Month: January 2019

Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knows that he hath but a short time.

We long ago discussed the above verse (Revelation 12:12) as defining our time and warning of the evil that has now come into full fruit. Possibly the greatest and most recent example of this evil is the New York law which allows killing human babies up until the second before fully birthed. This is the definition of evil: a reflection of a culture whose minds have lost all good judgment, all sense of right and wrong, and become without a collective sound mind (conscience).

Not one of the fake news media outlets, not one of the pop-culture icons, none of the Democrat communists or establishment politicians, have come out to condemn the evil. They instead attack and demonize the innocent, while calling good evil. These are the #1 threat to the United States as formed; domestic enemies of our unique Judeo-Christian culture founded on a well-formed (thoroughly taught) conscience, the self-control it produces, and the extreme liberty these allow.

Those of us with sound minds and a healthy ordered conscience, always thought, as the developing human babies became better understood as functioning humans, scientific reasoning would expose the primitive and unenlightened thinking that has allowed the slaughter of the unborn by the millions. We figured, eventually even the ignorant would acknowledge that at conception a human being is created (it can be no other species) and therefore entitled to all the protection under our Constitution, as is every other person. We know the limit of a person’s liberty and choice is when it infringes on another person’s life, liberty, or property.

The argument made against this is the same as it has always been when human nature, unbridled by a healthy and well-ordered conscience, desires to justify the victimization of other humans. It was the solution in 1930’s Germany, the solution when justifying enslaving others here and around the world, and as in the atrocities committed by communists during the last century. That solution is to redefine human life as something other than human, and thereby justify doing with it whatever you will.

In many previous posts, we have discussed this thinking as known as Scientific Materialism. It reduces humans to matter just like any other matter, meant to be formed and used as one would use any other mass of atoms. Those who “understand” this are the “so-called” enlightened and thereby without conscience or remorse able to act as needed, and who in reality have murdered, enslaved, or aborted hundreds of millions, all to serve their lusts or as a matter of convenience.

Friends, we know this time is defined in Jeremiah as the “swelling of Jordan,” meaning the dead have swelled with pride believing their evil (their ideas as death itself) has won the day. We know this phrase only appears three times, first in Jeremiah 12:5, and then in Jeremiah 49:19 describing the end of Esau and in Jeremiah 50:44 the end of Babylon.

We know Esau is speaking of those who could have inherited the promise but instead sold their birthright; and Babylon tells of the confusion, the lack of mental acuity, that rule over all the world. The confusion comes by the Chaldeans; the name describing those who use their words, to first deaden minds into ignorance, and then to manipulate and control the dead into doing their will.

Jeremiah 12 tells of the LORD drawing these men out and into a fully exposed state where the evil is seen in its pure form – as it is now. He speaks of those, such as Nancy Pelosi, who have God in thier mouth (words) but His ways and truth are far from them. These are those who feel nothing when they kill and victimise others after they have dehumanised and vilified them. These are the nations, such as Esau and Babylon, who will be plucked up and destroyed.

Jeremiah 12 (KJV)
1 Righteous art thou, O Lord, when I plead with thee: yet let me talk with thee of thy judgments: Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously?
2 Thou hast planted them, yea, they have taken root: they grow, yea, they bring forth fruit: thou art near in their mouth, and far from their reins.
3 But thou, O Lord, knowest me: thou hast seen me, and tried mine heart toward thee: pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter.
4 How long shall the land mourn, and the herbs of every field wither, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein? the beasts are consumed, and the birds; because they said, He shall not see our last end.
5 If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?
6 For even thy brethren, and the house of thy father, even they have dealt treacherously with thee; yea, they have called a multitude after thee: believe them not, though they speak fair words unto thee.
7 I have forsaken mine house, I have left mine heritage; I have given the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies.
8 Mine heritage is unto me as a lion in the forest; it crieth out against me: therefore have I hated it.
9 Mine heritage is unto me as a speckled bird, the birds round about are against her; come ye, assemble all the beasts of the field, come to devour.
10 Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.
11 They have made it desolate, and being desolate it mourneth unto me; the whole land is made desolate, because no man layeth it to heart.
12 The spoilers are come upon all high places through the wilderness: for the sword of the Lord shall devour from the one end of the land even to the other end of the land: no flesh shall have peace.
13 They have sown wheat, but shall reap thorns: they have put themselves to pain, but shall not profit: and they shall be ashamed of your revenues because of the fierce anger of the Lord.
14 Thus saith the Lord against all mine evil neighbours, that touch the inheritance which I have caused my people Israel to inherit; Behold, I will pluck them out of their land, and pluck out the house of Judah from among them.
15 And it shall come to pass, after that I have plucked them out I will return, and have compassion on them, and will bring them again, every man to his heritage, and every man to his land.
16 And it shall come to pass, if they will diligently learn the ways of my people, to swear by my name, The Lord liveth; as they taught my people to swear by Baal; then shall they be built in the midst of my people.
17 But if they will not obey, I will utterly pluck up and destroy that nation, saith the Lord.

Again, as many times in the past, here is the definition of materialist scientism (Scientific Materialism – which is, when gone political, Communism) from an often quoted 2008 article in The American Thinker, by Linda Kimball. Here, again, is the full article, because each day it becomes more relevant, its warned against evil now come, as if the devil, in great wrath, knowing his time is short.

The American Thinker
February 23, 2008
The Materialist Faith of Communism, Socialism, and Liberalism
By Linda Kimball

For over eighty-five years, America has been incrementally conquered by the same madness-inducing demon of hatred and violence that earlier took over Russia, China, Germany, and Italy. Rabbi Aryeh Spiro concurs,

“There is a madness in today’s liberal thinking. It insists on policies that tie our hands to defend ourselves while given free reign to the jihadists intent on killing us. It is dangerous because it is becoming the law, and thinking of the land in the western world. (Liberal Madness is Deadly (1/24/08)

This demon is embodied in “enlightened” Liberals and the West’s transnational “elite,” both of which are deeply infected by materialistic Communism (Cultural Marxism) and the delusion that the true enemy of America is always on the Right. Having rejected God and the religious heritage of our civilization, they embrace instead a new order of beliefs of which Communism and Socialism are logical expressions. A new world order is what they seek, but in order that it can emerge, the existing culture must be completely destroyed.

And what is Communism? Using the former Soviet Union as an example, Frank Meyers describes it as, “The state form taken by a materialist faith determined to rule the world.” Communism or scientific materialism is “the final synthesis of all heretical tendencies that have pervaded Western civilization for many centuries.” It is materialist scientism, of which,

“Communism is the culminating hubris of the Promethean man who reaches out for the world and means to remake creation. It is scientism gone political.” (The Conservative Intellectual Movement, pp. 251-252)

We are All Materialists Now

“An age of science is necessarily an age of materialism,” declared Hugh Elliot early last century, “Ours is a scientific age, and it may be said with truth that we are all materialists now.” (Darwin Day in America, John G. West, xiv)

Materialist faith, or scientific materialism, has virtually displaced America’s founding Judeo-Christian worldview with the result that materialism is now the operative assumption for much of our government, culture, politics, and law. Materialist operatives now control every public institution in the United States. According to the inner logic of materialist faith, “we the people” are nothing but socially-constructed atomized robots which can presumably be deconstructed and melted into an atomized mass. Toward both this goal and to raise up an army of street thugs who will destroy our culture, materialist change-agents use our education system to subvert and convert the minds of our youth. Should they succeed in thoroughly corrupting them and in turning their hearts to hate, this generation of children may become the next Khmer Rouge, who at Pol Pot’s order murdered nearly two-million people, including their own families.

What is Materialism?

As Robert Jastrow (b. 1925), recipient of NASA’s Medal for Exceptional Studies explains, there are only two possible explanations for the origin of life: evolution and creation.

“…science has no…answer to the question of the origin of life on earth. Perhaps (life) is a miracle. Scientists are reluctant to accept that view, but their choices are limited: either life was created…by the will of a being outside…scientific understanding, or it evolved…spontaneously through chemical reactions…in nonliving matter…The first theory…is a statement of faith in the power of a Supreme Being not subject to the laws of science. The second theory is also an act of faith (which assumes) that the scientific view…is correct, without having concrete evidence to support that belief.” (Until the Sun Dies, Jastrow, 1977, pp. 62-63)

America is founded on the Judeo-Christian creation model. Materialist faith rises or falls on the assumptions of metaphysical materialism and evolution.

Materialism belongs to the family of Naturalism, which refers to the view that nature (or matter) is the Ultimate Substance of which the universe and all life are made, thus “all is one.” C. S. Lewis describes naturalism as a box with its top sealed tightly closed in order to keep out God and the supernatural realm. The ancient Ionians, Babylonians, Egyptians, and Aztecs were, for example, naturalists. In this view there is but one realm (the material or natural) as opposed to Judeo-Christianity’s creation model with its two interacting realms: natural and supernatural.

There are two basic kinds of Naturalism: materialism (i.e., Communism) and pantheism (i.e., Nazism and New Age Spiritual Communism). The two kinds differ chiefly about whether the First Cause or Absolute Substance is nonliving, non-intelligence bearing matter or an unknowing, unknowable, amoral mind. However, both kinds are united by their rejection of the transcendent, personal God and the supernatural realm and by their acceptance of some form of evolution, which serves as an impersonal, mechanical process of development.

Birth of Scientific Materialism: A Brief Historical Overview

As will be shown by the following overview, scientific materialism is not founded on empirical science, as has been its deceptive claim, but rather on metaphysics.

In the main, modern materialism originated in the metaphysics of the ancient Ionians and Stoics during the sixth century BC. However, it was the Atomists (Leucippus/Democritus, 460-357 BC; Epicurus, 342-270 BC; and Lucretius, 96-55 BC) who methodically developed materialism.

Forged in a furnace of narcissism, envy, and contempt, Atomism was from its inception an antihuman abomination which in later years, would attract those who enjoy the control and domination of others. Atomism set all things in ceaseless, purposeless motion by reducing everything—including man, his soul, and even his thoughts—to mindless atoms perpetually colliding with each other in a void. Man was reduced to a soulless, mindless machine that could only ‘see’ a tree because the tree emitted atoms which entered machine-man’s eyes and implanted themselves onto his brain. This view has changed very little:

“We are descended from robots, and composed of robots…” –Daniel C. Dennett, Kinds of Minds

Plato and Aristotle were the most forceful and compelling critics of Atomism. In Book X of Laws, Plato indicts the Atomists for reversing the natural order, which they did by placing dead matter before Nous (mind/soul), and for the reductionism that sets everything in motion and reduces man to a machine. Plato foresees only misery, social disintegration and ultimately, “the ruin of both states and families” should Atomism become the accepted view.

Though Christianity reared a mighty barrier against Atomism, it would be resurrected— along with the hylozoism of the Ionians and Stoics—during the Renaissance by among others, pantheist Giordano Bruno and the heretic Paracelsus, an alchemist described by C.S. Lewis as a magician in his book, The Abolition of Man.

Hylozoism (Greek hyle=nature; zoe-life) is the doctrine according to which all of nature’s bodies (i.e., sun, earth, moon, trees, man) possess life, mind, soul, and even divinity. By infusing Atomism with Ionian hylozoism, what might be called materialzoism was invented by Bruno, Paracelsus, and others. In short, dead matter was not just brought to life but deified.

The Franco-Germanic Enlightenment

With “God dead” and the source of man’s humanity (mind/soul) expropriated by materialists and conferred upon “dead matter,” a rush to discover the key that unlocks the mystery to life and mind was ignited which in later years unleashed unspeakable evil. For in believing that without a doubt, they now possessed the gnosis (secret knowledge) to not only design a utopia but create a New Man with a reprogrammed mind and conscience, Nazi and Soviet scientists performed sadistic experiments on living human beings. It was of these later scientific materialists that C.S. Lewis wrote his book, “The Abolition of Man.” Even now, wrote Lewis, the process to “abolish Man goes on apace among Communists and Democrats (and) Fascists.” The methods, said Lewis, may at first differ in brutality. But “enlightened” materialists from scientists to philosophers to academe and to political leaders mean, in the long run, “Just the same as the Nazis…” The West and America are to be destroyed and “mankind to be cut out in some fresh shape at the will” of scientific materialists who Lewis calls the Conditioners and Innovators. These people, noted Lewis, are no longer men, for they have stepped out into the void.

Among the horde of Prometheans who set out to discover the animating-power of machine-man was Giovanni Aldini, who performed macabre experiments on decapitated oxes, horses, lambs, and — once he had overcome his repugnance, on humans. For his experiments, he procured the freshest specimens possible by placing himself “under the scaffold, near the axe of justice…” Believing that some type of electricity was the source of machine-mans animation, Aldini applied electricity to various parts of decapitated human heads. This produced “the most horrid grimaces (but the) action of the eyelids was exceedingly striking.” Aldini rationalized his repugnant experiments by saying that only the “unenlightened part of mankind (will be) apt to entertain a prejudice…” (Darwin Day in America, p. 15)

Yet more power-crazed Prometheans emerged. Julien de la Mettrie (1709-51), Paul Henri Thiery, and Baron D’Holbach (1723-89) all agreed that the mind is the property of dead matter and man nothing but a machine. La Mettrie speculated that machine-mans rational life is entirely determined by physical causes that run the gamut from raw meat, to climate, blood circulation, and gender. Genetic inheritance, posits la Mettrie, causes machine-man to commit crime. This view casts parents into the role of “first cause” and would later manifest itself in the belief that State ‘experts,’ or Hillary’s “village” experts should have control of children. (ibid, pp. 16-18)

Pierre Simon Laplace (1749-1827) viewed scientific materialism as not only the pursuit of God-like omniscience but of the Holy Grail itself—power to create a New Man. If an intelligence could grasp “at a given instant…all the forces by which nature is animated” proclaimed Laplace, it could devise a mathematical formula that would predict everything that would ever happen, and “nothing would be uncertain, and the future, like the past, would be open to its eyes.” Scientists should reduce everything in the universe to mechanical laws that could be expressed in terms of mathematics, advised Laplace, for the promise of such knowledge was incredible power…even over life and mind itself. (ibid, p. 20)

Herbert Spencer, Fechner, Lotze, Wundt, and pantheist Ernst Haeckel, inventer of the scientism dictum—ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny—all agreed that life and mind are properties of dead matter. Haeckel moreover imagined ether to be the primitive life-making substance which, as was the case with the primitive fire of the Stoics, changed one part of itself into inert mass while the other part became the active principle, spirit. Today, many scientists routinely resort to Haeckel’s postulate without ever inquiring into its pantheist implications.

Haeckel would later write, “Pantheism teaches that God and the world are one…pantheism is…an advanced conception of nature (and) a polite form of atheism.” The truth of pantheism, confessed Haeckel, “lies in its destruction of the dualist antithesis of God…” The godless world system being constructed, said Haeckel, “substantially agrees with the monism or pantheism of the modern scientist.” (Monism, Ernst Haeckel, www.pantheist.net/)

During the century to follow, Charles Darwin (1809-82) would help spread materialism to the masses. As Stephen Jay Gould argues, “Darwin applied a consistent philosophy of materialism to his interpretation of nature, “and “the ground of all existence; mind, spirit, and God (are reduced to) neural complexity.” (ibid, p. 41)

According to Darwin, natural selection and the laws of heredity acting on matter produced mind, morality, and civilization. By describing how deified natural mechanisms caused the complexity of life to emerge from deified matter, Darwin helped transform materialism from a fantastically bizarre tale told by power-mad Prometheans on the fringe of society to a hallowed scientism principle enshrined and worshipped by modern scientism and ‘enlightened’ Westerners.

It was during this time that Social Darwinism, Progressivism, Socialism, Communism (Cultural Marxism, New Left), Nazism, and Secular Humanism were developed out of metaphysical materialism. Classical Liberalism on the other hand, was subverted and corrupted by the materialist faith into what is now known as modern Liberalism. Of these, Communism (Marx and Engel’s dialectical materialism), is considered to be the most highly developed philosophy of materialism. It rests on three fundamental metaphysical presuppositions:

1. Deified Matter: The Ultimate Substance which, though non-living, non-intelligent, and non-conscious, nevertheless somehow possesses the emergent properties of life, mind, consciousness, and soul.
2. Evolution: Since Marxist dialectic requires a theory with clashes (thesis and antithesis) and leaps (synthesis), Marxists have all but abandoned Darwinism and instead have embraced punctuated equilibrium. “Many people confound dialectic with the theory of evolution,” noted G. Plekhanov. “Dialectic is, in fact, a theory of evolution. But it differs profoundly from the vulgar (Darwinian) theory of evolution.” (Fundamental Problems of Marxism, 1929, p. 145)
3. Spontaneous Generation: An offshoot of specifically Darwinian thought accepted unreservedly by Marxists as their dialectic requires a strictly materialist explanation for the origin of life from dead matter. In the words of M.A. Leonov: “Marxist philosophical materialism remains beyond all doubt that at some time or other in the remote past, life must have arisen from non-living matter.” (Outline of Dialectical Materialism, 1948, p. 494)
In a modified version of the Stoic conception of the earth as a living organism possessed of its own soul, neo-pantheist dialectical materialism declares that earth is “one entire organism…its organs the various races and nations of men.” Not only is the earth alive and evolving upward on evolution’s magical escalator, but so too are history and society, for they also are living entities in a continuous state of motion. And man? In a modified conception of Atomism’s extremely dehumanizing view of man, dialectical materialism states that man is nothing but “a colonial aggregation of cells,” and to “consider him an individual would be an error.” Man—the aggregate of cells— is nothing but an extension of society, history, and earth. (Russian Textbook on Psychopolitics, Chapter II: The Constitution of Man as a Political Organism)

Death of America?

Modern materialist states began by rejecting God and denying objective standards of right and wrong. They threw out sanctity of life and demonically reduced man to matter in motion. The end case, in every instance, was to place absolute power over “atomized masses” into the hands of psychopaths and autocratic states to be wielded without restraint or mercy.

Of all religions, the materialist faith has been by far the bloodiest. In his book, Death by Government, R.J. Rummel comprehensively details the roughly 170 million people murdered by materialist governments during the 20th century. From 1917 to its collapse in 1991, the Soviet Union liquidated about 62 million. During Mao Tse-tung’s reign, 35,236,000 were murdered. Hitler’s Nazi’s killed 21 million. Even at its mildest, as is thus far the case here in America, there is a steady level of confiscation, corruption, fraud, and stifling of freedoms and free speech. For the first time ever, Americans are afraid of saying certain words. Parents fear disciplining their own children. More ominously, materialists in control of America (i.e., ACLU, activist judges) have rejected God and thrown out both sanctity of life and objective standards. “We the people” have been reduced to atomized beings. Totalitarianism and genocide loom just over our horizon.

As early as 1926, President Calvin Coolidge was aware of and deeply concerned by the insidious spread scientific materialism in America. As he knew, Americans are free only because of the Judeo-Christian foundation laid by the country’s founders. In a speech he delivered in Philadelphia, July 5, 1926 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, Coolidge tried to call American’s back to their Judeo-Christian heritage. He told Americans that the Declaration’s principles of liberty arise from man’s God-given inalienable rights. And these are found, said Coolidge, “in the texts, the sermons, and the writings of the early colonial clergy…” The clergy preached equality “because they believed in the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man.” Sanctity of life, the right to self-defense, and all the rest of our individual liberties were justified “by the text that we are all created in the divine image, all partakers of the divine spirit.” God’s children therefore, have no “superiors;” there are no modern-day “divine rights kings” who possess “any right to rule…over them.” Americans are free to choose their own leaders.

The Declaration, continued Coolidge, is “a great spiritual document.” Its principles are not material but spiritual. “Equality, liberty, popular sovereignty, the rights of man—these are not elements we can see and touch. They are ideals (whose) source and roots (are) in religious convictions. They belong to the unseen world.”

President Coolidge cautioned Americans that, “unless the faith of the Americans in these religious convictions is to endure, the principles of our Declaration will perish. We can not continue to enjoy the result if we abandon the cause.”

Coolidge ended his speech with a stark warning, “We must not sink into a pagan materialism…” (Back Fired, William Federer, pp. 269-271)

Yet, believing they are “enlightened” and “scientific,” maddened Liberals and Transnational “elites” are leading America over the Gadarene Cliff.

And you shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that you be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

Continuing: in the prior post we discussed those forbidding (from the Greek word koluo) the free course of this true Gospel, and saw it documented in 1 Thessalonians 2 as well as in several other of the many places it appears. We have seen that keeping the word of God from not just being heard but from being expanded into understanding, is what kept God’s people from rising from their sleep and death, which is what Paul is explaining in both letters to the Thessalonians.

In the mentioned passage (in 1 Thessalonians 2) Paul describes the opposition encountered by those in whom the LORD was already present and working, to further educate and purify them and those who would eventually hear them, and by it be enlightened. Paul earlier defined this as occurring by receiving the words heard as the words of God, and it, Him, now the power that worked in them, and Who would eventually break through as the glory of God seen working through them. (Hearing the report, and believing it is the glory.)

Preventing the glory from being seen is the objective of those forbidding the word to be spoken to those who don’t know God, who without this light (receiving the understanding) are unable to recognize Him (hear His voice) when they see the glory. Those forbidding the word from having free course, so it isn’t seen as the word of God, are the wicked spoken of in 2 Thessalonians 2. It says they are “withholding” and “letting,” both from the word katecho, meaning to hold down. Katecho describes what those sitting in God’s place are doing: by opposing Him and His truth. Paul says they are those who will hold God’s people down until taken out of the way. He says to these believers, in 2 Thessalonians 3, to pray the gospel would have free course and be seen as God’s glory, and that we would be delivered from unreasonable (atopos – unwilling to be reasoned with) and wicked men.

These men are those resisting the LORD’s presence and truth, as we are told of them in 2 Thessalonians 2, saying, “whose coming is after the working of Satan [resisting God] with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.” Paul is describing these men resisting the LORD at His coming, as we saw in the prior post described in 1 Thessalonians 4 and 2 Thessalonians 2.

These are the patterns we see in the event we are now encountering.

In the prior post, we discussed Paul’s first encounter with the LORD, when the understanding (as light) caused him to realize his blindness. We saw this understanding described by Paul in Acts 22 as light that all those with him saw, while only he heard it as the voice of the LORD. He described still not understanding it was the glory (actual presence) of God, due to then still remaining in the blindness of his old understanding (as in the blindness defined in 2 Corinthian s 4:3 and surrounding context).

Acts 22
6 And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me.
7 And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecute you me?
8 And I answered, Who are you, LORD? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you persecute.
9 And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spoke to me.
10 And I said, What shall I do, LORD? And the LORD said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told you of all things which are appointed for you to do.
11 And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me, I came into Damascus.
12 And one Ananias [Hananiah – God has favoured], a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there,
13 Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive your sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him.
14 And he said, The God of our fathers has chosen you, that you should know his will, and see that Just One, and should hear the voice of his mouth.
15 For you shall be his witness unto all men of what you have seen and heard.

2 Corinthians 4
1 Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;
2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
4 In whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the LORD; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.
6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the LORD Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
11 For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.
12 So then death works in us, but life in you.
13 We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;
14 Knowing that he which raised up the LORD Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.

Friends, I now, by the power of the LORD Jesus in me as Christ, reveal to you a great mystery. These men resisting this Gospel are the sleeping I have been sent to raise up, in the pattern of Saul, so they can become like Paul, a vessel of honor, prepared and used for the LORD’s work.

These are the wars and rumors of wars the LORD speaks of in the title verse (Matthew 24:6), which He later says are the beginning of sorrows. We saw in the prior post, Paul was on his way to Damascus when He first received understanding. Then, after realizing his blindness, he continued on to his destination where he received his sight. There he came to understand it was Christ in him, and Damascus was just the beginning of his suffering, (sacrificing) in the name of the LORD and for the sake of those who by it would receive life.

2 Corinthians 4
15 For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to [all men seeing and understanding it is] the glory of God.
16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, works for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

In the previous post, we again saw the meaning of Damascus (silence and sorrows) in the words from which it is derived. It alludes to the wars to overcome silence, to overcome those who resist (satan) the word of God, and the suffering of both those who teach and those from whom this teaching is withheld.

This is my war, my charge, to fight this good fight of faith, “In meekness [not using the power of God to destroy men’s lives, but to pull them from the fires] instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.” (2 Timothy 2:25 & 26)

The reality is, even when this word of God is given free course, there will be many who will reject it, mostly among those who define themselves as the “true believers.” These are those Jude describes as twice dead, not knowing the LORD previously and now refusing to recognise Him.

Jude
10 But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.
11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.
12 These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withers, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;
13 Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.
14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the LORD comes with ten thousands of his saints,
15 To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.

In the record of Paul’s final assignment before his martyrdom, both in Rome, a onetime used Greek word appears, akolutos, as the last word of Acts, rendered, “no man forbidding him.”

Acts 28
20 For this cause therefore have I called for you, to see you, and to speak with you: because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.
21 And they said unto him, We neither received letters out of Judaea concerning you, neither any of the brethren that came shewed or spoke any harm of you.
22 But we desire to hear of you what you think: for as concerning this sect, we know that every where it is spoken against.
23 And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening.
24 And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not.
25 And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word [this one passage], “Well spoke the Holy Ghost by Isaiah the prophet unto our fathers,
26 Saying, ‘Go unto this people, and say, Hearing you shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing you shall see, and not perceive:
27 For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.’
28 Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.”
29 And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, and had great reasoning among themselves.
30 And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him,
31 Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the LORD Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him [akolutos].

The above is the pattern the LORD describes in Matthew 24, which Paul understood, as a wheel within a wheel, which we see as a pattern within the pattern we now recognise as ours. We understand from previous conversations, these are the four wheels Ezekiel understood, and by this same sight, we are as he was, given a vision of God (see Ezekiel 7:26 below).

In the title (Matthew 24:6) the word rendered “rumor” is the Greek word akoe, as shortened form of the word akolutos. Akoe is the word translated “Hearing” in Acts 28:26 above as Paul quotes Isaiah 6:9 & 10. We know Isaiah concludes this by telling us of the total desolation that comes (has now come), by what the LORD describes in Matthew 24:15 as the “abomination” that is set in place of God. We understand these abominations are the ideas of men, their creations, with which they replaced God’s truth and have misled His people into total desolation.

The LORD tells us this is the abomination spoken of by Daniel, which is mentioned in Daniel 9:27, 11:31, and 12:11. In all these appearances the same Hebrew word, shiqquwts, is used.

Here is the Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary Definition of shiqquwts: #8251: shiqquwts (pronounced shik-koots’) or shiqquts {shik-koots’}; from 8262 [: shaqats – pollute]; disgusting, i.e. filthy; especially idolatrous or (concretely) an idol:– abominable filth (idol, -ation), detestable (thing).

These false teachers, who have created idols, damnable heresies, if it were possible, would deceive even the very elect into looking everywhere for antichrists, except where he is, in their pulpits leading them to hell.

These men are those described in Hebrews 12 as refusing to be healed, instead, as Esau, choose to keep their abominations and thereby have sold their birthright. These are those who choose, instead of mount Zion, to come to the mountain that burns with consuming fire, because they refuse the word spoken to them and demanded it be silenced.

Hebrews 10
11 Now no chastening for the present seems to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;
13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the LORD:
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;
16 Lest there be any fornicator [having interaction with idols], or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.
17 For you 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.
18 For you are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,
19 And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard entreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more:
20 (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart:
21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:)
22 But you are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaks better things than that of Abel.
25 See that you refuse not him that speaks. For if they escaped not who refused him that spoke on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaks from heaven:
26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he has promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.
27 And this word, Yet once more, signifies the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.
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:
29 For our God is a consuming fire.

The “root of bitterness” spoken of in verse 15 above, (coming when men fail the grace sent to them: these words, and by it become defiled) is mentioned to refer us to Deuteronomy 29:18. There in verse 17 the word shiqquwts appears for the first time, its only time in Deuteronomy, and describes idols as the “abominations” (that when fully worked in defile the whole lump). The passage also describes the “covenant” Daniel tells us is broken by the same one who set up the abomination and removes the daily sacrifice. (The sacrifice is the necessary suffering Paul understood before receiving his sight – standing through the suffering is essential to delivering truth, which now almost all have abandoned.)

Deuteronomy 29
9 Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that you may prosper in all that you do.
10 You stand this day all of you before the LORD your God; your captains of your tribes, your elders, and your officers, with all the men of Israel,
11 Your little ones, your wives, and your stranger that is in your camp, from the hewer of your wood unto the drawer of your water:
12 That you should enter into covenant with the LORD your God, and into his oath, which the LORD your God makes with you this day:
13 That he may establish you to day for a people unto himself, and that he may be unto you a God, as he has said unto you, and as he has sworn unto your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.
14 Neither with you only do I make this covenant and this oath;
15 But with him that stands here with us this day before the LORD our God, and also with him that is not here with us this day [including us]:
16 (For you know how we have dwelt in the land of Egypt; and how we came through the nations which you passed by;
17 And you have seen their abominations [shiqquwts], and their idols, wood and stone, silver and gold, which were among them:)
18 Lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turns away this day from the LORD our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations; lest there should be among you a root that bears gall and wormwood [bitterness];
19 And it come to pass, when he hears the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst: [Remember the passage from 1 Thessalonians 5, which we looked at in the prior post, verse 3, “when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction comes,” and verse 7, “For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.” These are speaking of knowing “the times and the seasons” we are in.]
20 The LORD will not spare him, but then the anger of the LORD and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him, and the LORD shall blot out his name from under heaven.

Friends, the men of the world, the “experts” and “wise men” of this corrupt age, are hell bent and leading headlong into it. These are those the LORD speaks of in Isaiah 28, where he also defines the “rumor,” the Hebrew word shmuw`ah, which as akoe, means a report, as in an announcement. It isn’t a rumor; it’s a declaration that isn’t believed and therefore isn’t passed on, to become public knowledge, as it should be. It is the voice of the archangel, and the trumpet of God, the call to the battle that men are blind to while being ignorant of their own ignorance. This is the same call that only Paul heard, even though all saw the same thing.

Shmuw’ah is the word rendered “doctrine” in Isaiah 28:9 and “report” in verse 19; the first asking who shall the LORD teach “doctrine,” the second telling of the only vexation being to understand the “report.” We know from prior studies, the “report” is the same “report” Isaiah, in Isaiah 53:1, asks who has believed, and to whom thereby is the arm (work) of the LORD revealed?

Isaiah 28
7 But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment.
8 For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean.
9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine [shmuw’ah]? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.
10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
11 For with stammering lips and another tongue [words that are not understood even though plainly declared] will he speak to this people.
12 To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith you may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.
13 But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
14 Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, you scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem.
15 Because you have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:
16 Therefore thus says the LORD God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believes shall not make haste.
17 Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.
18 And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge [discipline] shall pass through, then you shall be trodden down by it.
19 From the time that it goes forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report [shmuw’ah].
20 For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it: and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it.

Isaiah 52
1 Awake, awake; put on your strength, O Zion; put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into you the uncircumcised and the unclean.
2 Shake yourself from the dust; arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem: loose yourself from the bands of your neck [the idols that hold your head – the ideas, creations of men that control you], O captive daughter of Zion.
3 For thus says the LORD, You have sold yourselves for naught; and you shall be redeemed without money.
4 For thus says the LORD God, My people went down aforetime into Egypt to sojourn there; and the Assyrian oppressed them without cause.
5 Now therefore, what have I here, says the LORD, that my people is taken away for naught? they that rule over them make them to howl, says the LORD; and my name continually every day is blasphemed.
6 Therefore my people shall know my name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am he that does speak: behold, it is I.
7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that brings good tidings, that publishes peace; that brings good tidings of good, that publishes salvation; that says unto Zion, Your God reigns!
8 Your watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the LORD shall bring again Zion.
9 Break forth into joy, sing together, you waste places of Jerusalem: for the LORD has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem.
10 The LORD has made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.
11 Depart you, depart you, go you out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go you out of the midst of her; be you clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD.
12 For you shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight: for the LORD will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your reward.
13 Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.
14 As many were astonished at you; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:
15 So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider [what had been a rumor will be known as fact].

Isaiah 53
1 Who has believed our report [shmuw’ah]? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?
2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he has no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
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.
4 Surely he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
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.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
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 opens not his mouth.
8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he has put him to grief: when you shall 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.
11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he has poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

Ezekiel, in Ezekiel 7:26, used the word shmuw’ah twice, rendered “rumor” as we are told why what is plainly announced isn’t reported as it should be. It says it is because, “Mischief shall come upon mischief, and rumour shall be upon rumour; then shall they seek a vision of the prophet; but the law shall perish from the priest, and counsel from the ancients.” The Hebrew word hovah, meaning ruin or desolation, only used here and one other time, is the word translated “mischief.”

Ezekiel 7
16 But they that escape of them shall escape, and shall be on the mountains like doves of the valleys, all of them mourning, every one for his iniquity.
17 All hands shall be feeble, and all knees shall be weak as water.
18 They shall also gird themselves with sackcloth, and horror shall cover them; and shame shall be upon all faces, and baldness upon all their heads.
19 They shall cast their silver in the streets, and their gold shall be removed: their silver and their gold 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 stumbling-block of their iniquity.
20 As for the beauty of his ornament, he set it in majesty: but they made the images of their abominations and of their detestable things therein: therefore have I set it far from them.
21 And I will give it into the hands of the strangers for a prey, and to the wicked of the earth for a spoil; and they shall pollute it.
22 My face will I turn also from them, and they shall pollute my secret place: for the robbers shall enter into it, and defile it.
23 Make a chain: for the land is full of bloody crimes, and the city is full of violence.
24 Wherefore I will bring the worst of the heathen [as it now is], and they shall possess their houses: I will also make the pomp of the strong to cease; and their holy places shall be defiled.
25 Destruction comes; and they shall seek peace, and there shall be none.
26 Mischief shall come upon mischief, and rumor [shmuw’ah] shall be upon rumor [shmuw’ah]; then shall they seek a vision of the prophet; but the law shall perish from the priest, and counsel from the ancients.
27 The king shall mourn, and the prince shall be clothed with desolation, and the hands of the people of the land shall be troubled: I will do unto them after their way, and according to their deserts will I judge them; and they shall know that I am the LORD.

I am for peace: but when I speak, they are for war.

If the price of peace is the silence, then let us war, fighting the good fight of faith, not releasing our hold on life eternal.

1 Thessalonians 5
1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I write unto you.
2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the LORD so comes as a thief in the night.
3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction comes upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
5 You are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
9 For God has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our LORD Jesus Christ,
10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also you do.
12 And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the LORD, and admonish you;
13 And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves.
14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.
15 See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.
16 Rejoice evermore.
17 Pray without ceasing.
18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
19 Quench not the Spirit.
20 Despise not prophesyings.
21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.
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.
24 Faithful is he that calls you, who also will do it.
25 Brethren, pray for us.
26 Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss.
27 I charge you by the LORD that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren.
28 The grace of our LORD Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

Paul, in 1 Timothy 4, tells of these latter times, when men have departed from the faith and are giving heed to doctrines (obeying the teaching) of devils. He says what is translated in verse 3 as they are “Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God has created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.”

First, the Greek word gameo is rendered marry, which appears to be derived from the Hebrew word gam, meaning to gather, as an assemblage, as in the Hebrew word gama, meaning to absorb, as ink is absorbed into and becomes part of paper. These words also appear to be closely associated with the Hebrew name Gamaliel, which is rendered the same in Greek. We are told in Acts 5:34 that Gamaliel is a doctor of the law (expert in the word of God as they understood it). He is the one that recommended against forbidding the apostles to speak. We know from the passage his recommendation led their release while they were still forbidden to teach; a command they chose to ignore. (If the cost of peace is silence, then I choose war.)

Acts 5
26 Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned.
27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them,
28 Saying, Did not we straitly [strictly] command you that you should not teach in this name? and, behold, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.
29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you slew and hanged on a tree.
31 Him has God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God has given to them that obey him.
33 When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them.
34 Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space;
35 And said unto them, You men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what you intend to do as touching these men.
36 For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to naught.
37 After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed.
38 And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to naught:
39 But if it be of God, you cannot overthrow it; lest haply you be found even to fight against God.
40 And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
41 And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.
42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.

This is the same Gamaliel, later in Acts 22:3, Paul says taught him what he understood of the law. He continues into telling of when the LORD appeared to him and he realized he was (actually had long been) blind to the deeper meaning of the law, which is only released by the light (understanding) of Christ, turning to the LORD who struck him down. When this happened Paul was on his way to Damascus, a name we know is from words meaning to silent (damah – dumb – unable to speak) and associated with other words (dama’, dema’, and dim’ah) referring to being in tears and drunken, again, conditions that make speech difficult. The Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon says Damascus means “silent is the sackcloth weaver,” which also speaks of silence in works of sorrow: sackcloth as symbolising mourning and tears of sadness.

Acts 22
1 Men, brethren, and fathers, hear you my defense which I make now unto you.
2 (And when they heard that he spoke in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence: and he said,)
3 I am truly a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as you all are this day.
4 And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.
5 As also the high priest does bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring them which were there bound unto Jerusalem, for to be punished.
6 And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me.
7 And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest you me?
8 And I answered, Who are you, LORD? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you persecute.
9 And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spoke to me.
10 And I said, What shall I do, LORD? And the LORD said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told you of all things which are appointed for you to do.
11 And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me, I came into Damascus.
12 And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there,
13 Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive your sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him.
14 And he said, The God of our fathers has chosen you, that you should know his will, and see that Just One, and should hear the voice of his mouth.
15 For you shall be his witness unto all men of what you have seen and heard.
16 And now why tarry you? arise, and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the LORD.
17 And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance;
18 And saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get you quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive your testimony concerning me.
19 And I said, LORD, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on you:
20 And when the blood of your martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him.
21 And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send you far hence unto the Gentiles.

Friends, you understand these things are written for us to see them as they overlay and match the same patterns in our time, as Ezekiel saw the wheel (the circle of events recorded) within a wheel (repeating in the circle of events occurring).

The word rendered “forbidding” in 1 Timothy 4:3 is the Greek word koluo, meaning not just to forbid, but additionally, under threat of punishment or as punishment.

The context of the word’s use by Paul in 1 Timothy 4:3 is understood when He uses it in 1 Thessalonians 2:16. There it speaks of those who had received the word of God as it is: the actual word of God, who were thereby in the presence of the LORD at His coming, who themselves were being forbidden to speak the same word of God to the Gentiles, their fellow countrymen. We know, later in 1 Thessalonians 4, Paul tells these believers, so they won’t be ignorant or lose losing hope for the sleeping and the dead, the LORD will come and they will hear Him, and those who receive His word will rise from where they are being held down (katecho) to meet (join – gather to) Him at His coming.

1 Thessalonians 2
10 You are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe:
11 As you know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father does his children,
12 That you would walk worthy of God, who has called you unto his kingdom and glory.
13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when you received the word of God which you heard of us, you received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually works also in you that believe.
14 For you, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for you also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews:
15 Who both killed the LORD Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men:
16 Forbidding [koluo] us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins always: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.
17 But we, brethren, being taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavoured the more abundantly to see your face with great desire.
18 Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.
19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even you in the presence of our LORD Jesus Christ at his coming?
20 For you are our glory and joy.

1 Thessalonians 4
7 For God has not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.
8 He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who has also given unto us his holy Spirit.
9 But as touching brotherly love you need not that I write unto you: for you yourselves are taught of God to love one another.
10 And indeed you do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that you increase more and more;
11 And that you study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;
12 That you may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that you may have lack of nothing.
13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that you sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15 For this we say unto you by the word of the LORD, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the LORD shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16 For the LORD himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up [harpazo – pulled from the fires caused by these men’s false teaching and doctrines of devils – see Jude 23] together with them in the clouds, to meet the LORD in the air: and so shall we ever be with the LORD.
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Jude
11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain [“who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous”], and ran greedily after the error of Balaam [agreed to curse God’s people] for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core [Korah, who led the priests, the famous, and men of renown against Moses and Aaron, and questioned the authority God had given them].
12 These are spots [what causes the fires and spotted the garments mentioned in verse 23 below] in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;
13 Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.
14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the LORD comes with ten thousands of his saints,
15 To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.
16 These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaking great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.
17 But, beloved, remember you the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our LORD Jesus Christ;
18 How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.
19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.
20 But you, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our LORD Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
22 And of some have compassion, making a difference:
23 And others save with fear [making them aware of their fallen condition, and that because their pride and trusting in the words of man and perpetuating their myths, they stand precariously close to missing what they have hoped for], pulling them out of [harpazo] the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
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,
25 To the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

Friends, these Gentiles, those who don’t know God, who don’t yet know Him enough to call themselves His people Israel, are the little ones, those who are as little children needing to be taught by the LORD Himself.

The word koluo is used by the LORD many times in telling of not forbidding the little children to come to Him, as do (forbid) the great preachers and teacher of our time, the famous, and men of great reputation. I say let them come, out from the houses and words of rebellion against God (see Numbers 16).

Luke 18 [Understand these ideas as all relating to each other, raising questions and giving answers.]
1 And he spoke a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
2 Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:
3 And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.
4 And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;
5 Yet because this widow troubles me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.
6 And the LORD said, Hear what the unjust judge says.
7 And shall not God [who is Righteous, in the day of His Righteous Judgment] avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man comes, shall he find faith [to believe He has come] on the earth?
9 And he spoke this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves [their own ideas – their prosperity] that they were righteous, and despised others:
10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
11 The Pharisee [trusting in his own works, and therefore not needing to recognize a savour has been sent to Him] stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank you, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
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.
14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalts himself shall be abased; and he that humbles himself shall be exalted. [Remember, you will not fool God with vain words and actions that contradict them – God sees the truth – if you claim you are humble while you hate, lie, and destroy those who you falsely accuse, claiming you are righteous and they are sinners, you prove yourselves as liars – do you hear me you who hate Trump and any who refuse to join you in your hate against him? Do you hear me communists, Pope and other devils in the church in sheep’s clothing?]
15 And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them.
16 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid [koluo] them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.
17 Truly I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child [willing to come without pretense or guile, in good faith seeking to learn] shall in no wise enter therein.
18 And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master [Teacher], what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
19 And Jesus said unto him, Why call you me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.
20 You know the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and your mother.
21 And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up.
22 Now when Jesus heard these things [He understood what he lacked by the commandments not mentioned, the 1st and the 10th: you shall have other gods before God, and you shall not covet what is your neighbor’s], he said unto him, Yet lack you one thing: sell all that you have, and distribute unto the poor [speaking of ideas and what is relied upon to produce prosperity], and you shall have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.
23 And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.
24 And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!
25 For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
26 And they that heard it said, Who then can be saved?
27 And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.
28 Then Peter said, Lo, we have left all, and followed you.
29 And he said unto them, Truly I say unto you, There is no man that has left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God’s sake,
30 Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting.
31 Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished.
32 For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on:
33 And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again.
34 And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.
35 And it came to pass, that as he was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the way side begging:
36 And hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant.
37 And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth passes by.
38 And he cried, saying, Jesus, you son of David, have mercy on me.
39 And they which went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace: but he cried so much the more, You son of David, have mercy on me.
40 And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought unto him: and when he was come near, he asked him,
41 Saying, What will you that I shall do unto you? And he said, LORD, that I may receive my sight.
42 And Jesus said unto him, Receive your sight: your faith has saved you.
43 And immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God.

1 Timothy 4
1 Now the Spirit speaks expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
3 Forbidding [koluo] to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God has created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:
5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
6 If you put the brethren in remembrance of these things, you shall be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto you have attained.
7 But refuse profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise yourself rather unto godliness.
8 For bodily exercise profits little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.
9 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation.
10 For therefore we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, specially of those that believe.
11 These things command and teach.
12 Let no man despise your youth; but be you an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.
13 Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.
14 Neglect not the gift that is in you, which was given you by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.
15 Meditate upon these things; give yourself wholly to them; that your profiting may appear to all.
16 Take heed unto yourself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this you shall both save yourself, and them that hear you.

Psalms 30
1 I will extol you, O LORD; for you have lifted me up, and have not made my foes to rejoice over me.
2 O LORD my God, I cried unto you, and you have healed me.
3 O LORD, you have brought up my soul from the grave: you have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.
4 Sing unto the LORD, O you saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.
5 For his anger endures but a moment; in his favor is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.
6 And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved.
7 LORD, by your favor you have made my mountain to stand strong: you did hide your face, and I was troubled.
8 I cried to you, O LORD; and unto the LORD I made supplication.
9 What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise you? shall it declare your truth?
10 Hear, O LORD, and have mercy upon me: LORD, be you my helper.
11 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing: you have put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness;
12 To the end that my glory may sing praise to you, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto you for ever.

Nevertheless the foundation of God stands sure, having this seal, The LORD knows them that are his. And, let every one that names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

Today’s opening verse is 2 Timothy 2:19, and is part of a passage speaking of those who have been born again by the uncorrupt word, received as the word of God, as it is: Christ’s presence received and become the new life in them. As of this moment, this resurrection has only occurred in those, the elect, who’ve done so: died to the corrupt ideas and false teaching of men, as did Christ, so that we might rise with His mind in us, born of incorruptible seed (see 1 Peter 1:23 below). This idea is stated in 2 Timothy 2:11, and then spoken of in verse 20 as becoming a vessel for the Master’s (The Prime Teacher) use, after we have purged ourselves from these things. The “things” are the false teaching of the false teachers, preachers of corruption, who were saying the resurrection had already occurred in those following them. They, as now, were saying their followers are already born again and therefore not in need of purging out anything, which opposes Christ, at His presence, preaching the entrance into His kingdom. “11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ. 12 Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though you know them, and be established in the present truth.” (2 Peter 1 – The word “present,” from pareimi, is speaking of proximity as well as time, of the entrance by accepting truth.)

2 Corinthians 4
1 Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;
2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
4 In whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the LORD; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.
6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

The title speaks of the foundation that has now been laid, which is Christ as the chief cornerstone, meaning God’s presence in man preaching Salvation by deliverance from the misleading of the gods of this world, whose spirit of disobedience has blinded all to Christ and His glorious Gospel.

2 Timothy 2
3 You therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
4 No man that wars entangles himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who has chosen him to be a soldier.
5 And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.
6 The husbandman that labors must be first partaker of the fruits.
7 Consider what I say; and the LORD give you understanding in all things.
8 Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel:
9 Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.
10 Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
11 It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:
12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:
13 If we believe not, yet he abides faithful: he cannot deny himself.
14 Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the LORD that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.
15 Study to shew yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
17 And their word will eat as does a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus [as we know, these names contain the meaning saying they are those who forbid joining with Christ, and do so as they hide behind the false mask, the sheep’s clothing, of love and caring];
18 Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past [ginomai – come into being] already [they are saying that incorruptible state has been reached, which their own denial of the LORD, and their pride, contradict]; and overthrow the faith of some.
19 Nevertheless the foundation of God stands sure, having this seal, The LORD knows them that are his. And, let every one that names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honor, and some to dishonor.
21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.
22 Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the LORD out of a pure heart.
23 But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strife [they aren’t looking for truth, rather they merely want to continue an argument they will never let end – “ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”]
24 And the servant of the LORD must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,
25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil [which is misleading advice, which causes men to stray away from God], who are taken captive by him at his will.

1 Peter 1
2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our LORD Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy has begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fades not away, reserved in heaven for you,
5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
6 Wherein you greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, you are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
8 Whom having not seen, you love; in whom, though now you see him not, yet believing, you rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
10 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:
11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
15 But as he which has called you is holy, so be you holy in all manner of conversation;
16 Because it is written, Be you holy; for I am holy.
17 And if you call on the Father, who without respect of persons judges according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:
18 Forasmuch as you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
20 Who truly was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
22 Seeing you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that you love one another with a pure heart fervently:
23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which lives and abides for ever.
24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower thereof falls away:
25 But the word of the LORD endures for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

When 2 Timothy 2 mentions the two men preaching words that have now eaten as canker (gaggraina – gangrene); ideas that must be purged from among the godly, it earlier says they are profane and vain babblings, that should be shunned. We know from previous discussions, this passage is referring to Numbers 16 and the priests (Levites) we are their told of, as a pattern of those who rebel against the LORD and His anointed (Moses, the one in whom Christ was speaking this same baptism, to purge out, wash away, the old ideas that held, and now hold, men’s mind s in captivity, to replace them with God’s incorruptible truth.)

Take heed!

Numbers 16
1 Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men:
2 And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown:
3 And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, You take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift you up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?
4 And when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face:
5 And he spoke unto Korah and unto all his company, saying, Even to morrow the LORD will shew who are his, and who is holy; and will cause him to come near unto him: even him whom he has chosen will he cause to come near unto him.
6 This do; Take you censers, Korah, and all his company;
7 And put fire therein, and put incense in them before the LORD to morrow: and it shall be that the man whom the LORD does choose, he shall be holy: you take too much upon you, you sons of Levi.
8 And Moses said unto Korah, Hear, I pray you, you sons of Levi:
9 Seem it but a small thing unto you [Remember Zechariah 4 saying “9 The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and you shall know that the LORD of hosts has sent me unto you. 10 For who has despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth.”], that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself to do the service of the tabernacle of the LORD, and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them?
10 And he has brought you near to him, and all your brethren the sons of Levi with you: and seek you the priesthood also?
11 For which cause both you and all your company are gathered together against the LORD: and what is Aaron, that you murmur against him?
12 And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab: which said, We will not come up:
13 Is it a small thing that you have brought us up out of a land that floweth with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, except you make yourself altogether a prince over us?
14 Moreover you have not brought us into a land that floweth with milk and honey, or given us inheritance of fields and vineyards: will you put out the eyes of these men? we will not come up.
15 And Moses was very wroth, and said unto the LORD, Respect not you their offering: I have not taken one donkey from them, neither have I hurt one of them.
16 And Moses said unto Korah, Be you and all your company before the LORD, you, and they, and Aaron, to morrow:
17 And take every man his censer, and put incense in them, and bring you before the LORD every man his censer, two hundred and fifty censers; you also, and Aaron, each of you his censer.
18 And they took every man his censer, and put fire in them, and laid incense thereon, and stood in the door of the tabernacle of the congregation with Moses and Aaron.
19 And Korah gathered all the congregation against them unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto all the congregation.
20 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
21 Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.
22 And they fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and will you be wroth with all the congregation?
23 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
24 Speak unto the congregation, saying, Get you up from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.
25 And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and Abiram; and the elders of Israel followed him.
26 And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of their’s, lest you be consumed in all their sins.
27 So they gat up from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side: and Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood in the door of their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their little children.
28 And Moses said, Hereby you shall know that the LORD has sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of mine own mind.
29 If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then the LORD has not sent me.
30 But if the LORD make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then you shall understand that these men have provoked the LORD.
31 And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them:
32 And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.
33 They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.
34 And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also.
35 And there came out a fire from the LORD, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense.
36 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
37 Speak unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, that he take up the censers out of the burning, and scatter you the fire yonder; for they are hallowed.
38 The censers of these sinners against their own souls, let them make them broad plates for a covering of the altar: for they offered them before the LORD, therefore they are hallowed: and they shall be a sign unto the children of Israel.
39 And Eleazar the priest took the brasen censers, wherewith they that were burnt had offered; and they were made broad plates for a covering of the altar:
40 To be a memorial unto the children of Israel, that no stranger, which is not of the seed of Aaron, come near to offer incense before the LORD; that he be not as Korah, and as his company: as the LORD said to him by the hand of Moses.
41 But on the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, You have killed the people of the LORD.
42 And it came to pass, when the congregation was gathered against Moses and against Aaron, that they looked toward the tabernacle of the congregation: and, behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the LORD appeared.
43 And Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of the congregation.
44 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
45 Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces.
46 And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from the LORD; the plague is begun.
47 And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the congregation; and, behold, the plague was begun among the people: and he put on incense, and made an atonement for the people.
48 And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed.
49 Now they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, beside them that died about the matter of Korah.
50 And Aaron returned unto Moses unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the plague was stayed.

Numbers 17
1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying,
2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and take of every one of them a rod according to the house of their fathers, of all their princes according to the house of their fathers twelve rods: write you every man’s name upon his rod.
3 And you shall write Aaron’s name upon the rod of Levi: for one rod shall be for the head of the house of their fathers.
4 And you shall lay them up in the tabernacle of the congregation before the testimony, where I will meet with you.
5 And it shall come to pass, that the man’s rod, whom I shall choose, shall blossom: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, whereby they murmur against you.
6 And Moses spoke unto the children of Israel, and every one of their princes gave him a rod apiece, for each prince one, according to their fathers’ houses, even twelve rods: and the rod of Aaron was among their rods.
7 And Moses laid up the rods before the LORD in the tabernacle of witness.
8 And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.
9 And Moses brought out all the rods from before the LORD unto all the children of Israel: and they looked, and took every man his rod.
10 And the LORD said unto Moses, Bring Aaron’s rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; and you shall quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not.
11 And Moses did so: as the LORD commanded him, so did he.
12 And the children of Israel spoke unto Moses, saying, Behold, we die, we perish, we all perish.
13 Whosoever comes any thing near unto the tabernacle of the LORD shall die: shall we be consumed with dying?

Psalms 138
1 I will praise you with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto you.
2 I will worship toward your holy temple, and praise your name for your lovingkindness and for your truth: for you have magnified your word above all your name.
3 In the day when I cried you answered me, and strengthened me with strength in my soul.
4 All the kings of the earth shall praise you, O LORD, when they hear the words of your mouth.
5 Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the LORD: for great is the glory of the LORD.
6 Though the LORD be high, yet has he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knows afar off.
7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you will revive me: you shall stretch forth your hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and your right hand shall save me.
8 The LORD will perfect that which concerns me: your mercy, O LORD, endures for ever: forsake not the works of your own hands.

1 Corinthians 15
33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.
35 But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?
36 You fool, that which you sowest is not quickened, except it die:
37 And that which you sow, you sow not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain:
38 But God gives it a body as it has pleased him, and to every seed his own body.
39 All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.
40 There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.
41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differs from another star in glory.
42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:
43 It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:
44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
47 The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the LORD from heaven.
48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither does corruption inherit incorruption.
51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 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.
55 O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory?
56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
57 But thanks be to God, which gives us the victory through our LORD Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be you steadfast, immoveable, always abounding in the work of the LORD, forasmuch as you know that your labor is not in vain in the LORD.

1 Peter 4
11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God gives: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
13 But rejoice, inasmuch as you are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, you may be glad also with exceeding joy.
14 If you be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are you; for the spirit of glory and of God rests upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters.
16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
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?
18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
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.

1 Corinthians 1
…to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our LORD, both theirs and ours:
3 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the LORD Jesus Christ.
4 I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ;
5 That in every thing you are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge;
6 Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you:
7 So that you come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our LORD Jesus Christ [resurrected in all the church, as in you]:
8 Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our LORD Jesus Christ.
9 God is faithful, by whom you were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our LORD.
10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our LORD Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and you shall know that the LORD of hosts has sent me unto you.

(How would you respond if the LORD, morning after morning, day after day, in ways obviously supernaturally, led you to and through exactly what He wanted to say, first to you and then to the world? Would you call it coincidence or acknowledge Him as the LORD God Almighty? Once, maybe coincidence; but year after year, decade after decade, the rational mind and sound reasoning can only come to one conclusion. Have you reached this place? entered His kingdom?)

The title is Zechariah 4:9, the following verse, in reference to the above, then asks, “For who has despised the day of small things?” The small things referred to here is referring us to David, as a pattern of Zerubbabel. The Hebrew word rendered “small” is qatan, and is the same translated “youngest” in 1 Samuel 16:1, and then again in 17:14, both describing David, who, because of this outward appearance, was thought unworthy of what God declared was His purpose for him.

Remember our conversations about Joshua and Zerubbabel (Zechariah 3 & 4) as patterns of the priesthood (the church) and the civil government cleansed and restored. Also, remember our other discussions regarding these institutions when symbolized as the sun and the moon, describing their created and intended forms, shinning and reflecting God’s light on the earth. We understand this is when and where His ideas are seen and held as superior, and thereby men rule with His Righteous Judgement. These are the presence and kingdom of God manifested first in those He enlightens; then through them, shinned and reflected on all in the world who choose to receive its blessing.

Friends, the small things are us, and we are for signs and wonders to be seen by the world. It is what God has declared for us from the foundation of the world. We are the star of His heaven, and meant to be governed by the sun and the moon as He created them.

Genesis 1
14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:
15 And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.
16 And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.
17 And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,
18 And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.
19 And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.

The house built upon the restored foundation starts with rebuilding these institutions. The foundation is Christ in us having now restored the light (understanding) – in the first days of the new creation. Remember, light is already in the earth, but as yet only comprehended by the few who have received it and become the sons (children) of God. (See the beginning of Genesis 1, and John 1.)

The word qatan appears in 1 Samuel 9:21 as the LORD, though Samuel, calls Saul from obscurity to rule as king over the people of God. Saul in responding uses qatan to describe the tribe of Benjamin as the “smallest,” and everything related to him in the same terms. We are told he himself is the largest and goodliest of all others in Israel.

We know the during (see 1 Samuel 28) Saul’s rule he degenerated, first into not waiting for God’s advice from Samuel, then not listening to God’s advice, and finally seeking the advice of the dead: those who have familiar spirits (necromancy), and wizards (as a woman). The chapter ends with a similitude showing the patterns of when Eve gave Adam the fruit, which she picked when following the advice of the serpent.

We know from many previous discussions this is the same pattern spoken of in Isaiah 8, first God’s leaders and people rejecting the waters of Shiloam, which we know is His word, counsel, that flows softly from Him, and instead were seeking life, advice, from the dead, those with familiar spirits, and wizards that peep.

The story in 1 Samuel 9 & 10 (and chapter 1 thru 3, & 28) is an embedded pattern telling of the fall the civil government (in Saul) and the death of the priesthood (the death of Samuel). All during its telling Saul is looking for lost donkeys, in a figure the same donkeys the LORD commands to be loosed, which he rides into Jerusalem. We know, this is foretold in Zechariah 9:9, which is also quoted in recording the event. We know, again from past conversations, these donkeys are God’s people in whom He appears, in lowly (small) fashion; His elect: who later in Zechariah 10:3 we are told become His goodly horse in the battle. The point of contrast, is Saul enters already large, and after him comes David, God seeing the size of what is inside: his heart, meaning a committed and sound mind; then God MAKES him who he outwardly becomes, as He does with us: His goodly horse in the battle.

In the midst of these verses telling of seeking what has been lost: the light of the sun and moon: understanding and its resulting Righteous Judgment in church and state governance, appears the parenthetical statement of 1 Samuel 9:9, saying, “(Beforetime [until this time] in Israel, when a man went to enquire of God, thus he spoke [he said], “Come, and let us go to the seer:” for he that is now called a Prophet was beforetime called a Seer.)”

We know, (again, from prior studies), when 1 Samuel begins we are told of the priesthood becoming defiled by the sons of Eli, who had turned from God to idol worship. Their sin was not only taking the sacrifices offered to God, but also they caused the people to sin, stopped judging, and refused to listen to the LORD’s warnings. Samuel was raised up outside the order of this corruption (in the order of Melchisedec), and the LORD made him the restoration of the priesthood. He is the then called a prophet, when everyone knew, by the tingle in their ears, that the LORD was working through Him.

1 Samuel 3
1 And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision.
2 And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see;
3 And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep;
4 That the LORD called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I.
5 And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I; for you called me. And he said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down.
6 And the LORD called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for you did call me. And he answered, I called not, my son; lie down again.
7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed unto him.
8 And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for you did call me. And Eli perceived that the LORD had called the child.
9 Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call you, that you shall say, Speak, LORD; for your servant hears. So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
10 And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for your servant hears.
11 And the LORD said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that hears it shall tingle [tsalal – only used three other times – 2 Kings 21:12, Jeremiah 19:3, and Habakkuk 3:16 – all describing this event, which should make all ears tingle – and the lips quiver of those who it is warning: the house of the corrupted priesthood].
12 In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end.
13 For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knows; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.
14 And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever.
15 And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of the LORD. And Samuel feared to shew Eli the vision.
16 Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. And he answered, Here am I.
17 And he said, What is the thing that the LORD has said unto you? I pray you hide it not from me: God do so to you, and more also, if you hide any thing from me of all the things that he said unto you.
18 And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he said, It is the LORD: let him do what seems him good.
19 And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground.
20 And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the LORD.
21 And the LORD appeared again in Shiloh: for the LORD revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD.

Understanding the great depth in these words begins in verse 1 above, in the Hebrew word yaqar, rendered “precious.” It is a thirty-six times used word first appearing here, and lastly in Zechariah 14:6 where it is translated “clear” in telling of the day only known to the LORD, when He comes, and all His saints with Him. Isaiah only uses the word one time, in Isaiah 28:16, where it describes the “precious” cornerstone, laid by the LORD God. We know this is the same stone the becomes our sanctuary, and to all others, a snare.

Isaiah 8
13 Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.
14 And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
15 And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken.
16 Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.
17 And I will wait upon the LORD, that hides his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him.
18 Behold, I and the children whom the LORD has given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, which dwells in mount Zion.
19 And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? [should they be looking] for the living to the dead?
20 [Or] To the law and to the testimony[?]: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

Isaiah 28
3 But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
14 Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, you scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem.
15 Because you have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell [Sheol] are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:
16 Therefore thus says the LORD God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious [yaqar] corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believes shall not make haste.
17 Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.
18 And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell [Sheol] shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then you shall be trodden down by it.
19 From the time that it goes forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report.

When Zechariah speaks of the day of the LORD, saying the light shall not be clear (yaqar), nor dark, meaning understating it will not be seen as having any value, neither will it be covered up, because (as 1 Samuel 3:1 says) “there is no open vision.”

Zechariah 14
…and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with you.
6 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear [yaqar], nor dark:
7 But it shall be one day which shall be known to the LORD, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light.
8 And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be.
9 And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.

The word “open” in 1 Samuel 3:1 is parats, mean to break out or forth. It is telling a time when the word of God had not yet broken forth, as planned, upon His enemies. This breaking forth is referring us to Perazim, (the name from perets, from, and the same as, parats), mentioned in Isaiah 28:21, itself directing us to 1 Chronicles 14:11, when David comes to Baal-perazim. There the LORD broke forth upon David’s enemies, by David’s hand like a breaking forth of waters. We know this is speaking in a pattern of this word of God, breaking forth as He has, upon the enemies, the Philistines, meaning those wallowing in the mire stirred up by their own ignorance: their lack of vision.

Isaiah 28
19 From the time that it goes forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report.
20 For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it: and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it.
21 For the LORD shall rise up as in mount Perazim [perets], he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act.
22 Now therefore be you not mockers, lest your bands be made strong: for I have heard from the LORD God of hosts a consumption, even determined upon the whole earth.
23 Give you ear, and hear my voice; hearken, and hear my speech.

As we know, the above mention of Gibeon, meaning the heap of this same testimony, is referring us to Joshua 10:10 & 11, which says, “10 And the LORD discomfited them before Israel, and slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon [this testimony heaped up and waiting to break forth], and chased them along the way that goes up to Bethhoron [the house of the prison cell – the house that is the hole of the serpent], and smote them to Azekah [until it was plowed under], and unto Makkedah [until the inhabitants where herded in the direction God wanted them to go]. 11 And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, and were in the going down to Bethhoron [they were attempting to return to the same captivity], that the LORD cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah [until they were completely plowed under], and they died: they were more which died with hailstones [the waters that were frozen in heaven, reserved for this time and this breaking forth] than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword.”

When 1 Samuel 3 above tells of Samuel hearing the call of God and thinking it was the call of a man (Eli), it is telling of the dilemma, the same temptation that all men are faced with, now and always, to believe, by understanding, it is God’s calling. When 1 Samuel 9:9 says those who were before called “seer” are now called prophets, seer is from the Hebrew word paniym, meaning face. It is the same word we saw in the prior post, rendered “countenance” in Psalms 11:7, and “presence” in Isaiah 19:1, both telling of the coming of the LORD in this way.

Isaiah 19
1 The burden of Egypt [the captivity of our minds]. Behold, the LORD rides upon a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt: and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence [paniym – face, the same word rendered “countenance” in Psalms 11:7 below], and the heart [the reasoning] of Egypt shall melt [as do the elements {the stoicheion} in 2 Peter 3] in the midst of it.

Psalms 11
1 In the LORD put I my trust: how say you [teachers of wickedness] to my soul, “Flee as a bird to your mountain?”
2 For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily [with creations from their own imaginations] shoot at the upright in heart [in his sound mind].
3 If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?
4 The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD’s throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.
5 The LORD tries the righteous: but the wicked and him that loves violence his soul hates.
6 Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup.
7 For the righteous LORD loves righteousness; his countenance does behold the upright.

What was lost, and is now found, is understanding the difference between a prophet and a seer: one is merely a messenger, speaking for God in His absence, the other is understood as God’s presence, speaking the message Himself from the vessel; one is an angel, the other a son, once, by understanding, knowing, by receiving the knowledge of God, and by it the mind of Christ.

Hebrews 6
19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entered into that within the veil [into the presence of God];
20 Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made a high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
Hebrews 7
1For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;
2 To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;
3 Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abides a priest continually.

Hebrews 12
…you are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaks better things than that of Abel.
25 See that you refuse not him that speaks. For if they escaped not who refused him that spoke on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaks from heaven:
26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he has promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.
27 And this word, Yet once more, signifies the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.
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:
29 For our God is a consuming fire.

Hebrews 1
1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spoke in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
2 Has in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he has appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:
4 Being made so much better than the angels, as he has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
5 For unto which of the angels said he at any time, You are my Son, this day have I begotten you? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?
6 And again, when he brings in the first-begotten into the world, he says, And let all the angels of God worship him.
7 And of the angels he says, Who makes his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.
8 But unto the Son he says, Your throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of your kingdom.
9 You have loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows.
10 And, You, LORD, in the beginning have laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of your hands:
11 They shall perish; but you remain; and they all shall wax old as does a garment;
12 And as a vesture shall you fold them up, and they shall be changed: but you are the same, and your years shall not fail.
13 But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool?
14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?

Hebrews 2
1 Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.
2 For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward;
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;
4 God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?
5 For unto the angels has he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak.
6 But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that you are mindful of him? or the son of man that you visit him?
7 You made him [first] a little lower than the angels; [then] you crowned him with glory and honor, and did set him over the works of your hands:
8 You have put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.
9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
11 For both he that sanctifies and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,
12 Saying, I will declare your name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto you.
13 And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God has given me.
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;
15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
16 For truly he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.
17 Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
18 For in that he himself has suffered being tempted, he is able to succor [rescue] them that are tempted [them that doubt the LORD’s presence].

Psalms 104
1 Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, you are very great; you are clothed with honor and majesty.
2 Who covers yourself with light as with a garment: who stretches out the heavens like a curtain:
3 Who lays the beams of his chambers in the waters: who makes the clouds his chariot: who walks upon the wings of the wind:
4 Who makes his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:
5 Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever.
6 You covered it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains.
7 At your rebuke they fled; at the voice of your thunder they hasted away.
8 They go up by the mountains; they go down by the valleys unto the place which you have founded for them.
9 You have set a bound that they may not pass over; that they turn not again to cover the earth.
10 He sends the springs into the valleys, which run among the hills.
11 They give drink to every beast of the field: the wild asses quench their thirst.
12 By them shall the fowls of the heaven have their habitation, which sing among the branches.
13 He waters the hills from his chambers: the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your works.
14 He causes the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth;
15 And wine that makes glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengthens man’s heart.
16 The trees of the LORD are full of sap; the cedars of Lebanon, which he has planted;
17 Where the birds make their nests: as for the stork, the fir trees are her house.
18 The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats; and the rocks for the conies.
19 He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knows his going down.
20 You make darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth.
21 The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God.
22 The sun arises, they gather themselves together, and lay them down in their dens.
23 Man goes forth unto his work and to his labor until the evening.
24 O LORD, how manifold are your works! in wisdom have you made them all: the earth is full of your riches.
25 So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts.
26 There go the ships: there is that leviathan, whom you have made to play therein.
27 These wait all upon you; that you may give them their meat in due season.
28 That you give them they gather: you open your hand, they are filled with good.
29 You hide your face, they are troubled: you take away their breath, they die, and return to their dust.
30 You send forth your spirit, they are created: and you renew the face of the earth.
31 The glory of the LORD shall endure for ever: the LORD shall rejoice in his works.
32 He looks on the earth, and it trembles: he touches the hills, and they smoke.
33 I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.
34 My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the LORD.
35 Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless you the LORD, O my soul. Praise you the LORD.

If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?

2 Peter 3
10 But the day of the LORD will come [has come] as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements [stoicheion – corrupted ideas and advice of men] shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
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?
13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that you look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
15 And account that the longsuffering of our LORD is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him has written unto you;
16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest [wrestle with], as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction [in the fires their ideas and words, perverting truth, have caused].

The title is Psalms 11:3, and a continuation of the prior post. The subscript of this Psalm says it is “To the Chief Musician upon Sheminith,” which tells of striking the eighth sting of an eight-stringed instrument. As we know, the number eight denotes a new beginning, as in the eighth day as the beginning of a new week, and the first day after the Sabbath. We also know, the Sabbath is referring when the LORD comes and meets with us in a planned interruption, to stop us in our words and works, to hear His voice, so He can correct our course and keep us on track.

The LORD, in this Psalm, is telling me, us, this eighth sting has been struck, the Sabbath has ended and the new week of creation, relaying the foundations, begins.

Psalms 11
1 In the LORD put I my trust: how say you [teachers of wickedness] to my soul, “Flee as a bird to your mountain?”
2 For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily [with creations from their own imaginations] shoot at the upright in heart [in his sound mind].
3 If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?
4 The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD’s throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.
5 The LORD tries the righteous: but the wicked and him that loves violence his soul hates.
6 Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup.
7 For the righteous LORD loves righteousness; his countenance does behold the upright.

The Hebrew word shathat, above rendered “foundations,” is only used one other time, and means the basis, the thinking that underlies all political or moral ideas and actions. It is speaking to the elements, which we know from its Greek equivalent stoicheion; the principles that support all rationale and upon which are based all decisions. These are either the basis of Righteousness, which we know is truth and the unaltered, therefore equitable, application, which itself is good and Right Judgment; or when altered, or applied unequally based on the person, is the foundation of wickedness.

The one other time shathat is used is in Iasiaah 19:10 where it is translated “purposes.” The chapter is speaking of the Egyptians, and their leaders, meaning those who now hold the minds of God’s people in captivity by the ideas they teach and the advice by which they manipulate them into following. Verse 10 tells of the LORD breaking them in these purposes, which are likened to the means by which they catch fish, and then hold them captive (in ponds) until they can be consumed. The word there rendered “fish” is nephesh, which is the word rendered and meaning living souls, or living creature (no Spirit in them – until they are by it in them liberated, by Spirit and Truth).

Isaiah 10
1 Woe unto them [the wicked and their advice] that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness which they have prescribed;
2 To turn aside the needy from judgment, and to take away the right from the poor of my people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless!
3 And what will you do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which shall come from far? to whom will you flee for help? and where will you leave your glory?
4 Without me they shall bow down under the prisoners, and they shall fall under the slain. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

Isaiah 19
1 The burden of Egypt [the captivity of our minds]. Behold, the LORD rides upon a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt: and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence [paniym – face, the same word rendered “countenance” in Psalms 11:7 above], and the heart [the reasoning] of Egypt shall melt [as do the elements {the stoicheion} in 2 Peter 3] in the midst of it.
2 And I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians: and they shall fight every one against his brother, and every one against his neighbor; city against city, and kingdom against kingdom.
3 And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof; and I will destroy the counsel thereof: and they shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits, and to the wizards [the advice of those who twist truth and use it to manipulate, to hold captive until they can be consumed].
4 And the Egyptians will I give over into the hand of a cruel lord [qasheh ‘adown – a stiff-neck and a hardened heart controlling them – meaning unable to be reasoned with {unreasonable, atopos – fixed in their positions, as in 2 Thessalonians 3:2} there is one in every institution, destroying them from within]; and a fierce king shall rule over them, says the LORD, the LORD of hosts.
5 And the waters [the word of God – replace by the advice of men’s corrupted minds] shall fail from the sea, and the river shall be wasted and dried up.
6 And they shall turn the rivers far away; and the brooks of defense shall be emptied and dried up: the reeds and flags shall wither.
7 The paper reeds by the brooks, by the mouth of the brooks, and every thing sown by the brooks, shall wither, be driven away, and be no more.
8 The fishers also shall mourn, and all they that cast angle into the brooks shall lament, and they that spread nets upon the waters shall languish.
9 Moreover they that work in fine flax, and they that weave networks, shall be confounded.
10 And they shall be broken in the purposes [shathat] thereof, all that make sluices and ponds for fish [nephesh – souls].
11 Surely the princes of Zoan are fools, the counsel of the wise counsellors of Pharaoh is become brutish: how say you unto Pharaoh, I am the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings?
12 Where are they? where are your wise men? and let them tell you now, and let them know what the LORD of hosts has purposed upon Egypt.
13 The princes of Zoan [the leaders, advisers and counsellors who have departed from the LORD] are become fools, the princes of Noph [their fruit – those who have sprung up and become leaders] are deceived; they have also seduced Egypt, even they that are the stay of the tribes thereof.
14 The LORD has mingled a perverse spirit in the midst thereof: and they have caused Egypt to err in every work thereof, as a drunken man staggers in his vomit.
15 Neither shall there be any work for Egypt, which the head or tail, branch or rush, may do.
16 In that day shall Egypt be like unto women [because of their captive minds the captives shall lose their strength – masculinity]: and it shall be afraid and fear because of the shaking of the hand of the LORD of hosts, which he shakes over it.
17 And the land of Judah [where lions once ruled and reigned, and will again] shall be a terror unto Egypt, every one that makes mention thereof shall be afraid in himself, because of the counsel of the LORD of hosts, which he has determined against it.
18 In that day shall five cities in the land of Egypt speak the language of Canaan [the language of those who now hold the Promised Land, and hold down God’s people, and will hold them down {katecho} until they are taken out of the way], and swear to the LORD of hosts; one shall be called, The city of destruction.
19 In that day shall there be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at the border thereof to the LORD.
20 And it shall be for a sign and for a witness unto the LORD of hosts in the land of Egypt: for they shall cry unto the LORD because of the oppressors, and he shall send them a savior, and a great one, and he shall deliver them.
21 And the LORD shall be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know the LORD in that day, and shall do sacrifice and oblation; yea, they shall vow a vow unto the LORD, and perform it.
22 And the LORD shall smite Egypt: he shall smite and heal it: and they shall return even to the LORD, and he shall be entreated of them, and shall heal them.
23 In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians.
24 In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land:
25 Whom the LORD of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance.

The “highway” in verse 23 above is the Hebrew word mcillah, meaning a way through, or up, as in an encased set of stares. As we have seen in previous discussions, the name “Assyria” means steps, and represented those who’ve descended (by steps) into communism (who then reverse defined it as progress). The sentence is telling of coming out of captivity by taking the steps that lead up out of it. The word mcillah is used in Isaiah 11:16 to describe this process, also likening it to when God’s people came “up out of the land of Egypt.”

Isaiah 11
1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:
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;
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:
4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth: with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.
5 And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.
6 The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.
7 And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
8 And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den.
9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.
10 And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.
11 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria [the communists], and from Egypt [the captivity in confusion], and from Pathros [the time of false interpretations, which God winked {petha} at – see Acts 17:30], and from Cush [and the darkness], and from Elam [of eternity], and from Shinar [in the place were the two rivers of good and evil were mixed], and from Hamath [and the strongholds thereof – behind a wall of darkness], and from the islands of the sea.
12 And he shall set up an ensign [I and the children God has given me are for signs and wonders] for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.
13 The envy also of Ephraim [the second blessing – see verse 11 above] shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah [His leaders] shall be cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim.
14 But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines [those who have wallowed in the mire of their own ignorance] toward the west; they shall spoil them of the east together: they shall lay their hand upon Edom [those who have sold their birthright] and Moab [the gates of these enemies]; and the children of Ammon [all the tribes and sects] shall obey them.
15 And the LORD shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea [shall destroy the words, the corrupted ideas that have led all the world into captive]; and with his mighty wind [by His Spirit] shall he shake his hand over the river [these men’s words flowing to the world], and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go over dryshod.
16 And there shall be a highway for the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria; like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt.

Isaiah 12
1 And in that day you shall say, O LORD, I will praise you: though you were angry with me, your anger is turned away, and you comfort me.
2 Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.
3 Therefore with joy shall you draw water out of the wells of salvation.
4 And in that day shall you say, Praise the LORD, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted.
5 Sing unto the LORD; for he has done excellent things: this is known in all the earth.
6 Cry out and shout, you inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of you.

The Toxin, the venom in the popular culture that causes male and female minds to become putrefied.

The wise of this popular culture have recently begun a new attack on masculinity as they define it, condemning the strength that has throughout history been synonymous with the male of the species human. As with all modern definition, theirs has nothing to do with the reality of the situation, neither addressing the true problem or the underlying cause, and thereby never recommending the proper solution. As always, they twist the assessment into identifying it with a political cause, an impediment to their larger agenda, and by this typically recommend more of the cause as cure. Their objective is always to exacerbate the problem, again to further progress their agenda, which we know always boils down to their fundamental motivation: to destroy all normalcy and order, aimed at destroying our unique culture.

We know this aim, to destroy our culture by destroying its foundation, has been very successful; I would in even say it (the foundation) has been decimated. This is the true problem, and the effective solution, the antitoxin, should therefore obviously be to reestablish the foundation.

Friends, the problem with violence, male and female, gender confusion, male and female, along with all the other mental disorders and diseases, come down to a lack of knowledge. We know this lacking understanding derives from bad programing, bad advice, self-serving opinions disguised as intellect: packaged, marketed, and sold through all the institutions of learning and mass media, in church and state. The problem is the result of what all these same people know is the truth: garbage in, garbage out.

The “garbage in” is the venom, first destroying institutions from within, then destroying the societies who bought their toxic product; then came the destruction of the ordered family and with it were poisoned the minds of our young. Now, again with opinion disguised as intellect, they say, more of the same cause is the cure: more bad advice, more ignorance, and always suppressing the truth, which is the first block of the foundation.

These same people, the advisers, so wise they are unable to see their own ignorance, have unknowingly identified the problem. We know the venom is the toxic advice of the serpent, the toxin that rots men and women from the inside, their minds, to eventually consume those it paralyzes.

We know these men (in church and state) and their advice are what is described in Revelation 9.

Revelation 9
1 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit [the endless falling away from {truth and understanding} God, begun in the garden at the serpent’s first bite].
2 And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened [church, and the spirit in man, became without understanding] by reason of the smoke of the pit.
3 And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. [these preceding verses describe the air, the spirit in the children of disobedience, and venom in them as the power at work – see Ephesians 2 below, which describes it and the anti-venom in us as Christ, which quickens us back to health and life.]
4 And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads [our seal is His truth and understanding in our minds, therefore their toxin has no effect].
5 And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he strikes a man [rotting them from in the inside, in their minds].
6 And in those days shall men seek death [they shall look for those prescribing death, in their advice – but all they find is what rots their minds], and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.
7 And the shapes of the locusts [these men who seek to consume all human life] were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.
8 And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions.
9 And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.
10 And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails [the effects of the strikes are seen in what follows]: and their power was to hurt men five months.
11 And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue has his name Apollyon. [We know from prior discussions, these names mean destruction and destroyer, and are referring us to Psalms 9:6 where their end is described, which comes by the LORD’s presence and the words of His mouth – of wrath and Righteous Judgment. See Psalms 9 below.]
12 One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter.
13 And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,
14 Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.
15 And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.
16 And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.
17 And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.
18 By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.
19 For their power [to kill] is in their mouth, and in their tails [what results from following their advice]: for their tails were like unto serpents, and had heads [now with heads so they can consume those they have poisoned], and with them they do hurt.
20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils [referring to the priest set up in the churches that replaced God with idols – see 2 Chronicles 11:15], and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk [because there is no life found in these idols]:
21 Neither repented they of their murders [those whose lives they have taken by their deceptive advice], nor of their sorceries [those using their words to manipulate and control people], nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.

Friends, these men slithered in long ago, taking away the keys of knowledge and destroying all understanding. In the resulting confusion was removed ordered thinking, which is wisdom.

It has always been the responsibility of men of true strength, based, founded, upon their confident understanding of the these ideas’ resulting prosperity, health, and safety, that assure they would be taught and propagated as superior. What is toxic is the lack of this understanding and the lack of strength to vigilantly espouse (teach) them. Christ is the strength in us returned and giving us the understanding needed to combat the poison that has sickened our nation and her people. Men, we have a charge to keep!

2 Timothy 4
1 I charge you therefore before God, and the LORD Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

This strength restored to the people, and their then teaching the truth, giving understanding, is as the waters returning to their strength and overthrowing those who have held our minds in captivity. (Exodus 14:27 And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning [light – understanding] appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the LORD overthrew the Egyptians [our captors] in the midst of the sea [the people at large].)

Ephesians 2
1 And you has he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
2 Wherein in time past you walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience:
3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
5 Even when we were dead in sins, has quickened us together with Christ, (by grace you are saved;)
6 And has raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
8 For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them.
11 Wherefore remember, that you being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
12 That at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
13 But now in Christ Jesus you who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
14 For he is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
19 Now therefore you are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
21 In whom all the building fitly framed together grows unto an holy temple in the LORD:
22 In whom you also are built together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

Psalms 9
1 I will praise you, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all your marvellous works.
2 I will be glad and rejoice in you: I will sing praise to your name, O you most High.
3 When mine enemies are turned back, they shall fall and perish at your presence.
4 For you have maintained my right and my cause; you satest in the throne judging right.
5 You have rebuked the heathen, you have destroyed the wicked, you have put out their name for ever and ever.
6 O you enemy, destructions are come to a perpetual end: and you have destroyed cities; their memorial is perished with them.
7 But the LORD shall endure for ever: he has prepared his throne for judgment.
8 And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness.
9 The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.
10 And they that know your name will put their trust in you: for you, LORD, have not forsaken them that seek you.
11 Sing praises to the LORD, which dwells in Zion: declare among the people his doings.
12 When he makes inquisition for blood, he remembers them: he forgets not the cry of the humble.
13 Have mercy upon me, O LORD; consider my trouble which I suffer of them that hate me, you that lifts me up from the gates of death:
14 That I may shew forth all your praise in the gates of the daughter of Zion: I will rejoice in your salvation.
15 The heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made: in the net which they hid is their own foot taken.
16 The LORD is known by the judgment which he executes: the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Higgaion. Selah. [Meaning – murmurers against these words should think about it, and understanding, should fear because of the position in which they have put themselves.]
17 The wicked shall be turned into hell [Sheol], and all the nations that forget God.
18 For the needy shall not always be forgotten: the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever.
19 Arise, O LORD; let not man prevail: let the heathen be judged in your sight.
20 Put them in fear, O LORD: that the nations may know themselves to be but men. Selah.

Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

The above is the LORD warning against those Peter, later in 2 Peter 2:1, describes as the false teachers who will be among us, who he says will bring in damnable heresies, even denying the LORD. He says because of these heresies, the way of truth shall be spoken of as evil.

2 Peter 2
1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies [from their own imaginations have created untruths], even denying the LORD that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingers not, and their damnation slumbers not.

The LORD goes on in Matthew 7 to tell us we will know them by their fruit, which we know (because He has shown us and we have seen {an act of will}) is the same James speaks of in James 3. That chapter begins with James warning those who are masters (didaskalos – teachers), saying that by their words they to offend all. The word “offend” is from the five times used Greek word ptaio, meaning to stumble or fall. (Hold on to this idea for a moment.)

James goes on to tell us these words, of the unbridled tongue, are what sets the fires of hell. The word he uses, rendered hell, is Gehenna, which we know refers to the trash heap outside the city, where the fire always burned, where worms lived among the fires and ashes. After he speaks the same teaching, describing the truth as good fruit and sweet waters, and errors as the bad, he says this is cursing and blessing God’s people.

In the prior post, after very concisely illuminating the truth concerning the word harpazo, by the LORD working in me and through me to pull the deceived from the fire these false rapture doctrines cause, from them came cursing and evil speaking against the truth, and denying it is the LORD come to pull them out (harpazo). So, we bless and they curse us for it. (Romans 12:16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. 17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. 18 If it be possible, as much as lies in you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, says the LORD. 20 Therefore if your enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing you shall heap coals of fire on his head. 21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.)

2 Peter 1
1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ:
2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our LORD,
3 According as his divine power has given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that has called us to glory and virtue:
4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that you shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our LORD Jesus Christ.
9 But he that lack these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and has forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if you do these things, you shall never fall [ptaio]:
11 For so [that you do not fall away from the truth] an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ.

Matthew 7
13 Enter you in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14 Because strait [replete with obstacles that must be navigated] is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
15 Beware of false prophets [their false doctrines are the obstacles], which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
16 You shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down [see katatome – the concision, in Philippians 3:2 below], and cast into the fire.
20 Wherefore by their fruits you shall know them.
21 Not every one that saith unto me, LORD, LORD, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, LORD, LORD, have we not prophesied in your name? and in your name have cast out devils? and in your name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity.
24 Therefore whosoever hears these sayings of mine, and does them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
26 And every one that hears these sayings of mine, and does them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:
29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

James 3
1 My brethren, be not many masters [didaskalos – teachers], knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.
2 For in many things we offend all [ptaio – cause all to fall and the body to become fully corrupted – by their erroneous teaching]. If any man offend [ptaio] not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
3 Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.
4 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor lists [where he wills].
5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and [as an act of will] boasts great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindles!
6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell [Gehenna].
7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and has been tamed of mankind:
8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.
10 Out of the same mouth proceeds blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
11 Does a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?
12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.
13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
14 But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
15 This wisdom descends not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

As we have often seen, the word harpazo, rendered “caught up” in 1 Thessalonians 4:17, is the word used in Jude 23 to tell of pulling those in error out of the fires. These are the same fires spoken of by Paul in 1 Thessalonians 1:8, where we are told of the LORD coming in flaming fire. (One of the curses against the truth and those telling it, {that the rapture is a creation from the imagination of false teachers among God’s people} is saying that those who refuse to believe it are condemned to be left behind and suffer God’s wrath.) Jude is telling us exactly who the LORD and His elect come against, with wrath, which we know and as Jude tells us in verse 15, is with words of truth, against all those who have been ignorantly cursing Him and His truth.

Jude
10 But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.
11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain [“who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous”], and ran greedily after the error of Balaam [agreed to curse God’s people] for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core [Korah, who led the priests, the famous, and men of renown against Moses and Aaron, and questioned the authority God had given them].
12 These are spots [what causes the fires and spotted the garments mentioned in verse 23 below] in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;
13 Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.
14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the LORD comes with ten thousands of his saints,
15 To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.
16 These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speak great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.
17 But, beloved, remember you the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our LORD Jesus Christ;
18 How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.
19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.
20 But you, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our LORD Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
22 And of some have compassion, making a difference:
23 And others save with fear, pulling [harpazo] them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
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,
25 To the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

2 Thessalonians 1
1 Paul, and Silvanus, and Timothy, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the LORD Jesus Christ:
2 Grace unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the LORD Jesus Christ.
3 We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith grows exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other abounds;
4 So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure:
5 Which is a manifest token of the Righteous Judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer:
6 Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you;
7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the LORD Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our LORD Jesus Christ:
9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the LORD [see Matthew 7:21 thru 23 above], and from the glory of his power;
10 When he shall come to be glorified [when His presence is seen] in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.
11 Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:
12 That the name of our LORD Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the LORD Jesus Christ.

2 Thessalonians 2
1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our LORD Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
2 That you be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away [apostasy – when the false doctrines of false teachers has been fully worked in and has corrupted the whole lump] first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition [aloleia – meaning and identity giving below in Philippians 3:18 & 19];
4 Who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he [autos – they] as God sits in the temple of God, shewing himself [heautou – themselves] that he is [esti – they are] God.
5 Remember you not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? [It has always been the priests, degenerating to false teaching and keeping God’s people from meeting Him where He told us He would be – again, see Philippians 3 below]
6 And now you know what withholds [katecho – holds down God’s people] that he might be revealed in his time.
7 For the mystery of iniquity does already work: only he who now lets [katecho – holds down] will let, until he be taken out of the way.
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:
9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. [They have pleasure in defending their confusion that is now become delusion – in which they are now unable to see or hear anything other than the language of the dead: the lies they have learned.]
13 But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the LORD, because God has from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our LORD Jesus Christ.
15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which you have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.
16 Now our LORD Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which has loved us, and has given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,
17 Comfort your hearts, and establish you in every good word and work.

2 Thessalonians 3
1 Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the LORD may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you [understood as the word of God, which it is]:
2 And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith.
3 But the LORD is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.
4 And we have confidence in the LORD touching you, that you both do and will do the things which we command you.
5 And the LORD direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.
6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our LORD Jesus Christ, that you withdraw yourselves from every brother that walks disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.
7 For yourselves know how you ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;
8 Neither did we eat any man’s bread for naught; but wrought with labor and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you:
9 Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.
10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.
11 For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.
12 Now them that are such we command and exhort by our LORD Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.
13 But you, brethren, be not weary in well doing.
14 And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.
15 Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
16 Now the LORD of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The LORD be with you all.
17 The salutation of Paul with mine own hand, which is the token in every epistle: so I write.
18 The grace of our LORD Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Philippians 3
1 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the LORD. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.
2 Beware of dogs [those whose mouths never stop barking], beware of evil workers, beware of the concision [katatome – those destine to be cut down {and cast into the fire}].
3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinks that he has whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:
5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my LORD: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ. [This is what Paul refers to in Verse 18 below when he says these men, the sons of perdition, are the enemies of the cross. They refuse to give up their false doctrines so they can gain Christ, and they hold others down {katecho} from doing so. They reject following Him and taking up His cross – they are loyal only to their own corruption, and proud of it.]
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:
10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend [katalambano – take hold of – “comprehended” in John 1:5] that for which also I am apprehended [katalambano – that I might take hold of that for which Christ has taken hold of me – this in reference to the use of the words katecho and harpazo in the context of this CONVERSATION] of Christ Jesus.
13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended [katalambano – I haven’t yet comprehended everything]: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing you be otherwise minded, God shall reveal [apokalupto – apocalypse, uncover so we are able to comprehend it] even this unto you.
16 Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.
17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as you have us for an ensample.
18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:
19 Whose end is destruction [apoleia – perdition], whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)
20 For our CONVERSATION [where we find the LORD – in loving and keeping {guard and protect from corruption} His word] is in heaven [where there is no confusion because His word is rightly divided]; from whence also we look for the Savior, the LORD Jesus Christ:
21 Who shall change our vile body, 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.

Psalms 82
1 God stands in the congregation of the mighty; he judges among the gods.
2 How long will you judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah.
3 Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.
4 Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked.
5 They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course.
6 I have said, You are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.
7 But you shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.
8 Arise, O God, judge the earth: for you shall inherit all nations.

Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.

In many previous posts, we have discussed the false doctrine of an off the planet rapture. We have seen the same Greek word harpazo, rendered “caught up” in 1 Thessalonians 4:17, used in Jude, verse 23, where is described its true intended meaning. There it is translated “pull out of,” saying, “others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.” We have seen the fear it speaks of is to make people aware that they are precariously close to forever missing the mark at which they have aimed. We understand the fires are those caused by the corrupted (spotted) ideas (stoicheion – elements), which are the words of the false prophets and false teachers Peter describes in 2 Peter. We understand from James, these are the words, tongues, that refuse to be bridled, of which he says, “the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell [Gehenna].”

We have seen in the LORD parable, recorded in Matthew 13:33, the condition of the kingdom of heaven described as when the whole body has become fully corrupted. This comes by leaven, which is corruption that rises and swells with the pride of the corruptors who worked it into the whole lump. In James, we understand this comes from the unbridled tongues of men.

These are the men Jude earlier speaks of, saying, “10 But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.”

Jude
11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain [“who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous”], and ran greedily after the error of Balaam [agreed to curse God’s people] for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core [Korah, who led the priests, the famous, and men of renown against Moses and Aaron, and questioned the authority God had given them].
12 These are spots [what causes the fires and spotted the garments mentioned in verse 23 below] in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;
13 Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.
14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the LORD comes with ten thousands of his saints,
15 To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.
16 These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.
17 But, beloved, remember you the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our LORD Jesus Christ;
18 How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.
19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.
20 But you, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our LORD Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
22 And of some have compassion, making a difference:
23 And others save with fear [making them aware of their fallen condition, and that because their pride and trusting in the words of man and perpetuating their myths, they stand precariously close to missing what they have hoped for], pulling them out of [harpazo] the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
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,
25 To the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

This “fear” is what is spoken of in Hebrews 4:1, the title, saying, “Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.”

Friends, these men are the great preachers and teachers of our time, who know everything and are very willing, with feigned humility, to says they don’t, while rejecting correction and leading headlong into the fires of the same trash heap (Gehenna) to which they by the ideas they hold to are destined.

1 Corinthians 5
2 And you are puffed up [swelled with pride in your own corrupted ideas], and have not rather mourned, that he that has done this deed might be taken away from among you.
3 For I truly, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that has so done this deed,
4 In the name of our LORD Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our LORD Jesus Christ,
5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the LORD Jesus.
6 Your glorying is not good. Know you not that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?
7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, as you are unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us:
8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

James 3
1 My brethren, be not many masters [teachers], knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.
2 For in many things we offend all [and corrupt/defile/leaven the whole]. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
3 Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.
4 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor lists [where he wills them to go].
5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasts great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindles!
6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell [Gehenna].
7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and has been tamed of mankind:
8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.
10 Out of the same mouth proceeds blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
11 Does a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?
12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.
13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
14 But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
15 This wisdom descends not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

Friends, the LORD is gloriously speaking correction to these great men, the false apostles, who crept in with a spirit that isn’t Christ in them speaking. They refuse to accept the ruling, the Right Judgment of the LORD, which says they must be removed, because they have rejected, and still reject, His correction. He is the Prime, in me speaking for this purpose, and there is no other end but to receive Him as such.

Hebrews 3
1 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus [the Prime, alive and living in me];
2 Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house.
3 For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who has built the house has more honor than the house.
4 For every house is built by some man; but he that built all things is God.
5 And Moses truly was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after;
6 But Christ as a son over his own house [“as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD”]; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.
7 Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost says, To day if you will hear his voice,
8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation [when you question if the LORD was truly among you, and speaking through Moses] in the wilderness:
9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.
10 Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do always err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.
11 So I swore in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)
12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end;
15 While it is said, To day if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.
16 For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.
17 But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcasses fell in the wilderness?
18 And to whom swore he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?
19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.

Hebrews 4
1 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
3 For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
4 For he spoke in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.
5 And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.
6 Seeing therefore it remains that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief [because they trusted in corruption – the ideas they learned in captivity and refused to unlearn]:
7 Again, he limited a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
8 For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.
9 There remains therefore a rest to the people of God.
10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also has ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
11 Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
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.
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.
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.
15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

The many time above when this day is mentioned as “To day” when we are called to hear His voice, it is also spoken of referring us to Exodus 17:1 thru 7. Both are quoted from Psalms 95, which speaks of the LORD’s presence and warns against refusing to hear His voice. These all speak of the lack of faith and the unbelief, which cause these men, those swelled with pride and power, to deny it is the LORD speaking. They think their words claiming they are immunized no matter how they respond, because of some law they state, will save them and any who follow their corrupted ideas. They have a problem understanding “To day if you will hear His voice, harden not your hearts as in the provocation” – (be not immovable from your positions of wickedness, nor become {atopos} unable to be reasoned with).

If they want to live by the laws they choose to stand on, they will be held to all the law. Hear the law, “Not every one that says unto me, LORD, LORD, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, LORD, LORD, have we not prophesied in your name? and in your name have cast out devils? and in your name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity.” They have forgotten the work of the Author and Finisher of our faith, which is to correct us into becoming sons.

Hebrews 12
3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest you be wearied and faint in your minds.
4 You have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. [you haven’t sacrificed to remove your own sins, as the LORD has]
5 And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks unto you as unto children, My son, despise not you the chastening [correction] of the LORD, nor faint when you are rebuked of him:
6 For whom the LORD loves he chastens [corrects], and scourges [disciplines – see Isaiah 28:15 & 18 below – speaking of those who think this correction is for everyone, except them] every son whom he receives.
7 If you endure chastening [correction], God deals with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chastens [corrects] not?
8 But if you be without chastisement [correction], whereof all are partakers, then are you illegitimate, and not sons.
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?
10 For they truly for a few days chastened [corrected] us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
11 Now no chastening [correction] for the present seems to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;
13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the LORD:
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;
16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.
17 For you 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.
18 For you are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,
19 And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard entreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more:
20 (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart:
21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:)
22 But you [those who have heard, been corrected, and have becomes the Children of God] are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaks better things than that of Abel.
25 See that you refuse not him that speaks. For if they escaped not who refused him that spoke on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaks from heaven:
26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he has promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.
27 And this word, Yet once more, signifies the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.
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:
29 For our God is a consuming fire.

Isaiah 28
14 Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, you scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem.
15 Because you have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell [Sheol] are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:
16 Therefore thus says the LORD God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believes shall not make haste.
17 Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.
18 And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell [Sheol] shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then you shall be trodden down by it.
19 From the time that it goes forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report.

Psalms 95
1 O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the Rock [from where the word of God flows] of our salvation.
2 Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.
3 For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.
4 In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also.
5 The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land.
6 O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.
7 For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if you will hear his voice,
8 Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work.
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:
11 Unto whom I swore in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest.

Isaiah 13
2 Lift you up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice unto them, shake the hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles.
3 I have commanded my sanctified ones, I have also called my mighty ones for mine anger, even them that rejoice in my highness.
4 The noise of a multitude in the mountains, like as of a great people; a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together: the LORD of hosts musters the host of the battle.
5 They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, even the LORD, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land.
6 Howl you; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.
7 Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man’s heart shall melt:
8 And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travails: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames.
9 Behold, the day of the LORD comes, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.
10 For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.
11 And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogance of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.
12 I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.
13 Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.

Proverbs 6
1 My son, if you be surety for your friend, if you have stricken your hand with a stranger,
2 You are snared with the words of your mouth, you are taken with the words of your mouth.
3 Do this now, my son, and deliver yourself, when you are come into the hand of your friend; go, humble yourself, and make sure your friend.
4 Give not sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids.
5 Deliver yourself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.
6 Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:
7 Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,
8 Provides her meat in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest.
9 How long will you sleep, O sluggard? when will you arise out of your sleep?
10 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:
11 So shall your poverty come as one that travels, and your want as an armed man.
12 A naughty person, a wicked man, walks with a forward mouth [twisting and perverting truth].
13 He winks with his eyes, he speaks with his feet, he teaches with his fingers;
14 Frowardness is in his heart, he devises mischief continually; he sows discord.
15 Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.
16 These six things does the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
18 An heart that devises wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
19 A false witness that speaks lies, and he that sows discord among brethren.
20 My son, keep your father’s commandment, and forsake not the law of your mother:
21 Bind them continually upon your heart, and tie them about your neck.
22 When you go, it shall lead you; when you sleep, it shall keep you; and when you awake, it shall talk with you.
23 For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:
24 To keep you from the evil woman [the unfaithful church], from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman [their faltering teaching that tells you everything is fine].
25 Lust not after her beauty in your heart; neither let her take you with her eyelids.
26 For by means of a whorish woman [the church that has left God for idols] a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adultress [their church] will hunt for the precious life.
27 Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?
28 Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned?

Psalm 20
1 The LORD hear you in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend you;
2 Send you help from the sanctuary, and strengthen you out of Zion;
3 Remember all your offerings, and accept your burnt sacrifice; Selah.
4 Grant you according to your own heart, and fulfil all your counsel.
5 We will rejoice in your salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners: the LORD fulfil all your petitions.
6 Now know I that the LORD saves his anointed; he will hear him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand.
7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.
8 They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand upright.
9 Save, LORD: let the king hear us when we call.

O full of all subtlety and all mischief, you child of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to pervert the right ways of the LORD?

The above is from Acts 13:10 and are the words of Paul as he confronts the sorcerer and false prophet whose name was Bar-jesus, also called Elymas. We have in the past seen Bar-jesus means son of Jesus, and if translated even further it would say he is born of Jehovah’s salvation (a so-called true believer). We have seen Elymas, which is said to mean sorcerer, fully translates to mean wise man or wise interpreter.

We have often discussed the real meaning of those called sorcerers or wizards, which is they are those whose predecessors were wise men, and they now use their knowledge to manipulate and control men to do their will and follow their commands, instead of God’s. In Acts 13:8 we are told Elymas “withstood” those preaching the truth, and he sought to turn away those hearing it from the faith: away from believing the truth taught.

The word rendered “withstood” is anthistemi, a fourteen times used word meaning to stand against, to resist and oppose. It is the word Paul uses twice in 2 Timothy 3:8 as he describe the priests of Egypt who stood against Moses and resisted God working in him, and likens them to those now resisting the truth.

You see, it has always been and will always be priests, those possessing some knowledge of God, claiming to be the true believers, who degenerate into resisting God and opposing those preaching His truth. They now preach to control men into following their commandments, mostly to keep people captive in their churches, by controlling their minds – to serve their creations as they prescribe.

2 Timothy 3
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
8 Now as Jannes and Jambres [priests of Egypt – those whose ideas held God’s people’s minds captive even after the Passover and Exodus] withstood [anthistemi] Moses, so do these also resist [anthistemi] the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate [without God’s validation] concerning the faith.
9 But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.
10 But you have fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,
11 Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the LORD delivered me.
12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

The word translated “form” in verse 5 above is morphosis, meaning they have formatted themselves – here to appear holy or godly. The word rendered “godliness” is the Greek word eusebeia, which means to be following God’s will and commandments, to be a vessel in which He can dwell and from whom He can work His plan of salvation and deliverance.

This idea is what Paul describes in 1 Timothy 3 as, “Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience,” and further saying this so we will know how we ought to behave ourselves “in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” He concludes in verse 16 saying, “16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness [eusebeia]: God was manifest in the flesh, justified [validated] in the Spirit, seen of angels [his messengers], preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.”

Paul is speaking the same idea he goes on to describe in Acts 13, after he has confronted and exposed those who resist the preaching that comes from, and is validated by, this very same manifestation. His actions in Acts 13 are to preach Christ in the pattern of David, then seen in Jesus, and now manifesting itself before the eyes and ears of those seeing and hearing Christ risen in Him, preaching and teaching the same good tiding of salvation, which is the exact same consistent and transcendent uncorrupted truth.

These are the same wheels [circuits] of time and events Ezekiel describes seeing, when he saw God, which truth and understanding we have on many previous days preached here to you.

Acts 13
1 Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
2 As they ministered to the LORD, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.
3 And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
4 So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.
5 And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister.
6 And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus:
7 Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God.
8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.
9 Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him.
10 And said, O full of all subtlety and all mischief, you child of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to pervert the right ways of the LORD?
11 And now, behold, the hand of the LORD is upon you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.
12 Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the LORD.
13 Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem.
14 But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down.
15 And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, You men and brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say on.
16 Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and you that fear God, give audience.
17 The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought he them out of it.
18 And about the time of forty years suffered he their manners in the wilderness.
19 And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Chanaan, he divided their land to them by lot.
20 And after that he gave unto them judges about the space of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet.
21 And afterward they desired a king: and God gave unto them Saul the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years.
22 And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave their testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.
23 Of this man’s seed has God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Savior, Jesus:
24 When John had first preached before his coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.
25 And as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom think you that I am? I am not he. But, behold, there comes one after me, whose shoes of his feet I am not worthy to loose.
26 Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you fears God, to you is the word of this salvation sent.
27 For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every Sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him.
28 And though they found no cause of death in him, yet desired they Pilate that he should be slain.
29 And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulcher.
30 But God raised him from the dead:
31 And he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people.
32 And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers,
33 God has fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he has raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, You are my Son, this day have I begotten you.
34 And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David.
35 Wherefore he says also in another psalm, You shall not suffer your Holy One to see corruption.
36 For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:
37 But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption.
38 Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:
39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.
40 Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets;
41 Behold, you despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which you shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you.
42 And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath.
43 Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.
44 And the next Sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.
45 But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spoke against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.
46 Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing you put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.
47 For so has the LORD commanded us, saying, I have set you to be a light of the Gentiles, that you should be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.
48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the LORD: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.
49 And the word of the LORD was published throughout all the region.
50 But the Jews stirred up the devout and honorable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts.
51 But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium.
52 And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.

When Paul says, in verse 10 above, this sorcerer and false prophet is using “subtlety,” it is the Greek word dolos, meaning to trick, or bate (into captivity). It is the same word rendered “guile” in Revelation 14:5 in telling of why there is no fault found in God’s elect remnant, because “in their mouth was found no guile [dolos].”

These are examples of Christ manifested in us, God in man, as Peter describes in 1 Peter 2:22 where he says this “guile” wasn’t in the LORD’s mouth, and therefore shouldn’t be in ours.

1 Peter 2
1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speaking,
2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that you may grow thereby:
3 If so be you have tasted that the LORD is gracious.
4 To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,
5 You also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believes on him shall not be confounded.
7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,
8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that you should shew forth the praises of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light;
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.
11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
13 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the LORD’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;
14 Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.
15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:
16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.
17 Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.
18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.
19 For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.
20 For what glory is it, if, when you be buffeted for your faults, you shall take it patiently? but if, when you do well, and suffer for it, you take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.
21 For even hereunto were you called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow his steps:
22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judges righteously:
24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes you were healed.
25 For you were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

1 Corinthians 4
1 Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.
2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.
3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self.
4 For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judges me is the LORD.
5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the LORD come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.
6 And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that you might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.
7 For who makes you to differ from another? and what have you that you did not receive? now if you did receive it, why do you glory, as if you have not received it?
8 Now you are full, now you are rich, you have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God you did reign, that we also might reign with you.
9 For I think that God has set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.
10 We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong; you are honorable, but we are despised.
11 Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling-place;
12 And labor, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:
13 Being defamed, we entreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the off-scouring of all things unto this day.
14 I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you.
15 For though you have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have you not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.
16 Wherefore I beseech you, be you followers of me.
17 For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the LORD, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.
18 Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you.
19 But I will come to you shortly, if the LORD will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power.
20 For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.
21 What will you? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?

The power these men deny is the power of God in us, manifesting Himself and changing men’s minds; the power to enlighten as only He can. It is the power in man effectually working: His word bringing life to dead and sleeping minds, by seeing the unseen the world will never see because its false gods blind it. These deniers are those sitting in God’s seat, showing a form of godliness, which can only be faked by willfully inaccurate reporting and intentionally manipulated facts (which is all that spews from the fake news outlets in church and state). “For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean.” (Isaiah 28:8)

2 Corinthians 4
1 Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;
2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
4 In whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the LORD; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.
6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the LORD Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
11 For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.
12 So then death works in us, but life in you.
13 We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;
14 Knowing that he which raised up the LORD Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.
15 For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.
16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, works for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Psalm 31
1 In you, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in your righteousness.
2 Bow down your ear to me; deliver me speedily: be you my strong rock, for an house of defense to save me.
3 For you are my rock and my fortress; therefore for your name’s sake lead me, and guide me.
4 Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for you are my strength.
5 Into your hand I commit my spirit: you have redeemed me, O LORD God of truth.
6 I have hated them that regard lying vanities: but I trust in the LORD.
7 I will be glad and rejoice in your mercy: for you have considered my trouble; you have known my soul in adversities;
8 And have not shut me up into the hand of the enemy: you have set my feet in a large room.
9 Have mercy upon me, O LORD, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly.
10 For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: my strength fails because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed.
11 I was a reproach among all mine enemies, but especially among my neighbors, and a fear to mine acquaintance: they that did see me without fled from me.
12 I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I am like a broken vessel.
13 For I have heard the slander of many: fear was on every side: while they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life.
14 But I trusted in you, O LORD: I said, You are my God.
15 My times are in your hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.
16 Make your face to shine upon your servant: save me for your mercies’ sake.
17 Let me not be ashamed, O LORD; for I have called upon you: let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave.
18 Let the lying lips be put to silence; which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.
19 Oh how great is your goodness, which you have laid up for them that fear you; which you have wrought for them that trust in you before the sons of men!
20 You shall hide them in the secret of your presence from the pride of man: you shall keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.
21 Blessed be the LORD: for he has shewed me his marvelous kindness in a strong city.
22 For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before your eyes: nevertheless you heards the voice of my supplications when I cried unto you.
23 O love the LORD, all you his saints: for the LORD preserves the faithful, and plentifully rewards the proud doer.
24 Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all you that hope in the LORD.

Isaiah 25
1 O LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you, I will praise your name; for you have done wonderful things; your counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.
2 For you have made of a city an heap; of a defensed city a ruin: a palace of strangers to be no city; it shall never be built.
3 Therefore shall the strong people glorify you, the city of the terrible nations shall fear you.
4 For you have been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.
5 You shall bring down the noise of strangers, as the heat in a dry place; even the heat with the shadow of a cloud: the branch of the terrible ones shall be brought low.
6 And in this mountain shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined.
7 And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations.
8 He will swallow up death in victory; and the LORD God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD has spoken it.
9 And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.
10 For in this mountain shall the hand of the LORD rest, and Moab shall be trodden down under him, even as straw is trodden down for the dunghill.
11 And he shall spread forth his hands in the midst of them, as he that swims spreads forth his hands to swim [dividing the waters]: and he shall bring down their pride together with the spoils of their hands.
12 And the fortress of the high fort of your walls shall he bring down, lay low, and bring to the ground, even to the dust.

Ezekiel 33
29 Then shall they know that I am the LORD, when I have laid the land most desolate because of all their abominations which they have committed.
30 Also, you son of man, the children of your people still are talking against you by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak one to another, every one to his brother, saying, Come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that comes forth from the LORD.
31 And they come unto you as the people comes, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear your words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goes after their covetousness.
32 And, lo, you are unto them as a very lovely song of one that has a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear your words, but they do them not.
33 And when this comes to pass, (lo, it will come,) then shall they know that a prophet has been among them.

Psalm 120
1 In my distress I cried unto the LORD, and he heard me.
2 Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue.
3 What shall be given unto you? or what shall be done unto you, you false tongue?
4 Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper.
5 Woe is me, that I sojourn in Mesech [with those God has drawn out by His light], that I dwell in the tents of Kedar [among those who choose darkness]!
6 My soul has long dwelt with him that hate peace.
7 I am for peace: but when I speak, they are for war.

Revelation 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 does judge and make war.
12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
15 And out of his mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
16 And he has on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King Of Kings, And LORD Of Lords.
17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God;
18 That you may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.
19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.
20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.