But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we.
Today’s opening verse is 2 Corinthians 11:12, and is Paul speaking of cutting off those he has spoken of earlier, in verse 4, as preaching another Jesus and another gospel. He later, in verses 13 thru 15, defines these same preachers as false apostles and deceitful workers, who’ve transformed themselves in apostles of Christ. He says we shouldn’t marvel at this, because Satan also transformed himself into an angel of light (a messenger claiming he is bringing us understanding from God). “Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.”
In these words, we are told these ministers are deceitful workers, whose end will be according to their works (their deceptions in God’s name). When Paul, in the title verse, says what he is doing is to cut off occasion, he is speaking of their glory as their deceptions. In verse 10 he has just said, “as the truth of Christ [the Spirit of God in him speaking and working] is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting,” meaning he is boasting of Christ in him doing the work. When he says he is doing this so these men will be found even as he is, he is saying, they, as he, are men in whom a spirit is speaking and working. This is why he then tells us these men are the ministers of Satan, who are preaching another Jesus and another gospel.
Paul speaks of His motivation as love, the true love of God manifested in him, as a Father correcting and teaching His children the truth. This is the point we have discussed many times, as described in Hebrews 12, in this same context of God as the one who corrects us, and without correction, we cannot be His children. Therein we are told we have not come to the mountain as those who heard God speaking and turned away from His voice. But we have come to new Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels (messengers bearing the true word of God’s correction). We are then told of the true Jesus, meaning, in the one God is speaking the true gospel of Jehovah’s Salvation appearing in this way. The next verse (25) then says, “see that you refuse not Him that is speaking,” and later verses go on to describes this voice, the LORD Jesus’ voice heard by His sheep, coming from (me) the son of man who God has chosen and ordained, which is NOW shaking heaven and earth.
Hebrews 12
1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which does so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
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.
5 And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks unto you as unto children, My son, despise not you the chastening of the LORD, nor faint when you are rebuked of him:
6 For whom the LORD loves he chastens, and scourges every son whom he receives.
7 If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chastens not?
8 But if you be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are you illegitimate [the children of another father], and not [God’s] 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 us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
11 Now no chastening for the present seem 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 entreats 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 LORD began our day in Ezekiel 16, which starts with the LORD instructing the “son of man” to show Jerusalem her abominations. The LORD then goes on to describe how He found us (His people) and built us into greatness by teaching us His superior idea and ways, under which we prospered and achieved. He then tells of Jerusalem, the place taught and founded upon His better ideas of peace and civilization, leaving Him, as did Samaria, but committing even greater abominations than her. The greater abominations are those spoken of in Jeremiah 44, wherein God’s people who are in Egypt are spoken to. In Ezekiel 16 Egypt is described as Sodom, Judah as Jerusalem, and Israel as Samaria. Understanding these are patterns tells us of all God’s people, after hiring men to replace God, are now all together called Babylon, which came because of the abominations, and produced confusion that brought the final, total, desolation.
These are the men and ways, in whose words are deceptions, which have blinded the minds of all the world. These are those who preach the false doctrine of false love, which says God doesn’t
1 John 4
1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ
2 Corinthians 4
1 Therefore seeing we have this ministry (preaching the true Jesus, the same yesterday, today, and forever, and the true gospel of Christ coming to us in the flesh, to be formed in our flesh], 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 [as do the deceitful workers]; 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 [the spirit of Satan, that now is at work in the children of disobedience – see Ephesians 2:1 thru 10 below] 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.
2 Corinthians 11
1 Would to God you could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me.2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.4 For if he that comes preaches another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if you receive another spirit, which you have not received, or another gospel, which you have not accepted, you might well bear with him.5 For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.6 But though I
Ephesians 2
1 And you
Ezekiel 16
1 Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,2 Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations,3 And say, Thus says the LORD God unto Jerusalem; Your birth and your nativity is of the land of Canaan; your father was an Amorite, and your mother an Hittite.4 And as for your nativity, in the day you were born your navel was not cut, neither were you washed in water to
Ezekiel 16
48 As I live, says the LORD God, Sodom your sister has not done, she nor her daughters, as you have done, you and your daughters.49 Behold, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom, pride, fullness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.50 And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good.51 Neither has Samaria committed half of your sins; but you have multiplied your abominations more than they, and have justified your sisters in all your abominations which you have done.52 You also, which have judged your sisters, bear your own shame for your sins that you have committed more abominable than they: they are more righteous than you: yea, be you confounded also, and bear your shame, in that you have justified your sisters.53 When I shall bring again their captivity, the captivity of Sodom and her daughters, and the captivity of Samaria and her daughters, then will I bring again the captivity of your captives in the midst of them:54 That you may bear your own shame, and may be confounded in all that you have done, in that you are a comfort unto them.55 When your sisters, Sodom and her daughters, shall return to their former estate, and Samaria and her daughters shall return to their former estate, then you and your daughters shall return to your former estate.56 For your sister Sodom was not mentioned by your mouth in the day of your pride,57 Before your wickedness was discovered, as at the time of your reproach of the daughters of Syria, and all that are round about her, the daughters of the Philistines, which despise you round about.58 You have borne your lewdness and your abominations, says the LORD.59 For thus says the LORD God; I will even deal with you as you have done, which have despised the oath in breaking the covenant.60 Nevertheless I will remember my covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish unto you an everlasting covenant.61 Then you shall remember your ways, and be ashamed, when you shall receive your sisters, your elder and your younger: and I will give them unto you for daughters, but not by your covenant.62 And I will establish my covenant with you; and you shall know that I am the LORD:63 That you may remember, and be confounded, and never open your mouth any more because of your shame, when I am pacified toward you for all that you have done, says the LORD God.
Jeremiah 44
1 The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews which dwell in the land of Egypt [and here we are in captivity again – see Revelation 11:8, which describes new Jerusalem], which dwell at Migdol [who should have seen these things and given warning], and at Tahpanhes [and had pity on God’s people], and at Noph [and not scattered them], and in the country of Pathros [with your own interpretations – from pathah, to open], saying,2 Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; You have seen all the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, and upon all the cities of Judah; and, behold, this day they are a desolation, and no man dwell therein,3 Because of their wickedness which they have committed to provoke me to anger, in that they went to burn incense, and to serve other gods, whom they knew not, neither they, you, nor your fathers.4 Howbeit I sent unto you all my servants the prophets, rising early and sending them, saying, Oh, do not this abominable thing that I hate.5 But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear to turn from their wickedness, to burn no incense unto other gods.6 Wherefore my fury and mine anger was poured forth, and was kindled in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem; and they are wasted and desolate, as at this day.7 Therefore now thus says the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel; Wherefore commit you this great evil against your souls, to cut off from you man and woman, child and suckling, out of Judah, to leave you none to remain;8 In that you provoke me unto wrath with the works of your hands, burning incense unto other gods in the land of Egypt, whither you be gone to dwell, that you might cut yourselves off, and that you might be a curse and a reproach among all the nations of the earth?9 Have you forgotten the wickedness of your fathers, and the wickedness of the kings of Judah, and the wickedness of their wives, and your own wickedness, and the wickedness of your wives, which they have committed in the land of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem?10 They are not humbled even unto this day, neither have they feared, nor walked in my
Revelation 11
4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth [spoken of in Zechariah 4, Zerubbabel and Joshua].5 And if any man will hurt them, fire proceeds out of their mouth, and devours their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.6 These have
Psalm 137
1 By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.2 We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.3 For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion.4 How shall we sing the LORD’s song in a strange land?5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning.6 If I do not remember you, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy.7 Remember, O LORD, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Raze it, raze it, even to the foundation thereof.8 O daughter of Babylon, who are to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewards you as you have served us.9 Happy shall he be, that taketh and dashes your little ones [your offspring] against the stones.
