“Journey Through the Kingdom to God’s Throne” – Part 3

The Temple Mount and Courts: Ascending to God’s Presence
Through Judgement and Revelation

[Study Aired Nov 19, 2024]

Introduction

In our previous studies, we traced the spiritual journey of drawing near to God’s presence, beginning at the gates of Jerusalem: “Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem” (Psalm 122:2). These gates revealed Christ as the only true entrance: “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved” (John 10:9). This journey emphasized the narrow way leading to life: “Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matthew 7:14).

Through these gates, we explored a progression of transformation, each step revealing Christ’s work within us: “He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). This ascent follows the psalmist’s declaration: “They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God” (Psalm 84:7).

In this study, we advance from the city gates to the Temple Mount and its courts, uncovering deeper spiritual truths. These physical structures represent the stages of spiritual ascent: from foundational purification to higher revelation. Each step draws us closer to God, transforming us “into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18).

The Temple Mount: Foundation of Ascent

The Temple Mount, located in Jerusalem, holds profound spiritual significance both in its historical context and in its symbolism for our spiritual journey. It is first mentioned in Scripture as the site where Abraham’s faith was tested when God asked him to offer his son Isaac: “And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of” (Genesis 22:2). This ultimate act of obedience foreshadowed Christ’s sacrifice and established Mount Moriah as a place of revelation and communion with God.

A Place of Elevation

When Solomon built the temple, he chose this same mount for its construction: “Then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD at Jerusalem in mount Moriah, where the LORD appeared unto David his father” (2 Chronicles 3:1). Its elevation above the city reflects the principle of drawing closer to God through spiritual ascent. As Isaiah declared: “O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain” (Isaiah 40:9). This elevation also calls believers to rise above the distractions and impurities of the world, as Paul exhorts: “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth” (Colossians 3:2).

The physical height of the Temple Mount symbolizes the spiritual truth that approaching God requires a higher perspective. It asks us to leave behind worldly concerns and ascend toward His presence, as reflected in the psalmist’s question: “Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?” (Psalm 24:3). The answer reveals that only those with clean hands and pure hearts — qualities that only Christ can produce in us — are prepared for such communion: “He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully” (Psalm 24:4).

Separation and Sanctification

The elevation of the Temple Mount not only reflects physical separation from the rest of the city but also teaches the spiritual principle of sanctification. God calls His people to be distinct: “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing” (2 Corinthians 6:17). This separation is not isolation, but a life set apart for God’s purposes. Jesus exemplified this in His prayer for His disciples: “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil” (John 17:15).

As believers, we are called to live lives of holiness that reflect our position as a “city set on a hill” (Matthew 5:14). The Mount’s elevation teaches that those who seek higher revelation must walk in greater obedience and purity, for “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8).

Christ as the Foundation

The massive foundation stones of the Temple Mount serve as a powerful symbol of Christ, the cornerstone of our faith: “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:11). These stones were carefully hewn and prepared before being placed, reflecting God’s work in shaping His people through judgment and refinement. Solomon’s command regarding these stones echoes this preparation: “And the king commanded, and they brought great stones, costly stones, and hewed stones, to lay the foundation of the house” (1 Kings 5:17).

This preparation mirrors God’s work in believers, as Paul describes: “In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord” (Ephesians 2:21). Each stone represents a life shaped by God’s hand, fitting perfectly into His spiritual house. The Mount’s foundation stones also speak to the enduring strength and stability that Christ provides, for “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).

Unity and Equality in Christ

The level platform created by the Temple Mount’s massive foundation stones symbolizes the unity and equality believers have in Christ. Regardless of background, all are brought to the same spiritual level through His work: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). This leveling process humbles the proud and exalts the lowly: “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up” (James 4:10).

Orientation Toward Revelation

The Temple Mount’s careful orientation, with the temple facing east, carries profound spiritual significance. Eastward orientation often symbolizes anticipation of God’s glory and the dawning of new revelation. Ezekiel foresaw this when he described God’s glory approaching from the east: “And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east” (Ezekiel 43:2). This vision connects with the promise of Christ’s return and the increasing clarity of revelation for those who seek Him: “When he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13).

The eastward focus also ties to Christ as the rising Sun of Righteousness: “But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings” (Malachi 4:2). As we ascend spiritually, we are called to orient our lives toward His light, seeking His guidance and revelation: “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105).

The Great Court: Initial Cleansing and Revelation

The Great Court, also called the Outer Court, represents the initial stage of drawing near to God. It was the largest area of the temple complex, designed to accommodate multitudes, symbolizing the inclusive nature of God’s call to salvation: “Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). Yet, while God desires all to approach Him, entering the deeper courts requires a process of cleansing and spiritual refinement.

A Place of Sacrifice: The Brazen Altar

At the heart of the Great Court stood the brazen altar, constructed of brass, a material that represents judgment. This was the site of animal sacrifices, where offerings were consumed by fire as a foreshadowing of Christ’s ultimate sacrifice: “But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God” (Hebrews 10:12). The altar teaches that our first approach to God is not based on our works but on the beginning work of Christ: “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Hebrews 10:10).

The perpetual fire on the altar symbolizes the ongoing work of God’s judgment and refinement in our lives: “The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out” (Leviticus 6:13). This continual fire reflects the process of sanctification, where believers are purified through trials that reveal and remove impurities: “That the trial of your faith… might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:7). These trials teach us reliance on God, who purifies us as gold is refined in fire: “He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver. And he will purify the sons of Levi, and refine them as gold and silver. And they shall offer to LORD offerings in righteousness.” (Malachi 3:3).

Cleansing Through the Brazen Laver

Beyond the altar stood the brazen laver, a large basin made of brass and filled with water. Priests were required to wash at the laver before ministering: “When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not” (Exodus 30:20). This washing represents the cleansing power of God’s Word, which purifies our hearts and minds: “That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word” (Ephesians 5:26).

Positioned between the altar and the tabernacle, the laver shows that deeper revelation and service to God follow the acceptance of Christ’s sacrifice. This ongoing cleansing is essential for spiritual growth, as David prayed: “Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin” (Psalm 51:2). Just as the priests could not approach God without washing, believers must continually examine themselves to ensure they are walking in purity: “Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup” (1 Corinthians 11:28).

The laver’s location teaches that cleansing is not a one-time event but a continuous process, preparing us to draw nearer to God. This principle aligns with the psalmist’s declaration: “The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple” (Psalm 119:130). As we allow God’s Word to reveal and correct our shortcomings, we are transformed into vessels fit for His service.

Symbolism of Hewn Stones and Cedar Beams

The Great Court’s construction included rows of hewn stones and cedar beams: “And the great court round about was with three rows of hewed stones, and a row of cedar beams” (1 Kings 7:12). The hewn stones, shaped with precision, symbolize the believer’s transformation through God’s judgment: “As the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand” (Jeremiah 18:6). These stones, like the foundation stones of the Temple Mount, were prepared before being placed, reflecting the refining process God performs in our lives.

The cedar beams atop these stones represent strength that comes through humility. While cedar often symbolizes pride and loftiness—“The cedars of Lebanon, that are high and lifted up” (Isaiah 2:13)—it must first be broken before it can be used in God’s house: “The voice of the LORD breaketh the cedars; yea, the LORD breaketh the cedars of Lebanon” (Psalm 29:5). This breaking process aligns with James’s teaching: “God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble” (James 4:6). Together, the hewn stones and broken cedar beams illustrate the balance of humility and strength needed for spiritual growth.

Exposure to Natural Elements

The Great Court was open to the natural elements—sun, rain, and wind—reflecting the believer’s early spiritual experiences, where external circumstances still greatly influence their walk with God. This exposure symbolizes the trials and challenges faced by those beginning their journey of faith. Yet even in these early stages, God provides stability and protection, as depicted by the covered areas supported by pillars around the court: “Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars” (Proverbs 9:1).

The pillars also represent God’s enduring support for His people, as seen in His promise to overcomers: “Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God” (Revelation 3:12). These structures remind us that while we may be exposed to the elements, God is our refuge and strength: “For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy” (Psalm 61:3).

Purging Worldly Influences

The Great Court also accommodated activities such as buying and selling, which Jesus later cleansed: “Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise” (John 2:16). This act of purging underscores the need to remove worldly distractions from our approach to God. Paul exhorts believers to separate the precious from the vile: “If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use” (2 Timothy 2:21).

The purging of worldly influences is a key part of our preparation to serve God, as David prayed: “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10). This cleansing brings greater joy and understanding, enabling us to draw nearer to God with pure motives: “Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit” (Psalm 51:12).

The Inner Court: Drawing Nearer Through Greater Judgment

The Inner Court represents a deeper stage of spiritual communion, marked by greater purification and revelation. Unlike the Great Court, which was accessible to all Israelites, the Inner Court was restricted to the priests, emphasizing the principle of greater separation for those who draw nearer to God. This deeper level of access requires not only outward cleansing but inward transformation, as Isaiah declared: “Be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD” (Isaiah 52:11).

Restricted Access and Spiritual Separation

The restricted access to the Inner Court highlights the spiritual principle of sanctification, where greater intimacy with God requires greater holiness. Paul wrote, “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2 Corinthians 7:1). This purification is not merely external but a deep, inward work of judgment that refines and prepares the believer for closer fellowship with God.

The distinction between those permitted in the Great Court and those allowed in the Inner Court symbolizes the call to priesthood, a role that involves not only privilege but also accountability. Believers are called to this spiritual priesthood through Christ: “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5).

Spiritual Ascent Through Judgment

The elevation of the Inner Court above the Great Court required ascending steps, a clear picture of spiritual ascent through judgment. “My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword. Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; let thy glory be above all the earth.” (Psalms 57:4-5). This ascent reflects the believer’s call to rise above earthly concerns and seek the things of God: “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God” (Colossians 3:1).

Spiritual ascent requires a willingness to endure God’s refining process. Just as Moses ascended Mount Sinai to receive God’s law, believers are invited to draw closer to God, even as He works to purify their hearts. God’s invitation to Moses reflects this calling: “Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them” (Exodus 24:12). This ascent brings not only revelation but also the warning to live according to God’s word.

Priestly Service: Duties and Preparation

The Inner Court was the place of daily service for the priests, including preparing sacrifices, maintaining the altar, and ensuring the temple was in order. These duties required diligence and discernment, reflecting the call for believers to grow in their understanding of God’s word: “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

The preparation of sacrifices and the careful inspection of offerings for blemishes symbolize the believer’s call to offer themselves as living sacrifices to God: “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” (Romans 12:1). This service requires attention to spiritual purity and readiness, as Paul instructed Timothy: “Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all” (1 Timothy 4:15).

The priests’ work also involved the constant upkeep of the altar and temple, a reminder that spiritual growth requires ongoing effort. Just as the priests tended to the temple, believers must continually nurture their relationship with God through prayer, study, and obedience: “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18).

Drawing Closer to God’s Presence

The Inner Court’s proximity to the temple building symbolizes the privilege and availability of drawing nearer to God’s presence. This nearness brings greater revelation, as David expressed: “For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness” (Psalm 84:10). Even the lowest position near God’s presence surpasses any worldly honor.

With this nearness, however, comes increased accountability. Jesus taught: “Unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required” (Luke 12:48). Believers who draw closer to God are entrusted with greater understanding and are called to live lives that reflect His holiness: “Be ye holy; for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16). This deeper communion with God is accompanied by the privilege of knowing His heart, as the psalmist declared: “The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant” (Psalm 25:14).

The refining work that takes place in the Inner Court leads to transformation, as Paul described: “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18). This transformation prepares believers for even deeper communion with God, as they progress toward the Most Holy Place.

Conclusion: A Journey of Transformation

The journey through the courts of the Temple Mount represents a progressive path of drawing nearer to God, one that requires judgment, purification, and spiritual ascent. Each stage—from the Temple mount to the Great Court to the Inner Court—teaches essential principles for those seeking deeper communion with Him.

The Great Court: Beginning the Journey

In the Great Court, we learn that the first step toward God is through sacrifice and cleansing. The brazen altar reminds us that Christ’s sacrifice is the foundation of our salvation: “For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14). Here, we acknowledge our need for His atonement and embrace the process of sanctification, symbolized by the perpetual fire and the washing at the laver.

This outermost court also reflects the believer’s early spiritual experiences, where external influences still affect their walk with God. Through the trials and cleansing represented in this court, we begin to separate from worldly distractions, preparing to enter a closer relationship with Him: “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow” (Psalm 51:7).

The Inner Court: Drawing Closer

Progressing to the Inner Court symbolizes a deeper commitment to God’s purposes. This stage requires greater separation, as represented by the restricted access granted only to priests. It calls for a higher level of purity and readiness, reflecting the truth that those who are drawn closer to God must also endure greater judgment: “Every branch in me that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit” (John 15:2).

The duties of the priests in the Inner Court point to the spiritual discernment and preparation required for deeper service. This preparation refines us, teaching us to “offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5). Here, we experience the transformation that comes from proximity to God’s presence, being changed “from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18).

Ascending Toward the Holy

Both courts point to the ultimate goal of the believer’s journey: entering the Most Holy Place, where God’s presence dwells. The progression from the Great Court to the Inner Court mirrors the believer’s spiritual ascent, moving from initial cleansing to a deeper, more intimate communion with God. This journey is not merely one of physical location but of the heart, as the psalmist declared: “Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them. Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools. They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God” (Psalm 84:5-7).

The courts teach us that each stage of this journey requires greater surrender, humility, and reliance on God’s grace. The sacrifices, washing, and acts of service all point to the necessity of transformation, as we are conformed to the image of Christ: “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” (Romans 12:2).

A Call to Prepare for His Presence

The Temple Mount’s physical courts serve as a shadow of spiritual truths, reminding us that approaching God requires preparation and holiness. The writer of Hebrews captures this reality: “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14). Each step closer to God demands not only greater obedience but also greater reliance on His Spirit to guide and transform us: “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13).

As we reflect on this journey, we see that the courts are not merely destinations but stages of relationship with God. They remind us that the path to Him is one of constant growth, requiring us to leave behind the distractions of the world and press toward the mark for the prize of His calling: “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14).

Looking Ahead: The Temple Building

Our journey does not end here. Beyond the courts lies the sanctuary itself—the temple building, with its three sections: the Porch, the Holy Place, and the Most Holy Place. Each section reveals deeper revelations of Christ and His work in us. As we move toward the Most Holy Place, we will examine the golden furnishings, the veil, and the ark of the covenant, all of which point to the ultimate fulfillment of God’s plan in Christ.

Join us in our next study as we continue this journey into “the Holiest of all” (Hebrews 9:8), exploring the riches of God’s presence and the transformative power of His Spirit.

Ezekiel 37:1–14 The Valley of Dry Bones

[Study Aired Nov 18, 2024]

INTRODUCTION

Today’s study focuses on the restoration of the people of Israel into a great army in spite of the deplorable situation that they found themselves in as a result of their rebellion against the Lord. As we are aware, the people of Israel represent us, the Lord’s elect. We are the ones who had rebelled against the Lord during our time in the churches of this world or Babylon and were therefore without hope.

Isa 1:2  Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me.
Isa 1:3  The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.
Isa 1:4  Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.
Isa 1:5  Why should ye be stricken anymore? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.
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.
Isa 1:7  Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire: your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers.
Isa 1:8 And the daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city.

This is what the Lord says about our rebellion from the New Testament perspective:

Rom 1:18  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
Rom 1:19  Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
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:
Rom 1:21  Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Rom 1:22  Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
Rom 1:23  And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
Rom 1:24  Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
Rom 1:25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

As we can see, we became spiritually dead and had no hope. In His life here on earth, the Lord physically raised the dead to show us who are given to understand the spiritual significance of His words, that He is in the business of raising us from the dead to become alive in Him. The story of Lazarus, who was raised from the dead by the Lord, is to remind us of what the Lord is doing today in the lives of His elect – raising us from the dead. Later, in an age to come, all humanity will also taste of His resurrection power in their lives.

Joh 11:14  Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.
Joh 11:15  And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him.
Joh 11:16  Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellow disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.

Joh 11:38  Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.
Joh 11:39  Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.
Joh 11:40  Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?
Joh 11:41  Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.
Joh 11:42  And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.
Joh 11:43  And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.
Joh 11:44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.

It is insightful to note that the stone which shielded the dead body of Lazarus from being seen by the people, was removed by those following Jesus after Jesus’ command for its removal. The stone in this case represents that which withholds us from seeing our deplorable situation. At the Lord’s command, the stone, or that which withholds us from seeing, is taken away by those following Jesus who represent the church of the firstborn.

2Th 2:7  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
2Th 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

Again, it was the people following Jesus who were asked to remove the graveclothes which bound Lazarus ‘hand and foot’, together with the napkin which covered the face. This is all to show us the key role the church plays in disentangling our hands and feet so that the work of our hands and our walk shall be pleasing to the Lord. It is the church that the Lord has empowered to remove the veil (the napkin covering the face of Lazarus) so that we can see and hear the mysteries of the kingdom.

2Co 3:13  And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:
2Co 3:14  But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.
2Co 3:15  But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.
2Co 3:16  Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.
2Co 3:17  Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
2Co 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

This story of Lazarus therefore show us the resurrection power that the Lord is availing to His elect to bring them from death to life. Today’s study shows us what the Lord is doing to make us alive in Him after we have come to see our spiritually deplorable state of dry bones in the valley.

The Dry Bones in the Valley

Eze 37:1  The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones, 
Eze 37:2  And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry. 

The hand of the Lord being upon Ezekiel is the same as Ezekiel being carried out in the spirit of the Lord. Ezekiel in this case represents the Lord’s elect. Being carried in the spirit is the same as being in the spirit and in many instances in the Bible, being carried in the spirit is followed by the Lord unveiling a mystery of the kingdom to His elect. For example, when Apostle John was on the island of Patmos, he was carried away by the spirit to understand what Babylon and the New Jerusalem represent.

Rev 17:3  So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

Rev 21:10  And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,

In verses 1 and 2 therefore, Ezekiel being carried in the spirit of the Lord is to show him the valley full of the dry bones of the people of Israel which represent the state of the Lord’s people in Babylon. In the Bible, bones represent our flesh. It also signifies our spiritually dead situation when we were in the world and in Babylon.

Gen 2:23  And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.  

Gen 50:24  At last Joseph said to his brothers, “I‘m about to die. God will definitely take care of you and take you out of this land to the land he swore with an oath to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”
Gen 50:25 Joseph made Israel’s sons swear an oath. He said, “God will definitely take care of you. So be sure to carry my bones back with you.” (GW)

It is instructive to note that the bones that Ezekiel saw were dry. Anything that is dry is devoid of water. What this implies is that when we are lacking the word of the Lord, we become spiritually dead. The dry bones that Ezekiel saw therefore symbolize the spiritually dead state of the Lord’s elect when we were in Babylon. The dry nature of the bones therefore suggest that our spiritually dead state is because we were not receiving the truth of the word of the Lord.

Eze 37:3  Then he asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I answered, “Only you know, Almighty LORD.”

This question was also asked by Job in another way and here in the Book of Job, we are provided an answer to the question. As indicated by Job, no man can bring a clean thing out of an unclean. Ezekiel responding to the Lord’s question here in verse 3 that it is only the Lord who knows, is another way of saying that it is only the Lord who can cause dry bones to become alive.

Job 14:4  Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.

Job 14:7  For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease.
Job 14:8  Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground;
Job 14:9  Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant.
Job 14:10  But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?
Job 14:11  As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up:
Job 14:12  So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.
Job 14:13  O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me!
Job 14:14  If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.
Job 14:15 Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands.

As shown here in Job, in our spiritually dead state (the dry bones), all we could do was wait until ‘our change come’ from the Lord.

Eze 37:4  Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. 
Eze 37:5 Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live: 

Prophesying to the dry bones to hear the word of the Lord is the same as the Lord coming to us with the spirit of His mouth and His brightness. As indicated in the Book of Job, it is through ‘the scent of water’ that the tree that was cut down will bud and bring forth boughs like a plant. That is to say that it is what we hear of the word of the Lord that makes us alive in Christ.

Job 14:7  For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease.
Job 14:8  Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground;
Job 14:9  Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant.

The Lord coming to us with the spirit of His mouth and His brightness is to ’cause breath to enter into us, so that we can live’, in verse 5.

2Th 2:7  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
2Th 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

This coming of the Lord to us is what the Lord has promised us as follows:

Joh 14:18  I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
Joh 14:19  Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
Joh 14:20  At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.

Joh 14:25  These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.
Joh 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

Eze 37:6  And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the LORD. 

What is described here in verse 6 is the coming of the new man, who is created in righteousness and true holiness within us as our old man is dying through the Lord’s coming with His judgement.

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

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

Eze 37:7  So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone. 
Eze 37:8 And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them. 

As stated in verse 7, the result of the prophesies was that there was noise and a shaking causing the bones to come together. This is to show us that it is through the Lord’s judgement (shaking) that the new man is formed within us as our old man commences his dying process.

Hag 2:6  For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land;
Hag 2:7  And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts.
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.

In verse 8, we are told that the sinews and the flesh came up upon the bones before the skin covered them. At this point, the bones did not have the breath of the Lord. That is to say that we did not have the Holy Spirit and our lives were just like the Lord’s disciples before the coming of the Holy Spirit.

Act 19:1  And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,
Act 19:2  He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.
Act 19:3  And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism.
Act 19:4  Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
Act 19:5  When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Act 19:6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.

Verse 8 therefore shows us that becoming alive in Christ is a process. We do not become spiritually mature all at once. We grow into maturity. It is the truth spoken to us in love that ensures that we grow up into Christ in all things. This truth is what every joint supplies within the body of Christ and as we assimilate the truth, we gradually become mature and are not tossed about by every wind of doctrine.

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.

A Great Army is Formed

Eze 37:9  Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live. 
Eze 37:10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army. 

The wind in verse 9 represents the Holy Spirit. The four winds therefore signifies the whole of the Spirit of God – the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD.

Isa 11:1  And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:
Isa 11:2  And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;
Isa 11:3 And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:

As the Lord stated before His ascension, the Holy spirit is what gives us the power to live our lives here on earth as the children of God. That is what makes us alive in Him.

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.

Just as the Holy Spirit descended on the disciples and made them a great army for the Lord, we are also being endued with power from the Holy Spirit to become a great army. This great army is not visible yet to the natural man but in the fullness of time, we shall appear as a great army riding on horses with the Lord.

Act 2:1  And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
Act 2:2  And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
Act 2:3  And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
Act 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

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

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

Eze 37:11  Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts. 
Eze 37:12 Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. 

Here in verse 11, we are being told that the dry bones signify the whole of the house of Israel. This house of Israel represents the Lord’s elect of every generation. All the Lord’s elect, must go to Babylon or the physical churches of this world before we are given to leave Babylon to become His elect. Our spiritual state in the churches of this world is what is described here in Ezekiel as dry bones without hope. However, in the fulness of time, the Lord delivers us from spiritual death by coming to us with the spirit of His mouth and His brightness to make us a great army.  This restoration is also prophesied by the prophet Joel as follows:

Joe 2:25  And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.
Joe 2:26  And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed.
Joe 2:27 And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed.

Eze 37:13  And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, 
Eze 37:14 And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD. 

Verses 13 to 14 summarize all that have been said so far in this chapter. The Lord opening our graves means that we were spiritually dead in the churches of this world. However, in His mercy, He came to us with the spirit of His mouth and His brightness to makes us alive in Him. He also poured His spirit within us to empower us and to lead us into the truth of His word. Through the spirit that He has poured on us, we are able to know the Lord. Placing us in our own land in verse 14 means being given to overcome our flesh as we offer our bodies as living sacrifice to the Lord.

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.

We are grateful to our Lord Jesus Christ for His mercy that He has shown towards us. Amen!!

“Exiles” in the Bible

[Study Aired September 26, 2024]

INTRODUCTION

For God’s people, “an exile” in His word typifies a point within a Christian’s life before they go without the camp with Christ to bear his reproach, filling “up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church” (Heb 13:13-16, Col 1:24). Chapter 13 of Revelation is a chapter that reveals that not everyone is given this knowledge (1Co 8:7, Rev 13:18) to know that being beasts (Ecc 3:18) we must go into exile and come to see the mark of the beast as being something that is on all men, and that the only way to be reinstated with God and have that mark removed is through judgement (6.6.6. – see the studies on the spiritual significance of the number 3 and the number 6). We all must go into Babylonian captivity, but very few are blessed in this life to come out of it through God’s chastening grace that receives us in this life as His sons (Mat 22:14, Heb 12:6).

Heb 13:13 Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp [after we lose our first love and are brought into exile and then begin to come out of it by God’s grace], bearing his reproach.
Heb 13:14 For here have we no continuing^{G3306[menō=abide, dwell, stay, endure, remain, tarry]} city (1Co 15:50), but we seek one to come [being freed from Babylonian exile and enduring to the end (Mat 24:13) in order to inherit a continuing city, Jerusalem above, the mother of us all, in the fullness of that inheritance which will occur at the first resurrection].
Heb 13:15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
Heb 13:16 But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

1Co 8:6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.
1Co 8:7 Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.

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; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

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

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.

Only God can give true spiritual increase, and all the planting and watering in the world does not change that truth (1Co 3:6), and so while we are in these earthen vessels we do water and plant abundantly in the churches of Babylon only to find out by God’s grace that these actions that are not accompanied with the understanding of God’s sovereignty and the faith of Christ are merely talents or seeds which are planted and watered in the earth and can’t be given any increase until an appointed time by God (Isa 55:11, Lev 26:4, Isa 58:8). The appointed time happens as a result of God’s goodness that leads us unto repentance through his chastening grace and judgement that teaches us to forsake ungodliness and worldly lust in this age (Tit 2:11-12, Heb 12:6).

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

This increase, or withholding of increase, is by design (2Th 2:5-8). God’s reason for doing this is to drive the point home to all of humanity, in time, that all the increase in our life comes from God alone, and all the good and evil done in life is orchestrated by our Sovereign Father who works all things according to the counsel of His own will (Isa 45:7, Eph 1:11).

Isa 45:7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.
Isa 45:8 Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the LORD have created it.

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

2Th 2:5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
2Th 2:6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
2Th 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
2Th 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

Very few are given that privilege and honour to lay up treasure in heaven as a result of the increase that God gives us in this age (Mat 22:14, Luk 10:20). The main contention the rest of the world will have in the second resurrection, is stated clearly in (Mat 7:22). We must be given power to give all glory to God, and to fully acknowledge in our hearts and minds that it is Christ who has been working all along within these marred vessels of clay both to will and to do of God’s good pleasure, and in doing so we become witnesses of these things (Php 2:12-13, Luk 24:47-48).

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

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

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?

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.

Luk 24:47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
Luk 24:48 And ye are witnesses of these things.

It is God’s words that will judge those who are in the second resurrection, and it is God’s word that is judging the elect today (Joh 12:48, 1Pe 4:17). We don’t think of ourselves as having rejected God’s words and Christ, but when we don’t acknowledge his absolute sovereignty in all things we are rejecting His power and who He is within His creation, and this keeps the man of perdition on the throne, the beast that has his power from the dragon (Rev 13:4). That precise moment of judgement coming upon the world for thinking that they have free moral agency is typified by the events that have Joseph speaking to his brothers who will learn at the hand of Joseph that they do not have any power of themselves (Gen 45:5-7), and this event with Joseph and his brothers typifies for us the great white throne judgement of all the world by God’s elect. If we contrast what is said in the second resurrection by humanity (Mat 7:22) with the wonderful works of God (Psa 107:8-31) that we must give thanks to God for, and stop taking credit for any of the light and darkness that are in God’s total control (Isa 45:7), then we can begin to be freed by the son of God and become a new creation that acknowledges that we are His workmanship, that He does as He sees fit with (Rom 9:19-22), including putting us all in our appointed time into an spiritual exile.

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.

Psa 40:5 Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.

Psa 78:4 We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.

Psa 107:8 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

Psa 107:15 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

Psa 107:21 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

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

Psa 111:4  He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the LORD is gracious and full of compassion. 

Act 2:11 Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.

Rom 9:22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:
Rom 9:23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,

In the first chapter of Matthew’s gospel we have a broad overview of how God has always intended to work with humanity, with each generation via the exiles that we all must experience, exiles that will all ultimately be used to bring all of His creation to him (1Co 15:28, 1Co 12:6). I say ‘exiles’ (plural) because this is a process just as there are many baptisms as we die daily and are buried into His death so we can be raised in the newness of life found in Christ (Rom 6:3-4, 1Co 15:31)

Mat 1:16 And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.
Mat 1:17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations.
Mat 1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.

1Co 15:28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.

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.

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

It is after these three groups of fourteen generations are mentioned that the birth of Christ is spoken of in (Mat 1:18), and these are signified events (Rev 1:1) that point to the process of judgement [3 groups of 14 generations] that all generations must experience in order to be prepared to be born again (Mat 1:16-18, Col 1:27, Joh 3:3). There are 3 fourteens that add up to the number 42 and this number reminds us that it will be through the witness of God’s power [2] that the whole [4] of humanity will be saved by putting off our carnal Adamic fleshly minds represented by the number 6 [4+2=6] (Rev 13:16-18).

Rev 13:16  And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: 
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; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

This mark of the beast spoken of in the book of Revelation represents how everyone who is born of flesh is immediately in a marred body of sin that God has created. God’s elect are that part of His workmanship who are being judged first (1Pe 4:17), and know that there is another fold that God is working with, but not to the point of overcoming in this life (Joh 10:16), and not to be preserved as the bride of Christ will be, but rather reserved unto the second resurrection to be judged then (1Co 15:31). God’s elect are part of a dying daily process that changes us to become a new creation as we come out of Babylonian exile, through much tribulation in this life (Mar 13:8, Act 14:22).

Mar 13:8 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows.

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

It is only by God’s power that we can come out of her my people and experience a true liberty from sin that can only be found in Christ (2Co 3:17, Joh 8:36). Again, overcoming physical vices does not preclude that someone is laying up treasure in heaven, or that they have overcome the most insidious of all sins, which is the sin of self righteousness. That sin takes an ongoing miracle from God to overcome as we die daily (Php 3:9, 1Co 15:31).

2Co 3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

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

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:

Our sojourn as God’s elect requires our constant examination of ourselves, as God’s goodness leads us unto repentance (Rom 2:4) and we are washed by the blood of lamb of all of those iniquities which is the self righteousness that just naturally clings to us (2Co 13:5, 1Co 9:27, 1Co 15:31). God tells us to confess our faults and He will deliver us, and in order to keep us all humble as we are daily delivered, we are also told that, in the final analysis, our escape will be a narrow but a certain one (1Pe 4:17-19).

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?
1Pe 4:18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
1Pe 4:19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

The 3 sixes that make up the mark of the beast can also represent those three generations of human experience within us (14+14+14=42), as all things are ours (1Co 3:2) and there is one experience unto all men that we will go through at our appointed time in order to come to know our Lord through that judgement within all those generations. The blessed generation in this life is the one that is being judged today (1Pe 4:17) and coming to see that we are guilty of all the sins of the world and the death of the prophets and of Christ, from Abel to Zacharias (Mat 23:35). We cannot begin to come out of the exile God puts us in until we are given to acknowledge our current wretched miserable poor and blind condition of being in weak flesh (Rev 3:17), but if we are granted to acknowledge that we can’t see, then our Lord can begin to heal us and deliver us from our captors who we could never overcome except the Lord set us free (Joh 9:41, Joh 8:36, Rom 7:24-25).

Mat 23:35 That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.
Mat 23:36 Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.

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

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.

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

The bible is about two men, and we are God’s workmanship that have those two men wrestling within us (Eph 2:8-10, Gen 25:22, Rom 9:13, Eph 6:12). We must experience our own personal exile into Babylon to then come out of that exile, if it is God’s will to do that for us in this age (Heb 6:3). There are many micro and macro examples throughout God’s word of how our first man Adam must go in and come out of exile, and the goal in this mini series is to bring out a few key verses that speak to this point. Christ divested himself of the power that he had and was born into sinful flesh (Php 2:5-7, Psa 51:5) so we could escape our sinful condition through Him (2Co 5:20-21). Christ coming out of Egypt, as Israel did by way of Moses, is a shadow of how Christ is delivering the Israel of God first (Gal 6:16) by the power of God’s holy spirit (Hos 11:1).

Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: 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.

Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Mat 2:13 And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.

Hos 11:1 When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.

2Co 5:20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.
2Co 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Christ had his own period in Egypt as a child where we read where Joseph was warned of an angel in a dream to take “the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him”. This departure to Egypt was typical of the exile that God’s elect go through in this life being hidden in Christ (Col 3:3, 1Jn 4:17) and kept from that wicked one Satan who wants to sift the manchild. Pharoah is a type of Satan who wanted to kill all the children two years and under, in order to kill Moses who represents Christ (Exo 1:22, Mat 2:16). The two years and under is the number of witness, and we are God’s witnesses with the spirit of God within us of these things, being hated of all the world (Rom 8:9, Col 1:27, Luk 24:48).

Luk 24:48 And ye are witnesses of these things.

We are those angels to each other that bring this sobering message that we will be hated by all men for his name’s sake (Mat 10:22), and along with that message we learn that the dream is one as we’re given an absolute hope (Rom 8:9, Col 1:27) and joy (1Th 1:6, Php 4:4) of knowing that we can be more than conquerors through Christ (Rom 8:31-37) who is the author and finisher of our faith and who God is dragging us to, delivering us from Babylonian exile (Heb 12:2, Joh 6:44).

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

Heb 6:3 And this will we do, if God permit.

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.

It is only by God’s sovereign power in our life that anyone of us can come out of her my people (2Co 6:17-18), and so perhaps the most important lesson we can take from this study is the truth that we serve a merciful and loving God who has always intended to perfect holiness within His creation, each man in His own order (1Co 15:23), through giving us an experience of evil to humble us thereby (Ecc 1:13) and ultimately receiving us through those experiences (Heb 12:6) that will bring us to trust in the living God (2Co 1:9) who has already written our books and declared the salvation of all souls from the very beginning (1Co 15:22, 1Ti 4:10, 1Jn 2:2). This process of judgement that is upon the elect is symbolized by the number 3, and so the 6.6.6. found in the book of Revelation tells us that all of human flesh must be judged in order to become a new creation in Christ. The only sign Christ gives the evil generation that we come to see by God’s grace as being ourselves, is the sign of Jonah, and it is only those who can acknowledge that they are that evil generation who were seeking a sign, who will be given the understanding of this parable of Christ, and every other parable, that reveals that many are called and few are chosen (Mat 20:16, Luk 10:24). Those who are chosen are being judged by Christ who is in the heart of our earth, earth, earth, three times mentioned in Jeremiah to remind us that we are going through a life-long process of judgement as God’s elect (Mat 12:39-40, Jer 22:29).

2Co 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
2Co 6:18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

Mat 12:39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:
Mat 12:40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Jer 22:29 O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the LORD

In the coming studies on exiles mentioned in the bible I have compiled a list of some of the more obvious and less obvious examples that have been given to us that I hope to break down and share in the coming weeks. Here is the current list of the studies we will look at in the coming weeks on what “exiles” in God’s word symbolizes for us today:

1: Adam and Eve are exiled from the garden of Eden

2: The first two times the word exile is used in the bible

3: Some occurrences of the word outcasts, exile, or exiles in God’s word

4: The most notable exiles of Egypt and Babylon

5: Events in the bible that typify how we must come out of exile by God’s power

6: Characters in the bible who typify the spiritual zeal and Godly strength needed from Him to endure through the exile and come out of it, going unto perfection in the blessed and holy first resurrection.

7: Christ’s own examples of preaching to the captives, setting us free with God’s word that heals us and brings liberty.

Hebrews 4:12 – Dividing Asunder of Soul and Spirit – Part 3

[Study Aired August 27, 2024]

The Death of the Soul and the Life of the Spirit

Dying to Self

Several New Testament passages speak of a necessary “death” to the old self:

(Galatians 2:20) “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God , who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

This verse suggests a kind of “death” to the self, which is associated with the soul, to allow for a new life in Christ.

The Flesh vs. The Spirit

Paul often contrasts the flesh, which is analogous to the soulish nature, with the spirit:

(Romans 8:13) “For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live

This verse implies a need to “put to death” the deeds of the flesh to live by the spirit.

New Creation in Christ

The concept of becoming a new creation in Christ further illustrates this transformation:

(2 Corinthians 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.”

This newness of life is to be understood as the ascendancy of the spirit over the soul’s natural inclinations.

The Soul, Spirit, and Eternal Destiny

The Promise of Eternal Life

(1 John 2:25) “And this is the promise that he hath promised us,even eternal life.”

This promise of eternal life is central to our faith. Jesus elaborates on this in John 17:3:

“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.”

This suggests that eternal life is not just about duration, but about a relationship with God.

Paul further explains in Romans 6:23:

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. “

This verse contrasts eternal life with death, indicating that it’s God’s gift through Christ.

The Resurrection Body

Paul provides a detailed discussion of the resurrection body in 1 Corinthians 15:

(1 Corinthians 15:44) ” It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body . There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.”

He continues in verses 1 Corinthians 53-54: 

“For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality [by dividing asunder of soul and spirit]. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.”

This transformation is also mentioned in Philippians 3:20-21: 

“For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, [by dividing asunder of soul and spirit] that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.”

The State of the Soul and Spirit After Death

The Bible provides insights into the state of believers after death, but it’s important to consider these passages in the context of other Scriptures:

(2 Corinthians 5:8) “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.”

Paul expresses a similar sentiment in Philippians 1:23:

“For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:”

However, we must also consider verses that speak of death as a sleep:

(Psalm 13:3) “Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;”

“And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” (Daniel 12:2)

Jesus himself used this analogy:

(John 11:11) “These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.”

(1 Thessalonians 4:14) “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.”

These verses present death as a state of unconsciousness, likened to sleep, from which one will be awakened at the resurrection. This understanding helps to reconcile the seemingly immediate presence with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8, Philippians 1:23) with the concept of awaiting resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:51-52, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).

The full understanding of the soul and spirit’s state after death we must consider all the above passages.

The Final Judgment and Eternal State

The Bible speaks of a final judgment and an eternal state:

(Revelation 21:1) “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth : for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.”

(Revelation 21:4) “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”

These verses describe a transformed creation where the effects of sin are eliminated, suggesting a complete restoration of the soul, spirit, and body in harmony with God’s original intent.

God’s Sovereignty and Universal Salvation

While the Bible speaks of a transformation process for believers, we must consider a broader perspective on God’s plan for all souls. The Scriptures present a complex interplay between our “apparent individual choice” and God’s sovereign will. But what do the scriptures say.

(John 15:16) ” Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you , and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.”

This verse emphasizes God’s initiative in choosing and ordaining His followers, suggesting a divine plan that transcends individual choice. Furthermore, the Bible indicates God’s plan for universal salvation:

(1 Timothy 2:3-4) “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved , and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.”

(1 Timothy 4:10) “For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men , specially of those that believe.”

These passages state that God’s redemption will extend to all of mankind, not just to those who currently believe. The phrase “Saviour of all men” is particularly noteworthy, indicating a scope of salvation that is more inclusive than often understood by the world.

Moreover, the Bible speaks of a future where every being acknowledges Christ:

(Philippians 2:10-11) “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow , of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord , to the glory of God the Father.”

This universal confession shows that all souls will eventually recognize and submit to Christ’s lordship.

These passages point to a divine plan that is truly universal in scope, aligning with the scriptures that speak of all dying in Adam and all being made alive in Christ (1 Corinthians 15:22). The idea that all souls must experience a form of death for God’s spirit to bring new life is indeed reflected in Scripture, albeit in a broader context than often recognized. This universal process of death and resurrection, both literal and spiritual, is central to God’s redemptive plan. It suggests that God’s transformative work will extend to all souls, not through individual choice, but through His sovereign will and power to make all things new. This understanding offers a perspective on salvation that is more comprehensive and far-reaching than commonly perceived, emphasizing God’s ultimate purpose to reconcile all things to Himself through Christ (Colossians 1:20). As we contemplate these truths, we are reminded of the vastness of God’s love and the all-encompassing nature of His plan for creation.

(1 Corinthians 15:22) For as in Adam all die , even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

(Colossians 1:20) And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself ; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

XII. Practical Implications

The Scripture teaches that the whole person – spirit, soul, and body – is to be sanctified and preserved blameless (1 Thessalonians 5:23). This holistic view of spirituality has several important implications:

Integrated Approach to Spiritual Growth:

Spiritual disciplines should engage not just the “spiritual” aspect, but also the mind (study, meditation), emotions (worship, fellowship), and body (fasting, service).

(Romans 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.”

Physical Health as a Spiritual Matter:

Caring for our physical bodies becomes part of our spiritual stewardship.

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

Emotional Well-being:

Addressing emotional health is crucial for overall spiritual health.

(Philippians 4:4) ” Rejoice in the Lord alway : and again I say, Rejoice.”

Intellectual Engagement:

Growing in knowledge and understanding is part of spiritual maturity.

(Romans 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.”

Hebrews 4:12 states that the word of God is able to “divide asunder of soul and spirit”, emphasizing the importance of spiritual discernment. This verse indicates that there is a distinction between the soul and the spirit that requires divine insight to properly discern.

1 Corinthians 2:15 further reinforces this, stating “But he that is spiritual judgeth all things.” This suggests that those who are walking in the Spirit possess a spiritual perception that allows them to evaluate and judge all matters, including the difference between soulish and spiritual impulses.

The need for this spiritual discernment arises from the intricate interaction between the soul and the spirit within us. we must rely on the illumination of the holy spirit, working through the Scriptures, to rightly distinguish between natural, fleshly tendencies and the leading of the spirit.

The ability to discern between soul and spirit is crucial for mature Christian living:

Learning to distinguish between genuine spiritual promptings and emotional or psychological impulses.

(1 Corinthians 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.”

Developing a heightened awareness to the holy spirit’s guidance.

(Romans 8:14) ” For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.“

Not all spiritual-seeming experiences are from God; discernment is needed.

(1 John 4:1) “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God : because many false prophets are gone out into the world.”

Integrating spiritual insight with practical wisdom in life choices.

(James 1:5) “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God , that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”

Scripture describes the process of spiritual growth as a transformation “from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord”.

(2 Corinthians 3:18) “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

This verse indicates that the process of being conformed into the image of Christ is not an instantaneous or easy one, but rather a gradual, incremental change. The use of the phrase “from glory to glory” suggests a progressive, step-by-step transformation, rather than a sudden or complete metamorphosis. This aligns with the biblical emphasis on the believer’s cooperation with the spirit’s sanctifying work in their life.

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

By recognizing the ongoing nature of this transformative process, believers are encouraged to exercise patience, perseverance, and dependence on the holy spirit. Spiritual growth is not achieved through our efforts, but through the Spirit’s empowerment and the believer’s caused submission.

Conclusion:

Our exploration of soul and spirit in Scripture reveals a rich tapestry of mankind’s nature and its relationship with God. We’ve seen that the soul, representing the whole living person, is mortal and subject to sin, yet intimately connected to our identity and consciousness. The spirit, while also an integral part of human nature, is presented as having a unique connection to God and a crucial role in understanding spiritual truths.

The division of soul and spirit, as mentioned in Hebrews 4:12, emerges not as a literal, physical separation, but as a profound spiritual process. It represents the discerning work of God’s Word in believers’ lives, helping to distinguish between natural, soulish inclinations and deeper spiritual truths. This process is central to spiritual growth and maturity.

We’ve also explored how this understanding of soul and spirit relates to other biblical concepts such as the body as a temple, the renewal of the mind, the role of the heart, and the idea of the ‘inner man’. These interconnected concepts paint a picture of man’s nature as complex and multifaceted, yet unified in its creation and purpose before God.

The biblical narrative of transformation – dying to self, mortifying the deeds of the flesh, and becoming a new creation in Christ – can be understood more deeply in light of this soul-spirit dynamic. It’s a process that encompasses our entire being, involving our thoughts, emotions, will, and our deepest spiritual nature.

However, we must remember that this transformative process is consistently presented in Scripture as applicable to believers through faith, rather than as a universal principle for all souls in this age. It’s a journey of spiritual growth facilitated by the powerful, piercing Word of God and the work of the holy spirit in believers’ lives. In the end all will go through the process of “the dividing asunder of soul and spirit”.

As we conclude, let us reflect on the words of the Psalmist:

(Psalm 103:1) ” Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.“

This verse beautifully encapsulates the holistic nature of our spiritual life, calling us to engage our entire being – soul, spirit, and body – in worship and devotion to God.

May this study deepen our understanding of our nature as created beings and inspire us to pursue wholehearted devotion to God, submitting to His Word as it transforms every aspect of our being. As we grow in this understanding, may we experience the reality of Paul’s prayer: 

(1 Thessalonians 5:23) “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 

(Hebrews 4:12)  “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit , and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

In this journey of faith, may we continually yield ourselves – soul, spirit, and body – to the sanctifying work of God, being transformed day by day into the image of Christ, until that day when we see Him face to face.

Link to Hebrews 4:12 Part 1

Link to Hebrews 4:12 Part 2