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And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month Zif, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of theLord(6:1).
Compare the above with the opening verses of the Book of Ezekiel, "Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God./In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin's captivity,(Ez.1:1-2)"
In the first the eternal will of God concerning the body that 'Thou has prepared for me' is held fast into the bezel of Time where specific details with regards to months and years are to highlight the work of the holy city of God being prepared from heaven(Re.21:3). On the other hand in the second instance the vision of four living creatures are to hold out consolation to the nation in exile.
In whichever case what we need to keep in mind is that the world of the flesh gives us readings that must be seen as one part of puzzle, which can only be understood by setting both halves side by side. The Bible is God document and as such we ought to take warning when we are assailed by puzzling feature of our present circumstance.
Before Jesus would be born the three Magi accustomed to read the face of heaven could not have remained untouched by the wondrous star. His birth was a sign and a warning.
"Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,/Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him(Matt.2:1-2)".
Herod's fright is not our fright. Light has been shown unto us from above.
One more thing: Truth and Perfect Love, God, truly cannot be explained; They, It, can ONLY be experienced. Oh yes, we can try, but only in vain attempts. A universal theology is impossible, but a universal experience is not only possible, but necessary!
Now, enough said.
I'm grateful for you!
Peace eternal
"So Solomon built the house, and finished it." David his father had given basic plan which he followed.
"Then David gave to Solomon his son the pattern of the porch, and of the houses thereof, and of the treasuries thereof, and of the upper chambers thereof, and of the inner parlours thereof, and of the place of the mercy seat,/12And the pattern of all that he had by the spirit, of the courts of the house of theLord, and of all the chambers round about, of the treasuries of the house of God, and of the treasuries of the dedicated things ( 1 Ch. 28:11-12)". David in turn received counsel from above which is what v.12 conveys,' And the pattern of all that he had by the spirit which by themselves would not add up. This was dedicated to the Lord.
The temple was laid out on the mount, where earlier Abraham was about to sacrifice his son and where Jesus was crucified. "Now Solomon began to build the house of the LORD at Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where [the LORD] had appeared to his father David, at the place that David had prepared..."(2 Ch.3:1-NKJV). The Spirit is telling us by Min Max mode how the Salvation Plan simultaneously works with the earth.
No matter whether it is of Moses or King Solomon it was a cube.:The Holy of Holies was located in the westernmost end of the Temple building, being a perfect cube:20 cubits by 20 cubits by 20 cubits. 60 cubits long, 20 cubits wide and 30 cubits high" ( 1 Kings 6:2). When we consider the New Jerusalem in eternity we read the same. "The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal./And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel(Re.21:16-17). Measure of man is incomplete unless it is dedicated to God where each part refers to the living sacrifice of man redeemed from the earth. Thus tabernacles of the earth foreshadow that of the Holy City of God which St John saw coming down from heaven.
God shall destroy the Egyptians who had for long oppressed to which the Spirit refers,"And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt." Now what shall happen in future do not change for oppressors of men. All oppression against man created in the image of God is against God who is just. So the one who helps the oppressor deal unjustly with immunity is Satan. St James speaks 'your gold and silver is cankered.' In our times it is called cryptocurrency. Has it spared the handlers escape scot-free. FTX or any name you call it it shall not leave the user from its consequences.
"Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
2Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.
3Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days."
"And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month Zif, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of theLord./And the house which king Solomon built for theLord,"
In the above passage we have a building historically is no longer extant. In the manner the Spirit places the matter it is clear that it is not as much as about the physical shape and substance of the building as about point of reference and to what it is leading. "This is what the LORD says: "Thus saith the Lord, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? (Is.66:1)". God is a Spirit. "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?(1 Co.3:16)" If God could discard his tabernacle set up in Shiloah he would do the same to the temple of Solomon. "So that he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tentwhichhe placed among men(Ps.78:60;Josh.18:1) God abandons where sin is let and man who has known His goodness does nothing about it. Prophet Jeremiah asked in his time, 'Go now to the place in Shiloh where I first made a dwelling for my Name, and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of my people Israel(Je.7:12).' Before his passion the disciples of Jesus drew attention to the temple of Herod and got this response from him,"And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down (Matt.24:2)". It is to this St. Paul, "If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are (1 Co.3:17)". A temple is not so much as man who is represented as one because God is enthroned of which House we are all members.
God shall destroy the Egyptians who had for long oppressed to which
Coming back to the Egyptians they were like the Corporate Czars in our times. Their free enterprise allowed them to write rules as the market trends showed so price gouging is a matter for the best legal minds to make it stick. Egyptians would not escape so lightly. "And the LORD had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they granted themwhat they requested.Thus they plundered the Egyptians.(Ex.12:36-NKJV)"Building the tabernacle in the wilderness. Egypt had to pay back wages. Min Max mode. The Son paid with his body against the slaughter of the first born.
"And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues (1 Co.12:28-NKJV). Each ministry is to be done according to the grace given and we are to do it as unto the Lord. "Whatever you do unto these little ones you do unto me."And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me(Matt.25:40)".
v.6 "And unto thee will I give hire for thy servants according to all that thou shalt appoint."
God is the builder. "For every house is builded by someman; but he that built all thingsisGod (He.3:4)." Heaven is my throne and the earth is my footstool, so whatever we build has to come within that House which we may not see with our eyes but it is there. Keeping this in our mind let us consider King Solomon about to embark on a project he requires help. "Now theLordmy God hath given me rest on every side(v.4)'.
He also gave him wisdom to conceive it and also acquire provisions for building it."And theLordgave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him: and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon; and they two made a league together." and in v.10 we read thus,"So Hiram gave Solomon cedar trees and fir trees according to all his desire(v.10,12)".
Solomon agrees to pay Hiram fair wages. Neither his father David would buy the threshing floor for free which we have already covered. Neither Hiram nor Solomon are free agents but their transactions are ever before the Lord. It is for this reason we read that when the Egyptians cracked their whips on the Israelites God had seen it all. We read of their bondage, "So God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob./And Godlooked upon the children of Israel, and Godacknowledgedthem.(Ex.2:24-25-NKJV)"
David sinned against God and as a result a plague devastates the land. The burden is on David to plead his case before the Lord. "And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto theLordmy God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshing-floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver./And David built there an altar unto theLord, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So theLordwas intreated for the land(2 Sa.24:24-25)."
Glorious rest of the Anointed One tells us that his ministry of reconciliation is over. It shall bring the Gentiles over. King Solomon bring Pharaoh's daughter to live in Jerusalem (the city of David) has a parallel where the bride of Christ on the holy mountain shall form the nucleus of the church. The Bride of the Lamb, New Jerusalem descending from heaven (Re.21:3) are the saints redeemed from the earth."
On this basis 'And Solomon made affinity with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh's daughter, and brought her into the city of David' makes sense.
King Solomon's own house, palace is yet another. These three parts, own house, temple and the walls round about are to be taken as one. Body, Spirit and Soul are set in the direct context of salvation. "In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation willGodappointforwalls and bulwarks(Is.26:1). Walls around Jerusalem has its spiritual significance to which we referred in the previous post. When the Lord is exalted glory of God makes the glory of the sun redundant. Zion is the soul of the holy city of God. In that day refers to it. The walls have foundations glory of which is derived from the soul. 'And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones (Re.21:19) " And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear of the Lord is his treasure.(Is.33:6-)".
It is the ensign that the Gentiles seek on that holy mountain. Government is upon the shoulders of the Messiah-King, and glory shall be his rest. No more burnt offerings or sacrifices other than bodies as living sacrifices. Why no animal sacrifices? "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;(Is.11:6-10)"
The Spirit introduces the kings of Israel called to be double for the Messiah King which in turn is a stand-in for the word of God the rider on the white horse in the Book of the Revelation."And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war (Re.19:11)". He is the King of kings. "And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written,King Of Kings, And Lord Of Lords(19:18)".
The many kings that are recorded are consequently called to be stand-in for the Word of God that appears from heaven, to which we only need refer the cavalcade that the breaking of seven seals by the slain Lamb brings on. The rider on the white horse sets out to conquer and conquering which by law of Gradation lead us to the King of kings mentioned above. King Solomon as Prince of peace is a double for the Messiah King. It also has a frame of reference to the Millennial reign of Jesus Christ.
The Book of Kings introduces the reign of King Solomon with this verse that is to be understood at different level. "And Solomon made affinity with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh's daughter, and brought her into the city of David, until he had made an end of building his own house, and the house of theLord, and the wall of Jerusalem round about(3:1)".
The Millennial Reign shall be noteworthy for the following reasons. Peace shall reign and it is a rest that is glorious. "They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of theLord, as the waters cover the sea./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(Is.11:9-10)".
King Solomon was called to be the double for the Son. So he has his own house,"Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrificesshall beaccepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people(Is.56:7)".Secondly the house of the Lord of which we have reference in this passage,
"And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it./And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof(Re.21:14-23)". It is obvious that this is in mid-air otherwise 'the wall of Jerusalem' would need not be indicated in particular with all the profusion of stones adorning the foundation and the walls(21:19-21).
His failure is mentioned in this verse, "And Solomon made affinity with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh's daughter, and brought her into the city of David (3:1a)"
This three fold division was crucial for the Spirit to lay out our calling and we have to draw the much needed lesson of Solomon falling short in making his election sure. Moses had warned them of ever going back to Egypt."But he shall not multiply horses for himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt to multiply horses, for the LORD has said to you, 'You shall not return that way again.(De.17:16)'
"And he (King Solomon) had peace on all sides round about him (v.24)".
The Spirit presents King Solomon as a double for the Son. The above verse denotes one aspect which is associated with Jesus Christ. He was the prince of peace.. "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace(Is.9:6). Much of this Messianic prophecy could be applied to King Solomon as well. Solomon was the heir of promise, beloved of God, and we have this verse, 'And (David) he called his name Jedidiah, because of theLord(2 Sa.12:25)'. Jesus was beloved of God and while he lived the voice from heaven testified 'This is my beloved Son.'
God placed the government as we are following his reign and his wisdom as given from heaven was wonderful.
To sum Prophet Isaiah looks ahead into the Salvation Plan of God and gives us three offices to which God called King Solomon.
Jesus Christ as the Son of man was the Servant-King. Secondly the Millennial reign of the Messiah King. Thirdly as the Judge during which he shall judge all nations. "And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd dividethhissheep from the goats (Matt.25:32)". Thus three is a command number generally applied to the Son whose death for three days and nights is the seal which runs like a lietmotiv holding the entire narrative together.
It is for this reason the Spirit prefaced the reign of Solomon with three parts. Before bringing his bride he had three vital tasks. It is conveyed in this passage,"until he had made an end of building his own house, and the house of theLord, and the wall of Jerusalem round about.(3:1)." With regard to the bride, was she the bride of Christ?
Prayer of Solomon pleased the Lord God who gave him an understanding heart. This is the case with every one foreknown and called. Did King Solomon make his election sure? Compare v.34 with the verse in the Book of the Revelation."And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it(Re.21:24).
The Spirit is not focussing on the calling of King Solomon not merely to hold his life as a cautionary tale for us but to instruct what it means to have an understanding heart. Like the talents in the Parable of Jesus, the wicked one is one who dug a hole in the ground to bury it. In our times we have seen these wicked ones like the harlot who traded her spiritual gifts for amassing riches. Come judgment day, she shall know what she has done with her soul. Be not deceived God is sitting even this day as a refiner(Mal.3:3) The silver which is reprobate is for the slag heap.
Tailpiece:
By the way do we have any clue as to the Millennial reign to which 'in that day' refers? In Re.7 we read events taking place in heaven before this v.9 "After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands(Re.7:9)."
"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(Is.11:10)." Wisdom of God is here set up as an ensign; and it was in Solomon and also points out,'in that day, which in the parlance of the Spirit refers to the day of the Lord. The ensign stands for something else. The people refers to the church redeemed from the earth are signs and wonders. It refers to King Solomon which is specific but foreshadows the Millennial reign of the Messiah. As a clue we shall consider this clause, 'to it (the ensign) shall the Gentiles seek.' Who are the Gentiles in the case of King Solomon? Here is a verse from the next chapter, "And Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants unto Solomon; for he had heard that they had anointed him king in the room of his father: for Hiram was ever a lover of David(5:1)".
Verse 25 given below is a foretaste of the Millennial reign: "And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon(v.25)".
"And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore./And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt(vv. 29-30)".
And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom(v.34).
'And there came of all people' including Queen Sheba (10:1) to with our Savior Lord alluded,"The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here(Matt.12:42)". Wisdom of Solomon that we are considering is of man called to be double for the Son.
And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore(v.29)".
Before we go on to a new topic let us refresh ourselves from the Parable of One House.
"And the king said, Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other./
Then spake the woman whose the living child was unto the king, for her bowels yearned upon her son, and she said, O my lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it.
But the other said, Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it(3:24-26).
The second harlot the false spoke too soon. It is how the body craves for instant gratification.
The two harlots represent two warring aspects of man. Body craves instant gratification while the Spirit would seek the unseen and be led by God so wisdom of God is what it hopes to feed upon. Their battleground is the heart. One wants the body to be fed and it is the second harlot representing her appetites of the flesh would demand 'Let it be neither mine nor thine but divide it'. Look at the present world. This explains the 'patriots who want a civil war' so 'anarchy of freedom' makes a din and great rubble. Their gtterdmmerung is a page out of the Third Reich. It shows their wisdom is devilish and of the carnal. What of the first harlot whose bowels yearned upon her son ? She showed the right responses for those might benefit from the wisdom of God."The spirit of a manisthe lamp of the LORD, Searching all the inner depths of his heart(Pr.20:27-NKJV)".
King Solomon is presented to us as a double for Jesus Christ the Messiah-King whose wisdom was of the Word and it made the people see the excellence of his judgment. It is leading us to the day of the Lord when He sits down on the throne he shall separate the wheat from chaff. "A wise king sifts out the wicked, And brings the threshing wheel over them.(Pr.20:26)"
'I and this woman dwell in one house'-v.17
Two harlots live in one house which is annotated by St Paul as two laws warring within one's members."Even harlots practice their trade by law. So St Paul speaks of a law that would ply her trade after her 'inner man' and it is the child that becomes the point of controversy. The Body would have but the law of sin 'in my members' striving against the law of my mind,' drags her love for the world through dirty. grubbing for money even in sewers is on the principle 'business is business'. Spirit dominates the other harlot which is in prostituting talents to curry favor from the world so Christian activism becomes devil's business.
" I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me./2 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man,/ But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members(Ro.7:21-23)".
In v.18 the third day after I was delivered' coincides with the warring member, which is no matter since Jesus Christ was manifested to destroy the works of the devil. He also removed the middle wall of partition so what shall we say with regards to the heart? God fashioned all hearts alike.
One harlot giving up his rights to another presages being justified by God. Judgment of Solomon is as though God judged the case. He is presented as the stand in for the Son.
Soul, in a figurative sense is the inner man, the child in question. The body that would delight to do good but hindered by 'evil present with me' gives up with a contrite right so inner man do stand a chance under the law of the Spirit.
"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit./ For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death(Ro.8:1-2)".
"And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat."(v.18)
The cherubim on the top of the mercy seat are described as facing each other and the mercy seat itself. Their wings were outstretched and overshadow the mercy seat. We come across them as sort of way markers, with flaming sword, rather forbidding figures barring the way to the tree of life."Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life."(Ge.3:24). Whereas with Mercy seat their outstretched wings exude the characteristics that is in harmony with the memorials in heaven. They signify prayer and service. Be that as it may their position inthe primary sense does not change.
The cherubim thus placed facing each other link the invisible God and the ark representing the Man component. In short it commemorates the Fellowship of God with Man. There are guardians of the holiness of God.The solid gold cover on which they are positioned is the throne of grace.Here we see a fractal design indicating the Fellowship between two worlds framed by the word of God. This way doubles for the upright stem of a palm tree or a noble cedar tree.
"This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." Ac.1:11 The straight line connecting the two worlds is invisible . This resonates with the way God led the Israelites in the wilderness. "And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters."(Ex.15:27). The symbolism of trees on either side of the living waters in Ezekiel's vision mentioned earlier are repeated in the final chapter of the God document (Re.22:1-3) God made manifest. Thus the river of time beginning from waters above the firmament takes the divine Salvation Plan all through. Mercy seat with cherubim is of solid gold and mercy of God
To GiGi,
Thank you for being a friend. I feel as though you were someone I could pour my heart out to, and I was right. I'm saying this not because you are more special in the Eyes of Christ, but sometimes we meet others we may feel more comfortable with. You will not leave my loving thoughts, along with everyone. Keep using your gift of prayer and extending your God given compassion for others.
I wrote something around 15 years ago that flowed so naturally into mind. It's in lyrical form. I titled it "Love's Eyes (The vision of Christ")
Love knows no opposite
Fear engenders hate
Love cannot perceive it
It's not what Love creates
No, love will never cease
To return again, my friend
Love has no beginning
Love doesn't have an end
Love's Eye's just can't forgive
When ALL they see is Holiness
Thus love needs not forgiveness
Since It's perfect-nothing less
Love's Eyes see crystal clear
Wearing no disguise
Love is why we're here
Peace is shining through Love' Eyes
Love knows no opposite
Nor diversity
Love sees just one color
Painting you as me
No, live will never sleep
To slumber in dark dreams
Love extends It's Presence
Vision is the means
Listen, Love embraces everyone
Will not one soul omit
Exclusion, just an ego illusion
Sweet Love, Oh what we've made of It
Love's Eyes just can't forgive
When All they see is Holiness
Thus love needs not forgiveness
Since It's perfect-nothing less
Love's Eyes see crystal clear
Asks no sacrifice
Her Eyes blind to fear
Peace is shining through Love's Eyes
Love is why we're here
Peace is shining through Love's Eyes
To all:
I believe that over the past 2 years using this site, I've said things I probably should not have. My apologies. Yet I believe I have also said sufficiently what is enough. I see no purpose to say any more.
God Is
Peace to all.
Very recently the unpleasant ones have vanished. My dreams have been filled with people that I know and some I don't. Yet the common factor in them is now everyone is my friend and we are at perfect peace with each other; no traces of fear or chaos. Now, I've never been one to analyze dreams in respect to what the future may be or some secret message, but what I do realize is that they mirror one's current state of mind. To me it is evidence that a positive change is taking hold. I say this, not out of arrogance or grandiosity, but while giving thanks to Jesus for guiding me on how this can be accomplished. Please understand, this is a miracle for me. In this sense Jesus is my Savior, for without His Help I would be afraid to go to sleep for fear of nightmares; what a release. Without Him the distance between God and me would be too great to encompass! He will continue to do so, if I continue to let Him.
This morning when my feet hit the floor, a thought, an image appeared in my mind. It was a cross on a very distant hill, and as the image appeared closer, I could see Jesus there; still hanging in pain after 2000 years. I was taught most my life it was me who nailed him there, and I believed it. This morning, in my mind I climbed that cross and stared face to face with blood dripping down His face and pulled out the nails and took Him down.
No doubt, it is historically true He was crucified, and the ultimate nightmare is I believed in my mind I was responsible and if I didn't believe I would be eternally punished. No matter how much I tried to murder Him and keep Him on the cross and live in utter darkness filled with guilt, He overcame death through His resurrection thus showing me there is no death, because God is Life. And if I continue to believe death and hell can EVEN BE reality, then He did die in vain. I no longer need to cling to the old rugged cross, but His resurrection.
see pg 4
And because He is not, I believe whatever is true and eternal and perfect cannot change or be changed by anything, specifically our own mind. The Bible says that God is Spirit, therefore spirit and EVERYTHING He creates is unalterable. This leaves no other choice that what He did not create, i.e. that what changes from perfect to imperfect can only be in our own mind apart from His. What God creates has no ALTERNATive; the truth arises from what He KNOWS.
In regards to time, e.g. days, weeks, months, years, and so on, God did not create it. Who would create time (days), or have need of it when He is eternal? Only because we made time up in our own mind, must the Holy Spirit now reinterpret time back into the reality of our ETERNAL existence created by an Eternal Creator. He also gives us all the time we need to reach the awareness that the truth IS, we still and will eternally be as God created us. There is NO power that can change what God created. He ALONE is Omnipotent! Therefore the Kingdom is perfectly united and perfectly protected, and the ego ("devil), NO THING can prevail against it! Amen. So be thankful your days are numbered like everyone else's, and rejoice in the fact your reality is eternity.
Whether you believe what I'm saying is true or not, I'm ok, as I feel no need to push my beliefs on you. Whether you choose to even consider it, or anything ELSE for that matter, should and cannot be utilized through fear with demands, commands and threats with consequences of deserved punishment and death; this is not free will and Perfect Love cannot operate in this manner. Fear is always the great controller, and terrorists know this. I hope this at least clarifies what I meant. Peace.
To all: Like all of us, we've experienced unpleasant dreams while asleep. My past has been filled with them, including some horrific nightmares that would literally cause sleep paralysis. I thank God, the nightmares subsided a couple years ago.
see pg. 3
pg. 1
Firstly: Jesse, I typed a rather lengthy comment to you yesterday around 4 a.m in reply to your question. It seems my computer had "fallen asleep", whatever that means. Needless to say, I presume it disappeared into cyberspace. Not meant to be.
So, to keep it short and simple: Yes, it is obvious; a no-brainer. Truth is, I have no sense of urgency or remaining desire to defend it, as it needs none. One thing I'm quite sure of though, is that it will be impossible, although one may believe it IS, to make a wise evaluation unless it is thoroughly read and given appropriate consideration; similar to the Bible or any writing regarding God. It is not impossible, but I would venture to say that you will not take a year or so of time to do so. Therefore, one might consider withholding making statements regarding heresy out of ignorance. I use the term ignorance in its most gentle form, not to offend in any manner; we should not want to prematurely afford final judgement without ALL information. I stand neutral in regards to what I prefer what YOU do, because it is up to the Holy Spirit, and YOU out of your own free will. I hope this sounds reasonable.
Peace to us.
To Dr. CharlesSaw: In retrospect, I feel some of my words towards you bordered harshness. You have not harmed me in any way, so surely there is NO need for forgiveness from me to you, yet I do need to forgive myself for my "sins" that I THOUGHT I saw in you, i.e. projected onto you. My apologies. Peace be with you always.
To Stewart: I apologize for the harm I caused you and possibly others on this site. In the hopes of not causing more, I'll attempt to clarify what I meant regarding "be thankful your days are numbered". I understand your confusion on this, as at one time it confused me for awhile; not because it was complicated, but instead, it was an idea foreign to my mind.
God is Eternal and therefore not bound or limited to time, as we APPEAR to be.
see pg. 2
And he arose, and went into the house; and he poured the oil on his head, and said unto him, Thus saith theLordGod of Israel, I have anointed thee king over the people of theLord, even over Israel.(2 Ki.9:6)
In vv.24-29 we are given a new king of Judah. Ahaziah reigned in his father's stead. He went with the king of Israel to war against Hazael the king of Syria whom Elisha had anointed as the king (in the place of Elijah.) While things are going from bad to worse for Ahaziah and Joram, we have Elisha entrusting the third task God had given Elijah to his associate. His is only called the young man, the prophet. He is to run over to Jehu who is at Ramothgilead and anoint him as the new king of Israel. We see the same chain in command as Jesus ordained in his time. His disciples are sent to preach and 'he who receives you receives me.'. So God's gospel is same as Gospel of Christ and we are all associates of Christ regardless of time in the same vineyard fellow-laborers. Our hire is already fixed as we have in the Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard. That day must end of an age and we shall collect ours when we are called up. ( Luke 10:16; Matt.10:40.)
God gives a task which is to be performed and it is exactly in God's time. In the eyes of God the time is 'now''. Elijah is merely a name as Elisha and he is on the same level as the anonymous prophet. The Spirit gives us an insight as to the manner he works with rise and fall of nations. We are seeing the kings in Israel and Judah are becoming nonentities a few kings better than others, that is all. In the Salvation plan of God, the prophets are shaping the spiritual landscape of Israel and we are seeing the rise of world empires. Syria, Assyria and Babylon are all becoming stronger so Israel does not know when disaster is going to strike them.
"And Samson called unto theLord, and said, O Lord God, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes".(v.29)
Samson's sin found him out. Having slept through the time Delilah had shorn his locks when she woke him up with the cry,"And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that theLordwas departed from him." This was as tragic as it was a severe blot on otherwise extraordinary servant of God.
Faith hitched to a bad apple shall only taste bad. Some of the false ministers who goad their silly congregation put their faith work do not tell that their plough is set on other mans riches. God who gives every good gift knows His lambs. He leads to good pastures. He shall give them all that are needful for life and godliness. He shall put no stumbling blocks on their way. Whereas look at examples of preachers in our times. Do their faith and works match? All those headlines of their fall, were these waiting to happen?
Delilah would tempt the mighty Samson with all her wiles but would not know the secret of his strength. Before that fatal hour when he committed a folly from which he would never recover we are given a clue to it.
"For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:(He.11:33)" His faith connects with other heroes of faith that does not whit lessen his error of judgement. He let down God as he did himself. God had foreknown him before he was born and the cords with which he was tied to the Lord was one and the same that his Son made manifest in ample measure. Samson tore the young lion that leaped at him without doubt and his faith was under the authority of the Spirit. By same unflinching faith the jawbone of an ass in his hand is a formidable weapon of slaughter. The works was his faith and the Spirit puts his seal of approval. There were however areas where he did not foresee danger to his spiritual life. He had an uncanny ability to consort with the wrong crowd and women were of ill-repute. His experience with his Philistine wife from Timnath did not improve his relations with Delilah. The least could be said in fairness to the unfaithful woman is they are consistent. "There was no one like Ahab who had chosen so often to do what the LORD said was wrong, because his wife Jezebel influenced him to do evil (1 Ki.21:25-NCV). Jezebel was first sold to Satan and wean souls away from God. Deliah was of the same mold. It is in the men of faith we see often fluctuations and time and occasion do make some of them dupes. That tells.
When we find among us are many who started well but falling victims to heresies and immoderate affections. Covetousness is idolatry. The Church in Thyatira was a case in point,"Because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication,"(Re.2:20)
Branches of trees are associated with the feast of the Lord. During the eight days of the feast, the Israelites would dwell in booths or tabernacles that were made from the branches of trees ( Leviticus 23:40-42). Secondary meaning we shall examine. This triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem was also celebration of the circuit of the word of God which in the person of Jesus of Nazareth was moving forward. Isaiah had foretold,"So shall my word be that goeth 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." We already examined the Spirit's annotation on this, " His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof."(Ps.19:5-6) He is indicated as the bridegroom. It is thus we examine the itinerary of the Son on his father's errand and he is passing through. He knew well what awaited him there.
It was at the festival of the tabernacles he announced, "He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water./(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)" John 7:37-38
In the vision of Ezekiel we have the river of time, "Now when I had returned, behold, at the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other."(Ez.47:7-12)
In Ez.41 the vision concerns the temple the motif of palm tree connects. "And it was made with cherubims and palm trees, so that a palm tree was between a cherub and a cherub; and every cherub had two faces;"(41:18) The living waters issued from the Sanctuary from creation account to Re.22:1-3 also gives us the circuit of the word that God sent forth. Thus it is triumph of the word of God as much as of Jesus Christ.
"As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples",
Triumphal entry of Jesus is triumph of the word sent forth('out of my mouth') as Isaiah foretold,"but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it."(Is.55:11).
Jesus in sending his disciples two by two at the beginning of his ministry as at the end he did as the word become flesh. Gospel of God he delivered by principle of Association and in his words,"He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me."(Matt.10:40) He who received the disciples to all intent and purpose received him who sent them. Then as now. The word sent forth by God thus connected Isaiah who spoke accordingly and it connects Prophet Zachariah who spoke of his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass." Ze. 9:9 Whatever spoken according to the scriptures shall be fulfilled and it what the above mentioned quote from Isaiah signifes. So the ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass' are there when he require them. Faith of Jesus is demonstrated here. His disciples did as they were told so by principle of Association they wer associates which is established by the eternal word forever settled in heaven. "All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying,"(21:4-6)
" And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way." What was the significance of the palm branches?
Paul Apostle left very clear saying to the Church of Corinthians, as follow:
4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of GOD.
6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:
7 But we speak the wisdom of GOD in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which GOD ordained before the world unto our glory:
8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which GOD hath prepared for them that love him.
10 But GOD hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of GOD.
11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of GOD knoweth no man, but the Spirit of GOD.
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of GOD; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of GOD.
13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Spirit teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
Matthew 11:27
... no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal Him.
So how we fit in the body of Christ is His task. He proved his faith when he died for us, Will not God then give us al things pertaining to our lives and godliness?
v.17 "That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies." This verse is recalled in the Epistle to the Hebrews, "Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable./These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth."(He.11:12-13)
God's promise to Abraham was renewed at Jehovah-Jireh so in our workaday world we are interacting with the world without as though we are in Beersheba. It is a world of contentions and our piece of mind is tested against the irritations and vexations it brings. Abraham had his own share. 21:25-34
"And thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies," recalls the curse,"And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel."(Ge.3:17) God's promise to Abraham still stands. (v.17) "Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate."(Ps.127:5) Psalm is referring about hell as Jesus refers to the church. "And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."(Matt.18:16) Christ is the only foundation. The same rock in the above mentioned Psalm is compared to 'his quiver'.
"And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of theLordit shall be seen."(v.14)
"To this day" an expression the Spirit uses in order to fix the events in context of the Son.There are too many examples to put in one comment, and one instance we have here:"even unto the great stone of Abel, whereon they set down the ark of theLord: which stone remaineth unto this day in the field of Joshua, the Bethshemite."(1 Sa.6:18) We have been foreknown and blessed so the emblem, the atonement and the glory that waits, come under the holdall of eternity. The Lamb slain refers to the context of the time of calling, which is irrevocable. So the phrase' before the foundation of the world' is embedded in the now; All his promises are yea in the Son. The throne of God and of the Lamb is ahead of us. It is how we translate the Word become flesh in our present frame of reference.
As St Paul explains,"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:/According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love."(Ep.1:3-4). The condition 'that we should be holy and without blame is not what we can manufacture by our own will or merits. It is the grace which came by Jesus Christ. So we walk by faith, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."(Gal.2:20)
"Unto this day" therefore has a specific weight in terms of Abraham and also for us. It is the Spirit's way to indicate where our wherewithal comes from. We are 'dead' in a manner of speaking so our body as was Abraham ("and him as good as dead,"He.11:12) is for the eternal word to fashion it whichever way our Lord would have it.
"On his father's errand"
The logos aspect of Jesus Christ was there in bodily form as Joseph was in Dothan. 'Joseph went after his brethren and found them in Dostan.' By setting parallel account of Joseph and Jesus we are given a ringside view of the effect of Law of Moses on the nation. As soon as his brethren set eyes afar off what was their reaction. "Come now therefore, and let us slay him.". They hated his dreams as much as they hated his person. Jesus well knew his presence had left them with no cloak to hide. "I know that you are Abraham's descendants, but you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you."( John 8:37-NKJV) "If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin."( John 15:22)
In addition to this parallel narrative the Spirit serves another symbol as dreams of Joseph convey the role of the world of the Spirit. We carry while abiding in Christ the body of Christ as was prepared before the worlds began. This is faith in quintessence. By abiding as branches our works are what our lives show. Envy, rancor and divisions as we see that the activism of modern churches causes are not from God. Nation of Israel had no cloak to hide when Jesus came among them. Their conspiracy finds parallel to what faced Joseph in Dostan.
What is the significance of Dostan? It was where God heard the prayer of Elisha. "Open his eyes,Lord, so that he may see." Then theLordopened the servant's eyes, "(2 Ki.6:17).
Joseph was there at the mercy of his brethren. The Spirit uses the name to evoke that there was no way they could escape their heinous crime from retribution. Joseph's story is a commentary as the fate of Israel after they had rejected Jesus and killed him on trumped up charges. The word of God 'shall prosper in thing whereto I sent it.'
On his father's errand"
"And his brethren went to feed their father's flock in Shechem./And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy brethren feed the flock in Shechem? come, and I will send thee unto them. And he said to him, Here am I./And he said to him, Go, I pray thee, see whether it be well with thy brethren, and well with the flocks; and bring me word again. So he sent him out of the vale of Hebron, and he came to Shechem."(vv.12-14)
The Spirit in order to inform us the role of the patriarchs and the nation of Israel specifically in relation to Jesus Christ recreates a snapshot from the life of Joseph. He is the heir of promise and as such wherever they are set down in the narrative they also in the narrative has a double function: one of which is as the double for the Son. His brethren proved to be incapable for receiving the word of His grace.
When John writes, "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,"( John 3:16) it is about as much as the word of God and as of the world.
Good soil is distinct from the bad. So the word of God defines children of light and of darkness.
Israel sends Joseph to seek out where his brethren are, see whether it be well with thy brethren, and well with the flocks and bring me word again. There are four elements. God is concerned for the world which cover both his brethren and his flock. The relation between the Father and the Son has to do with the Son of man as well. This is what Isaiah annotated in this verse."So shall my word be that goeth 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."(Is.55:11) God sends his Son in due time.