If you be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are you; for the spirit of glory and of God rest upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
The title is Peter telling of suffering in Christ’s name, meaning in His place, bearing the reproach of those who are actually reproaching Him in you manifesting His presence (glory). This is earlier spoken of as the “fiery trial” that has come upon us, meaning what proves Christ is or isn’t in us.
Peter says this trail is “the end of all things,” which “is at hand,” and that it is the “judgment” that “must begin at the house of God.” Friends, this is the trial we are in the midst of, to reestablish order as the LORD Himself appears in His own defense. Those in church and state positions of power need to realize God is not a respecter of this world’s positions, whose only authority is derived from His consent.
John records this same moment as when the LORD appeared before his eyes, at a place called Bethabara, which superficially means house of the ford. Its deeper meaning is telling of the family that crosses over the death: no longer carried away into it by men’s misleading. The passage describes the apostles seeing and hearing the LORD, recognizing His character, knowing His identity. (The word apostles is from the Greek words apo and stello, meaning they have removed themselves from the corruption that didn’t allow them to see Him – more accurately meaning they saw God in Him, and seeing, cross from death into life – as is the focus of John’s gospel.)
1 Peter 4
1 Forasmuch then as Christ has suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin;
2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.
3 For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:
4 Wherein they think it strange that you run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:
5 Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.
6 For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
7 But the end of all things is at hand: be you therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.
8 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.
9 Use hospitality one to another without grudging.
10 As every man has received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
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 Peter 5
1 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:
2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
3 Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being examples to the flock.
4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, you shall receive a crown of glory that fades not away.
5 Likewise, you younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble.
6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
7 Casting all your care upon him; for he cares for you.
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour:
9 Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
10 But the God of all grace, who has called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that you have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
11 To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
John 1
28 These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming unto him, and said, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
30 This is he of whom I said, After me comes a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.
31 And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.
32 And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove [showing this is our destination], and it abode upon him.
33 And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom you shall see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizes with the Holy Ghost.
34 And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.
35 Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples;
36 And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he said, Behold the Lamb of God!
37 And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.
38 Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and said unto them, What seek you? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master [didaskalos – instructor, meaning teacher],) where dwells you?
39 He said unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour.
40 One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.
41 He first found his own brother Simon, and said unto him, We have found the Messiah, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.
42 And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, You are Simon the son of Jonah [the destination reached]: you shall be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone [from whom the word of God will flow, in the above revelation of 1 Peter 4 & 5].
43 The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee [the inner circle – the revelation of Himself to those who received Him – the circuit – the wheel, the event, now seen in our time, for our understanding], and found Philip, and said unto him, Follow me.
44 Now Philip was of Bethsaida [the house of Zidon – those who hunt souls as their prey], the city of Andrew and Peter.
45 Philip found Nathanael, and said unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law [referring to Deuteronomy 18:15 thru 18 – the one raised up among them, in whose mouth God put His word, who, as here, the people will hear – see the full passage below], and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
46 And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip said unto him, Come and see.
47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and said of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile [no deception – see Revelation 14:5 below]!
48 Nathanael said unto him, Whence know you me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree [see Zechariah 3:10, a chapter which is also referred to in verse 45 above, where Zechariah is spoken of as one of the prophets who wrote about Jesus, using His Hebrew name Joshua, and speaking of the cleansing of His body and the priesthood – which is occurring here as the LORD is raising them – which is later in John described in the pattern of raising Lazarus, whose Hebrew name is Eleazar – see Numbers 3:4 where the two sons of Aaron offered strange fire, and where replaced by Eleazar, his name meaning he is protected and helped {kept- as in 1 Peter 4:19 aove} by God – itself referring us to Hebrews 13:5 thru 8, where, our ever-present helper, Jesus {Joshua – Jehovah’s salvation}, is the same yesterday, today, and forever], I saw you.
49 Nathanael answered and said unto him, Rabbi [Christ, the master teacher], you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.
50 Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto you, I saw you under the fig tree, believe you? you shall see greater things than these.
51 And he said unto him, Truly, truly, I say unto you, Hereafter you shall see [if you now see, this is what you {we} are seeing] heaven open, and the angels [messengers] of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.
Deuteronomy 18
10 There shall not be found among you any one that makes his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that uses divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch.
11 Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. [the false prophets and false teacher – who are the dead interacting with the dead, to keep them dead, in ignorance of the reality they are seeing]
12 For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD your God does drive them out from before you.
13 You shall be perfect with the LORD your God.
14 For these nations, which you shall possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for you, the LORD your God has not suffered you so to do.
15 The LORD your God will raise up unto you a Prophet from the midst of you, of your brethren, like unto me; unto him you shall hearken;
16 According to all that you desired of the LORD your God in Horeb [when the trumpet sounded] in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not.
17 And the LORD said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken.
18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto you, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.
19 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.
20 But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.
21 And if you say in your heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD has not spoken?
22 When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken, but the prophet has spoken it presumptuously: you shall not be afraid of him.
What John describes above is the same thing he writes of seeing, in Revelation 14, when the elect remnant is the first raised in this order, and seeing the LORD in the form of a Lamb, are sealed into His body. These are those who weren’t defiled by the unfaithful church: joined with Babylon, ruled by strange ideas, producing ignorance of God, and blinded into confusion. There are no words of deception, guile, in their mouths leading God’s people into darkness or away from Him.
The elect are those who then lead all the church out from among those holding them down (katecho) in corruption and mortality. These are those in the fires Peter speaks of in 2 Peter 3, the fiery trial of 1 Peter 4, from where these masses are pulled (harpazo), into the air, the life the LORD is breathing out so they can breathe it in. They are caught up, (harpazo) seized away from the power of the prince of the air, the spirit that now works in children of disobedience. Paul tells us in Ephesians 2 this is where we once were, in death’s hold, until the LORD came and quickened us out of it, pulling us (harpazo) into His marvelous light, and into life.
Revelation 14
1 And I looked [and saw], and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Zion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name [identity] written in their foreheads.
2 And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:
3 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.
4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goes. These were redeemed from among men, being the first-fruits unto God and to the Lamb. [the order spoken of in 1 Corinthians 15 …so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the first-fruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming. 24 Then comes the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. 25 For he must reign, till he has put all enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.]
5 And in their mouth was found no guile [no words of deception – dolos – bait that lures into a trap – it is man’s own words that are the trap, used by those who seek to devour you, their own table that has caught and holds them]: for they are without fault before the throne of God.
6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
8 And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon [confusion] is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.
9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark [confusion in their head and in the works of their hands] in his forehead, or in his hand,
10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
11 And the smoke of their torment ascends up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever received the mark of his name [the beast’s name is Babylon, his name is coinfusion].
12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the LORD from henceforth: Yea, says the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them.
14 And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.
15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in your sickle, and reap: for the time is come for you to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.
16 And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.
17 And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.
18 And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in your sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.
19 And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.
20 And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs. [see Isaiah 63 below]
Micah 2
10 Arise you, and depart [come out from among them]; for this is not your rest: because it is polluted, it shall destroy you, even with a sore destruction.
11 If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie, saying, I will prophesy unto you of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people.
12 I will surely assemble, O Jacob [those who still wrestle with God, ignorant that it is Him], all of you; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah [as One flock], as the flock in the midst of their fold: they shall make great noise by reason of the multitude of men.
13 The breaker is come up before them: they have broken up, and have passed through the gate, and are gone out by it: and their king shall pass before them, and the LORD on the head of them.
Micah 3
1 And I said, Hear, I pray you, O heads of Jacob, and you princes of the house of Israel; Is it not for you to know judgment?
2 Who hate the good, and love the evil; who pluck off their skin from off them, and their flesh from off their bones;
3 Who also eat the flesh of my people, and flay their skin from off them; and they break their bones, and chop them in pieces, as for the pot, and as flesh within the caldron.
4 Then shall they cry unto the LORD, but he will not hear them: he will even hide his face from them at that time, as they have behaved themselves ill in their doings.
5 Thus says the LORD concerning the prophets that make my people err, that bite with their teeth, and cry, Peace; and he that put not into their mouths, they even prepare war against him.
6 Therefore night shall be unto you, that you shall not have a vision; and it shall be dark unto you, that you shall not divine; and the sun shall go down over the prophets, and the day shall be dark over them.
7 Then shall the seers be ashamed, and the diviners confounded: yea, they shall all cover their lips; for there is no answer of God.
8 But truly I am full of power by the spirit of the LORD, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin.
9 Hear this, I pray you, you heads of the house of Jacob, and princes of the house of Israel, that abhor judgment, and pervert all equity.
10 They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity.
11 The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the LORD, and say, Is not the LORD among us? none evil can come upon us.
12 Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest.
Micah 4
1 But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it.
Isaiah 63
1 Who is this that comes from Edom [who come out from among those who have sold their birthright], with dyed garments from Bozrah [whose garment were dyed in the winepress and have become One flock]? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save.
2 Wherefore are you red in your apparel, and your garments like him that treads in the wine-fat?
3 I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.
4 For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come.
5 And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me.
6 And I will tread down the people in mine anger, and make them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth.
7 I will mention the loving-kindnesses of the LORD, and the praises of the LORD, according to all that the LORD has bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he has bestowed on them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his loving-kindnesses.
8 For he said, Surely they are my people, children that will not lie: so he was their Savior.
9 In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel [messenger] of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.
10 But they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit: therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and he fought against them.
11 Then he remembered the days of old, Moses, and his people, saying, Where is he that brought them up out of the sea with the shepherd of his flock? where is he that put his holy Spirit within him?
12 That led them by the right hand of Moses with his glorious arm, dividing the water before them, to make himself an everlasting name?
13 That led them through the deep, as an horse in the wilderness, that they should not stumble?
14 As a beast goes down into the valley, the Spirit of the LORD caused him to rest: so did you lead your people, to make yourself a glorious name.
15 Look down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of your holiness and of your glory: where is your zeal and your strength, the sounding of your bowels and of your mercies toward me? are they restrained?
16 Doubtless you are our father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not: you, O LORD, are our father, our redeemer; your name is from everlasting.
17 O LORD, why have you made us to err from your ways, and hardened our heart from your fear? Return for your servants’ sake, the tribes of your inheritance.
18 The people of your holiness have possessed it but a little while: our adversaries have trodden down your sanctuary.
19 We are yours: you never barest rule over them; they were not called by your name.
Thus says the LORD – Do you see me yet?
Psalm 81
1 Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob.
2 Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery.
3 Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day.
4 For this was a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob.
5 This he ordained in Joseph for a testimony, when he went out through the land of Egypt: where I heard a language that I understood not.
6 I removed his shoulder from the burden: his hands were delivered from the pots.
7 You called in trouble, and I delivered you; I answered you in the secret place of thunder: I proved you at the waters of Meribah [Exodus 17:1 thru 7 – when you questioned My presence and chided against My anointed – through whom I speak]. Selah.
8 Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto you: O Israel, if you will hearken unto me;
9 There shall no strange god be in you; neither shall you worship any strange god.
10 I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt: open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.
11 But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me.
12 So I gave them up unto their own hearts’ lust: and they walked in their own counsels.
13 Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways!
14 I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries.
15 The haters of the LORD should have submitted themselves unto him: but their time should have endured for ever.
16 He should have fed them also with the finest of the wheat: and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied you.
