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Who is as the wise man? and who knows the interpretation of a thing? a man’s wisdom makes his face to shine, and the boldness of his face shall be changed.

The above is the LORD, through (in) Solomon, imparting wisdom and describing life and death by its apprehension: it seizing us; our then applying it: operating under its anointing and power. The Hebrew word rendered “interpretation,” is a one-time used word pesher, from the word pathar, meaning to open up. Pathar is only used nine times, all in Genesis 40 & 41 in telling of Joseph’s ability to interpret dreams: ideas that come into the minds of the those sleeping, meaning they are in a death-like state and unable to understand anything, even their own thoughts. 

The Chaldean word equivalents are pshar, used thirty-two times, and an identical word pshar, only used once; all appearing in Daniel. In Daniel 5:16 these two words appear together, rendered “make interpretations” in telling us this is what dissolves doubt (revealing unknown meaning – as in interpreting an unknown tongue/word). 

The Chaldean (Aramaic) words translated “dissolve doubt” are shre’ qtar; the first appearing five times in Daniel and once in Ezra 5:2; the second only appearing in Daniel 5, three times. In Ezra shre’ is rendered “began” in telling of when Zerubbabel and Joshua (Jeshua) were freed to build the house of God. In the verse prior, we are told what dissolved the bands keeping them from building was the prophesying, in the name of God, of Haggai and Zechariah. As we know from previous studies, this and the resistance they encountered, are what Zachariah writes of in Zechariah 3 & 4. In Ezra 4 we are told of those who rose up to resist their building; who were offering to join in the building, as a way to subvert it from within. In Zachariah 3 these adversaries are described as Satan standing at Joshua’s right hand to resist the work of the LORD, which was to cleanse Joshua. We have seen the word there rendered “resist” is the Hebrew word satan, meaning to attack and or accuse, and in its five other appearances it is rendered adversaries (Psalms 38:20, 71:13, & 109:4, 20, & 29). 

Daniel 5 ends telling of the end of Belshazzar, which come as foretold by the hand of the LORD sent to write on the wall. Belshazzar is the son of Nebuchadnezzar, whose name we understand tells of the lies of the false prophets (which rule over God’s people) and are the abominations that cause the total, final, desolation of God’s people. Belshazzar, whose name means Baal protects the king, is said to have committed the same offenses as his father, and God, therefore, ends his kingdom (ends the rule of their creations, showing their idols are nothing and therefore unable to protect anything). This is the pattern of our time, as the same hand of God is sent to write on this wall, and end the rule of the false prophets and usurpers over God’s people. The numbers (mene) that begin and end this rule are those we have seen Daniel describe in the end Daniel 9, and are the beginning and end of Abram’s (Abraham’s) deep sleep. 

We have also seen this is the time of the awakening Daniel describe in Daniel 12, when the book is unsealed and knowledge is greatly increased. “12 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which stands for the children of your people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time your people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. 2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 And they that be wise shall shine [see Ecclesiastes 8:1, the title above] as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. 4 But you, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro [see Zechariah 4:10 below], and knowledge shall be increased.”

The final verse of Daniel 5 tells of the coming of Darius (the LORD who reigns supreme), after Daniel (the judge of God) interprets (pshar), dissolves the doubt, as foretold, and Belshazzar is slain. Ezra 4 ends describing the time as the second year of Darius, who reigns after Belshazzar, which same dating is identified by Haggai and Zechariah in as their respective Books begin. Remember, the times (mene, mene) are, in a pattern, telling of Abram’s sleep as beginning when the adversaries troubled those building the house (wall) of God, who Zechariah describes as Satan standing at Joshua’s (the priesthood) right hand to resist the work of God (who is the true and only able builder). It ends at the coming of the LORD, patterned in Darius appearing in the second year of His reign.

Hosea 6 

1 Come, and let us return [shuwb – turn again] unto the LORD: for he has torn, and he will heal us; he has smitten, and he will bind us up.

2 After two days [yowm – also a year – as in Exodus 13:10] will he revive us: in the third day [yowm – also an age] he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.

3 Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth [this word of God is the latter rain, and the former rain, on each side of Abraham’s sleep].

4 O Ephraim, what shall I do unto you? O Judah, what shall I do unto you? for your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goes away [when the sun rises].

5 Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth: and your judgments are as the light [understanding] that goes forth.

6 For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

7 But they like men have transgressed the covenant: there have they dealt treacherously against me [says the LORD].

Daniel 5 

1 Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand.

2 Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein.

3 Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them.

4 They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.

5 In the same hour came forth fingers of a man’s hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.

6 Then the king’s countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed [shre’ – the word of God put the fear of God into him], and his knees smote one against another.

7 The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spoke, and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and show me the interpretation [pshar] thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.

8 Then came in all the king’s wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation [pshar] thereof.

9 Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonished.

10 Now the queen by reason of the words of the king and his lords came into the banquet house: and the queen spoke and said, O king, live for ever: let not your thoughts trouble you, nor let your countenance be changed:

11 There is a man in your kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of your father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar your father, the king, I say, your father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers;

12 Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts [shre’ qtar], were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation [pshar].

13 Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king spoke and said unto Daniel, Are you that Daniel, which are of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Jewry?

14 I have even heard of you, that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in you.

15 And now the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known unto me the interpretation [pshar] thereof: but they could not show the interpretation [pshar] of the thing:

16 And I have heard of you, that you can make interpretations [pshar], and dissolve doubts [shre’ qtar]: now if you can read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation [pshar] thereof, you shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about your neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.

17 Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let your gifts be to yourself, and give your rewards to another; yet I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation [pshar].

18 O you king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honor:

19 And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down.

20 But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him:

21 And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: they fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the Most High God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appoints over it whomsoever he will.

22 And you his son, O Belshazzar [O false prophets], have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this;

23 But have lifted up yourself against the LORD of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before you, and you, and your lords, your wives, and your concubines, have drunk wine in them; and you have praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand your breath is, and whose are all your ways, have you not glorified:

24 Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written.

25 And this is the writing that was written, Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin.

26 This is the interpretation [pshar] of the thing: Mene; God has numbered your kingdom, and finished it.

27 Tekel; You are weighed in the balances, and are found wanting.

28 Peres; Your kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.

29 Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.

30 In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain.

31 And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.

Ezra 3

8 Now in the second year of their coming unto the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, began Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua [Joshua] the son of Jozadak, and the remnant of their brethren the priests and the Levites, and all they that were come out of the captivity unto Jerusalem; and appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to set forward the work of the house of the LORD.

9 Then stood Jeshua with his sons and his brethren, Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah, together, to set forward the workmen in the house [family] of God: the sons of Henadad, with their sons and their brethren the Levites.

10 And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, they set the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise the LORD, after the ordinance of David king of Israel.

11 And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the LORD; because he is good, for his mercy endures for ever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.

12 But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy:

13 So that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people: for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar off.

Ezra 4

1 Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity built the temple unto the LORD God of Israel;

2 Then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said unto them, Let us build with you: for we seek your God, as you do; and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assur, which brought us up hither.

3 But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, You have nothing to do with us to build a house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the LORD God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us.

4 Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building,

5 And hired counselors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.

6 And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they unto him an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.

Ezra 4

24 Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem. So it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.

Ezra 5

1 Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, even unto them.

2 Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began [shre’ – the word of God sent and released them from the fear that kept them from building] to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem: and with them were the prophets of God helping them.

Ezra 5

9 Then asked we those elders, and said unto them thus, Who commanded you to build this house, and to make up these walls?

10 We asked their names also, to certify you, that we might write the names of the men that were the chief of them.

11 And thus they returned us answer, saying, We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and build the house that was built these many years ago, which a great king of Israel [Solomon] built and set up.

12 But after that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven unto wrath, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house, and carried the people away into Babylon.

13 But in the first year of Cyrus the king of Babylon the same king Cyrus made a decree to build this house of God.

14 And the vessels also of gold and silver of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that was in Jerusalem, and brought them into the temple of Babylon, those did Cyrus the king take out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered unto one, whose name was Sheshbazzar [this is the Chaldean name of Zerubbabel – a name said {in the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon} to mean worshipper of fire – which should be worshipper in the fire – referring to Daniel as the unnamed one in the fire, whose form is like the son of God – Daniel 3:25], whom he had made governor;

15 And said unto him, Take these vessels, go, carry them into the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let the house [family] of God be built in his place.

16 Then came the same Sheshbazzar, and laid the foundation [no other foundation than Christ – 1 Corinthians 3:11] of the house of God which is in Jerusalem: and since that time even until now has it been in building, and yet it is not finished [see Zechariah 4:9 below – God’s Spirit in us, Christ in us, began the work and He will finish it].

17 Now therefore, if it seems good to the king, let there be search made in the king’s treasure house, which is there at Babylon, whether it be so, that a decree was made of Cyrus the king to build this house of God at Jerusalem, and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.

Ezra 6 

1 Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in the house of the rolls, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon.

2 And there was found at Achmetha [referring us to the hearth where the fire burned {ach} – the pattern we are shown in Jeremiah 36:22 & 23 – where the word of God was rejected – the words couldn’t be burned, because they’re in a man, upon who the fire has no effect], in the palace that is in the province of the Medes, a roll, and therein was a record thus written:

3 In the first year of Cyrus the king the same Cyrus the king made a decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, Let the house be built, the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid; the height thereof threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof threescore cubits;

4 With three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber: and let the expenses be given out of the king’s house:

5 And also let the golden and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took forth out of the temple which is at Jerusalem, and brought unto Babylon, be restored, and brought again unto the temple which is at Jerusalem, every one to his place, and place them in the house of God.

6 Now therefore, Tatnai [you who’ve received this free gift of God’s word], governor beyond the river, Shetharboznai [who have received it from the Star of God’s splendor], and your companions the Apharsachites [those who God will divide as deceivers – separate the false prophets from His truth], which are beyond the river, be you far from thence:

7 Let the work of this house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house [family] of God in his place.

Haggai 1

1 In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet unto Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, saying,

2 Thus speaks the LORD of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come, the time that the LORD’s house [family] should be built.

3 Then came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying,

4 Is it time for you, O you, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste?

5 Now therefore thus says the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.

6 You have sown much, and bring in little; you eat, but you have not enough; you drink, but you are not filled with drink; you clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earns wages earns wages to put it into a bag with holes.

7 Thus says the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.

8 Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, says the LORD.

9 You looked for much, and, lo it came to little; and when you brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? says the LORD of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and you run every man unto his own house.

10 Therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew, and the earth is stayed from her fruit.

11 And I called for a drought [of hearing this true word of God] upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the corn, and upon the new wine, and upon the oil, and upon that which the ground brings forth, and upon men, and upon cattle, and upon all the labor of the hands.

12 Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the LORD their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the LORD their God had sent him, and the people did fear before the LORD.

13 Then spoke Haggai the LORD’s messenger in the LORD’s message unto the people, saying, I am with you, says the LORD.

14 And the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and did work in the house of the LORD of hosts, their God,

15 In the four and twentieth day of the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king.

Haggai 2 

1 In the seventh month, in the one and twentieth day of the month, came the word of the LORD by the prophet Haggai, saying,

2 Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and to the residue of the people, saying,

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, says the LORD; and be strong, O Joshua, 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. [Here telling us why Zechariah, in Zechariah 3, tells of cleansing the priesthood, before telling of Zerubbabel finishing the building, by God’s Spirit in His prepared, cleansed, people.]

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 [a sign]: for I have chosen you, says the LORD of hosts.

Zechariah 3

1 And he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist [satan] him.

2 And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke you, O Satan; even the LORD that has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?

3 Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel.

4 And he answered and spoke unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused your iniquity to pass from you, and I will clothe you with change of raiment.

5 And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments [these are the garments put on by the purified priest]. And the angel of the LORD stood by. 

6 And the angel of the LORD protested [reiterated] unto Joshua, saying,

7 Thus says the LORD of hosts; If [IF] you will walk in my ways [even in the fire], and if you will keep my charge, then you shall also judge my house [as Daniel – judge of God], and shall also keep my courts, and I will give you places to walk among these that stand by.

8 Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, you, and your fellows that sit before you: for they are men wondered at [I and the children God’s has given me are for signs and wonders – see Isaiah 8:18]: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the Branch.

9 For behold the stone [Christ – the Chief cornerstone of the house] that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone shall be seven eyes: behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, says the LORD of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.

10 In that day, says the LORD of hosts, shall you call every man his neighbor under the vine and under the fig tree.

Zechariah 4

1 And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep [the angel appeared as a man already awakened – to awaken].

2 And said unto me, What sees you? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof:

3 And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof.

4 So I answered and spoke to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord?

5 Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Know you not what these be? And I said, No, my lord.

6 Then he answered and spoke unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel [born by coming out of confusion – awakened from the sleep of ignorance], saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the LORD of hosts.

7 Who are you, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain [AS GOD SHAKES HEAVEN AND EARTH, TO SHAKE THE WICKED OUT OF THEM]: and he shall bring forth the headstone [the Chief cornerstone] thereof with shouting, crying, Grace, grace unto it.

8 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, 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 [the awakened church]; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth, [increasing their knowledge – see Daniel 12:4 above].

11 Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof [Joshua and Zerubbabel – God’s elect and His people at large – who shine as the stars of heaven]?

12 And I answered again, and said unto him, What be these two olive branches which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oil out of themselves?

13 And he answered me and said, Know you not what these be? And I said, No, my lord.

14 Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the LORD of the whole earth.

Psalms 109 

1 Hold not your peace, O God of my praise;

2 For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful are opened against me: they have spoken against me with a lying tongue.

3 They compassed me about also with words of hatred; and fought against me without a cause.

4 For my love they are my adversaries [satan]: but I give myself unto prayer.

5 And they have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love.

6 Set you a wicked man over him: and let Satan stand at his right hand.

7 When he shall be judged, let him be condemned: and let his prayer become sin.

8 Let his days be few; and let another take his office.

9 Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow.

10 Let his children be continually vagabonds, and beg: let them seek their bread also out of their desolate places.

11 Let the extortioner catch all that he has; and let the strangers spoil his labor.

12 Let there be none to extend mercy unto him: neither let there be any to favor his fatherless children.

13 Let his posterity be cut off; and in the generation following let their name be blotted out.

14 Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered with the LORD; and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out.

15 Let them be before the LORD continually, that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth.

16 Because that he remembered not to show mercy, but persecuted the poor and needy man, that he might even slay the broken in heart.

17 As he loved cursing, so let it come unto him: as he delighted not in blessing, so let it be far from him.

18 As he clothed himself with cursing like as with his garment, so let it come into his bowels like water, and like oil into his bones.

19 Let it be unto him as the garment which covers him, and for a girdle wherewith he is girded continually.

20 Let this be the reward of mine adversaries [satan] from the LORD, and of them that speak evil against my soul.

21 But do you for me, O God the LORD, for your name’s sake: because your mercy is good, deliver you me.

22 For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.

23 I am gone like the shadow when it declines: I am tossed up and down as the locust.

24 My knees are weak through fasting; and my flesh fails of fatness.

25 I became also a reproach unto them: when they looked upon me they shook their heads.

26 Help me, O LORD my God: O save me according to your mercy:

27 That they may know that this is your hand; that you, LORD, have done it.

28 Let them curse, but bless you: when they arise, let them be ashamed; but let your servant rejoice.

29 Let mine adversaries [satan] be clothed with shame, and let them cover themselves with their own confusion, as with a mantle.

30 I will greatly praise the LORD with my mouth; yea, I will praise him among the multitude.

31 For he shall stand at the right hand of the poor, to save him from those that condemn his soul.

But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

Today’s title verse, Matthew 18:6, is the LORD’s wisdom in the chapter, in reference to a comment and discussion at the previous post, at the @Message Facebook page. The chapter is given as a further explanation of the most recent post about the many antichrists and false prophets, and their intention in attacking the truth of the word of God. These men are dividers and not unifiers. (Read the comment.) They seek to cause those believing the LORD to become offended, to cast doubt about His presence (with contradictory advice and accusation) – to mislead and keep people in the darkness they and their ilk have created.

Matthew 18 1 At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?2 And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,3 And said, Truly I say unto you, Except you be converted, and become as little children [ready to learn as if you know nothing – not at every point looking for reasons to doubt what is being taught], you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.5 And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receives me.6 But whoso shall offend [skandalizo – trip up – lead into apostasy] one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.7 Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence comes!8 Wherefore if your hand or your foot offend [skandalizo] you, cut them off, and cast them from you: it is better for you to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.9 And if your eye offend [skandalizo] you, pluck it out, and cast it from you: it is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.10 Take heed that you despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.11 For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.12 How think you? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, does he not leave the ninety and nine, and goes into the mountains, and seeks that which is gone astray?13 And if so be that he find it, truly I say unto you, he rejoices more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.14 Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.15 Moreover if your brother shall trespass against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone: if he shall hear you, you have gained your brother.16 But if he will not hear you, then take with you one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto you as a heathen man and a publican.18 Truly I say unto you, Whatsoever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.21 Then came Peter to him, and said, LORD, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?22 Jesus said unto him, I say not unto you, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.23 Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.25 But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his LORD commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.26 The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, LORD, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.27 Then the LORD of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.28 But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellow-servants, which owed him a hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that you owe.29 And his fellow-servant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.30 And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.31 So when his fellow-servants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their LORD all that was done.32 Then his LORD, after that he had called him, said unto him, O you wicked servant, I forgave you all that debt, because you desired [it of] me:33 Should not you also have had compassion on your fellow-servant, even as I had pity on you?34 And his LORD was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if you from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

When the LORD, above, speaks of His seeking the sheep that stray, it is referring us to Ezekiel 34:12, and the chapter which is the LORD, through the son of man, speaking to the shepherds of Israel, who are feeding themselves and not the flock.

As we have previously, many times, discussed, this is ultimately referring us to the controversy God has with His people. It is, who is best suited to rule them, God or man; and this relating to the decision (in the valley of Jehoshaphat) as to whose advice they are going to listen. In this context, and in that of this and previous posts, read the following, viewing it with the eyes of understanding the LORD has given us by His mind now formed in us.

1 Kings 22

16 And the king [Ahab – meaning the brother of the father, which is alluding to Esau, and the name Ahijah] said unto him, How many times shall I adjure you that you tell me nothing but that which is true in the name of the LORD?17 And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep that have not a shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no master: let them return every man to his house in peace.18 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell you that he would prophesy no good concerning me, but evil?19 And he said, Hear you therefore the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left.20 And the LORD said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead [the summit of this testimony]? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner.21 And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will persuade him.22 And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, You shall persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so.23 Now therefore, behold, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets, and the LORD has spoken evil concerning you.24 But Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near, and smote Micaiah [who is like Jehovah] on the cheek, and said [mocked – and doubted the LORD’s presence], Which way went the Spirit of the LORD from me to speak unto you?25 And Micaiah said, Behold, you shall see in that day, when you shall go into an inner chamber to hide yourself.26 And the king of Israel said, Take Micaiah, and carry him back unto Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king’s son;27 And say, Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I come in peace.28 And Micaiah said, If you return at all in peace, the LORD has not spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, O people, every one of you.29 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramothgilead.30 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and enter into the battle; but put you on your robes. And the king of Israel disguised himself, and went into the battle.31 But the king of Syria commanded his thirty and two captains that had rule over his chariots, saying, Fight neither with small nor great, save only with the king of Israel.32 And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, Surely it is the king of Israel. And they turned aside to fight against him: and Jehoshaphat cried out.33 And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him.34 And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: wherefore he said unto the driver of his chariot, Turn your hand, and carry me out of the host; for I am wounded.35 And the battle increased that day: and the king was stayed up in his chariot against the Syrians, and died at even: and the blood ran out of the wound into the midst of the chariot.36 And there went a proclamation throughout the host about the going down of the sun, saying, Every man to his city, and every man to his own country.37 So the king died, and was brought to Samaria; and they buried the king in Samaria.38 And one washed the chariot in the pool of Samaria; and the dogs licked up his blood; and they washed his armor; according unto the word of the LORD which he spoke.39 Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, and the ivory house which he made, and all the cities that he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

Ahab’s end came when he made the wrong decision [krisis – the decision that condemns] and followed the advice of the false prophets.

Joel 3

1 For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem,2 I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.3 And they have cast lots for my people; and have given a boy for an harlot, and sold a girl for wine, that they might drink.4 Yea, and what have you to do with me, O Tyre, and Zidon [the false rock, those who hunt the souls of men], and all the coasts of Palestine [the border of the invaders]? will you render me a recompense? and if you recompense me, swiftly and speedily will I return your recompense upon your own head;5 Because you have taken my silver and my gold, and have carried into your temples my goodly pleasant things:6 The children also of Judah and the children of Jerusalem have you sold unto the Grecians [those wallowing in their own mire], that you might remove them far from their border.7 Behold, I will raise them out of the place whither you have sold them, and will return your recompense upon your own head:8 And I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the children of Judah, and they shall sell them to the Sabeans, to a people far off: for the LORD has spoken it.9 Proclaim you this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up:10 Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning-hooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong.11 Assemble yourselves, and come, all you heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause your mighty ones to come down, O LORD.12 Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about.13 Put you in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great.14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.15 The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining.16 The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.17 So shall you know that I am the LORD your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more.18 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth out of the house of the LORD, and shall water the valley of Shittim.19 Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness, for the violence against the children of Judah, because they have shed innocent blood in their land.20 But Judah shall dwell for ever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation.21 For I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed [see 1 Kings 22:38 above]: for the LORD dwells in Zion.

Ezekiel 34

1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,2 Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus says the LORD God unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?3 You eat the fat, and you clothe you with the wool, you kill them that are fed: but you feed not the flock.4 The diseased have you not strengthened, neither have you healed that which was sick, neither have you bound up that which was broken, neither have you brought again that which was driven away, neither have you sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have you ruled them.5 And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered.6 My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them.7 Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD;8 As I live, says the LORD God, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock;9 Therefore, O you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD;10 Thus says the LORD God; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them.11 For thus says the LORD God; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.12 As a shepherd seeks out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.13 And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country.14 I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel.15 I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, says the LORD God.16 I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.17 And as for you, O my flock, thus says the LORD God; Behold, I judge between cattle and cattle, between the rams and the he goats.18 Seems it a small thing unto you to have eaten up the good pasture, but you must tread down with your feet the residue of your pastures? and to have drunk of the deep waters, but you must foul the residue with your feet?19 And as for my flock, they eat that which you have trodden with your feet; and they drink that which you have fouled with your feet.20 Therefore thus says the LORD God unto them; Behold, I, even I, will judge between the fat cattle and between the lean cattle.21 Because you have thrust with side and with shoulder, and pushed all the diseased with your horns, till you have scattered them abroad;22 Therefore will I save my flock, and they shall no more be a prey; and I will judge between cattle and cattle.23 And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd.24 And I the LORD will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them; I the LORD have spoken it.25 And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods.26 And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing.27 And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase, and they shall be safe in their land, and shall know that I am the LORD, when I have broken the bands of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those that served themselves of them.28 And they shall no more be a prey to the heathen, neither shall the beast of the land devour them; but they shall dwell safely, and none shall make them afraid.29 And I will raise up for them a plant of renown, and they shall be no more consumed with hunger in the land, neither bear the shame of the heathen any more.30 Thus shall they know that I the LORD their God am with them, and that they, even the house of Israel, are my people, says the LORD God.31 And you my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, says the LORD God.

2 Thessalonians 2

1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our LORD Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,2 That you be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away [a straying into apostasy] first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;4 Who oppose and exalt himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sits in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.5 Remember you not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?6 And now you know what withholds [katecho] that he might be revealed in his time.7 For the mystery of iniquity does already work [as John, in 1 John 2:18 & 19, tells of the many antichrists {the spirit of wickedness in the many false prophets and antichrists} already among us]: only he who now lets [katecho – holds God’s people down] will let, until he be taken out of the way.8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the LORD shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion [see Isaiah 66:4 below], that they should believe a lie:12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.13 But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the LORD, because God has from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our LORD Jesus Christ [appearing in you].15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which you have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.16 Now our LORD Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which has loved us, and has given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,17 Comfort your hearts, and establish you in every good word and work.
The delusion the LORD sends these men is the same lying bad advice they endlessly bark and follow, which they choose instead of the sound advice the LORD is sending them.

Isaiah 66

1 Thus says the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that you build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?2 For all those things has mine hand made, and all those things have been, says the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and tremble at my word.3 He that kills an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrifices a lamb, as if he cut off a dog’s neck; he that offers an oblation, as if he offered swine’s blood; he that burns incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delights in their abominations.4 I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spoke, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not.5 Hear the word of the LORD, you that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name’s sake, said, Let the LORD be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.6 A voice of noise from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of the LORD that renders recompense to his enemies.7 Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child [I Am].8 Who has heard such a thing? who has seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.9 Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? says the LORD: shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? says your God.10 Rejoice you with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all you that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all you that mourn for her:11 That you may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that you may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory.12 For thus says the LORD, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall you suck, you shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees.13 As one whom his mother comforts, so will I comfort you; and you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.14 And when you see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb: and the hand of the LORD shall be known toward his servants, and his indignation toward his enemies.15 For, behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.16 For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many.17 They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one tree in the midst, eating swine’s flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith the LORD.18 For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory.19 And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal, and Javan, to the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles.20 And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the LORD out of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, says the LORD, as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the LORD.21 And I will also take of them for priests and for Levites, says the LORD.22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, says the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain.23 And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, says the LORD.24 And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.

Psalms 114

1 When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language;2 Judah was his sanctuary, and Israel his dominion.3 The sea saw it, and fled: Jordan was driven back.4 The mountains skipped like rams, and the little hills like lambs.5 What ailed you, O you sea, that you fled? you Jordan, that you were driven back?6 You mountains, that you skipped like rams; and you little hills, like lambs?7 Tremble, you earth, at the presence of the LORD, at the presence of the God of Jacob;8 Which turned the rock into a standing water, the flint into a fountain of waters.

They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

The title, 1 John 2:19, comes just after John speaks of the many antichrists among us, whereby we know it is the last time. As we saw in the prior post, anti means to oppose and instead of, and (the name antichrist) speaks of those who oppose Christ and put themselves in His stead.

Any who have read the last few posts, about the mark of the beast (confusion – caused by what John describes in Revelation in the three sixes) and the antichrists, and read the comments (mostly at its posting on my @Message Facebook page) have seen antichrists in abundance in them. 

The LORD’s plan in these postings is to expose this point, manifesting the departure from Him, away from His leading, and thereby abandoning sound doctrine and truth. This, again, is manifested before our eye in these many different declarations contradicting and opposing the truth of the matter as the LORD shows it. These people, spewing ignorance, unwittingly fulfill the patter of the many false prophets of Baal, who Elijah encountered (recorded in the part of 1 Kings 18 not included in the prior post), and as John says above, “that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.”

John is making reference to Israel departing from Judah, which resulted in them (the ten northern tribes) setting up a false king, who put calves in God’s place and made devils priests in place of the true priests (2 Chronicles 11:15). As we know, this false king line degenerated until the coming of Ahab, who abandoned even the false premise of worshipping God, and brought in Baal worship instead (1 Kings 16:30 thru 33). In the prior post, we saw the LORD send Elijah to show himself to Ahab, to tell him of the coming rain (after three years of drought – or in our case, on this third day). This is recorded in 1 Kings 18, the middle part of the chapter describing Elijah’s encounter with these many false prophets of Baal.

Anyone who has read along through previous posts, will see and understand these most recent postings were a culminating demonstration of the larger points illuminated therein. In the comments and the attacks that came against these postings of the true word of God, we experienced (counted – psephizo, understood by touching) the prophets of Baal, the many antichrists, the coming of Elijah, and him showing himself to the false kings of our time.

The LORD knows the price of bringing His truth is the cross, and in this Christ is manifested in us. This is His message, found in the only other time the word psephizo appears, in Luke 14:28. Hear His word, eat and understand.

Luke 14

7 And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them.

8 When you are bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honorable man than you be bidden of him;

9 And he that bade you and him come and say to you, Give this man place; and you begin with shame to take the lowest room.

10 But when you are bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade you comes, he may say unto you, Friend, go up higher: then shall you have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with you.

11 For whosoever exalts himself shall be abased; and he that humbles himself shall be exalted.

12 Then said he also to him that bade him, When you make a dinner or a supper, call not your friends, nor your brethren, neither your kinsmen, nor your rich neighbors; lest they also bid you again, and a recompense be made you.

13 But when you make a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind:

14 And you shall be blessed; for they cannot recompense you: for you shall be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.

15 And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.

16 Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many:

17 And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.

18 And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray you have me excused.

19 And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray you have me excused.

20 And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.

21 So that servant came, and showed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.

22 And the servant said, LORD, it is done as you have commanded, and yet there is room.

23 And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.

24 For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.

25 And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them,

26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

27 And whosoever does not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sits not down first, and counts [psephizo – knows from experience] the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?

29 Lest haply, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,

30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.

31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, sits not down first, and consults whether he be able with ten thousand [the LORD is able – see Jude below] to meet him that comes against him with twenty thousand?

32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends an ambassador, and desires conditions of peace.

33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsakes not all that he has, he cannot be my disciple.

34 Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be seasoned?

35 It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that has ears to hear, let him hear.

In this encounter, in the comments, the opposition from the many false prophets and the many antichrists, the armies of Babylon (confusion), we also saw why Jude quote Enoch, and warns those who are ignorantly speaking against the LORD at His appearing (coming into sight). We also understand the flaming fire Paul speaks of in 2 Thessalonians 1:8, as the same fire the LORD sent from heaven at Elijah’s showing himself to Ahab. This is the fire, the consuming fire of God’s word, the sword of the Spirit, which none understand comes to save men’s lives from those destroying them, even from self-destruction.

2 Thessalonians 1

6 Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you;

7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the LORD Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,

8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our LORD Jesus Christ:

9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the LORD, and from the glory of his power;

10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.

Luke 9

43 And they were all amazed at the mighty power of God. But while they wondered every one at all things which Jesus did, he said unto his disciples,

44 Let these sayings sink down into your ears: for the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men.

45 But they understood not this saying, and it was hid from them, that they perceived it not: and they feared to ask him of that saying.

46 Then there arose a reasoning among them, which of them should be greatest.

47 And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a child, and set him by him,

48 And said unto them, Whosoever shall receive this child in my name receives me: and whosoever shall receive me receives him that sent me: for he that is least among you all, the same shall be great.

49 And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in your name; and we forbad him, because he follows not with us.

50 And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.

51 And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem,

52 And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans [the capital of those who went out from us – where the idols were set up to keep God’s people from going to Jerusalem], to make ready for him.

53 And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem.

54 And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, LORD, will you that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elijah did?

55 But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, You know not what manner of spirit you are of.

56 For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.

57 And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, LORD, I will follow you whithersoever you go.

58 And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests [the beast without the spirit – given for the false kings and priest who sit in the seats of power]; but the Son of man has not where to lay his head [the son as does the father, dwells not in houses made with men’s hand – He, as do we, live inside human flesh].

59 And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, LORD, suffer me first to go and bury my father.

60 Jesus said unto him, Let the dead [those without the spirit] bury their dead: but go you and preach the kingdom of God.

61 And another also said, LORD, I will follow you; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.

62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. [These last two verses are connected – what is plowed under, what we have left behind, are not things we should long for or regret leaving. Remember those who chided with Moses, after the LORD brought them out of Egypt and they longed to go back into captivity. Remember Lot’s wife.]

1 Kings 18

7 And as Obadiah was in the way, behold, Elijah [Jehovah God] met him: and he knew him, and fell on his face, and said, Are you that my lord Elijah?

8 And he answered him, I am: go, tell your lord, Behold, Elijah is here.

9 And he said, What have I sinned, that you would deliver your servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me?

10 As the LORD your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord has not sent to seek you: and when they said, He is not there; he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they found you not.

11 And now you say, Go, tell your lord, Behold, Elijah is here.

12 And it shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone from you, that the Spirit of the LORD shall carry you whither I know not; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot find you, he shall slay me: but I your servant fear the LORD from my youth.

13 Was it not told my lord what I did when Jezebel slew the prophets of the LORD, how I hid an hundred men of the LORD’s prophets by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water?

14 And now you says, Go, tell your lord, Behold, Elijah is here: and he shall slay me.

15 And Elijah said, As the LORD of hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself unto him to day.

16 So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him: and Ahab went to meet Elijah.

17 And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Are you he that troubles Israel?

18 And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but you, and your father’s house, in that you have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and you have followed Baalim.

19 Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel’s table.

20 So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel.

21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt you between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.

22 Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the LORD; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men.

23 Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under:

24 And call you on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD: and the God that answers by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken.

25 And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for you are many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under.

26 And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made.

27 And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleep, and must be awaked.

28 And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.

29 And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.

30 And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down.

31 And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be your name:

32 And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed.

33 And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood.

34 And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time.

35 And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water.

36 And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word.

37 Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that you are the LORD God, and that you have turned their heart back again.

38 Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.

39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.

40 And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon [this winding river], and slew them there.

41 And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get you up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain.

42 So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees,

43 And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times.

44 And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there arises a little cloud out of the sea, like a man’s hand [this hand of God – the same author as the hand writing on the wall, which has told of the beginning and the ending of this kingdom of wicked men]. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare your chariot, and get you down that the rain stop you not.

45 And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel.

46 And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

Jude 

1 Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:

2 Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied.

3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that you should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only LORD God, and our LORD Jesus Christ.

5 I will therefore put you in remembrance, though you once knew this, how that the LORD, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.

6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.

7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

8 Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.

9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The LORD rebuke you.

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 withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;

13 Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.

14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the LORD comes with ten thousands of his saints,

15 To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.

16 These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.

17 But, beloved, remember you the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our LORD Jesus Christ;

18 How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.

19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.

20 But you, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,

21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our LORD Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

22 And of some have compassion, making a difference:

23 And others save with fear, pulling [harpazo – the truth these false prophets have turned into a lie] them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

25 To the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

As we know, the word harpazo is the same word rendered “caught up” in 1 Thessalonians 4:17, which the false prophets have twisted into the rapture lie. As we know, it is the LORD coming to show His endless mercy to these same false prophets and antichrists, by pulling them from the fires of ignorance and confusion their own false teachings have created. Again, they are the sleepers (dead) Paul is speaking of in 1 Thessalonians 4, as he describes them to those who are alive (awake) and tells them not to lose hope for the dead. He is telling them of now, when the LORD appears to pull them into life, from being against Him, into being with Him, “for he that is not against us is for us.” (Luke 9:50)

1 Thessalonians 4

7 For God has not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.

8 He therefore that despises, despises 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 [the churches that house dead flesh]: 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 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.

As we know, the air (aer) the LORD pulls us all into, is defined as Paul, in Ephesians 2:2, describes the air of death, from which we must all be quickened into life. This is the same life that defines those Paul calls the “alive” in 1 Thessalonians 4:17, which life he defines in 1 Thessalonians 2 as those who have entered the kingdom of God by hearing his word as the word of God, and not as the words of man. There Paul also describes the dead as those persecuting the living, who in this persecution, Paul says, are in the presence of the LORD at His coming (His life manifested in them as they take up their/His cross). This is now also manifested in our experience, as we willingly suffer persecution for the gospel truth; the death of Christ manifested in us, and His life in the resurrection in us, by His presence at His coming.

1 Thessalonians 2

3 For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile:

4 But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.

5 For neither at any time used we flattering words, as you know, nor a cloke of covetousness; God is witness:

6 Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ.

7 But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children:

8 So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because you were dear unto us.

9 For you remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.

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 [as the voice of the LORD’s archangel], you received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually works [receiving it a such is what has the effect] 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 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, endeavored 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 [the spirit {air} that leads the resistance, opposition, against God] 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.

Ephesians 2 

1 And you has he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

2 Wherein in time past you walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air [aer], the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience:

3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

5 Even when we were dead in sins, has quickened us together with Christ, (by grace you are saved;)

6 And has raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

7 That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

8 For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them.

11 Wherefore remember, that you being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;

12 That at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:

13 But now in Christ Jesus you who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

14 For he is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of partition between us;

15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;

16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.

18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

19 Now therefore you are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

21 In whom all the building fitly framed together grows unto an holy temple in the LORD:

22 In whom you also are built together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. [These are not empty clichés, as the false prophets, false teacher, and antichrists make them, turning the truth of God into a lie.]

Psalms 97 

1 The LORD reigns; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles be glad thereof.

2 Clouds and darkness are round about him [men’s willful ignorance hides His presence]: righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne.

3 A fire goes before him, and burns up his enemies round about.

4 His lightnings enlightened the world: the earth saw, and trembled.

5 The hills melted like wax at the presence of the LORD, at the presence of the LORD of the whole earth.

6 The heavens declare his righteousness, and all the people see his glory.

7 Confounded be all they that serve graven images, that boast themselves of idols: worship him, all you gods.

8 Zion heard, and was glad; and the daughters of Judah rejoiced because of your judgments, O LORD.

9 For you, LORD, are high above all the earth: you are exalted far above all gods.

10 You that love the LORD, hate evil: he preserves the souls of his saints; he delivers them out of the hand of the wicked.

11 Light [understanding] is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.

12 Rejoice in the LORD, you righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.

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.

The above is speaking the true meaning of antichrist. The verse is Isaiah 8:9, and comes immediately after the statement “O Immanuel,” meaning God is with us. This statement is the LORD announcing His presence, manifested in His word spoken from within Isaiah’s flesh body, which is the anointing eventually fully understood by/in Christ.

The Greek word anti means opposite (to oppose) or instead of, which we see in the above passage, when God appears in flesh man (O Immanuel), and instead God’s people choose to follow, associate themselves with, men (flesh without the Spirit, inspired by the spirit of error/man) whose natural inclination is to opposing Him at His appearing.

1 John 2

18 Little children, it is the last time: and as you have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.20 But you have an unction from the Holy One, and you know all things.21 I have not written unto you because you know not the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth.22 Who is a liar but he that denies that Jesus (Jehovah’s Salvation personified in our flesh) is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denies the Father and the Son.23 Whosoever denies the Son, the same has not the Father: he that acknowledges the Son has the Father also.24 Let that therefore abide in you, which you have heard from the beginning. If that which you have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, you also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.25 And this is the promise that he has promised us, even eternal life.26 These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.27 But the anointing which you have received of him abides in you, and you need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teaches you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it has taught you, you shall abide in him.28 And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.29 If you know that he is righteous, you know that every one that does righteousness is born of him.

1 John 4

1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.2 Hereby know you the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:3 And every spirit that confesses not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof you have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.5 They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world hears them.6 We are of God: he that knows God hears us; he that is not of God hears not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loves is born of God, and knows God.8 He that loves not knows not God; for God is love.9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

This hearing the LORD speaking from the flesh is what produces the resurrection, and evidences life (the quickening) from the dead. Until this word is heard as the word of God (which it is in truth), you have not received the LORD at His coming (His appearing and His kingdom).

John 5

19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Truly, truly, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he sees the Father do: for what things so-ever he does, these also does the Son likewise.20 For the Father loves the Son, and shows him all things that himself does: and he will show him greater works than these, that you may marvel.21 For as the Father raises up the dead, and quickens them; even so the Son quickens whom he will.22 For the Father judges no man, but has committed all judgment unto the Son:23 That all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honors not the Son honors not the Father which has sent him.24 Truly, truly, I say unto you, He that hears my word, and believes on him that sent me, has everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.25 Truly, truly, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.26 For as the Father has life in himself; so has he given to the Son to have life in himself;27 And has given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which has sent me.31 If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.32 There is another that bears witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesses of me is true.33 You sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth.34 But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that you might be saved.35 He was a burning and a shining light: and you were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.36 But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father has given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father has sent me.37 And the Father himself, which has sent me, has borne witness of me. You have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.38 And you have not his word abiding in you: for whom he has sent, him you believe not.39 Search the scriptures; for in them you think you have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.40 And you will not come to me, that you might have life.41 I receive not honor from men.42 But I know you, that you have not the love of God in you.43 I am come in my Father’s name, and you receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him you will receive.44 How can you believe, which receive honor one of another, and seek not the honor that comes from God only?45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuses you, even Moses, in whom you trust.46 For had you believed Moses, you would have believed me; for he wrote of me.47 But if you believe not his writings, how shall you believe my words?

The LORD, above, is referring to what is written in Deuteronomy 31, where Moses speaks of this time when the LORD (Jehovah) and Joshua (Jesus – Jehovah’s Salvation personified) goes before God’s people. Read this chapter as it is, God speaking to us today, of this moment of (the realization of) Immanuel.

Deuteronomy 31

1 And Moses went and spoke these words unto all Israel.2 And he said unto them, I am a hundred and twenty years old this day; I can no more go out and come in: also the LORD has said unto me, You shall not go over this Jordan.3 The LORD your God, he will go over before you, and he will destroy these nations from before you, and you shall possess them: and Joshua [Jesus – what the LORD refers to above – when Moses writes of Him], he shall go over before you, as the LORD has said.4 And the LORD shall do unto them as he did to Sihon and to Og [these represent the last of the warrior giants – referring to seeing men as giants and therefore not trusting in God to conquer them, and prove them but small men in comparison to Him – it represents the thinking that kept Israel wandering in the wilderness for forty years], kings of the Amorites [those who continually run their mouths in opposition to God, and exalt themselves above Him], and unto the land of them, whom he destroyed.5 And the LORD shall give them up before your face, that you may do unto them according unto all the commandments which I have commanded you.6 Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD your God, he it is that does go with you; he will not fail you, nor forsake you.7 And Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and of a good courage: for you must go with this people unto the land which the LORD has sworn unto their fathers to give them; and you shall cause them to inherit it.8 And the LORD, he it is that does go before you; he will be with you, he will not fail you, neither forsake you: fear not, neither be dismayed.9 And Moses wrote this law, and delivered it unto the priests the sons of Levi, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and unto all the elders of Israel.10 And Moses commanded them, saying, At the end of every seven years, in the solemnity of the year of release, in the feast of tabernacles,11 When all Israel is come to appear before the LORD your God in the place which he shall choose, you shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing.12 Gather the people together, men and women, and children, and your stranger that is within your gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the LORD your God, and observe to do all the words of this law:13 And that their children, which have not known any thing, may hear, and learn to fear the LORD your God, as long as you live in the land whither you go over Jordan to possess it.14 And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, your days approach that you must die: call Joshua, and present yourselves in the tabernacle of the congregation, that I may give him a charge. And Moses and Joshua went, and presented themselves in the tabernacle of the congregation.15 And the LORD appeared in the tabernacle in a pillar of a cloud: and the pillar of the cloud stood over the door of the tabernacle.16 And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, you shall sleep with your fathers; and this people will rise up, and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land, whither they go to be among them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them.17 Then my anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide my face from them, and they shall be devoured, and many evils and troubles shall befall them; so that they will say in that day, Are not these evils come upon us, because our God is not among us?18 And I will surely hide my face in that day for all the evils which they shall have wrought, in that they are turned unto other gods.19 Now therefore write you this song for you, and teach it the children of Israel: put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the children of Israel.20 For when I shall have brought them into the land which I swore unto their fathers, that flowes with milk and honey; and they shall have eaten and filled themselves, and waxen fat; then will they turn unto other gods, and serve them, and provoke me, and break my covenant.21 And it shall come to pass, when many evils and troubles are befallen them, that this song shall testify against them as a witness; for it shall not be forgotten out of the mouths of their seed: for I know their imagination which they go about, even now, before I have brought them into the land which I swore.22 Moses therefore wrote this song the same day, and taught it the children of Israel.23 And he gave Joshua the son of Nun a charge, and said, Be strong and of a good courage: for you shall bring the children of Israel into the land which I swore unto them: and I will be with you.24 And it came to pass, when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book, until they were finished,25 That Moses commanded the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, saying,26 Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may be there for a witness against you.27 For I know your rebellion, and your stiff neck: behold, while I am yet alive with you this day, you have been rebellious against the LORD; and how much more after my death?28 Gather unto me all the elders of your tribes, and your officers, that I may speak these words in their ears, and call heaven and earth to record against them.29 For I know that after my death you will utterly corrupt yourselves, and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will befall you in the latter days; because you will do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger through the work of your hands.30 And Moses spoke in the ears of all the congregation of Israel the words of this song, until they were ended.

I plainly tell you, Moses is speaking of this time, when God, who has never left us, manifests His presence (in me, and in the children God has given me), by His work and works.

Isaiah 8

5 The LORD spoke also unto me again, saying,6 Forasmuch as this people refuse the waters of Shiloah that go softly [this word of God that flows under Zion, as its foundational teaching], and rejoice in Rezin and Remaliah’s son [they put their trust in the false image of God they have created];7 Now therefore, behold, the LORD brings up upon them the waters of the river [their own words], strong and many, even the king of Assyria [the steps by which they have exalted themselves], and all his glory: and he shall come up over all his channels, and go over all his banks: [Their words have covered the world in darkness, and produce total confusion {ignorance} and desolation – every person thinking they know something, and trusting in their own opinions – thinking they are valuable. I beheld the world and it is now truly without form {confused} and void {of properly placed values}.] 8 And he shall pass through Judah [this condition now infects and make ineffectual all those in leadership positions]; he shall overflow and go over, he shall reach even to the neck [as if a body that stops at the neck –rejecting its head/leadership]; and the stretching out of his wings [of his abominations that cause desolation – below defined as the advice of this world’s self-proclaimed experts] shall fill the breadth of your land, O Immanuel [it is into this void God appears].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 naught; speak the word, and it shall not stand: for God is with us.11 For the LORD spoke 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 hides his face [present, but hidden in the blindness of ignorance taught by these same experts] 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 His people 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 [as they do this day, blindly by the same ignorance], and look upward.22 And they shall look unto the earth; and behold trouble and darkness [ignorance], dimness of anguish; and they shall be driven to darkness [by those leading them, into even greater ignorance].

Friends, I tell you the truth, the men broadcasting, preaching and teaching, are the antithesis of Christ. They have the false anointing that causes them to continually bark their own words. They must be silenced (by no longer listening to them) because they will never be tamed.

James 3

1 My brethren, be not many masters [teachers], knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.3 Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.4 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor lists.5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasts great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindles!6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and has been tamed of mankind:8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.

James 5

1 Go to now, you rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten.3 Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. You have heaped treasure together for the last days.4 Behold, the hire of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, cries: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the LORD of Sabaoth [Hosts – the armies of heaven] .5 You have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; you have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.6 You have condemned and killed the just; and he does not resist you.7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the LORD. Behold, the husbandman waits for the precious fruit of the earth, and has long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.8 Be you also patient; establish your hearts: for the coming of the LORD draws nigh.9 Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest you be condemned: behold, the judge stands before the door.10 Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the LORD, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. You have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the LORD; that the LORD is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.12 But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest you fall into condemnation.13 Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the LORD:15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the LORD shall raise him up; and if he has committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that you may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.17 Elijah was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.19 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;20 Let him know, that he which converts the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

James’ reference to Elijah is referring us to 1 Kings 18, where the LORD tells Elijah to show himself to Ahab (one of the false kings of Israel, who worshipped Baal) and He would send rain upon the earth. Later in the chapter, when the rain cloud final appears, it is in the form of a man’s hand, which builds into the storm from where comes a great rain.

1 Kings 18

1 And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, show yourself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth.2 And Elijah went to show himself unto Ahab. And there was a sore famine in Samaria.3 And Ahab called Obadiah, which was the governor of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly:4 For it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah took a hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)5 And Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go into the land, unto all fountains of water, and unto all brooks: peradventure we may find grass to save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts.6 So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it: Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself.7 And as Obadiah was in the way, behold, Elijah met him: and he knew him, and fell on his face, and said, Are you that my LORD Elijah?8 And he answered him, I am: go, tell your lord, Behold, Elijah is here.9 And he said, What have I sinned, that you would deliver your servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me?10 As the LORD your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord has not sent to seek you: and when they said, He is not there; he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they found you not.11 And now you say, Go, tell your lord, Behold, Elijah is here.12 And it shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone from you, that the Spirit of the LORD shall carry you whither I know not; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot find you, he shall slay me: but I your servant fears the LORD from my youth.13 Was it not told my lord what I did when Jezebel slew the prophets of the LORD, how I hid a hundred men of the LORD’s prophets by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water?14 And now you say, Go, tell your lord, Behold, Elijah is here: and he shall slay me.15 And Elijah said, As the LORD of hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself unto him to day.16 So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him: and Ahab went to meet Elijah.

What follows is Elijah’s confronting the false prophets who are worshipping Baal, which is to turn God’s people back from following them, and away from idols and again to the LORD.

1 Kings 18

37 Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that you are the LORD God, and that you have turned their heart back again.38 Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.40 And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.41 And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get you up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain.42 So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees,43 And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times.44 And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there arises a little cloud out of the sea, like a man’s hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare your chariot, and get you down that the rain stop you not.45 And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel.46 And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

The above is pointing us to the book of Obadiah, who (in the context of our recent discussions) is speaking against Edom, and telling of the border (boundary – end of wickedness). Elijah coming to show himself to the false kings and to confronting the false prophets, to turn God’s people again to Him, are in the context of his mention in Malachi 4, saying, “5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: 6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.”

Malachi 4 1 For, behold, the day comes, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that comes shall burn them up, says the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and you shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.3 And you shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, says the LORD of hosts.4 Remember you the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.

Obadiah

1 The vision of Obadiah. Thus says the LORD God concerning Edom; We have heard a rumor from the LORD, and an ambassador is sent among the heathen, Arise you, and let us rise up against her in battle.2 Behold, I have made you small among the heathen: you are greatly despised.3 The pride of your heart has deceived you, you that dwells [try to hide themselves – see the prior post] in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that says in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground?4 Though you exalt yourself as the eagle, and though you set your nest among the stars, thence will I bring you down, says the LORD.5 If thieves came to you, if robbers by night, (how are you cut off!) would they not have stolen till they had enough? if the grape-gatherers came to you, would they not leave some grapes?6 How are the things of Esau searched out! how are his hidden things sought up!7 All the men of your confederacy have brought you even to the border [the end of your wickedness]: the men that were at peace with you have deceived you, and prevailed against you; they that eat your bread have laid a wound under you: there is none understanding in him.8 Shall I not in that day, says the LORD, even destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of the mount of Esau?9 And your mighty men, O Teman, shall be dismayed, to the end that every one of the mount of Esau may be cut off by slaughter.10 For your violence against your brother Jacob shame shall cover you, and you shall be cut off for ever.11 In the day that you stood on the other side, in the day that the strangers carried away captive his forces, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots upon Jerusalem, even you were as one of them.12 But you should not have looked on the day of your brother in the day that he became a stranger; neither should you have rejoiced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction; neither should you have spoken proudly in the day of distress.13 You should not have entered into the gate of my people in the day of their calamity; yea, you should not have looked on their affliction in the day of their calamity, nor have laid hands on their substance in the day of their calamity;14 Neither should you have stood in the crossway, to cut off those of his that did escape; neither should you have delivered up those of his that did remain in the day of distress.15 For the day of the LORD is near upon all the heathen: as you have done, it shall be done unto you: your reward shall return upon your own head.16 For as you have drunk upon my holy mountain, so shall all the heathen drink continually, yea, they shall drink, and they shall swallow down, and they shall be as though they had not been.17 But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions.18 And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall kindle in them, and devour them; and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau; for the LORD has spoken it.19 And they of the south shall possess the mount of Esau; and they of the plain the Philistines: and they shall possess the fields of Ephraim, and the fields of Samaria: and Benjamin shall possess Gilead.20 And the captivity of this host of the children of Israel shall possess that of the Canaanites, even unto Zarephath; and the captivity of Jerusalem, which is in Sepharad, shall possess the cities of the south.21 And saviors [I and the children God has given me] shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD’s.

Psalms 50

1 The mighty God, even the LORD, has spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof.2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God has shined.3 Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him.4 He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people.5 Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.6 And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge himself. Selah.7 Hear, O my people, and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify against you: I am God, even your God.8 I will not reprove you for your sacrifices or your burnt offerings, to have been continually before me.9 I will take no bullock out of your house, nor he goats out of your folds.10 For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.11 I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine.12 If I were hungry, I would not tell you: for the world is mine, and the fullness thereof.13 Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?14 Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay your vows unto the Most High:15 And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.16 But unto the wicked God says, What have you to do to declare my statutes, or that you should take my covenant in your mouth?17 Seeing you hate instruction, and casts my words behind you.18 When you saw a thief, then you consented with him, and have been partaker with adulterers.19 You give your mouth to evil, and your tongue frames deceit.20 You sit and speak against your brother; you slander your own mother’s son.21 These things have you done, and I kept silence; you thought that I was altogether such an one as yourself: but I will reprove you, and set them in order before your eyes.22 Now consider this, you that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.23 Whoso offers praise glorifies me: and to him that orders his conversation aright will I show the salvation of God.

The demystification of the number 666, and the end of its surrounding superstitions created from the imaginations of false prophets.

The LORD began today in Revelation 13, where, in verse 18, the mark of the beast is recorded. We know from many studies, the mark of the beast, who is Babylon, is confusion, which now rules over all the world. This identity is the key to understanding what John understood, only those who break free from this captivity (in confusion), would be able to receive the truth and thereby have their minds quickened into life.

Revelation 13:2 tells us the dragon gave power to the beast, and verse 4 says they worshiped the dragon and the beast. Before this, the beast is described as like a leopard, and with feet like a bear and a mouth like a lion; all animals giving the identifying characteristics of the beast. The leopard alludes to concealment and stealth, the bear, power in (works) to tear, and the loin to devour with its mouth (words). The dragon is from the Greek word drakon (dragon), which is the same as the Hebrew tanniym (rendered dragon, whale, and serpent), and as in its earlier description, it is a creature that walks on land (with feet), conceals itself, and devours with its mouth. 

As we have many times seen, the dragon is referring to the crocodile, an idol (Sobek – the god of strength and power) of Egypt (captivity) and describes death that lurks in the waters that flow into the sea, meaning the words that flow to the masses. It is describing death that lurks, in stealth below the surface, to snare any who come near to drink; ultimately speaking of words broadcast to the masses, specifically engineered to drain the life (truth) from men, societies, and now all the world. We are told (in Revelation13:4) this dragon, (as Sobek), gives his power to the beast.

The description goes on to tell of these men’s devouring words, and the mass confusion they produce, as images all are forced to worship. These references to the image are referring us to Daniel 3, where Daniel’s three friends were thrown into a fiery furnace for not worshipping the images created (in Babylon), which all men were forced to worship or be put to death in this way. In Revelation 13 we are told of a lamb, meaning a false image (created) of Christ, which spoke as a dragon (with words containing all the aforementioned qualities). We are told in verse 13 of the great (lying signs) wonders, so that he makes fire come down from heaven (words that set the world on fire, broadcast through satellites from the heaven) on the earth in the sight of men.

The chapter (Revelation 13) ends by telling those with understanding, to “count” the number of the beast, which is written in text as three different Greek letters, each representing the number 6. The word “count” is the Greek word psephizo, meaning to understand by touching, experiencing the reality. Just before this, we are told only those who had the beast’s mark, the ideas of confusion broadcast from church and state media, in their hand (their work) or their forehead (in the forefront of all their thinking), would be able to buy or sell. As in a baker, or Alex Jones, or the many others who are not allowed to be heard, or to do business, because they refuse to bow to or preach the doctrine of the beast, and refuse to become dragons who give power to the beast. Ask them what they have experienced, (as have I from those who control the churches and government).

Friends, the simple truth is the three sixes are telling us what is experiences as the sixth seal is opened, the sixth angel sounds his trumpet, and the sixth vial is poured out, all of which have already been done, but because of the same confusion ruling men into blindness, have not been understood.

Revelation 6

12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun [chruch] became black as sackcloth of hair [covered in darkness, without understanding], and the moon became as blood [civil government drained the life from men];

13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth [God’s people fell away from Him, and away from their fixed position in heaven, into darkness/ignorance], even as a fig tree casts her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind [of false doctrine].

14 And the heaven [the place where the word of God is rightly divided from fiction, from men’s creations of their own imaginations] departed as a scroll when it is rolled together [and all understand was removed and the book, the word of God, was closed]; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;

16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:

17 For the great day of his wrath [by this word – which they are hiding from all the world, and from its touching their minds] is come; and who shall be able to stand?

Revelation 9

13 And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,

14 Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates [the messengers in whose words lurk death, who above are hiding themselves].

15 And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.

16 And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.

17 And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions [with mouths that devour]; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.

18 By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke [the smoke that darkened the sun and the air [aer] – Revelation 9:2], and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.

19 For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails [what comes after their words]: for their tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt.

20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:

21 Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.

Revelation 16

12 And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up [and the death is in their waters is seen], that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared [the same who have been therein hidden].

13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth [as words] of the dragon, and out of the mouth [as words] of the beast, and out of the mouth [as words] of the false prophet.

14 For they are the spirits of devils, 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 [unseen in the darkness produces by these men’s words ruling over the earth]. Blessed is he that watches, and keeps 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 [meaning rendezvous – this appointed time].

Understanding as the key, mentioned above, refers to not understanding or accepting the state (Babylon) we are now in, and if not, we cannot logically return from it into Jerusalem. This is the error of the men who rule over all, by the information they teach and preach, their refusal to admit to producing confusion, images, created from their imaginations. This is the pattern written of in Jeremiah 29, after the false prophets spoke to God’s people telling them the LORD would destroy Babylon after two years, and they wouldn’t be in captivity, under the yoke of Babylon (confusion). The LORD says He will make the yoke of iron, and it wouldn’t be until seventy years passed, and then He would return them to Jerusalem, meaning teach them and found them upon His ways of peace and security. 

Jeremiah 29

4 Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all that are carried away captives, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem unto Babylon;

5 Build you houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them;

6 Take you wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that you may be increased there, and not diminished.

7 And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the LORD for it: for in the peace thereof shall you have peace.

8 For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which you cause to be dreamed.

9 For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them, says the LORD.

10 For thus says the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.

11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end [not to disappoint you as do the idols these men have created].

12 Then shall you call upon me, and you shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.

13 And you shall seek me, and find me, when you shall search for me with all your heart.

14 And I will be found of you, says the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, says the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.

15 Because you have said, The LORD has raised us up prophets in Babylon;

16 Know that thus says the LORD of the king that sits upon the throne of David, and of all the people that dwells in this city, and of your brethren that are not gone forth with you into captivity; [who are unable to see they are already held in the confusion of the false prophets whose words they hear, which have blinded them and closed their ears from hearing the true word of God]

17 Thus says the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will send upon them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and will make them like vile figs, that cannot be eaten, they are so evil.

18 And I will persecute them with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence, and will deliver them to be removed to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a curse, and an astonishment, and an hissing, and a reproach, among all the nations whither I have driven them:

19 Because they have not hearkened to my words, says the LORD, which I sent unto them by my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them; but you would not hear, says the LORD.

The word of God also tells of this confusion ending, in what is experienced in the three sevens, the seventh seal, the seventh angel, and the seventh vial poured out. Revelation 10:7 tells us that when the seventh angel begins to sound, the mysteries of God shall be ended, which we know the LORD speaks on in the Gospel of John as when the Comforter comes (the Paraclete), who now leads us into all truth.

Revelation 10

1 And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow [the light divided in seven colored light] was upon [in] his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire:

2 And he had in his hand a little book open [this word of God opened]: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth [where the beast was walking],

3 And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roars [words of life {warning} from His mouth]: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices [the noises {words} that accompany the seven colored lights].

4 And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not [because they were reserved in heaven for this moment].

5 And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven,

6 And swore by him that lives for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer:

7 But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he has declared to his servants the prophets.

8 And the voice which I heard from heaven spoke unto me again [as I now speak unto all God’s people], and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which stands upon the sea and upon the earth.

9 And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make your belly bitter, but it shall be in your mouth sweet as honey.

10 And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.

11 And he said unto me, You must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.

Revelation 8 

1 And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.

2 And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.

3 And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.

4 And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand.

5 And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.

6 And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.

Revelation 11

15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our LORD, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

16 And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God,

17 Saying, We give you thanks, O LORD God Almighty, which are, and was, and are to come; because you have taken to you your great power, and have reigned.

18 And the nations were angry, and your wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that you should give reward unto your servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear your name, small and great; and should destroy them which destroy the earth.

19 And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.

Revelation 16

16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon [meaning rendezvous – this appointed time].

17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.

18 And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.

19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon [the beast – confusion that is ruling over the world] came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.

20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.

21 And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven [the word of God, which has been reserved, frozen in heaven, for this moment], every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.

Jeremiah 8 

1 At that time, says the LORD, they shall bring out the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of his princes, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, out of their graves:

2 And they shall spread them before the sun, and the moon, and all the host of heaven, whom they have loved, and whom they have served, and after whom they have walked, and whom they have sought, and whom they have worshipped: they shall not be gathered, nor be buried; they shall be for dung upon the face of the earth.

3 And death shall be chosen rather than life by all the residue of them that remain of this evil family, which remain in all the places whither I have driven them, says the LORD of hosts.

4 Moreover you shall say unto them, Thus says the LORD; Shall they fall, and not arise? shall he turn away, and not return?

5 Why then is this people of Jerusalem slid back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return.

6 I hearkened and heard, but they spoke not aright: no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turned to his course, as the horse rushes into the battle.

7 Yea, the stork in the heaven knows her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the LORD.

8 How do you say, We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us? Lo, certainly in vain made he it; the pen of the scribes is in vain.

9 The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the LORD; and what wisdom is in them?

10 Therefore will I give their wives unto others, and their fields to them that shall inherit them: for every one from the least even unto the greatest is given to covetousness, from the prophet even unto the priest every one deals falsely.

11 For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.

12 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, says the LORD.

13 I will surely consume them, says the LORD: there shall be no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree, and the leaf shall fade; and the things that I have given them shall pass away from them.

14 Why do we sit still? assemble yourselves, and let us enter into the defensed cities, and let us be silent there: for the LORD our God has put us to silence, and given us water of gall to drink, because we have sinned against the LORD.

15 We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of health, and behold trouble!

16 The snorting of his horses was heard from Dan: the whole land trembled at the sound of the neighing of his strong ones; for they are come, and have devoured the land, and all that is in it; the city, and those that dwell therein.

17 For, behold, I will send serpents, cockatrices, among you, which will not be charmed, and they shall bite you, says the LORD.

18 When I would comfort myself against sorrow, my heart is faint in me.

19 Behold the voice of the cry of the daughter of my people because of them that dwell in a far country: Is not the LORD in Zion? is not her king in her? Why have they provoked me to anger with their graven images, and with strange vanities?

20 The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.

21 For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt; I am black; astonishment has taken hold on me.

22 Is there no balm in Gilead [in this mountain of testimony]; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?

It all begins with silencing the voices of those preaching and teaching from their own images, to which they have forced all to bow.

1 Samuel 2 

1 And Hannah [grace] prayed, and said, My heart rejoices in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in your salvation.

2 There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside you: neither is there any rock like our God.

3 Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogance come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.

4 The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength.

5 They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren has born seven; and she that has many children is waxed feeble.

6 The LORD kills, and makes alive: he brings down to the grave, and brings up.

7 The LORD makes poor, and makes rich: he brings low, and lifts up.

8 He raises up the poor out of the dust, and lifts up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD’s, and he has set the world upon them.

9 He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.

10 The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the LORD shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.

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 forgiveness, 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 righteousness, 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 show 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 of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal 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.

Psalms 77 

1 I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice; and he gave ear unto me.

2 In the day of my trouble I sought the LORD: my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted.

3 I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah.

4 You hold mine eyes waking: I am so troubled that I cannot speak.

5 I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times.

6 I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search.

7 Will the LORD cast off for ever? and will he be favorable no more?

8 Is his mercy clean gone for ever? does his promise fail for evermore?

9 Has God forgotten to be gracious? has he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah.

10 And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High.

11 I will remember the works of the LORD: surely I will remember your wonders of old.

12 I will meditate also of all your work, and talk of your doings.

13 Your way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God?

14 You are the God that does wonders: you have declared your strength among the people.

15 You have with your arm redeemed your people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah.

16 The waters saw you, O God, the waters saw you; they were afraid: the depths also were troubled.

17 The clouds poured out water: the skies sent out a sound: your arrows also went abroad.

18 The voice of your thunder was in the heaven: the lightnings lightened the world: the earth trembled and shook.

19 Your way is in the sea, and your path in the great waters, and your footsteps are not known.

20 You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

You are cursed with a curse: for you have robbed me, even this whole nation.

The above, Malachi 3:9, is referring us to the pattern of events described in 2 Chronicles 24, where the civil government, under king Joash, through the chief priest Jehoiada, instructed the Levites to gather money from the people to repair the house of God. After first not following the king’s commandment, and the king questioned him as to why, much money was collected and the house repaired. We are told Joash did right in the sight of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada, but after Jehoiada died, came the princes of Judah to Joash (all of this is taking place after Israel, the ten northern tribes, have fallen and into idolatry and made devils priests).

We are told these princes came to the king seeking his consent to resume idolatry, which he gave, and Judah left the LORD God of their fathers and worshipped groves (men as trees bearing corrupt fruit), and idols. This is the beginning of the eventual end of Judah.

The point, the wheel within the wheel, we are meant to see is the same state and pattern in our time. God’s kings and priests, those who sit in those seats, have collected money meant for the repair and maintenance of God’s house, and have instead used it to build their own houses filled with the idols they use to tickle the ears of those hearing them. Their words have become a means of extortion, and in their houses filled with the idols, they stand as a grove of trees who can only bring forth corrupt fruit. A corrupt tree cannot produce good fruit.

The LORD has offered these men His grace and correction, so they would render to Him the fruit of righteousness, which He seeks. After their rejection, the only redemption remaining for these men is to bring the LORD’s money to me, and He will, in me, restore His own house. And all the world will see His glory! Amen!

Malachi 3

8 Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed me. But you say, Wherein have we robbed you? In tithes and offerings.9 You are cursed with a curse: for you have robbed me, even this whole nation.10 Bring you all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, says the LORD of hosts.12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for you shall be a delightsome land, says the LORD of hosts.13 Your words have been stout against me, says the LORD. Yet you say, What have we spoken so much against you?14 You have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit [their motivation is profit] is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts?15 And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.16 Then they that feared the LORD spoke often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.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.

Matthew 21

28 But what think you? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard.29 He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.30 And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.31 Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus says unto them, Truly I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.32 For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and you believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and you, when you had seen it, repented not afterward, that you might believe him.33 Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:34 And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it.35 And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another.36 Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise.37 But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son.38 But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.39 And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.40 When the LORD therefore of the vineyard comes, what will he do unto those husbandmen?41 They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.42 Jesus said unto them, Did you never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the LORD’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes?43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.44 And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.45 And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spoke of them.46 But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet.

As we have discussed in previous posts, the LORD response to Joash consenting to idol worship was to send Zechariah the son of Jehoiada, to rebuke him in His name. We are told the people then conspired against Zechariah, and at Joash’s command, they stoned him to death, which the LORD refers to in Matthew 23:35.

Here following is one of the posts referenced above (from 19 November 2018).

You serpents, you generation of vipers, how can you escape the damnation of Gehenna [the burning trash heap outside the city, where worms slither and eat]?

The above is Matthew 23:33 and is the LORD defining those who would eventually kill Him as those who secretly slithered among His people. They are known by their venomous mouths that speak their own words opposing and rebelling against His words: the word of God.

Matthew 23

24 You blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel [You condemn men for the smallest offenses and committing the greater crimes against God and man].25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.26 You blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within [meaning the minds] the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you are like unto whited sepulchers [tombs – their churches], which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.28 Even so you also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.29 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchers of the righteous,30 And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.31 Wherefore you be [this day] witnesses unto yourselves, that you are the children of them which killed the prophets.32 Fill you up then the measure of your fathers.33 You serpents, you generation of vipers, how can you escape the damnation of Gehenna?34 Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them you shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall you scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:35 That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zechariah [who Jehovah remembers] son of Barachias [and who bent his knee to Jehovah’s will], whom you slew between the temple and the altar [see 2 Chronicles 24:21].36 Truly I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you that kill the prophets, and stone them which are sent unto you, how often would I have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, and you would not!38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.39 For I say unto you, You shall not see me henceforth, till you shall say, Blessed is he that comes in the name of the LORD.

In the prior post, we discussed the beginning and ending of the circuits of darkness, which are shown in patterns we were led to by (Divinely inspired curiosity) the Hebrew word tquwphah. We examined it in some detail in three of its appearances, giving a lesser mention to the fourth, which is in 2 Chronicles 24:23. In this last appearance, we are given the deeper truth showing us the end of the light, when the work stopped and God’s people were silenced. It was when Zechariah was stoned to death, which is referenced by the LORD in verse 35 above.

2 Chronicles 24

17 Now after the death of Jehoiada [who Jehovah knows] came the princes of Judah, and made obeisance to the king [bent their knee to the corrupt government]. Then the king hearkened unto them.18 And they left the house of the LORD God of their fathers, and served groves and idols [the mighty men {trees} of the world and their ideas]: and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their trespass.19 Yet he [the LORD] sent prophets to them, to bring them again unto the LORD; and they testified against them: but they would not give ear.20 And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah [a pattern of the last of the manly prophets – who as David remember their God] the son of Jehoiada the priest [the priests who God knows], which stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus says God, Why transgress you the commandments of the LORD, that you cannot prosper? because you have forsaken the LORD, he has also forsaken you.21 And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king [the people, the priests, at the command of the corrupted government, killed him to silence him] in the court of the house of the LORD.22 Thus Joash the king remembered not the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but slew his son. And when he died, he said, The LORD look upon it, and require it [as the LORD mentions in Matthew 23:35 above].23 And it came to pass at the end [tquwphah – the end of light and the begging of darkness] of the year, that the host of Syria came up against him: and they came to Judah and Jerusalem, and destroyed all the princes of the people from among the people, and sent all the spoil of them unto the king of Damascus [meaning to silence the word – and bring intoxication {the stupefied mind} and tears].24 For the army of the Syrians [‘Aram – those who exalt themselves above God] came with a small company of men, and the LORD delivered a very great host into their hand, because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers. So they executed judgment against Joash [all that was given by God].

This is telling of the end of the light, understanding of the priest and prophets and the ensuing darkness of the lights in church and state governing.
Here following is the illumination of the deep that has been hidden by the ignorance and neglect of those who now control all the church’s positions of prophets, priests, and teachers.

The next time a prophet is mentioned after Zechariah the son Jehoiada it is in 2 Chronicles 25:15. This prophet is unnamed, but we see the loss of determination (strength) when he begins to speak, as God commanded, and is told to be silent, and to save his life he bent his knee (bowed) to the demands of those in power. What follows are the two kings of God’s people who exalt themselves, and follow the advice of men.

2 Chronicles 25

14 Now it came to pass, after that Amaziah [the mighty men – who call themselves God’s people] was come from the slaughter of the Edomites [those who sold their birthright], that he brought the gods of the children of Seir [those led by the devil], and set them up to be his gods, and bowed down himself before them, and burned incense unto them.15 Wherefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against Amaziah, and he sent unto him a prophet, which said unto him, Why have you sought after the gods of the people, which could not deliver their own people out of your hand?16 And it came to pass, as he talked with him, that the king said unto him, Are you made of the king’s counsel? forbear; why should you be smitten? Then the prophet forbare, and said, I know that God has determined to destroy you, because you have done this, and have not hearkened unto my counsel [as thought Jonah as he waited in his booth].17 Then Amaziah king of Judah took advice, and sent to Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us see one another in the face.18 And Joash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar [seeing themselves as the mighty men – trees] that was in Lebanon, saying, Give your daughter to my son to wife: and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trod down the thistle.

Friends, this unnamed prophet is Jonah, and Nineveh (niyn, progeny + navah – meaning to be settled – at rest) is the offspring of those in whom the light once burned brightly, in whom the light (understanding the word of God) has gone dormant – “that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand.”

Luke 11

28 But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.29 And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonah the prophet.30 For as Jonah was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation.31 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.32 The men of Nineveh shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and, behold, a greater than Jonah is here.33 No man, when he has lighted a candle, puts it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light.34 The light of the body is the eye: therefore when your eye is single, your whole body also is full of light; but when your eye is evil, your body also is full of darkness.35 Take heed therefore that the light which is in you be not darkness.36 If your whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle does give you light.

This pattern of Jonah as seen in Zechariah is spoken of by Luke as he continues in chapter 11 to say the same as is written above in Matthew 23 above. In both Gospels, the LORD is speaking of the ignorance of the self-proclaimed prophets, priests, and teachers of God’s people, who can’t discern what they have done and continue doing.

As in Luke 11:32 above, both speak of the men of Nineveh rising up in judgment with this generation, as a candle ignited and conspicuously placed where it can be seen. This is so this generation can see the light of our understanding – but the light that is in us must come from a single unified vision.

(Allow me to digress for a moment: the churches and preachers of our time are bound into silence by their own sins. And refusing forgiveness and amnesty (God’s mercy), they reject correction, and choose to remain chained to the darkness of their error. These thieves and robbers, the confederacy of the corrupt, remain focused on building their own kingdoms, refuse to subordinate their will to God’s, and by these abominations, they are the desolation modern evangelism has become. “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 [the men of this same confederation] that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? [Should God’s people be looking] for the living to the dead [these dead men, without God’s Spirit and therefore without light – understanding]? 20 [Shouldn’t people be looking] To the law and to the testimony [God’s living word that brings light by both]?: 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 [as these men now do – not because God has led them into it, but because they are under the control of the gods of this world who have blinded their eyes to this glorious gospel]. 22 And they shall look unto the earth; and behold trouble and darkness, dimness of anguish; and they shall be driven to darkness.” Isaiah 8)

In Luke 1, when Luke tells of Zechariah the priest, he says he is unable to speak, meaning he has been silenced (but is the one who would remember the LORD and the LORD would not forget him). We know he is the father of John the Baptist – the preacher of repentance, who prepares the people to receive the coming LORD. Repentance is described in what the LORD says in Matthew 23 above, purify the mind (what is inside the cup), at which the religious have failed.

We know from Luke 1:63 that once Zachariah confirmed the name of his son is John, his mouth was opened. The Greek word John is Ioannes, said to mean God is a gracious giver. Jonah in Greek is Ionas, meaning dove. Both of these are (seemly the same name) telling of the work of the Holy Spirit. Zechariah (the end of understanding – light shining) and Jonah (the pattern of the end thru to the new beginning) are telling of John (the preparation for the coming light) coming to open the mouths of the prophets, and willing to give up his life for God’s mission, again restoring determination to the priesthood.

John 1

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.2 The same was in the beginning with God.3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.5 And the light shines in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.9 That was the true Light, which lights every man that comes into the world.10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

As we know, the dove is also a sign of the destination reached, dry land, as was the sign of Jonah. This is what opened the mouth of those who Jehovah remembered – which is our destination and the beginning of our mission of spreading the light. The destination is this new beginning when all the past sins of those who repent and leave their errors (idols) behind, are forgiven and forgotten. This purification is the beginning point, so the LORD can enter and give understanding to any who will receive it, which produces a self-governing mind.

Hebrews 8

10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the LORD; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he has made the first old. Now that which decays and waxes old is ready to vanish away.

Hebrews 10

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, and have done despite unto the Spirit of grace?30 For we know him that has said, Vengeance belongs unto me, I will recompense, saith 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.

Luke 1

59 And it came to pass, that on the eighth [the first day of the new beginning] day they came to circumcise [take away the flesh from the mind] the child; and they called him Zechariah, after the name of his father.60 And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John.61 And they said unto her, There is none of your kindred that is called by this name.62 And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called.63 And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marveled all.64 And his [Zechariah’s] mouth [of the prophets, which had not been understood] was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, and praised God.65 And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea.66 And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the LORD was with him.67 And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,68 Blessed be the LORD God of Israel; for he has visited and redeemed his people,69 And has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David [see Psalms 132:17 below];70 As he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began:71 That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;73 The oath which he swore to our father Abraham,74 That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear,75 In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.76 And you, child, shall be called the prophet of the Highest: for you shall go before the face of the LORD to prepare his ways;77 To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins,78 Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high has visited us,79 To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.80 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.

As mentioned above, the light in Nineveh had been darkened, becoming dormant in those who have settled on their lees (see Zephaniah 1:12 below). The Hebrew word that describes this light is niyr.

Here is the Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary definition: #5216: niyr (pronounced neer) or nir {neer}; also neyr {nare}; or ner {nare}; or (feminine) nerah {nay-raw’}; from a primitive root (see 5214; 5135) properly, meaning to glisten; a lamp (i.e. the burner) or light (literally or figuratively):–candle, lamp, light.

The word is used to describe the light that is in us, even when dormant, as it was in the sons of David. David was this light, the light in him a lamp unto the feet of God’s people, which remained in His seed. This is the light (understanding) in God’s people during their captivity in Babylon (confusion), when it burning ever so low, reduced to a smoking flax (see Isaiah 42:3). This time is when the LORD appears, and by His Spirit reignites the flame into full light. This is the meaning of the smoking flax the LORD says He hasn’t come to quench, but rather to send it as a fire upon the world in darkness (confusion).

Matthew 12

17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying,18 Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall show judgment to the Gentiles.19 He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets.20 A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.21 And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.22 Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.23 And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David?24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow does not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.25 And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:26 And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?

Jeremiah 25

4 And the LORD has sent unto you all his servants the prophets, rising early and sending them; but you have not hearkened, nor inclined your ear to hear.5 They said, Turn you again now every one from his evil way, and from the evil of your doings, and dwell in the land that the LORD has given unto you and to your fathers for ever and ever:6 And go not after other gods to serve them, and to worship them, and provoke me not to anger with the works of your hands; and I will do you no hurt.7 Yet you have not hearkened unto me, says the LORD; that you might provoke me to anger with the works of your hands to your own hurt.8 Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts; Because you have not heard my words,9 Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, says the LORD, and Nebuchadrezzar [the lies {abominations} of the false prophets that cause desolation] the king of Babylon [confusion], my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment [shammah – a state of paralyzed dismay], and an hissing [shreqah – an object of ridicule], and perpetual desolations.10 Moreover I will take from them the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones [the sound of work], and the light [niyr] of the candle.11 And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.

Of the forty-eight times the work niyr is used it only appears in two other places after Jeremiah 25:10 – Zephaniah 1:12 and Zechariah 4:2.

Zephaniah 1

7 Hold your peace at the presence of the LORD God: for the day of the LORD is at hand: for the LORD has prepared a sacrifice, he has bid his guests.8 And it shall come to pass in the day of the LORD’s sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, and the king’s children, and all such as are clothed with strange apparel.9 In the same day also will I punish all those that leap on the threshold, which fill their masters’ houses with violence and deceit.10 And it shall come to pass in that day, says the LORD, that there shall be the noise of a cry from the fish gate, and an howling from the second, and a great crashing from the hills.11 Howl, you inhabitants of Maktesh [hollow place – see Judges 15:19 below], for all the merchant people are cut down; all they that bear silver are cut off.12 And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with candles [niyr], and punish the men that are settled on their lees: that say in their heart, The LORD will not do good, neither will he do evil.13 Therefore their goods shall become a booty, and their houses a desolation: they shall also build houses, but not inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, but not drink the wine thereof.14 The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and have greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly.15 That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness,16 A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers.17 And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung.18 Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD’s wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.

Judges 15

14 And when he came unto Lehi, the Philistines shouted against him: and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and the cords that were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands loosed from off his hands.15 And he found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and took it, and slew a thousand men therewith.16 And Samson [sunlight] said, With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps, with the jaw of an ass have I slain a thousand men.17 And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking, that he cast away the jawbone out of his hand, and called that place Ramath-lehi [the lifting up of the jawbone].18 And he was sore athirst, and called on the LORD, and said, You have given this great deliverance into the hand of your servant: and now shall I die for thirst, and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised?19 But God clave an hollow place [maktesh] that was in the jaw, and there came water thereout; and when he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he revived: wherefore he called the name thereof En-hakkore [the fountain of the caller], which is in Lehi [the jaw bone – as in the mouth moving to produce words] unto this day.

The description in Judges is of the LORD’s words being heard. This is the means by which the LORD is hewing down the mighty men spoken of in Zephaniah 1.

Zechariah 4

1 And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep.2 And said unto me, What seest you? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps [niyr] thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps [niyr], which are upon the top thereof:3 And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof.4 So I answered and spoke to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my LORD?5 Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Know you not what these be? And I said, No, my LORD.6 Then he answered and spoke unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel [those who came to life after leaving confusion], saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, says the LORD of hosts.7 Who are you, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone [Christ] thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.8 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, 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.11 Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof?12 And I answered again, and said unto him, What be these two olive branches which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oil [that feed the light of understanding] out of themselves?13 And he answered me and said, Know you not what these be? And I said, No, my LORD.14 Then said he, These are the two anointed ones [in whom the LORD has put his Spirit – oil], that stand by the LORD of the whole earth.

The word niyr appears in Psalms 132:17 while telling of when the horn of David will bud (the light come to life), by the lamp (niyr) the LORD has anointed (with the oil that produces this light – understanding). Friends, this is the time we leave our fleshly understanding behind and come out of these temporary booths, into the habitation the LORD has prepared for Himself – our transfigured Spiritual body. Psalms 132:9 tells of this using the same language as does the LORD in Job 38:7, when He laid the foundation of the new earth and heaven, and “When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy.” Understand – this Psalm is meant for this exact moment – and speaks of the culmination of all the LORD has taught us to date.

Psalm 13

2 1 LORD, remember David, and all his afflictions:2 How he swore unto the LORD, and vowed unto the mighty God of Jacob;3 Surely I will not come into the tabernacle of my house, nor go up into my bed;4 I will not give sleep to mine eyes, or slumber to mine eyelids,5 Until I find out a place for the LORD, a habitation for the mighty God of Jacob.6 Lo, we heard of it at Ephratah: we found it in the fields of the wood.7 We will go into his tabernacles: we will worship at his footstool.8 Arise, O LORD, into your rest; you, and the ark of your strength [masculine determination].9 Let your priests be clothed with righteousness; and let your saints shout for joy.10 For your servant David’s sake turn not away the face of your anointed.11 The LORD has sworn in truth unto David; he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of your body will I set upon your throne.12 If your children will keep my covenant and my testimony that I shall teach them, their children shall also sit upon your throne for evermore.13 For the LORD has chosen Zion; he has desired it for his habitation.14 This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it.15 I will abundantly bless her provision: I will satisfy her poor with bread.16 I will also clothe her priests with salvation: and her saints shall shout aloud for joy.17 There will I make the horn of David to bud: I have ordained a lamp [niyr – a fire within] for mine anointed.18 His enemies will I clothe with shame: but upon himself shall his crown flourish.
1 Timothy 612 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto you are also called, and have professed a good profession before many witnesses.13 I give you charge in the sight of God, who quickens [brings from death to life] all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession;14 That you keep this commandment without spot, unrebukable, until the appearing of our LORD Jesus Christ:15 Which in his times he shall show, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and LORD of lords;16 Who only has immortality, dwelling in the light [understanding] which no man can approach unto; whom no man has seen, nor can see: to whom be honor and power everlasting. Amen.17 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy;18 That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;19 Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.20 O Timothy, keep that which is committed to your trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings [fruitless discussions – confused words], and oppositions of science falsely so called [antithesis gnosis pseudonumos – the opposite of “knowledge,” falsely named]:21 Which some professing [they have knowledge] have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with you. Amen.

Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, You shall be built; and to the temple, Your foundation shall be laid.

Of the nineteen times the name Cyrus appears we are never told anything about his lineage, merely that he was a king of Persia and Babylon. The Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon says his name means “possessor of the furnace.” Before continuing on to tell you how we know, I am going to tell you he is the LORD, the king at His coming, the one in whom culminates all the description of Jehovah’s salvation personified, God appearing in the flesh.

The name is (obviously) from the Hebrew words kuwr, meaning furnace, and yesh, meaning to stand out, or exist, as an entity. The qualities of the word yesh coincide with the meaning of the name Jehovah, which was reiterated in a recent post (5 June 2019), saying, “…Jehovah [is], from Hebrew words telling us of His self-manifesting, meaning self-creating in origin and by Himself alone becoming conspicuously and unstoppably apparent.”

Daniel describes seeing Him as the son of God, in the furnace, again giving no detail other than that His identity (id-entity) was obvious. This appears in Daniel 3:25, a chapter wherein Daniel us conspicuously unmentioned as his three friends refuse to bow and worship the idols created by the corrupt culture of the time. Like today, those who controlled the culture of the time created ways to entrap and publicly accuse those who refused to bow to them, and as punishment for such an offense, they were thrown into a fiery furnace. The one whose likeness showed him to be the son of God, who is seen walking in the fire with them, is obviously Daniel (the judge {judgment} of God) describing himself. He is telling of God in him judging, acquitting the faithful, who are His friends walking with Him, as the fires, created by these men’s ways based on their self-serving corrupt ideas, consume the accusers.

Daniel 3

13 Then Nebuchadnezzar [those {popular prejudices} creating the perverse ideas, which have caused the desolation of the world] in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king.14 Nebuchadnezzar spoke and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not you serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?15 Now if you be ready that at what time you hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of music, you fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if you worship not, you shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer you in this matter.17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.18 But if not, be it known unto you, O king, that we will not serve your gods, nor worship the golden image which you have set up.19 Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spoke, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated.20 And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.21 Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.22 Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flames of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and rose up in haste, and spoke, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king.25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spoke, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, you servants of the Most High God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire.27 And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king’s counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was a hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.28 Then Nebuchadnezzar spoke, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.29 Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon.

As we saw in the prior post, the title appears in Isaiah 44:28, the chapter where the LORD speaks of restoring His people into prosperity (Jesurun), after wickedness has reached its end (boundary).

Isaiah 44

23 Sing, O you heavens; for the LORD has done it: shout, you lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, you mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the LORD has redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel.24 Thus says the LORD, your redeemer, and he that formed you from the womb, I am the LORD that makes all things; that stretches forth the heavens alone; that spreads abroad the earth by myself;25 That frustrates the tokens of the liars, and makes diviners mad; that turns wise men backward, and makes their knowledge foolish;26 That confirms the word of his servant, and performs the counsel of his messengers; that says to Jerusalem, You shall be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, You shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof:27 That says to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up your rivers:28 That says of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, You shall be built; and to the temple, Your foundation shall be laid.

Isaiah 45

1 Thus says the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have held, 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 begets 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 [those who have thrown God’s people into their fiery furnace, and hold them captive there], and merchandise of Ethiopia [those covered in the darkness of their ignorance] and of the Sabeans [those drunken by their own power and ideas], 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.

In Revelation 1:15, after John hears the voice, turns (to the LORD) and sees, he sees the one speaking, whose “feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace [from walking with us there]; and his voice as the sound of many waters.”

Revelation 1

7 Behold, he comes with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, says the LORD, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.9 I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.10 I was in the Spirit on the LORD’s day [this day of the LORD’s appearing], and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,11 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What you see, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia [the abstinence, the fast, the time between the Alpha and Omega]; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.12 And I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shines in his strength.17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:18 I am he that lives, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

The word kuwr only appears nine times, always rendered furnace; three times in speaking of the captivity and affliction in Egypt. Most other times it is telling of the refining fires, where God appears to deliver us into a refined and purified state (righteousness into holiness).

In Proverbs 17:3 we are told the LORD tries the hearts of men [revealing the foundational ideas in their minds, which are what motivates their actions] as does the furnace refine gold. This point continues on, in verse 15, into telling of it ultimately exposing the abomination, which is to justify the wicked or condemning the just – so is the way of the wicked in this world of reversed meaning. O sluggard, when will you awaken?

Proverbs 17

1 Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than a house full of sacrifices with strife.2 A wise servant shall have rule over a son that causes shame, and shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren.3 The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace [kuwr] for gold: but the LORD tries the hearts.4 A wicked doer gives heed to false lips; and a liar gives ear to a naughty tongue.5 Whoso mocks the poor reproaches his Maker: and he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished.6 Children’s children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.7 Excellent speech becomes not a fool: much less do lying lips a prince.8 A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that has it: whithersoever it turns, it prospers.9 He that covers a transgression seeks love; but he that repeats a matter separates very friends.10 A reproof enters more into a wise man than a hundred stripes into a fool.11 An evil man seeks only rebellion: therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.12 Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly.13 Whoso rewards evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.14 The beginning of strife is as when one lets out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.15 He that justifies the wicked, and he that condemns the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD.

This same saying appears in Proverbs 27:21, there followed by saying it is to the praise of those purified thereby. It goes on to say that no matter how many times a fool is corrected, he will not depart from his foolishness (as we now see demonstrated before our eyes).

Proverbs 27

20 Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.21 As the fining pot for silver, and the furnace [kuwr] for gold; so is a man [purified] to his praise.22 Though you should bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle [show him righteousness], yet will not his foolishness depart from him.23 Be you diligent to know the state of your flocks, and look well to your herds.24 For riches are not for ever: and does the crown endure to every generation [power is overturned until he comes, for whom it was prepared]?

The final three of the nine times kuwr appears are in Ezekiel 22, where the LORD asks the son of man if he will judge the bloody city, and show them their abominations. This comes after, in Ezekiel 21:27, the LORD tells of overturning those who are in power, until he comes whose right it is. In chapter 22 it is this person, the son of man, who the LORD send as the refining fire, who we have seen describes in Malachi 3, as preparing the way before the LORD.

These chapters and passages are posted below, followed by Isaiah 48 where, in verse 10, the LORD tells us it is in these fires He has chosen us to Himself.

Ezekiel 21

26 Thus says the LORD God; Remove the diadem, and take off the crown: this shall not be the same: exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high.27 I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it: and it shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him.28 And you, son of man, prophesy and say, Thus says the LORD God concerning the Ammonites [those who exalt themselves above God], and concerning their reproach; even say you, The sword, the sword is drawn: for the slaughter it is furbished, to consume because of the glittering:29 Whiles they see vanity unto you, whiles they divine a lie unto you, to bring you upon the necks of them that are slain, of the wicked, whose day is come, when their iniquity shall have an end.30 Shall I cause it to return into his sheath? I will judge you in the place where you were created, in the land of your nativity.31 And I will pour out mine indignation upon you, I will blow against you in the fire of my wrath, and deliver you into the hand of brutish men, and skillful to destroy.32 You shall be for fuel to the fire; your blood shall be in the midst of the land; you shall be no more remembered: for I the LORD have spoken it.

Ezekiel 22

1 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,2 Now, you son of man, will you judge, will you judge the bloody city? yea, you shall show her all her abominations.3 Then say you, Thus says the LORD God, The city sheds blood in the midst of it, that her time may come, and makes idols against herself to defile herself.4 You are become guilty in your blood that you have shed; and have defiled yourself in your idols which you have made; and you have caused your days to draw near, and are come even unto your years: therefore have I made you a reproach unto the heathen, and a mocking to all countries.5 Those that be near, and those that be far from you, shall mock you, which are infamous and much vexed.6 Behold, the princes of Israel, every one was in you to their power to shed blood.7 In you have they set light by father and mother: in the midst of you have they dealt by oppression with the stranger: in you have they vexed the fatherless and the widow.8 You have despised mine holy things, and have profaned my Sabbaths.9 In you are men that carry tales to shed blood: and in you they eat upon the mountains: in the midst of you they commit lewdness.10 In you have they discovered their fathers’ nakedness: in you have they humbled her that was set apart for pollution.11 And one has committed abomination with his neighbor’s wife; and another has lewdly defiled his daughter in law; and another in you has humbled his sister, his father’s daughter.12 In you have they taken gifts to shed blood; you have taken usury and increase, and you have greedily gained of your neighbors by extortion, and have forgotten me, says the LORD God.13 Behold, therefore I have smitten mine hand at your dishonest gain which you have made, and at your blood which has been in the midst of you.14 Can your heart endure, or can your hands be strong, in the days that I shall deal with you? I the LORD have spoken it, and will do it.15 And I will scatter you among the heathen, and disperse you in the countries, and will consume your filthiness out of you.16 And you shall take your inheritance in yourself in the sight of the heathen, and you shall know that I am the LORD.17 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,18 Son of man, the house of Israel is to me become dross: all they are brass, and tin, and iron, and lead, in the midst of the furnace [kuwr]; they are even the dross of silver.19 Therefore thus says the LORD God; Because you are all become dross, behold, therefore I will gather you into the midst of Jerusalem.20 As they gather silver, and brass, and iron, and lead, and tin, into the midst of the furnace [kuwr], to blow the fire upon it, to melt it; so will I gather you in mine anger and in my fury, and I will leave you there, and melt you.21 Yea, I will gather you, and blow upon you in the fire of my wrath, and you shall be melted in the midst thereof.22 As silver is melted in the midst of the furnace [kuwr], so shall you be melted in the midst thereof; and you shall know that I the LORD have poured out my fury upon you.23 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,24 Son of man, say unto her, You are the land that is not cleansed, nor rained upon in the day of indignation.25 There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst thereof, like a roaring lion ravening the prey; they have devoured souls; they have taken the treasure and precious things; they have made her many widows in the midst thereof.26 Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they shewed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my Sabbaths [God’s interruption, interventions, to bring us back on course], and I am profaned among them.27 Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain.28 And her prophets have daubed them with untempered morter, seeing vanity, and divining lies unto them, saying, Thus says the LORD God, when the LORD has not spoken.29 The people of the land have used oppression, and exercised robbery, and have vexed the poor and needy: yea, they have oppressed the stranger wrongfully.30 And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.31 Therefore have I poured out mine indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath: their own way have I recompensed upon their heads, says the LORD God.

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.4 Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years.5 And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, says the LORD of hosts.6 For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore you sons of Jacob are not consumed.7 Even from the days of your fathers you are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, says the LORD of hosts. But you said, Wherein shall we return?8 Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed me. But you say, Wherein have we robbed you? In tithes and offerings.9 You are cursed with a curse: for you have robbed me, even this whole nation.10 Bring you all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, says the LORD of hosts.12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for you shall be a delightsome land, says the LORD of hosts.13 Your words have been stout against me, says the LORD. Yet you say, What have we spoken so much against you?14 You have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts?15 And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.16 Then they that feared the LORD spoke often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.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.

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 shewed 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 [kuwr] 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.
There is nothing here hidden, or not plainly written. What blinds those it exposes is their pride and their own refusal to be corrected. It is stiff-necked self-righteousness and conceit. These are those who justify wickedness and the wicked, and condemn the righteous – pointing their finger of false accusation in every other direction.

Psalms 140

1 Deliver me, O LORD, from the evil man: preserve me from the violent man;2 Which imagine mischiefs in their heart; continually are they gathered together for war.3 They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders’ poison is under their lips. Selah.4 Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the violent man; who have purposed to overthrow my goings.5 The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; they have spread a net by the wayside; they have set gins for me. Selah.6 I said unto the LORD, You are my God: hear the voice of my supplications, O LORD.7 O God the LORD, the strength of my salvation, you have covered my head in the day of battle.8 Grant not, O LORD, the desires of the wicked: further not his wicked device; lest they exalt themselves. Selah.9 As for the head of those that compass me about, let the mischief of their own lips cover them.10 Let burning coals fall upon them: let them be cast into the fire; into deep pits, that they rise not up again.11 Let not an evil speaker be established in the earth: evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him.12 I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of the poor.13 Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto your name: the upright shall dwell in your presence.

Your eyes shall see, and you shall say, The LORD will be magnified from the border of Israel.

In the previous post, we discussed the above statement, which appears in Malachi 1:5, as describing the moment of the awakening that comes after, what is described in the prior verse as, the border (boundary – end) of wickedness. We saw this wickedness portrayed in the context of Jacob and Esau, as dividing between those who inherit the blessing and those who sold their birthright by choosing instead mammon: which we know defines the worldly things men lust for and put their trust in, such as wealth and power, even their own ideas/opinions.

We saw this awakening at this one border, describes by the two sides of it, comes after Abram’s sleep, which we have discussed in some detail. We know, as this sleep begins (on the other border) Isaac is born, who then has two sons: Jacob and Esau, whose families are later also known as Israel and Edom, and Jeshurun and Idumea. These names tell of these two groups as types, as Paul describes them in Romans 9, both prone to the fall; Esau as those who gain power over Jacob when Jacob prospers (by following God) and falls from the course and thereby from the destination God has predestined him.

This later aspect we’ve seen precisely defines in the sure mercies of David, which are in the LORD’s promise to him, recorded in 2 Samuel 7:14. This verse tells of the LORD’s promise to correct and not abandon those who stray; their future, thereby, is then determined by the choice to listen, and then, by faith/belief, be correct by the righteousness (rightness) of what is transmitted, into holiness – the holy of holies. This last point is into the pureness the LORD describes in Matthew 5:8, saying, “Blessed are the pure in heart [reasoning mind]: for they shall see God.”

2 Samuel 7

…Thus says the LORD of hosts, I took you from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel:9 And I was with you whithersoever you went, and have cut off all your enemies out of your sight, and have made you a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth.10 Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them anymore, as beforetime,11 And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused you to rest from all your enemies. Also, the LORD tells you that he will make you a house.12 And when your days be fulfilled, and you shall sleep with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, which shall proceed out of your bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.14 I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten (correct) him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men:15 But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before you.16 And your house and your kingdom shall be established for ever before you: your throne shall be established forever.

In the above, we see the Jacob and Esau types described as Saul and David, one who first has power, the other to whom it is given and never taken away. It is in this context of correction we can again read Roman 9 and Hebrews 12, with the caveat that we understand the actual correction comes through the voice (Spirit) of God sent into the darkness, first in His prophet and in this last time in His son (and the children God has given him), who, as the light, rise (awaken) from this horizon (border).

Romans 9

1 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,2 That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertains the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.6 Not as though the word of God has taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall your seed be called.8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.9 For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son.10 And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;11 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calls;)12 It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.15 For he says to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.16 So then it is not of him that wills, nor of him that runs, but of God that shows mercy.17 For the scripture says unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.18 Therefore has he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardens.19 You will say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who has resisted his will?20 Nay but, O man, who are you that replies against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why have you made me thus?21 Has not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor?22 What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,24 Even us, whom he has called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?25 As he says also in Hosea, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.26 And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, You are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.27 Isaiah also cries concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:28 For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the LORD make upon the earth.29 And as Isaiah said before, Except the LORD of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodom, and been made like unto Gomorrah.30 What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith.31 But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness.32 Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling-stone;33 As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumbling-stone and rock of offence: and whosoever believes on him shall not be ashamed.

Romans 10

1 Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believes.5 For Moses describes the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which does those things shall live by them.6 But the righteousness which is of faith speaks on this wise, Say not in your heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:)7 Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)8 But what says it? The word is nigh you, even in your mouth, and in your heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;9 That if you shall confess with your mouth the LORD Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you shall be saved.10 For with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.11 For the scripture says, Whosoever believes on him shall not be ashamed.12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same LORD over all is rich unto all that call upon him.13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the LORD shall be saved.14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, LORD, who has believed our report?17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.18 But I say, Have they not heard? Yes truly, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.19 But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses says, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you.20 But Isaiah is very bold, and says, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me.21 But to Israel he says, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.

Hebrews 12

1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest you be wearied and faint in your minds.4 You have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.5 And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks unto you as unto children, My son, despise not you the chastening of the LORD, nor faint when you are rebuked of him:6 For whom the LORD loves he chastens [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 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 is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as you have: for he has said, I will never leave you, nor forsake you.6 So that we may boldly say, The LORD is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.7 Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.9 Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.10 We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle.11 For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp.12 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.13 Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.14 For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.16 But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.18 Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.19 But I beseech you the rather to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner.20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our LORD Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.22 And I beseech you, brethren, suffer the word of exhortation: for I have written a letter unto you in few words.23 Know you that our brother Timothy is set at liberty; with whom, if he comes shortly, I will see you.24 Salute all them that have the rule over you, and all the saints. They of Italy salute you.25 Grace be with you all. Amen.

Moses and the prophets have spoken precisely of this moment, using the names Jeshurun (Jesurun) and Idumea. Moses tells of Jeshurun prospering, in Deuteronomy 31:15; and in his prosperity, lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation (from where the word of God flows).

Deuteronomy 32

9 For the LORD’s portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.10 He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye.11 As an eagle stirs up her nest, flutters over her young, spreads abroad her wings, taketh them, bears them on her wings:12 So the LORD alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him.13 He made him ride on the high places of the earth, that he might eat the increase of the fields; and he made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock;14 Butter of kine, and milk of sheep, with fat of lambs, and rams of the breed of Bashan, and goats, with the fat of kidneys of wheat; and you did drink the pure blood of the grape.15 But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: you are waxen fat, you are grown thick, you are covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation.16 They provoked him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations provoked they him to anger.17 They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not.18 Of the Rock that begat you you are unmindful, and have forgotten God that formed you.19 And when the LORD saw it, he abhorred them, because of the provoking of his sons, and of his daughters.20 And he said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end shall be: for they are a very froward [twisted and perverted – away from God’s truth] generation, children in whom is no faith.21 They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God; they have provoked me to anger with their vanities: and I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.22 For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains.23 I will heap mischiefs upon them; I will spend mine arrows upon them.24 They shall be burnt with hunger, and devoured with burning heat, and with bitter destruction: I will also send the teeth of beasts upon them, with the poison of serpents of the dust.25 The sword without, and terror within, shall destroy both the young man and the virgin, the suckling also with the man of gray hairs.26 I said, I would scatter them into corners, I would make the remembrance of them to cease from among men:27 Were it not that I feared [for us] the wrath of the enemy, lest their adversaries should behave themselves strangely, and lest they should say, Our hand is high, and the LORD has not done all this.28 For they are a nation void of counsel, neither is there any understanding in them.29 O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!30 How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the LORD had shut them up?31 For their rock is not as our Rock, even our enemies themselves being judges.32 For their vine is of the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorrah: their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter:33 Their wine is the poison of dragons, and the cruel venom of asps.34 Is not this laid up in store with me, and sealed up among my treasures?35 To me belongs vengeance and recompense; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste.36 For the LORD shall judge his people, and repent himself for his servants, when he sees that their power is gone, and there is none shut up, or left.37 And he shall say, Where are their gods, their rock in whom they trusted,38 Which did eat the fat of their sacrifices [who now spend them on jets and mansions], and drank the wine of their drink offerings? let them rise up and help you, and be your protection.39 See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand.40 For I lift up my hand to heaven, and say, I live forever.41 If I whet my glittering sword, and mine hand take hold on judgment; I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me.42 I will make mine arrows drunk with blood, and my sword shall devour flesh; and that with the blood of the slain and of the captives, from the beginning of revenges upon the enemy.43 Rejoice, O you nations, with his people: for he will avenge the blood of his servants, and will render vengeance to his adversaries, and will be merciful unto his land, and to his people.

Isaiah speaks of this day of the LORD’s vengeance, when He rises up against these men of Idumea. It comes in Isaiah 34:5 & 6, in the chapter we know tells of the condition of the world when it has become without form and void; described using the same Hebrew words as Genesis 1:2. In Isaiah, as we know, the words tell of this same condition built upon a foundation of “confusion” (Babylon), and on this were placed stones of “emptiness.” These stones are the rocks that aren’t our Rock, which Moses speaks of in Deuteronomy 31:31 above, saying they are the enemies (Idumea) who have become our judges, meaning they sit in the seat of God.

Isaiah 34

1 Come near, you nations, to hear; and hearken, you people: let the earth hear, and all that is therein; the world, and all things that come forth of it.2 For the indignation of the LORD is upon all nations, and his fury upon all their armies: he has utterly destroyed them, he has delivered them to the slaughter.3 Their slain also shall be cast out, and their stink shall come up out of their carcasses, and the mountains shall be melted with their blood.4 And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falls off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree.5 For my sword shall be bathed in heaven: behold, it shall come down upon Idumea, and upon the people of my curse, to judgment.6 The sword of the LORD is filled with blood, it is made fat with fatness, and with the blood of lambs and goats, with the fat of the kidneys of rams: for the LORD has a sacrifice in Bozrah [their strongholds], and a great slaughter in the land of Idumea.7 And the unicorns [the rhinos, as the powerful] shall come down with them, and the bullocks with the bulls; and their land shall be soaked with blood, and their dust made fat with fatness.8 For it is the day of the LORD’s vengeance, and the year of recompenses for the controversy of Zion.9 And the streams thereof shall be turned into pitch, and the dust thereof into brimstone, and the land thereof shall become burning pitch.10 It shall not be quenched night nor day; the smoke thereof shall go up for ever: from generation to generation it shall lie waste; none shall pass through it for ever and ever.11 But the cormorant and the bittern shall possess it; the owl also and the raven shall dwell in it: and he shall stretch out upon it the line of confusion, and the stones of emptiness.12 They shall call the nobles thereof to the kingdom, but none shall be there, and all her princes shall be nothing.13 And thorns shall come up in her palaces, nettles and brambles in the fortresses thereof: and it shall be a habitation of dragons [crocodiles], and a court for owls.14 The wild beasts of the desert shall also meet with the wild beasts of the island, and the satyr shall cry to his fellow; the screech owl also shall rest there, and find for herself a place of rest.15 There shall the great owl make her nest, and lay, and hatch, and gather under her shadow: there shall the vultures also be gathered, every one with her mate.16 Seek you out of the book of the LORD, and read: no one of these shall fail, none shall want her mate: for my mouth it has commanded, and his spirit it has gathered them.17 And he has cast the lot for them, and his hand has divided it unto them by line: they shall possess it forever, from generation to generation shall they dwell therein [in never ending contempt].

The LORD (in Isaiah) tells of the restoration of Jesurun, meaning the return of prosperity, when He pours these life-giving waters on us and redeems us: His people as Jerusalem restored (New {heavenly} Jerusalem) raised to rule with Him and restore the earth in the new creation.

Isaiah 44

1 Yet now hear, O Jacob my servant; and Israel, whom I have chosen:2 Thus says the LORD that made you, and formed you from the womb, which will help you; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and you, Jesurun, whom I have chosen.3 For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon your seed, and my blessing upon your offspring:4 And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses.5 One shall say, I am the LORD’s; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the LORD, and surname himself by the name of Israel.6 Thus says the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.7 And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? and the things that are coming, and shall come, let them show unto them.8 Fear you not, neither be afraid: have not I told you from that time, and have declared it? you are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any.9 They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.10 Who has formed a god, or molten a graven image that is profitable for nothing?11 Behold, all his fellows shall be ashamed: and the workmen, they are of men: let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; yet they shall fear, and they shall be ashamed together.12 The smith with the tongs both works in the coals, and fashions it with hammers, and works it with the strength of his arms: yea, he is hungry, and his strength fails: he drinks no water, and is faint.13 The carpenter stretches out his rule; he marks it out with a line; he fits it with planes, and he marks it out with the compass, and makes it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man; that it may remain in the house.14 He hews him down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak, which he strengthens for himself among the trees of the forest: he plants an ash, and the rain doth nourish it.15 Then shall it be for a man to burn: for he will take thereof, and warm himself; yea, he kindles it, and bakes bread; yea, he makes a god, and worships it; he makes it a graven image, and falls down thereto.16 He burns part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eats flesh; he roasts roast, and is satisfied: yea, he warms himself, and says, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire:17 And the residue thereof he makes a god, even his graven image: he falls down unto it, and worships it, and prays unto it, and says, Deliver me; for you are my god.18 They have not known nor understood: for he has shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand.19 And none considers in his heart, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire; yea, also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh, and eaten it: and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination? shall I fall down to the stock of a tree?20 He feeds on ashes: a deceived heart has turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?21 Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for you are my servant: I have formed you; you are my servant: O Israel, you shall not be forgotten of me.22 I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, your transgressions, and, as a cloud, your sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed you.23 Sing, O you heavens; for the LORD has done it: shout, you lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, you mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the LORD has redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel.24 Thus says the LORD, your redeemer, and he that formed you from the womb, I am the LORD that makes all things; that stretches forth the heavens alone; that spreads abroad the earth by myself;25 That frustrates the tokens of the liars, and makes diviners mad; that turns wise men backward, and makes their knowledge foolish;26 That confirms the word of his servant, and performs the counsel of his messengers; that says to Jerusalem, You shall be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, You shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof:27 That says to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up your rivers:28 That says of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, You shall be built; and to the temple, Your foundation shall be laid.

Psalms 1

1 Blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful.2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law does he meditate day and night.3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he does shall prosper.4 The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind drives away.5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.6 For the LORD knows the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

And now, O you priests, this commandment is for you.

The above is Malachi 2:1, and comes after, in the earlier part of chapter 1, the LORD speaks of loving Jacob and hating Esau (Edom). This is speaking (in a pattern) of those who inherit the promise (first realized in Isaac), and those who, as did Esau, have sold their birthright (inheritance) and instead chosen things for which they lusted and in which they’ve trusted (mammon). The LORD says, through Malachi, in Malachi 1:4, Esau will be called the border of wickedness, and the people against who the LORD has indignation forever. This last point is spoken in agreement with Daniel’s description, in Daniel 12:2, of those who rise, after Abram’s long sleep which began just prior to Isaac’s birth, to everlasting contempt (condemnation).

Malachi says Edom is a waste, for dragons of the wilderness, which we know speaks of crocodiles, as death lurking below the surface of the waters (words and ideas) of the wicked. He says they are saying they will return and rebuild what they themselves have turned into a desolation (wilderness). The LORD says he will throw down what they are building and it will be called the border (boundary – end) of wickedness.

Remember, Malachi is the last of the prophets, speaking some years after Zechariah ends his prophecy. As we saw in the previous post, Zechariah 14 tells of the end of the wicked as when “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 [their vision] shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue [their words] shall consume away in their mouth.”

In Malachi 1:5 the LORD (in Malachi) tells of this time, saying, “And your eyes shall see, and you shall say, The LORD will be magnified from the border of Israel [where he awakens from sleep].” This is spoken in agreement with Daniel 12:3, which says, speaking of after the same awakening, “And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness [into holiness] as the stars for ever and ever.”

Zechariah continues on, telling of this moment:

Zechariah 14

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 neighbor, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbor.14 And Judah [the elect remnant] 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 [these things symbolizing the ideas in which they have trusted – mammon].15 And so shall be the plague of the horse, of the mule, of the camel, and of the ass, and of all the beasts [those who carry these burdens, again speaking of their words and ideas] 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 [chagag] the feast [chag] 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 [no life-giving waters – God’s word from heaven].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 [chagag] the feast [chag] of tabernacles.19 This shall be the punishment of Egypt [those who have held God’s people captive – by their corrupt and confused words and ideas], and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep [chagag] the feast [chag] of tabernacles.20 In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, Holiness Unto The LORD; and the pots [filed with the word of God] 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.

When the pots and bowls are spoken of above, it is speak of God’s children as vessels of honor, who have purged themselves from all impurities and become holy. This (now) purification is the entire point of Malachi’s prophesy, and separate the holy from unholy. Heed this warning!

Zechariah 9

12 Turn you to the strong hold, you prisoners of hope: even to day do I declare that I will render double unto thee;13 When I have bent Judah for me, filled the bow with Ephraim [children of the double {second} blessing], and raised up thy sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Greece [those wallowing in the mire they have stirred], and made thee as the sword of a mighty man.14 And the LORD shall be seen over them, and his arrow [Epraim] shall go forth as the lightning [with understanding]: and the LORD God shall blow the trumpet, and shall go with whirlwinds of the south.15 The Lord of hosts shall defend them; and they shall devour, and subdue with sling stones; and they shall drink, and make a noise as through wine; and they shall be filled like bowls [with His word}, and as the corners of the altar.16 And the LORD their God shall save them in that day as the flock of his people: for they shall be as the stones [jewels] of a crown, lifted up as an ensign upon his land.17 For how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty! corn shall make the young men cheerful, and new wine the maids.

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 labor 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 show 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 [those forbidding God’s people from joining with Him, into His holiness, into the holy of holies – false light, resisting (satan) God, hiding behind a mask of false love];18 Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; 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 [purge themselves – be refined from impurities] from iniquity.20 But in a great house [family] 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 [as with Jacob and Esau, the children of Isaac].21 If a man therefore purge himself from these [corrupt elements], 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 strifes. [Do not engage with those whose obvious motivation isn’t finding the truth, for they will reject and vilify it when it comes. Their motivation is only to find an opportunity to discredit truth, and to keep the lie {seemingly} alive in their endless argument.]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, who are taken captive by him at his will.

Romans 9

19 You will say then unto me, Why does he yet find fault? For who has resisted his will?20 Nay but, O man, who are you that replies against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why have you made me thus?21 Has not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor?22 What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,24 Even us, whom he has called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?25 As he says also in Hosea, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.26 And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, You are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.27 Isaiah also cries concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:28 For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness [into holiness]: because a short work will the LORD make upon the earth.29 And as Isaiah said before, Except the LORD of Sabaoth [Hosts – the commander of the armies of heaven] had left us a seed, we had been as Sodom, and been made like unto Gomorrah.30 What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness [into holiness], even the righteousness which is of faith.31 But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness.32 Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling-stone;33 As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumbling-stone and rock of offence: and whosoever believes on him shall not be ashamed.

Malachi 1

1 The burden of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi.2 I have loved you, says the LORD. Yet you say, Wherein have you loved us? Was not Esau Jacob’s brother? says the LORD: yet I loved Jacob,3 And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness.4 Whereas Edom says, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus says the LORD of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the LORD has indignation for ever.5 And your eyes shall see, and you shall say, The LORD will be magnified from the border of Israel.6 A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? says the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And you say, Wherein have we despised your name?7 You offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and you say, Wherein have we polluted you? In that you say, The table of the LORD is contemptible.8 And if you offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if you offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto your governor; will he be pleased with you, or accept your person? says the LORD of hosts.9 And now, I pray you, beseech God that he will be gracious unto us: this has been by your means: will he regard your persons? says the LORD of hosts.10 Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for naught? neither do you kindle fire on mine altar for naught. I have no pleasure in you, says the LORD of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand.11 For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, says the LORD of hosts.12 But you have profaned it, in that you say, The table of the LORD is polluted; and the fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemptible.13 You said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and you have snuffed at it, says the LORD of hosts; and you brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus you brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? says the LORD.14 But cursed be the deceiver, which has in his flock a male, and vows, and sacrifices unto the LORD a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, says the LORD of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen.

Malachi 2

1 And now, O you priests, this commandment is for you.2 If you will not hear, and if you will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, says the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because you do not lay it to heart.3 Behold, I will corrupt your seed, and spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your solemn feasts; and one shall take you away with it.4 And you shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi, says the LORD of hosts.5 My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name.6 The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity.7 For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.8 But you are departed out of the way; you have caused many to stumble at the law; you have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the LORD of hosts.9 Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as you have not kept my ways, but have been partial in the law.10 Have we not all one father? has not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?11 Judah has dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah has profaned the holiness of the LORD which he loved, and has married the daughter of a strange god.12 The LORD will cut off the man that does this, the master and the scholar, out of the tabernacles of Jacob, and him that offers an offering unto the LORD of hosts.13 And this have you done again, covering the altar of the LORD with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that he regards not the offering any more, or receives it with good will at your hand.14 Yet you say, Wherefore? Because the LORD has been witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously: yet is she your companion, and the wife of your covenant.15 And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.16 For the LORD, the God of Israel, says that he hates putting away: for one covers violence with his garment, says the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that you deal not treacherously.17 You have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet you say, Wherein have we wearied him? When you say, Every one that does evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delights in them; or, Where is the God of judgment?

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.4 Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years.5 And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, says the LORD of hosts.6 For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore you sons of Jacob are not consumed.7 Even from the days of your fathers you are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, says the LORD of hosts. But you said, Wherein shall we return?8 Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed me. But you say, Wherein have we robbed you? In tithes and offerings.9 You are cursed with a curse: for you have robbed me, even this whole nation.10 Bring you all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, says the LORD of hosts.12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for you shall be a delightsome land, says the LORD of hosts.13 Your words have been stout against me, says the LORD. Yet you say, What have we spoken so much against you?14 You have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts?15 And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.16 Then they that feared the LORD spoke often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.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 [who are serving idols, mammon, and themselves].

Malachi 4

1 For, behold, the day comes, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that comes shall burn them up, says the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and you shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.3 And you shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, says the LORD of hosts.4 Remember you the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments [by which his mind was freed from the captivity in which he had been long held].5 Behold, I will send you Elijah [Jehovah is God] the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

Psalm 84

1 How amiable are your tabernacles [the houses wherein you join with us – these temporary flesh dwelling wherein God lives with us, forever], O LORD of hosts!2 My soul longs, yea, even faints for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh cries out for the living God [Him in our flesh].3 Yea, the sparrow has found a house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even your altars, O LORD of hosts, my King, and my God.4 Blessed are they that dwell in your house: they will be still praising you. Selah.5 Blessed is the man whose strength is in you; in whose heart are the ways of them.6 Who passing through the valley of Baca [weeping] make it a well; the rain also fills the pools.7 They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appears before God.8 O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer: give ear, O God of Jacob. Selah.9 Behold, O God our shield, and look upon the face of your anointed.10 For a day in your courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.12 O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusts in you.

And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep.

Before discussing the title, God’s message for today in it, a few comments about recorded history. The purpose of recording information of any type is so it can be passed on and understood. As previously discussed, recording ideas and events are ways we gain knowledge (learn) without having to experience, or experiment, to receive the understanding. As we have often discussed, God’s commandments are His recording laws that were before only learned by word of mouth or in the experience, there (before) as unrecorded self-evident laws of nature – which, when adhered to, led to peace and security, even in the state void of any formal government (church or state).

This brings us to our time and the tabloid and relativistic nature of all disseminated information and learning. It is all focused on the individual in the moment, not on learning how to overcome environment through problem-solving, mental modeling (data processing) that requires critical thinking (assigning proper values and thereby rightly ordering ideas). The data entering is about things, people, and opinions; all accepted without due processes of evaluation: comparing historical patterns that can be depended upon, because they are the experiments, which are scientifically shown to consistently reproduce. The most important of these relate to human nature: its tendency toward regression into its more primate state. Learning has been found, proven, to be the most effective way toward (true) progress, until now, when the institution of learning (church, education, journalism) have been themselves systematically transformed into instruments which suppress historically sound principles and instead focus on temporal (scientifically unprovable) opinions.

Those who now control this structure, who have controlled it and digressed it over the past 70 or so years, control the world and hold almost all its reins of power. They, in their conceit and hubris, think they’re the highest power, in control of everything because they control the information and by it the minds of the masses. The problem they have is what they have created (darkness) is reversible, by the higher power that isn’t reliant on their system – because it is self-evident, and therefore cannot be hidden.

We have often looked at the meaning is the LORD’s name, the translation being Jehovah, from Hebrew words telling us of His self-manifesting, meaning self-creating in origin and by Himself alone becoming conspicuously and unstoppably apparent. This is all accomplished by His Spirit, the unseen ether through which ideas and power are transmitted through time and space, and by which all are affected. (Don’t be so vain in your own conceit – thinking you’re alone and without a creator. Hebrews 13 …for he has said, I will never leave you, nor forsake you. 6 So that we may boldly say, The LORD is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. 7 Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. 8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever. 9 Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein. [Don’t be distracted with the things – but rather focus on sound ideas, the eternally weighty elements of the moment].)

The title is Zechariah 4:1, and the angel Zechariah is speaking of is Haggai, the messenger of LORD who was already awakened and sent to give understanding to Zechariah. It is in this chapter we are told Zechariah receives this understanding that the LORD’s power to move mountains comes by His Spirit, which brings the effect (faith) in the minds of the men He touches. (Zechariah tells us it is God’s word heard or read that tunes our mind to receive; not be confused with the false teaching and the vain ideas spewed by false prophets and false teachers of this day. “If they speak not according to [in agreement with] this word, it is because there is no light [understanding of the moment] in them.” See Isaiah 8:11 thru 22 below)

As we have many times discussed, Zechariah speaking of /to Zerubbabel (name meaning he comes out of confusion to life) is telling of the pattern of civil government raised again out of confusion, and is thereby foretelling the pattern that gives us understanding of this moment and reveals the means of fulling the promises of the God (the Abrahamic Covenant and the sure mercies of David).

Zechariah 4

1 And the angel [Haggai] that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man [Haggai] that is wakened out of his sleep.2 And said unto me, What seest you? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof:3 And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof.4 So I answered and spoke to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord?5 Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Know you not what these be? And I said, No, my lord.6 Then he answered and spoke unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the LORD of hosts.7 Who are you, O great mountain [see Matthew 21:21]? before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shouting, crying, Grace, grace unto it.8 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, 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 [those who, by the light, from the oil, see], which run to and fro through the whole earth [gathering].11 Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof [the same as the two Daniel sees, recorded in Daniel 12, on both sides of the river Chebar – the river of eternity that carries the word of God forward – so it can be seen as a wheel within a wheel {a time within a time – a pattern}]?12 And I answered again, and said unto him, What be these two olive branches which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oil [that keep the lamps lit] out of themselves?13 And he answered me and said, Know you not what these be? And I said, No, my lord.14 Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the LORD of the whole earth.

As we have often discussed, Zechariah 3 tells of Joshua, who Haggai also writes of, who is the pattern of the priesthood raised up from the dead and purified again into good standing. As we have also seen, when Zachariah see Satan standing at the right hand of Joshua (Jesus – the Body of Christ) to resist (satan) the LORD, it is referring us to what is written of the time by Ezra. There, in Ezra 4, we are told that when the adversaries of Judah (adversaries now of the elect remnant) heard they were building the house of God, they came saying they wanted to help build. These adversaries were the Samaritans, who were the corrupted (idol worshipping – see 2 Chronicles 11:15) remnant of Israel, who are the Satan Zechariah speaks of, who come to resist, subvert, and undermine the building of the house of God.

Ezra 4

1 Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity built the temple unto the LORD God of Israel;2 Then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said unto them, Let us build with you: for we seek your God, as you do; and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assur, which brought us up hither.3 But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua [Joshua the high priest], and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, You have nothing to do with us to build a house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the LORD God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us.4 Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building,5 And hired counselors [experts to say they know it all] against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.

Zechariah 3

1 And he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist [satan] him.2 And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke you, O Satan; even the LORD that has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire [the pattern of the event the false prophets have twisted into an off the planet escape, which we know is in fact the LORD pulling us {harpazo – seizing us away} from the fires; as is spoken of in Jude 23]?3 Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments [unclean by corrupted doctrine], and stood before the angel.4 And he answered and spoke unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused your iniquity to pass from you, and I will clothe you with change of raiment.5 And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments [the garments the priest puts on after purification]. And the angel of the LORD stood by.6 And the angel of the LORD protested [reiterated] unto Joshua, saying,7 Thus says the LORD of hosts; If you will walk in my ways, and if you will keep my charge, then you shall also judge my house, and shall also keep my courts, and I will give you places to walk among these that stand by.8 Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, you, and your fellows that sit before you: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the Branch.9 For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone shall be seven eyes: behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, says the LORD of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.10 In that day, says the LORD of hosts, shall you call every man his neighbor under the vine and under the fig tree.

The pattern we are shown is described in Isaiah 8 as not joining a confederacy with those who seek the advice of men, the same corrupt leaders, and false prophets, who have led God’s people into darkness. It is the same Paul speaks of in 2 Corinthians 6:14, where he tells us to come out from among the unbelievers and be not unequally yoked together with them. We know the unbelievers are those John speaks of as antichrists who deny the LORD has risen in our flesh.

Matthew 7

20 Wherefore by their fruits you shall know them.21 Not every one that says unto me, LORD, LORD, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of my Father which is in heaven.22 Many will say to me in that day, LORD, LORD, have we not prophesied in your name? and in your name have cast out devils? and in your name done many wonderful works?23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity.24 Therefore whosoever hears these sayings of mine, and does them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.26 And every one that hears these sayings of mine, and does them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

1 John 4

1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.2 Hereby know you the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:3 And every spirit that confesses not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof you have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.5 They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world hears them.6 We are of God: he that knows God hears us; he that is not of God hears not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

Isaiah 8

12 Say you not, A confederacy [yoke not together in agreement with them], to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear you their fear, nor be afraid.13 Sanctify [separate yourselves to] 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 offense 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.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. 2

Corinthians 6

11 O you Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged. [You hear how great an understanding the LORD has given us.]12 You are not straitened in us [you are not restricted by our teaching], but you are straitened in your own bowels [but you are restricted by your own ideas and ways].13 Now for a recompense in the same, (I speak as unto my children,) be you also enlarged [take into yourselves what we are teaching you].14 Be you not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship has righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion has light [understanding] with darkness [ignorance]?15 And what concord [agreement] has Christ with Belial [the idols of the world]? or what part has he that believes with an infidel [the unfaithful]?16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? for you are the temple of the living God; as God has said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be you separate, says the LORD, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.18 And will be a Father unto you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the LORD Almighty.

Here following is what Zechariah heard (read) from Haggai, of the pattern for our time, when the house (family spoke of in 2 Corinthians 6:10 above) of God should be built.

Haggai 1

1 In the second year of Darius [meaning LORD – whose mother is Esther] the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet unto Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, saying,2 Thus speaks the LORD of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come, the time that the LORD’s house should be built.3 Then came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying,4 Is it time for you, O you, to dwell in your ceiled houses, and this house lie waste?5 Now therefore thus says the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.6 You have sown much, and bring in little; you eat, but you have not enough; you drink, but you are not filled with drink; you clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earns wages earns wages to put it into a bag with holes.7 Thus says the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.8 Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, says the LORD.9 You looked for much, and, lo it came to little; and when you brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? says the LORD of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and you run every man unto his own house.10 Therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew, and the earth is stayed from her fruit.11 And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the corn, and upon the new wine, and upon the oil, and upon that which the ground brings forth, and upon men, and upon cattle, and upon all the labor of the hands.12 Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the LORD their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the LORD their God had sent him, and the people did fear before the LORD.13 Then spake Haggai the LORD’s messenger in the LORD’s message unto the people, saying, I am with you, says the LORD.14 And the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and did work in the house of the LORD of hosts, their God,15 In the four and twentieth day of the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king.

Haggai 2

1 In the seventh month, in the one and twentieth day of the month, came the word of the LORD by the prophet Haggai, saying,2 Speak now to Zerubbabel [who came out of confusion and into life] the son of Shealtiel [born after God heard His cry for help], governor of Judah, and to Joshua [Jesus – the body of Christ, which is Jehovah’s Salvation personified] the son of Josedech [Jehovah’s righteousness], the high priest, and to the residue of the people, saying,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, says the LORD; and be strong, O Joshua, 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: for I have chosen you, says the LORD of hosts.

The name Haggai if from the Hebrew words chag and chagag, meaning a feast and its ceremonial circular precession. These words hold the deeper message, the weight of this moment, hidden through history to be revealed in this time by the Spirit of the LORD. What it reveals is this is the Feast of Tabernacles, hidden as was Esther for this moment, and when it speaks it is to save God’s people (all the world) from those who are attempting to destroy them.

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 [against the LORD’s teaching, and against the peace that results] 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. [These things are already past.]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 neighbor, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbor.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 ass, 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 [chagag] the feast [chag] 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 [chagag] the feast [chag] of tabernacles.19 This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep [chagag] the feast [chag] 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.

The words chag and chagag each appear twice in the Psalms. Here following are excerpts from each. They speak of keeping the feast and of gathering into the LORD’s family (house – in tabernacles]

Psalms 42 tells of those who are in tears, going to the house of the LORD (so He can wipe away all tears from our eyes – fulfilling Isaiah 25:8 and Revelation 7:17 & 21:4).

Psalms 4

23 My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is your God?4 When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house [family] of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday [chagag].5 Why are you cast down, O my soul? and why are you disquieted in me? hope you in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance [presence as in the whole person].

Psalms 8

13 Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast [chag] day.4 For this was a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob.5 This he ordained in Joseph for a testimony, when he went out through the land of Egypt: where I heard a language that I understood not.6 I removed his shoulder from the burden: his hands were delivered from the pots.7 You called in trouble, and I delivered you; I answered you in the secret place of thunder: I proved you at the waters of Meribah. Selah.8 Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto you: O Israel, if you will hearken unto me;9 There shall no strange god be in you; neither shall you worship any strange god.10 I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt: open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.11 But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me.12 So I gave them up unto their own hearts’ lust: and they walked in their own counsels.13 Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways!14 I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries.

Psalms 107:27 then uses chagag to tell of how those who reject the LORD’s advice keep this feast. It says because of their choice they become as drunken, staggering as they reel to and fro in this ceremonial procession.

Psalms 107

27 They reel to and fro [chagag], and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wit’s end.28 Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he brings them out of their distresses.29 He makes the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.30 Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he brings them unto their desired haven.31 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!32 Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.

Finally, chag appears in Psalms 118:27 where it is the “sacrifice” that is bound to the horns (the power) of the altar.

Psalms 118

15 The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous: the right hand of the LORD does valiantly.16 The right hand of the LORD is exalted: the right hand of the LORD does valiantly.17 I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD.18 The LORD has chastened me sore: but he has not given me over unto death.19 Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the LORD:20 This gate of the LORD, into which the righteous shall enter.21 I will praise you: for you have heard me, and are become my salvation.22 The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.23 This is the LORD’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.24 This is the day which the LORD has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.25 Save now [Hosanna], I beseech you, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech you, send now prosperity.26 Blessed be he that comes in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD.27 God is the LORD, which has shown us light: bind the sacrifice [chag] with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.28 You are my God, and I will praise you: you are my God, I will exalt you.29 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endures forever.