of God, it is overlaid with silver and gold and a priestly cloth of purple, all no doubt in the detail of tasteful cunning workmanship.

It is inconceivable that a gold and silver chariot would be used for anything other than to highlight kingship. As was common for the time, a conveyance (chariot) for royalty was carried on the shoulders of valiant men representing the nation over which the king or queen ruled. The Ark of the Covenant was carried in like manner, and since Solomon represented Christ, it was fitting for his ‘chariot’ to be conveyed likewise. There is no evidence that Solomon’s ceremonial chariot was horse-drawn, denoting our more powerful trust in the world’s wisdom and works of the flesh (Rev 9:16).

The altar, the Ark of the Covenant, with the cherubim’s wings stretching over the Ark as a covering (H4817), is described as a “chariot”. Solomon symbolised the Lord behind a veil of purple, riding not only on the chariot but under the covering, also identified as a chariot. The entire chariot was a symbol of the Ark, that is, Christ, behind the temple veil ruling the nation of Israel.

1Ch 15:15  And the children of the Levites bare the ark of God upon their shoulders with the staves thereon, as Moses commanded according to the word of the LORD. 

1Ch 28:18 And for the altar of incense refined gold by weight; and gold for the pattern of the chariot of the cherubims, that spread out their wings, and covered the ark of the covenant of the LORD.

Son 3:10 He made the pillars thereof of silver, the bottom thereof of gold, the covering^[H4817] of it of purple…

Covering H4817
– Original: מרכּב
– Transliteration: merkab
– Phonetic: mer-kawb’
– Definition: 
chariot, place to ride, riding seat
chariot
seat (of a litter), saddle
– Origin: from H7392
– TWOT entry: 2163e
– Part(s) of speech: Noun Masculine 
– Strong’s: From H7392; a chariot; also a seat (in a vehicle): – chariot covering saddle. 
Total KJV Occurrences: 3 
chariots, 1
 1Ki_4:26 
covering, 1
 Son_3:10
soever, 1
Lev_15:9

Solomon’s chariot’s silver pillars represent the Bride’s intense arousal and desire for her Lord’s word; he is the pillar, the Word, with its foundation of gold holding up the Temple, his Bride. Silver’s root meaning is H3701 and figures 287 times in scripture. 112 times it depicts money that the negative spirituality means our self-righteousness.

The clouds are the Elect of God upon whom Christ bears witness to humanity, and she is a covering veil (chariot) of the earth to her brothers and sisters yet to be saved; they cannot see the blue and purple of Christ above since they are the scarlet, the yet to be saved earth below. Almost every scripture mentioning those colours is in the order of blue, purple and scarlet from the top down ~ God (blue), his priestly Elect (purple thunder clouds stark white on top) and the earth, that is, mankind (scarlet), under the clouds in gloomy spiritual darkness.

Psa 104:3 Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters: who maketh the clouds his chariot: [covering] who walketh upon the wings of the wind: 

Silver primarily represents atonement and redemption through repentance as we become solid gold. Silver’s monetary representation is either our God-given righteousness or unrighteousness. Here are the Hebrew meanings of silver.

Silver – H3701
– Original: כּסף
– Transliteration: Keceph
– Phonetic: keh’-sef
– Definition:
silver, money
silver
as metal
as ornament
as colour
money, shekels, talents
– Origin: from H3700
– TWOT entry: 1015a
– Part(s) of speech: Noun Masculine 

– Strong’s: From H3700; silver (from its pale color); by implication money: – money price silver (-ling). 
Total KJV Occurrences: 403

The origin for Silver is H3700, and like the Shulamite for her Lord, she yearns or longs for him as the Elect does for Christ is effectively spiritually ‘greedy’ (hungry) for his word.

– Original: כּסף
– Transliteration: Kacaph
– Phonetic: kaw-saf’
– Definition: 
to long for, yearn for, long after 
(Qal) to long for
(Niphal)
to long for (deeply) 
being longed for (participle)
– Origin: a primitive root
– TWOT entry: 1015
– Part(s) of speech: Verb par
– Strong’s: A primitive root; to shear: – X only poll. Compare H3765.

– Strong’s: A primitive root; properly to become pale that is (by implication) to pine after; also to fear: – [have] desire be greedy long sore.
Total KJV Occurrences: 6 
desire, 1
Job_14:15
desired, 1
Zep_2:1
greedy, 1
Psa_17:12
longedst, 2
Gen_31:30(2) 
longeth, 1
Psa_84:2

Solomon’s chariot’s floor and lower structure (“the bottom thereof of gold”) were made of gold, and it seems that the four pillars of silver supported a roof, and since there weren’t glass windows, it all was an open cabin for his seat. The entire image was breathtakingly beautiful in a fiery bright splendour of royal colours “being paved [H7528] with love” in fact, a bright fiery love mingled with exceptional beauty as H7529 denotes.

Paved H7528
Original: רצף
– Transliteration: Ratsaph
– Phonetic: raw-tsaf’
– Definition: 
to fit together, fit out, pattern
(Qal) to be fitted out, design
– Origin: a denominative from H7529
– TWOT entry: 2210
– Part(s) of speech: Verb

– Strong’s: A denominative from H7529; to tessellate [meaning inlayed] that is embroider (as if with bright stones): – pave.
Total KJV Occurrences: 1 
paved, 1
Son_3:10

The chariot’s cabin was fitted out with love for the daughters of Jerusalem, and the H7529 defines that fitting out as:

H7529
– Original: רצף
– Transliteration: Retseph
– Phonetic: reh’-tsef
– Definition: 
hot stone, glowing stone or coal, flame, firebolt, spark 
– Origin: for H7565
– TWOT entry: 2223a
– Part(s) of speech: Noun Masculine 

– Strong’s: For H7565; a red hot stone (for baking): – coal. 
Total KJV Occurrences: 1 
coals, 1
1Ki_19:6

The subsequent derivative is H8313 and means to burn, to be burned, burnt up.

Solomon’s chariot was a spectacular image of royal grandeur, with its ornate fiery brilliance reminiscent of the fearful imagery of Elijah’s fiery chariot. Elisha, having been handed Elijah’s mantle, witnessed the powerful, and no doubt terrifying, vision of a fiery tornado carrying Elijah’s chariot into the heavens (2Ki 2:11). The breathtaking fiery and colourful beauty of Solomon’s chariot represents the Bride’s ardour for her Lord’s word as does Elijah’s chariot of fire, God’s word, exacting obedience on Israel.

Jer 23:29 Is not my word [his love] like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces? 

Heb 12:28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: 
Heb 12:29 For our God is a consuming fire.

Son 3:10 He made the pillars thereof of silver, the bottom thereof of gold, the covering of it of purple, the midst thereof being paved [H7528] with love, for the daughters of Jerusalem.

Paved – H7528 means to fit together, fit out, pattern, design, and its denominative is H7529 and respectively H7565 means, 1. hot stone, glowing stone or coal, flame, firebolt, spark.

The Strong’s derivative is H8313
– Original: שׂרף
– Transliteration: Saraph
– Phonetic: saw-raf’
– Definition:
to burn
(Qal) to burn
(Niphal) to be burned
(Piel) burner, burning (participle)
(Pual) to be burnt up, be burned 
– Origin: a primitive root
– TWOT entry: 2292
– Part(s) of speech: Verb 
– Strong’s: A primitive root; to be (causatively set) on fire: – (cause to make a) burn ([-ing] up) kindle X utterly. 
Total KJV Occurrences: 117

As such, the daughters of the New Jerusalem above, the Bride, burn with a fiery passion that is love for her Lord’s word. She is dressed in the fine white linen of the Saints and is “paved” in white, like a sapphire stone’s clarity of brilliant hues of blue (azure sky blue). If we accidentally see the sun reflected up close in a mirror, we see a brief, blinding flash of very pale sapphire blue; such is the brightness of the Bride’s white linen clothing.

Mat 13:43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

The Bride of Christ is the Seraphims in Isaiah 6. The Seraphims are the Christs who are given to place the burning coals of the Lord’s word on another’s lips and he has his spiritual mind purified by its fire. Coals of fire are the Lord’s word that only the Angels, the Saints who have overcome the evil one, can handle.

Isa 6:1  In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. 
Isa 6:2 Above it stood the seraphims: [H8314] each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. 
Isa 6:3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. 
Isa 6:4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. 
Isa 6:5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. 
Isa 6:6 Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: 
Isa 6:7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. 

See IWWB for a detailed understanding of the Seraphims https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/?s=seraphims

Notice that the Hebrew for Seraphims is closely associated with coals of fire and its translation and phonetics.

Seraphim – H8314 and, as seen above, its derivative H3313
– Original: שׂרף
– Transliteration: Saraph
– Phonetic: saw-rawf’
– Definition:
1. serpent, fiery serpent
a. poisonous serpent (fiery from burning effect of poison)
2. seraph, seraphim
a. majestic beings with 6 wings, human hands or voices in attendance upon God
– Origin: from H8313
– TWOT entry: 2292a,2292b
– Part(s) of speech: Noun Masculine

– Strong’s: From H8313; burning that is (figuratively) poisonous (serpent); specifically a saraph or symbolical creature (from their copper color): – fiery (serpent) seraph.
Total KJV Occurrences: 7
• fiery, 2
Num_21:6; Deu_8:15
• seraphims, 2
Isa_6:2; Isa_6:6
• serpent, 3
Num_21:8; Isa_14:29; Isa_30:6

The Bride has learned to be comfortable walking in the coals of fire for many years and has had the wood of her chariot burned up. She has had the coals of fire touch her lips and was thunderstruck by the understanding and stirred-up love she is given at her Lord’s pleasure. Only gold and silver are left, emphasising gold and the colourful purity of the heavenly Jerusalem descending from above; she is immensely aroused in desire for her Lord, and nothing will turn her away. It is a major part of why she frequently says,

Son 2:7 I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, till he please.

The Lord confirmed the Covenant through Moses and the seventy elders of Israel; they saw the Lord just as the Bride would look.

Exo 24:9 Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel: 
Exo 24:10 And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved [H3840] work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness.

Rev 12:1 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:

Paved H 3840 – tile, pavement, brick from H3875
– Original: לבן
– Transliteration: Laban
– Phonetic: law-ban’
– Definition:
to be white
(Hiphil)
to make white, become white, purify 
to show whiteness, grow white 
(Hithpael) to become white, be purified (ethical)
(Qal) to make bricks
– Origin: a primitive root
– TWOT entry: 1074b,1074h
– Part(s) of speech: Verb 
– Strong’s: A primitive root; to be (or become) white; also (as denominative from H3843) to make bricks: – make brick be (made make) white (-r).

Rev 4:6 And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind. 

Rev 15:2 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.

Solomon’s chariot was effectively the Lord’s throne coming in its fiery and colourful grandeur, signified as Christ coming to his Bride, the collective daughters of the heavenly Jerusalem, the Temple of God. In its midst is His heart, the Ark of her Lord paved with love in the purity of His word, fire branded on His heart and in hers (1Jn 4:7-21)

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

In the negative, that is a future positive for the other daughters of the earthy Jerusalem of the entire world; the chariot is paved with eternal life for God’s love of the world ~ (John 3:16).

Son 3:11 Go forth, O ye daughters of Zion, and behold king Solomon with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals, and in the day of the gladness of his heart.

King Solomon wasn’t crowned by Bathsheba, effectively denying the headship of God by women ruling over men.

1Ki 1:34 And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel: and blow ye with the trumpet, and say, God save king Solomon. 
1Ki 1:35 Then ye shall come up after him, that he [Solomon] may come and sit upon my throne; for he shall be king in my stead: and I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah. 

However, at the Lord’s hand, Bathsheba was alerted by Nathan, the prophet, to Adonijah’s machinations to wrest the Kingdom from Solomon upon David’s death (1Kings 1 and 2). In effect, she was highly instrumental in crowning Solomon on the day of his “espousals” The term espousals being plural, prophesied his many subsequent wives.

Jer 2:2 Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown. 
Jer 2:3 Israel was holiness unto the LORD, and the firstfruits of his increase: all that devour him shall offend; evil shall come upon them, saith the LORD.

Christ is the head of the Body, the Woman of His espousals, to bring forth the heavenly Jerusalem above represented by the Shulamite.

Col 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

Solomon, who represents Christ, is the watchman over the walls of the Shulamite, the New Jerusalem, the second, final and espoused witness. Like Boaz with Ruth, Solomon (Christ) had “no rest” for his espousal obligations until what was righteously ordained was consummated (Ruth 3:1-18).

Isa 62:5 For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee: and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee.
Isa 62:6 I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, [Shulamite] which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence, 
Isa 62:7 And give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.

Indeed, the Shulamite did not rest day or night with her most staunch and passionate arousal and desire for her Lord. As we know, she represents the Bride of Christ, the Elect of God, who have increasingly glowed brightly like Solomon’s chariot, the Ark of her Lord in which she rides with Him.

So the plural of Him being glad in the day of his “espousals” refers to the aggregation of the Bride, her every joint and member of her Body, though she being one Body. It is her Lord, her God, “and in the day of the gladness of His heart,” She anticipates her espousal.

In the next study, Christ admires His Bride; he is effectively admiring her right this moment, today.

[Study Aired March 3, 2022]

1Ki 10:21  And all king Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold; none were of silver: it was nothing accounted of in the days of Solomon.
1Ki 10:22  For the king had at sea a navy of Tharshish with the navy of Hiram: once in three years came the navy of Tharshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks. 
1Ki 10:23  So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom. 
1Ki 10:24  And all the earth sought to Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart. 
1Ki 10:25  And they brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and garments, and armour, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year. 
1Ki 10:26  And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen: and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he bestowed in the cities for chariots, and with the king at Jerusalem. 
1Ki 10:27  And the king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars made he to be as the sycomore trees that are in the vale, for abundance. 
1Ki 10:28  And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn: the king’s merchants received the linen yarn at a price.
1Ki 10:29  And a chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and an horse for an hundred and fifty: and so for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, did they bring them out by their means.

In this section of 1Kings we are shown in type and shadow how during the thousand-year reign of God’s saints (Rev 20:6), typified by Solomon’s reign, the elect will rule with a rod of iron (Rev 2:26-29). It is with that rod of iron that so many things will be physically accomplished on the earth.

Rev 2:26  And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works [words and works of God – his will (Rev 1:3, Rev 20:6)] unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:

[God gives the elect power to lead the nations into a self-righteous captivity of doing many wonderful works (Mat 7:22) that ultimately leads to the second death in the great white throne judgment where their own words or works will judge them at that day (Joh 12:48). “In that day” of Matthew 7:22 and “in the last day” of John 12:48 are the same day!]

Mat 7:22  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

Joh 12:48  He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

In the story of the rich young ruler we learn how he accomplished so much on the earth as he was governed by his own obedience to the commandments of God, and yet he was still a law unto himself. He was no different than the gentile nations around him unbeknown to himself and to us until we are dragged out of Babylon through a lifetime of overcoming that self-righteous spirit of the rich young ruler. That spirit of declaring our many wonderful works is also paralleled with the story of the tax collector and the publican and demonstrates the need for our many trials in this life which keep us abased by God’s grace (Jer 16:14-18, Mat 19:20-22, Rom 8:14-16, Rom 2:14, Luk 18:10-14).

Mat 19:20  The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? 
Mat 19:21  Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me [be led by God’s spirit to do the works of God (Joh 6:44,  Rom 8:14-16)].
Mat 19:22  But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.

Parallel story:

Luk 18:10  Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 
Luk 18:11  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 
Luk 18:12  I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. [“All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?” (Mat 19:20)]
Luk 18:13  And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
Luk 18:14  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

The things of the spirit are still foolish to the natural man at this time of the thousand-year reign, so even if the message being given to the world is the true gospel, the true riches coming from Christ Himself and the saints, it won’t change the way the world discerns that message in their hearts (1Co 2:14, Mat 25:24). There can be no spiritual exchange happening in a heart that is not converted and so we can see how this parable of our Lord applies to this generation during Solomon’s reign just as it does to Babylon today where there is no stay of bread or water (Isa 3:1) by God’s design, which means no treasure can be laid up in heaven [Christ in our heavens as our hope of glory (Col 1:27) “thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me“] (Mat 6:20). As long as we are found with our own righteousness, our many wonderful works will be buried in the earth and hidden which is what the self-righteous thief in me does until he doesn’t: “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 25:24-28, 1Ch 29:14, Luk 17:10).

Mat 6:20  But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, [“put my money to the exchangers“] where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

Mat 25:24  Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew [1Co 2:14, Joh 9:41] 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 [1Jn 4:18, Rom 5:5], 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: [Psa 18:26, Eze 14:4].

[Slothful not because it didn’t take effort to bury God’s talents in the earth representing our own righteousness, but wicked and slothful because that’s how God sees our self-righteous works we think we are doing independently of God; that is what God is burning out his people daily, that just naturally resides within us (Php 3:9-10).]

Ruling with a rod of iron does not change the heart of mankind, only the rod spoken of in Revelation 11:1 can, which represents what the life of Christ within us is doing (Col 1:27) and also answers the question of the rich young ruler, “What lack I yet?” All of the exchanges that happen with Solomon just as all the exchanges the elect will have with the world during the thousand-year reign, does not equate to bringing forth fruit meet unto repentance (Mat 3:8). In fact it is during the thousand year reign that God will “recompense their iniquity and their sin double” (Jer 16:17-18) as stated in Revelation 18:6. The sins of the Amorites are being filled up during the thousand-year reign, and after Satan is loosed for a season all the nations of the world will attack the saints, which will lead to the destruction of that first self-righteous marred vessel (Rev 20:8).

Jer 16:17  For mine eyes are upon all their ways: they are not hid from my face, neither is their iniquity hid from mine eyes. 
Jer 16:18  And first I will recompense their iniquity and their sin double; because they have defiled my land, they have filled mine inheritance with the carcases of their detestable and abominable things. 

Rev 18:6  Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double. 

Rev 20:8  And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.

God is using a much broader stroke of the brush [“four quarters“] so to speak at the end of the age to demonstrate  that there is none righteous and show us that the heart of man can never mature spiritually without overcoming the devil who was bound during that time of the thousand years (1Jn 2:14, Rev 20:7). Without God’s spirit within us and an adversary who is used as God’s hand, we cannot mature while we are in the flesh (Rom 8:9, Psa 17:13). All of this is instructive for God’s people today to remind us that He is the only One who can stay the arm of Satan and strengthen us through Christ who gives us the ability to resist the devil and cleave to Christ (Jas 4:7). That is the war in heaven that we are currently experiencing (Eph 6:12). However, those who are in the lake of fire will not be wrestling against the same powers and principalities, but rather against Christ in us as His seraphim who are like Christ and able to overcome the old heaven and earth still residing in the yet spiritually carnal humanity which has to be purified along with Satan and his angels in the lake of fire (Eph 1:20-21, 1Jn 4:17, Rev 20:10).

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

This is also the time when another prophecy is fulfilled when destruction will come to all of the physical creation prophesied first in the book of Malachi (Mal 4:6). It is God’s elect who have been blessed to go on to maturity who will be used to administer the lake of fire after the physical destruction of the heavens and the earth. This natural event of the heavens and earth being destroyed precedes the spiritual destruction of the heaven and earth within all of humanity in the lake of fire which will be the day of the Lord for them which God’s elect are experiencing now (2Pe 3:10-11, 1Co 15:46). The old earth represents our own righteousness, where our defiled old heavens reside, and both must be destroyed. These things will pass, flesh and blood will not inherit the kingdom (1Co 15:50), but the words of eternal life will continue on in the new heaven and new earth where there will be one fold that will all be under Christ who is under the Father (Mat 24:35, Joh 6:68).

Mal 4:6  And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse^H2764.

2Pe 3:10  But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. [2Th 2:8]
2Pe 3:11  Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, 
2Pe 3:12  Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? 
2Pe 3:13  Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. 
2Pe 3:14  Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. [Jud 1:21-25, Jer 13:23]
2Pe 3:15  And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation [Rom 2:4]; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; [Luk 21:19]

Jud 1:21  Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. 
Jud 1:22  And of some have compassion, making a difference: 
Jud 1:23  And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. [Jer 13:23] 
Jud 1:24  Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, 
Jud 1:25  To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. 

Jer 13:23  Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil. 

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

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

First verse:

1Ki 10:21  And all king Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold were of pure gold; none were of silver: it was nothing accounted of in the days of Solomon.

This verse shows us the abundance of spiritual riches that will be in the earth during the reign of God’s elect: “And all king Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon^H3844 were of pure gold.

Solomon’s drinking vessels were gold, but so were “the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon”^H3844. This “house of the forest of Lebanon” represents the nations of the world who have the gold of God in their possession, but it is being held in unrighteousness (Rom 1:18) or self-righteously via a whiteness [Lebanon] in appearance on the outside but dead man’s bones are within (Mat 23:29).

H3844
lebânôn
leb-aw-nohn’

From H3825; (the) white mountain (from its snow); Lebanon, a mountain range in Palestine: – Lebanon.  Total KJV occurrences: 71

The inability of the nations to repent and change during the thousand years is summed up with this statement: “none were of silver: it was nothing accounted of in the days of Solomon.” Everyone wants to look like the good guy drinking from the golden cup, and yet there is no repentance in the earth during the thousand-year reign of the saints; no conversion (Rom 2:4), symbolized by these words in regard to silver: “none were of silver: it was nothing accounted of in the days of Solomon.” For God’s elect today, Lord willing, we will continue to examine ourselves as we die daily and learn to not despise God’s goodness and longsuffering spirit which is working with us and leading us to repentance, to pure silver that has the dross burned out (Pro 25:4-5, 1Co 11:31, 1Co 15:31, Rom 2:4)

Pro 25:4  Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer.
Pro 25:5  Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness.

1Ki 10:22  For the king had at sea a navy of Tharshish with the navy of Hiram: once in three years came the navy of Tharshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks. 
1Ki 10:23  So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom.

This statement “For the king had at sea a navy of Tharshish with the navy of Hiram: once in three years came the navy of Tharshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks” demonstrates more of the exchange of commerce God’s elect will have with the world’s merchants during the thousand-year reign. These events will play into God’s people’s hands as we walk in and out and among so great a people as Christ did when He was on the earth (1Ki 3:14-15, 1Jn 4:17), but not so we can convert the nations, but simply to prepare us for the day of their visitation when an accounting will be made for all that transpired during the thousand-year reign leading up to rebellion against Christ and His Christ (1Pe 2:12).

It is that exchange which God affords us with the world that will give witness to them that, like king Solomon who is a type of Christ, the world will see how, with Christ in our lives, our riches and wisdom will exceed that of all the kings of the earth. Alas, even being raised from the dead and having been given all this undeniable witness to so many generations, still no conversion will come about in the earth seeing it is only God who can give this increase at an appointed time, which will be the day of their visitation (Luk 19:44, Luk 16:31). This interaction that God’s elect have through the thousand years is very beneficial as it will bring “riches and wisdom” to us as the bride of Christ. It will be a dowry of sorts from Christ that will set the stage when we go to war against all the nations spiritually during the great white throne judgment. The ‘one year’ where the newlywed husband does not go to war is symbolic of the thousand-year reign where Christ’s bride is blessed to have her husband build her up and prepare her for the spiritual battles that will take place in the lake of fire. Of course it’s not much of a battle just as the angel that wrestled Jacob did not break a sweat when that event unfolded (Deu 24:5, Rev 20:1-3, Gen 32:24, 1Co 6:3).

Deu 24:5  When a man hath taken a new wife, he shall not go out to war, neither shall he be charged with any business: but he shall be free at home one year, and shall cheer up his wife which he hath taken. 

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

Gen 32:24  And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. 

1Co 6:3  Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? 

The parallels are striking when we consider how blessed people were to have Christ in their midst healing everyone who came His way (Mat 8:16, Luk 9:11), just as the elect will bring many blessings upon the world during the thousand-year reign, but regardless of the seed of God’s word being sown and the works of God being accomplished, it will not bring forth spiritual fruit in the lives of those receiving these blessings until the appointed time in the lake of fire (Isa 55:11). Bringing “gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks” are symbols of the wealth in the earth, within mankind, but it is still not the purified gold and silver that was used in Solomon’s temple. All of this exchange was for Solomon’s sake, just as all things are for our sakes today, and during the thousand-year reign (2Co 4:15).

Isa 55:11  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

The influence of God’s people on the world will be far reaching as this verse tells us: “For the king had at sea a navy of Tharshish with the navy of Hiram: once in three years came the navy of Tharshish“, and that influence will result in this iron and clay relationship with the world (Dan 2:43) that will only be dashed by the stone of Jesus Christ’s judgment in the lake of fire (Dan 2:44). Coming up to Jerusalem “once in three years” is not coming up three times in the year as was commanded of Israel (Deu 16:16) as a type of a right relationship with God that is maturing through those three times that Israel came up to worship God and learn of His truths via the process of spiritual completion through judgment [3].

Dan 2:43  And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay. 
Dan 2:44  And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. 

Deu 16:16  Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the LORD empty: 

1Ki 10:24  And all the earth sought to Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart. 
1Ki 10:25  And they brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and garments, and armour, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year. 

“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” (1Co 2:9), and without God revealing these things to us via His spirit (1Co 2:10) we will see the desire of mankind to interact with Christ and His bride just as “all the earth sought to Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart” which is according to the counsel of God’s will that they do this (Eph 1:11).

God is the one who has put that desire in the heart of man to come to know Christ in us (Joh 6:44) “to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart” and they will bring very physical gifts like Joseph’s brothers (Gen 43:11), that in our mind will be more like flatteries (Job 17:5, Pro 6:24) that won’t convince us that their hearts are converted any more than Joseph’s brothers were converted [in type and shadow] when they met him during the famine, a time that is also analogous of when Christ and His bride will rule over the nations of the world represented in this instance by Joseph’s brothers (Gen 45:4-11). Joseph’s brothers bring ” the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds: And take double money in your hand; and the money that was brought again in the mouth of your sacks, carry it again in your hand; peradventure it was an oversight”. The world will do the same thing to Christ and God’s elect typified by this statement: “And they brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and garments, and armour, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year.“

1Ki 10:26  And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen: and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he bestowed in the cities for chariots, and with the king at Jerusalem. 

There is always a positive and negative way to look at God’s word, or stories that are made up of the inspired word of God, and this is just as true in this section of scripture that on the positive side of the pillar (Exo 14:20) demonstrates how Solomon who is a type of Christ was able to gather together these powerful beasts “chariots and horsemen” that were used to transport people “in the cities for chariots, and with the king at Jerusalem.” The 12,000 horsemen, show us that Solomon was able to give direction over the foundational kingdoms of his world, and 1400 chariots is symbolic of the favor [1+4] that God was showing to the whole [4] world through Solomon, just as God’s elect will do during the thousand-year reign. We are showing favor to the world by revealing the true gospel to all nations, but that favor will only reap its spiritual benefit in the great white throne judgment.

1Ki 10:27  And the king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars made he to be as the sycomore trees that are in the vale, for abundance. 

We are again reminded of the commonness of silver, and it is also shared in the same context of these non-fruit bearing cedar trees that were “as the sycomore trees that are in the vale, for abundance“, telling us that during the thousand-year reign we are going to be surrounded by man’s righteousness who are as trees (Mar 8:24) and this will be the persistent view we will see in humanity found “in the vale”^H8219 which means lowland.

You can’t do battle in a lowland. It does not represent the higher spiritual ground where we have been raised in heavenly places with Christ (Eph 2:6), and silver that represents repentance is not being sought after if people are looking at it as something as cheap as stones on the ground. The positive use of stones on the ground is connected to those who have become like children and are blessed to enter into the kingdom of God now in earnest filled with praise for the wonderful works He has done unto the children of men (Luk 19:37-44).

Luk 19:37  And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen; [Psa 107:30-31]
Luk 19:38  Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest. 
Luk 19:39  And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples. 
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. 
Luk 19:41  And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, [Eze 9:4]
Luk 19:42  Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. 
Luk 19:43  For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, 
Luk 19:44  And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation. [The thousand-year reign is a day of visitation upon the kingdoms of this world, but the way to peace will not be given to the world because “but now they are hid from thine eyes“.]

1Ki 10:28  And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn: the king’s merchants received the linen yarn at a price.

In the positive view, we see Solomon taking the strength out of sin (1Co 15:56) by bringing horses out of Egypt, as well as the “linen yarn“, which is the negative use of linen representing the world’s own righteousness as opposed to the righteousness of Christ (Rev 19:8). It is the king’s merchants who represent God’s elect who “received the linen yarn at a price” which price represents our lives being sacrificed so that this linen can be washed in the blood of the lamb and made pure (Rev 22:14, Eph 5:30)

1Co 15:56  The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 

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

Rev 22:14  Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. 

Rev 22:14  Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

1Ki 10:29  And a chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and an horse for an hundred and fifty: and so for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, did they bring them out by their means.

This last verse of our study is a witness to the previous verse where Solomon in type and shadow is showing us how by our being a living sacrifice with the pearl of great price within us, Jesus Christ, we can transport, with a chariot “kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, did they bring them out by their means“, and that means is with “six hundred shekels of silver, and an horse for an hundred and fifty“. The six hundred represents mankind who, in time, will appreciate this silver which is the means by which we can move forward through repentance (Rom 2:4, 1Co 3:6, 2Sa 14:14). The process starts when God’s judgments are in the earth so the world can learn righteousness (Isa 26:9); but hearing and doing are two different things and so we’re reminded that it is a “process of spiritual completion through judgment” represented by “an horse for an hundred and fifty” [3×50=150] that was purchased with “silver“.

2Sa 14:14  For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; neither doth God respect any person: yet doth he devise means, that his banished be not expelled from him. 

Repentance and the means by which God is going to save all of mankind through His great mercy is connected with the unsearchable wisdom of God that is past finding out (Rom 11:31-36) and so, too, is this story of king Solomon who “exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom.“

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

1Ki 10:14-20  “So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom” – Part 2

[Study Aired February 24, 2022]

1Ki 10:14  Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred threescore and six talents of gold, 
1Ki 10:15  Beside that he had of the merchantmen, and of the traffick of the spice merchants, and of all the kings of Arabia, and of the governors of the country. 
1Ki 10:16  And king Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold: six hundred shekels of gold went to one target. 
1Ki 10:17  And he made three hundred shields of beaten gold; three pound of gold went to one shield: and the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon. 
1Ki 10:18  Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with the best gold. 
1Ki 10:19  The throne had six steps, and the top of the throne was round behind: and there were stays on either side on the place of the seat, and two lions stood beside the stays. 
1Ki 10:20  And twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other upon the six steps: there was not the like made in any kingdom. 

The physical things that we are looking at in the temple of Solomon represent the workmanship of God (Eph 2:8-10) within the body of Christ which is the temple of God (1Co 3:16) where we learn that “by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God” (1Co 15:46, 1Co 2:13-14, Eph 2:8-10).

Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves [Eph 1:6]: it is the gift of God: 
Eph 2:9  Not of works, lest any man should boast. 
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. 

Heb 9:23  It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 
Heb 9:24  For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, [Col 1:27] now to appear in the presence of God for us [making it possible for us to be “better sacrifices than these” now being accepted in the beloved (Eph 1:6)]: 

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

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

1Co 2:13  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 [using the physical (Rom 1:20)].

Rom 1:20  For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 

1Co 2:14  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. 

With these verses in mind, we can now look at the temple and all the interactions that take place around the temple and know for a certainty that God has used all these events for our sakes upon whom the end of the world has come within us (2Co 4:15, 1Co 10:11).

In this section of the book of Kings we will look more at the intricate and very costly workmanship which took place within Solomon’s temple. These riches tell us how valued God’s people are because of the life of Christ within us, the pearl of great price, typified by king Solomon (Mat 13:45-46): “So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom.“

Mat 13:45  Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls [Son 3:1-11]:
Mat 13:46  Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

God’s elect are likened “unto a merchant man.“

Son 3:1  By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not [“seeking goodly pearls” (Joh 6:44)].
Son 3:2  I will rise now, and go about the city in the streets, and in the broad ways [Mat 7:13-14] I will seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not.
Son 3:3  The watchmen that go about the city found me: to whom I said, Saw ye him whom my soul loveth? 
Son 3:4  It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go, [Jos 23:7-8, 2Ki 18:5-6] until I had brought him into my mother’s house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me [Gal 4:26, Joh 3:3].

Daughters of Jerusalem represent the elect bride of Christ who has been conceived and born of the will of God (Joh 1:12-13, Rom 8:9):

Son 3:5  I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, till he please. 
Son 3:6  Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant? 
Son 3:7  Behold his bed, which is Solomon’s; threescore valiant men are about it, of the valiant of Israel. 
Son 3:8  They all hold swords, being expert in war: every man hath his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night. 
Son 3:9  King Solomon made himself a chariot of the wood of Lebanon. 
Son 3:10  He made the pillars thereof of silver, the bottom thereof of gold, the covering of it of purple, the midst thereof being paved with love, for the daughters of Jerusalem [‘This section is telling us what Christ does for the bride of Christ‘].
Son 3:11  Go forth, O ye daughters of Zion, and behold king Solomon with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals^H2861, and in the day of the gladness of his heart [Rev 19:9].

It is not only what is in the temple, per se, but also the demonstrated wisdom of Solomon in how he was given to deal with all those who were drawn to the temple to hear the king, as we saw last week with the queen of Sheba who sought out his wisdom. This wisdom of Solomon is a type and shadow of the manifest knowledge of God that will be made known through the church, through the pearl of great price (Col 1:27). His judgments will be in the earth so humanity can learn of His righteousness that can only abide with purified gold and silver (Eph 3:10, Isa 26:9, Php 3:9).

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

Isa 26:9  With my soul have I desired thee in the night [Son 3:8]; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness. 

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

God has gone to great lengths to impress upon the elect how blessed we are to have the words of eternal life abiding within our temple (Joh 6:68), and that has always been what all this pomp and pageantry that we are going to look at in regard to Solomon’s temple and all the inner workings of the king’s mind is about (Pro 25:3, Rom 11:33). Solomon’s great riches and wisdom represent the mind of Christ that the body of Christ has been given (1Co 2:16, Pro 8:8-14, Pro 3:13-19).

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

1Co 2:15  But he that is spiritual judgeth all things [2Co 10:5], yet he himself is judged of no man. 
1Co 2:16  For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

The value of the mind of Christ:

Pro 8:8  All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them. 
Pro 8:9  They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge. 
Pro 8:10  Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold. 
Pro 8:11  For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it [Php 3:8]. 
Pro 8:12  I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions. 
Pro 8:13  The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate. 
Pro 8:14  Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength. 

Pro 3:13  Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. 
Pro 3:14  For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. 
Pro 3:15  She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her [Php 3:8].
Pro 3:16  Length of days is in her right hand [Joh 6:68]; and in her left hand riches and honour. 
Pro 3:17  Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. 
Pro 3:18  She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her [1Ti 6:12, Joh 6:68]: and happy is every one that retaineth her [Rev 1:3, Joh 8:31-32]. 
Pro 3:19  The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens [Heb 9:23-24].

Heb 9:23  It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
Heb 9:24  For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself [Col 1:27], now to appear in the presence of God for us: [making it possible for us to be “better sacrifices than these” now being accepted in the beloved (Eph 1:6)]:

1Ki 10:14  Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred threescore and six talents of gold, 
1Ki 10:15  Beside that he had of the merchantmen, and of the traffick of the spice merchants, and of all the kings of Arabia, and of the governors of the country. 

The weight of the gold “that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred threescore and six talents of gold” (666 talents) apart from (“beside”H905) everything else brought to Solomon via “the merchantmen, and of the traffick of the spice merchants, and of all the kings of Arabia, and of the governors of the country.

That gold represents God’s word that must be purified within God’s people today if we are going to be among those who are working with the nations outwardly during the thousand-year reign. Those nations, and the various kings and governors that Solomon was dealing with at that time in history, represent “The kingdoms of this world [that] are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ” that we will be dealing with during the thousand year reign (Rev 11:15, Rev 20:6).

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

Rev 20:6  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.

Notice the context when we read of the mark of the beast 666 in Revelation 13:17-18 where it speaks of merchants who symbolize the beast which interacts with Christ who is typified by Solomon, as stated in this section of scripture: “the merchantmen, and of the traffick of the spice merchants, and of all the kings of Arabia, and of the governors of the country“. Like the queen of Sheba who brought gifts to king Solomon due to his wisdom (Rev 18:6-15), so, too, do these “merchantmen” who represent the time in our life when we bring many wonderful works before Christ but they are not upon a burnt offering and not acceptable to God unbeknown to us at that time, as demonstrated in the story of Cain and Abel (Gen 4:5-7). 

Rev 13:17  And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. 
Rev 13:18  Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man^G444; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

Solomon’s works are typical of Christ’s mindset and His body, which is that we of our own selves can do nothing. We can’t build the temple. Christ has to do that (Joh 5:30, Joh 15:5, Psa 127:1). As mentioned many times, there are three sixes in Revelation 13:17-18, showing the process of spiritual completion through judgment [seals, trumpets, vials – 3] that all mankind (represented by the number 6), must go through, each man in his order. 

So, just as we are being judged today for any self-righteous part of Babylon that is still in our heavens, this is the torment the harlot systems of the world are going to receive through the body of Christ, also typified by Solomon (Rev 18:6). We experience God’s wrath first if we are being prepared to be kings and priests who will rule under Him, and so we must understand that we must endure God’s wrath or much tribulation described as seals, trumpets and vials in order to be found clothed with His righteousness when He returns: “Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame”  (1Pe 4:17, Rev 16:1-14, Act 14:22, Rev 16:15, Rev 19:7). 

Rev 19:7  Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.

Outwardly we know that in time all men will be judged, which is the one event that is  common to all men of Ecclesiastes 9:2, and we all in our appointed time are the carnal anthropos^G444 man that walks according to the course of this world (Eph 2:2-3) right in lock-step with all “the merchantmen, and of the traffick of the spice merchants, and of all the kings of Arabia, and of the governors of the country” having the mark or the name of the beast , or the number of his name on us and as such are able to buy and sell (Rev 13:17). 

Rev 13:17  And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. 

Dispensationally, 1 Kings 10:14-15 represents a time when the kingdoms of this world will be ruled over by God’s government which will be looking to make its mark (pun intended) upon the church with the interaction they will have with the government of God that will be ruling over those many nations outwardly (Rev 11:15). God uses this occasion of great exchange to fatten up the nations, and as knowledge increases so will the pride of man which always precedes our destruction (Pro 16:18).

God’s elect are learning these things now, in advance of all the world, and our being judged now is the same process of judgment that the rest of the creation will endure. We are being apprehended by Christ today (Php 3:12), which is the same as saying “He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword [2Sa 12:10]. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints” (Rev 13:10) that leads into the subsequent verses about the mark of the beast (Rev 13:17-18). We must be killed with the sword of God’s word today if we are going to administer those judgments to the rest of the world one day, spoken of as “he that killeth with the sword…”. We will lead the world into the captivity of becoming a living sacrifice for God (Rom 12:1) but can’t do that unless we first go into that captivity ourselves today, as we die daily and present ourselves a living sacrifice unto God!

It takes this experience of evil to come to see what we are; mere beasts that must become a new creation through the destruction of the old, and God seeks the occasion against each man in his appointed day of evil (Rev 20:8, Pro 16:4). 

Rev 20:8  And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. 

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

This loosing of Satan at the end of the thousand years is typical of the time when we have thought that we have cleaned up the temple of God so thoroughly and swept it clean [all our exchange of commerce, which is God’s gold and silver in Babylon that we pilfer and wrap around the idols of our own hearts], only to find seven spirits worse come back (Luk 11:25-26). So all of mankind is the same in our corrupt nature, and it’s just the order that is different in which God reveals we are beasts that need to be humbled under His mighty hand through His fiery words of judgment [6.6.6.]  (Ecc 3:18, 1Co 15:23-24, Mat 23:12).

It is glorious to contemplate that Solomon truly does represent, in this instance of the book of Kings, those who have been blessed to overcome, typifying outwardly the time when this will happen to God’s elect (Rev 11:15). And this is the inheritance of the saints, already exercised and given to remember these verses which point to the self-righteous flesh of Solomon that naturally resides in our hallowed halls of vanity called flesh, which God can do through Christ (Php 3:9, Mat 6:28-29, Son 2:1-2, Col 1:27, Luk 1:37), God willing.

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

Mat 6:28  And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 
Mat 6:29  And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

Son 2:1  I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys. 
Son 2:2  As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters. 

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

Luk 1:37  For with God nothing shall be impossible. 

1Ki 10:16  And king Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold: six hundred shekels of gold went to one target. 
1Ki 10:17  And he made three hundred shields of beaten gold; three pound of gold went to one shield: and the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon. 

Nothing is impossible for God, and these verses demonstrate for us the armor of God which is given to us to defend against the self-righteousness within us that is typified by “the house of the forest of Lebanon^H3844“ where the king “put them” (the 300 shields), telling us that Christ knows where the battle is, which is in our heavens where we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against powers and principalities that want to enslave us to a self-righteous nature that tries to defend our own existence rather than live by the faith of Christ (Eph 6:12, Eph 2:8).

It must be “beaten gold” meaning it is through much tribulation that we enter into the kingdom of God (Act 14:22, 1Co 9:27), and it is “two hundred targets^H6793” reminding us that it is Christ the true witness [2] who is working this workmanship within us. He is our buckler (Psa 18:2), and of our own selves we can do nothing (Joh 15:5). These “two hundred targets” are the large shields that are needed against the fiery darts of the devil (Eph 6:16) and are forged through the fiery trials of our faith that are precious unto God, seeing they do create this great shield of protection in our heavens that can quench all those darts of the adversary (1Pe 1:7).

target: H6793
tsinnâh
tsin-naw’
  Feminine of H6791; a hook (as pointed); also a (large) shield (as if guarding by prickliness); also cold (as piercing): – buckler, cold, hook, shield, target.

Total KJV occurrences: 22

Psa 18:2  The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. 

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

It takes “three hundred shields of beaten gold” which are made up of “three pound of gold went to one shield” demonstrating that God is leading the church into “The Process of Spiritual Completion Through Judgment” as we grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (2Pe 3:18). That process is represented by “three pounds of gold” which went into “one shield“. It is not just one shield, however, that keeps the body of Christ safe from the fiery darts of the enemy but rather this second multiple of three’s “three hundred shields of beaten gold” that includes all of the body of Christ, each joint that operates in the measure of faith that God gives us to His glory (Rom 12:1-3, Eph 4:16).

Jdg 7:7  And the LORD said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place. 

[i.e. in reference to “300” being  related to the body of Christ; See other examples such as Genesis 6:15 as the length of the ark, Genesis 45:22 as the amount of silver given to Benjamin, Judges 15:4 as the number of foxes Samson caught, and 2 Chronicles 35:8 as the number of oxen given by Josiah’s princes for the passover offering.]

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 [‘becoming a shield of faith along with the rest of the body of Christ‘].
Rom 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God [“grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ“].
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. 

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. 

1Ki 10:18  Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with the best gold. 
1Ki 10:19  The throne had six steps, and the top of the throne was round behind: and there were stays on either side on the place of the seat, and two lions stood beside the stays. 
1Ki 10:20  And twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other upon the six steps: there was not the like made in any kingdom. 

The “great throne of ivory” that has been overlaid “with the best gold” represents where the pure and undefiled mind of God resides in our heavens if Christ is in us (Rom 8:9). None of this imagery is going to have any impact on us personally unless we see its inward application for us today (1Co 3:16). This section of Revelation (Rev 4:4-11) brings to light what is unique to God’s elect who have the kingdom of God within them in earnest while in their flesh (Eph 1:14), which is what this typical statement means in its present use: “there was not the like made in any kingdom” (Luk 17:20-21).

ivory^H8127 From ^H8150 [A primitive root; to point (transitively or intransitively); intensively to pierce; figuratively to inculcate: – prick sharp (-en) teach diligently whet.];  a tooth (as sharp); specifically (for H8143) ivory; figuratively a cliff: – crag X forefront ivory X sharp tooth. 

Rev 4:4  And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.
Rev 4:5  And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. 
Rev 4:6  And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind. 
Rev 4:7  And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle. 
Rev 4:8  And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. 
Rev 4:9  And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, 
Rev 4:10  The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,
Rev 4:11  Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. 

That kingdom within us is where Christ resides on the throne of our heart. We enter into God’s presence through Christ through whom we are accepted (Eph 1:6). He is the one who has all power over heaven and earth within us (Mat 28:18), and as such it is possible for us to fulfill God’s will  in earth as in heaven through Christ (Mat 6:10) as He works in us both to will and to do of God’s good pleasure (Php 2:12-13). The kingdom of God resides within God’s elect today in earnest and is recognized through the eyes that see and ears that hear, which God has given us (Mat 13:16). We are immeasurably blessed to have this relationship with our Father and Christ that is promised to lead to eternal life (Joh 17:3, Php 1:6). 

With these verses in mind, the figures and imagery around the throne of Solomon should take on their true meaning in our heavens. Starting with “The throne had six steps, and the top of the throne was round behind“. Six steps represent man and how, through Christ in us represented by the witness of a lion on either side of the step, “twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other upon the six steps“, we can transition toward knowing Christ as we grow in the grace and knowledge of Him (2Pe 3:18). Therefore there are twelve lions, one on each side of each step as well as two at the top, one on either side of the throne which represent the finished work of grace and faith that has us abiding beside our Lord. 

The “two lions stood beside the stays^H3027“: this word translated “stays” is the Hebrew word ‘yawd’, reminding us all along who it is that was giving us increase up those steps to get to this point of a mature relationship, it was all by his power and direction in our lives (1Co 3:6, Rom 8:14-16).

H3027
yâd
yawd 
A primitive word; a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.), in distinction from H3709, the closed one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great variety of applications, both literally and figuratively, both proximate and remote: – (+ be) able, X about, + armholes, at, axletree, because of, beside, border, X bounty, + broad, [broken-] handed, X by, charge, coast, + consecrate, + creditor, custody, debt, dominion, X enough, + fellowship, force, X from, hand [-staves, -y work], X he, himself, X in, labour, + large, ledge, [left-] handed, means, X mine, ministry, near, X of, X order, ordinance, X our, parts, pain, power, X presumptuously, service, side, sore, state, stay, draw with strength, stroke, + swear, terror, X thee, X by them, X them-selves, X thine own, X thou, through, X throwing, + thumb, times, X to, X under, X us, X wait on, [way-] side, where, + wide, X with (him, me, you), work, + yield, X your-selves.

Total KJV occurrences: 1612

It is God’s hand represented by the stays^H3027–yawd that is behind all the judgment that is taking place from “the top of the throne” where it was “round^H5696 behind:^{H4480 H310}“.

The Strong’s number translated “round^H5696” in the verse: “The throne had six steps, and the top of the throne was round^H5696 behind: and there were stays on either side on the place of the seat, and two lions stood beside the stays“, is used six times in the old covenant, and in most instances is connected to the molten sea or the elect. I’ve copied and pasted those entries here so we can see the obvious connection to judgment and repentance that God’s elect, represented by the “two lions” at the top of the stairs have experienced, and as such are going to be used of our Father to bring the world to give an accounting of all their actions.

1Ki 7:23  And he made a molten sea, ten cubits from the one brim to the other: it was round^H5696 all about, and his height was five cubits: and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round about. 

1Ki 7:30  And every base had four brasen wheels, and plates of brass: and the four corners thereof had undersetters: under the laver were undersetters molten, at the side of every addition.
1Ki 7:31  And the mouth of it within the chapiter and above was a cubit: but the mouth thereof was round^H5696 after the work of the base, a cubit and an half: and also upon the mouth of it were gravings with their borders, foursquare, not round. 
1Ki 7:32  And under the borders were four wheels; and the axletrees of the wheels were joined to the base: and the height of a wheel was a cubit and half a cubit. 

1Ki 7:34  And there were four undersetters to the four corners of one base: and the undersetters were of the very base itself. 
1Ki 7:35  And in the top of the base was there a round^H5696 compass of half a cubit high: and on the top of the base the ledges thereof and the borders thereof were of the same. 
1Ki 7:36  For on the plates of the ledges thereof, and on the borders thereof, he graved cherubims, lions, and palm trees, according to the proportion of every one, and additions round about. 

1Ki 10:19  The throne had six steps, and the top of the throne was round^H5696 behind: and there were stays on either side on the place of the seat, and two lions stood beside the stays.^H3027–yawd 

2Ch 4:2  Also he made a molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim, round in compass, and five cubits the height thereof; and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round about^H5696.

H5696
‛âgôl 
Total KJV Occurrences: 6

round, 6 1Ki_7:23, 1Ki_7:31 (2), 1Ki_7:35, 1Ki_10:19, 2Ch_4:2

Next week, Lord willing, we will look at the last section of this chapter of kings that further brings home the point of why God has given Solomon, who is a type of the elect, such great riches and wisdom which represent the mind of Christ that has been given to His people so we can be sent as Christ was (Joh 20:21) to ultimately bring healing (Psa 107:20) to all the nations without through judgment (1Pe 4:17, Jas 2:13, Oba 1:21, 1Co 6:3, Joh 9:39).

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

Jas 2:13  For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment. 

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. 

1Co 6:3  Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? 

Joh 9:39  And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.