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Continuing from yesterday’s post: Wisdom 5
1 Then shall the righteous man stand in great boldness before the face of such as have afflicted him, and made no account of his labors. 2 When they see it, they shall be troubled with terrible fear, and shall be amazed at the strangeness of his salvation, so far beyond all that they looked for. 3 And they repenting and groaning for anguish of spirit shall say within themselves, This was he, whom we had sometimes in derision, and a proverb of reproach: 4 We fools accounted his life madness, and his end to be without honor: 5 How is he numbered among the children of God, and his lot is among the saints! 6 Therefore have we erred from the way of truth, and the light of righteousness has not shined unto us, and the sun of righteousness rose not upon us. 7 We wearied ourselves in the way of wickedness and destruction: yea, we have gone through deserts, where there lay no way: but as for the way of the LORD, we have not known it.

8 What has pride profited us? or what good has riches with our vaunting brought us? 9 All those things are passed away like a shadow, and as a post that hasted by; 10 And as a ship that passes over the waves of the water, which when it is gone by, the trace thereof cannot be found, neither the pathway of the keel in the waves; 11 Or as when a bird has flown through the air, there is no token of her way to be found, but the light air being beaten with the stroke of her wings and parted with the violent noise and motion of them, is passed through, and therein afterwards no sign where she went is to be found; 12 Or like as when an arrow is shot at a mark, it parts the air, which immediately cometh together again, so that a man cannot know where it went through: 13 Even so we in like manner, as soon as we were born, began to draw to our end, and had no sign of virtue to show; but were consumed in our own wickedness.

14 For the hope of the ungodly is like dust that is blown away with the wind; like a thin froth that is driven away with the storm; like as the smoke which is dispersed here and there with a tempest, and passes away as the remembrance of a guest that tarries but a day.

15 But the righteous live for evermore; their reward also is with the LORD, and the care of them is with the most High. 16 Therefore shall they receive a glorious kingdom, and a beautiful crown from the LORD’s hand: for with his right hand shall he cover them, and with his arm shall he protect them.

17 He shall take to him his jealousy for complete armor, and make the creature his weapon for the revenge of his enemies. 18 He shall put on righteousness as a breastplate, and true judgment instead of an helmet. 19 He shall take holiness for an invincible shield. 20 His severe wrath shall he sharpen for a sword, and the world shall fight with him against the unwise.

21 Then shall the right aiming thunderbolts go abroad; and from the clouds, as from a well drawn bow, shall they fly to the mark. 22 And hailstones full of wrath shall be cast as out of a stone bow, and the water of the sea shall rage against them, and the floods shall cruelly drown them.

23 Yea, a mighty wind shall stand up against them, and like a storm shall blow them away: thus iniquity shall lay waste the whole earth, and ill dealing shall overthrow the thrones of the mighty.

Wisdom 6
1 Hear therefore, O you kings, and understand; learn, you that be judges of the ends of the earth. 2 Give ear, you that rule the people, and glory in the multitude of nations. 3 For power is given you of the LORD, and sovereignty from the Highest, who shall try your works, and search out your counsels. 4 Because, being ministers of his kingdom, you have not judged aright, nor kept the law, nor walked after the counsel of God; 5 Horribly and speedily shall he come upon you: for a sharp judgment shall be to them that be in high places. 6 For mercy will soon pardon the meanest: but mighty men shall be mightily tormented. 7 For he which is LORD over all shall fear no man’s person, neither shall he stand in awe of any man’s greatness: for he has made the small and great, and cares for all alike. 8 But a sore trial shall come upon the mighty.

9 Unto you therefore, O kings, do I speak, that you may learn wisdom, and not fall away. 10 For they that keep holiness holily shall be judged holy: and they that have learned such things shall find what to answer. 11 Wherefore set your affection upon my words; desire them, and you shall be instructed.

12 Wisdom is glorious, and never fades away: yea, she is easily seen of them that love her, and found of such as seek her.

13 She prevents them that desire her, in making herself first known unto them. 14 Whoso seeks her early shall have no great travail: for he shall find her sitting at his doors. 15 To think therefore upon her is perfection of wisdom: and whoso watches for her shall quickly be without care. 16 For she goes about seeking such as are worthy of her, shows herself favorably unto them in the ways, and meets them in every thought. 17 For the very true beginning of her is the desire of discipline; and the care of discipline is love; 18 And love is the keeping of her laws; and the giving heed unto her laws is the assurance of incorruption; 19 And incorruption makes us near unto God: 20 Therefore the desire of wisdom brings to a kingdom.

21 If your delight be then in thrones and scepters, O you kings of the people, honor wisdom, that you may reign for evermore. 22 As for wisdom, what she is, and how she came up, I will tell you, and will not hide mysteries from you: but will seek her out from the beginning of her nativity, and bring the knowledge of her into light, and will not pass over the truth. 23 Neither will I go with consuming envy; for such a man shall have no fellowship with wisdom. 24 But the multitude of the wise is the welfare of the world: and a wise king is the upholding of the people. 25 Receive therefore instruction through my words, and it shall do you good.

Wisdom 7
1 I myself also am a mortal man, like to all, and the offspring of him that was first made of the earth, 2 And in my mother’s womb was fashioned to be flesh in the time of ten months, being compacted in blood, of the seed of man, and the pleasure that came with sleep. 3 And when I was born, I drew in the common air, and fell upon the earth, which is of like nature, and the first voice which I uttered was crying, as all others do. 4 I was nursed in swaddling clothes, and that with cares. 5 For there is no king that had any other beginning of birth. 6 For all men have one entrance into life, and the like going out.

7 Wherefore I prayed, and understanding was given me: I called upon God, and the spirit of wisdom came to me. 8 I preferred her before scepters and thrones, and esteemed riches nothing in comparison of her. 9 Neither compared I unto her any precious stone, because all gold in respect of her is as a little sand, and silver shall be counted as clay before her. 10 I loved her above health and beauty, and chose to have her instead of light: for the light that cometh from her never goes out.

11 All good things together came to me with her, and innumerable riches in her hands. 12 And I rejoiced in them all, because wisdom goes before them: and I knew not that she was the mother of them.

13 I learned diligently, and do communicate her liberally: I do not hide her riches. 14 For she is a treasure unto men that never fails: which they that use become the friends of God, being commended for the gifts that come from learning.

15 God has granted me to speak as I would, and to conceive as is meet for the things that are given me: because it is he that leads unto wisdom, and directs the wise. 16 For in his hand are both we and our words; all wisdom also, and knowledge of workmanship. 17 For he has given me certain knowledge of the things that are, namely, to know how the world was made, and the operation of the elements: 18 The beginning, ending, and midst of the times: the alterations of the turning of the sun, and the change of seasons: 19 The circuits of years, and the positions of stars: 20 The natures of living creatures, and the furies of wild beasts: the violence of winds, and the reasoning of men: the diversities of plants and the virtues of roots: 21 And all such things as are either secret or manifest, them I know.

22 For wisdom, which is the worker of all things, taught me: for in her is an understanding spirit holy, one only, manifold, subtle, lively, clear, undefiled, plain, not subject to hurt, loving the thing that is good quick, which cannot be letted [restrained], ready to do good, 23 Kind to man, steadfast, sure, free from care, having all power, overseeing all things, and going through all understanding, pure, and most subtle, spirits.

24 For wisdom is more moving than any motion: she passes and goes through all things by reason of her pureness. 25 For she is the breath of the power of God, and a pure influence flowing from the glory of the Almighty: therefore can no defiled thing fall into her. 26 For she is the brightness of the everlasting light, the unspotted mirror of the power of God, and the image of his goodness. 27 And being but one, she can do all things: and remaining in herself, she makes all things new: and in all ages entering into holy souls, she makes them friends of God, and prophets.

28 For God loves none but him that dwells with wisdom. 29 For she is more beautiful than the sun, and above all the order of stars: being compared with the light, she is found before it. 30 For after this cometh night: but vice shall not prevail against wisdom.

Wisdom 8
1 Wisdom reaches from one end to another mightily: and sweetly does she order all things.

2 I loved her, and sought her out from my youth, I desired to make her my spouse, and I was a lover of her beauty. 3 In that she is conversant with God, she magnifies her nobility: yea, the LORD of all things himself loved her. 4 For she is privy to the mysteries of the knowledge of God, and a lover of his works.

5 If riches be a possession to be desired in this life; what is richer than wisdom, that works all things? 6 And if prudence work; who of all that are is a more cunning workman than she? 7 And if a man love righteousness her labors are virtues: for she teaches temperance and prudence, justice and fortitude: which are such things, as men can have nothing more profitable in their life. 8 If a man desire much experience, she knows things of old, and conjectures aright what is to come: she knows the subtleties of speeches, and can expound dark sentences: she foresees signs and wonders, and the events of seasons and times.

9 Therefore I purposed to take her to me to live with me, knowing that she would be a counselor of good things, and a comfort in cares and grief. 10 For her sake I shall have estimation among the multitude, and honor with the elders, though I be young. 11 I shall be found of a quick conceit in judgment, and shall be admired in the sight of great men. 12 When I hold my tongue, they shall bide my leisure, and when I speak, they shall give good ear unto me: if I talk much, they shall lay their hands upon their mouth.

13 Moreover by the means of her I shall obtain immortality, and leave behind me an everlasting memorial to them that come after me. 14 I shall set the people in order, and the nations shall be subject unto me. 15 Horrible tyrants shall be afraid, when they do but hear of me; I shall be found good among the multitude, and valiant in war. 16 After I am come into mine house, I will repose myself with her: for her conversation has no bitterness; and to live with her has no sorrow, but mirth and joy.

17 Now when I considered these things in myself, and pondered them in my heart, how that to be allied unto wisdom is immortality; 18 And great pleasure it is to have her friendship; and in the works of her hands are infinite riches; and in the exercise of conference with her, prudence; and in talking with her, a good report; I went about seeking how to take her to me.

19 For I was a witty child, and had a good spirit. 20 Yea rather, being good, I came into a body undefiled. 21 Nevertheless, when I perceived that I could not otherwise obtain her, except God gave her me; and that was a point of wisdom also to know whose gift she was; I prayed unto the LORD, and besought him, and with my whole heart I said,

Wisdom 9
1 O God of my fathers, and LORD of mercy, who have made all things with your word, 2 And ordained man through your wisdom, that he should have dominion over the creatures which you have made, 3 And order the world according to equity and righteousness, and execute judgment with an upright heart: 4 Give me wisdom, that sits by your throne; and reject me not from among your children: 5 For I your servant and son of your handmaid am a feeble person, and of a short time, and too young for the understanding of judgment and laws.

6 For though a man be never so perfect among the children of men, yet if your wisdom be not with him, he shall be nothing regarded.

7 You have chosen me to be a king of your people, and a judge of your sons and daughters: 8 You have commanded me to build a temple upon your holy mount, and an altar in the city wherein you dwells, a resemblance of the holy tabernacle, which you have prepared from the beginning. 9 And wisdom was with you: which knows your works, and was present when you made the world, and knew what was acceptable in your sight, and right in your commandments. 10 O send her out of your holy heavens, and from the throne of your glory, that being present she may labor with me, that I may know what is pleasing unto you. 11 For she knows and understands all things, and she shall lead me soberly in my doings, and preserve me in her power. 12 So shall my works be acceptable, and then shall I judge your people righteously, and be worthy to sit in my father’s seat.

13 For what man is he that can know the counsel of God? or who can think what the will of the LORD is? 14 For the thoughts of mortal men are miserable, and our devices are but uncertain. 15 For the corruptible body presses down the soul, and the earthy tabernacle weighs down the mind that muses upon many things. 16 And hardly do we guess aright at things that are upon earth, and with labor do we find the things that are before us: but the things that are in heaven who has searched out? 17 And your counsel who has known, except you give wisdom, and send your Holy Spirit from above? 18 For so the ways of them which lived on the earth were reformed, and men were taught the things that are pleasing unto you, and were saved through wisdom.

Today a few words about one of the greatest distortions in the modern church saying, salvation is by faith and grace alone apart from works means we aren’t supposed to have or seek to do works. Here it is in other words of truth, faith is the statement of intentions based on what is believed, and what proves faith is the result that comes as we work out our faith. The LORD tells us over and over that a man will be judged based upon his works.

Matthew 25 tells of the judgment based on works and of those that have used the talents given them and filled their lamps with the oil of His wisdom. To them the LORD says, “Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”

Here is the rest of the story:

He says to them, What did you do with what I have endowed you with? Did you pour your oil onto the sick anointing them with My wisdom? Did you impart what I have given you to release those imprisoned by the corrupted teaching of an unjust and evil world? Did you clothe them with My ways of justice, and peace to all men of good will (righteousness)?

And these will say, “No LORD, because my preachers told me all I had to do is have faith and I would receive earthly riches just as they had.”

And He asks, what about your works?

The deceived answer, “We voted for men who took from other men to give to us and others who also refused to make any effort to pursue those things by working.”

And He says, what about clothing the poor in spirit, and visiting those imprisoned in darkness, and healing disease by my ways of peace?

And these evil men will say, “We healed them by voting for those who allowed them to kill their children, and forced them to buy insurance that would pay for it. We set them free by voting for those who removed Your standard of morality and allowing them to commit every evil act, and we condemned those who didn’t agree with us. We cloth them and fed them by voting for those who made laws taking from the working people what they earned and giving it to us and others who refused to work.”

And He says to them, Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.

And they say again to him, “But our preachers told us it was OK and we wouldn’t be judged for our works.”

And the LORD says to them, they aren’t My preachers. My preachers make sure it is perfectly understood, no man is saved by his own good works. Good works merely elevate those doing them to be given more to work with. Even the evil ones have faith, so a man is not saved by faith alone. All men have been taught and founded on a teaching so it isn’t by the grace only. It is by faith in the one the Father sends with His teaching, and this is the grace of God that saves us. Acts upon these are what produce works validating the truth of what we believe and that we are doing God’s will.

John 6
27 Labor not for the meat which perishes, but for that meat which endures unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him has God the Father sealed.
28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that you believe on him whom he has sent.
30 They said therefore unto him, What sign show you then, that we may see, and believe you? what dost you work?
31 Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.
32 Then Jesus said unto them, Truly, Truly, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.
33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and gives life unto the world.
34 Then said they unto him, LORD, evermore give us this bread.
35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
36 But I said unto you, That you also have seen me, and believe not.
37 All that the Father gives me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
39 And this is the Father’s will which has sent me, that of all which he has given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which sees the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

In the past we have briefly discussed the Septuagint, which is the original Greek translation and compilation of the Hebrew Scriptures, and includes what is called the Apocrypha. Apocrypha means things kept apart in secret. They are also books excluded from the Protestant Bible. They remain in the Catholic Bible, but their reliance on traditions of their denomination over the Scripture, along with the exclusion from most Bibles, has resulted in the books being unknown to most people.

I am hereafter posting portions of the book of Wisdom from the Septuagint. The posting will have more meaning for those who study along, as they will see and understand it in the context of our discussion.

Wisdom 1
1 Love righteousness, you that be judges of the earth: think of the LORD with a good (heart,) and in simplicity of heart seek him. 2 For he will be found of them that tempt him not; and shows himself unto such as do not distrust him. 3 For froward [twisted and perverse] thoughts separate from God: and his power, when it is tried, reproves the unwise.

4 For into a malicious soul wisdom shall not enter; nor dwell in the body that is subject unto sin. 5 For the holy spirit of discipline will flee deceit, and remove from thoughts that are without understanding, and will not abide when unrighteousness cometh in.

6 For wisdom is a loving spirit; and will not acquit a blasphemer [slanderer] of his words: for God is witness of his reins [perception], and a true beholder of his heart [reasoning], and a hearer of his tongue [the true meaning of his words]. 7 For the Spirit of the LORD fills the world: and that which contains all things has knowledge of the voice.

8 Therefore he that speaks unrighteous things cannot be hid: neither shall vengeance, when it punishes, pass by him. 9 For inquisition [investigations] shall be made into the counsels of the ungodly: and the sound of his words shall come unto the LORD for the manifestation of his wicked deeds. 10 For the ear of jealousy hears all things: and the noise of murmurings is not hid.

11 Therefore beware of murmuring, which is unprofitable; and refrain your tongue from backbiting: for there is no word so secret, that shall go for naught: and the mouth that belies [is false] slays [deadens] the soul.

12 Seek not death in the error of your life: and pull not upon yourselves destruction with the works of your hands. 13 For God made not death: neither has he pleasure in the destruction of the living. 14 For he created all things, that they might have their being: and the generations of the world were healthful; and there is no poison of destruction in them, nor the kingdom of death upon the earth: 15 (For righteousness is immortal:) 16 But ungodly men with their works and words called it to them: for when they thought to have it their friend, they consumed to naught, and made a covenant with it, because they are worthy to take part with it.

Wisdom 2
1 For the ungodly said, reasoning with themselves, but not aright, Our life is short and tedious [long, dull and boring], and in the death of a man there is no remedy: neither was there any man known to have returned from the grave. 2 For we are born at all adventure [hazard]: and we shall be hereafter as though we had never been: for the breath in our nostrils is as smoke, and a little spark in the moving of our heart: 3 Which being extinguished, our body shall be turned into ashes, and our spirit shall vanish as the soft air, 4 And our name shall be forgotten in time, and no man shall have our works in remembrance, and our life shall pass away as the trace of a cloud, and shall be dispersed as a mist, that is driven away with the beams of the sun, and overcome with the heat thereof.

5 For our time is a very shadow that passes away; and after our end there is no returning: for it is fast sealed, so that no man cometh again.

6 Come on therefore, let us enjoy the good things that are present: and let us speedily use the creatures like as in youth. 7 Let us fill ourselves with costly wine and ointments: and let no flower of the spring pass by us: 8 Let us crown ourselves with rosebuds, before they be withered: 9 Let none of us go without his part of our voluptuousness [the fullness of excess]: let us leave tokens of our joyfulness in every place: for this is our portion, and our lot is this.

10 Let us oppress the poor righteous man, let us not spare the widow, nor reverence the ancient gray hairs of the aged.

11 Let our strength be the law of justice: for that which is feeble is found to be nothing worth.

12 Therefore let us lie in wait for the righteous; because he is not for our turn, and he is clean contrary to our doings: he upbraids us with our offending the law, and objects to our infamy the transgressing of our education. 13 He professes to have the knowledge of God: and he calls himself the child of the LORD. 14 He was made to reprove our thoughts. 15 He is grievous unto us even to behold: for his life is not like other men’s, his ways are of another fashion. 16 We are esteemed of him as counterfeits: he abstains from our ways as from filthiness: he pronounces the end of the just to be blessed, and makes his boast that God is his Father.

17 Let us see if his words be true: and let us prove what shall happen in the end of him. 18 For if the just man be the Son of God, he will help him, and deliver him from the hand of his enemies. 19 Let us examine him with despitefulness and torture, that we may know his meekness, and prove his patience. 20 Let us condemn him with a shameful death: for by his own saying he shall be respected.

21 Such things they did imagine, and were deceived: for their own wickedness has blinded them. 22 As for the mysteries of God, they knew them not: neither hoped they for the wages of righteousness, nor discerned a reward for blameless souls.

23 For God created man to be immortal, and made him to be an image of his own eternity. 24 Nevertheless through envy of the devil came death into the world: and they that do hold of his side do find it.

Wisdom 3
1 But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and there shall no torment touch them. 2 In the sight of the unwise they seemed to die: and their departure is taken for misery, 3 And their going from us to be utter destruction: but they are in peace. 4 For though they be punished in the sight of men, yet is their hope full of immortality.

5 And having been a little chastised, they shall be greatly rewarded: for God proved them, and found them worthy for himself. 6 As gold in the furnace has he tried them, and received them as a burnt offering.

7 And in the time of their visitation they shall shine, and run to and fro like sparks among the stubble. 8 They shall judge the nations, and have dominion over the people, and their LORD shall reign for ever. 9 They that put their trust in him shall understand the truth: and such as be faithful in love shall abide with him: for grace and mercy is to his saints, and he has care for his elect. 10 But the ungodly shall be punished according to their own imaginations, which have neglected the righteous, and forsaken the LORD.

11 For whoso despise wisdom and nurture, he is miserable, and their hope is vain, their labors unfruitful, and their works unprofitable: 12 Their wives are foolish, and their children wicked:

13 Their offspring is cursed. Wherefore blessed is the barren that is undefiled, which has not known the sinful bed: she shall have fruit in the visitation of souls.

14 And blessed is the eunuch, which with his hands has wrought no iniquity, nor imagined wicked things against God: for unto him shall be given the special gift of faith, and an inheritance in the temple of the LORD more acceptable to his mind. 15 For glorious is the fruit of good labors: and the root of wisdom shall never fall away.

16 As for the children of adulterers, they shall not come to their perfection, and the seed of an unrighteous bed shall be rooted out. 17 For though they live long, yet shall they be nothing regarded: and their last age shall be without honor.

18 Or, if they die quickly, they have no hope, neither comfort in the day of trial. 19 For horrible is the end of the unrighteous generation.

Wisdom 4
1 Better it is to have no children, and to have virtue: for the memorial thereof is immortal: because it is known with God, and with men. 2 When it is present, men take example at it; and when it is gone, they desire it: it wears a crown, and triumphs for ever, having gotten the victory, striving for undefiled rewards.

3 But the multiplying brood of the ungodly shall not thrive, nor take deep rooting from b^st^rd [reprobate] slips, nor lay any fast [firm] foundation. 4 For though they flourish in branches for a time; yet standing not last, they shall be shaken with the wind, and through the force of winds they shall be rooted out. 5 The imperfect branches shall be broken off, their fruit unprofitable, not ripe to eat, yea, meet for nothing. 6 For children begotten of unlawful beds are witnesses of wickedness against their parents in their trial. 7 But though the righteous be prevented with death, yet shall he be in rest.

8 For honorable age is not that which stands in length of time, nor that is measured by number of years. 9 But wisdom is the gray hair unto men, and an unspotted life is old age.

10 He pleased God, and was beloved of him: so that living among sinners he was translated. 11 Yea speedily was he taken away, lest that wickedness should alter his understanding, or deceit beguile his soul. 12 For the bewitching [manipulative words] of naughtiness does obscure things that are honest; and the wandering of concupiscence [lust and strong desire] does undermine the simple mind. 13 He, being made perfect in a short time, fulfilled a long time: 14 For his soul pleased the LORD: therefore hasted He to take him away from among the wicked. 15 This the people saw, and understood it not, neither laid they up this in their minds, That his grace and mercy is with his saints, and that he has respect unto his chosen.

16 Thus the righteous that is dead shall condemn the ungodly which are living; and youth that is soon perfected the many years and old age of the unrighteous. 17 For they shall see the end of the wise, and shall not understand what God in his counsel has decreed of him, and to what end the LORD has set him in safety. 18 They shall see him, and despise him; but God shall laugh them to scorn: and they shall hereafter be a vile carcass, and a reproach among the dead for evermore. 19 For he shall rend [tear] them, and cast them down headlong, that they shall be speechless; and he shall shake them from the foundation; and they shall be utterly laid waste, and be in sorrow; and their memorial shall perish. 20 And when they cast up the accounts of their sins, they shall come with fear: and their own iniquities shall convince them to their face.

Today a few words about one of the greatest distortions in the modern church saying, salvation is by faith and grace alone apart from works means we aren’t supposed to have or seek to do works. Here it is in other words of truth, faith is the statement of intentions based on what is believed, and what proves faith is the result that comes as we work out our faith. The LORD tells us over and over that a man will be judged based upon his works.

Matthew 25 tells of the judgment based on works and of those that have used the talents given them and filled their lamps with the oil of His wisdom. To them the LORD says, “Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”

Here is the rest of the story:

He says to them, What did you do with what I have endowed you with? Did you pour your oil onto the sick anointing them with My wisdom? Did you impart what I have given you to release those imprisoned by the corrupted teaching of an unjust and evil world? Did you clothe them with My ways of justice, and peace to all men of good will (righteousness)?

And these will say, “No LORD, because my preachers told me all I had to do is have faith and I would receive earthly riches just as they had.”

And He asks, what about your works?

The deceived answer, “We voted for men who took from other men to give to us and others who also refused to make any effort to pursue those things by working.”

And He says, what about clothing the poor in spirit, and visiting those imprisoned in darkness, and healing disease by my ways of peace?

And these evil men will say, “We healed them by voting for those who allowed them to kill their children, and forced them to buy insurance that would pay for it. We set them free by voting for those who removed Your standard of morality and allowing them to commit every evil act, and we condemned those who didn’t agree with us. We cloth them and fed them by voting for those who made laws taking from the working people what they earned and giving it to us and others who refused to work.”

And He says to them, Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.

And they say again to him, “But our preachers told us it was OK and we wouldn’t be judged for our works.”

And the LORD says to them, they aren’t My preachers. My preachers make sure it is perfectly understood, no man is saved by his own good works. Good works merely elevate those doing them to be given more to work with. Even the evil ones have faith, so a man is not saved by faith alone. All men have been taught and founded on a teaching so it isn’t by the grace only. It is by faith in the one the Father sends with His teaching, and this is the grace of God that saves us. Acts upon these are what produce works validating the truth of what we believe and that we are doing God’s will.

John 6
27 Labor not for the meat which perishes, but for that meat which endures unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him has God the Father sealed.
28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that you believe on him whom he has sent.
30 They said therefore unto him, What sign show you then, that we may see, and believe you? what dost you work?
31 Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.
32 Then Jesus said unto them, Truly, Truly, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.
33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and gives life unto the world.
34 Then said they unto him, LORD, evermore give us this bread.
35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
36 But I said unto you, That you also have seen me, and believe not.
37 All that the Father gives me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
39 And this is the Father’s will which has sent me, that of all which he has given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which sees the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

In the past we have briefly discussed the Septuagint, which is the original Greek translation and compilation of the Hebrew Scriptures, and includes what is called the Apocrypha. Apocrypha means things kept apart in secret. They are also books excluded from the Protestant Bible. They remain in the Catholic Bible, but their reliance on traditions of their denomination over the Scripture, along with the exclusion from most Bibles, has resulted in the books being unknown to most people.

I am hereafter posting portions of the book of Wisdom from the Septuagint. The posting will have more meaning for those who study along, as they will see and understand it in the context of our discussion.

Wisdom 1
1 Love righteousness, you that be judges of the earth: think of the LORD with a good (heart,) and in simplicity of heart seek him. 2 For he will be found of them that tempt him not; and shows himself unto such as do not distrust him. 3 For froward [twisted and perverse] thoughts separate from God: and his power, when it is tried, reproves the unwise.

4 For into a malicious soul wisdom shall not enter; nor dwell in the body that is subject unto sin. 5 For the holy spirit of discipline will flee deceit, and remove from thoughts that are without understanding, and will not abide when unrighteousness cometh in.

6 For wisdom is a loving spirit; and will not acquit a blasphemer [slanderer] of his words: for God is witness of his reins [perception], and a true beholder of his heart [reasoning], and a hearer of his tongue [the true meaning of his words]. 7 For the Spirit of the LORD fills the world: and that which contains all things has knowledge of the voice.

8 Therefore he that speaks unrighteous things cannot be hid: neither shall vengeance, when it punishes, pass by him. 9 For inquisition [investigations] shall be made into the counsels of the ungodly: and the sound of his words shall come unto the LORD for the manifestation of his wicked deeds. 10 For the ear of jealousy hears all things: and the noise of murmurings is not hid.

11 Therefore beware of murmuring, which is unprofitable; and refrain your tongue from backbiting: for there is no word so secret, that shall go for naught: and the mouth that belies [is false] slays [deadens] the soul.

12 Seek not death in the error of your life: and pull not upon yourselves destruction with the works of your hands. 13 For God made not death: neither has he pleasure in the destruction of the living. 14 For he created all things, that they might have their being: and the generations of the world were healthful; and there is no poison of destruction in them, nor the kingdom of death upon the earth: 15 (For righteousness is immortal:) 16 But ungodly men with their works and words called it to them: for when they thought to have it their friend, they consumed to naught, and made a covenant with it, because they are worthy to take part with it.

Wisdom 2
1 For the ungodly said, reasoning with themselves, but not aright, Our life is short and tedious [long, dull and boring], and in the death of a man there is no remedy: neither was there any man known to have returned from the grave. 2 For we are born at all adventure [hazard]: and we shall be hereafter as though we had never been: for the breath in our nostrils is as smoke, and a little spark in the moving of our heart: 3 Which being extinguished, our body shall be turned into ashes, and our spirit shall vanish as the soft air, 4 And our name shall be forgotten in time, and no man shall have our works in remembrance, and our life shall pass away as the trace of a cloud, and shall be dispersed as a mist, that is driven away with the beams of the sun, and overcome with the heat thereof.

5 For our time is a very shadow that passes away; and after our end there is no returning: for it is fast sealed, so that no man cometh again.

6 Come on therefore, let us enjoy the good things that are present: and let us speedily use the creatures like as in youth. 7 Let us fill ourselves with costly wine and ointments: and let no flower of the spring pass by us: 8 Let us crown ourselves with rosebuds, before they be withered: 9 Let none of us go without his part of our voluptuousness [the fullness of excess]: let us leave tokens of our joyfulness in every place: for this is our portion, and our lot is this.

10 Let us oppress the poor righteous man, let us not spare the widow, nor reverence the ancient gray hairs of the aged.

11 Let our strength be the law of justice: for that which is feeble is found to be nothing worth.

12 Therefore let us lie in wait for the righteous; because he is not for our turn, and he is clean contrary to our doings: he upbraids us with our offending the law, and objects to our infamy the transgressing of our education. 13 He professes to have the knowledge of God: and he calls himself the child of the LORD. 14 He was made to reprove our thoughts. 15 He is grievous unto us even to behold: for his life is not like other men’s, his ways are of another fashion. 16 We are esteemed of him as counterfeits: he abstains from our ways as from filthiness: he pronounces the end of the just to be blessed, and makes his boast that God is his Father.

17 Let us see if his words be true: and let us prove what shall happen in the end of him. 18 For if the just man be the Son of God, he will help him, and deliver him from the hand of his enemies. 19 Let us examine him with despitefulness and torture, that we may know his meekness, and prove his patience. 20 Let us condemn him with a shameful death: for by his own saying he shall be respected.

21 Such things they did imagine, and were deceived: for their own wickedness has blinded them. 22 As for the mysteries of God, they knew them not: neither hoped they for the wages of righteousness, nor discerned a reward for blameless souls.

23 For God created man to be immortal, and made him to be an image of his own eternity. 24 Nevertheless through envy of the devil came death into the world: and they that do hold of his side do find it.

Wisdom 3
1 But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and there shall no torment touch them. 2 In the sight of the unwise they seemed to die: and their departure is taken for misery, 3 And their going from us to be utter destruction: but they are in peace. 4 For though they be punished in the sight of men, yet is their hope full of immortality.

5 And having been a little chastised, they shall be greatly rewarded: for God proved them, and found them worthy for himself. 6 As gold in the furnace has he tried them, and received them as a burnt offering.

7 And in the time of their visitation they shall shine, and run to and fro like sparks among the stubble. 8 They shall judge the nations, and have dominion over the people, and their LORD shall reign for ever. 9 They that put their trust in him shall understand the truth: and such as be faithful in love shall abide with him: for grace and mercy is to his saints, and he has care for his elect. 10 But the ungodly shall be punished according to their own imaginations, which have neglected the righteous, and forsaken the LORD.

11 For whoso despise wisdom and nurture, he is miserable, and their hope is vain, their labors unfruitful, and their works unprofitable: 12 Their wives are foolish, and their children wicked:

13 Their offspring is cursed. Wherefore blessed is the barren that is undefiled, which has not known the sinful bed: she shall have fruit in the visitation of souls.

14 And blessed is the eunuch, which with his hands has wrought no iniquity, nor imagined wicked things against God: for unto him shall be given the special gift of faith, and an inheritance in the temple of the LORD more acceptable to his mind. 15 For glorious is the fruit of good labors: and the root of wisdom shall never fall away.

16 As for the children of adulterers, they shall not come to their perfection, and the seed of an unrighteous bed shall be rooted out. 17 For though they live long, yet shall they be nothing regarded: and their last age shall be without honor.

18 Or, if they die quickly, they have no hope, neither comfort in the day of trial. 19 For horrible is the end of the unrighteous generation.

Wisdom 4
1 Better it is to have no children, and to have virtue: for the memorial thereof is immortal: because it is known with God, and with men. 2 When it is present, men take example at it; and when it is gone, they desire it: it wears a crown, and triumphs for ever, having gotten the victory, striving for undefiled rewards.

3 But the multiplying brood of the ungodly shall not thrive, nor take deep rooting from b^st^rd [reprobate] slips, nor lay any fast [firm] foundation. 4 For though they flourish in branches for a time; yet standing not last, they shall be shaken with the wind, and through the force of winds they shall be rooted out. 5 The imperfect branches shall be broken off, their fruit unprofitable, not ripe to eat, yea, meet for nothing. 6 For children begotten of unlawful beds are witnesses of wickedness against their parents in their trial. 7 But though the righteous be prevented with death, yet shall he be in rest.

8 For honorable age is not that which stands in length of time, nor that is measured by number of years. 9 But wisdom is the gray hair unto men, and an unspotted life is old age.

10 He pleased God, and was beloved of him: so that living among sinners he was translated. 11 Yea speedily was he taken away, lest that wickedness should alter his understanding, or deceit beguile his soul. 12 For the bewitching [manipulative words] of naughtiness does obscure things that are honest; and the wandering of concupiscence [lust and strong desire] does undermine the simple mind. 13 He, being made perfect in a short time, fulfilled a long time: 14 For his soul pleased the LORD: therefore hasted He to take him away from among the wicked. 15 This the people saw, and understood it not, neither laid they up this in their minds, That his grace and mercy is with his saints, and that he has respect unto his chosen.

16 Thus the righteous that is dead shall condemn the ungodly which are living; and youth that is soon perfected the many years and old age of the unrighteous. 17 For they shall see the end of the wise, and shall not understand what God in his counsel has decreed of him, and to what end the LORD has set him in safety. 18 They shall see him, and despise him; but God shall laugh them to scorn: and they shall hereafter be a vile carcass, and a reproach among the dead for evermore. 19 For he shall rend [tear] them, and cast them down headlong, that they shall be speechless; and he shall shake them from the foundation; and they shall be utterly laid waste, and be in sorrow; and their memorial shall perish. 20 And when they cast up the accounts of their sins, they shall come with fear: and their own iniquities shall convince them to their face.

Today a look at the Hebrew word translated “enough,” in the context of our ongoing conversation regarding the deep things the LORD protects and reserves for His use in ending controversy. We have recently looked at the word as it is twice used in Proverbs 30:15 & 16, and there gives us the best understanding of its meaning being, content or satisfied, as in achieving happiness. I use the word “happiness” in the same way the founders meant it in our Declaration of Independence when they wrote that among our God given rights, that governments are instituted to secure, are, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

The word is hown: Strong’s #1952: hown (pronounced hone) from the same as 1951 in the sense of 202; wealth; by implication, enough:–enough, + for nought, riches, substance, wealth.

Here is the passage from Proverbs 30 where in the word is translated “It is enough:”
15 The horse-leach has two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough:
16 The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that says not, It is enough.

Verse 15 tells us the subject is never being “satisfied” using a different Hebrew word, saba’, meaning to be filled to satisfaction. We see in the definition of the word hown it means riches, substance (things), and wealth. In seeing it also translated “enough” (only these two times) we see/understand the meaning being conveyed is of achieving a point of contentment. It is similar to the meaning we see in the Hebrew word shalam (the “salem” in Jerusalem).

Strong’s #7999: shalam (pronounced shaw-lam’) a primitive root; to be safe (in mind, body or estate); figuratively, to be (causatively, make) completed; by implication, to be friendly; by extension, to reciprocate (in various applications).

The fuller meaning of hown is found in the words it references in its definition above.

Strong’s #1951: huwn (pronounced hoon) a primitive root; properly, to be naught, i.e. (figuratively) to be (causatively, act) light:–be ready.

Strong’s #202: ‘own (pronounced one) probably from the same as 205 (in the sense of effort, but successful); ability, power, (figuratively) wealth:–force, goods, might, strength, substance.

In these words we see the meaning as being both readied and filled through an effort. In this we see it meaning both the “pursuit of happiness,” and attaining it. Shalam is the security in both the pursuit and once achieving. This is the way of peace and security found in this being generally afforded to all without exception, and is what the US Constitution means when it uses he term “general welfare.”

The perverted meaning of “general welfare” is as license to violate the security of one person’s peace and security (taking from them what they have achieved through effort), in order to provide for the welfare of someone else – in exchange for votes. This redistribution is without objective standard and lacking regard for actual necessity (need), and again the only standard is to create dependence that produces a vote: (secured by selecting representatives who promise to satisfy an insatiable call to, Give, give; rather than being secured and satisfied through effort and achievement, and under a government that provides an environment where all are equally secured in peace to enjoying the fruits of their labor).

The truth is – our country’s founding principles are a direct result of understanding all the above as the kingdom of heaven – the way to the most perfect form of government in which man can live in peace.

I have many times explained this from the perspective of what our Declaration of Independence means when it tells of the state we are “entitled” to live in, “under the laws of nature and nature’s God.”

There can be no peace in a society such as ours where demagogues, on one end of the spectrum, stir up grievance and encourage people to define themselves as victims in order to justify victimizing some other group the demagogue has defined as demons; while on the other end of the spectrum are the elites pillaging the national treasury and receiving favors in exchange for enriching and financing the same demagogues’ rise to become tyrants over the masses they have stirred and agitated. This is a system based on the opposite of peace and security, and is the antithesis of the kingdom of God.

These are the principalities and powers, the spiritually wicked in highest seats of power, in a totally corrupt world that must be overcome. The kingdom of heaven, on earth as it is in heaven, is the “end” the LORD has promised and knows is our “expected end.”

Now, back to Proverbs 30 and what it says: “15 The horse-leach has two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough: 16 The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that says not, It is enough.”

The two daughters attached to the mouth of the horse, are the two leaches I mentioned above, both sucking the life out of the horse (achievers and producers) doing the work and carrying the burden, and will continue to drain the life until the host is dead. And they, as it is with all leaches, will never let go on their own; they must be forcefully removed and fire or the heat from it is what will cause them to release their grip.

How many times have you read in God’s word of peace and our being exhorted to preach and pursue it? Have you read of the false preaching of peace that is actually a harbinger of coming destruction?

1 Thessalonians 5
1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I write unto you.
2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the LORD so cometh as a thief in the night.
3 For when they shall say, “Peace and safety;” then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
5 You are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
9 For God has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our LORD Jesus Christ,
10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also you do.
12 And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labor among you, and are over you in the LORD, and admonish you;
13 And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves.
14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.

Ezekiel 7:25 tells of those claiming peace and instead comes destruction. They are the religious and civil rulers, who have defiled the holy places, governing over God’s people. The last verse of the chapter tells of their own ways being what are brought upon them. It is telling of those who are never satisfied and this insatiable lust for more power and more things is what eventually destroys them.

Ezekiel 7
1 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
2 Also, you son of man, thus says the LORD God unto the land of Israel; An end, the end is come upon the four corners of the land.
3 Now is the end come upon you, and I will send mine anger upon you, and will judge you according to your ways, and will recompense upon you all your abominations.
4 And mine eye shall not spare you, neither will I have pity: but I will recompense your ways upon you, and your abominations shall be in the midst of you: and you shall know that I am the LORD.
5 Thus says the LORD God; An evil, an only evil, behold, is come.
6 An end is come, the end is come: it watches for you; behold, it is come.
7 The morning is come unto you, O you that dwells in the land: the time is come, the day of trouble is near, and not the sounding again of the mountains.
8 Now will I shortly pour out my fury upon you, and accomplish mine anger upon you: and I will judge you according to your ways, and will recompense you for all your abominations.
9 And mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: I will recompense you according to your ways and your abominations that are in the midst of you; and you shall know that I am the LORD that strikes.
10 Behold the day, behold, it is come: the morning (an encircling crown) is gone forth; the rod has blossomed, pride has budded.
11 Violence is risen up into a rod of wickedness: none of them shall remain, nor of their multitude, nor of any of theirs: neither shall there be wailing for them.
12 The time is come, the day has arrived: let not the buyer rejoice, nor the seller mourn: for wrath is upon all the multitude thereof.
13 For the seller shall not return to that which is sold, although they were yet alive: for the vision is touching the whole multitude thereof, which shall not return; neither shall any strengthen himself in the iniquity of his life.
14 They have blown the trumpet, even to make all ready; but none goes to the battle: for my wrath is upon all the multitude thereof.
15 The sword is without, and the pestilence and the famine within: he that is in the field shall die with the sword; and he that is in the city, famine and pestilence shall devour him.
16 But they that escape of them shall escape, and shall be on the mountains like doves of the valleys, all of them mourning, every one for his iniquity.
17 All hands shall be feeble, and all knees shall be weak as water.
18 They shall also gird themselves with sackcloth, and horror shall cover them; and shame shall be upon all faces, and baldness upon all their heads.
19 They shall cast their silver in the streets, and their gold shall be removed: their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the LORD: they shall not satisfy their souls, neither fill their bowels: because it is the stumbling-block of their iniquity.
20 As for the beauty of his ornament, he set it in majesty: but they made the images of their abominations and of their detestable things therein: therefore have I set it far from them.
21 And I will give it into the hands of the strangers for a prey, and to the wicked of the earth for a spoil; and they shall pollute it.
22 My face will I turn also from them, and they shall pollute my secret place: for the robbers shall enter into it, and defile it.
23 Make a chain: for the land is full of bloody crimes, and the city is full of violence.
24 Wherefore I will bring the worst of the heathen, and they shall possess their houses: I will also make the pomp of the strong to cease; and their holy places shall be defiled.
25 Destruction cometh; and they shall seek peace, and there shall be none.
26 Mischief shall come upon mischief, and rumor shall be upon rumor; then shall they seek a vision of the prophet; but the law shall perish from the priest, and counsel from the ancients.
27 The king shall mourn, and the prince shall be clothed with desolation, and the hands of the people of the land shall be troubled: I will do unto them after their way, and according to their deserts will I judge them; and they shall know that I am the LORD.

When verse 10 above say, “Behold the day, behold, it is come: the morning is gone forth; the rod has blossomed, pride has budded.” it is referring to Aaron’s rod that budded as an example for us to understand. It is referring to Numbers 17:8 where we are told of the LORD stopping the murmuring (from the Hebrew words luwn & teluwnah) in the camp. The words literally mean to stop or to stray, and in context meaning they are being obstinate and complaining about the way Moses and Aaron were leading. The LORD commands all the leaders to set their rods before the testimony in the tabernacle of witness, and whose ever rod budded would be who the LORD had chosen. Aaron’s rod not only budded but also blossomed and brought forth fruit. The LORD then commanded they keep the rod as a token against the rebels. This again is telling of life that shoots from what appears as if dead, and it being as validation.

Ezekiel is telling of this being the day come, as the crowning of the one God affirms. It then tells of it from the perspective of seeing (apocalypse) the pride in the rebels.

2 Timothy 2
1 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
2 And the things that you have heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit you to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.
3 You therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
4 No man that wars entangles himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who has chosen him to be a soldier.
5 And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.
6 The husbandman that labors must be first partaker of the fruits.
7 Consider what I say; and the LORD give you understanding in all things.
8 Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel:
9 Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.
10 Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
11 It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:
12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:
13 If we believe not, yet he abides faithful: he cannot deny himself.
14 Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the LORD that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.
15 Study to show thyself 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 doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;
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 from iniquity.
20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honor, and some to dishonor.
21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.
22 Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the LORD out of a pure heart.
23 But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they produce strife.
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.

Hymenaeus is from Hymen the Greek god of weddings. It was said he attended all weddings and if he didn’t the marriage would be unsuccessful. In mythology he presided over weddings and there was a wedding song the Greeks sung called the Hymenaios.

Philetus is a false friend or someone who pretends friendship – as in those asking questions that will produce strife.

Daniel 6
3 Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.
4 Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.
5 Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.

 

We have several times in the past discussed Daniel 4 as an example of God cutting off all effectiveness and prosperity when men decline away from Him (truth) into delusion. Their corrupted thinking tells them national achievement and elevation is due to man’s efforts apart from God, or attributable to mere coincidence lacking any intentioned formula. This has been and remains the case with our nation.

Daniel 4 speaks of this “cutting off” in very similar terms to those we’ve been discussing in recent days. It speaks of it as the great tree cut off and only the stump remaining. It tells of this stump being in a field of grass, of the ruler eating this grass as an ox, and the dew of heaven being upon him until seven times have passed over him. The event begins with a decreed by the LORD that follows the ruler’s pronouncement of his own greatness building the kingdom. It ends with him realizing Almighty God’s hand does intervene in man’s government and all their affairs.

Daniel 4
22 It is you, O king, that are grown and become strong: for your greatness is grown, and reaches unto heaven, and your dominion to the end of the earth.
23 And whereas the king saw a watcher and an holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew the tree down, and destroy it; yet leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him;
24 This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king:
25 That they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make you to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet you with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over you, till you know that the most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomsoever he will.
26 And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots; your kingdom shall be sure unto you, after that you shall have known that the heavens do rule.
27 Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto you, and break off your sins by righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of your tranquility.
28 All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar.
29 At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon.
30 The king spoke, and said, “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honor of my majesty?”
31 While the word was in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from you.
32 And they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make you to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomsoever he will.
33 The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws.
34 And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honored him that lives for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation:
35 And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, “What are you doing?”
36 At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honor and brightness returned unto me; and my counselors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me.
37 Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.

The “dew of heaven” upon the king (him exemplifying the ruling establishment) is the water that appears as if a covering from heaven (of unknown origin). It is the seemingly unconnected occurrences in the world, which alone appear pointless, but when seen and understood in the context of the compounded picture the meaning beings to become apparent and recognizable. Here it is the time of correction between the time when a falling away has occurred and the nation cut off, and the return of understanding and the re-cognition of the reality of God’s necessarily being involved and integral.

When Daniel 4:24 tells of the decree that comes from the LORD it uses the Chaldean word gezerah (gzerah). It is from the root word gazar, meaning to cut down; and adding the suffix ah, meaning Yah (Jehovah), it is fully understood as meaning here, cut off by Jehovah.

Deuteronomy 33 speaks of the dew of heaven twice, the first being to begin Joseph’s portion of the blessing from Moses before his death. Remember, Joseph is the example of the one cut off from His brothers; also after his death began the affliction of God’s people. He is Just Rule even before there is a nation state, and it is quickly forgotten once he dies.

The name Joseph means the to add to. We are told that when Joseph was born it was said, “The LORD shall add to me another son.” This is also the point when Jacob decides he should return to His land. (Genesis 30:23 – 25)

When Deuteronomy 33 speaks of “the dew” of heaven it is telling of God’s promise of His providential hand always being involved in in every, seemingly, minor event, and the focus of all these will be to keep us safe, and when needed, when we stop listening, or forget, to bring us back to Himself.

The chapter mentions the dew in verse 13, which begins by telling of the “precious things of heaven,” that will bless the land of Joseph. Just after it references the dew as one of the blessings it follow with “and for the deep that crouches beneath.”

Deuteronomy 33
13 And of Joseph he said, Blessed of the LORD be his land, for the precious things of heaven, for the dew, and for the deep that couches beneath,
14 And for the precious fruits brought forth by the sun, and for the precious things put forth by the moon,
15 And for the chief things of the ancient mountains, and for the precious things of the lasting hills,
16 And for the precious things of the earth and fullness thereof, and for the good will of him that dwelt in the bush: let the blessing come upon the head of Joseph, and upon the top of the head of him that was separated from his brethren.
17 His glory is like the firstling of his bullock, and his horns are like the horns of unicorns: with them he shall push the people together to the ends of the earth: and they are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh.

Those who study along with us know when the sun and the moon are spoken of it is telling of church and civil governments as God intended them to shine and reflect His light on the earth. When they do so it is in the form of justice and equality as God defines it; when it becomes or is the perverted form under unjust and evil men, as it is here now, the sun and moon have become darkened, no longer shining God’s light on the earth. The ancient mountains are the ways of God’s wisdom and what truly elevates man to his intended heights, and are “the precious things of the lasting hills.”

The return of understanding comes through recognizing the one who was separated from his brothers. This happen as it did with Joseph’s elevation through the deep things of the LORD, and as with Daniel and His interpretation of the crouching [laying there in wait] things of these same depths.

The Hebrew word translated “deep” in Deuteronomy 33:13 is thowm. It is the same “deep” that the Spirit of God moved upon to begin creation, recorded in Genesis 1:2. It the same fountains of the “deep” that was broken up that began the deluge, recorded in Genesis 7:11. They are the “depths” that overflowed the army of Egypt, as they with hardened hearts thought they were chasing after God’s people to destroy them, and were themself destroyed, written in Exodus 15:5. It is the “depth” whose course (chuwg – compass) was established at the creation, and is testified to by God’s wisdom in Proverbs 8:27. It is the place where God preserves and keeps in store His life giving waters, to be separated from the fouled and corrupted waters of men, when He decides “it is enough.”

The word thown means abyss, as in a surging mass of water. In this we see the meaning of Daniel 9:25 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 [rulers] that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary [place of moon and sun]; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
27 And he [the rulers] 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 [conclusion], and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

That which is “poured out” and why it is are defined earlier in the chapter in verse 11.

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 has 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 doeth: for we obeyed not his voice.
15 And now, O LORD our God, that has brought your people forth out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and has 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. [The seven times of the dew of heaven’s correction.]

In verse 2 above Daniel mention understanding the seventy years that Jeremiah spoke of. It is a direct reference to a cutting off and return, and understanding what is written in Jeremiah 29:11 is what causes Daniel’s prayer. He understands it is the LORD’s intention to do us good and prosper us, and this END is Daniel’s focus. “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.”

Remember, Jeremiah means Jehovah rising up.

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 [confusion];
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, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
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 dwell in this city, and of your brethren that are not gone forth with you into captivity;
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.
20 Hear you therefore the word of the LORD, all you of the captivity, whom I have sent from Jerusalem to Babylon:
21 Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, of Ahab [literally meaning – not a friend] the son of Kolaiah [voice of Yah – falsely claiming to speak for Jehovah], and of Zedekiah [the ruler – who should have been as his name – equity and prosperity of Yah] the son of Maaseiah [work of Yah – but not], which prophesy a lie unto you in my name; Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon [confusion]; and he shall slay them before your eyes;
22 And of them shall be taken up a curse by all the captivity of Judah which are in Babylon, saying, The LORD make you like Zedekiah and like Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire;
23 Because they have committed villainy in Israel, and have committed adultery with their neighbors’ wives, and have spoken lying words in My name, which I have not commanded them; even I know, and am a witness, says the LORD.

Continuing with the topic of hearing the voice of God, in doing seeing His glory, and understanding eyes fixed on the world will never see or hear anything other than their own noise and confusion. In recent posts we have seen the LORD has sealed certain areas of deep understanding, having reserved and preserved them against men’s trespassing and corruption, for His use in reestablishing truth and making His will know. This characteristic is often alluded to and only superficially understood until it is illuminated by the LORD’s strategic revelation. As this occurs men, having chained themselves as experts in the subject matter and as lords over God’s heritage, respond with opinion mocking the truth, and their only measure of legitimacy are their own self-created delusions.

One of the most obvious of these points being referenced is found in 2 Peter 3:
1 This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:
2 That you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the LORD and Savior:
3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:
7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the LORD as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
9 The LORD is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
10 But the day of the LORD will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements [foundational principles upon which reasoning is based] shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwells righteousness.
14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that you look for such things, be diligent that you may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
15 And account that the longsuffering of our LORD is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him has written unto you;
16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest [twist and pervert], as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
17 You therefore, beloved, seeing you know these things before, beware lest you also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness.
18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

The areas the LORD reserve and keeps in store for His use are what Peter defines in verse 16 above as “hard to be understood.” The Greek word is dusnoetos and is only used this one time. The word more literally translates as explaining the reason these men find it hard being it takes exercising the mind – difficult to comprehend.

Please suffer with me for a moment while I digress: For those not aware, I have been somewhat successful in business, and in one of my previous ventures I designed and patented several very unique and innovative pieces of equipment. Once these hit the market they made all other products of a similar nature obsolete. My competitors were faced with either copying my designs or designing one achieving at least the standard set by mine. The result of these early copiers not having the knowledge base of the creator, being ignorant of the logic in the smallest details and their necessity in making the thing work as it should, the early copies were miserable failures. The point to telling this story – the root cause of the failure is the same we are discussing: ignoring or unable to comprehend the small details and unwilling to exercise the mind to the extent needed to see the deeper meaning.

(Side note for those interested: US Government developers (Natick) bought several of my “things,” made enough minor changes to be able to claim it wasn’t the same thing, then bought billions of dollars worth from other much larger manufactures. When called on it, they dared me to keep up with their deep pockets trying to prove they infringed my patents. I just moved on and made something even better. They did same thing again – after promising they wouldn’t. It all worked out by making my company well known as this knowingly occurred and people in the industry were well aware it did. It also made the company much more valuable when I sold it. Thank You LORD!)

Isaiah 40:21 asks the questions “Have they not known: have they not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood the foundation of the earth?” This comes just after telling of those trying to make a copy of the God.

Verse 22 follows saying, “He that sits upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof as grasshoppers [locust]; that stretches out the heavens as a curtain, and spreads them out as a tent to dwell in: 23 That brings the princes to nothing; he makes the judges of the earth as vanity.” The word translated as “sits” is the Hebrew word yashab, meaning to sit down, specifically as judgment in ambush, in quite. The word translated “circle” is chuwg, a three times used word meaning a full circuit – telling of movement in a full course. Verse 23 tells of the purpose.

We see the fuller context the chuwg when it is first used in Job 22:14 and translated “in the circuit,” telling of this as the vault in heaven where God journeys. Job here seemingly mistakenly assumes because God hides himself by covering with a cloud He cannot see from therein. What the verse does correctly state, apart from Job’s complaint, God does hide His movements from men by being in the cloud, and does walk in the circuit of heavens (high places). This is what Elihu clarifies later in Job 37 when it tells of not only of the LORD’s voice thundering (the voice in the cloud that comes after the lightning is seen) but also of the correction of the LORD that comes as cloud passes and the fullness of the light (sun) is seen in its vault across the high places (circuit across heaven).

Job 37
1 At this also my heart trembles, and is moved out of his place.
2 Hear attentively the noise of his voice, and the sound that goes out of his mouth.
3 He directs it under the whole heaven, and his lightning unto the ends of the earth.
4 After it a voice roars: he thunders with the voice of his excellency; and he will not stay them when his voice is heard.
5 God thunders marvelously with his voice; great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend.
6 For he says to the snow, Be you on the earth; likewise to the small rain, and to the great rain of his strength.
7 He seals up the hand of every man; that all men may know his work.
8 Then the beasts go into dens, and remain in their places.
9 Out of the south cometh the whirlwind: and cold out of the north.
10 By the breath of God frost is given: and the breadth of the waters is straitened.
11 Also by watering he dissipates the thick cloud: he scatters his bright cloud:
12 And it is turned round about by his counsels: that they may do whatsoever he commands them upon the face of the world in the earth.
13 He causes it to come, whether for correction, or for his land, or for mercy.
14 Hearken unto this, O Job: stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God.
15 Dost you know when God disposed them, and caused the light of his cloud to shine?
16 Dost you know the balancing of the clouds, the wondrous works of him which is perfect in knowledge?
17 How thy garments are warm, when he quiets the earth by the south wind?
18 Have you with him spread out the sky, which is strong, and as a molten looking glass?
19 Teach us what we shall say unto him; for we cannot order our speech by reason of darkness.
20 Shall it be told him that I speak? if a man speak, surely he shall be swallowed up.
21 And now men see not the bright light which is in the clouds: but the wind passes, and cleanses them.
22 Fair weather cometh out of the north: with God is terrible majesty.
23 Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out: he is excellent in power, and in judgment, and in plenty of justice: he will not afflict.
24 Men do therefore fear him: he respects not any that are wise of heart.

Then the word chuwg is translated as “compass” in Proverbs 8:27 as wisdom speaks telling of being there when the LORD made the heavens, and set up the circuit upon the face of the deep places.

Proverbs 8
1 Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice?
2 She stands in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths.
3 She cries at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors.
4 Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man.
5 O you simple, understand wisdom: and, you fools, be you of an understanding heart.
6 Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things.
7 For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing twisted or perverse in them.
9 They are all plain to him that understands, and right to them that find knowledge.
10 Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.
11 For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.
12 I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions.
13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogance, and the evil way, and the perverse mouth, do I hate.
14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.
15 By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.
16 By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.
17 I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.
18 Riches and honor are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness.
19 My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver.
20 I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment:
21 That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.
22 The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.
23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.
24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.
25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth:
26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.
27 When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:
28 When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:
29 When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:
30 Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;
31 Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.
32 Now therefore hearken unto me, O you children: for blessed are they that keep my ways.
33 Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.
34 Blessed is the man that hears me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.
35 For whoso finds me finds life, and shall obtain favor of the LORD.
36 But he that sins against me wrongs his own soul: all they that hate me love death.

Now, read Isaiah 40 in the context of this understanding.

Isaiah 40
1 Comfort you, comfort you my people, says your God.
2 Speak you comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she has received of the LORD’s hand double for all her sins.
3 The voice of him that cries in the wilderness, Prepare you the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:
5 And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD has spoken it.
6 The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field:
7 The grass withers, the flower fades: because the spirit of the LORD blows upon it: surely the people is grass.
8 The grass withers, the flower fades: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.
9 O Zion, that brings good tidings, get you up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that brings good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!
10 Behold, the LORD God will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.
11 He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.
12 Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?
13 Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counselor has taught him?
14 With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and showed to him the way of understanding?
15 Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he takes up the isles as a very little thing.
16 And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering.
17 All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.
18 To whom then will you liken God? or what likeness will you compare unto him?
19 The workman melts a graven image, and the goldsmith spreads it over with gold, and casts silver chains.
20 He that is so impoverished that he has no oblation chooses a tree that will not rot; he seeks unto him a cunning workman to prepare a graven image, that shall not be moved.
21 Have you not known? have you not heard? has it not been told you from the beginning? have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?
22 It is he that sits upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers [the locust of Revelation 9:3 & 7]; that stretches out the heavens as a curtain, and spreads them out as a tent to dwell in:
23 That brings the princes to nothing; he makes the judges of the earth as vanity.
24 Yea, they shall not be planted; yea, they shall not be sown: yea, their stock shall not take root in the earth: and he shall also blow upon them, and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble.
25 To whom then will you liken me, or shall I be equal? says the Holy One.
26 Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who has created these things, that brings out their host by number: he calls them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one fails.
27 Why say you, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, My way is hid from the LORD, and my judgment is passed over from my God?
28 Have you not known? have you not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, faints not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.
29 He gives power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increases strength.
30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Psalms 18
1 I will love you, O LORD, my strength.
2 The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.
3 I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.
4 The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.
5 The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me.
6 In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.
7 Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth.
8 There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.
9 He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet.
10 And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind.
11 He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.
12 At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire.
13 The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire.
14 Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them.
15 Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.
16 He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.
17 He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me.
18 They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay.
19 He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.
20 The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands has he recompensed me.
21 For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.
22 For all his judgments were before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me.
23 I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity.
24 Therefore has the LORD recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.
25 With the merciful you will show thyself merciful; with an upright man you will show thyself upright;
26 With the pure you will show thyself pure; and with the twisted you will twist them even more.
27 For you will save the afflicted people; but will bring down high looks.
28 For you will light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.
29 For by you I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall.
30 As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.
31 For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God?
32 It is God that girds me with strength, and makes my way perfect.
33 He makes my feet like hinds’ feet, and sets me upon my high places.
34 He teaches my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.
35 You have also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand has held me up, and thy gentleness has made me great.
36 You have enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip.
37 I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed.
38 I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet.
39 For you have girded me with strength unto the battle: you have subdued under me those that rose up against me.
40 You have also given me the necks of mine enemies; that I might destroy them that hate me.
41 They cried, but there was none to save them: even unto the LORD, but he answered them not.
42 Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind: I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets.
43 You have delivered me from the strivings of the people; and you have made me the head of the heathen: a people whom I have not known shall serve me.
44 As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me.
45 The strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of their close places.
46 The LORD lives; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.
47 It is God that avenges me, and subdues the people under me.
48 He delivers me from mine enemies: yea, you lifts me up above those that rise up against me: you have delivered me from the violent man.
49 Therefore will I give thanks unto you, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name.
50 Great deliverance gives he to his king; and shows mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore.

Today a deeper look at yesterday’s mentioning the “scattering” of God’s people after Christ’s death, and its fuller perspective of our return from this being the second gathering of God’s people as foretold in Isaiah 11:11. Yesterday’s post uncovered this aspect when we saw what was heard in Ephratah, and the literal meaning in the name being second fruit. We saw that confusion caused by seeing and hearing with eyes and ears trained in the ways of the world is what we overcome by our perception being recalibrated as we are enlightened and separated from the world.

One of the prior post’s referenced passages was John 16: 32 & 33, “Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that you shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. These things I have spoken unto you, that in me you might have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

The Greek word translated “scattered” is the five times used skorpizo. Here is the Strong’s Greek Dictionary Definition: Strong’s #4650: skorpizo (pronounced skor-pid’-zo) apparently from the same as 4651 (through the idea of penetrating); to dissipate, i.e. (figuratively) put to flight, waste, be liberal:–disperse abroad, scatter (abroad).

It is almost identical to the word skorpios (Strong’s #4651), meaning scorpion. The root meaning of the word is to pierce.

When the LORD uses the word skorpizo in John 10:12 to tell of the sheep being “scatters” there is a much deeper meaning. We know the subject is actually speaking of those coming against God’s people, who are part of His flock. The idea as translated is, when the wolf attacks the sheep it kills one sheep at a time often killing many. In the LORD’s description the shepherd has run away leaving the sheep defenseless and the wolf able to kill as many as its lust desires.

The deeper aspect is seen in John’s choice of the word written to describe it (actually the LORD, via His Spirit, directing John’s hand). The idea of piercing the victim, as does the scorpion, is telling of venom being injected that rots the victim inside. This is what happens to God’s flock as their shepherds abandon them, leaving them to be devoured by the wolfs, wolfs being the pop culture elites, academia, political parties and self-centered politicians, self-enriching false preachers and false prophets, the media elites that project the poison and manipulate people into living and acting out self-destruction. These are those that have injected their poison into the flock and cause the inner man to rot, and the best of the shepherds has given up, and gives as the only hope to fly away when some worse monster comes along. And sheep are devoured as they in safety watch from afar, not knowing they have already fled from the attack they are obligated to stand against.

This is the condition of confusion by poisoning we are told of in Revelation 9 when it speaks of scorpions only attacking those men who don’t have the seal of the God’s in their forehead. As we know from our recent studies this “seal” is both a mark of ownership and a seal that preserves from corruption. It is in the heads, protected by their minds having been enlightened and become immune to the technique (as if looking to the fiery serpent lifted on high).

In Revelation 9 we are told of those as serpents coming after the scorpions, and we are again told in these later verses the venom is what “issue out of their mouths.” These attackers described are those same men previously mentioned here as devouring the unprotected flock. If they are reading they should see themselves and repent.

Revelation 9
1 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.
2 And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.
3 And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.
4 And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.
5 And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he strikes a man.
6 And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.
7 And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.
8 And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions.
9 And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.
10 And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.
11 And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon [destroying messenger – rebel angel], but in the Greek tongue has his name Apollyon [false sun – the false light of the world].
12 One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter.
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.
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; 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, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.
19 For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails: 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.

We see the scorpions only tormented men, shaking their foundational principles upon which reasoning depends, almost to death; and this is followed (in their tails) by death as these attacks by words continue and the unsealed men seeing it refuse to repent. It is all self-inflected torment by refusing the remedy. The word used and translated “torment” is the Greek basanismos, apparently coming from the words basis and seismos, meaning foundation and agitation. And once their unsound foundation is shaken the total collapse is inevitable.

The numbers in Revelation 9 are interesting. There is an army of two hundred million attacking and killing another one-third they are among. That would indicate a population of three hundred million, and if you add to this ten percent that are the “sealed” remnant, we are talking about a place with a population of about three hundred and thirty million people.

Revelation 10 follows telling of seeing another angel coming down from heaven, in a cloud, and a rainbow upon his head. The rainbow is what God put in the cloud after the deluge as a sign that He would never again allow the world to be totally destroyed by a deluge – such as has proceeded from the mouths of these attackers. This is why the deliverance comes as we see as one whose face is as if the sun [with as it were rays (qeren) shooting from it], and his feet as pillars of fire. This is the same pillar of fire that stood and kept separation between God’s people and Pharaoh’s army. These are the same pillars of cloud and fire by which the LORD both protected and led His people.

Exodus 13
21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:
22 He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.

In Revelation 10:2 we see the little book opened in the hand of the angel as he steps onto the earth. The “little book” is the Greek word bibliaridion, which actually appears to have a much deeper meaning. It is made up of three words, biblos, meaning book; ara, a shortened form of airo, meaning to keep in suspense; and idios, meaning pertaining to one’s own self. This is the context we see as this angel’s voice is heard as thunder. (If you remember this is the way the validating voice of the Father was heard, written in John 12:29, “The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spoke to him.”) Here in Revelation John is told not to write what he has heard [because it is kept in suspension for the personal use of (the angel speaking with the voice of) God].

We later read in verse 6 of a pronouncement of the time of the suspense being ended, and in the next verse we read this is a time when the mysteries of God are finished (teleo – reach their conclusion). What follows is the book being placed in the hand of a man, and closing by telling the man, “You must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.”

Revelation 10
1 And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon 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: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth,
3 And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roared: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices.
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.
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, 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.

I tell you now, all these things have already happened, and what we see in Revelation 10 is their being revealed – or seen by revelation. The remnant mentioned is back in Revelation 7 and are those spoken of in Isaiah 11.

I tell you TODAY IS THE DAY! Psalms 95
1 O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.
2 Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.
3 For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.
4 In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also.
5 The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land.
6 O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.
7 For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if you will hear his voice,
8 Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work.
10 Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways:
11 Unto whom I swore in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest.

Isaiah 11
1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:
2 And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;
3 And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:
4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth: with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.
5 And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.
6 The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.
7 And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
8 And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den.
9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.
10 And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.
11 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.
12 And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.
13 The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim.
14 But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines toward the west; they shall spoil them of the east together: they shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab; and the children of Ammon shall obey them.
15 And the LORD shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go over dry-shod.
16 And there shall be an highway for the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria; like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt.

Revelation 7
1 And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.
2 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,
3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.
4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.
5 Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand.
6 Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nephthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand.
7 Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand.
8 Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.
9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and tribes, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;
10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sits upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.
11 And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,
12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.
13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?
14 And I said unto him, Sir, you know. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sits on the throne shall dwell among them.
16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.
17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

Psalms 103
1 Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
3 Who forgives all your iniquities; who heals all your diseases;
4 Who redeems your life from destruction; who crowns you with loving-kindness and tender mercies;
5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things; so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
6 The LORD executes righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.
7 He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.
8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
9 He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.
10 He has not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
12 As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
13 Like as a father pities his children, so the LORD pities them that fear him.
14 For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.
15 As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourishes.
16 For the wind passes over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.
17 But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children;
18 To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.
19 The LORD has prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom rules over all.
20 Bless the LORD, you his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.
21 Bless you the LORD, all you his hosts; you ministers of his, that do his pleasure.
22 Bless the LORD, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the LORD, O my soul.

Continuing today where Isaiah 54 ended and the recent topic of new life shooting from what lacks any signs of life. Isaiah 53 begins explaining this with the analogy of the tender plant as a branch growing from a root in dry ground. The prior verse asks a question defining the meaning as this being the arms (work) of the LORD revealed to those believing the report. We understand from what follows it is the LORD taking on a visible appearance in a man, and this coinciding with another aspect of recent studies: those seeing and hearing having to overcome what their earthly eyes are seeing and their ears had previously heard from earthly teachers, and in overcoming see and hear the reality being manifested before them.

Isaiah 54 ends telling of the LORD’s appearance and of the new foundation as it is laid. Then is the description of the Holy City, as it is also described in Revelation 21, coming down from God out of heaven. Here in Isaiah it is also the coinciding description is of Jerusalem in its literal meaning of Yarah-shalam. As we know from many previous studies the words mean, yarah, to flow from as water; to lay down as a foundation; or to teach; and shalam, meaning be safe in mind, body a estate; be complete; be friendly; and is meant in a reciprocal sense. The context is telling of being taught and founded upon the teaching of God ways of civilization and peace.

Isaiah 54
11 O you afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay your stones with fair colors, and lay your foundations with sapphires.
12 And I will make your windows of agates, and your gates of carbuncles, and all your borders of pleasant stones.
13 And all your children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of your children.
14 In righteousness shall you be established: you shall be far from oppression; for you shall not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near you.
15 Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against you shall fall for your sake.
16 Behold, I have created the smith that blows the coals in the fire, and that brings forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy.
17 No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, says the LORD.

The chapter ends commanding us to condemn any voice that rises against this teaching, and to do so because all other opinions are the ways that have led to the discomfort and disease. The healing waters are flowing from only one source.

This is where Isaiah 55 picks up by calling all to come to the waters of life and freely drink. These are those waters. In verse 8 we read of the LORD’s ways not being our ways. It is further defining the concept of our having to overcome what our human eyes see and what our ears heard from men’s teaching, and in overcoming the world we see and hear the ways of peace.
The total confusion is the scattering the LORD told would occur at His death at the hand of the earthly powers. John 16: 32 Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that you shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. 33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me you might have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Isaiah 55
1 Ho, every one that thirsts, come you to the waters, and he that has no money; come you, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
2 Wherefore do you spend money for that which is not bread? and your labor for that which satisfies not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat you that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.
3 Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.
4 Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.
5 Behold, you shall call a nation that you know not, and nations that knew not you shall run unto you because of the LORD your God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he has glorified you.
6 Seek you the LORD while he may be found, call you upon him while he is near:
7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says the LORD.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returns not thither, but waters the earth, and makes it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
11 So shall my word be that goes forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
12 For you shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.

Verse 3 above tells of this being the “sure mercies of David,” and it being part of the everlasting covenant. The terminology alludes to principles defined in Hebrews when it speaking of the LORD being a priest forever in the order of Melchisedec, without earthly origins. The name means king of righteousness, and the person being the king of Salem (peace – the same as shalam). It also alludes to the promise the LORD made to David that their will always be a king to sit on his throne, and David being mentioned is invoking the idea of all God’s people unified under a single righteous King (King of kings, and LORD of lords). These along with God’s promise to create man in His image and likeness are the everlasting covenant and the means of insuring it is achieved.

The “sure mercies of David” is quoted in Acts 13:34 in telling of the resurrection, and this passage in Acts also witnessing to the “everlasting sign that shall not be cut off,” written in Isaiah 55:13 above. If you read along you know we have seen the “scattering” being told of in many places elsewhere as falling away from God’s truth and it being likened to the tree cut off and only the seemingly dead root remaining. We see in verse 13 the everlasting covenant is mention as it also tells of the tree growing from where once only what choked off new growth had grown.

Acts 13
27 For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every Sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him.
28 And though they found no cause of death in him, yet desired they Pilate that he should be slain.
29 And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the [dead] tree, and laid him in a sepulcher [among the dead].
30 But God raised him from the dead:
31 And he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people.
32 And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers,
33 God has fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he has raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, You are my Son, this day have I begotten you.
34 And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David.
35 Wherefore he says also in another psalm, You shall not suffer your Holy One to see corruption.
36 For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:
37 But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption.
38 Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:
39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.
40 Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets;
41 Behold, you despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which you shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you.

Verse 33 tells of the resurrection from among the dead being a son begotten by proclamation, and uses a quote from Psalms 2. I tell you plainly I am the son begotten from among the dead, and it is my Father that has raised me by His power and proclamation. He has raised me to be His voice in the midst of a world in total confusion. That is the truth and I couldn’t care less what people think or say about it.

John 16
10 Believe you not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwells in me, he doeth the works.
11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.
12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
13 And whatsoever you shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 If you shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
15 If you love me, keep my commandments.
16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it sees him not, neither knows him: but you know him; for he dwells with you, and shall be in you.
18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
19 Yet a little while, and the world sees me no more; but you see me: because I live, you shall live also.
20 At that day you shall know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.
21 He that has my commandments, and keeps them, he it is that loves me: and he that loves me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

Psalms 2
1 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,
3 Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.
4 He that sits in the heavens shall laugh: the LORD shall have them in derision [ridicule and confusion].
5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex [overturn] them in his sore displeasure.
6 Yet have I set My king upon my holy hill of Zion.
7 I will declare the decree: the LORD has said unto me, You are my Son; this day have I begotten you.
8 Ask of me, and I shall give you the heathen for your inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession.
9 You shall break them with a rod of iron; you shall dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.
10 Be wise now therefore, O you kings: be instructed, you judges of the earth.
11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

Psalms 110
1 The LORD said unto my LORD, Sit you at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.
2 The LORD shall send the rod of your strength out of Zion: rule you in the midst of your enemies.
3 Your people shall be willing in the day of your power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: you have the dew of your youth.
4 The LORD has sworn, and will not repent, You are a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.
5 The LORD at your right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath.
6 He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill the places with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over many countries.
7 He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift up the head.

Psalms 132
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, an 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.
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 [qeren – rays of light] of David to bud [shoot forth]: I have ordained [prepared] a lamp for mine anointed.
18 His enemies will I clothe with shame: but upon himself shall his crown flourish.

Verse 6 of Psalms 132 tells of hearing “it” in “Ephratah.” The “it” is of the habitation of God being found with the LORD rising to the place of His rest, and the ark of His strength. We know the ark is what carried life forward in the waters. We also know the waters are God’s teaching and counsel, which we are told is “angel’s food” and the bread of heaven. We know it is by the word of God that man lives, and not by earthly seen bread or water. Ephratah is Beth-lehem, meaning the house of bread, and Ephratah, meaning fruitful. Ephratah is a derivative of Ephraim, meaning double fruit – or second fruit as in the tree bringing forth a second time. Ephraim is also used to tell of the offspring of Joseph, the one separated from His brothers, and as defining his children as the latter time generation of God’s people. (I and the children God has given me are for signs and wonders. Isaiah 8:18)

Here is what was heard in Bethlehem Ephratah, “out of you shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.”

Micah 5
1 Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops: he has laid siege against us: they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek.
2 But you, Bethlehem Ephratah, though you be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
3 Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travails has brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel.
4 And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth.
5 And this man shall be the peace, when the Assyrian [king and rulers with foreign ways] shall come into our land: and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men.
6 And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof: thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian, when he cometh into our land, and when he treads within our borders.
7 And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the LORD, as the showers upon the grass, that was not delayed for man, nor waits for the sons of men.
8 And the [REMNANT] remnant of Jacob [God’s people] shall be among the Gentiles [those foreign to God’s ways] in the midst of many people as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep: who, if he go through, both treads down, and tears in pieces, and none can deliver.
9 Your hand shall be lifted up upon your adversaries, and all your enemies shall be cut off.
10 And it shall come to pass in that day, says the LORD, that I will cut off your horses out of the midst of you, and I will destroy your chariots:
11 And I will cut off the cities of your land, and throw down all your strong holds:
12 And I will cut off witchcrafts [those using word to deceive and manipulate] out of your hand; and you shall have no more soothsayers [“experts” predicting the ways to also manipulate in their ways]:
13 Your graven images [shaping opinions by their own opinion] also will I cut off, and your standing images [principles based on self-serving opinions] out of the midst of you; and you shall no more worship the work of your hands.
14 And I will pluck up your groves out of the midst of you: so will I destroy your cities.
15 And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the heathen, such as they have not heard.

We ended yesterday’s post with a portion of John 12 telling of the Son of man being lifted, and then telling of hearing the voice of the Father validating the Son’s authority. Some there heard His voice as thunder, and others said it was an angel speaking. We then read it wasn’t for the Son’s sake the voice came but for those standing there. The passage continues on telling of those hearing the voice and seeing the light still not knowing He is the anointed one. This is immediately followed with citations from Isaiah explaining in more depth.

The first of these quotes is Isaiah 53:1 telling of this being the arm of the LORD revealed and asking, “Who has believed our report.” The meaning is the arm of the LORD is revealed to those who understand the report. Isaiah 53 then goes on to tell life springing forth and growing in a dry ground that is seemingly unable to sustain life. In the case of John 12 it is those hearing and seeing (understanding and perceiving) the works and the confirmation springing and growing in a hostile environment (without form, and void – of understanding).

The second citing is from Isaiah 6:9 & 10 and telling of why the people seeing were unable to understand, and hearing were unable to perceive. John 12:31 tells us, just after some did hear and understand, the reason why they were able. “Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.” The literal translation says, “Now is the decision point (krisis) of this world, and now are the rulers (archon) of this world ejected out (ekballo exo).” It is telling of those who’ve been in control, of what kept the people ignorant, being cast out of their seats of power and out of the house. This is followed by the emphatic statement telling of how this is accomplished, “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.” This is telling of when all men see him they will be drawn to him, and in doing will have overcome these rulers keeping them in the darkness.

Into yesterday’s posting of the John 12 passage was inserted a few verses from Jeremiah 4 telling of the condition of darkness wrought by these men, and then of the disorder of the earth just prior to light entering and the new creation occurring.

John 12
27 Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.
28 Father, glorify your name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.
29 The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spoke to him.
30 Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.
31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.
32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
33 This he said, signifying what death he should die.
34 The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abides for ever: and how say you, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man?
35 Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walks in darkness knows not whither he goes.
[Jeremiah 4:21 How long shall I see the standard, and hear the sound of the trumpet? 22 For My people is foolish, they have not known Me; they are foolish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge. 23 I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light.]
36 While you have light, believe in the light, that you may be the children of light. These things spoke Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.
37 But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him:
38 That the saying of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke, LORD, who has believed our report? and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
39 Therefore they could not believe, because that Isaiah said again,
40 He has blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.
41 These things said Isaiah, when he saw his glory, and spoke of him.
42 Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue:
43 For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

John 3 was also part of yesterday’s post in telling of the light being the light of men and what delivers them from darkness. In verse 19 the description also uses the word krisis, translated “condemnation,” to tell of self-destruction that comes from rejecting what is seen and heard once told it is the light.

John 3
9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Are you a master [teacher] of Israel, and know not these things?
11 Truly, truly, I say unto you, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and you receive not our witness.
12 If I have told you earthly things, and you believe not, how shall you believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?
13 And no man have ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he have not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20 For every one that doeth evil hates the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

Isaiah 6 begins with Isaiah seeing the LORD on His throne, and lifted up, and of His train filling the temple. It is telling of the only way to see the LORD is on His throne and lift up, and what follows seeing this is the revelation of the fullness of His entity.

The second verse then tells of seeing the Seraphims standing, and of seeing six wings, two covering his face (identity), two covering his feet (ways), and two they did fly (moved in the heavens).

The Hebrew word translated “Saraphims” is saraph, meaning a burning one. Saraph is the word translated as “fiery” and “fiery serpent” in Numbers 21:6 & 8. This is the story we discussed yesterday, the first use telling of the “fiery” serpents in the camp whose venom was causing death, and the second use the “fiery serpent” the LORD told Mosses to lift on the pole. Those seeing it were immune to the bite of the serpents of death.

We know this is the pattern the LORD tells us of in John 3 of the Son of man needing to be lifted up. In this we see the fullness of the context when Isaiah 6 goes on to tell of the same Saraph touching his lips and making His word clean. It is telling of his being prepared to give the word of the LORD to those he is sent to, delivering it in the pure form as it was delivered to him from the LORD. Now, read the chapter in this context. The name Uzziah, means the Strength of Yah (Jehovah). It is telling of this strength having died in the kings – those ruling over God’s people.

Isaiah 6
1 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the LORD sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
2 Above it stood the Seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.
3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.
4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.
5 Then said I, “Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.”
6 Then flew one of the Seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:
7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, “Lo, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away, and your sin purged.”
8 Also I HEARD the voice of the LORD, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then said I, “Here am I; send me.”
9 And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear you indeed, but understand not; and see you indeed, but perceive not.
10 Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.
11 Then said I, LORD, how long? And he answered, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate,
12 And the LORD has removed men far away, and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the land.
13 But yet in it shall be a tenth, and it shall return, and shall be eaten: as a teil tree, and as an oak, whose substance is in them, when they cast their leaves: so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof.

The chapter ends telling us of the total desolation and of humanity fallen far away in a great forsaking in the midst of the land. This is defining the result of not being any longer able to understand or perceive what is seen or heard.

It then says there will a tenth that will return, and the original texts actually saying this is as if they are trees cut down and burned. It says those returning are as the stumps and the life being in the stump (literally – and the seed holy is in its stump). (Read yesterday’s post and this will be seen in a much fuller context.)

The John 12 quote from Isaiah 53:1 is telling of the root in the dry ground, from which shoots new life. And as Isaiah 7 tells of the wings covering the feet and the face of the Saraph, here we are told of it as if we hid our face from him, rejecting him in not perceiving his identity. It tells of all being as if sheep gone astray, describing the same condition we are told of in the Isaiah 7 description of humanity having fallen far away from knowing the LORD.

Isaiah 53
1 Who has believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?
2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he has no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he has borne our grief, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opens not his mouth.
8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he has put him to grief: when you shall make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he has poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

Isaiah 54
1 Sing, O barren, you that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, you that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, says the LORD.
2 Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of your habitations: spare not, lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes;
3 For you shall break forth on the right hand and on the left; and your seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.
4 Fear not; for you shall not be ashamed: neither be you confounded; for you shall not be put to shame: for you shall forget the shame of your youth, and shall not remember the reproach of your widowhood any more.
5 For your Maker is your husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and your Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.
6 For the LORD has called you as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when you were refused, says your God.
7 For a small moment have I forsaken you; but with great mercies will I gather you.
8 In a little wrath I hid my face from you for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on you, saith the LORD your Redeemer.
9 For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with you, nor rebuke you.
10 For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from you, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, says the LORD that has mercy on you.
11 O you afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay your stones with fair colors, and lay your foundations with sapphires.
12 And I will make your windows of agates, and your gates of carbuncles, and all your borders of pleasant stones.
13 And all your children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of your children.
14 In righteousness shall you be established: you shall be far from oppression; for you shall not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near you.
15 Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against you shall fall for your sake.
16 Behold, I have created the smith that blows the coals in the fire, and that brings forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy.
17 No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, says the LORD.

Continuing on with understanding the methods that have brought humanity to its current state of confusion and hopelessness. In the previous post we again saw this as the directly connected result of being led with theory and opinions rather than by logic and fact. In previous posts we have seen this condition of confusion and emptiness defined from the identical Hebrew words translated as the earth becoming, “without form, and void,” telling the creation story in Genesis 1:2, and in Jeremiah 4 defining a world without knowledge and this disorder resulting.

Jeremiah 4 precedes its description with telling of those who are “as keepers of a field” being against the people of God, and of these people having rebelled against God into ignorance that has allowed the decline. “17 As keepers of a field, are they against her round about; because she has been rebellious against Me, says the LORD. 18 Your way and your doings have procured these things unto you; this is your wickedness, because it is bitter, because it reached unto your heart [became the shallow and unsure foundation of your reasoning mind].

What follows is breaking silence with what is as if the sound of the trumpet, the alarm signifying war, which is the LORD’s coming with His immutable knowledge combating the condition of ignorance and its result. “19 My bowels, my bowels! I am pained at my very heart; my heart makes a noise in me; I cannot hold my peace, because you have heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war. 20 Destruction upon destruction is cried; for the whole land is spoiled: suddenly are my tents spoiled, and my curtains in a moment. 21 How long shall I see the standard, and hear the sound of the trumpet? 22 For My people is foolish, they have not known Me; they are foolish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge. 23 I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light.”

This takes us again to Matthew 24, and the “sign,” of the Son of man coming, mentioned in verse 30. We see in the verse following this is the LORD gathering us to Himself by His angels, with the same sound of the trumpet. These verses tell of His coming with the “sign” in heaven, and then the angels gathering us from one end of heaven to the other.

The basic logic tells us those being gathered are on the earth, therefore the heaven being mentioned is the earth, with its condition now changed to make it as is heaven, wherein the LORD’s will is done. We know the angels are those who receive God’s message directly from Him and deliver it in unaltered form and in doing the LORD makes His will known.

The proper ordering needed for understanding is: the sign is seen in heaven, this being the LORD’s will made known, and what follows is our being taken from one extreme of heaven to the other as His will is done in the earth as it is in heaven. Those taken from one extreme of mental stupor and sleeping but still God’s, to the other extreme of fully understanding God’s will and doing it, are defined as the elect of God. The next verse then describes this as the sign of the branch shooting forth new life.

Matthew 24
28 For where-so-ever the carcass [seemingly dead stump] is, there will the eagles be gathered together.
29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun [church government] be darkened, and the moon [civil government] shall not give her light, and the stars [God’s people in their fixed position] shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and shoots forth leaves, you know that summer is nigh:
33 So likewise you, when you shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
34 Truly I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
36 But of that day and hour knows no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
37 But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

Yesterday we looked at this passage in this same context telling of life shooting forth from what is seen as dead. We also looked at Isaiah 11 and its coinciding perspective. The chapter begins with very clearly telling of the life that shoots forth as knowledge and understanding the LORD gives to those He chooses to put His spirit upon, in other words those He elects to rest His Spirit upon. This is telling of God choosing who is baptized/anointed with the Holy Spirit and with His Holy Fire (it isn’t by demand).

Isaiah 11:9 tells of this day being when, “the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.” The next verse tells of this life shooting forth from sleep and standing as an “ensign.” What follows is describing the “remnant” being gathered to the LORD as they are freed from the confusion of their oppression. It uses Israel and Judah to describe all God’s people being gathered to the root of Jessie, as they were to David. “12 And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.”

Isaiah 11
1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:
2 And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;
3 And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:
4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth: with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.
5 And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.
6 The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.
7 And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
8 And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp [serpent], and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den [viper’s den].
9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.
10 And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.
11 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.
12 And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.
13 The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim.
14 But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines toward the west; they shall spoil them of the east together: they shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab; and the children of Ammon shall obey them.
15 And the LORD shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go over dry-shod.
16 And there shall be an highway for the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria; like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt.

The Hebrew word nec translated “ensign” here twice in Isaiah 11:10 & 12 is the same word rendered “standard” in Jeremiah 4:6 & 21.

From Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary: Strong’s #5251: nec (pronounced nace) from 5264; a flag; also a sail; by implication, a flagstaff; generally a signal; figuratively, a token:–banner, pole, sail, (en-)sign, standard.

The word is used twenty times in a wide verity of translations. It is first used in Numbers 21:8 & 9 to tell of the “pole” upon which the serpent of brass was raised. If you will remember, it tells of serpents being among the people and the LORD responded by telling Moses to raise up a brass serpent on a pole, and when the serpents that had been causing death in the camp struck a man, if he looked to the serpent on the pole, the bite wouldn’t have any effect.

These are the same sign with the same effect. The Son of man must be lifted up! (See Isaiah 11:8 & 9 above)

It is also what the LORD speaks of as a must in John 3:14, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:” Prior to this statement the LORD has just told Nicodemus of the need to be born again (the need for new life to shoot forth from what now lay dormant in us).

John 3
9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Are you a master [teacher] of Israel, and know not these things?
11 Truly, truly, I say unto you, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and you receive not our witness.
12 If I have told you earthly things, and you believe not, how shall you believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?
13 And no man have ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he have not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20 For every one that doeth evil hates the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

This ensign that must be lifted is then in much further detail spoken of in Isaiah 13:2 where it is translated as “banner.” Here the chapter begins with Isaiah’s first mention of “Babylon” and this being the burden of it. The Hebrew word translated “burden” is massa’, meaning a prophecy of doom, and as we know Babylon means and is used to epitomize a reign of confusion. The confusion is of a language/discourse that has become without re-cognizable form, and void of any meaning (babble).

Here again we see the armies gather to battle from the ends of heaven, after they have looked to the “banner” and become unaffected by the confusion. “2 Lift you up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice unto them, shake the hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles.”

Isaiah 13
1 The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see.
2 Lift you up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice unto them, shake the hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles.
3 I have commanded my sanctified ones, I have also called my mighty ones for mine anger, even them that rejoice in my highness.
4 The noise of a multitude in the mountains, like as of a great people; a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together: the LORD of hosts musters the host of the battle.
5 They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, even the LORD, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land.
6 Howl you; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.
7 Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man’s heart shall melt:
8 And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travails: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames.
9 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.
10 For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.
11 And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogance of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.
12 I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.
13 Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.
14 And it shall be as the chased roe, and as a sheep that no man takes up: they shall every man turn to his own people, and flee every one into his own land.
15 Every one that is found shall be thrust through; and every one that is joined unto them shall fall by the sword.
16 Their children also shall be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses shall be spoiled, and their wives ravished.
17 Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, which shall not regard silver; and as for gold, they shall not delight in it.
18 Their bows also shall dash the young men to pieces; and they shall have no pity on the fruit of the womb; their eyes shall not spare children.
19 And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees’ excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.
20 It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there.
21 But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and owls shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there.
22 And the wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their desolate houses, and dragons in their pleasant palaces: and her time is near to come, and her days shall not be prolonged.

John 12
27 Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.
28 Father, glorify your name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.
29 The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spoke to him.
30 Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.
31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.
32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
33 This he said, signifying what death he should die.
34 The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abides for ever: and how say you, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man?
35 Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walks in darkness knows not whither he goes.
[Jeremiah 4:21 How long shall I see the standard, and hear the sound of the trumpet? 22 For My people is foolish, they have not known Me; they are foolish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge. 23 I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light.]
36 While you have light, believe in the light, that you may be the children of light. These things spoke Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.
37 But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him:
38 That the saying of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke, LORD, who has believed our report? and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
39 Therefore they could not believe, because that Isaiah said again,
40 He has blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.
41 These things said Isaiah, when he saw his glory, and spoke of him.
42 Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue:
43 For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.