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;
Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, you shall receive a crown of glory that fades not away.
The title sentence, 1 Peter 5:2, followed by verses 3 & 4, is the LORD instruction in the way we deliver this word from His mouth. In verse 1, through Peter, He exhorts us, from the Greek word parakaleo, meaning he calls us alongside, to join (be yoked) with Him in His work, to run the course laid before us.
In verse 2, He lays out the pitfalls, the stumbling blocks, that do now, and have always hindered the effectual work of this word, which (effectual work) is (Who is) the power that works in the hearer (enlightening and changing) and the preachers.
This right “oversight” is apparent, in verse 1, as the twice used word episkopeo appears, meaning, “to oversee; by implication, to beware.” The only other time is in Hebrews 12:15, where the negating consequence of impure motives is defined when the LORD corrects us as our Father. In this description, it (episkopeo) is rendered “looking diligently,” unless any man fail (hustereo – come short of the mark) of the grace of God, and many be defiled. This failure is of the preacher, not delivering the word with pure intentions, which mark is stated just before, saying, “Follow [dioko – pursue] peace with all men [a state of common security – heavenly Jerusalem, later described in verse 22: when the corrective voice speaking from there is heeded], and holiness [purity], without which no man shall see [it is] the LORD [speaking].” We know this is referring us to the LORD’s words in Matthew 5:8 & 9, saying, “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.”
The impure motives (constraint and filthy lucre) are then spoken of, in Hebrews 12:16 & 17, saying, “Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau [as an enemy mixed among us as our brother], who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. 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.”
In the verses following 16 & 17, the mountain that couldn’t be touched (by man), continues the example of refusing to hear the word anymore, because they couldn’t endure what was commanded. The commandment is the correction previously described, which we’re then told (in verse 22 thru 24) brings us, we who’ve received the word and its correction, to “mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 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, And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaks better things than that of Abel.”
Then, again, comes the warning to not refuse the voice now shaking heaven and earth, referring us to the LORD’s intention spoken of by Him in Job 38:12 thru 14, saying, “Have you commanded the morning since your days; and caused the dayspring [this new world wherein is light – renewed understanding] to know his place; That it might take hold of the ends of the earth [this end of the old and beginning the new], that the wicked [who’ve caused the darkness] might be shaken out of it? It is turned as clay to the seal [it is the LORD’s signature pressed into the earth]; and they stand as a garment [and the righteousness, right words, clothe Him in glory].”
Hebrews 12
1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud [those in who understanding is ready as the latter rain] 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, 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 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 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 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 13
5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as you have: for he has said, I will never leave you, nor forsake you.
6 So that we may boldly say, The LORD is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
7 Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.
8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.
9 Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.
10 We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle [the house they’ve built upon a foundation of their confusion {tohuw in Isaiah 34:11}].
The above reference to receiving this word of God as the words of His mouth, and this course “effectually working” God’s will in us, is referring us to Paul’s describing it in 1 Thessalonians 2:13. He says this is God calling those hearing Him, into His kingdom. He later tells of the established religious, the now totally corrupt lump into which the wicked workes their errors and misleading, opposing and restraining the same word, attempting to keep from being heard as God’s word.
We know, later in 2 Thessalonians 3:1 thru 6, Paul says, “pray for us, that the word of the LORD may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you [received as the word from God’s mouth]: And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men [the same sons of perdition mentioned in 2 Thessalonians 2, who as Reuben – put themselves in their Fathers place – see Genesis 49:3 & 4]: for all men have not faith. But the LORD is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil [guard you from the evil one]. And we have confidence in the LORD touching [epi: superimposition – one of two times it is rendered such] you, that you both do and will do the things which we command you. And the LORD direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ [to be formed in those we speak to]. Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our LORD Jesus Christ [who is speaking to you through me], that you withdraw yourselves from every brother that walks disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.
The other time epi is rendered “touching” is in Acts 5:35, when Gamaliel stood and spoke to those resisting the word of God and questioning its validity. Gamaliel is from the Hebrew name Gamliy’el (of course – not the same person), which appears five times, all in Numbers, all mentioning his linage; Numbers 1:10 saying, “Of the children of Joseph: of Ephraim; Elishama the son of Ammihud: of Manasseh; Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.”
The translation of the names, from the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon, as planned, are:
“Jehovah has added” (a son – Joseph),
“double ash-heap: I shall be doubly fruitful” (Ephraim – God’s people in the generation),
“my God has heard” (Elishama – the prayers of His people),
“my kinsman is majesty” (Ammihud – and sent His redeemer),
“causing to forget” (Manasseh – to combat those causing them to forget Him),
“reward of God” (Gamaliel – what they forgot, the LORD is the reward),
“the Rock has ransomed” (Pedahzur – to those the Rock has ransomed to Himself).
Gamaliel’s advice is the advice I give to the religious, in the name of the LORD. Stand down and give this word free course, and blessed are they who communicate it in pure form, as received from the mouth of God. And to those who receive it: “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? For you are our glory and joy.” 1 Thessalonians 2:19 & 20
Friends, whatever happens tomorrow, the world needs to know the LORD has come to save it, to lead it into all truth and the peace that comes with His understanding (light). This needs to be precisely stated, and it must be clear that now is the new creation, not from the old and corrupt ways, but by a new and living way that has now come – through the revelation, the understanding, the LORD has NOW given us.
Acts 5
19 But the angel of the LORD by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said,
20 Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.
21 And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.
22 But when the officers came, and found them not in the prison, they returned and told,
23 Saying, The prison truly found we shut with all safety, and the keepers standing without before the doors: but when we had opened, we found no man within.
24 Now when the high priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these things, they doubted of them whereunto this would grow.
25 Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people.
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 [epi] 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.
1 John 5
1 Whosoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loves him that begat loves him also that is begotten of him.
2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
4 For whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world: and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith.
5 Who is he that overcomes the world, but he that believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
6 This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that bears witness, because the Spirit is truth.
7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father [our corrector and teacher], the Word [understood], and the Holy Ghost [as the LORD moves unknown, in this way]: and these three are one.
8 And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit [in us effectually working], and the water [leading us into the truth found in His word send from heaven], and the blood [the necessary sacrifice to bring the light into darkness]: and these three agree in one.
9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he has testified of his Son.
10 He that believes on the Son of God has the witness in himself: he that believes not God has made him a liar; because he believes not the record that God gave of his Son.
11 And this is the record, that God has given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
12 He that has the Son has life; and he that has not the Son of God has not life.
13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may believe on the name of the Son of God.
14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he hears us:
15 And if we know that he hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
16 If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.
17 All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.
18 We know that whosoever is born of God sins not; but he that is begotten of God keeps himself, and that wicked one [who oppose God, and sit in His place, leading man astray into darkness – ignorance] touches him not [has no effect on him].
19 And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in wickedness.
20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and has given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols [from the creations, ideas and ways, of corrupt men]. Amen.
The rebuilding and the rooting out of the corrupt, is spoken of in Amos 9, where the LORD leads us into understanding the course ahead.
Amos 9
1 I saw the LORD standing upon the altar: and he said, Smite the lintel of the door, that the posts may shake [the way out of the old and into the new]: and cut them in [batsa’ – cut off] the head [of Assyria – the communists – see Isaiah 10:12 below], all of them; and I will slay the last of them with the sword: he that flees of them shall not flee away, and he that escapes of them shall not be delivered.
2 Though they dig into hell, thence shall mine hand take them; though they climb up to heaven, thence will I bring them down:
3 And though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, I will search and take them out thence; and though they be hid from my sight in the bottom of the sea, thence will I command the serpent, and he shall bite them:
4 And though they go into captivity before their enemies, thence will I command the sword, and it shall slay them: and I will set mine eyes upon them for evil, and not for good.
5 And the LORD God of hosts is he that touches the land, and it shall melt, and all that dwell therein shall mourn: and it shall rise up wholly like a flood; and shall be drowned, as by the flood of Egypt.
6 It is he that builds his stories in the heaven, and has founded his troop in the earth; he that calls for the waters of the sea, and pours them out upon the face of the earth: The LORD is his name.
7 Are you not as children of the Ethiopians [covered in darkness] unto me, O children of Israel? says the LORD. Have not I brought up Israel out of the land of Egypt? and the Philistines from Caphtor, and the Syrians from Kir?
8 Behold, the eyes of the LORD God are upon the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from off the face of the earth; saving that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob, says the LORD.
9 For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth.
10 All the sinners of my people shall die by the sword, which say, The evil shall not overtake nor prevent us.
11 In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old:
12 That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called by my name, says the LORD that does this.
13 Behold, the days come, says the LORD, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that sows seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt.
14 And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them.
15 And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, says the LORD your God.
Isaiah 10
12 Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when the LORD has performed [batsa’ – cut off the head of Assyria from] his whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart [pride in his ideas and ways of deception] of the king of Assyria [the communists], and the glory of his high looks [his arrogance].
13 For he says, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom; for I am prudent: and I have removed the bounds of the people, and have robbed their treasures, and I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man:
14 And my hand has found as a nest the riches of the people: and as one gathers eggs that are left, have I gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or peeped.
15 Shall the axe boast itself against him that hews therewith? or shall the saw magnify itself against him that shakes it? as if the rod should shake itself against them that lift it up, or as if the staff should lift up itself, as if it were no wood.
16 Therefore shall the LORD, the LORD of hosts, send among his fat ones leanness; and under his glory he shall kindle a burning like the burning of a fire.
17 And the light of Israel shall be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame: and it shall burn and devour his thorns and his briers in one day;
18 And shall consume the glory of his forest, and of his fruitful field, both soul and body: and they shall be as when a standard-bearer faints.
19 And the rest of the trees of his forest shall be few, that a child may write them.
20 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more again stay upon him that smote them; but shall stay upon the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.
21 The [elect – eklektos] remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God.
22 For though your people Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant of them shall return: the consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousness.
23 For the LORD God of hosts shall make a consumption, even determined, in the midst of all the land.
24 Therefore thus says the LORD God of hosts, O my people that dwells in Zion, be not afraid of the Assyrian: he shall smite you with a rod, and shall lift up his staff against you, after the manner of Egypt.
25 For yet a very little while, and the indignation shall cease, and mine anger in their destruction.
26 And the LORD of hosts shall stir up a scourge for him according to the slaughter of Midian [those inciting riots] at the rock of Oreb [the darkness, lies and ignorance, in which they trust]: and as his rod was upon the sea, so shall he lift it up after the manner of Egypt.
27 And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off your shoulder, and his yoke [the lies and misleading] from off your neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.
Isaiah tells us these evil people, known liars and deceivers (communists), are merely a tool used by the LORD, to remind His people of the truth He told, the warning of where leaving what He taught us would end. He says, then, after we are awakened (as we are), He will punish the fruit of the stout heart (pride and arrogance) of the king of Assyria (the leaders of the communists). Isaiah 10:26 says the end of the LORD’s indignation comes as a scourge, “according to the slaughter of Midian [those causing endless strife] at the rock of Oreb.” It’s referring to Judges 7:25, when, after Gideon put Midian to flight, he sent messages throughout the land calling all God’s people at large to join the battel, and they slew the princes of Midian at the rock of Oreb (words of darkness, ignorance, in which they trusted). Go Vote!
Judges 7
13 And when Gideon [feller of trees – warrior] was come, behold, there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian [strife], and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along.
14 And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon [warrior] the son of Joash [given by Jehovah], a man of Israel: for into his hand has God delivered Midian, and all the host.
15 And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the host of Israel, and said, Arise; for the LORD has delivered into your hand the host of Midian.
16 And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man’s hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers.
17 And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise: and, behold, when I come to the outside of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so shall you do.
18 When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow you the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon.
19 So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in their hands.
20 And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon.
21 And they stood every man in his place round about the camp; and all the host ran, and cried, and fled.
22 And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the LORD set every man’s sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled to Bethshittah [house of trees – powers that are causing strife, who Gideon has cut down] in Zererath [the oppressors], and to the border of Abelmeholah [the field of rejoicing], unto Tabbath [celebration].
23 And the men of Israel gathered themselves together out of Naphtali [those who were before wrestling with God and His word, now knowing it is Him], and out of Asher [now rejoicing and celebrating, knowing Him], and out of all Manasseh [now that they remember the God they had forgotten], and pursued after the Midianites [those who, through their lies intentionally cause strife].
24 And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim [God’s people in these last days], saying, come down against the Midianites, and take before them the waters unto Bethbarah [the people who ford, cross over] and Jordan [the rivers, words of the wicked, that carry all into death]. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and took the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan.
25 And they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb [those covered in darkness, whose words are lies meant to produce ignorance] and Zeeb [the wolves who’ve come among and scattered the sheep]; and they slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the winepress of Zeeb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side Jordan.
Isaiah 10 begins with referring to those spoken of earlier in Isaiah 9:14 thru 21, the misleaders said to be the ancient and honorable and the prophets that teach lies (those who prescribe grievousness). Their prescriptions are what causes the fires in the land, which are described as Ephraim and Manasseh against Judah. As we know, Ephraim means second (double) blessing, and Manasseh means those who’ve forgotten (God), both referring to God’s people at large in these last days (fallen into following lies in church and state). These have joined in a confederation with Assyria (the communists) against the elect remnant (Judah).
Isaiah 9
14 Therefore the LORD will cut off from Israel head and tail, branch and rush, in one day.
15 The ancient and honorable, he is the head; and the prophet that teaches lies, he is the tail.
16 For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed.
17 Therefore the LORD shall have no joy in their young men, neither shall have mercy on their fatherless and widows: for every one is a hypocrite and an evildoer, and every mouth speaks folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
18 For wickedness burns as the fire: it shall devour the briers and thorns, and shall kindle in the thickets of the forest, and they shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke.
Isaiah 10
1 Woe unto them 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?
The word “decrees” is from the twice used Hebrew word cheqeq, meaning “an enactment, a resolution,” referring us to its only other appearance, Judges 5:15. There it’s rendered “thoughts” as it speaks of Rueben, who we know is the original pattern of the son of perdition (the one son who perishes) because he put himself in his father’s place.
Genesis 49
1 And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days.
2 Gather yourselves together, and hear, you sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father.
3 Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power:
4 Unstable [pachaz – ebullition] as water [this tells of the advice of the serpent, as one of God’s children, with unbridled license, recklessly reinterpreting His word], you shall not excel; because you went up to your father’s bed [went into the women – God’s people who have His words]; then defiled you it: he went up to my couch [took God’s place].
14 Issachar [through him will come the reward – the fruitful bough] is a strong ass [the LORD’s people, now become His goodly horse in the battle – Zechariah 10:3] couching down between two burdens:
15 And he saw that rest [menuwchah] was good, and the land that it was pleasant; and bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto tribute.
16 Dan [the judge – speaking of strength returned and the righteous judgment of the world begins] shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel.
17 Dan shall be a serpent by the way [as a serpent raised as a standard on a pole {nec}], an adder in the path, that bites the horse heels [this is the heel bruised in the judgment, meaning the serpents among the people, are rendered without effect], so that his rider shall fall backward [so the body of Christ will return to the place from which she fell – see, in Isaiah 28:13, what causes them to fall backward].
18 (I have waited for your salvation, O LORD.)
Judges 5
15 And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; even Issachar, and also Barak: he was sent on foot into the valley. For the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts [cheqeq – unrighteous decrees] of heart.
16 Why abode you among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleating of the flocks? For the divisions of Reuben there were great searching of heart [searching the minds for the corruption they created].
Psalms 27
1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.
3 Though a host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.
4 One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.
5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.
6 And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD.
7 Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.
8 When you said, Seek you my face; my heart said unto you, Your face, LORD, will I seek.
9 Hide not your face far from me; put not your servant away in anger: you have been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.
10 When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.
11 Teach me your way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.
12 Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.
13 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
14 Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.
