Author: wordofgod

(To God’s Elect Remnant) Behold, I have refined you, but not with silver; I have chosen you in the furnace of affliction.

(**WARNING** This message is only intended for the elect remnant, those who have received this word of God.)

As we saw in the opening image of the prior post, the above verse is Isaiah 48:10, and as we saw in the post, the word “furnace,” from the Hebrew word kuwr, is the origin of the name Cyrus (Isaiah 45). We saw this name referring to this leader who is born in the refining (purified thinking) that occurs in it, and more accurately after, as what brings us out of it into a clean and holy state.

The first of the nine times kuwr appears it is in Deuteronomy 4:20 as the LORD, through Moses, describes Egypt as the pattern of the furnace. This is the lesson for today, as it has always been: understanding when neglecting our relationship with God, forgetting him, and as now, progressively degenerating into worshipping the institutions He established to protect and preserve His ideas of just and equal treatment. These institutions, church, state, education, and the media as an informative extension of these, all now themselves become fully corrupted by their own imagined ideas, and instead of flowing life and truth into the world, they now promulgate corruption and confusion, as rivers of blood (muddies by what they have stirred into it) in which death secretly lurks below its surface.

This is the lesson to be learned, according to the plan, and out of this confusion and its fires, the LORD comes to pluck out those He has refined in them. Today I again show you the LORD’s plan, to this same end.

In the verse following in Deuteronomy 4, Moses tells of His not being able to enter the Promised Land. We know from previous discussions, this is because of the second time water came from the Rock, when the LORD told him to speak to the Rock and he instead again struck it. The meaning to this is revealed as Moses continues and in verse 24 describing the LORD as a consuming fire. This description is what is referred to in Hebrews 12:29, which first quotes from Haggai 2 as it tells of the voice now shaking heaven and earth. We saw this voice is speaking of Zerubbabel, from Haggai 2, and Cyrus, from Isaiah 45, and thereby we know the plan intended to be revealed in the references.

In the prior post, we also saw all of these as they are associated with Zechariah 14 & 9, and Malachi 3, where the elect remnant, those who’ve received the word of God as His word, are spoken of as jewels the LORD prepares in the refiners furnace, and who become the crown upon this land. We saw the words spoken are what shakes the wicked from the earth, which is the signature of God, as we saw in the LORD’s words from the whirlwind as they appear in Job 38:13. We saw Job 38:14 describes this as the LORD’s seal (Daniel 12:4 & 9), meaning what has been closed by it and is then, in the culmination (the consummation), allowed to be opened by those for whom it is intended. In this way, the message remains in the form as it was given, as planned, until received.

Deuteronomy 4
20 But the LORD has taken you, and brought you forth out of the iron furnace [kuwr], even out of Egypt [your captivity], to be unto him a people of inheritance, as you are this day.
21 Furthermore the LORD was angry with me for your sakes, and swore that I should not go over Jordan [go over death into life], and that I should not go in unto that good land, which the LORD your God gives you for an inheritance:
22 But I must die in this land, I must not go over Jordan: but you shall go over, and possess that good land.
23 Take heed unto yourselves, lest you forget the covenant of the LORD your God, which he made with you, and make you a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, which the LORD your God has forbidden you.
24 For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.
25 When you shall beget children, and children’s children, and you shall have remained long in the land, and shall corrupt yourselves, and make a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, and shall do evil in the sight of the LORD your God, to provoke him to anger:
26 I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that you shall soon utterly perish from off the land whereunto you go over Jordan to possess it; you shall not prolong your days upon it, but shall utterly be destroyed.
27 And the LORD shall scatter you among the nations, and you shall be left few in number among the heathen, whither the LORD shall lead you.
28 And there you shall serve gods, the work of men’s hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell.
29 But if from thence you shall seek the LORD your God, you shall find him, if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul.
30 When you are in tribulation, and all these things are come upon you, even in the latter days, if you turn to the LORD your God, and shall be obedient unto his voice;
31 (For the LORD your God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake you, neither destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers which he swore unto them.
32 For ask now of the days that are past, which were before you, since the day that God created man upon the earth, and ask from the one side of heaven unto the other, whether there has been any such thing as this great thing is, or has been heard like it?
33 Did ever people hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you have heard, and live?
34 Or has God assayed [{THINK!} describing the dokimos – the trial in the refiners fire] to go and take him a nation from the midst of another nation, by temptations, by signs, and by wonders, and by war, and by a mighty hand, and by a stretched out arm, and by great terrors, according to all that the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes?
35 Unto you it was shown, that you might know that the LORD he is God; there is none else beside him. [Do you see me now?]
36 Out of heaven he made you to hear his voice, that he might instruct you: and upon earth he showed you his great fire; and you heard his words out of the midst of the fire.
37 And because he loved your fathers, therefore he chose their seed after them, and brought you out in his sight with his mighty power out of Egypt;
38 To drive out nations from before you greater and mightier than you are, to bring you in, to give you their land for an inheritance, as it is this day.
39 Know therefore this day, and consider it in your heart, that the LORD he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else.
40 You shall keep therefore his statutes, and his commandments, which I command you this day, that it may go well with you, and with your children after you, and that you may prolong your days upon the earth, which the LORD your God gives you, for ever.

As we have seen in previous discussions, Moses striking the Rock the second time, when the LORD said to speak to it before the eyes of the people, as in removing the veil and telling them it is the LORD, the living God as Christ in Him speaking, is referring to what is written in Hebrews 6:6 and 10:26 thru 29. Both of these are referring to striking Christ (the LORD in us), again, after the water has once flowed from the Rock, and has given understanding and knowledge.

Hebrews 6
1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
3 And this will we do, if God permit.
4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

Hebrews 10
19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest [into the presence of God] by the blood of Jesus,
20 By a new and living way, which he has consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh [which was torn open at the cross – which is what Moses refused when the time came for this revelation, as does the modern church refuse: the suffering that must come, the affliction, the reproach of the LORD that falls upon us, when we confess He is Alive in us and speaking to the world, shaking heaven and earth];
21 And having an high priest over the house of God;
22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed [refined] with pure water.
23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together [see Matthew 12:30 below], as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as you see the day approaching.
26 For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sins,
27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
28 He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose you, shall he be thought worthy, who has trodden under foot the Son of God, and has counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing [see Mathew 12:31 & 32 below], and has done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
30 For we know him that has said, Vengeance belongs unto me, I will recompense, says the LORD. And again, The LORD shall judge his people.
31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Matthew 12
30 He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathers not with me scatters abroad.
31 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.
32 And whosoever speaks a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaks against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.
33 Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.
34 O generation of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart brings forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.
36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
37 For by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned.
38 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from you.
39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonah:
40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
41 The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and, behold, a greater than Jonah is here.
42 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.
43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walks through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none.
44 Then he says, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he finds it empty, swept, and garnished.
45 Then goes he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits [speaking of {all} the corrupted churches] more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.
46 While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.
47 Then one said unto him, Behold, your mother and your brethren stand without, desiring to speak with you.
48 But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?
49 And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!
50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

Friends, the word “assayed” mentioned in Deuteronomy 4:34 above, is the Hebrews word nacah, which is the word rendered “tempt” in Exodus 17:2 and “tempted” in verse 7. We know this is where we are told of when the water flowed from the Rock, as the people tried (tempted) the LORD, to prove He was among them, or not. This is not the LORD tying us but rather our tying Him, to see if he is really there. The deeper meaning is found in what is called the LORD’s temptation, as the devil tempted Him to try God, to prove He was there. The LORD’s answers (Matthew 4:4 thru 10) shows He does this Himself, just as He has told us in His plan, as He validates those who have understood and confess Him and His presence, which is the point of this exchange with Satan in those who oppose and resist the plan and purpose of Salvation and Deliverance, by His Righteous Judgment. The LORD appears for those who do believe He is there, not as a sign to unbelievers.

Matthew 4
4 But he answered and said, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.”
5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple,
6 And said unto him, If you be the Son of God, cast yourself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning you: and in their hands they shall bear you up, lest at any time you dash your foot against a stone.
7 Jesus said unto him, “It is written again, You shall not tempt the LORD your God.”
8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and shewed him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
9 And said unto him, All these things will I give you, if you will fall down and worship me.
10 Then said Jesus unto him, “Get you hence, Satan: for it is written, You shall worship the LORD your God, and him only shall you serve.”

The first quote is Deuteronomy 8:3, the second Deuteronomy 6:16 referring to Exodus 17:1 thru 7, and the last from Deuteronomy 6:3 & 4, all speaking of the presence of the LORD. We know, lacking faith, not believing the LORD is always present and well able to deliver when He says its time, is what keeps unbelievers from entering the Promised Land. It is only once they have comprehended Him that He leads them there, as the forerunner leading them in.

Deuteronomy 8
1 All the commandments which I command you this day shall you observe to do, that you may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the LORD swore unto your fathers.
2 And you shall remember all the way which the LORD your God led you these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you, and to prove [nacah] you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments, or no.
3 And he humbled you, and suffered you to hunger, and fed you with manna, which you knew not, neither did your fathers know; that he might make you know that man does not live by bread only, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD does man live.

Deuteronomy 6
1 Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD your God commanded to teach you, that you might do them in the land whither you go to possess it:
2 That you might fear the LORD your God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, you, and your son, and your son’s son, all the days of your life; and that your days may be prolonged.
3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with you, and that you may increase mightily, as the LORD God of your fathers has promised you, in the land that flows with milk and honey.
4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:
5 And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.
6 And these words, which I command you this day, shall be in your heart:
7 And you shall teach them diligently unto your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up.
8 And you shall bind them for a sign upon your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.
9 And you shall write them upon the posts of your house, and on your gates.
10 And it shall be, when the LORD your God shall have brought you into the land which he swore unto your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you great and goodly cities, which you built not,
11 And houses full of all good things, which you filled not, and wells digged, which you digged not, vineyards and olive trees, which you planted not; when you shall have eaten and be full;
12 Then beware lest you forget the LORD, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.
13 You shall fear the LORD your God, and serve him, and shall swear by his name.
14 You shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you;
15 (For the LORD your God is a jealous God among you) lest the anger of the LORD your God be kindled against you, and destroy you from off the face of the earth.
16 You shall not tempt [nacah] the LORD your God, as you tempted [nacah] him in Massah.

1 Corinthians 10
1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that you should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat;
4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.
7 Neither be you idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.
8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.
9 Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.
10 Neither murmur you, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.
11 Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

Isaiah 48
1 Hear you this, O house of Jacob, which are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah, which swear by the name of the LORD, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, nor in righteousness.
2 For they call themselves of the holy city, and stay themselves upon the God of Israel; The LORD of hosts is his name.
3 I have declared the former things from the beginning; and they went forth out of my mouth, and I shewed them; I did them suddenly, and they came to pass.
4 Because I knew that you are obstinate, and your neck is an iron sinew, and your brow brass;
5 I have even from the beginning declared it to you; before it came to pass I shewed it you: lest you should say, Mine idol has done them, and my graven image, and my molten image, has commanded them.
6 You have heard, see all this; and will not you declare it? I have showed you new things from this time, even hidden things, and you did not know them.
7 They are created now, and not from the beginning; even before the day when you heard them not; lest you should say, Behold, I knew them.
8 Yea, you heard not; yea, you knew not; yea, from that time that your ear was not opened: for I knew that you would deal very treacherously, and were called a transgressor from the womb.
9 For my name’s sake will I defer mine anger, and for my praise will I refrain for you, that I cut you not off.
10 Behold, I have refined you, but not with silver; I have chosen you in the furnace of affliction.
11 For mine own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do it: for how should my name be polluted? and I will not give my glory unto another.
12 Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last.
13 Mine hand also has laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand has spanned the heavens: when I call unto them, they stand up together.
14 All you, assemble yourselves, and hear; which among them has declared these things? The LORD has loved him: he will do his pleasure on Babylon, and his arm shall be on the Chaldeans.
15 I, even I, have spoken; yea, I have called him: I have brought him, and he shall make his way prosperous.
16 Come you near unto me, hear you this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the LORD God, and his Spirit, has sent me.
17 Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD your God which teaches you to profit, which leads you by the way that you should go.
18 O that you had hearkened to my commandments! then had your peace been as a river, and your righteousness as the waves of the sea:
19 Your seed also had been as the sand, and the offspring of your bowels like the gravel thereof; his name should not have been cut off nor destroyed from before me.
20 Go you forth of Babylon, flee you from the Chaldeans, with a voice of singing declare you, tell this, utter it even to the end of the earth; say you, The LORD has redeemed his servant Jacob.
21 And they thirsted not when he led them through the deserts: he caused the waters to flow out of the rock for them: he clave the rock also, and the waters gushed out.
22 There is no peace, says the LORD, unto the wicked.

Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.

The above is Zechariah 14:3 and the “then” it is speaking of is described in the first two verses, which tell of the division and desolation of Jerusalem. As we saw in the previous post, it is at the end of this desolation, when preaching has had its effect on the few who received it (the elect remnant), that the LORD accelerates and amplifies His glory and makes His presence undeniably obvious. Zechariah 14 goes onto describe the same such Advent, which we’ve many times discussed as when those who’ve caused the desolation are consumed by their own words and ways.

The LORD began this discussion, in 1 Corinthians 11, revealing the above is speaking of the division among God’s people, and how and why they come. “18 For first of all, when you come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it. 19 For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.”

Friends, this is speaking of the LORD appearing in His Righteous Judgment, revealing those in whom is His light, as His apparent presence, by which He elevates them by showing they are those He has approved to end the argument by right judgment (rightly dividing the word of truth).

(If you haven’t read along you’re not going to see the fullness of this message – therefore it only lacks in what you lack by neglecting the word of God, which this is.)

The word “approved” in 1 Corinthians 11:19 above is the seven times used Greek word dokimos, a word literally meaning what remains after being assayed. It is speaking of the result of a full examination, and the thereby refined thinking. It is the word used in 2 Timothy 2:15, also rendered approved, describing showing one’s self as such by study, and by purging self from “profane and vain babblings” and those teaching them. Paul also urges Timothy to avoid “foolish and unlearned questions” because they are meant to produce and continue endless arguments. These are the ways of the dividers of men, dividers of the body of Christ, who have brought in damnable heresies, even denying the LORD when He appears to end the division.

2 Timothy 2
1 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
2 And the things that you have heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit you to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.
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 [dokimos] 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 the 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.

2 Peter 1
16 For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our LORD Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
17 For he received from God the Father honor and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
18 And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.
19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto you do well that you take heed, as unto a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

2 Peter 2
1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily [from their own imaginations] shall bring in damnable heresies, 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.

This approval process also manifests itself in the approval of men, when we wait for the LORD’s judgment, which is education that removes all errors. This appears as Zechariah 14 tells us, when these men’s tongues consume away, meaning their words, which have set the fire of hell, are seen as worthless and divisive (or vain and profane babblings).

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.

The above is speaking of the approval, understood as what Peter tells of hearing as the Father’s voice from heaven, with which men of sound minds must agree. (see Romans 14:18 and 2 Corinthians 10:18 below)

Romans 14 begins by speaking of receiving those who are weak in the faith, and because of their weakness, they are judging one and other. The passage goes on to say that those who are strong in the faith should bear with the weak, who are the unlearned, long-suffering until they are educated into acknowledging the truth (see 2 Timothy 2:25 & 26 above).

Romans 14
10 But why do you judge your brother? or why do you set at naught your brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
11 For it is written, As I live, says the LORD, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
13 Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling-block or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.
14 I know, and am persuaded by the LORD Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteems any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.
15 But if your brother be grieved with your meat, now walk you not charitably. Destroy not him with your meat, for whom Christ died.
16 Let not then your good be evil spoken of:
17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
18 For he that in these things serves Christ is acceptable to God, and approved [dokimos] of men.
19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify [educate] another.

In the above, we understand the strong as those who have studied to show themselves approved, able to rightly divide the word of truth, and the weak those judging while a beam (an imbalance) is clouding their vision. “2 For with what judgment you judge, you shall be judged: and with what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you again. 3 And why beholdest you the mote that is in your brother’s eye, but consider not the beam that is in your own eye? 4 Or how will you say to your brother, Let me pull out the mote out of your eye; and, behold, a beam is in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of your own eye; and then shall you see clearly to cast out the mote out of your brother’s eye.” (Matthew 7)

2 Corinthians 10
1 Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you:
2 But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
6 And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.
7 Do you look on things after the outward appearance? if any man trust to himself that he is Christ’s, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ’s, even so are we Christ’s.
8 For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the LORD has given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed:
9 That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters.
10 For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.
11 Let such an one think this, that, such as we are in word by letters when we are absent, such will we be also in deed when we are present.
12 For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.
13 But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God has distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you.
14 For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as though we reached not unto you: for we are come as far as to you also in preaching the gospel of Christ:
15 Not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men’s labors; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly,
16 To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man’s line of things made ready to our hand.
17 But he that glories, let him glory in the LORD.
18 For not he that commends himself is approved [dokimos], but whom the LORD commends.

These last verses are actually a reiteration of verses above, which speak of Christ in us as He who has prepared what will show us as approved. The word rendered “commends” is the word suniemi, meaning to be set together, here as joined with the LORD. In the prior post, we saw the last verse of Haggai saying this of Zerubbabel, the LORD saying He would put His signature upon him, to show He has chosen Him. We also saw this comes as the seal of the LORD shaking the wicked from the earth (Job 38:13 & 14), which we also saw from Hebrews 12 comes by His spoken word.

The pattern of Zerubbabel, the one who is born by coming out of confusion, who represents the LORD’s Righteous Judgment returned to civil government, is also represented in the one Isaiah calls Cyrus. Cyrus is described in Isaiah 45, which Paul also quotes in Romans 14:11 above. The name Cyrus is from Hebrew words telling of being measured in the furnace – or tried in the fires, as in dokimos, what remains after assayal.

Malachi 3
1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the LORD, whom you seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom you delight in: behold, he shall come, says the LORD of hosts.
2 But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appears? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap:
3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.

This is the context of James’ use of dokimos, in James 1:12, saying, “Blessed is the man that endures temptation: for when he is tried [dokimos], he shall receive the crown of life, which the LORD has promised to them that love him.”

This is the same crown Paul speaks of in 1 Thessalonians 2:19 & 20, which is those who have received the word he has preached and taught, as it is in spirit and truth, the word of God. “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.”

Friends, you who’ve believed this word I preach and teach is the word of God, you are my crown, and my joy. “And the LORD their God shall save them in that day as the flock of his people: for they shall be as the stones of a crown, lifted up as an ensign upon his land.” (Zechariah 9:16) “17 And they shall be mine, says the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spares his own son that serves him. 18 Then shall you return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serves God and him that serves him not.” (Malachi 3)

Isaiah 45
1 Thus says the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut;
2 I will go before you, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron:
3 And I will give you the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that you may know that I, the LORD, which call you by your name, am the God of Israel.
4 For Jacob my servant’s sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called you by your name: I have surnamed you, though you have not known me.
5 I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded you, though you have not known me:
6 That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else.
7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.
8 Drop down, you heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the LORD have created it.
9 Woe unto him that strives with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioned it, What make you? or your work, He has no hands?
10 Woe unto him that says unto his father, What beget you? or to the woman, What have you brought forth?
11 Thus says the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command you me.
12 I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded.
13 I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, says the LORD of hosts.
14 Thus says the LORD, The labor of Egypt, and merchandise of Ethiopia and of the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over unto you, and they shall be yours: they shall come after you; in chains they shall come over, and they shall fall down unto you, they shall make supplication unto you, saying, Surely God is in you; and there is none else, there is no God.
15 Truly you are a God that hides yourself, O God of Israel, the Savior.
16 They shall be ashamed, and also confounded, all of them: they shall go to confusion together that are makers of idols.
17 But Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an everlasting salvation: you shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end.
18 For thus says the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he has established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.
19 I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek you me in vain: I the LORD speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.
20 Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, you that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save.
21 Tell you, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who has declared this from ancient time? who has told it from that time? have not I the LORD? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Savior; there is none beside me.
22 Look unto me, and be you saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.
23 I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.
24 Surely, shall one say, in the LORD have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed.
25 In the LORD shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.

Zechariah 14
1 Behold, the day of the LORD comes, and your spoil shall be divided in the midst of you.
2 For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.
3 Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.
4 And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.
5 And you shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, you shall flee, like as you fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: 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, 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.
10 All the land shall be turned as a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem: and it shall be lifted up, and inhabited in her place, from Benjamin’s gate unto the place of the first gate, unto the corner gate, and from the tower of Hananeel unto the king’s winepresses.
11 And men shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more utter destruction; but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited.
12 And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.
13 And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the LORD shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour.
14 And Judah also shall fight at Jerusalem; and the wealth of all the heathen round about shall be gathered together, gold, and silver, and apparel, in great abundance.
15 And so shall be the plague of the horse, of the mule, of the camel, and of the donkey, and of all the beasts that shall be in these tents, as this plague.
16 And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.
17 And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain.
18 And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.
19 This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.
20 In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, Holiness Unto The LORD; and the pots in the LORD’s house shall be like the bowls before the altar.
21 Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the LORD of hosts: and all they that sacrifice shall come and take of them, and seethe therein: and in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the LORD of hosts.

Psalms 83
1 Keep not you silence, O God: hold not your peace, and be not still, O God.
2 For, lo, your enemies make a tumult: and they that hate you have lifted up the head.
3 They have taken crafty counsel against your people, and consulted against your hidden ones.
4 They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.
5 For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against you:
6 The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagarenes;
7 Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre;
8 Assur also is joined with them: they have helped the children of Lot. Selah.
9 Do unto them as unto the Midianites; as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the brook of Kison:
10 Which perished at Endor: they became as dung for the earth.
11 Make their nobles like Oreb, and like Zeeb: yea, all their princes as Zebah, and as Zalmunna:
12 Who said, Let us take to ourselves the houses of God in possession.
13 O my God, make them like a wheel [as in these times past]; as the stubble before the wind.
14 As the fire burns a wood, and as the flame sets the mountains on fire;
15 So persecute them with your tempest, and make them afraid with your storm.
16 Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek your name, O LORD.
17 Let them be confounded and troubled for ever; yea, let them be put to shame, and perish:
18 That men may know that you, whose name alone is Jehovah, are the most high over all the earth.

And he [Isaiah] said, “Hear you now, O house of David; Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will you weary my God also?”

The word “weary,” appearing twice above in Isaiah 7:13, is the Hebrew word la’ah, meaning to tire to the point of disgust. It is speaking of when the LORD has, over a long period, corrected those leading and teaching His people, with no effect, and therefore starts over with a new creation outside these corrupt orders. It is speaking of the extent of man’s preaching, even when through the very elect remnant, therefore the LORD more fully manifest Himself, openly showing his presence in the world among us. Isaiah 7:14 then describes His presence and glory personified as one born from a virgin: speaking of the elect remnant who haven’t been defile by the corrupt ideas of these unfaithful orders leading in church and state. “14 Therefore the LORD himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. 15 Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good. 16 For before the child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the land that you abhor shall be forsaken of both her kings [in church and state, sun and moon].”

Prior to the above verses, the LORD tells Ahaz to ask for a sign, “either in the depth, or in the height above.” Ahaz refuses, therefore the LORD responds with what is described in the above verses. These are telling of the LORD more fully manifesting His presence in Isaiah, his name (Ysha’Yah) meaning the Salvation of Jehovah, as one raised from among the elect remnant (the virgin) who have remained faithful and uncorrupted by the culture and time.

Friends, this is the veil covering the eyes of God’s people until this day, that the LORD has manifested Himself as Christ in man, and these men throughout history recorded it from this perspective. This is the context of what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 3 (as we saw in the previous post) when he speaks of the veil that was over Moses’ face, which wouldn’t be removed until each individual turns to the LORD, meaning seeing Him in the one the LORD comes to them in and through, and realizing it is Him, His actual presence and words, hearing and recognizing His voice, the veil is removes and the same glory seen is then the glory reproduced in the receiver. This is Advent.

2 Corinthians 3
11 For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remains is glorious [what remains is Christ – The LORD’s salvation manifested in and through those He anoints with His spirit and truth].
12 Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:
13 And not as Moses, which put a veil over his face [we remove the veil and tell you it is Christ, One God, in us, “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” Hebrews 13:8], that the children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:
14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remains the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.
15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.
16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the LORD, the vail shall be taken away.
17 Now the LORD is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the LORD is, there is liberty [“Know you that our brother Timothy is set at liberty” Hebrews 13:23].
18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the LORD, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the LORD.

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.

These are the sign the LORD told Ahaz to ask for, and even though he refused, it didn’t “weary my God,” who then proceeded to send the sign anyway, the same sign He would have sent if Ahaz had asked.

Isaiah 8
O Immanuel.
9 Associate yourselves, O you people, and you shall be broken in pieces; and give ear, all you of far countries: gird yourselves, and you shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and you shall be broken in pieces.
10 Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand: for God is with us.
11 For the LORD spake thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying,
12 Say you not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear you their fear, nor be afraid.
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 hideth 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 dwelleth 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.
21 And they shall pass through it, hardly bestead and hungry: and it shall come to pass, that when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves, and curse their king and their God, and look upward.
22 And they shall look unto the earth; and behold trouble and darkness, dimness of anguish; and they shall be driven to darkness.

The name Ahaz is from the Hebrew word ‘achaz, meaning to seize, and is the word rendered “take hold of” in Job 38:13 as the LORD speaks of when He has taken hold of the ends of earth, to shake it so the wicked will be shaken out of it.

Job 38
1 Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
2 Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
3 Gird up now your loins like a man; for I will demand of you, and answer you me.
4 Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if you have understanding.
5 Who has laid the measures thereof, if you know? or who has stretched the line upon it?
6 Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof;
7 When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
8 Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, as if it had issued out of the womb?
9 When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a swaddlingband for it,
10 And brake up for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors,
11 And said, Hitherto shall you come, but no further: and here shall your proud waves be stayed?
12 Have you commanded the morning since your days; and caused the dayspring to know his place;
13 That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it?
14 It is turned as clay to the seal; and they stand as a garment.
15 And from the wicked their light [understanding] is withheld, and the high arm shall be broken.
16 Have you entered into the springs of the sea? or have you walked in the search of the depth?
17 Have the gates of death been opened unto you? or have you seen the doors of the shadow of death?
18 Have you perceived the breadth of the earth? declare if you know it all.
19 Where is the way where light dwells? and as for darkness, where is the place thereof,
20 That you should take it to the bound thereof, and that you should know the paths to the house thereof?
21 Know you it, because you were then born? or because the number of your days is great?
22 Have you entered into the treasures of the snow? or have you seen the treasures of the hail,
23 Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?
24 By what way is the light parted, which scatters the east wind upon the earth?
25 Who has divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters, or a way for the lightning of thunder;
26 To cause it to rain on the earth, where no man is; on the wilderness, wherein there is no man;
27 To satisfy the desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth?
28 Has the rain a father? or who has begotten the drops of dew?
29 Out of whose womb came the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven, who has gendered it?
30 The waters are hid as with a stone, and the face of the deep is frozen.
31 Can you bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?
32 Can you bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? or can you guide Arcturus with his sons?
33 Know you the ordinances of heaven? can you set the dominion thereof in the earth?
34 Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover you?
35 Can you send lightning, that they may go and say unto you, Here we are?
36 Who has put wisdom in the inward parts? or who has given understanding to the heart?
37 Who can number the clouds in wisdom? or who can stay the bottles of heaven,
38 When the dust grows into hardness, and the clods cleave fast together?
39 Will you hunt the prey for the lion? or fill the appetite of the young lions,
40 When they couch in their dens, and abide in the covert to lie in wait?
41 Who provides for the raven [those covered in darkness] his food? when his young ones cry unto God, they wander for lack of meat [they wander because the empty words and corrupt ideas of men can never satisfy, because there is no life in their words].

The “seal” the LORD speaks of in Job 38:14 above is the Hebrew word chowtham, meaning a signature rings, as in a seal that can only be opened by the intended receiver. Above it is speaking of the when the LORD takes hold of the end of the earth, to shake the wicked from it, as only being understood by those the LORD intends to receive – because they have received Him. We see the LORD goes on to say this light is withheld from wicked, to break their high arm, their pride in their own works, which itself is what blinds them and from them keeps the LORD’s presence veiled.

Here is the Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary definition of the primitive root word chatham, from where comes chowtham: #2856: chatham (pronounced khaw-tham’) a primitive root; to close up; especially to seal:–make an end, mark, seal (up), stop.

Friends, chatham is the word used twice in Daniel 9:24 where it tells of the time “to make an end” of sins, and to “seal up” the vision and the prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. It is then used in Daniel 12:4 & 9, both as Daniel is told to “seal up” the book until the time of the end. This is the vision and the prophecy received from the LORD at His coming and opening the book that has been sealed to all other.

Friends, again I tell you, Daniel 9 speaks of the years now ending in total desolation, which were caused by men’s abominations, corrupted and defiled ideas. They are those these men brought into the holy place and with them replaced God. Their prayer should be the same as Daniels prayer, but instead, they proclaim their own righteousness and trust in their same old corrupted ideas. Upon us, God’s elect, has the light lighted; the seal is broken by receiving His understanding, and by Him we have been given the vision and the prophecy.

Isaiah 9
2 The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them has the light shined.
3 You have multiplied the nation, and not increased the joy: they joy before you according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.
4 For you have broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian.
5 For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire.
6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
8 The LORD sent a word into Jacob, and it has lighted upon Israel.

Daniel 9
1 In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans;
2 In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.
3 And I set my face unto the LORD God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:
4 And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O LORD, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments;
5 We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from your precepts and from your judgments:
6 Neither have we hearkened unto your servants the prophets, which spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.
7 O LORD, righteousness belongs unto you, but unto us confusion of faces, as at this day; to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel, that are near, and that are far off, through all the countries whither you have driven them, because of their trespass that they have trespassed against you.
8 O LORD, to us belongs confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against you.
9 To the LORD our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him;
10 Neither have we obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets.
11 Yea, all Israel have transgressed your law, even by departing, that they might not obey your voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him.
12 And he has confirmed his words, which he spoke against us, and against our judges that judged us, by bringing upon us a great evil: for under the whole heaven has not been done as has been done upon Jerusalem.
13 As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us: yet made we not our prayer before the LORD our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand your truth.
14 Therefore has the LORD watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us: for the LORD our God is righteous in all his works which he does: for we obeyed not his voice.
15 And now, O LORD our God, that have brought your people forth out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and have gotten you renown, as at this day; we have sinned, we have done wickedly.
16 O LORD, according to all your righteousness, I beseech you, let your anger and your fury be turned away from your city Jerusalem, your holy mountain: because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and your people are become a reproach to all that are about us.
17 Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of your servant, and his supplications, and cause your face to shine upon your sanctuary that is desolate, for the LORD’s sake.
18 O my God, incline your ear, and hear; open your eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by your name: for we do not present our supplications before you for our righteousnesses, but for your great mercies.
19 O LORD, hear; O LORD, forgive; O LORD, hearken and do; defer not, for your own sake, O my God: for your city and your people are called by your name.
20 And whiles I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God for the holy mountain of my God;
21 Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation.
22 And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give you skill and understanding.
23 At the beginning of your supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew you; for you are greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.
24 Seventy weeks are determined upon your people and upon your holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end [chatham] of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal [chatham] up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

The last of the fourteen times the word chowtham (God’s signature) appears is in the last verse of Haggai. There the LORD speaks of Zerubbabel as the one He makes His “signet,” to show He has chosen him. Zerubbabel, his name meaning he is born by coming out of the confusion that is ruling over the world, is the same as the one speaking in Hebrews 12, a book we know is a letter of introduction, introducing and validating the bishopric of Timothy.

These are the words of the LORD spoken to those who have become the Children of God by receiving His corrective salvation and deliverance, who have now come to Mount Zion, the city of the living God, which is heavenly Jerusalem. This is the voice, this word now shaking heaven and earth, as we are also told of in Haggai 2.

Hebrews 12
6 For whom the LORD loves he chastens [corrects], and scourges [disciplines] 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
1 Let brotherly love [philadelphia] continue.
2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
3 Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.
4 Marriage [joining with Christ as one body] is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers [those who buy and sell the souls of men] and adulterers [the unfaithful] God will judge.
5 Let your conversation be without covetousness [not trying to extort money in exchange for preaching]; 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 to day, and for ever.
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.

Haggai 2
3 Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory? and how do you see it now? is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing?
4 Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel [God’s righteousness returned to civil government], says the LORD; and be strong, O Joshua [God’s righteousness returned to church government], son of Josedech, the high priest; and be strong, all you people of the land, says the LORD, and work: for I am with you, says the LORD of hosts:
5 According to the word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt, so my spirit remains among you: fear you not.
6 For thus says the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land;
7 And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, says the LORD of hosts.
8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the LORD of hosts.
9 The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, says the LORD of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, says the LORD of hosts.
10 In the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying,
11 Thus says the LORD of hosts; Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying,
12 If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt do touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any meat, shall it be holy? And the priests answered and said, No.
13 Then said Haggai, If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean? And the priests answered and said, It shall be unclean.
14 Then answered Haggai, and said, So is this people, and so is this nation before me, says the LORD; and so is every work of their hands; and that which they offer there is unclean.
15 And now, I pray you, consider from this day and upward, from before a stone was laid upon a stone in the temple of the LORD:
16 Since those days were, when one came to an heap of twenty measures, there were but ten: when one came to the press-fat for to draw out fifty vessels out of the press, there were but twenty.
17 I smote you with blasting and with mildew and with hail in all the labors of your hands; yet you turned not to me, says the LORD.
18 Consider now from this day and upward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, even from the day that the foundation of the LORD’s temple was laid, consider it.
19 Is the seed yet in the barn? yea, as yet the vine, and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive tree, has not brought forth: from this day will I bless you.
20 And again the word of the LORD came unto Haggai in the four and twentieth day of the month, saying,
21 Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth;
22 And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother.
23 In that day, says the LORD of hosts, will I take you, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, says the LORD, and will make you as a signet [chowtham]: for I have chosen you, says the LORD of hosts.

And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

The word above rendered “dragon” is from the Greek word drakon, said to probably be from the Greek word derkomai, meaning to see or look, in the sense of becoming fascinated. The word (drakon) only appears in book of Revelation (thirteen times), all as John reveals to us that the dragon is the serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan (from the Hebrew word satan, telling us he is opposing and resisting the word and work of the LORD God Almighty). Drakon appears to more likely be derived from the Hebrew word dakar, meaning to walk, an origin by which we understand the dragon as a serpent rising up and walking like a man (and men are fascinated by it).

We are told in Revelation 13 that a beast (Babylon – confusion) rises up from among the people (the sea), which has seven heads (ruling over all the church: God’s people) and ten horns (all civil governments of the world), and the dragon gave him his power (to ill advise and mislead into hell). Just before this he is described as like a leopard (camouflage to lurk and sneak up on prey), and having feet like a bear (to trample down, tear apart, and destroy), and a mouth like a lion (a mouth devouring the prey – by words).

Friends, earlier in Revelation 12 we are told this is the same dragon who led a third of God’s people in their fall from heaven, meaning from their fixed positions, steadfast by their understanding, into no longer depending on and trusting God’s sound advice, and thereby into confusion. These are the firsts, the leaders who joined in an open rebellion against God and opposing His truth; instead, they relied on, and teach others to rely on, their false doctrines and follow them into hell.

Later, in Revelation 16, John describes the coming of understanding, as first the waters of the river Euphrates are dried up, which represent the means through which have flowed the waters of confusion (bad advice, and death lurking below the surface unseen) to all the world, that by this the way of the kings of the east might be prepared – understood. We know these kings are the Magi, the Chaldeans: wise men who degenerated into using their words to manipulate and control people, and now, by this means, rule over all the world. John then tells us of the unfolding picture (uncovering – revealing) as these men are first seen as serpents (the dragons), then as the beast (confusion – Babylon), and are those who, ultimately, are clearly understood as false prophets.

Revelation 16
12 And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.
13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth [as words opposing God and leading the rebellion against Him] of the dragon, and out of the mouth [as words of confusion] of the beast, and out of the mouth [telling of what never will never come] of the false prophet.
14 For they are the spirits of devils [FOR THEY ARE SPIRITS in men, in kings – misleaders leading into hell], working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon [the mount of this rendezvous – appointed time and place of God’s Righteous Judgment on the earth].

When we remove the words, the misleading bad advice, that has clouded the minds of all God’s people, leading a third to actively oppose and resist God, and then put the others into a state of sleep and death, we then in spirit and truth clearly see, understand, this is the culmination of the fall that started in the garden, by listening to those then only seen as a serpent.

John tell us these are spirits of devils, demons drawing and leading men into hell, the result of the words coming from their mouths, now becoming seen as defiling spirits (degenerate minds denying reality/truth and creating confusion), seen as frog are seen when the waters of the muddied rivers are stopped/dried up.

Friends, it is the nature of man to not understand the magnitude of the moment they are living in and through, which in most cases hasn’t and can’t be comprehended until the fullness appears later in the effect. I tell you now we are living through these days. Now is when evil has taken full control of all the world’s information, denying absolute realities, even the distinction that men are men and women are women, and denying human conception creates a human. The only ways these demons confuse the world is by hate-filled demonization and ridicule, creating prejudice against all who refuse to agree and join. They silence truth and disregard any reality that contradicts their delusions and their effect of the society at large. They have become so blinded by the darkness, into which their own progressive extremism has led them, that within it they feel their evil and hate have won. In this self-confirming echo chamber, they now openly and pridefully flaunt their primitive (tribal) hatred and their ignorant ideas, feeling none will dare stand against their power to destroy men’s lives. It is the culmination, the end, when death is so swelled with pride, as the swelling of Jordan, and people act as if there is nothing wrong or abnormal about killing and consuming their infant children.

LORD, I pray that You open the eyes of Your people, so they will understand.

2 Kings 6
17 And Elisha [Salvation of God] prayed, and said, LORD, I pray you, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.
18 And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the LORD, and said, Smite this people, I pray you, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.
19 And Elisha said unto them, This is not the way, neither is this the city: follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek. But he led them to Samaria [the place where the people had set up idols in God’s place, among those whose eyes need to be opened].
20 And it came to pass, when they were come into Samaria, that Elisha said, LORD, open the eyes of these men, that they may see. And the LORD opened their eyes, and they saw; and, behold, they were in the midst of Samaria.
21 And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, “My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them?”
22 And he [Elisha – Salvation of God] answered, You shall not smite them: would you smite those whom you have taken captive with your sword and with your bow? set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master.
23 And he prepared great provision for them: and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. So the bands of Syria [those who have exalted themselves above God] came no more into the land of Israel.
24 And it came to pass after this, that Benhadad [son of the false gods, idols/ideas, that ruled over them] king of Syria gathered all his host, and went up, and besieged Samaria.
25 And there was a great famine in Samaria: and, behold, they besieged it, until an donkey’s head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove’s dung for five pieces of silver. [Because they had turned completely to idols, there was a famine for hearing the true word of God, by which man lives.]
26 And as the king of Israel was passing by upon the wall, there cried a woman unto him, saying, Help, my LORD, O king.
27 And he said, If the LORD do not help you, whence shall I help you? out of the barn-floor, or out of the winepress?
28 And the king said unto her, What ails you? And she answered, [she didn’t want food, rather she wanted help to find and eat another women’s child, because they had already eaten hers] This woman [who is a pattern of an abortionist] said unto me, Give your son, that we may eat him to day, and we will eat my son to morrow.
29 So we boiled my son, and did eat him: and I said unto her on the next day, Give your son, that we may eat him: and she has hid her son.
30 And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he rent his clothes; and he passed by upon the wall, and the people looked, and, behold, he had sackcloth within upon his flesh.
31 Then he said, God do so and more also to me, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat [the son of Him whose Righteous Judgment has come upon us] shall stand on him this day.
32 But Elisha sat in his house, and the elders sat with him; and the king sent a man from before him: but ere the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, See you how this son of a murderer has sent to take away mine head? look, when the messenger comes, shut the door, and hold him fast at the door: is not the sound of his master’s feet behind him?
33 And while he yet talked with them, behold, the messenger came down unto him: and he said, Behold, this evil is of the LORD; what should I wait for the LORD any longer?

2 Kings 7
1 Then Elisha said, Hear you the word of the LORD; Thus says the LORD, To morrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.
2 Then a lord on whose hand [the false prophets in whose advice they trusted] the king leaned answered the man of God, and said, Behold, if the LORD would make windows in heaven, might this thing be? And he said, Behold, you shall see it with your eyes, but shall not eat thereof.
3 And there were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate: and they said one to another, Why sit we here until we die?
4 If we say, We will enter into the city, then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there: and if we sit still here, we die also. Now therefore come, and let us fall unto the host of the Syrians: if they save us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die.
5 And they rose up in the twilight, to go unto the camp of the Syrians: and when they were come to the uttermost part of the camp of Syria, behold, there was no man there.
6 For the LORD had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great host: and they said one to another, Lo, the king of Israel has hired against us the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come upon us. [They heard the same army God showed in 2 Kings 6:17, but had no idea who or what it was.]
7 Wherefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents, and their horses, and their donkeys, even the camp as it was, and fled for their life.
8 And when these lepers came to the uttermost part of the camp, they went into one tent, and did eat and drink, and carried thence silver, and gold, and raiment, and went and hid it; and came again, and entered into another tent, and carried thence also, and went and hid it. [see 2 Corinthians 3 & 4 below – only hid from those whose mind have been blinded by the gods of the world, the defiled spirits now at working in the children of disobedience. We who see, see the unseen/what is hidden.]
9 Then they said one to another, We do not well: this day is a day of good tidings, and we hold our peace: if we tarry till the morning light, some mischief will come upon us: now therefore come, that we may go and tell the king’s household.
10 So they came and called unto the porter of the city: and they told them, saying, We came to the camp of the Syrians, and, behold, there was no man there, neither voice of man, but horses tied, and donkeys tied, and the tents as they were.
11 And he called the porters; and they told it to the king’s house within.
12 And the king arose in the night, and said unto his servants, I will now shew you what the Syrians have done to us. They know that we be hungry; therefore are they gone out of the camp to hide themselves in the field, saying, When they come out of the city, we shall catch them alive, and get into the city.
13 And one of his servants answered and said, Let some take, I pray you, five of the horses that remain, which are left in the city, (behold, they are as all the multitude of Israel that are left in it: behold, I say, they are even as all the multitude of the Israelites that are consumed:) and let us send and see.
14 They took therefore two chariot horses; and the king sent after the host of the Syrians, saying, Go and see.
15 And they went after them unto Jordan: and, lo, all the way was full of garments and vessels, which the Syrians had cast away in their haste. And the messengers returned, and told the king.
16 And the people went out, and spoiled the tents of the Syrians. So a measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, according to the word of the LORD.
17 And the king appointed the lord [the false prophets] on whose hand he leaned to have the charge of the gate: and the people trampled upon him in the gate, and he died, as the man of God had said, who spoke when the king came down to him.
18 And it came to pass as the man of God had spoken to the king, saying, Two measures of barley for a shekel, and a measure of fine flour for a shekel, shall be to morrow about this time in the gate of Samaria:
19 And that LORD answered the man of God, and said, Now, behold, if the LORD should make windows in heaven, might such a thing be? And he said, Behold, you shall see it with your eyes, but shall not eat thereof.
20 And so it fell out unto him: for the people trampled upon him in the gate, and he died.

2 Corinthians 3
9 For if the ministration of condemnation be glory [showed God’s presence], much more does the ministration of righteousness exceeds in glory.
10 For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excels.
11 For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which [NOW, after condemnation has been done away with] remains is glorious. [John 3: 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believes on him is not condemned: but he that believes not is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation [the choice], that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that does evil hates the light {understanding}, neither comes to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that does truth comes to the light [to understanding], that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.]
12 Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:
13 And not as Moses, which put a veil over his face [so the glory of God, His presence in him, couldn’t be seen], that the children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:
14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remains the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.
15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.
16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the LORD [when the understanding comes, that God is in man, as Christ, in this way reconciling the world to Himself by preaching this word of truth and teaching that leads into understanding – the light], the vail shall be taken away.
17 Now the LORD is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the LORD is, there is liberty.
18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the LORD, are changed into the same image [Christ formed in us] from [His presence seen and heard] glory to [receiving it and the same] glory [is formed in us], even as by the Spirit of the LORD.

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.

Psalms 72
1 Give the king your judgments, O God, and your righteousness unto the king’s son.
2 He shall judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with judgment.
3 The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness.
4 He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor.
5 They shall fear you as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations.
6 He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth.
7 In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endures.
8 He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.
9 They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust.
10 The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.
11 Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him.
12 For he shall deliver the needy when he cries; the poor also, and him that has no helper.
13 He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy.
14 He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight.
15 And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba: prayer also shall be made for him continually; and daily shall he be praised.
16 There shall be an handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: and they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth.
17 His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed.
18 Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, who only does wondrous things.
19 And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen.
20 The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.

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.