Bringing Tongues Of Fire From The Sparks Of Faith
LESSON 9
MINOR PROPHETS
HOSEA – MALACHI
By Rev. G. Evan Newmyer
INTRODUCTION TO LESSON 9
The twelve Minor Prophets are not twelve men who work in a mine (miners), rather they are those who had short timed ministries; however, their importance is great. They will dot the i’s and cross the t’s bringing us the Wisdom to understand what the Major Prophets
The Minor Prophets are the welcome mat to the Gospel, they end one area, as another begins. The Gospel delivered God’s Mercy directly to the person, but Grace became the Gift granted on Pentecost to bring us the Spirit, thus the Gospel is the welcome mat to Grace. Without the Gospel we lack the preparation to receive Grace, without the Minor Prophets we lack the preparation to receive the Gospel. Puny faith is faith limited to the natural realm, but it is still enough to accomplish many things. Great faith recognizes the concept of Authority as it reaches beyond the natural to touch heaven. However, faith without belief will often end searching for the winds of Doctrine. The Minor Prophets will supply us reasons to believe, as they build our confidence in Jesus. With that, let us begin.
CHART SHOWING CHRONOLOGY OF BC ACTIVITIES LEADING TO JESUS
DATE BC & EVENT:
612 – NINEVEH destroyed by Medes and Babylonians
567 – JERUSALEM destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar
559 – CYRUS inherits kingdom of Anshan; beginning of Persian Empire
539 – BABYLON falls to Cyrus; end of Neo-Babylonian Empire
530-522 – CAMBYSES succeeds Cyrus; conquest of Egypt
522-486 – DARIUS I ruler of Persian Empire
515 – SECOND TEMPLE completed by Jews in Jerusalem
486-465 – XERXES I attempts the conquest of Greece; time of Esther
480 – GREEK naval victory at Salamis; Xerxes flees
464-424 – ARTAXERXES I rules Persia; age of Nehemiah
334-323 – SELEUCUS conquers Babylon; beginning of the Seleucid dynasty
223-187 – ANTIOCHUS III THE GREAT, Seleucid ruler of Syria
198 – ANTIOCHUS III defeats Egypt, gains control of Palestine
175-163 – ANTIOCHUS IV EPIPHANES rules Syria; Judaism is proscribed
167 – MATTATHIAS and his sons rebel against Antiochus; beginning of Maccabees revolt
166-160 – JUDAS Maccabees leadership
160-142 – JONATHAN is high priest – self-appointed
142-135 – SIMON is high priest; Hasmonaean family dynasty
134-104 – JOHN HYRCANUS expands holdings of Independent Jewish State
103 – ARISTOBULUS’ rule
102-76 – ALEXANDER JANNAEUS’ rule
75-67 – SALOME ALEXANDRA rules; Hyrcanus II high priest
66-63 – DYNASTIC BATTLE: Aristobulus II and Hyrcanus II
63 – POMPEY invades Palestine; Roman rule begins
63-40 – HYRCANUS II rules, subject to Rome; Antipater exercises increasing power.
40-37 – PARTHIANS conquer Jerusalem; establish Aristobulus II as high priest and king
37-4 – HEROD THE GREAT, son of Antipater, rules as king; subject to Rome.
*1 AD – Birth of Jesus
*33 AD – Cross of Jesus
*Depending on which calendar is used, dates could be 4 BC and 29 AD according to some calendars.
LESSON 9
MINOR PROPHETS
The Minor Prophets are Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi, giving us twelve. That’s not by mistake, nor is it a lucky guess, the number of government is Twelve. The Minor Prophets mark the end of the Old twelve, to open the Door to the New. These prophets speak to God’s chosen nation, although God corrects His own, we find there at times when He uses the world to do so. Babylon being used of God is a perfect example, thus when the world is punishing us, we better be careful about how we view it. It could very well be the Lord correcting His own. The twelve apostle positions before the Cross were ordained by Jesus, but centered on Mercy. The positions after Pentecost centered on Grace and Mercy, the New Testament Prophets gave us direction and delivered doctrine.
The change in Seasons also means the Night will not be exactly like the times of these prophets, the evidence is the names of the tribes used. The 144,000 are taken from thousands, yet when John lists the tribes the order is much different than the order found in the Old Testament. John leaves both Dan and Ephraim out of his list, yet it’s the Minor Prophets who tell us why. John’s list includes Judah, Reuben, Gad, Asher, Nepthalim, Manasses, Simeon, Levi, Issachar, Zebulon, Joseph and Benjamin. Since the tribe of Levi is included we find the religious order and government order will no longer separated in the very end; which also means the religion will be based in Mercy, not sacrifices.
Names are interesting, if we take John’s list and define the meaning of the names we find a mystery. Judah means Celebrated, which is a past tense issue, with present tense benefits pointing to future tense blessings. Reuben means To See The Son; Gad means To Overcome; Asher means Happy with a root meaning to be Blessed. Nepthalim means Wrestling, or Wrap Together; Manasses means To Forget as in the Forgiveness of Sins, but not as it relates to Remission of Sins. Simeon means Hearing with the intent of Obedience and Discernment. Levi means Attached as in Marriage. Issachar means He Will Bring A Reward which is a future promise. Zebulon means Habitation, or To Dwell; Joseph means Adding, or Let Him Add with a root meaning of Increase. Lastly Benjamin means Son Of The Right Hand. Putting all these together we read, “Praise – To See The Son – To Overcome – To Be Blessed And Happy – To Be Wrapped Together – For The Forgiveness Of Sin – To Hear And Obey Through Discernment – To Cleave (as in marriage) – Bringing The Reward – To Dwell – By The Increase – To See The Son Of The Right Hand. This is the attitude of the 144,000, yet they will be overcome; however, they must be killed to remove Mercy from the face of the earth. However, we are overcomers, the Church began in blood, the Remnant ends in blood.
We know the Christlogic for the word “Name” means Authority, thus our Authority (name) changed when we accepted the Cross of Jesus. The old nature was imputed dead, meaning our past is also dead as we begin our walk in a heavenly life. Our goals changed when the Holy Ghost planting the Seed, then we became powerfully effective when the Word began the Engrafting process (James 1:21). We begin with Hosea, which means Salvation, the actual name “Hosea” only appears three times in the Bible, all within the first two verses of Hosea. The purpose was always Salvation, not Judgment. We are a very blessed people, we were born of the flesh in a time when God made it possible for us to be Born Again.
HOSEA
The time of Hosea was toward the end of the material prosperity of king Jeroboam II of Israel (II Kings 14:23-27). Hosea 1:1 shows it was in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, the same time period as Isaiah (Isa 1:1). This shows there was confirming prophets during the times of the Major Prophets, the “others” did judge.
Some of us wait for the Lord to say, “Thou has a great ministry, quickly get buildings for they shall come unto you”, but Hosea hears, “take unto you a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land has committed great whoredom, departing from the Lord” (Hosea 1:2). Isaiah was sent to the “children”, Hosea to the leaders of the children, thus their ministries were related, yet separated. For them to mix their ministries would a type of the ox and donkey pulling the same yoke. Attempting to go beyond our calling, or to team up with another ministry sent to a different people ends in frustration, not ministerial freedom.
During Hosea’s time the religious leaders and the leaders of the land allowed the people to practice idolatry (II Kings 15:35 & II Chron 27:2). It was so bad, the people thought their material wealth came from the idols (Hosea 2:5 & 10:1). Prosperity is of God, yet true and orderly prosperity is when our souls prosper. Attempting to prosper outside of the saving of the soul may gain “things”, but it isn’t Godly prosperity, rather prosperity in God’s eyes includes rest, peace, comfort, ability to help the needy and poor, humbleness with a soul seeking the salvation of the Lord.
Hosea is our example of God telling us to do something which seems even more out of character than giving one’s son as a sacrifice. Hosea is an example of faith, God tells him to do something seemingly to be completely out of the character of God, yet the man obeyed knowing the purpose would be revealed. However, we must keep in mind God told him, he didn’t come up with it on his own.
Hosea found Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; Gomer means Complete Failure, Diblaim means Pressed Together as a Cake Of Pressed Figs. Hosea took the daughter of Pressed Figs showing the “complete failure of the fig tree”. Gomer conceived, the Lord told Hosea to name the child Jezreel meaning God Will Sow, but God wasn’t going to Sow the Seed of God in this case, He was going to sow vengeance for the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu (Hosea 1:4). There were several Jehu’s, but the Jehu noted here was the one who killed all the prophets of Baal; it would seem strange for God to avenge the blood of Jezreel, since Jezreel was the idol worshipping house (II Kings 10:11-21). God saw the idol worshipers killed to protect His people from idol worship, yet His people are now going after idols. Is God equal? They are about to find out. Elijah had the prophets of Baal killed as well, but he also gave the people a choice: If God be your God, or if Baal be your god, the same message God is sending. However, these people must keep in mind, as we must, God delivered them; it’s God’s hand protecting them, if they take up with devils (idols) they cause the hand of God to turn against them. Jezebel caused the blood of Jehu the prophet to be spilled, now God looks at these people to whom Hosea is sent, as being more evil than Jezebel. God will cause the kingdom of the house of Israel to cease, but it doesn’t include the House of David, or the city (Hosea 1:4).
Gomer conceived again, bringing forth a daughter, she was named Loruhamah, meaning Not Pitied or No Pity. God was not going to show pity on the house of Israel, but He would show mercy on the House of Judah. When we came to Jesus we began in the House of Judah (kingdom of heaven), but we are made the Tents of Judah (Kingdom of God) by the Spirit. God will save us not by the bow, nor sword, nor by battle (Hosea 1:7). This bow is not to be confused with the bow the First Horsemen has in the Book of Revelation: this type of bow is like a bow and arrow, the bow in the Book of Revelation is for planting seed (Rev 6:2). This points to “not by might, but by My Spirit says the Lord”, we are saved by the Holy Ghost planting the Seed of God, which was made possible by the Cross and Resurrection of Jesus.
Gomer conceived again and brought forth a son, God had him named Loammi meaning Not My People, thus God said, “For you are not My People and I will not be your God” (Hosea 1:9). This shows the joint effort it takes to remain in the hand of God, while it explains how the Spirit will not leave us, thus Jesus will not leave us. Jesus will be with us until the end of the world; however, it doesn’t mean we can’t leave Him, neither does it mean God won’t turn and become our enemy, don’t forget at the end of the world it’s Jesus who brings the Judgment. Jude says the Wicked Separate themselves (Jude 19), this doesn’t mean they don’t go to church, rather it means they are the ones who separated themselves from the Spirit. It wasn’t God who caused the Divorce, it was the Wicked who loved the pleasures of the natural more than they loved God (II Tim 3:4).
The prophet projects to the future, in this case it projected to the benefit of the 120 people on the Day of Pentecost. In the same place where God said, “You are not My people”, there shall be some from the Sand of the Sea who will be called “the sons of the Living God” (Hosea 1:10). Paul said the Spirit of God bears witness with our Spirit which is of God saying we are sons of God (Rom 8:19 & Gal 4:6). In the Upper Room there were about 120 Jews, all members of the Sand of the Sea, the Upper Room was in Jerusalem. Verse 11 is prophetic in nature, “the children of Judah” and the “children of Israel” actually point to the two kingdoms of the time, but prophetically the “children of Judah” point to the Gentile, whereas the children of Israel point to the Sand of Sea. This is an area where God is pointing to those who are neither Jew or Gentile, but sons of God by the Spirit. This is a Hope, God is not going to make an end to the nation, since it has a purpose beyond itself.
The acceptance or appointment of the “One Head” means one authority, recalling the name of Jezreel means “God Sows” making the phrase the “day of Jezreel” mean more in this context. Prior it was God who would sow vengeance because the people were worshipping idols, but here it relates to becoming a son of God, thus this “day of Jezreel” is the Day (Season) of God Sowing the Seed of God in those who believe.
Hosea is taken to the place of the wicked leaders; God began by using Hosea as a type of the fallen leader, not saying he was, but the use of the marriage to the “wife of whoredom” showed how the leaders were attempting to change the “wife of God” into a whore. Hosea is then told to talk to his brethren Ammi (My People) and his sisters Ruhamah (obtained mercy) by saying, “Plead with your mother, plead: for she is not My wife, neither Am I her Husband: let her therefore put away her whoredoms out of her sight and her adulteries from between her breasts; lest I strip her naked” (Hosea 2:1-2). Since the “mother” is the nation, the “daughter” the city, it would seem stupid to plead with a physical location, but we know this refers to the leaders in those locations, rather than the physical location.
In our Season we find unseen idols, retained by the old nature as adulterers and adulteresses (James 4:1-5). In the Night it will be the Woman (city) who mixes with the world, the false prophet and idols changing her into Babylon (Rev 17:1-28).
In our Season we have the Unction over the Body, the Christness keeping us separated and protected, while granting us the Name of Jesus. The Unction is Authority, the New Man the Power, thus the disciples had authority (Matt 28:18-20), but were told to wait for Power from on High (Acts 1:8). The experience was defined as the Baptism with the Holy Ghost (Acts 1:5 & 15:8). In the days of Hosea the Sand of the Sea was protected by the Glory of God plus the Law of Moses, but their protection depended on the people following the Law. Hosea 2:3 is a warning for the days of Hosea, yet projected to the latter days; therefore, the Law and Prophets will be the Two Witnesses clothed in sackclothe (calling for repentance) assigned to the last two churches (Rev 11:4). The warning in Hosea continues, “Lest I strip her naked”, this correlates to the Laodiceans, as Jesus said, “know not that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked” (Rev 3:18). They are not told to be Born Again, but they are told look and see. Both the Day and Night have God’s Mercy, but only those of the Day have His Grace. It will be the Mercy of God keeping all this together, but in the very latter days God will not have Mercy “upon her children, for they be the children of whoredoms”. What children? The ones who accepted Jesus? Not hardly, this goes to the children of whoredoms, pointing directly to the City full of idols in the very latter days.
Hosea 2:5 speaks of the “lovers”, which we know means the idols of the time, but when Paul pointed to the “last days” he told us how some shall be “lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God” (II Tim 3:4). Paul shows they will love God, but they will love pleasure more, the word Pleasure the compound Greek word, Philedonos meaning a Phileo love for the carnal feelings one obtains from the flesh. In Hosea God will allow the nation to go after her lovers, since the nation thinks it’s her lovers who give her wealth, but God will hedge up the way with “thorns”, then make a Wall so she will not find the paths. The metaphor Thorn relates to the curse or carnal minds (same thing really), the phrase “make a wall” in the Hebrew could read “wall a wall”, much like a maze. Although she will follow after her lovers, she shall not overtake them, the hedge and wall will prevent it. What would be this hedge? How about the captivity? Yes, God will bring it to save them, like the Prodigal son, she will see her error and will return to her Husband.
Hosea 2:8 is an important verse for all of God’s people, at times we forget even the breath of life is a gift from God. Our measure of faith is also a gift from God, the ability to give is also gift from God, all we have is a gift from God. The Woman in the end, as well as the nation in Hosea’s time must be aware the idols are attempting to steal or misuse the gifts of God. God who gave us Corn, Wine and Oil, then multiplied our silver and gold: only in the case in Hosea’s time they took those things and offered them to idols.
God points to the 70 years, showing He will take away the corn, and other things, leaving them naked (Hosea 2:9). This is not a good thing, but it will give the land it’s rest: yet we find when the Word in us cleans, removes and restores we can stand before God naked (no masks or hidden agendas) without shame (Heb 4:12-13). In the case of the nation in Hosea’s time, and the Woman during Jacob’s Trouble it’s the “lewdness” (folly or villainy) being displayed in the sight of her lovers, they will hate her (Hosea 2:9-10 & Rev 17:16).
Hosea 2:11-13 is not God’s Mercy, but His justice. The entire nation existed based on what God did for them, yet they took from God and offered it unto idols. All the idol worship will be visited upon them; this doesn’t mean God will allow it, it means what they did will be the reason for the punishment: they shall know it was God they betrayed. The same is true in the latter days, they take what God poured out of the windows of heaven then offer it unto the abomination in the Temple.
Hosea 2:14 makes little sense if one thinks the prophet was restricted to his time alone, since we know the people were held captivity along the river in Babylon, not the wilderness. However, if we add the Night into this, it makes perfect sense. After the city brings the Man Child (Jesus), and He is caught up, then God places the Woman into the wilderness, a place He has prepared for her (Rev 12:5-6). Later when John sees the Woman, she is still in the wilderness (Rev 17:3), thus this prophecy is yet future, but it will come to pass. While she is in the wilderness God will speak “comfortably” to her, this could read, “friendly”, denoting Mercy. She will also have the “valley of Achor” for a hope, so what is that? Metaphorically it means Peace, or Rest, it was the place where the folly of Achan was discovered and punished to bring peace back to the people (Joshua 7:24-25). The “hope” then is the Time of Comfort, God said it would come to pass, and so it shall. For us we are promised a place in the First Resurrection as our Hope.
Hosea 2:15 speaks of the time when God brought the children out of Egypt, thus it connects to the Book of Revelation when the Woman is in the wilderness. Then God will call “Ishi” (my man) and no more “Balli” (taskmaster – Hosea 2:16). God will take away the names of idols, there will be no remembrance in her of those idols, which really makes sense and shows how the false prophet will be a not during the time of the Sixth church, thus they come as the Synagogue of Satan, but worship at the feet of the Sixth church (Rev 2:9). Then the Seventh church takes over in their lukewarm condition opening the door for the false prophet, then the false prophet becomes an Is.
Like the ways of war, it will begin by forgetting about idols, thus the last battle will not be anything like the ways of war today, they will use crude weapons. The image of the beast becomes more horrid when we add these verses, the beginning of the Time of Comfort will be Peace and Safety, the devil will be bound. The knowledge of God will flow from Jerusalem, as purposed. Then the Wicked surface as the Beast of the Earth revisiting idol worship upon the Woman, making it seven times worse.
Hosea 2:18 shows a covenant with the beasts of the field, the fowls of heaven, and the creeping things of the “ground”. God will break the “bow and sword” of battle, this is beginning of the Time of Comfort. Going back to Genesis we find on the same day wherein God created and formed Adam, He also brought forth the “beast of the field”, “cattle”, and the creeping things upon the earth (Gen 1:25-26). The beasts of the field are subtle, but not as much as the serpent, but nonetheless subtle. The fowls and the serpents will be bound at the opening of the Time of Comfort, yet the “beasts of the earth” will be a “not” (activate). That’s an important issue, it shows the Peace and Safety will be world wide, there will be no idol worship, war, or rumors of war. It will seem as if the Garden has returned, it will appear as if the Kingdom is physically on the earth. It will be a lie or illusion, when the Wicked were antichrist they caused the Broken Body of Christ, in the Night they will cause hell to widen her borders.
God’s purpose for the Time of Comfort is to have it last forever, which means the purpose for the Bride is still to be the Lord in heaven forever (I Thess 4:15-17). However, verse 20 is not about the Time of Comfort, or is it? We find God is speaking to Israel, but where did the disciples come from? Israel, thus God is now speaking of a Covenant He will make based on the Blood of Jesus. We know this has to be a different “betroth” since God asked for a bill of divorcement (Jere 3:8). The word Betroth coupled with “faithfulness” is the key, this betrothal is centered in Faith, thus it takes the Law of the Spirit to keep it intact. We know there will be silence in heaven for the last half of the hour, but in verse 21 God says heaven will be open. This pertains to those who are granted the Breath of Jesus to loose God’s Mercy from heaven, rather than bind people to unforgiveness. Then comes “Jezreel” as God Sows the Seed into the hearts of those who believe. Verse 23 is based in Mercy, Paul shows the difference between a vessel of honor and one of dishonor is Mercy (Rom 9:21-23). We come to the Cross based on the Mercies of God, we gain the Spirit by the Grace of God, thus we have the ability to come boldly to the throne of Grace to Obtain Mercy and Find Grace (Heb 4:16). Then God will say to a people who are not His people (Gentiles), they are His people, and they will say “You are my God” (Hosea 2:23). God laid out the Night and Day, with the Day being last noted, but first to come.
Now Hosea is told to obtain another woman who is yet an adulteress as a symbol of Israel, making Hosea a symbol of the love God has for Israel, even in the midst of her idol worship (Hosea 3:1). Hosea purchased such a woman, and had her refrain from being a harlot for many days (Hosea 3:3). This symbol points to the Woman in the very latter days, when the Time of Comfort opens the Woman will be the place where the knowledge of God flows to the people, but as we see here the “harlot’s heart” will surface when she things she is rich and in need of nothing. This doesn’t mean David will be reincarnated, rather Jesus has the “key of David”, to open the house of David (Rev 3:7 & Isa 22:22).
Hosea established the symbols, now he begins to rebuke the children of Israel. There is no truth, mercy or knowledge of God in the land (Hosea 4:1). These three areas of Truth, Mercy and Knowledge also divide times and seasons, with Mercy being the connecting factor, yet knowledge is the ability to know of Mercy. The Truth and Mercy point to the Day, since Jesus is Truth. We not only have knowledge about God, we have the knowledge of God by the Spirit. We also have the Mercy of the Father, but there is a Mercy based in the kindness toward mankind as well, natural Mercy and knowledge about God points to the Night. The word Controversy is the Hebrew Reeb meaning a cause, dispute, or something causing strife. The same context is found in the words, “somewhat against thee” (Rev 2:4), or in the phrase, “a few things against thee” (Rev 2:14), all reflecting to something God sees, yet man is ignoring, or blind to.
What don’t they see? “swearing, lying, killing, stealing and committing adultery” (Hosea 4:2). How could they not know? They were playing with idols, yet going to Temple feeling as long as they showed up on the sabbath day, all was fine. We are the Rock, Jesus builds the Church, we are the fishers of men, thus the Rock is in our hands (Jude 19-23). However, we do not build the Church, the ability is strictly in the hands of the Lord. The evidence is in the Book of Revelation, wherein Jesus tells the seven churches certain elements for and against them, yet He doesn’t say He will change them, rather they must do the changing. How? Repentance, then doing what the Lord has commanded. There is One Church on the Rock, but churches many in the Rock. Some of the churches allowed Jezebel the self-appointed one to teach, some held to the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, some to the doctrine of Balaam, some defiled their garments, but in each case Jesus exposed the error by the Spirit, then gave a plan of restoration. Here we find the same, although God sees all these things, the people don’t, but the purpose of exposure is to be restored.
Hosea 4:3 speaks of the present time in his day, but also projects to the future. The beasts of the field, the fowls of heaven and the fish of the sea shall be taken away. Going back to Hosea 2:18 we find God made a covenant with beasts of the field, the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things, but here we find the creeping things relate to “every one who dwells therein”, with the addition of “fish” pointing to the Gentile. This shows God will remove many things from the land during the captivity, but the projection shows they shall be “taken away”; the phrase “shall be taken away” is the Hebrew Acaph it also means “gathered together”. The same context is found in Revelation 16:16 where God “gathered together” all peoples in a place called Armageddon.
How to avoid it? The route of escape, let no man strive nor reprove another, as they strive with the priest; therefore shall they “fall” in the Day, and the prophet also shall “fall” with them in the Night (Hosea 4:4-5). James tells us if we have bitter envying and strife in our hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. For where there is envying and strife, there is confusion and every evil work (James 3:14-16). The word Fall in Hosea 4:5 is the Hebrew Kashal meaning to Stumble, or be Overthrown, both fit the verse. To those who believe not the Gospel it is a stone of stumbling (I Pet 2:8), strife between brothers is an occasion for stumbling (I Jn 2:10). Jesus came as our High Priest to offer a Sacrifice no human could, yet His Priestly function was not associated with the Law of Moses, rather it called for a different Order with a different Law (Heb 7:11-12). There can be no remission without the shedding of blood, but the Law of Moses never called for the blood of the Son of God, thus remission for mankind is not found in the Law of Moses, but in the Law of the Spirit, under the New Testament Priesthood.
Why shall all this happen? Knowledge, not wisdom, not the anointing, not money, not position, it’s based on a lack of knowledge. Is it because it’s a mystery, or can’t be found? No, because the people of God have rejected it; because they reject Knowledge, God will also reject them (Hosea 4:6). The word Destroyed is the Hebrew Damah meaning To cease, To cause to be quiet or silent, or to be cut off. The word Rejected is the Hebrew Meen meaning To melt or To melt away, it holds the thought of Dissolving. In the latter days they will cast away the Law and Prophets, in so doing they will kill all the saints who hold to the Law and Prophets, removing mercy, leaving only the Wicked. Can they say, “Nay, we did not know!”. No, for the knowledge is presented in the Law and Prophets, they are the Two Witnesses. God adds, there shall be no priest unto God, but only the Levities were priests anyway. This is projected to us, Jesus has made us in the kingdom priests and kings unto God (Rev 1:6).
The result is the same Glory God gave them turning to their shame. There are some during the Day who twist the Grace of God into lasciviousness (Jude 4), although they claim God, they also deny the purpose of the Day for themselves and others, making Grace seem self-based, rather than Jesus based. Jude then puts us in remembrance, how the Lord having saved the children out of Egypt, destroyed those who believed not (Jude 5). Hosea 4:8 shows where the problem lays, they took advantage of the sin of the people, but they held iniquity in their hearts, what iniquity? Failure to obtain Knowledge, meaning they lacked Mercy, bringing about a mind void of Truth, because they believed not the Lord their God.
Hosea 4:11 could be confusing, placing whoredom with the new wine seems out of place, but the context here is not the New Wine we receive, it means they had the wine of the land as a blessing from God, but sought after idols. Hosea 4:13 relates to the priestly order, they rejected the call, showing carnal minds reject, or question spiritual matters. Here they sacrificed upon the tops of the mountains, they burned incense to idols, priestly duties, only they were doing them unto idols. Paul told the Corinthians, “you cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devil’s: you cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils” (I Cor 10:21). Carnal minded people build idols in their minds, the Corinthians were of the Body, they had the Spirit, but they were not spiritual, rather they remained carnal with the evidences of envy and strife among them (I Cor 3:3 & 3:16). The children were of the nation, they were called the oracles of God, yet they played with idols under “oaks and poplars and elms”. The Oak stands for idol worship, but the poplar and elm were “green trees”, thus they played with their idols, while claiming God’s protection. They misjudged God, although God is merciful, He is not a fool.
Hosea 4:14 is directed at the leadership, thus showing the connection back to Hosea 4:6, with the position of the priests. This same metaphoric usage is used by Paul in First Corinthians chapter 11 in reference to the husband as the leader, and the wife as the congregation. They have made the “head” of their religious order a devil, yet they claim God. The metaphor Head points to Authority, the authority of the congregation is found in the leadership, the authority of the leadership is in Christ, the authority of Christ is in Jesus as God the Son, the Head of the Body. However, it shows leadership can place a yoke between the Body and their Head, causing the congregation to remain silent. The leadership condoned the people (congregation) playing with the cups of devil’s, or to sit at the tables of devils, they have placed a separation between their Head (God) and them. Leadership is the Shoulder, the place between places. This doesn’t mean a leader in one Body can disrupt the entire Body, rather Paul indicated the Corinth activity was not seen among the other churches. God will not punish the family for the leaderships folly, since He sees the fault lays with the leadership (Hosea 4:14-16). Therefore, let the congregation learn at home, since they are getting nothing in the meeting.
God brings Ephraim into this equation, this is after He comments on Backsliding Israel. God tells His people Ephraim has joined to idols, let him alone, or stay away from him (Hosea 4:16-17). However, in Paul’s case it was not possible, he was the father of the Corinthians, thus he found Grace is sufficient, it always is.
Hosea 4:19 points to the pending invasion of Babylon, here it’s the “wind”, meaning a quickly, in Isaiah it was the metaphors Razor (Isa 7:20), River (Isa 8:7), and Rod (Isa 10:5). All paint a picture, Babylon will come like a wind, it will cut, overflow it’s borders, yet it will also be the correction of God upon the land. At times people say, “how can God allow this?”, yet all they need do is look at what their nation is doing or allowing.
Hosea 5:1 covers many areas, the priests pointing to the religious order, the house of Israel pointing to all Israel, including Samaria, then the “house of the king”, what king? The king of Babylon, and the king of Assyrian, or better all Gentiles. This warning is given to all, Jew and Gentile, thus it has far reaching implications.
Ephraim committed whoredom, but Israel is defiled, this metaphoric usage gives us Ephraim as a type of the city, also showing why the tribe is not listed among the New Testament tribes. God will join Ephraim with Israel in the rebuke, from this we find Ephraim is a type of the City. Then we get to Hosea 5:5 where we find three elements, Israel, the nation, Ephraim (metaphorically) the city, then “Judah”, what? I thought we were Judah? True, but we find a difference between the “house of Judah”, and the “tents of Judah”.
Then we read in Hosea 5:4 how the “spirit of whoredoms” is in the midst of them, so why not cast it out? Not the same context, it refers to their mental condition being so involved in idol worship they can’t hear God. The “Pride of Israel” (God) has testified to the face of Ephraim, but the spirit of whoredoms has made him blind, thus Ephraim will fall in “their iniquity” (Hosea 5:5). Idol worship would seem to be a sin, but it also involves the iniquity of failing to stay with God through the Law. They went to Temple, yet they ran to the mountains afterward to worship idols. Their iniquity did lead to sin, thus the iniquity is at work now, but it will surface as the man of sin in the Night (II Thess 2:3-7).
Hosea 5:6 shows how they will seek the Lord, but they shall not find Him. Sounds much different from “seek and you shall find”. However, the call of “seek and you shall find” is for the Day, whereas, “seek and you won’t find” is for the Night. Also this would appear to be in direct conflict with Hosea 2:21 where we find the Lord will hear. Two completely different Seasons for two different purposes and different people, no conflict, just a separation of Seasons.
Hosea 5:7 changes times as it advances to the judgment when the Two-edged Sword comes from the “mouth” of Jesus. The cause is how they “have begotten strange children”, the word Strange is the Hebrew Zuwr meaning the Stranger, it was used in reference to the Strange Woman, pointing to the false prophet. They raised their children to follow the ways of man, to engage in idol worship by their own actions. What they did, the children saw, thus if the leaders can, so can the children.
Ephraim shall be Desolate in the “day of rebuke” (Hosea 5:9), then we find the metaphor “princes of Judah”, which points to the Wicked. We are “kings”, not “princes”, as strange as it seems a prince is a “king’s kid”, one appointed to the position, but has yet to obtain it. A king has a kingdom, thus a prince is known by the principality they represent. A principality is not the nation or the kingdom, it’s within the land. The Law of Moses is not a nation, but it is a principality. Peace is also a principality, it is not all the Kingdom is, but it has a place in the Kingdom, thus Jesus is the “Prince of Peace”, not the “King of Peace”. The devil is the prince of the power (authority) of the air, he is not the prince of the air, but his realm is the natural unseen principality (world) in the air (Eph 2:2). Therefore, we can meet Jesus in the higher air, dividing the types of air.
We can tell the “princes of Judah” are not nice guys, since God will pour out His Wrath on them like Water (Hosea 5:10). Wait, isn’t Water a metaphor for Mercy? Yet this is saying God’s Wrath will be Mercy? I don’t get it? The prayers of the saints are mercy based, they are mixed with the coals from the altar then poured on the earth, thus when Mercy hits the evil, the evil is turned back against the Wicked.
Ephraim then becomes an interesting figure, these people were born into the nation, yet we find in Hosea 5:11 how Ephraim willingly walked after the commandments, showing he did walk in them at one time. This is another area with value, in this case it was not only acceptance, but walking. Our water baptism relates to the Mercy of God as our Token of acceptance of the Cross and all the requirements therein. The Baptism with the Holy Ghost gives us the ability to walk in the acceptance. We willingly accepted the premise, yet the requirement is for us to continue believing (Mark 16:16-18).
Hosea 5:12 again points to the house of Judah as “rottenness” (a worm), which takes us to Mark 9:44-48 where Jesus defined hell as the place where the worm dies not; however in Hosea God says He will be as rottenness. What is this? Because they have taken the ways of idols, yet God is Life, meaning they have made His Name rottenness to the nations around them.
Hosea 5:13 helps us the more, the house of Judah saw it’s “wound”, the same wound is the authority of the nation who centers on idol worship (Hab 3:13). It’s the head God wounded, but the false prophet as the prince of the house of Judah revives it, or causes a healing to the wound by activating idol worship in the place it should not be. God will take away everything Godly in nature in the end, the lake of fire is completely void of any attribute of God, thus none will rescue them. The word Rescue in Hosea 5:14 is the Hebrew Natsal meaning to recover or deliver.
When the plagues are poured out, the people will see their sickness and wounds; don’t forget during the Time of Comfort there will be no sickness, disease, war or anything else coming close to sickness. Instead of seeing how naked they are before God, they blaspheme God. Then we find how God will “go and return to” His place (Hosea 5:15). The word Go is the Hebrew Halakh meaning To undertake a journey, the word Return is the Hebrew Shuv meaning to Turn around, it was used when the people repented and Turned toward God. Here God says He will go to His throne by Turning His back on them, which produces the half hour of silence in heaven (Rev 8:1 & 15:8).
God has laid out a means for us to be Born Again, thus the New Man will gain us entry through the Door at the right time. Intellectualism is not the means, Hyper theology is not the means, deeds of the flesh don’t produce the means, ignoring our position and condition will not gain us the means, repentance breaks down walls of pride, then praise and worship will destroy the yokes of iniquity. The prophet calls for Revival by saying, “let us return unto the Lord”, then the prophet shows it was God who tore, but it will be God who heals (Hosea 6:1). However, will they hear? If they hear, will they obey?
After we are crucified with Christ, we must enter the grave to understand the Resurrection by having the Power of the Resurrection within. After two days He will revive us, after Three He will raise us up (Hosea 6:2). Not only does this point to the Resurrection of Jesus, but it shows His Resurrection isn’t complete until we Partake of it. Jesus told us to follow Him, but He preempted this with “deny your self and pick up your Cross”. Hosea 6:3 connects to the premise, we must accept the Cross by the means of the Cross, then accept the Resurrection by the means of the Resurrection in order to follow the Lord.
The Lord shall come to us as the “latter and former” rain, but isn’t it backward? Shouldn’t it be former and latter? Or are they the same. The word Latter means the second of two things mentioned, the word Former means earlier in time. The Former rain would be Noah’s rain, which was destruction to the wicked, but deliverance to those in the ark. The second rain is upon us now, it’s the Power from on High saving us from the destruction, thus He did come to us with the Former and Latter rain, since the Cross has two sides, Salvation and Judgment. The use of both show Noah’s rain was two-fold, but the latter rain is single in purpose, giving us the New Birth sparing us from God’s wrath.
God looks to Ephraim and Judah, telling them He sent them prophets day and night, but they heard not. This shows how God sends prophets in the Day, but in the Night it will be the words of the Prophets, thus there is no excuse for following idols. God desires all to come to the saving knowledge of the Gospel, so all can be saved and none lost, but in order to enter the desire we must decide to put away the self, then seek the Kingdom of God.
The first step is gaining the Attitude of Blessing, known as the Beatitude, which entails a choice, then applying the commandments Jesus gave on the Sermon on the Mount. From giving blessing, we become a blessing of Mercy, by entering the Attitude of Mercy, thus God desires Mercy and not sacrifice, this is both from us and for us.
Jesus gave the Pharisees one homework assignment, “go find what this means, I would have mercy, and not sacrifice”. The Pharisees never did their homework, failing the course. Here we find God’s desire is for us to walk in mercy, the only separating factor between a vessel of honor and one of dishonor is Mercy. A vessel of dishonor entered the kingdom of heaven based on God’s mercy, but they refuse to pay it back (Hosea 6:6).
The Mercy of God provided the Cross, it’s still the Mercy of God drawing us to the Cross by the Holy Ghost. The words of Jesus still ring out, “Father forgive them, they know not what the do”, words centered in Mercy. The Mercy gains us the Sacrifice, but man can give thousands of sacrifices, yet not give Mercy. The premise was not “give a sacrifice and man shall give unto you”, it was “give Mercy and men shall give unto you” (Luke 6:38).
The Glory leaves the House, because the priests commit lewdness and walk with defiled garments spotted by the flesh (Hosea 6:6-9). God again points His finger at the Body and says, “O Judah, He has set a harvest unto you, when I returned the captivity of My people” (Hosea 6:11). We have been sent to the Harvest, yet the Harvest is the separation between the Wheat and Tares. The Tares remain as the princes of Judah, the Wheat are the Tents of Judah as the true kings in the Kingdom.
God wanted to heal Israel, but then the iniquity of Ephraim and the wickedness of Samaria brought the troop of robbers. They think God will not remember, yet they are before His face during the Day, yet before the Law and Prophets in the Night (Hosea 7:1-2). If He turns His back, how can they be before His face? God’s awareness, and God proving are completely different. God will know what they are doing, but there will still be silence in heaven for the last half of the Hour.
They make the king of Babylon glad with their wickedness, but they made God angry (Hosea 7:3). They sought to please man, but they also brought the wrath of God. There is a vast difference between applying Mercy to man, and bowing to man. Like a baker who heats the oven, then waits for the bread to reach its full state of leaven, they have slept and allowed leaven to become their king (Hosea 7:4-7). Ephraim mixed himself among the people, the Stranger has devoured his strength (Hosea 7:7-8). The metaphor Stranger points to the Wicked, showing the City mixing with the Wicked causing the “little strength” to be lost.
As Christians we don’t hear the voice of a stranger, but Ephraim had one ear to the idols allowing the Stranger to gain entry. This equates Ephraim to the Seventh church, a little later we will find who Dan equates to. The Pride of Israel testifies against her, they refuse to turn unto the Lord, although they did many religious endeavors (Hosea 7:10-13). They cry over the danger facing them, yet they refuse to repent (Hosea 7:13-16).
God sets the trumpet in order, the Lord shall come as an Eagle against the House of the Lord because they have transgressed God’s covenant (Hosea 8:1). The metaphor Eagle refers to an angel, or messenger, it depends on what type of message, yet we see the seven angels appear after the seventh seal is broken. However, this refers to One Eagle, not many, thus it has a different message, one making the point very clear. Israel “shall cry” unto the Lord and say, “My God, we know You”, but the Woman has cast off the good thing, she was allowing the enemy to come in like a flood (Hosea 8:3). Their kings and princes are idols, anything made by the hand of man which becomes a thing of worship is an idol (Hosea 8:5-6). Intellectualism can be an idol, a form of idol worship building pride in our thought processes.
How can this evil be from God? Revelation 17:17 says God has put into the hearts of the ten kings of the First Beast to come against the Woman. However, what about the Jew who has the Law and Prophets? Are they warned? Yes, the Prophets give warning, as does the Law. In Deuteronomy 28:48-49 says the Lord shall cause His people to serve their enemies, and will send a nation against them from far off, as “swift as an Eagle flies”. For what reason? They failed to serve the Lord with joy and gladness of heart for the abundance of all things, thus the Time of Comfort will be an abundance (Deut 28:46).
The Eagle is defined for us as the Assyrians bringing a message of rebuke in the from of taking them captive. In the latter days it will be the false prophet who will use the ways of the Assyrians, then God will use the kings of the Beast to bring the message. However, God would have healed Israel, but the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered as was the wickedness of Samaria (Hosea 7:1). Again we see Israel as the nation, then Ephraim typed as the City, with the added concept of the “wickedness of Samaria”. Samaria was part of the Promised Land, just as Sodom was. This gives us a view of the End Times, we can see how God was more than willing to Heal, but the Iniquity remained, the Wicked were found in the City, but they gained entry by the wickedness of the people. Unless they repent, God cannot heal, they are part of a covenant. This also answers the question, “do you think your unbelief is greater than God?”. The obvious answer is unbelief, idol worship, or rejecting the exposure causes us to lose what little we think we do have. The Thief comes to rob, kill and destroy, but the people of God must give him place. The troop of robbers spoil (strip) without, they are surrounded by the results of their iniquity (Hosea 7:1).
Hosea shows how the people made the “king glad”, this isn’t the Lord, but the king of Assyria, thus the wickedness of the people of God makes the kings of the world glad, it gives them an excuse to continue in their folly. The metaphor “princes of Judah” is seen again, with the added concept of their lies, showing they love a lie (Hosea 7:3).
The “baking” isn’t at issue until the Leaven has done it’s job, God was watching the Puffing up of leaven reach the maximum, right to the point where the only thing left was for the Baker to toss them into the oven (Hosea 7:4).
In the day of the king the princes have made Him sick with bottles of wine; the princes have stretched out his hand with scorners. This is Jude’s point about twisting the Grace of our God into lasciviousness (Jude 4). The Wicked are a Day time evil, Peter says the Wicked riot in the Day (II Pet 2:13). They pollute the kingdom by associating with the scorners, the word Scorners is the Hebrew Latsats meaning To be arrogant, connecting to being disrespectful at Table of the Lord. Here we find the princes not the king did the evil, they do this in the “Day of our King”, or in the Day.
James tells us if we use the world, or the ways of the world we are “adulterers and adulteresses” (James 4:1-4), in Hosea 7:4 God calls His own children “adulterers”, since they associated with the religious ways of the world.
Hosea 7:6 shows during the Night the “Baker” sleeps, but the leaven grows until the three measures of the Beast of the Sea, the Beast of the Earth and the Woman raise in pride until the entire loaf is leavened, then it’s time for the Baker (Hosea 7:6-7).
Ephraim has failed to repent, even to the point he thinks he has no need to repent. This is perfect example of the “unpardonable sin”, if God forgives all sin, then it must be All. However, it’s predicated on two things, asking Him to forgive, and making an effort to turn from the source of the sin. We all make mistakes, most of us more than once, but it’s not our goal or desire to sin, or to fall into iniquity. The unpardonable sin is not pardoned because the person thinks their slanderous, evil ways are not sin. They fleece the sheep, kill the just, slander their bothers and sisters in the Lord, yet claim it’s a “gift from God”. They refuse to change natures, as they retain the authority of the world. Even if they use the blanket approach of, “God forgive me of all my sins and iniquities”, if they continue to do the same evil acts, yet enjoy them, their unchanged nature proves they repented not (Hosea 7:8-10).
Ephraim is again seen in Hosea 7:11, Ephraim is like a “silly dove” without a “heart”, which metaphorically defines a Tare. Ephraim plays with the ways of Assyria (Babylon or idol worship) and Egypt (World), without one care about how it effects God. The word Silly is the Hebrew Pathah meaning deceived, or to allure by deception. The “Dove” points to a Sacrifice, here Ephraim is like a “silly dove”, rather than a “dove”. Ephraim lies in wait to deceive, he has deceived so much, he has become deceived. Peter said they feast with us in the Day time, yet they are full of deception (II Pet 2:13). Paul said they deceive so much, they become deceived (II Tim 2:13). Deception is a killer, those who use deception are taken by their own folly, the more they deceive others, the more deceived they become.
In Hosea 7:12 the “net” isn’t the Gospel, rather it’s centered on capturing the fowls in order to bring them down, the congregation has heard the prophets of God, they know what God is about to do, it will be (Hosea 7:12). Adding the rest of Hosea chapter 7 we find this is directed toward leadership, they have not accepted the words of the prophets, yet they were spoken. Whether we accept the words of the prophet or not, doesn’t change the course, rather they are spoken, once spoken the responsibility moves to the hearer.
Hosea 8:1 goes back to the Eagle, showing it will come, but it’s still based on the leaders and people transgressing the Covenant and the Law. Israel shall cry unto the Lord, “My God we know You”, but do they? (Hosea 8:2). How many times have we heard, “I know that”, but if one really knows it, they do it. The evidence is in verse 3, they have cast off the Good thing, thus the enemy shall peruse them. They cast off their protection by insulting God through idol worship. Then they broke the Covenant they were bound to, violated the Law sent to bless and guide them, yet they say they know God?
In Hosea 8:5 we find the word Innocency which is the Hebrew Niqqayown meaning freedom from guilt or punishment. Samaria was seeking protection in idols, but they were under the “green tree”, never considering the longsuffering of the Lord was keeping them safe, not their idols. They gave glory to the creation, but mocked the Creator.
This is clearer in verse 6 where Israel is also found wanton, for the workman made the image, therefore it is not God, since God is not formed or created. Israel is swallowed up in idols, so deep they can’t see the glory of God. They will be sent into captivity under the Gentiles, as a “vessel” lacking pleasure (mercy – Rom 9:21-23 & Hosea 8:7-8).
The added sin of Ephraim was seeing the punishment taking place, yet ignoring it, thus continuing as the wild ass (Ishmael – Hosea 8:9-10). This sin of Samaria is the basis of the conversation between Jesus and the woman at the well. The Samarians returned to the land to build their own temple, which was destroyed. The Jews in Jerusalem figured God destroyed it, thus the Temple in Jerusalem was the only true place to worship God. Jesus said it’s not the place, but the person (Jn 4:6-24).
Hosea 8:12-14 shows the people were not building temples unto idols, neither did they bring the idols into the temple, but they carried them in their minds. The people felt as long as the temple was clean, they were, yet God says He will send a “fire” upon the cities, including Judah, but did He? Not then, but time has not reached an end yet.
God then tells the nation, “Rejoice not, O Israel, for joy, as other people: for you have gone a whoring from your God” (Hosea 9:1). God is still speaking to them, thus He has not left them, but His words show they have left Him. The “New Wine” shall fail her, she will lose her portion of the blessing (Hosea 9:2). This is God’s reality speaking, thus it becomes the other side of the prophecy. One side held the desire of God, if the people enter therein, causing the words of the desire to be fulfilled. The other side held the reality of God, knowing they would fail to enter in by rejecting His call to repent. Some of us hear a “Word of the Lord”, but we miss half of it, then get mad because God didn’t perform for us. We must add our belief and faith as we wait to hear the entire Proceeding Word. Here it was repent, they didn’t have the desire since they felt everyone else was doing it, so why can’t they? The same old excuse, “well I guess we all do it”, or “I see others do it”, so what? Someone jumps off a bridge, so do we all?
Ephraim returns to Egypt, but eats the unclean things of Assyria (Hosea 9:3). Well, we may not know much, but we do know Egypt is south of the Promised Land, Assyria is north, how can Ephraim return to Egypt, yet eat of Assyria? Idol worship connects Assyria to Egypt, thus Ephraim traveled out of the Promised Land (kingdom of heaven), over the Red Sea to enter captivity again. How does this relate to the Day? The Wicked give their water baptism as their token, they enter into the kingdom of heaven, but inside they retained the “he in the world”, they will travel back by reversing the token of water baptism, rather than believe, they center on doubt and unbelief. They make their own natures an idol, as they worship the products of their minds (Assyria). They are still in captivity, although they may promise us liberty (II Pet 2:18-22).
God then moves to the day of visitation, which He also terms, “the feast of the Lord”, which we know as the “Bride’s Supper”. The Bride’s Supper is not some prime rib feast, it’s the time when “It is Done” is heard in the land. With the days of visitation come the days of recompense, then Israel shall know the prophet sent by God spoke the truth, only it will be too late. The word visitation has more than one meaning, it can mean punishment, or it can mean taking the oversight thereof. The Recompense is either a reward or retribution. Did they have “spiritual” people? If the church of Corinth had the Spirit, yet were not spiritual, if the Holy Ghost teaches by comparing spiritual to spiritual, if the Spirit was not given until Jesus was glorified, then the answer is No, so what gives? (I Cor 3:3, 3:16, 2:14 & Jn 7:38-39). In order to get to the Visitation and Recompense one has to move from the time of Hosea to the Night with the Day in the middle. God is showing this captivity will not the be the end, for if it was, then all the bodies would be buried, the nation lost, there would be no Spirit, the prophets lied, it’s all one big mind game in the mind of a bug under a dish somewhere; however, they will not be destroyed from the face of the earth, they will continue until the Night. However, there will also be the Day when Jesus will make it possible for us to have the Spirit in order to be spiritual.
Now God moves again to the latter times, the Watchman of Ephraim was with God, but the prophet is a snare of the fowler in all his ways, he hated in the house of God. We are the Watchmen, we are told to Watch and pray, Jesus told Mary, “I ascend unto My Father, and your Father, and to My God and your God” (Jn 20:17). In this case Ephraim is a joined element pointing to the kingdom of heaven, the Watchmen centered on God, but the prophet (Tare or false prophet) will become the snare of a fowler in “his ways”, thus we judge the ways of a person, not their acts. The Wicked are not caught in the snare, they are the snare.
Ephraim is again seen as the kingdom of heaven, not the Kingdom of God. The kingdom of heaven extends into the Night, it’s known as the earth, it’s Mercy related. The Kingdom of God is within, it’s Spirit and Grace related. The children of Ephraim will be as Tyrus, this would be in the Night, recalling Tyrus had a prince and a king (Ezek 28:2). God saw this prince of Tyrus in a “pleasant place” the kingdom of heaven, but he will give his children to the murderer. In the days of Hosea this means they will give their children to Baal, but to us we see them giving the Babes in Christ into the hands of natural reasoning, and worldly ways.
Ephraim is not seen as one of the tribes for many reasons, the main reason is the mixture into the ways of the world (Hosea 9:17), thus Ephraim will enter the kingdom of heaven, but not all of Ephraim will be Wicked, some will repent in the pleasant place, later to become the spiritual men, others will not as they go into the Night as the “drunken”.
Here in 10:1 we find Israel is an empty vine, a fig tree without fruit, since the fruit she has produced is idol worship becoming a “non-fruit” in God’s eyes. Their heart is divided, or unequal, part for God, part for idol worship (Hosea 10:2). Even their words are false, they say “Oh God” but they love their idols (Hosea 10:3). However, God will punish them, because they leave Him no choice (Hosea 10:4-7). They had no idea what they were doing, their sins didn’t reflect on them alone, but on their purpose. The Cross and the Son of man would be in their midst, what would the world think if the nation God used to bring the Cross was no different than the Babylonian idol worshippers? We don’t represent ourselves, we represent the Lord of Hosts.
There is a difference between high places, and the highest place, the high places are still high, that’s why they are called high. Paul talks about spiritual wickedness in high places, but the Strange Woman is also in high places, neither of those are in the Highest Place (Eph 6:12 & Prov 9:14). The metaphor high places points to someone or something lifted to a place higher than the world, it depends on what they are doing in the position. Wisdom is also see in a high place, but she takes us from there to the highest place (Prov 8:2 & 9:3). Here we find the induction of idol worship, yet it’s a high place.
Captivity means hard labor for another without reward, God will set the heifer Ephraim to be ridden, Judah to plow, and Jacob shall break his clods (Hosea 10:11); however, it’s based on “you have plowed wickedness, you have reaped iniquity, you have eaten the fruit of lies” (Hosea 10:13).
Hosea 11:1 is a perfect example of what some call a convoluted prophesy: When Israel was a child God loved him and called His Son out of Egypt. If one considers Israel the Son, they miss the point. When Israel was a child God loved him, but when was Israel a child? Jacob was a man when God changed his name to Israel, but as Jacob the purpose of Israel? No, the nation was purposed to be the place where the Sacrifice was presented, Israel the nation entered Egypt as a youth, it came out a nation, yet we find Jesus as the Son came out of Egypt (Matt 2:15).
Then we read how they sacrificed unto Baalim, burned incense to graven images, they knew not God healed them (Hosea 11:1-3). Another example is verse 3, they went into the wilderness to learn how to sacrifice, Ephraim with the other tribes was there, God taught them, loved them, healed them. God gave them meat (quail and the manna), He brook the yoke of affliction, yet Ephraim took the skills to make idols, as he worshipped the works of his hands.
Ephraim shall not return to Egypt, but the Assyria shall be his king (Hosea 11:5). Now hold it, back in Hosea 9:3 it says Ephraim shall return back to Egypt, and shall eat the unclean things in Assyria. Ahh, Ephraim will be in captivity, as if he was in Egypt, since he uses the ways the Assyrian, he shall be placed under the king of Assyria. The result is “the Sword” not swords as many, but The Sword shall consume and devour his branches (Hosea 11:6). Paul confirmed this by telling us the Lord will consume the Wicked with the Spirit of His mouth, as the Lord destroys with the Brightness of His coming (II Thess 2:8): John saw the Spirit in the mouth of Jesus as the two-edged Sword (Rev 1:16).
Hosea 11:8-9 defines some areas of God, God cannot execute His fierceness of His anger, what He does is allow the world to be the world. God is not a man, He doesn’t think like one, act like one, or reason like one. Vengeance is in God’s hand, but the method is to divide and separate, letting those who made the choices remain with their choices. God doesn’t cast man into hell, man makes the choice to live like hell, thus they number themselves with hell. On the other hand man has the choice to be numbered with the Holy One, thus spared the wrath to come. Even the plagues are a combination of the prayers of the saints mixed with the coals from the altar of God to provoke repentance, thus God is Love, but He does hate (Prov 6:16-19 & Rom 9:13).
Hosea 11:10-12 defines the issue, the Lord will roar like a Lion, this defines another metaphor for us. The devil goes about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour (I Pet 5:8), here we find the premise. This is the Season of Grace, God isn’t considering Judgment now, but the devil goes about roaring Judgment.
In this we find hope in another projected prophecy, the Lord will roar, and Ephraim did compass the Lord with lies, but the tents of Judah yet rules with God, as the faithful saints.
Hosea 12:1 goes into more about Ephraim, he feeds on the wind (Assyria), he lies, making covenant with Assyria through the idols. However, the Lord has a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways. Jacob is seen as a baby, taking his brothers heel, yet he also had power as Israel, he prevailed, thus he knows much about God. The word Angel is the Hebrew Malakh meaning Messenger, or A deputy dispatched, it shows the battle Jacob the man had was with his own Message, or purpose. This is seen in the verse where we find “he wept, and made supplications unto Him: he found Him in Bethel, there he spoke with us” (Hosea 12:4). Then we read this Him is the Lord God of hosts, does it mean the Angel was the Lord, and Jacob beat up the Lord? Hardly, the Message or purpose of the calling of Jacob was the battle, afterward when Jacob the man knew his purpose in life, then God told him about his name change. The children of Israel knew their purpose in life as well, they were failing to fight the good fight, as they failed to make their supplications to God, rather they made them to idols.
Hosea 12:7 shows something happened, a balance of deceit is found, one unequal (iniquity) based in hypocrisy. Jacob wants the blessing from God, but is not willing to give to God. Ephraim thinks he is rich and in need of nothing, taking us to the Seventh church and Jacob’s trouble (Hosea 12:8). Verses 7 and 8 are joined by the conjunction And, the balances of deceit and the lukewarm condition all tie defining the Seventh church.
The longsuffering of the Lord is then seen, have they been able to hide God in the tabernacles? Does not God know? Some of us think God only hangs out at church on Sunday, then hides in the basement the rest of the week. God sent prophets, gave visions, sent warning after warning, but they ignored the call (Hosea 12:9-14).
Ephraim trembled in Egypt, exalted himself in Israel, showing when he was in Egypt under Pharaoh he cried for deliverance, he called out to God, and God delivered him. But once delivered he became proud and arrogant, then he bowed to Baal causing death to rest on his neck. The lies in Egypt didn’t kill him, even the pride didn’t, but idol worship did.
Like the slide of sin, it never stops, the old man joys in our fall, as he piles more sin on the sin, until the mountain sitting on us begins to crush us (Hosea 13:2). Ephraim is like a puff of smoke, here today, gone tomorrow, but God is Eternal, only God can save us, no idol ever saved anyone (Hosea 13:4).
God continues by saying He will fight, but Israel has destroyed itself, yet God is there to help (Hosea 13:5-9). The love of God was there, but they mocked Him by their ways. They trusted in idols, rejected His words, His prophets, yet He waits to help. How much more will the Blood of Jesus save us?
God is willing to be their King, even in His wrath. He proved it, for God so loved the world, when there appeared nothing to save, He sent His only Son to be our Savior and Lord. The Lord came to die, so we could live by the Spirit, Jesus opened the Way so we can come boldly to the throne, how much more will He do if we love Him (Hosea 13:10)?
Hosea 13:14 points to the last resurrection, connecting to “o death, where is thy sting? Or grave (hell) where is thy victory?” (I Cor 15:55). This is not the First Resurrection, since this points to a standing up based on a power without. Hosea 13:15-16 shows the removal of Mercy (fountain shall be dried up), referring to the resurrection unto damnation, with Samaria (all idol worshipping elements, including the city) shall become desolate, for she has rebelled. The wording “shall become desolate” is the Hebrew Asham meaning desolate based on a trespass. .
The prophet ends with his call to repent and return to God. The ways of the Lord are right, the ways of the Lord are freedom, it’s the way of man bringing death, destruction and pain (Hosea 14:2-9).
JOEL
Joel prophesied against the southern kingdom of Judah, thus his prophecy will speak to those of the Body, so much so the Holy Ghost picked some of Joel for Peter to speak of regarding the happenings on Pentecost (Acts 2:16). Joel is an interesting work, the contents seem to point to 835-796 BC, the factors leaning toward the date are: the enemies named are the Phoenicians, Philistines, Egyptians, and Edomites (Joel 3:4 & 19); there is no mention of a reigning king, the emphasis seems to be on the elders and priest (Joel 1:1, 9, 13, 14 & 2:16). The Word of the Lord came to Joel the son of Pethuel, specifically directed to the old men and the inhabitants of the land. However, we also find “in your days”, and “in the days of your fathers”, yet we find many things pointing to the future. This prophetic word is to be told to the children, their children, and the children’s children, but what is to be told? If the projection is to the children’s children, indicating the words were given by Peter as the Holy Ghost spoke of the time of Joel’s prophecy coming to pass.
The bugs mentioned could be locusts, but metaphorically we can see how the palmerworm relates to the Phoenicians, the locust to the Philistines, the cankerworm to the Egyptians, and the caterpillar to the Edomites. There was a famine in the land, but nothing recorded to the damage Joel is referring to, thus we find the metaphors relating to the invasions of the heathen nations seem to fit better than an onslaught of bugs.
Joel 1:5 calls for repentance, but prior they have to wake up to what is going on. Things just get more and more interesting, Paul said the Wicked are the drunken who go into the Night (I Thess 5:7), here Joel tells them to wake up and weep, a call to repentance before its too late. Next we find the “New Wine” is cut off from their mouth, this speaks of the famine produced by the invading armies, but we can see the prophesy pointing to the wicked who attempt to mix the cup of devils with the cup of the Lord. On the other hand, the Will of the Lord is for us not to be drunk with wine, wherein is excess, but rather be filled with the New Wine of the Spirit, speaking to ourselves in psalms, hymns, spiritual songs, singing and making melody in our hearts to the Lord: giving Thanks for All Things unto God and the Father in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ (Eph 5:18-20). The drunken are drunk with power and position, they must wake up and see where the power came from, and why. Often they will recognize where the Power came from, it’s the Why they ignore. The old man loves to exercise power in religion, there are religions all over the world based in the self proving the point.
There is a nation coming against the Land, like a Lion whose teeth are great and devouring. The Lion will lay the vine to waste like palmerworm, clean the fig tree like a locust, and bear the branches thereof like cankerworm. The drunken are to lament like a virgin girded with sackcloth for the husband of her youth (Joel 1:5-8). This points to a Bride to be, she is to look about and see what has happened to her, have the Wicked defiled her? She needs to repent and remember, if she does then she can be dressed in white (Rev 3:3-5).
From this point on we have to keep several things in mind, the “Day of the Lord” will be defined for us as the Night: Amos says, “Woe unto you that desire (look forward to) the Day of the Lord! To what end is it for you? The Day of the Lord is darkness not light” (Amos 5:18); Joel will tell us the same. Also Joel tells us the Day of the Lord is “at hand”, not in hand, a very big issue, since he will also show there is a Time and Season coming before the Day of the Lord. Next we must keep in mind this is prophetic in nature, what might seem to be one thing, may be another. An example is the four nations noted as locust etc., we also know there are two Zions and two Jerusalems, which the prophet will defined by the context of his usage.
The rebuke begins in the “house of the Lord”, thus it points mainly to the priests. The offerings are “cut off”, so what does it mean? The wording “cut off” doesn’t mean they can’t give or receive offerings, it means their increase is stopped because of the iniquity of the priesthood (Joel 1:9); or the blessing is withheld, based on the person giving the sacrifice; Jesus said if we have aught against our brother or sister, we leave our gift on the altar, make amends, then present our offering.
The field metaphorically refers to the kingdom of heaven, here we find it’s wasted; the word Wasted is the Hebrew Shadad meaning spoiled, devastated, ruined, robbed, but more to the point it refers to be assaulted by robbers. The land (earth) Mourns, how can it be? The Land? Or the kingdom of heaven? The “corn” is wasted, the word Corn means Wheat, thus the Tares are not wasted, but the Wheat is, the New Wine is dried up, Grace has suffered a violent blow by the iniquity of the priests, yet Jesus has made us in the Body priests and kings, thus a few can cause problems for those under their authority, but not for the entire Priesthood (Joel 1:10 & Rev 1:5).
The beginning of Restoration is when we know what has happened; rather than get mad at everyone because it happened. We become ashamed, for when one hurts, we all hurt (I Cor 12:26). Two groups are seen, the Husbandmen and the Vinedressers, both see the Harvest is of the field is perished (Joel 1:11). If we want Revival, we have to look to our own Vine first, then make sure our Field is being cleaned of the Tares. In Joel’s time God allowed the heathen nations to come against His nation to wake up His people. In many cases we find we put far too much emphases on things, thus God will correct us in order to bring us into the place of correction unto perfection. We may not like it, but it’s for our good. We may find our vines bear, our field appearing destroyed, our joy withered away, all the green trees seem to be dry, yet it’s because we held to some “ruler of the darkness” claiming it to be a treasure from God. The washing of Water by the Word cleans us, but like most children when “bath time” comes we cry, have a fit, yell and scream, yet the dirt is destroying us, bringing disease, or making our trees dry. The Blood of Christ cleans us from unrighteousness, we would be surprised how many areas of self-righteousness we hold, even in the things of God. We have faith, yet we want everyone to know how our faith is so much better than theirs, or how our faith gains us whatever we want, yet it’s a claim in self-righteousness, which steals the glory from God. We have to grid ourselves in “sackclothe”, lament, secure ourselves in Grace to be free of the Night. At times the natural side of man will use a testimony as means to brag, it gives God some of the glory, but it steals most of the glory.
As for the prophetic aspect we see Joel pointing to the Night, calling for repentance and “sackclothe”. The Book of Revelation shows as the Night opens the Sun is dressed in sackclothe, as are the Two Witnesses (Rev 6:12). Joel 1:15 shows the Day of the Lord is not in hand, but at hand, yet it’s “destruction”. The word Destruction is the Hebrew Shod or Shode meaning Destruction, but it was also used in reference to the “Spoiler”. However, look back to the prior verses, could it get any worse? Wait, in verse 14 we find the recovery will be a fast, a solemn assembly, but is this for them? Us? Or the Remnant? For them and the Remnant, not us, since the place is “house of the Lord our God”, the use of “our” defines the people it points to. The wording Solemn Assembly is the Hebrew Atsarah meaning to be closed up into one group, the nation of Israel considered itself one group. Metaphorically it can relate to the Body, as one unit, with many members: which of course points to Zion as the Rock (Heb 12:18).
The signs of affliction are clear enough, is joy and gladness gone? If so one of the reasons may be we are in a tough place, a place of scrubbing and cleaning, a place of wilderness exposure, or we simply have failed to serve the Lord our God will joyfulness and gladness of heart for the abundance of “all things”, not merely “things” (Deut 28:47). These people were being corrected, but they didn’t like it. The prophet is telling them it is God, a dramatic change in attitude will begin the path back to being restored (Joel 1:16-18).
We see the “beasts of the field” crying unto the Lord because the “rivers of waters” are dried up. This relates to the Rivers of Mercy, thus it also relates to Judgment, since the Fire has devoured the Pastures, the time of separation when every knee will bow, and every tongue confess, but for many it will be too late (Joel 1:20).
Joel 2:1 begins by telling us to blow the Trumpet in Zion, the word Trumpet is the Hebrew Showphar or Shofar, or the ram’s horn. This is not the angel blowing the Trump, this is a call for the people to take heed to the warning. This is not a good thing, rather it means the city is about to be attacked by a great and mighty force. The first trump was sounded when God wanted to be among His people, but the people feared so greatly, even Moses said, I exceeding fear and quake (Heb 12:19-21). However, we have come unto Mount Zion, unto the City of the Living God, the “heavenly Jerusalem”, unto the true Assembly and Church of those who are First Born of God (Heb 12:22-23). We heard the sound of the First Trump then we ran to meet our Lord at the Cross, then the Holy Ghost took us through the Grave, then gave us the Power of the Resurrection by giving us the Spirit, we are the “general assembly” (Body) and Church (Grace, Born Again); that Born of the Spirit is Spirit (Heb 12:22 & Jn 3:6).
The Second Trump is the Last of the two Trumps, it will sound a warning at the change in Seasons, as Paul says (I Cor 15:52). The “Great Trump” is sounded by the angel announcing the Judgment. So which Trump is Joel talking about? None of them, this is “the trump”, it’s sounded when the city is in danger, but it is not yet the Judgment, since there are still people alive showing the time of “it’s appointed unto all men once to die, then comes the judgment” is yet future, near, but still future. This is clearer when we find the “day of the Lord comes, it is near At hand”, which is different from “in hand” (Joel 2:1). What is the Day of the Lord? A day of darkness, and gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, it points to an army so great it appears as the morning sun coming over the mountains. This would be the time when Gog comes against the city, thus the city is almost under attack as the Lord’s Army is coming against the Whore. Soon the cry will be, “Babylon has fallen, has fallen”; the paradox is amazing, in the days of Jeremiah God used Babylon to correct the City, in the latter days the City becomes Babylon and God uses the world to overtake the City (Isa 39:3 & Rev 14:8).
In Joel 2:2 the word Darkness is the Hebrew Choshek meaning darkness as the Night. The word Gloominess is the Hebrew Aphelah figuratively meaning Wickedness; the wording Thick Darkness is the Hebrew Araphel meaning a Heavy or dark cloud, but the metaphor Cloud means a Witness, which is what we see. A Witness of the idol worship and iniquity is the Thick Darkness, but the “Day of Clouds” will be the Witnesses of the saints against the Woman, as the Woman has the blood of saints in her cup (Rev 17:6 & 18:24). Joel 2:3 gives us the earth turning inside out at the Judgment, the Fire devours before them, behind them a Flame burns. When Jesus returns His feet will be like fine brass (judgment) as if they burned in a furnace, the lake of fire will be before them, the earth as the footstool of Jesus behind them, yet both will be burning, the same as Peter tells us (II Pet 3:10-12). The reference to the “Garden of Eden” as it relates to the “fire” points to judgment, not victory, thus as God judges the transgressions and iniquity at the Fall, so will it be in the End; “what is this you have done?”.
The army will be as “horses”, but the horsemen will run. They will try to escape, but none shall (Joel 2:3-5 & Rev 9:9). The people shall be in much pain, they shall gather in blackness. The word Blackness is the Hebrew Paruwr meaning Heat, or Dubious, or Uncertainty, which connects to “every eye shall see Him”, not knowing what the judgment holds (Rev 1:7).
The “horses” shall climb the walls, they will be like mad men, demon possessed, yet some shall fall upon the sword and not be wounded, or as John put it they shall seek death, yet not find it (Rev 9:6), which simply means they will attempt to avoid this event, but will not be able to (Joel 2:8).
Joel 2:9 points out the windows of heaven were opened, but the thief attempts to make entry through the window. Having the blessing in hand, doesn’t mean one has a ticket to heaven, Mercy and Grace are the means, not material things.
Joel 2:10 shows the earth turning inside out, the moon (Zion of the earth), the Sun (Israel), and the Stars shall lose their light. The Woman will lose her candlestick, the light will not shine in her again (Rev 18:23). For the Day of the Lord is Terrible, who can abide it? (Joel 2:11). The word Terrible is the Hebrew Yare meaning many things, some of which are Pure reverence, others mean to Tremble, Fear, Be afraid, all showing the Reverence they failed to show God has come back on them, they are sore afraid. In our case we find there will be no need for the Sun or the Moon in heaven, for the Lord is the Light thereof (Rev 21:23).
How about the Escape? Joel 2:12 begins it; here is the place we’ve been looking for. When God put us in the wilderness, chances are we lost things, some were taken, some we just couldn’t take, some were the looks from family members, whatever, what the first didn’t take, the second did, and so on, yet it’s purposed by God to clean us the dangerous things in our lives. For the most part we had no idea they were dangerous, perhaps we had no idea they were in us. Not devils, but demonic nonetheless, when some of those wiles went, so did some other things, yet we find a new nature taking hold, our souls were flesh, now they are becoming Spirit as we become spiritual.
We don’t need to tell the devil to give it back, we go to God, He will restore unto us (Joel 2:12-25). Now we can see how important Joy and Gladness of heart really is, but don’t they sound the same? They’re not, Joy is an attitude based on acceptance of the circumstance being directed by God for our benefit, but gladness is faith issue reaching to result. When God told the children about joy and gladness, where were they? In the wilderness, thus this is how we gain the benefit of our wilderness experience, truly we find the Restoring Power of God is based in the acceptance of God dealing with us as children.
We are the children of Zion, we should be glad, even in the cleaning (Joel 2:22-23). God desires for us to have things, it’s the things having us He doesn’t want. For we can have Plenty, yet Praise the Lord for all things, knowing He has dwelt “wondrously” with us (Joel 2:16). The word Wondrously is the Hebrew Pala meaning A marvelous wonderful work beyond ones own power. It’s the saving of the soul, the Spirit took us into the wilderness where we found the Pasture of the Lord, the Living Waters of Mercy; then we came out as children of heavenly Zion, knowing the Lord is our Lord, Savior, in Him is our Deliverance and Salvation (Joel 2:21-24). However, the purpose is always to know The Lord is in our midst, He is the center of our lives, we shall never be ashamed (caught in idol worship – Joel 2:27).
The next area of Joel is fairly well read, it really begins in Joel 2:24, where we find the reference to the “wine and oil”. John told us the famine will not hurt those who hold the oil (Mercy) and wine (Blood of Jesus – Rev 6:5-6): however, it doesn’t mean it won’t effect those in the Body, the conditions are Mercy and Grace (Blood), not merely the Bread. We find our problem is not a lack of things, it’s a lack of knowledge; if we know why are where we are, we can gain our Joy back.
On the Day of Pentecost Peter quoted this part of Joel, yet not exactly. Peter’s quote is closer to the Septuagint, yet not exactly like it was read in his day either. However, why would Peter use the Septuagint in speaking to Jews? They would hold to Torah and Prophets (Acts 2:17); thus we find Peter interpreted the prophecy for us, giving us many wonders. Following is a comparison of the two statements:
| Joel 2:28-29 | Acts 2:17 |
| (28) And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
(29) And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.
|
(17) And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: |
In Acts 2:16 the context points to Your sons, Your daughters, Your youngmen, Your old men, but then in Acts 2:18 it changes to My servants, and My handmaidens, what is the difference? Seasons and performance. There is a clear cut separation ending in “the sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood” (Acts 2:20), this last event doesn’t happen until the Fifth Angel opens the pit, which is well after the Rapture which happens at the fifth seal, not the fifth angel.
This also helps us to see how Hosea 1:10 shows in “that Place” they will be called “sons of God” (Hosea 1:10). If these are Your youngmen, Your old men, Your daughters, and Your sons, who is the Your? Don’t all things belong to God? Yes, on Pentecost the prophecy of Hosea 1:10 came to pass, it’s still coming to pass as we speak. We also find how Joel says, “pour out My Spirit”, but in Acts it’s, “pour out of My Spirit”, two different things, unless we account the Born Again experience. The term “all flesh” does not mean all of mankind, it means Jew and Gentile have the opportunity. The pouring out of the Spirit is a reference to the Gift of the Holy Ghost being granted. The term Living Waters is the connection of Mercy in us with the Spirit (Jn 7:38-39). The Holy Ghost did pour out the Spirit as the Gift, or Seed (Word) planted, as the baptism with the Holy Ghost (Acts 10:45-46 with 11:15-16). Paul speaks of the manifestation of the Spirit, which is the Spirit in us pouring out of us, as the living waters of God’s Mercy based in Grace. Joel is talking about the receiving, which took place on the Day of Pentecost.
The Sons, Daughters, Youngmen, and Old Men are all metaphors to the growth of the Seed of God, all relating to our Season. Then the Holy Ghost changes the context to “His Servants”, which relates to the Two Witnesses of the Law and Prophets. The term Handmaiden is always a metaphor pointing to a Virgin, we know the 144,000 are classed as Virgins, meaning they have not mixed with the Women of the corrupt city and nation. In both cases the Spirit’s performance for the Servants and Handmaidens is the prophetic word yet to come to pass, not acts of healing, or Salvation. Peter left off certain parts as the Holy Ghost moved him, the division between the Day and Night were already in Peter’s mind (Acts 1:6-8), thus his remembrance was working.
Peter broke Joel’s prophecy into three sections: the Born Again experience of “I will pour out of My Spirit….” (Acts 2:17). Joel says, Afterward the Spirit will be poured out, and Jesus said, “But you shall receive Power, After That the Holy Ghost shall come upon you” (Acts 1:8). This shows the Power came first, then the Holy Ghost gave the gift, as the Holy Ghost filled them to preach to the masses. The Hebrew word for Poured Out relates to a sacrifice, meaning to Pour out the Blood. The Greek word for “Poured Out” is Ekchuno, it relates to a sacrifice as well. The same Greek word was used in Matthew 9:17 and Mark 2:22 as “the wine is poured out”. This Greek word is often used in reference to the Blood of Christ (Matt 26:28). Also by metonymy it includes the container of the contents, thus the Power of His Christ was Poured Out when we received the Spirit in the New Birth.
The word Afterward in Joel is after the Lord dwells among His people, which Jesus did. This is clearer when we understand the difference between Authority and Power, the Authority was granted before Jesus Ascended, but the Power came after, thus After the Authority and Ascension the Power came, then the Spirit was given as the Holy Ghost came as a mighty rushing wind with the Baptism, but with the baptism came Fire, just as Jesus promised, as Peter commented (Acts 15:8 with Acts 11:15-16 & 10:45-46).
However, we find the sun shall be turned into darkness (Joel 2:31), the word darkness is the Hebrew Choshek meaning Night, thus giving us a division of Seasons. After the Spirit is poured out comes a change in Seasons, then the Moon will also be changed into blood, as the blood of the saints is found in the cup of the Woman in the end.
The phrase “whosoever shall call on the Name of the Lord” doesn’t mean someone saying, “Hey Lord”, rather it means one who has assigned themselves to the Authority of the Lord. John called it “beheaded” for the Witness of Jesus (Rev 20:4), it doesn’t mean our physical head is cut off, indicated by a different Greek word. This type of Beheaded means a change in Authority, we gave up the Beast and his authority, then continually call upon the Name (Authority) of Jesus (Joel 2:32).
Joel 2:32 isn’t speaking about Zion of the earth or Jerusalem of the earth, we can’t put all the darkness and terrible things with the term “deliverance”, it simply doesn’t fit. However, we do find a double meaning, the Hebrew word for Deliverance is Paleytah meaning A remnant shall be delivered, this fits with the Remnant of the Seed of the Woman, as they are overcome by the Wicked, but are delivered at the Judgment (Rev 3:4-5). Joel 3:1 begins with “in those days and in that time” referring to a specific, in actual meaning it points to the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem. Prophetically it points to the end of the Night, a time in the Season relating to a short time (days). The captivity is under the hand of the Beast, the battle is in the valley of Jehoshaphat, which valley is only mentioned in two places, both here in Joel (3:2 & 3:12). The word Jehoshaphat means Jehovah has judged, thus referring to the time of the Judgment. This is another area where we find Jesus referred to as Jehovah, one can’t very well be a Witness for Jehovah, if they refuse to recognize Jesus as Jehovah.
The reasoning is found in Joel 3:3-5, they took the things God blessed them with, yet gave them to idols. The judgment is a matter of “recompense”, the word Recompense is the Hebrew Gamuwl meaning dealing or giving what one deserves, whether it be reward, or punishment. God being Equal will judge in righteousness; they killed, or robbed His sheep, used the wiles of the devil, violated the Covenant, loved the lie, or used it to their advantage, sold their children, as well as the children of their neighbors, what would be a “just reward”? (Joel 3:4-7).
We find the Time of Comfort begins when they beat their weapons into plowshares, here it’s beat the plowshares into weapons (Joel 3:10). This is the End of the Comfort, the beginning of Jacob’s Trouble. They won’t know the ways of war as we do now, thus their ways will be crude. The sound of the trump is heard, the Woman will soon find her lovers coming to kill her (Joel 3:11-15).
Joel 3:16 is not a “good roar”, it’s the Lion of the Tribe of Judah bringing Judgment, this isn’t “like a roaring lion”, this is the Roar of the Lion. Joel 3:17 points to the final day when New Jerusalem descends, then the people of the earth shall know it’s God, when New Jerusalem gathers those who found their names in the Book of Life (Rev 20:15, 21:1-3). The Tree of Life will connect directly to the Throne and the River of Life flowing from it, yet Egypt shall be desolate, and Edom because Judah (princes thereof) have shed blood, but Judah (tents) shall dwell forever as New Jerusalem from generation to generation (idiom meaning without end), for God shall clean us. We are a people in the Process of Justification, a people who undergo cleanings by the washing of the Water by the Word, and by the Blood of Jesus, a people who have the Word in them dividing and separating, to bring correction unto perfection. Since we came to the Lord and received the Spirit the Witness of the Water, Blood and Spirit have been bringing the Report to pass in our lives. If we lost anything, it was the Lord; nonetheless He has promised to Restore unto us the Good and Pleasant, as He brings us into a place of Peace, so we will know above all else, He is God in the Midst of us. Selah.
AMOS
Amos means Burdensome or to Impose a Burden, but it doesn’t mean his position was a burden for him, it means he was the one to tell the people what a burden they were to God. Amos was a herdsman around 780 BC, his contemporaries were Hosea, Micah, Isaiah and Jeremiah. Amos’s ministry came at a time when Israel was at its height of prosperity, thus his message of pending doom was not well taken. Amos gives us the concept of the “Rich” as it relates to the Book of James. In James the use of the word Rich points to one who is of the Promise (Jew), the Poor are those outside the Promise (Gentle), thus the Poor became Rich through Jesus. This in no way means the people of God are not to prosper, but we prosper as our souls do (III Jn 2).
It’s interesting how a nation can be at the height of prosperity, yet forget God. The Kingdom of God is predicated on us prospering as our souls prosper, a key element is seeking the Righteousness of God. Even the wilderness can be a joyous place if we accept it by joining with the Spirit in the cleaning process. The time of Amos’ prophetic call is denoted by the reference to Uzziah being the king of Judah, while at the same time Jeroboam, the son of Joash was the king of Israel, then the specific of two years before the earthquake, but no one seems to know exactly when the earthquake was (Amos 1:1).
However, by the notation we can see how Amos’ prophetic ministry related to the earthquakes, since he began two years before the “earthquake” (which was also talked about some 200 years later by Zechariah – Zech 14:5), it shows his words point to the short time before the massive earthquake bringing the Judgment. There are three earthquakes one could consider as “divers”: most earthquakes happen when the plates of the earth offset each other, or slip, but there are three earthquakes based entirely on different events, making them “different” (divers). The first happened the day of Jesus gave Himself on the Cross, at the same time the curtains between the holy place and holy of holies were torn from top to bottom (Matt 27:51). The second earthquake will be at the Last Trump which opens the Rapture, based on the earth no longer being able to hold the saints. The third which is of interest regarding the prophecies of Amos will happen just before the Judgment, when the earth turns inside out (Amos 1:1 & II Pet 3:10-12).
Today science is in the process of confirming the concept of the land masses moving back to one land mass as it was in the days of Noah; they tell us, at one time the masses of the earth were one land mass known as the Panthalassa. Their evidence now shows man what the Bible has said for years, in the days of Peleg the earth was divided from one land mass into many (Gen 10:25). From the far reaches of space science has seen how the land masses including the islands all fit together like a puzzle, thus showing how they were joined. They can also see if there was a massive earthquake those same masses would rejoin in what they call the New Panthalassa. The earthquake marking the Rapture will also mark the opening of the Time of Comfort, as the earth moves to and fro like a drunken man, bringing all the lands together, plus changing the poles, making all electric elements useless. As we know it, it will be as it was in the Days of Noah.
Amos prophesied regarding the nations round about Israel, before speaking to Israel. Of course the people in Israel were all “yes amen” until it came their turn, then it was “thou speak falsely”. Some of those nations attacked Israel directly, some helped, some condoned, some ignored. The most interesting aspect of his prophecies is how they relate to the events in the land today. There are nations and people who attack Israel, some who support those who attack Israel, some who help with money, or shelter, some who ignore what is going on, yet all of them are addressed in the prophecies of Amos. The Lord has spoken, it will come to pass, but the time and timing are still in the hands of the Lord.
Regardless we can tell by John measuring the temple when the Two witnesses are active how Israel will survive, and have their temple. They will be the only religion on earth at the time, impossible you say? Impossible today, but today is today, there is still a time called the Night, approaching rapidly (Rom 13:12 – “far spent” means fast approaching).
The Lord will roar from Zion and utter His Voice from Jerusalem (Amos 1:2). The place from where the Lion of the Tribe of Judah will judge, woe unto those who condoned violence against God’s people. The inhabitations of the shepherds (congregations) shall mourn, the top of Carmel shall wither. The word Top is the Hebrew Roshe meaning the Head, or metaphorically the Authority. The meaning of Carmel is the point here, it means “garden land”, thus this is the time when all eyes shall see Jesus as they “wail” because of Him (Rev 1:7). The wording “shall wail” is the Greek Kopto meaning to bewail, or to be cut down, or cut off. The prophetic message shows they may think they are getting away with their wicked ways today, even use the name of God for their benefit, but in the end they will find God was not pleased with those who attack His children (Amos 1:2).
Damascus transgressed three times, no four, the fourth is yet to happen (Amos 1:3). It’s the fourth causing fire to devour Damascus, thus what may be going on today as we speak, since Damascus is a city, not a nation. It does make sense, when we find the phrase “three times, no four” is a Hebrew numeric parallelism, or idiom, which is also termed Hebrew poetic figures. Not only does it point out the Fourth, but shows there sins were innumerable, or just keep adding them one on the other. Oh three, wait there is four, no here is five, no six, they just keep adding up, something we see today. Amos is giving us the prophetic message of Jacob’s trouble, yet more so the path leading to it.
There will be a total of eight locations with Judah and Israel being the last two. Each location has something against it, here they have Threshed and Iron (bondage).
For three transgressions, no four will Gaza be punished for they carried away captivity. Those who take people captive, will be taken captive (Amos 1:6). Fire will fall on Gaza who used captivity as a means of control, in the latter days the Woman uses manipulation as she twists her position taking the world captive (Amos 1:3).
God will send fire on the house of Hazael, which devoured the palaces of Ben-hadad (Son of Hadad). Hazael was the king anointed by Elisha when Elisha finished the ministry of Elijah; Hazael was even told he would do evil, and so he did (II Kings 8:12). The connection to Ben-hadad is the point here, Hazael was the servant of Ben-hadad sent to the prophet to inquire, “shall I recover of this disease” (II Kings 8:7-8). Hazael found Ben-hadad would recover, but die (II Kings 8:10). Hazael helped the situation by placing a thick clothe over the face of Ben-hadad, then Hazael took over the throne (II Kings 8:15). The prophecy points to using ungodly means to take a position, although Hazael was anointed as king, it didn’t give him the right to kill the sitting king. Although David was the anointed and appointed king, he waited until Saul was no longer on the throne.
The word Scepter means the staff showing the authority of a sovereign, in the case of the Kingdom the Scepter of Jesus is His Righteousness (Heb 1:8). Here in Amos we will find more than one Scepter, in 1:5 it’s the “scepter of Eden”, but how can it be? Eden relates to Peace, the Time of Comfort is often referred to as a time like Eden. The Time of Peace will be “cut off”, the wording Cut Off is the Hebrew Karath, a word we seem to run into, it means to cut off a body part, to kill a Covenant, or to remove to be destroyed. It’s the word used to describe the Broken Body in prophetic terms, here it shows the Covenant is killed, no longer effective, removing the Green Tree, leaving destruction.
The scepter of Ashkelon will be taken; Ashkelon means to Weigh, as Ashkelon held the Remnant of the Philistines (Amos 1:8). The Woman will ride on the shoulders of the Philistines taking Edom, Moab and the children of Ammon opening the Seventh Seal which will release the Seven Angels (Isa 11:11-14).
Gaza was another area who took captives, in an evil sense, then they delivered the captivity to Edom. Their punishment will not be turned away, thus they acted more as a middle man. There are some who think killing in the “name of God” is permissible, because they use God as their excuse, but here the prophet says it’s not so, defending yourself is one thing, but this is outright murder while taking people captive.
For three transgressions, no four will Tyrus be punished and devoured with fire (Amos 1:9-10). Edom and Tyrus are seen as the same, their sin was not Remembering the Brotherly Covenant (Amos 1:9), they rejected the Royal Law of Love, by taking pleasure in the distresses of others. This is what happens to those who condone the violence placed on God’s people. We begin to see these nations and peoples all lacked Mercy, rather they joined in the powers attacking God’s people to save themselves. Yet, in what they felt was saving themselves, was really putting a rope around their neck.
For three transgressions, no four will Edom burn in the fire (Amos 1:11-12). Edom went after his brother with the Sword. He who lives by the Sword, shall die by it, this again shows how Mercy was rejected by Edom, just as it was by Tyrus. It becomes clear it’s not the three transgressions, but the continual violations. So far all of them are burning in fire, wonder what fire? Oh yeah, the lake of fire. All these are not judgments, rather they show the activity is continuous defining the term “sinning willfully”. John said if we are Born Again we sin not (fat chance), but he is referring to a sin against our brothers and sisters as a continuous nature, in which we gain some joy (I Jn 3:9). Look at the faces of those who enjoy exalting themselves while they slander someone else, their nature is wrong, their thinking corrupt.
For three transgressions, no for the fourth will the children of Ammon be punished, for they failed to regard the desire of women. They sought only to enlarge their border, yet hell will enlarge its borders for them (Dan 11:37 & Amos 1:13-14). Ammon’s king will be taken into captivity when the Woman takes the children captive (Amos 1:15). The desire of women would be children, taking the children of the kingdom captive either mentality or by corrupt theology is still making them captive.
For three transgressions, no for the fourth will Moab be punished, for he burned the bones of the king with lime, thus those who slander the very bones of the “kings of the kingdom” will be burned with Moab’s princes (Amos 2:1-3).
For three transgressions, no for four will Judah be punished, for they have despised the Law, as they failed to keep the commandments, rather with their lies they caused many to error. If we make the mistake of assuming this prophetic message points to the entire Body of Christ as “Judah” we error, since from the Body comes the Church. There are a few Tares in the overall picture, they have the “great swelling mouth”. It’s the Transgressions in this case not the Iniquities, thus it points to the princes of Judah at a time after the tents of Judah are taken. This is based on causing others to error, not merely Judah being in error. The false prophet is found in Jerusalem, thus we also find, Fire will fall upon Judah to devour the “palaces” of Jerusalem (Amos 2:4-5). What Palaces? The Palaces is the Hebrew Armowm meaning a castle, or palace, or a fortress, relating to a stronghold, thus God doesn’t see the Temple as the Temple, rather they will turn it into a den of idols and thieves as the palace of the wicked.
For three transgressions, no four will Israel be punished because they sold the righteous for silver and gold, then sold the poor for shoes (Amos 2:6). Israel failed to care for the poor, rather she used the poor to exalt her position, she drank the wrong wine in the house of her god (Amos 2:6-8). All Israel will be saved, but not all who use the title Israel are of Israel, just as not all who use the title Christian are Christ Like, yet many are the Firstfruits of the Spirit. God proves what He will do is based on what was done to Him and His, history proves Him Just. He destroyed the Amorite, brought Israel out of Egypt with a mighty hand, led them through the wilderness forty years, then raised up her sons for prophets and her young men for Nazarites (Amos 2:9-10). God provided much for them, really He has done much for the world in general, what they did with the gift becomes the problem. The gold and silver are earthly metals, things, they are not evil, they can do neither good or evil, it’s the person holding them determining if they will be Used for good or evil.
The Prophets and Nazarites were blessings to the people, but instead of keeping the Nazarites pure, or respecting the prophets, they gave the Nazarites the cups of devils and told the prophets, “prophesy not”, making the people a god over God (Amos 2:12).
God is pressed under the unbelief of those who claim to be Believers, He sees cruel leadership, manipulation and rejection, yet even God’s Longsuffering has a point of ending. The swift shall not be able to run fast enough, the strong won’t be strong enough, neither shall the warrior be able to deliver himself for they shall flee away naked (Amos 2:16). The Seventh church is told it’s naked and about to be spewed out of the mouth of Jesus (Rev 3:17), they are a people found in a place they should not be.
Anyone God brought out of Egypt, was brought out because they made the request to be delivered. God saved us from the world because we asked Him to, then He asked us to accept Grace, to obtain the fullness of the Spirit to complete the process of salvation. Saving us without a purpose to complete the effort is not the nature of God. To all those God has pulled from Egypt, He says “You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities” (Amos 3:2). Prior it was based on their Transgressions, here it’s Iniquities. A Transgression is a trespass, or being someplace one should not be. In order to commit Iniquity one must have the capability to be Equal, along with the command, authority and power to do something, yet not do it, while at the same time doing other things they have the command, authority and power to do. We can cast out devils, yet treat our brother like a devil; we can prophesy, yet use words of slander, deceit and maliciousness against the people of the Lord, we can bless God, yet curse our brothers and sisters in the Lord. We can do many wonderful things for some, yet do many evil things toward others, while enjoying the evil as much as the good, making one a worker of Iniquity (Matt 7:21-23).
As far as the physical land, Israel is the only called family on the earth, but we are adopted into God’s heavenly family by the Spirit. God asks, “can two walk together, except they be agreed?”; the word agreed means in Harmony, this isn’t God bending to our soulish concepts, rather it means we must move to His spiritual awareness (Amos 3:3). This is the same as “worship in Spirit and Truth”, there were many who worship God, but only those with the Spirit of Truth, can worship in Spirit and Truth.
Blaming God for any event or circumstance is foolish, even the lion and the bird know better. For if there is evil in our camp, it’s we who caused it by our sins, or iniquity, yet when the Lord brought correction, we termed it Evil (Amos 3:6-7).
If there is an evil city, did the Lord do it? No, the city was made to be Godly. What they did is seen by God, but it doesn’t mean He did it. There comes a time when we must stop blaming the devil for everything, and face our own transgressions and iniquities. We got ourselves into this mess, but we need the Mercy of God to get out of it. Repent, seek and knock, and stop saying, “it was the devil you gave me”. These people made the mistake of thinking the prophet’s word would come to pass regardless, rather than seeing the true prophet speaks of things God is seeing. Just as in Jeremiah, they presumed if the prophet said it, it would come to pass. Some of the prophets made the same mistake, they found they were wrong. Agreement and simply saying things are not the same, we agree with what God says, rather than speak thinking God will agree with us. As we believe so have we spoken, it’s not the other way around.
When a hungry lion roars the people run in fear, when God roars the people say, “oh well, God is Love, it’s okay” (Amos 3:8). God will send an adversary round about to bring down our strength, only because we act more like the adversary than Godly (Amos 3:11). All we have to do is look about and find the adversary pressing on the walls of our “secured position”. In that Day God will visit the transgressions on Israel, but in our Day He will visit our iniquities on us, as He upbraids us with our own unbelief (Amos 3:14-15).
In all this we must keep in mind these rebukes are directed to the “kine of Bashan”, or those who mock the cross, or trodden the Blood under foot. They are the ones who change the Law to fit their self-desires, who kill the prophets and saints (Ps 22:12 & Amos 4:1). The Lord will take away the blessing granted by the Time of Comfort, but not because He wants to, rather it’s because He has to because of the abominations done in the midst of the city (Amos 4:2).
God says, “go ahead, multiply your transgressions”; they already committed the transgressions, yet they pay their tithe and make their sacrifices, but they repent not, nor have they turned their whole hearts to the Lord (Amos 4:4-10). This is a classic example of how iniquity leads to transgression; they did some things, but failed at others, the failure then took them into idol worship. They did the Acts, but rejected the Ways, they were unequal. Because of the abominations all physical life will die, then they will all meet their Maker.
In the Beginning was the Word, the Word was with God and the Word was God, all things were made by Him and for Him, those things will face Him when He is Revealed. Israel must prepare to meet her Maker, we are told to Prepare the Kingdom and Watch, for our time to meet our Maker is near (Amos 4:10-12).
God formed all the mountains, Jew and Gentile, small or big, seven or ten, it was man who picked the power of the dragon over the Power of God. It was man who held to the authority of the dragon over the Authority of God, it was man who placed himself in the seat of Satan by rejecting the Throne of God (Amos 4:13). God brings a lamentation, or a voicing of the sorrow in God’s heart for being forced to do what He must do (Amos 5:1). If they seek the Lord, they shall live, lest He break out with fire in the house of Joseph (latter days – Amos 5:2-6).
When our judgment of mercy becomes bitterness (Wormwood) we have fallen from Grace (Amos 5:7 & Heb 12:15-16). Before man figured out rain comes from the sea to the clouds then back to earth, God explained the process, defining the law of reaping what we sow (Amos 5:8). The process of reaping what we sow has an escape, repentance and imputing the old nature of the flesh dead. The old nature will reap what it sowed, but we are no longer of the old nature, we have a New Nature. The wages of sin are death, thus we receive the death of Jesus in our place, paying the price: have it done and over with, so we can engage in a Spiritual Nature with Life, rather than an existence pointed to death.
If we are under a curse, it’s because we stopped the process of Grace, thus the curse never comes without cause (Prov 26:2). The Wicked in our Season hate the Wall, in the next they will hate the Gates (Amos 5:10-13). These are not the gates doing the rebuking, rather we find they hate him who rebukes in the gate, although he in the gate speaks uprightly. This has to point to the Two Witnesses of the Law and Prophets, the Prophets stand at the Gate, the Law speaks of righteousness, yet the false prophet is offended, rather than bow, he will destroy. The word Abhor is the Hebrew Taab meaning to treat with contempt, or to regard as an abomination, thus they place the abomination making desolate in the temple, yet claim the Law and Prophets are the abomination.
Some of us are all excited about the Second coming of Jesus but God says, “Woe unto you who desire the day of the Lord. To what end is it for you? the day of the Lord is darkness and not light” (Amos 5:18). Does this seem confusing, since Jesus told us to Watch? No. The Rapture is not the Day of the Lord, rather it closes the Day for Grace while it opens the Day of the Lord for judgment. In the world we will find tribulation, but Jesus has overcome the world. Today we see wars, rumors of wars, famine and pestilence in the world, but this is the Day, a time for the Grace to be the place of Safety. In the Night there will be no wars, rumors of wars, famine or pestilence, but it will also be a time when there is silence in heaven, they will have the Two Witnesses, but no prophets, or “words from the Lord”, other than those written in the Torah and Prophets. It will be a time of Judgment, a time when the enemies of Jesus are being made into His footstool.
On the other hand we walk by faith, not by sight, as the Lord speaks to us through the New Man (II Cor 5:7). Today the world is full of wars or rumors of wars, famine or pestilence, but it’s the world. If we were in the Night we would see Peace and Safety, but then comes sudden destruction. Two Seasons, thus looking at the world to determine what God is doing brings confusion, causing the confused to view the Night as the Kingdom, rather than looking inside for the Kingdom. Cult systems seek the Night, simply because they lack the Kingdom within. They assume the Peace and Safety is greater than the world today, it is, but the Night is still based on Judgment. Therefore, we find the Day of the Lord will be very dark, yet we are of the Light (Amos 5:20-22). The judgment is on the Dead, yet we have passed from death to Life.
Jesus told the Laodiceans they were lukewarm, thus they praised God for the benefit, but they also worshipped idols for the pleasure of the flesh (Amos 5:26). All of us are suppose to believe in the Second Coming of Jesus, but we do so out of fear and trembling, it’s being partakers in the First Resurrection as the basis for our Hope. Once we entered the kingdom our position changed, we are not appointed to the wrath of God (I Thess 5:9), rather the wrath of God is reserved for the children of disobedience (Col 3:6). Once we obtained the Spirit our condition changed from the Unjust to those being Justified by the Spirit, which moved us to, “we are not of them who draw back to perdition, but of them who believe unto the saving of the soul”. (Heb 10:38-39 & II Cor 5:7).
If we are “at ease” thinking a little idol worship is okay, we’re in trouble; God said, “Woe to them who are at ease in Zion and trust in the mountain of Samaria”, this is a lukewarm condition, or being unequal (Amos 6:1). The mountain of Samaria refers to idol worship, thus they sit in Temple raising their hands to God, cry and cheer, dance, and enjoy the worship, then go out and play with idols in their minds, or actual idols. Idol worship comes in many forms, we can worship our intellect, our theology, our abilities, our denomination, our church, our pastor, or a human, even our Bible teachers, or ourselves. It’s not wrong to belong to a denomination or even a non-denomination, it’s when the denomination or non-denomination takes the place of the Kingdom wherein error exists. Therefore, if we allow our religious thinking to be an idol, we will sit in the temple of our mind, claiming it to be God. The seat of Satan is the Seat of Violence, one form of violence comes against the Kingdom by self-righteousness. In our Season self-righteousness is a form of idol worship (taking the glory from God – Amos 6:3).
After the Woman goes into the wilderness, finding her Time of Comfort for 1,000 years, then the Seventh church comes to the surface for a short time. Then the Eighth comes as the False Prophet out of perdition causing the abomination to be placed where it should not. Then God will bring a nation against the Woman, then the Woman is no longer a wife, a queen, a virgin, or desired (Amos 6:14). In the latter days Jacob shall raise up, although he is small, he will join the Beast in the bed of destruction (Amos 7:1-2).
The Lord will not utterly destroy all, as we find the phrase, “This also shall not be, saith the Lord God” (Amos 7:6). When Jesus told the disciples about the cross and Resurrection, Peter said, “Be it far from You, Lord: this shall not be unto You” (Matt 16:22). Peter’s phrase is better known to us as “Have pity on Yourself Lord, make God stop it”. In response Jesus said, “Get you behind Me, Satan you are an offense unto Me: for you savor not the things of God but those of men” (Matt 16:20-23). To Peter it seemed logical, why change things? Everything appeared fine, the dead were being raised, the sick healed, money in the mouth of a fish wasn’t bad. Peter heard Jesus speak, yet wanted God to change the event to please Peter, yet Jesus said these thoughts were of Satan, not of God. Here the request is for man to repent and turn, thus it’s one thing for God to call for change, another for man to attempt to force God to change.
God sees the basket of bad fruit, yet refuses to pass by it. Amos sees how the priests will use unbalanced scales, pride always tilts the scale to the side of the self, making it “unequal” (Amos 8:1-5). The basket wasn’t evil, it was the fruit. Jesus would see a tree lacking the ability to produce good fruit, then make a statement based on the evidence, but Peter will again make the wrong conclusions based on what he sees. If Jesus came to Bless, as He told us to Bless, how then could He curse? The first fruit on the fig tree is uneatable, the second eatable fruit grows over the first. Jesus saw a fig tree as representative of the religious order He was facing in Jerusalem; it was not time for figs, but the leaves were there. Jesus made an observation, and said, “No man eat fruit of thee hereafter, forever” (Mark 11:14). It was time for the Olive Tree to begin it’s Season, not a time for the Fig Tree to reign. The next day Peter sees the same tree, and said, “the fig tree which You cursed” (Mark 11:21). In response Jesus said, “Have faith in God”, then talked about a mountain, not a fig tree (Mark 11:21-23). The teaching focused on the ability to enter forgiveness, not cursing (Mark 11:24-26). Later Jesus gives them the Parable of the Fig Tree to explain what they saw, the buds indicated the first fruit was corrupt, if the second fruit grew over the first, it too would be corrupt; therefore, we find in the latter days the same fig tree will bring forth Leaves, not fruit (Mark 13:28-31). It wasn’t a cursing but a blessing, the Remnant will be the leaves, they will not be polluted by the past corrupt fruit. The basket of “summer fruit” should be ripe, but it never reached the stage, it turned before it’s time. The fruit was not on the Tree, it was in a basket, it had been picked, then left to rot.
Then the prophet speaks of the time of howling, the time when the dead bodies shall be cast forth, speaking of Judgment. The basket shows the Tree was destroyed, not cursed, it was removed by the Woman, the False Prophet and the Beast of the Earth. They were under the false impression, “remove the Law and Prophets, remove the conviction”. Today we see some with the same thinking as they assume by removing the Ten Commandments, they remove the conviction; however knowledge of the Ten Commandments is the conviction.
However, before the time comes, God will bring about the sackcloth for Jacob (Sun). Jesus has the keys to the House of David, and no man can open the Time, or stop it. The Two Witnesses are clothed in sackcloth, when the Sun is covered in Sackclothe the time of the Two Witnesses begins. Of course, by then the Rapture has taken us to meet Jesus in the Air, showing the Day is done, the Night begins (Amos 8:10-11 Rev 6:12 & 11:1-3).
Amos 8:11 speaks of the famine of the Rhema, in the Septuagint the word “words” is translated as Rhema, and accepted as such. Jesus as the Logos said the Rhema He speaks are words of Spirit and Truth (Jn 6:63). The Proceeding Rhema centers on the Spirit of Truth. Faith comes by hearing, but the hearing by the Rhema. The Sword of the Spirit is the Rhema. If there is silence in heaven, there will be a famine of the Rhema, showing a change in Season. There will be no proceeding Word of the Lord, there will be no Spirit, the only truth will be found in the Law and Prophets. Therefore, when the false prophet appears he will speak lying words presuming he brings the Proceeding word. The entire premise changes when the false prophet produces idol worship, the self will be exalted, the abomination will be called Christ, the Woman will be called God.
They will have the Law and Prophets, really its enough considering. The Law tells the people even if the false prophet says things, and they come to pass, yet he takes them in the direction of idol worship, they are to reject him (Deut 13:1-3). The warning alone should be enough to reject the false prophet, but the false prophet will speak smooth words, self-pleasing words, gaining entry by using he lusts of the people against them.
Amos sees the Lord breaking up the Door, then taking the Blood from the lintel and the side posts, thus removing the Protection, allowing the angel of death to enter (Amos 9:1). Metaphorically we can see this relates to the Passover, but we can also see the Great Protection the Blood of Jesus grants us, at the Rapture the Blood of Jesus will be removed from the earth. Then the Lord will raise the tabernacle of David, as they build the Temple again as in the days of old (Amos 9:9-11). David didn’t have the Tabernacle, David didn’t even build the Temple. The Temple was built by Solomon, the Tabernacle was in the wilderness, last seen as a unit in Shiloh before David was king. Could the prophet be wrong? Hardly, the Tabernacle was temporal, when they build the Temple it will be temporal, later it will be turned into “the mountain of Samaria” (Amos 9:11-15).
Israel will be planted on the land, no one will remove them as long as the earth remains. However, the earth will not remain in it’s pleasant state, but it doesn’t mean the Remnant won’t receive the Kingdom, neither it means those who join to the False Prophet will lose the land. Really, those who join to the False Prophet will see the land turn into the lake of fire. In all this, the Father never left them, neither did Jesus leave those who said they were Christian, but we also find a time element. Jesus said He wouldn’t leave us even “unto the end of the world” (Matt 28:20). If we claim we’re with Jesus, why is we assume the devil comes against us at his will? Don’t give place to the devil, if we haven’t given place to the devil, yet the event doesn’t please us, then we know it’s of God doing a Good work in us. Our flesh will rebel in events not pleasing to the flesh, yet we imputed the flesh dead on the Cross of Jesus. The voices of the dead we shall not listen to, the Voice of Life in Christ we will listen to.
Amos didn’t consider himself a prophet, he didn’t claim to be one, rather he was a herdsman who loved the Lord. However, the Lord touched him, he obeyed the call (Amos 7:14). For the most part it’s the same for most of us, we don’t consider ourselves useful enough for the Lord, but it’s the very mindset the Lord is looking for. The Lord has tons of bus drivers, what He needs is some obedient vehicles.
Amos is only saying what he was given, if the people didn’t like what he said, go to God and tell Him. For the most part when God says something the people don’t like it, they seldom say “has God said?”, they usually say, “what are you saying?”.
Amos looks at the so-called priests and wonders, Why did God have to come all the way to the field to find one to prophesy? Amos becomes an example of the child of God who desires to live up to the call, by doing what the Lord asks without question. Although Amos didn’t claim to be a prophet, he did prophesy, thus he is a type of shadow of the Christian who will prophesy, yet is not in the office of Prophet. Each Born Again believer is endowed with the Manifestation of the Spirit, able to speak prophesy for the edification, exhortation, and comfort of another (I Cor 12:7-11 & 14:1-25). However, the Office of Prophet sets direction for the Body, or delivers doctrine (they don’t make doctrine, they deliver it – Acts 15:32).
The Lord used Amos, since the house of God turned to the house of Baalim. The secrets of our hearts are exposed in the midst of prophecy, all the dark corners are exposed by the prophetic word; it’s good, from exposure comes correction unto perfection.
Most of us don’t want to hear anything against the Body, thus in the days of Amos the call was, “prophesy not against Israel and drop not thy word against the house of Isaac” (Amos 7:16). It’s still wrong to curse Israel, it’s still wrong to rebuke the Body, unless one is speaking from a prophetic position, then it would be wrong not to speak. A wise man receives rebuke, a fool rejects it.
In Amos 9:2 the wording “Climb Up” points to the Wicked, showing how they attempt to enter a different way, the only different way is through the Windows. God pours the blessing out of the Windows, but He never gave anyone permission to enter through the window. They assume “blessing” in hand means “Salvation”, but it doesn’t, as the quail hunt proved in the wilderness. Never judge our position with the Lord based on material blessings, God gives so we may have to give, our position found in the New Man.
In verse 9:3 the word Top is the Hebrew Rosh meaning Head or Leader. God will take them down from Carmel, the garden place, taking this right back to Amos 1:2.
In Amos 9:3 we find “The Serpent”, not A serpent, thus this shows when the pit is opened the devil and his demons will be turned loose, yet the devil still is under command from God (Rev 9:4). Even in the last days the devil is subject to commands, it may not please us, but it’s written nonetheless (Rev 9:4). The devil goes about seeking whom he may devour, not whom he wills to devour.
Amos 9:4 shows God’s will is set against the Wicked, this would be His Judgment in action. Judgment during the Day is out of order, but Salvation during the Night would be out of order as well, thus during the Day it may appear the Wicked are getting away with murder, but this is still the time of repentance and restoration; however, if they don’t repent, they will be the “drunk” going into the Night, later to be seen as the Beast of the Earth.
Verses 9:11-12 talk about the Tabernacle of David, but when David was king the Tabernacle was gone, the Temple was yet to be built. This points to New Jerusalem descending to obtain the Remnant from the House of David. Verse 9:14 shows the promise for the Time of Comfort, one the Jew holds to, even today. They have more faith in the Time of Comfort, than some of us have in God being able to produce the Rapture. The Book of Amos spells out, “many voices claim to speak to God, but few hold faith in Him”.
OBADIAH
There were 13 men named Obadiah in the Bible. “Oh no, 13”, not to worry in this case it shows his prophecy was set to break the rebellion, not make it. Obadiah means, Servant or Worshiper of the Lord, both fit this man. Obadiah is the shortest book in the Old Testament, although he only contributed one chapter, he was nonetheless a faithful servant. God doesn’t judge us on the amount of words, He judges us on the holiness of the words.
Obadiah had a vision speaking to the self-deceived, yet gives us the discernment to expose the intent of deception, which involves pride to some degree, thus pride is the mother of self-deception, the father is slander (Obadiah 1:3). They exalted themselves, taking pride in their called position (Obadiah 1:4); however their real danger is yet to come, for the thieves come by night to cut off their prosperity. Jesus said He would come as a thief in the Night, He is not a thief, rather His arrival will be quick, and in the Night. Don’t confuse Jesus as being a thief, His coming is “like” one, it doesn’t mean He is one.
We watch, but where we watch determines the result. We watch in our heart by praying we’re not cut off by self-deception, or religious conceit. We must always be open to the exposure, when someone tells us “you’re a manipulator” we better discern. Some of are told how they play mind games, then they use manipulation to prove the person wrong, ending proving them right. When we think we’re mighty in our self-righteousness we are bringing violence against the Kingdom, rather than preparing it (Obadiah 1:8-9).
Some hold concepts lacking Scripture as the foundation, when asked to produce a Scripture they attack, or say “we can’t associate with you, you have a different doctrine”; without Scripture to support the concept, it becomes a high thing against the knowledge of God, truly it is “a different doctrine”, either of men or devils. If we find a precept, find the example before making up our own. Even when we know the person has formed high things, we still don’t take joy in their nakedness, nor do we search out dirt (Obadiah 1:11-12). Everyone who searches out dirt on another uses some self-deceptive excuse, such as, “cleaning the Body”, or “defending the faith”, but they fail to clean their own heart, thus their pride will turn making them the dog (Obadiah 1:12-13).
Edom as a country is the primary focus of this prophecy, but Obadiah is one of the examples of God using one thing to point out the error of another. Although Obadiah points to “Edom”, we can also see traits of Lucifer exposed, as the Mirror of God is being presented to the people of Edom. James points to the mirror, showing how we see what we see, then we walk away forgetting what type of person we are. God will bring the mirror to our face, but God being God has many facets, we could be looking at an elephant to expose the flea in our heart. We could be looking at an exactness to expose same hindering attitude in us, or it could have nothing to do with the mirror. Discernment is the key to all this, the Spirit in us is fully able to separate and divide to bring us clarity. On the same note we never reject the premise, it could be a mirror, discern, don’t burn.
Edom held a “pride” of heart, thus pride deceived Edom (Obadiah 1:3). It wasn’t the devil who deceived Edom, rather it was accepting a wile of the devil, playing with it, using it to gain the advantage until it became a ruler of darkness over Edom. Whether it’s fear, pride, manipulation, or deception if we use them to our advantage, they will soon take over our own minds becoming a ruler of darkness over us. Paul said those who deceive, soon become deceived by their own deception. In essence, give and it shall be given to you, shaken down, and pressed together. Therefore, give clarity, mercy, words of Truth, much better.
Edom exalted himself as the “eagle”, in this case the metaphor Eagle points to an angel, but this angel entered self-exaltation, thus showing it’s more like the fallen angel (Obadiah 1:4). Then the metaphor “stars” is used, showing this Edom set his nest among the stars. Since we find the word Nest it refers to a Fowl, thus Edom is a type and shadow of the fowls who make their nests in the Tree. The stars with number (12) point to the tribes of Israel, but the stars without number point to us. This element made his place among the stars in our Season, or in the high place, but since it’s a nest we find they are not of the Tree, but taking advantage of it.
Edom dwelled in the “clefts of the rock”, the Hebrew word for Rock is Sela, which pointed to the capital of Edom, but we can also see how Edom is typed as the Wicked, as the independent rocks left behind at the Rapture. They hide in the clefts, thinking their hearts are not seen, but those who are spiritually able judge (discern) all things (I Cor 2:15). The word Clefts is the Hebrew Khagawv meaning a place of concealment, or a place where one thinks they are hidden. In verse 6 this is made clear, they thought they were hidden from the eyes of men, yet the Eye of God saw them.
During our Season they assume their hearts were hidden from God, they called their pride “the anointing”, presuming it was “confidence”, rather than the pride of life. Their pride deceived them, they refused to be cleaned, because they rejected the exposure unto the cleaning. Edom became the hiding place for the Thieves and Robbers by Night, then we read “how are you cut off” (Obadiah 1:5), this connects to the phrase “how are you fallen from heaven, O Lucifer” (Isa 14:12). The wording “cut off” in Obadiah is the Hebrew Damah meaning To cease, To perish, or To meet a violent end, pointing to the time after the Rapture. Edom lacks Understanding, the confederacy was at Peace with Edom, yet Edom is deceived (Obadiah 1:7). This is not the same as the Time of Comfort, rather this Peace means those who joined with Edom, or who were friendly with Edom. This could relate to the saying, “birds of a feather, flock together”.
The Wicked don’t plant a lust in us, they get us to use some lust already in us. They entice the lust, then tell us it’s really some “gift of God”. They trick us into using the lust to our advantage, yet the lust is a ruler of darkness. James tells us how some ask for the Wisdom of God, but they desire to consume it on some lust (James 4:1-4). The Wicked are no different, their desire to enhance their own lust by seeking a lust in others. Their motive is based in envy, they have power over the old man, thus they use the spirit lusting to envy for their benefit, they are trapped by their own deceivings. When anyone prays through a lust, or by the wrong spirit they bring War, where peace should reign (James 4:1-4). The Wicked are tricky, so much so, if it were possible, they could fool even the elect. However, the Word in us brings clarity, by discerning the intent and thought before the act takes place. All we have to do is keep our faith in God as we hear the Spirit (James 1:21, Heb 4:12 & I Jn 4:4).
The Confederacy of Edom is based in deception, like all who use deception and manipulation they become the victim of their own folly. We found they use the table of counsel as they bargain, but they use deception to gain control, then remove whatever is their way.
In Obadiah 1:9 we find the wording “cut off” in the phrase “cut off by slaughter”, this is a different Hebrew word than the one we found in Obadiah 1:5, here it’s the Hebrew Karath, the same Hebrew word we found earlier, meaning to cut off a body part. In all this we have to remember Lucifer is a “son of the morning”, not a “son of the Night”, thus the exposure of the Lucifer mindset comes in the Day, not the Night. However, the Lucifer mindset changes, becoming the False Prophet in the Night. It’s the same position of the son of perdition, only in our Season it’s one horn, in the next they use a different horn. Nonetheless, in our Season the Wicked are given the opportunity to repent daily, but when the Rapture comes it will the time of Karath, when no one can work. In the end it will be the time of Damah as a time when it’s Done.
Edom didn’t personally participate in the captivity, but God shows Edom was nonetheless a part of it (Obadiah 1:11). Edom stood by, encouraging the enemy, he stood in “the Day” when the Strangers carried away captive, yet did nothing to help his brother (Obadiah 1:12). Rather than helping his brother, Edom’s pride spoke proudly (Obadiah 1:12).
Then came the Night, Edom refused to enter the Gate of God’s people in the day of their calamity. Instead of assisting his brother, he waited to take their substance (Obadiah 1:13). We don’t take the booty from a fallen brother or sister (Obadiah 1:13); rather we seek first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness. Edom not only sought out the substance, but delivered up those who did remain after the Distress (Obadiah 1:14). It’s bad enough to watch the Wicked overcome the Babes, or watch the Wicked use their slander, if we say or do nothing we are like Edom.
Obadiah 1:15 is a prime example of “reaping what you sow”, the only way to avoid this is to change paths by entering Grace by the Spirit of the Lord. If the old man is dead, he already reaped what he sowed. However, if we keep pumping power into the old man, we will reap what we sow.
Mount Zion of the earth is established in Mercy, Longsuffering and Holiness, it’s not established in Grace, thus we see Jesus on Mount Zion marking the 144,000 in reference to Mercy (Obadiah 1:17). However, we have a Mount Zion as well, it too is established in Mercy, Longsuffering and Holiness, with the added concepts of Belief and Faith, then on top of our Zion we find the Church which is based in Grace.
In verses 15 and 16 we find the Day of the Lord, we also see how the they have Drunk upon the Holy Mountain. This is a metaphoric statement pointing to those who are Drunken who go into the Night. Obadiah speaks of the Day of the Lord being Near, the Day of the Lord begins the Night, ending at the Judgment. In Amos the Day of the Lord was at hand, the same as we find here. The warning was “don’t wait”, get it right Now while it is yet Today.
The House of Jacob will bring the fire, but the House of Joseph the flame; whereas the house of Esau the stubble (Obadiah 1:18). The name Esau means Red, but it also has a character of a “wild donkey”, representing the wild unsaved soul of man. Joseph won’t produce the fire, rather he brings the flame to start the fire by igniting the stubble. The judges and saviors shall come up on Mount Zion to judge the Mount of Esau, we can’t forget Esau and Edom are one in the same, with Edom being the product of Esau. However, we are children of the Day, who have the privilege of seeing what the Night will be like. If we need incentive in those troubling times to fight the good fight of faith, think of the Night, then how we of the Day are not appointed to the wrath of God. If we are reluctant to the call, or if we think we have missed the call, we may find we haven’t missed a thing, the plan has it taken care of. However, our reluctance to do as we should may find us looking out the spout of a whale wondering “what happened?”. Selah.
JONAH
The name Jonah means Dove, but it doesn’t mean he was a dove, rather it means his prophecy pointed to the Time of the Dove (Day). This book about Jonah is not his first experience as a prophet, rather Jonah gave a prophecy fulfilled by Jeroboam II (793-752 BC – II Kings 14:25). John’s account shows us a meeting between the religious rulers while Jesus was no present. We call this type of accusing meeting a John 7 meeting, while the religious rulers were devising their plans against Jesus, Nicodemus stood up and asked, “does our Law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he does” (Jn 7:51). The response by the rulers was, “are you also of Galilee? Search and look: for out of Galilee arises no prophet” (Jn 7:45-53); however, Jonah came from Gath-hepher (II Kings 14:25), which was about two miles from Nazareth in Galilee, thus the religious leaders were in error, indicating how envy blinded their eyes. Jesus told the Pharisees “Search the Scriptures; for in them you think you have eternal life: they are they which testify of Me” (Jn 5:39). The religious leaders used the same type of wording against Nicodemus, but they were in error, whereas, Jesus was correct. Simply using the Scriptures doesn’t mean The Word abides in us. The Word must be in us (James 1:21) as the Seed of God (Mark 4:14) for the Life to be within. Simply quoting the Bible doesn’t mean one has Life, simply saying they believe in One God doesn’t mean they accepted the Son of God.
Jesus called Jonah a prophet, but said he preached to the people of Nineveh (Matt 12:41). The experience of Jonah became the prophetic word regarding Jesus three days and nights, rather than what Jonah said (Matt 12:40). Since Jesus used the experience of the prophet, it shows the event was real. If the events of Jonah were not real, Jesus would never have given them validity, especially concerning the Cross and Resurrection. As we will learn the prophecy of Jonah did come to pass, Jesus spent three days and nights in the grave, then He was raised on the Third day.
Recalling Jesus said Jonah preached to the people in Nineveh; therefore, Jonah didn’t prophesy to Nineveh, he preached, just as John the Baptist was a prophet, but preached “repent for the Kingdom is at hand”. However, Jonah’s preaching was “You’re going to die”, which was still a form of preaching, but hardly prophecy. Preaching tells us what May happen if things don’t change, prophecy tells us what will happen, thus we find some prophecy will have preaching mixed into it, thus Jonah told the people of Nineveh what could happen if things didn’t change Quickly. However, when things did change, Jonah got mad, yet his lesson is going to be our gain.
Jonah like most of us would have thought, preach to a Jew yes, but to Nineveh? Why go, they won’t believe or receive? Why tell them hell is upon them, if God will forgive them? Yet, what is God doing forgiving these heathens? More important, Why go to Assyrian, the enemy of God’s people? Nineveh was the capitol of the Assyrian Empire, yet Assyria would carry away Israel captive in 722 BC. Judah was nearly conquered by Assyria in 701 BC, yet Jonah was being sent into the “mouth of the dragon”, to him the mouth of the whale looked better.
In the last chapter of John Peter was called “Simon Bar-Jona” or Simon Son of Jonah, how can it be? First Jonah is the reluctant prophet, second Jonah was sent to a people not of the family of God. Jesus told Peter (Simon), another would gird Peter, the “another” was Another Comforter, then Peter would go where he would not. It’s exactly what Peter did, when he went to the house of Cornelius a Gentile to preach Jesus, then he saw Jesus baptize the house of Cornelius with the Holy Ghost (Acts 10:44-46 & 11:15-16). Peter was reluctant (Acts 10:10-16), yet when he was faced with third time regarding his reluctance, he doubted, but then came clarity (Acts 10:16-20). When clarity came, doubt left, leaving Peter no longer reluctant (Acts 10:20). Another concept is Peter at the time (before Pentecost) was not spiritual, yet he gave words, some from the Father, some from Satan, yet he lacked the knowledge to tell the difference. Being a “son of Jonah” also means he was a son of prophet, thinking he was a prophet before he received the call.
Jonah wanted to see the evil people destroyed, but Jonah found the mercy of God is translated through servants, even reluctant servants. Although Jonah didn’t know it, his role in the experience was many benefits. He would provide the experience regarding the grave and Resurrection of Jesus by showing the whale could not hold Jonah, the grave could not hold Jesus. Then his preaching provided the evidence of the Gentile being accepted into the Net, something Peter would prove. Jonah was focused on his words, God on the man’s actions. There are times when we plant seeds of Grace and never know it. Of course, there are times when we plant Tares as well, and never know it, but thank God, the Holy Ghost is fully able to save His own.
When the Lord told Jonah “go” he went, but he went in the opposite direction (Jonah 1:1-4). Tarshish was a Phoenician mining town, located in what we term Spain, it was situated on the western trade routes for the “ships of Tyre”. Nineveh on the other hand was east of Israel, thus Jonah not only ran, but was running in opposite direction. This connects to Peter in the last chapter of John, Jesus asked Peter, “do you love Me”, the word used by Jesus was Agape, but Peter answered with “Lord, you know I Phileo You”, thus Peter was running from the calling as well. Both Jonah and Peter will be our warning of how we attempt to run, but find the Lord is waiting for us no matter where we run to. Jonah was obedient to the word Go, but he went in his direction, rather than God’s. When Jesus called Peter, “Simon Bar-jona” it was a reflection on this experience of Jonah, although Peter was standing in one spot, he was running as fast he could from the calling. Jonah is a great example of one called of God, who runs from the presence of the Lord (Jonah 1:3). When the Lord allows them to run, they soon cry out, “where are you Lord?” (Jonah 2:7). Putting all this together we find the term, “Simon son of Jonah” makes more sense. Jonah like a dove is being sent to preach to a people not Jewish, who are really opposed to the Jewish way of life. Peter was also sent to a people who were Gentile, he was also told to preach. As Peter preached the Holy Ghost baptized the Gentile; Peter was more surprised than the Gentiles (Acts 10:44-48 & 11:15-16). Truly Peter put forth his hands, and Another Comforter took him where he would not go.
Jonah represents all of us who said we would serve God, yet run in the wrong direction when the call comes. Many say “Lord, I will go where you say, say what You tell me to say”; however, when the Lord says, “Go to your neighbor and preach about the Holy Ghost”; we say “that can’t be God, I come against you devil”. They run in the opposite direction doing all sorts of works, but they are still not doing what the Lord said. The Lord tells us to “preach”, not cut everyone’s grass on the block assuming one work will take the place of the other. Obedience is found in two forms, we can obey and complain the entire time, or obey with gladness of heart. Only the latter brings Joy in the doing.
Jonah is also an example of one man touched by God to do a task no one else can do. What would happen to Nineveh if Jonah remained in the belly of the fish? Although God knew the result, Jonah didn’t, thus this lesson wasn’t just for Jonah. It points to us as well, more important it shows no one could bring the Cross and Resurrection to pass except for Jesus. It’s the importance of the Faith of Jesus, to think any of us by the measure of faith can do what Jesus did is foolish. What would happen if Jesus never appeared after the Resurrection? What would happen if Jesus destroyed the devil, yet no one knew? Information is the basis of our belief, without God revealing Himself, we would never know there was a God.
Jonah was saved from the belly of the whale, to him it was being delivered from the darkness of hell, yet Jesus saved us from hell. Jonah left the belly of the whale and preached; Jesus preached to those in prison, then took captivity captive. Then He spent forty days with the disciples establishing the Resurrection, preparing them to receive Power from on High to be Born Again. All this shows the three days and nights of Jonah went beyond some fable, or cute story, rather the event really happened, just as the Three Days and Nights Jesus spent in the grave really happened. God had this experience of Jonah in the Plan from the foundation of the world to show how Jesus would destroy him who had the power of death, who is the devil (Heb 2:14). If we make the Jonah experience a “fable” or among the “doubtful” things (whatever that phrase means), we are also saying Jesus lied, was never raised, and we become more the devil than Judas; not real smart. Let the doubters, pouters, unbelievers and scorners in the Body who mock the event, let us learn from it. Amen?
The word Cry in Jonah 1:2 is seen in verses 3:2 and 3:4, it’s the Hebrew Qara meaning To Roar, or Preach, it doesn’t mean to prophesy. Jonah was a prophet, but a prophet can be told to preach, and a preacher can give prophecy, but they are different acts, and should not be confused one into the other. Jonah’s call was for one place, a place he felt wasn’t worth the trouble, yet he knew the meaning of the word Qara. He knew if he spoke and they listened, God would forgive them, but he wanted to prophesy doom, and watch it come to pass. His attitude is a warning to us, the Lord sets a table before our enemies, so we can pray for them, rather than come against them.
The Great Whale in the Sea is a type of the Beast of the Sea, Jonah will attempt to hide in a ship upon the Sea (world), yet find himself in the Beast of the Sea. However, he will repent, then finish his course, in so doing he will learn something of himself.
What was the message? “you shall die”? No, “God is going to get you”? No, it was “your wickedness is come up before Me”. The wording “is come up” is the Hebrew word Alah meaning Clarity, or To spring up, but it also has a meaning of to come up to be taken away (the Hiphil usage). Therefore, God is seeking repentance, not destruction, He is seeking it from a Gentile, someone outside the promise, who are also termed an enemy of God’s people. Mercy is one thing, but this is Mercy extended to a people who are not deserving, or is it the idea? Ahh, we were the enemies of God, we were the children of disobedience (Eph 2:2-4), but God who is Rich in Mercy by His Great Love called us to the Cross of Jesus. We then responded by the measure of Faith to accept the Cross changing our position and condition from disobedience to obedient (Eph 2:4-5 & II Cor 10:2-7). God expects no less from us, we don’t impute sins on others, we grant them mercy.
Jonah ran to hide in the ship of idol worshipers, or hid under the skirt of the world, but God found him. God said Go up, Jonah started going down, and down, and down, until he was looking for his lunch inside the Big Fish. Instead of tossing the Net to catch Fish, he found himself being caught by the Fish.
Even the heathen knew God was causing the conflict, in this case the “storm” was reaching for the called. The ship couldn’t go anywhere until the man of God was tossed from the hand of the heathen into a place where God could deal with the man one on one. Rather than preach to the heathen, Jonah attempted to hide behind them. Not real smart, but when we run from God we can count on two things, a storm, and God has already arrived at the place we were running to.
Jonah’s prophecy begins when he enters the belly of the whale, he was three nights and three days in the deep. This is what Jesus used to explain the only sign any of us need (Luke 11:30), which sign is proved by having the Holy Spirit. Jesus took our place in the belly of the earth; when Jonah was facing certain death he called out to God (Jonah 2:1). Seeing how this Fish was a type of the Beast of the Sea, we can also understand why Jonah was spit out on the Sand of the Sea, a metaphor for Israel. There is no reason for any Blood bought saint to even feel the breath of hell, we are spared the experience by what Jesus did for us.
God using a whale was not by mistake either, the Whale is listed among those animals created as living souls (Gen 1:21), the metaphor shows Jonah was in the belly of his own soul, seeing the junk and waste in his heart. He had Weeds, as his own Tares, or snares around his head. When Jonah was in the belly he saw hell, then he repented. The purpose of exposure is to bring us to repentance, so God can lift us to a higher position, so we can enjoy a much better condition while He is taking us to perfection by justification.
Jonah was in the “belly of hell” being afflicted, but the purpose was exposure. During the saving of the soul there are times when we think we’re in the belly of hell, but it’s not hell, it’s God’s fire of affliction bringing the exposure unto perfection, not destruction.
The “waters compassed” Jonah, he gave the sacrifice of thanksgiving, yet the man was in the belly of a whale, looking death right in the eye (Jonah 2:9). Jonah thanked God for the whale, and the experience, he didn’t curse the devil, yell at the darkness, or attempt to control the whale. The whale vomited Jonah out on dry land, yet Nineveh was three days journey away. Three days in the whale, three days to Nineveh, sounds like a test. Some consider this to mean the size of Nineveh was so large it took three days to pass from one end to the other, thus Jonah entered the city and went one day before he began to preach; however, if it was the sand of the sea, it would be three days to reach Nineveh (Jonah 3:1-4). These three’s also relate to Peter, he was told three times he would deny the Lord, the Lord asked him three times, “do you love Me Peter”, thus the indicating why Jesus kept calling him “son of Jonah”.
In all this there is a blessing, one we might miss if we don’t stop to see what is going on. If God didn’t care about Jonah or the people, then He would let the man stay in the belly of the whale, or let the city go on in its wickedness. However, God did care, and wouldn’t let this man run from the calling, nor would He let the people go without hearing. This hope shows us, even if we toss up our hands in the face of horrid events, or run off looking for some fish to hide in, God will search us out. The event may not seem “good” to us, but the result will surely show us how God delivers His own.
There are some experiences encouraging us more than others, some where we are motivated to get out of the belly of the deep. Jonah gave the people the “wilderness warning” by saying within forty days the city would be overthrown (Jonah 3:4). Some tend to think Jonah missed it, but his preaching was on target for the sin of the city was overthrown by repentance; forty is the number of the wilderness showing repentance changed the course of events (Jonah 3:5). It was the context of the call, thus if Jonah gave a prophecy, he did miss it, but he preached, complexly different. The prophecy would have been, “So saith the Lord, your wickedness is come up before Me”, but Jonah took the wording “come up” then preached from it.
Of course Jonah was now out of the belly of the whale, he gave the message, thus his incentive came when he knew what it felt like to be in the belly of the whale. There are some experiences giving us a driving incentive not to go around the corrupt tree twice. The next time we see it coming we immediately get things right with God to avoid the folly of our mistakes. Jonah and Peter had something in common, they both felt if they said, it would come to pass, but both found out that is not the case. The prophet hears from God, they do not make God hear.
Jonah is riding as fast as he can, he preached one of the shortest sermons known, now he presumes since he said it, God must now do it. After all, sinners should be destroyed, didn’t Jonah have to suffer for three days and nights? My goodness, God must punish these evil doers. However, Jonah forgot, he had to be cast into the deep to find the Weeds (tares) around his head before he would repent, yet these people Heard a few words and repented (Jonah 2:2-7 & 4:1). Jonah also forgot in the midst of his rebellion, God saved him, so why wouldn’t God spare these people? This is a lesson in itself, Jonah finally did as he was told, but he had to live an experience first, when he repented God restored him, but here he is not willing to extend the same favor to this people.
When Jonah thought he was in hell, he vowed to God by saying, “I will sacrifice unto You with the Voice of thanksgiving” (Jonah 2:9). Was his reaction to the repentance of Nineveh thanksgiving? Hardly, was his voice one standing in the Vow? No, he wanted to see some suffering, yet God had the nerve to spare the people, of course God had the Mercy to spare Jonah from the whale. “That’s different now, after all when God spared me, it was by His mercy, I think He should destroy the secular press, there is no good in them whatsoever”. There wasn’t any good in us whatsoever, yet God delivered us, is God not equal?
One day prior Jonah would have preached to the devil to get out of the whale, but like most vows made in the face of death, they are soon forgotten. Jonah didn’t see the million plus repenting, rather what he wanted was the punishment to bring repentance based on his own self-desire. Look at the difference, this prophet of God heard, ran away, had to be punished to bring him to repentance, but here these people hear and repent, what is the exposure? For Jonah it keeps piling up, since these people Heard without being punished; after all if a prophet has to be punished, why don’t these heathens? God didn’t destroy the people, but He didn’t say He was going to destroy the people, just the city; which was done several years later.
We must also take into consideration how repentance changes paths. The people at this point in time were spared, the city was still destroyed years later, thus God did as He said, Jonah didn’t miss it. However, Jonah didn’t know the future, thus it didn’t take long for him to fall into the pit of self-pity, usually self-pity is the basis when we think others must suffer more than we. When self-pity entered, he wanted to die, but God had a lesson in this for Jonah. Jonah didn’t see how his preaching produced the shadow of mercy over the people, rather he saw a bunch of sinners being spared at the last second. As far as he was concerned, the sixty seconds of repentance couldn’t make up for the years of sin, sadly enough some of us hold the same misconception. We think after asking God to forgive us, we must make up for the wrongs we have done. Not so, we can’t enter self-righteousness to make up for our wrongs, or we can allow the Righteousness of Jesus to restore us. The nature of natural man wants to do something to make up for past wrongs, thus the same nature can take pleasure in its accomplishments, but at the same time mocking the Forgiveness of God. We accept God’s forgiveness, like we accept His love, we don’t earn it.
Jonah made the mistake of looking at the vile, not the precious. God brought a Gourd and shadowed Jonah; the word Gourd means Nauseous, thus Jonah made his confession in the whale, but his words are now Nauseous. Did Jonah really want to die? While he was in the belly of the whale, he tasted death, and wanted to be Saved. Now when he doesn’t get his own way, he wants to die, or at least he says so. Prior he made a confession, then gave thanksgiving, now he lacks Mercy, he is about to taste of his own insensitivity.
All of us tend to make confessions or choices without thinking about the test. With every choice, or confession there is a test before the manifestation. The test confirms the confession or choice to ascertain if we’re serious. The test will also firm up the choice in us, the test is Good, it’s we who term it evil. Most of us are afraid of Testing; some are so afraid they reject the testing, or come against it. The testing is the Fire to bring strength to the decision, without the testing the confession or choice will soon fade. Jonah made a statement to avoid the circumstance, yet God used the statement in the present event to bring the man to a position of understanding.
God brought a sickness on Jonah to bring him back to compassion, not to punish him. God then brought a worm to consume the Gourd, the Worm is a symbol of the lost soul of man, worms are ugly. Jesus used the term “worm” to explain how the lost soul in hell won’t perish, yet we know worms perish. The basic rudiments for the Doctrine of Christ included the knowledge of Eternal Judgment (Heb 6:1-2), but if there is Eternal Judgment, there is also Eternal Salvation, knowledge of the judgment produces part of our incentive to reach Salvation.
As Jonah was sitting there, God brought a Hot Wind, or a fever, this is found in the word Vehement, which means a Scorching Silence, yet all this was for Jonah’s sake. When God exposed the heart of Jonah, Jonah again said, “It is better for me to die than to live” (Jonah 4:8). Jonah had pity on himself, but failed to have pity on the people of Nineveh. He got mad when God had pity on the people of Nineveh, but went into self-pity when God didn’t join into his “pity party”. Jonah ran because he knew God was merciful, he knew God would spare the city if they repented, thus he feared their repentance. If they didn’t repent, then he also knew God would destroy the city. Jonah wanted, what Jonah wanted, rather than what God wanted; however, God didn’t take his prophet papers, He brought Jonah back to the position to learn from the experience.
Not only did God use Jonah to bring repentance to Nineveh, but He used the experience to bring correction to Jonah so his position and condition would be healed and bettered. The wise preacher hears his own preaching, the wise prophet refuses to interpret their own prophecy, but they do apply it to themselves first and foremost.
Jonah sought the shadow for his protection, but failed to see he was the protection for the people of Nineveh. Jesus took our place in the pit of the earth as our Protection, now He watches over us day and night, second to second, protecting us further.
Jonah had pity on himself when sickness came, he allowed the shadow to serve him, but he didn’t have pity on Nineveh, nor did he want to serve them. God will have mercy on whom He will have mercy, often our course goes much further than one prophet, or one city. We have to take it all into consideration, God will send us where He will send us, we don’t judge the people, we discern by giving the message in the manner God intends as faithful servants of the Most High.
Now we know the Sign of Jonah is what Jonah experienced, not what he said, thus Jonah’s experience is a key factor in the prophetic message regarding the Resurrection of Jesus. We also found how God still deals with us, even if we are reluctant servants.
MICAH
Jonah failed to “hear”, but Micah’s key word is “hear” what God has to say. Micah means Who Is Like JAH?, this is a question, not a statement. The name of the Archangel Michael means, Who Is Like God? It’s a question as well, not a statement. A certain cult system removes the question mark assuming Michael the archangel is Jesus based on the meaning of Michael’s name. By just removing the question mark an entire faulty doctrine raises, if one assumes Michael means “One Who Is Like God”, it would mean Micah would be “One Who Is Like JAH”, hardly the case in either situation. Micah says, “Let the Lord God be witness against you, the Lord from His holy temple” (Micah 1:2). This defines the metaphor Temple, showing the Witness against the called of God comes from the Temple, as the Two Witnesses of the Law and Prophets testify against the people. We seek the Tabernacle experience, to avoid the Temple message. The Temple points to judgment in one form or another, the Tabernacle points to Salvation in one form or another. We will either have the Witness of the Spirit, or we will face the witness of the Law and Prophets against us, thus a witness without the Water, Blood and Spirit is vexation. Micah was also a contemporary of Isaiah, both ministered in the Southern Kingdom (Judah). Although Micah’s ministry did begin later than Isaiah’s, it also ended earlier, placing him among the minor prophets. The interesting thing is how Isaiah was a nobleman, who prophesied in the king’s courts, but Micah was of humble origin, he spoke to the common people. Isaiah told us Christ would be born of a virgin, Micah will tell us where the Christ will be born (Micah 5:2).
Micah was a Morasthite, the town of Moresheth was a village bordering on the Philistine territory (also called Moreshethgath in Micah 1:14). Although this small village was insignificant in the overall picture of the land, the man from it wasn’t. This allegorical picture shows Micah as a Mister No-One from a No-Where town, came with “the Word of the Lord”, which changed everything in the man’s life, and in the lives of many others.
The Lord will tread on the high places, bringing all the mountains (nations) as a molten lake of fire (Micah 1:3-4). The transgression of Jacob in the future is based on the past sins of the House of Israel (Micah 1:5). The sin was again the sin of Samaria, which we know was idol worship. If nothing else is apparent in all this, one has to see how God feels about idol worship. Paul said the worse of all idols is the self; the self is motivated by pride, ego and arrogance. Paul told us how the son of perdition will exalt himself, so that he sits in the “temple” of God showing himself as God (II Thess 2:4). Paul also told the Corinthians were the “temple of God”, in our Season the Temple of God is the Body, the Tabernacle the Church. When the Tabernacle is Taken, the Temple of the Body will be broken, the emphasis changes to the Temple made with hands for the Night. Nonetheless, we can see how God feels about idol worship.
The use of the wording “tread upon them”, and “molten under Him” (Micah 1:3 & 4), point to the Footstool of Jesus as it becomes the lake of fire. To Tread upon is the same context Jesus used when He said we tread on serpents (malicious people) and scorpions (deceptive people). It doesn’t mean we can grind them under our feet, it means they have no authority or power over us. When the Lord comes down to “tread” it’s a sign of judgment, but the condition of the place where He will judge is ”Molten”; the word Molten is the Hebrew Macac meaning Melted, Dissolved, or Molten. Peter said the heavens will be dissolved as the elements melt with fervent heat (II Pet 3:12). John told us when Jesus returns for Judgment, the feet of Jesus will appear as Brass, is if they burned in a furnace (molten – Rev 1:15 & Micah 1:5). All this shows these nations and people may think they are getting away with their attacks, or supporting the violence against the people of God, but if they fail to repent, the day will come when the Lord will repay. The incentive to repent is here, all this connects to First John. If we want fellowship with the Father the first thing we do is treat the people of God, as God does. Next we treat our brothers and sisters with respect and honor, for he who says he is in the Light, yet hates (slanders, belittles, attacks, mocks, or attacks) his brother is still in darkness, regardless of what they say (I Jn 2:11 et al).
These people were on the “high places” but they needed to reach Higher Ground to vacate the high places of idol worship. Man doesn’t Praise his idols, he worships them, as he gives honor and glory to what he worships: with the expectation of being in the presence of what he worships; whereas, praise thanks God for what He has done, is doing, and will do. We can praise and worship people, in the same manner as these people did idols made of wood and stone. False worship, is still false worship.
Instead of destroying Jacob or Israel, God moves against Samaria, thus Samaria was in the hand of Jacob. If God moves to destroy Samaria, yet Jacob refuses to let go, he is destroyed with Samaria (Micah 1:6). This points to an element of repentance, thus repentance includes letting go of the evil which caused us to sin. They couldn’t simply make the attempt to change the result, without changing the source of the problem. Natural man attempts to alter the result to correct his problems, without changing the source. However, God goes to the source; yet God also expects us to release the source of the problem. We can’t impute the flesh dead, yet continue to use the ways of the old man (nature).
Repentance is always the first step to recovery and restoration; however if we reject the call to fall on the Rock, the Rock will crush us with our idols of pride (Micah 1:7). Paul said, the Body is not for fornication, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the Body (I Cor 6:13). Which Body? The Body of Christ, we as members can mix natural reasoning, carnal endeavors, or natural intellect into places calling for spiritual awareness by the Knowledge and Wisdom of God, thus not only becoming unequal, but be in the act of committing fornication. Adultery is the unlawful act of sharing feelings or other elements belonging exclusively to our mate with another who is not our mate. Fornication is the unlawful relationship between two people who are not married. When the Holy Ghost accuses anyone of adultery as it concerns the Body it means they still contend they are the Bride, but they are sharing their private feelings with the spirit of man. However, fornication means the person has disregarded their vows, they consider their self no longer bound to the marriage. The latter of these is the most serious, it pertains to a covenant breaker. Holding to a carnal mind, yet claiming to be Christ Like is an open act of fornication against the Body. If we imputed death to the flesh and old nature, we need a Body to exist on this earth, thus we have the Body of Christ.
God raised up the Lord (Ascension), He will raise us by His Power, but we must be seeking the Power of His Christ in order to be raised (I Cor 6:14). If we are seeking the religious harlot, we will be lowered with her (Micah 1:7). No one can cure their own sinful nature, thus self-righteousness is an attempt to save our own soul, our wound is incurable through self means (Micah 1:9). Only God can cure our wound, only God can raise us.
These people were still claiming the Covenant, but they were running to idols. They were sharing their worship and feelings they should have toward God with idols. God will correct them, for their own good.
The king of Assyria rides the destroying beast who exposes the sins of the daughter of Zion (Micah 1:13). Metaphorically this “king” is the Wicked who uses the means of the house (nation) who suffered the head wound. The Wicked bring back the means of the house against the Woman, alluring her into idol worship again. If it’s the case, God will use the kings of the world to come against the Woman in the end.
God sends the heathen against us to wake us up, not kill us; however, if we refuse to wake up, we will be injured or killed in the process of our sleep (Micah 1:14-16). The False Prophet in the latter days doesn’t march into the temple when he wants to, he comes because the Seventh church thinks it’s rich and in need of nothing. This is the same principle as granting the devil place (opportunity), the Seventh church grants the Wicked opportunity by their behavior. Here these people didn’t see their acts of idol worship opened the door for the idol worshipping nations to invade. No false prophet, antichrist minded person, or cultist can simply march in and take over. Neither can they force us to partake of their witchcraft, they merely feed a lust we refuse to face. The false feed on the false, they don’t feed on Truth, they twist it. The Wicked devise their plans in the night, in the morning they put their evil to work (Micah 2:1). This is metaphoric as well, showing how the Judas mind is still Night centered, but the activity is morning based. They devise violence and seek damage, they look for the error, but reject the exposure of their own souls, rather they use the exposure on others for self-exaltation (Micah 2:2 & Eph 4:14).
The mistakes of the Woman give us the advantage, we can read what she did, how it corrupted her, to determine how we can avoid her end, thus to whom much is given, much is required (Luke 12:48). God is against the family who devises evil, and those who walk with haughty hearts (Micah 2:3). The days about us are evil, the world is evil, the evil calls to us to return, or use the ways of the world to accomplish what we think are Godly ends; however, we have the understanding of the Wise, knowing the will of Lord (Eph 5:16-19).
God is equal, as He gave, so can He take, as He took, so can He give (Micah 2:4). This connects back to Joel, as God desires to restore what He allowed to be taken, yet the proviso for being captive is to learn to handle the captivity in a Godly manner.
We should seek prophecy and never say, “prophesy not” (Micah 2:6). If we walk by the Spirit we have the unction of the Spirit to discern the spirit, or detect the Truth from error (I Jn 4:1-4, 2:27, 2:20 & I Cor 12:10). God’s words are for those who desire to do good, they are medicine to our bones. The false walk among us with self-transformed robes, they appear righteous, but inside they are full of dead man’s bones (Micah 2:8 & II Cor 11:13-15 & 11:19-20).
If we pollute the Body of Christ, the Body of Christ will destroy us, it’s a built-in factor; just as the Law of Moses has built in factors. To take of the Body in an unworthy manner, is to reject the purpose of the Body (Micah 2:10 & I Cor 3:17).
Micah equated the sin of Jacob as the transgression of Israel, from Jacob came Israel, thus the two became one. Then he points to the “high places” of Judah as Jerusalem, the capitol within Judah. This gives us the House of Jacob as the nation, Judah as part of the nation, then the City, three areas wherein the golden calf of Samaria invaded as a “heap of the field” (Micah 1:5-6). The word Heap is the Hebrew Iy meaning Ruin. We see other metaphors, such as the “house of Aphrah”, and “Maroth”, and “Lachish”, three areas all pointing to Jacob, Judah and Jerusalem. The “house of Aphrah” equates to the “house of Jacob”, Asharh means House of Dust, man is made of the Dust, yet Dust is food for the devil. Maroth means Bitterness, Lachaish denotes Impregnability, or the Strongman holding to the Stronghold (high places). The “she” in Micah 1:7 is the City as, “she gathered it of the hire of a harlot”, and “they shall return to the hire of a harlot”. We know the Whore is also called Babylon, defined as Jerusalem of earth in the future full of idols. It’s also written we are of New Jerusalem, the City of Heaven, one free of the Wicked, evil idol worship or the wiles of the enemy.
The Wicked devise iniquity in the beds of their minds, when the “morning is light” they practice it (Micah 2:1). Since this refers to the “morning” it connects to Lucifer; the word Practice is the Hebrew Asah meaning A labor, or work, connecting to the vessels of dishonor who are formed based on their lack of Mercy. If one is a “worker of iniquity” their labors are based in doing iniquity, it doesn’t mean they won’t do things, it means they will do some things, but fail to do other things they are suppose to do. Jesus said they will do Acts, but not the will of the Father (Matt 7:21-23). On the same note, one can refuse to do the Acts, yet still be working at iniquity, being unequal (iniquity) takes more labor than doing what we’re suppose to. When we cease from our own works, we cease from any work of iniquity, but now do enter the place to cease from our own works? By belief, yet belief is based in knowledge, giving our faith substance from which to operate.
The Wicked “covet fields”, as they “take them by violence” (Micah 2:2). Oh wait, didn’t I read somewhere the violent take it be force? Yes, but here it’s not taking the Kingdom, rather it’s taking people in the Kingdom. Any kingdom divided will fall, Micah shows the “fields” will be divided, thus the kingdom of heaven is purposed to be divided as the Broken Body of Jesus, but the Kingdom of God is never divided. When the Violent take it by Force it simply means those who were unrighteous were able to take the Kingdom by an outside force greater than they. If we are already in the Kingdom the saying doesn’t apply to us.
Don’t make the mistake of confusing the kingdom of heaven with the Kingdom of God as interchangeable, since it would mean the Tares and Wheat are in the Kingdom of God, if it’s the case the Kingdom of God is divided. Not so, Matthew writes to the Seed and Root, showing the kingdom of heaven is the place where the Tares are planted, but Mark writes to the Blade, those who have the Kingdom of God within, thus we may find a like experience in each account, but from two perspectives of growth. One in Matthew for the Seed and Root, the other in Mark for the Blade. One for the young children who face the “spirit of antichrist”, another for the youngmen who have overcome the Wicked.
The Wicked will prophesy, but their purpose is to lead to strong drink (cups of devils), by consuming the wrong wine (causing the blood of the saints – Micah 2:11). When we hold our position we will hear the prophesy of Truth, Direction, Comfort, Edification and Exhortation. The Wicked use the wisdom of the world, they pray from a lust, they produce many wars among us based on their use of envy, strife and division. Their prayers have a “power”, it’s the power of darkness, but nonetheless a power. We War against entering their self-induced conflicts by remaining in Peace. It’s important for us to pray as well, but by the will of the Spirit. Peace for us is not as the world seeks, our Peace is with God, a peace passing all understanding.
Micah 2:11 shows us how Acts alone are not the judge, the Acts were there, they were prospering, they even said “isn’t the Lord among us? No evil can happen”, but they failed to either know or walk in the Ways of God. This confession is close to faith, but it’s a counterfeit, thus it’s based in presumption, not faith. They walk “in the spirit of falsehood”; today it’s the same, yet today they think they are walking in the Spirit. They slander, worship idols, make statements causing Babes to fall from The Faith. Discern their Ways, not their Acts. Equating our position with God based on the works He is doing with others produces error. God uses whom He will to help His own, being a tool used by God is different than being a friend of God. We use a shovel to dig a hole, but we don’t take it to lunch.
The Remnant will be gathered again in the land, they shall make “great noise” because of the multitude of men (Micah 2:12). The word Bozrah in Micah 2:12 means Enclosure, they will be a “flock in the midst of their sheepfold”; they shall make a “Great Noise”, or bring about the Great Trump. We are the Larger Flock of God, but there is yet a “little flock” for the Night, a flock taken from thousands who will have a “little strength”.
Jesus said, He is the Door (not the Gate), the Holy Ghost is the Porter. When the Porter brings us into the Door, then we will hear the Lord, as we learn we are then allowed to go in and out as kings (Jn 10:1-5 & Micah 2:13). Two promises for two groups, yet both are partakers of the purposed kingdom of heaven. We have the opportunity to have the Kingdom of God in hand now by the Spirit, they will have the opportunity to have the kingdom after the Judgment. The Remnant are promised the land, Time of Comfort and the windows of heaven; we are promised the Kingdom of God by being Born Again, Peace in our hearts with an open Door into heaven. Two Covenants, one for the Day, one for the Night, the Day centers on Salvation, the Night on Judgment.
The breaker of the city was sent by God, thus God is the “head” (Authority) granted for anyone to enter the Gate (Micah 2:13). The wording “is come up” is a present tense usage from the Hebrew Alah meaning To be raised, the word Breaker is the Hebrew Parats meaning To breach, or Break open. Metaphorically the word “Breaker” means one who breaks open something, as in breaking open something New, rather than one who breaks apart, referring to the Messiah (Micah 2:13, Ex 19:22 & Judges 21:15).
This also connects to Paul’s teaching regarding authority in the local body (I Cor 11:2-16, the “head of the man is Christ”, but “the head of the woman is the man”, these are metaphoric usages pointing to authority in the body, rather than gender. The context points to the mystery of Christ and the Church, not a dominating master in a marriage. The Body of Christ has One Head, Jesus, thus Jesus is the Authority, but the Anointing is referred to as Christ, thus the leadership’s authority and the anointing are joined, yet they can place a yoke of carnal hindrance between their head and Christ, meaning the congregation must remain silent, the congregation (wife) cannot prophesy or pray, because they will shame their leaders (leadership authority).
Micah 2:13 tells us “the Lord on the head of them”, or the Lord as the Head of them, but then in Micah 3:1 we find Jacob has many heads, the metaphor Head points to authority, the metaphor Horn to power, thus these “many heads” are idols (Micah 3:1). The princes hate the good, but love the evil, causing the covering to be removed (Micah 3:2-4). Whether the prophet is from the days of Old, or today the responsibility of the “spirits of the prophets being subject to the prophets” still holds. False prophets usually allow social fears, personal hates, dislikes, a lustful desire to please men, or be accepted by men to guide them, thus they prophesy their error to the people of God, regardless of time, as they speak from their own heart, rather than from God. The “spirits of the prophets” refers to their hearts, the false prophets allow many “heads” to guide them, they can’t tell the voice of one from the other. What they think is the voice of God, may be the voice of fear, or the voice of the flesh, a lust. A prophet must center on God, never impressed with their own selves, or their office.
Prophesying Peace when there is no Peace is just as bad as prophesying War when it’s time to present Peace, just as it would be to preach Judgment, when it’s the time of Salvation (Micah 3:5). God will shut the lips of His prophets when there is an overflowing of people running to the false, thus it doesn’t pass away, we cause it to be Silent, by running to the false (Micah 3:6-7). Itching ears seek the self-pleasure, when all we do is use our faith for self-pleasure, we have turned our ears from pleasing God, to pleasing the self. Don’t ever use the excuse of “it has passed”, unless we are just as willing to say, “we have caused it”.
There is the limited power of the Beast, but God is all Powerful, or has a Power without limits, yet the Power is only received by man through the Spirit of the Lord (Micah 3:8).
The Wicked will find the Night on them, they shall not have a vision anymore, they shall be Dark (Micah 3:6). They remained with the Darkness in their heart in the Day, when they move into the Night they retained gross darkness, thus they will use the working of Satan before the devil is released from the pit. We also find two different Hebrew words for the word Dark in Micah 3:6. In the phrase “dark unto you” it’s the Hebrew Chaskakh meaning To be surrounded with darkness. The phrase “the Day shall be dark over them”, is the Hebrew Qadhar meaning To be ashy, or To be darkened, thus during the Day the Wicked considered it the Night, in the Night they will assume it’s the Day, they get things backward, thus confusion always calls the Light, Darkness, or the Darkness, Light.
During the Day the Spirit of Christ is unto Salvation, during the Night the “Spirit of the Lord” is unto Judgment (Micah 3:8). It’s far better to be a child of the Day, so much better.
Zion is in the hands of God’s people, it can be established in mercy, or polluted by the blood of the innocents (Micah 3:10). This is not “The Rock”, but metaphorically it points to it, we are the fishers of men, once we’re in the Rock we build it. Those in the Rock are the only people on earth granted God’s permission and authority to water baptize others. Therefore, we can establish the Rock on Mercy, or pollute with the blood of the innocent.
The purpose of the past evils gives us knowledge so we can condition the field for the Good seed; however, if man rejects the Good Seed, God will put His iron plow to the clay, thus when one mixes Iron and Clay the result is always bondage. We also know, the children of whoredom are not responsible for the acts of the Whore. The condition of the Body is not at issue, until we can view our personal condition and position. If we are on solid holy ground, then so are many others. If we join together in prayer, harmony, as we walk in the Spirit we will make it. It may take a field plowing, but better the Golden Plow then the Iron one. After the field is plowed, the good fish will be separated from the bad, the wheat from the tares, the branches from the birds, New Jerusalem will be established as the mountain of the House of the Lord (Micah 3:12). The Time Of Separation is for our Season, we can expect God to bring about the separation by ripping the Veil, or removing the Yoke which has hidden the Truth from our eyes. The truth of the exposure is around us, if we Hear and See. The Word in us dividing and separating giving us clarity to determine many things as we become more spiritual day by day.
Micah confirms Isaiah, by telling us the mountain of the Lord will be established on the mountains of the world in the last days (Micah 4:1). However, we also see Micah 3:12 which shows the same Mountain has a House and a City, the City will become Heaps. The first is given last, but the last is first. When the House of David is opened the Sixth church will spread the knowledge of the Lord throughout the entire earth, they will bring the “everlasting Gospel” which reads, “Fear God and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come: and worship Him who made heaven and earth and the sea and the fountains of waters” (Rev 14:6-7). Our Gospel is one of Salvation and Peace, the Everlasting Gospel is one of Judgment. In our Season let no one bring the Everlasting Gospel, it’s purposed for the Night, rather hold to the Gospel of Peace, it’s purposed for the Day (Micah 4:2). The knowledge of the Lord is contained in the Law and Prophets, they still testify of Jesus, even if the person reading it doesn’t know it. One can keep the “authority of Jesus” as it relates to Mercy as outlined in the Prophets, yet never mention the verbal name “Jesus” (Rev 3:8 & 3:10).
A testimony is a confession based on an oath of affirmation, or a confession backed by One who affirms it. A Witness is one who has first hand knowledge of the experience, or event, not one who hears of the experience, or one who has studied the experience. The “word of our testimony” is not what we say, it’s what others say about us. A lawyer doesn’t take the stand to testify about what his client saw, rather the person with the experience becomes the Witness. If someone told us about a car accident they saw, and we believed what they said, we can testify to their words, but we can’t testify about the accident. Many denominations began by someone having an experience with God, others follow attempting to gain from the experience, but they refuse to live the same faith life to gain it, thus they form rules, regulations or procedures based on the experience. When we have the Witness of Christ we become a Witness for Christ, the confession is then from the Spirit, not the soul. Having knowledge of an event, and being a Witness are far different. The disciples healed the sick, walked with the Lord, three of them saw the Transfigured Jesus, they sat at the table, saw the Resurrected Jesus, yet they were not Witnesses until they received Power from on High (Acts 1:8).
The Sixth church gives the knowledge of the Lord, they speak of the Glory, but they don’t have the Wisdom, nor the Glory, nor are they Witnesses, the Two Witnesses are the only Witnesses in the Night. Whereas, we have the Spirit, Blood and Water coupled with the Wisdom of God, making us the Glory (Rom 8:18 & I Jn 5:7-8). The Remnant have the evidence of the Tithe, they don’t have the evidence of the Spirit. God will open the windows, because the Door will be closed. We overcome by the “word of our testimony”, which is different from reading the Testimony of Jesus.
The beginning of the Time of Comfort will result in the earthquake rebuking many nations, they will beat their swords into plowshares, they will not know the ways of modern war again. They will not remember how to make bombs, smart or dumb, missiles, guns or weapons of mass destruction (Micah 4:3). However, didn’t we just read in Joel how they will beat the plowshares into swords (Joel 3:10)? Yes, Micah gives us the beginning of the Day of the Lord, Joel the end. Truly we haven’t seen the Beginning of the Night, much less the end, thus this is still the Time of Christ, rather than the Time of Comfort.
In the Time of Comfort each man will have his own vine, the need for government will pass, the kings of the Beast will give their power to the Woman, they will no longer have crowns (Micah 4:4 & Rev 17:12-13). Micah 4:1 doesn’t say the Lord will sit on the earth, rather it shows the Mountain of the “house of the Lord” will reign above the hills. This is very important, since it doesn’t say Jesus or the Messiah will sit on the earth. If we meet Jesus in the Air, yet He is coming to Earth to set up His Kingdom, it would seem we would miss each other; not taking into account how the Kingdom of God is within. Adding, if the devil is turned loose then captures two thirds of the people, yet Jesus is on the earth, then Jesus is the loser, the devil the winner. Can’t be, isn’t, won’t be, Jesus remains in heaven during the 1,000 years with us, thus it’s still appointed unto all men once to die, then comes the Judgment. Here we find the house of the Lord, or the sixth church will be the ruling factor. The situation will continue for a length of time, then comes the seventh, who invites the Eighth into the temple as their “prophet”, then it all comes to a fiery end.
In the beginning of the Night the knowledge of the Lord will go out to the world, and the people of the world will flock to the temple to learn of the Lord; however, their intent is to gain the pleasure of the blessing, not to find the face of God. Toward the end of the Time of Comfort things change, many of the people will worship their own gods, while the Remnant (Sixth church) worships the Lord God (Micah 4:5). Micah 4:5 shows us how the land will be as the Garden as the knowledge of the Lord goes out from the Mountain of the Lord, yet “people will walk every one in the name of his god”, yet the Remnant will “walk in the name of the Lord our God”. The Wicked will come and worship at the feet of the Sixth church, but they will also remain as the synagogue of Satan, worshipping idols in their minds.
The Lord will heal the City (her), as it reigns over the nations from Mount Zion; however, Jesus reigns now, yet He isn’t on the earth in a physical form, thus showing how Jesus will still reign through the Law and Prophets. Jesus will mark the Remnant on Mount Zion, not on the Mount of Transfiguration (Rev 14:1 & Micah 4:7). We are the products of the Mount of Transfiguration, meaning a change from the inside. We get our English word Metamorphoses from the same Greek word translated as Transfiguration. The word Metamorphoses means a place between changes, rather than the change itself. It shows how we do not appear as we will be, but this we know, the Spirit in us is changing us, then in a twinkling of an eye the change will be complete.
When Jesus was on the Mount of Transfiguration, the Two Witnesses of the Law and Prophets stood with Him, then a change took place when the Father told us, “hear ye Him”, rather than Hear ye them, or hear ye Him and them. Transformed is a change on the outside, but self-transformed is a false change on the outside by the use of the pride of life to cover a wicked condition on the inside. We are both transfigured and transformed by the Spirit to avoid the temptation to be self-transformed. The Remnant will not have any of these attributes, they will walk in Mercy as the Windows of heaven will be open for them.
Micah talks about the “first dominion”, this First is not the New Covenant, since the New came after the Old, rather this shows the “first dominion” as the Law and Prophets. The daughter of Zion is not the “daughter of Jerusalem”; on the way to the Cross Jesus looked at the women and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for Me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. Behold, the days are coming in which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck. Then shall they being to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us. For if they do these things in a Green Tree, what shall be done in the dry? (Luke 23:28-31). The metaphor daughters of Jerusalem refer to the people who bring the offspring of the nation; the daughters of Zion refer to the Remnant who bring the knowledge regarding God. The word “kingdom” here is not the Kingdom of God, this Hebrew word is Memshalah meaning Dominion, showing the first kingdom, not the Everlasting Kingdom (Ps 103:22). The Kingdom of God will come to them on the Last Day as New Jerusalem descends, but this reference points more to the kingdom of heaven, the place on earth extending into the Night (Matt 13:37-41).
Micah then asks, “Is there no king in you?”, then comes the association to the woman in travail. Here the metaphor “daughter of Zion” is defined as a Woman in travail, taking us back to Isaiah 66:7-8, only there we found a she travailed then brought forth and delivered a Man Child, but then Zion travailed and brought forth Children, two different elements. The City is the Woman in Revelation 12 bringing forth the Man Child (Jesus), yet Zion brings forth Children (The Remnant). The Remnant are the remaining aspect of the Seed of the Woman. Here in Micah the daughter of Zion is seen as the Remnant, they shall go forth, yet they shall also be subject to “Babylon”, but Delivered in the end. We know the Woman is called Babylon, giving us a change from the Sixth church to the Seventh when the Eighth invades. Even during the Time of Comfort God sees the City as Babylon, as Peter confirmed it. Peter’s home church was in Jerusalem (Acts 11:2, 15:7 et al), he also said, “the church in Babylon, elected together with you, salutes you” (I Pet 5:13). He didn’t say, the church was Babylon, he said it was located in Babylon, thus he understood these prophesies.
The Remnant are promised a deliverance, but they are also told Babylon will rule over them (Micah 4:10). Then many nations will gather against Zion, “let her be defiled, and let our eye look upon Zion” (Micah 4:11). However, the people know not the thoughts of the Lord, nor do they Understand, thus they will have the Knowledge, but the Knowledge talks about God, it doesn’t give one the Ways of the God. Then the purpose of the daughter of Zion is seen, they will make the enemies of Jesus His footstool (Micah 4:13).
The Time of Comfort is the time when the work of Salvation will be stayed; the throne is closed for the last half of the Hour until the plagues are finished (Rev 8:1 & 15:8). Those who assume they can wait to see the Rapture in order to believe, are not of The Faith. Those who presume they will wait until Jesus comes in order to believe, are surely not of The Faith. Blessed are those who have not seen, yet believe.
Although the Remnant (Sixth church) holds atonement, they are incapable of Pardon or Grace, thus they have a “little strength” as they are “helped with a little help”, they do not have the Power of His Christ. The devil must be bound for them, since a “Little Strength” is not enough to cast out devils, or overcome the works of the devil. Therefore the Mercy they will operate under is not the same as the Mercy of God directly applied, rather it will be the same type one gains from following the Commandments. The Mercy Jesus granted during the earthly ministry is far greater than the “little strength” of the Remnant. We assume having the devil bound is a Great Thing, yet it’s a little help, yet we are suppose to have the Strength of God as the Power of His Christ. Even someone who just entered the Body has the power to cast out devils.
The people did go into Babylon as captives, but in the latter days the City will become Babylon taking many captive, yet she will also be held captive by the false prophet (Micah 4:10). When the Woman takes authority over the Sixth church, she becomes the oppressing city, meaning the oppressed change to the oppressor, causing the nations of the world to gather against her. The nations of the world will assume they can remove the Woman in order to retain the Peace and stop the plagues, but they have no idea what their violence will bring about (Micah 4:11-12). When the people were under the hand of Babylon, God delivered them, when the City becomes Babylon, God sends the world after her, yet it’s all in the plan.
Since they will have the Law and Prophets, they will not have a king or a prophet. The time ceased, but then comes the false prophet, pretending to be “the prophet” as their now found judge. When the Woman accepts the false prophet she falls. Cult systems stem from one prophet, one leader, or one judge, who is more the Whacko than the false prophet (Micah 5:1).
Then we read about the Birth of Jesus, but wait, didn’t we just read about His second coming? What gives? What is first will be last, what is last, first, this is the Hope of mankind to avoid what we just read about. Micah was little among prophets, he looked at Bethlehem, who was little among Judah, it would be Bethlehem, the city of David’s birth where the Son of David would be born (Micah 5:2). This “Man” as the Son of man shall be Peace, which is different from one who brings it.
The Sixth will seek the seat of David as the House of David, but we seek the Son of David to be established in God’s Mercy so we can find the Grace of God as sons of God by the Spirit. God will give up the Woman in the end, but prior she enters the wilderness as she is protected until her time comes (Rev 12:6 & Micah 5:3). The Woman gave birth to the Man Child (Jesus) before she travailed, thus the Remnant are the product of Zion travailing. The birth of the Man Child was not based on travailing, but Joy and Peace (Micah 5:3).
The Remnant are the “remnant of His brethren”, thus they belong to Christ, but we are the firstfruits of Christ. Paul tells us all in Adam die, showing those with a living soul must still die, but those who are quickening Spirits live (I Cor 15:22). Paul divides Christ into two groups, the Firstfruits of Christ, then those who belong to Christ. He also tells us “every man in his order”, which divides the Firstfruits from those who belong (I Cor 15:23). Those who Belong include those who Sleep in Jesus through the Night, as they find their names in the Book of Life on the last day. Whether it’s now or then, all must come through Jesus before facing the Father. However, we are in the Body of Christ, we have Jesus in us, thus we are advancing to the Father by being Born Again.
We then find why Jesus speaks to the last two churches in the mystery of His Name. The Sixth church will be given a New Name which associates with the Judgment period: our New Name associates with Salvation. The result of the birth of the Man Child produced two groups, the first five churches minister in the Strength of Jehovah, but the Sixth sits behind the majesty of “Jehovah his God”; thus Jesus refers to Himself as Jehovah to the Sixth and Seventh churches, since the last two churches keep the Commandments of God as they stand with the Law and Prophets as their Witnesses. However, Jesus said the Law and Prophets testify of Him, thus they become Witnesses against the people, yet hold the Authority of Jesus as the Son of man. However, then the Woman joins to the False Prophet as they cast the Law and Prophets into the street by killing (overcoming) all those who hold to the Law and Prophets, because the Law and Prophets tormented them with the Truth of their actions (Micah 5:4).
Only Jesus can open the House of David, bringing Peace to the land. Then the Assyrian shall see the Seventh church, but this Assyrian is prophetically the son of perdition. However, on the other side of the coin, the Lord will raise up Seven Shepherds as the Seven churches to counter the Eight Principal men (Micah 5:5). The word Men in the phrase Eight Principal Men is the Hebrew Adam, as the same Wicked side as we saw before. Today some are calling for us to be “Adam Like”, yet the Jew wonders why? Really some of us wonder why as well, since it’s a call to enter the position of being a son of perdition. We fight to remain Christ like, with weapons mighty through God (Eph 6:12, Col 1:16 & II Cor 10:3-5). Spiritual warfare begins within, thus the first victory must be within (I Jn 4:1-5).
There is the land of the Assyrian (idol worship), and a land of Nimrod (lust of the flesh), yet we have power over both (Micah 5:6). The Assyrian cannot enter the Kingdom of God, but he can march along the borders calling us back to Nimrod; however, we have the Authority to smite the temptation (Micah 5:6).
The scene again changes to the House of Jacob, the Remnant of Jacob shall be among many people as they wait on the Lord (Micah 5:7). The Remnant of Jacob will be among the Gentiles but they will be mourning for the abominations done as they see the Mountain sitting on the mountains of the world (Micah 5:8-9). The Remnant will see, yet wait on the Lord, they will not change their position from standing with the Lord, yet the Gentiles (Beast of the Earth) will be sitting in counsel with the Woman.
Verse 9 is a call to repentance, but it also calls for the action of repentance. The Lord will stop all wars, cutting off the weapons of war, all the strongholds will be cast down for the 1,000 years, but the strongholds are only in the land of Israel, not in the lands among the Ten Horns (Micah 5:10-11). Micah 5:9 also confirms the prophecy, telling us how the enemies of Jesus will be “cut off”, this again points to the purpose of the Night being the time when the enemies of Jesus are made His Footstool. The wording “cut off” in verses 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 is the Hebrew Karath again, showing the Broken Body. These verses are another example of the Rapture, showing, “in that day” the Body of Jesus will be broken, then comes the Day of Judgment when all the evil of the Wicked will be cast into the lake of fire. We can tell this is Judgment since the Lord will “execute vengeance in anger, and fury upon the heathen” (Micah 5:15).
During this time the Bride will be with Her Lord in heaven on the thrones while the guests to the Wedding wait on earth. On the last day Jesus will finally cut off all graven images, it’s impossible to make an idol out of flames (Micah 5:12-15).
Jesus told us to speak to the mountain, He didn’t tell us to use the tools of manipulation against it (Mark 11:22-23). However, it’s different from contending (pleading our case) against the Mountains (Micah 6:1). The purpose of the former is against the destroying mountain, the latter is contending for the people to hear the Lord’s controversy against His people (Micah 6:2). God wants to know what wrong has He done? Was delivering the people wrong? Was sending the prophets wrong? Was confounding the evil prophecies against wrong? Was offering His Righteousness to us wrong? (Micah 6:3-5). Should God bow before God? Should God provide burnt offerings for us? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of lambs? (Micah 6:6-7). God has shown us what is good, and what is right before Him, what more should He do (Micah 6:8)? We love Mercy, so why should anyone have to tell us to walk humbly before the Lord? There are many things no one should have to tell us. Do we have to be told to love the Lord? Does someone have to sit down to tell us to seek after the Spirit of Christ? Why do we continue to use methods of our self nature, rather than the Christ nature? When the Lord cries to the city only the man of Wisdom shall See His Name, only the man of Wisdom knows the rod of correction is a good thing (Micah 6:9 & Jn 1:1-18).
There are treasures of God, but there are treasures of the wicked as well (Micah 6:10). Before we run off seeking the wealth of the wicked, we better determine which wealth we’re seeking (Micah 6:10). We could end in the house of the wicked (synagogue of Satan) sitting in the wrong pew. Rich men are full of violence seeking more to have more: this doesn’t mean all the rich are prone to violence, rather it means the rich in this case are the same as we find in James, those with the Promise. They are kings, but they are full of violence against God. Sickness is one method God uses to chasten us, not to bless us (Micah 6:13 & I Cor 11:30-32). However, only paranoid people think all sickness is always evil, at times we find not paying attention to the elements produces sickness, often we need to aware of our surroundings.
It’s difficult to say “I am a seeker of Truth”, if we reject it. We prosper as our soul prospers; if we have entered the saving of our souls, we are a very prosperous people. If we haven’t entered we may find when we eat we are not full, we may seek, yet not be satisfied, or when we want, we can’t be filled, we are subject to the Sword falling on our heads (Micah 6:14-16). On the other hand we overcome when our souls seek to be among the Firstfruits of the Spirit (Micah 7:1). The good man will perish out of the earth, but the purpose is to obtain a new home far above this worldly habitat (Micah 7:2).
The evil princes ask for reward before they minister, or the great ones (those with a good position, but retaining carnal thinking) do mischievous things adding thorns to our flesh (Micah 7:4). The world brings our errors to our face to excuse their own evil doings, the Pharisees seek fault to excuse their unbelief, the sons of perdition attempt to move us from the Spirit to justify their rebellion, but it doesn’t mean we have to listen, follow, or chase behind them. Their visitation will come, the Lord will repay, we don’t.
The son will dishonor the father, but it’s the son of perdition who dishonors the Father, rather the sons of God who seek after the Father. The daughter shall raise up against the mother, in the latter days the City will raise up against Zion, but we need not be among them. A man’s enemies are those of his own house, our enemies are the wiles of the enemy. We also find God hates the ways of the Wicked Day and Night, but He still reaches out to save them.
We are loved of God because we seek the Spirit of God, the Wicked are hated of God since they attack the children of God. The Wicked use the wiles of the enemy against the saints, yet if they repent, their evil is forgotten, of course, if they don’t they go into the Night as the Drunken. Although the sons of perdition accept the spirit of the world, it doesn’t mean they are In the world, rather it shows they use the authority of the world, yet they also use the Name of Jesus (Micah 7:5-6 & Matt 7:21-23).
In the same house are many vessels, some wood, some gold, some unto honor, some unto dishonor, some use the Unction over the Body for self-gain, others respect the Name of Jesus: some use the title Christ, but lack the power thereof, others seek to be Christ Like with the Power to prove it (II Tim 2:19-22). All these vessels are in the same house, but not the same Room; the vessels of honor are in the Upper Room, the vessels of dishonor are in the basement. The vessels of honor wait upon the Lord, the vessels of dishonor rejoice in the fall of a brother (Micah 7:7-8).
The “he in the world” is our enemy, for the Remnant it will be the false prophet as he makes the City their enemy, yet both evils are products of the same house, they will end as the Footstool of Jesus (Micah 7:10 & I Jn 4:1-6).
When the Wall is built by the Christ Church, then the gates will be established for the Remnant (Micah 7:11 & Rev 21:12-17). Yet, the “he” shall come from Assyria, using the means of the house (nation) who suffered the head wound (Micah 7:12). However, before then, the City shall be trodden down, then the she will be in darkness (Micah 7:9-10). When the Wall is finished, we’re out of here in a twinkling of an eye, but none of us know when the last brick will be laid. In that day, the “he” (Beast of the Sea) shall come, even to “the river” as a flood, indicating the desire to cross the border of the land. This “he” is from sea to sea, showing two seasons, as well as from mountain to mountain showing the Mountains upon which the Woman sits, denoting the world. The metaphors “sea to sea”, and “mountain to mountain”, give us the Ten nations from which three are removed leaving Seven (Micah 7:12). Not all in the world is run by the Beast of the Sea, we came from the Sea (Gentile world), so have many others.
Notwithstanding the land shall be desolate because of those who dwelled therein (Micah 7:13). God brings us the Rod of correction, and the Staff of guidance to help us reach the promised perfection. Anyone who seeks after God will face a wilderness, the purpose is to defeat the flesh (old nature), as God brings our love for the Lord to the surface. The wilderness isn’t going to clean the entire field, but it will give us the upper hand, then we will see the wiles of the enemy as God does.
At the Judgment the Wicked will come out of the ground like worms, licking the ground like a serpent (Micah 7:15-17). God will overlook the transgressions of the Remnant, simply because their motivation and intent is Mercy based, God overlooks our mistakes when our intent is Mercy or Grace based, but the intent of the Wicked is different, their intent and motivation is evil.
NAHUM
The name Nahum means Comfortable, Nahum begins his prophecies as they are termed the Burden (Nahum 1:1). Nahum will speak of “Nineveh”, recalling Nineveh was the capitol of Assyria, the place where the enemies of the City dwelled. This is interesting since it completes the work of Jonah, thus the preaching of Jonah was toward the city, not the people (Jonah 3:2-4); therefore, God spared the people in Jonah’s time based on their repentance; nonetheless the city entered idol worship again. The allegory is clear, one we must keep it in mind: Nineveh was the capital of Assyria, the Woman in the Book of Revelation becomes Babylon who is clothed in the earthly glory of Jacob (Sun), but stands on the glory of her mother (Moon), ending as a cursed city.
Nahum as a prophet, reaches to the future by prophesying to the present. The words of the prophets come from God; therefore, they are timeless. God is still the Alpha and Omega, man is still bound to time and space. Nahum 1:1 points to God’s time and timing, thus we can’t confine God to man’s time. The “burden of Nineveh” defines the term Burden, showing it was a Burden on Nineveh, gaining God’s attention. Idol worship in any form is a burden on our minds and hearts. The word Burden is the Hebrew Massa which describes a military advancement, it was used in the military advancement against Judah by the Assyrians. Here we see the advancement was the idols against the mind of man.
Nahum is an Elkoshite, no one seems to know much about the Elkoshites; therefore, Nahum brings us a mystery. Another nobody, from nowhere used of God to point to the obvious. The Lord is still slow to anger, but it’s not impossible to anger Him (Nahum 1:2). Nahum 1:2 is a description of God’s Judgment; clearly “the Lord will take vengeance”, placing the prophecy in the Night, not the Day.
Again we find the word Sea refers to the Gentile world, which fits considering who the prophet is talking to (Nahum 1:4). Although God can rebuke the world in one second or have it disappear, His desire for all to come to the saving knowledge of repentance so they can be saved. The longsuffering of the Lord is what kept all this together until we could enter in, thus we can’t be like Jonah, desiring to end it before the last one has the same opportunity as we.
However, the day will come when the mountains (nations) quake at His presence and the hills (subnations) will melt (Nahum 1:5). This shows an earthquake (quake), then the earth becoming the lake of fire (melt). On the last day, God’s fury will pour out like fire, as the prayers of the saints will be mixed with fire from the altar of God and poured out on the earth producing the plagues. This doesn’t mean our prayers are plagues, rather the mercy in our prayers touches the evil, turning all the evil of the people back on them; we gave mercy we gain mercy, they gave condemnation, they gain the plagues.
During the Time of Comfort heaven will be shut and silent; when heaven does open it’s a one way street, as the plagues are poured out. However, the purpose is to bring repentance, but will mankind repent? The Winepress and the Fourth Cup will tell the tale, the Seventh angel sounds in the “air”, the prophecy “it’s appointed unto all men once to die, then comes the Judgment” will be fulfilled.
Our baptism of fire burns away the wood, hay and stubble to bring the Power of His Christ, so we won’t face the fire of God’s fury. The Lord is Good, He is our stronghold in the day of trouble; however, in order to have His stronghold, we must be rid of the strongholds in our own minds (Nahum 1:7). The Lord knows those who “trust” in Him, this relates to the three Hebrew Children when they faced the furnace of Babylon.
There must be two types of Strongholds, one is the Lord’s full of peace, truth and faith. The other is protected by the strongman, who assumes his treasures of the self are more important to him, than the treasure of God. Those who seek the Lord shall have Him as their stronghold, but those who seek the stronghold of the mind will find the fire of God’s wrath.
Nahum 1:8 points to the overrunning flood, John defined the Flood as peoples, tongues and nations (Gentiles – Rev 17:5). The word Overrunning shows how the Gentiles will move from the Sea to the Earth, then to the Sand of the Sea. The wording “utter end” is the Hebrew Kalah meaning Determined, or Complete destruction, it’s connected to the same Hebrew word used in Genesis 2:1 translated as “were finished” or prepared to be destroyed. This prophecy places “were finished” with the conclusion, “utter end”. All this connects to the rocks being thrown down, the wording Thrown down is the Hebrew Nathats meaning To put down, or To destroy, the metaphor points to the sons of perdition being in the lake of fire (Nahum 1:6). The word destroyed doesn’t mean they will cease to exist, it means they will be in a state of destruction forever.
John says, the devil sends a flood after the Woman, the intent is to destroy the Woman before the Remnant can be marked on Zion. The devil reads the Bible, after all he did quote Scripture to Jesus, but the devil’s intent is to make the Bible appear to be wrong or a lie, as he is centered on attacking the reputation of God, making slander a sin.
John shows the kings of the earth hate the woman, yet God has allowed it to bring about His Will (Rev 12:13-15, 12:17 & 17:16). The flood is designed by the devil, but permitted by God. This doesn’t mean God gave the plan to the devil, rather it shows whatever the devil plans, God has already worked it into the plan.
In Nahum 1:9 we find the wonderment of the people, will the Lord really make an utter end? Yes, He said so more than once, but not until the time appointed. Verse 1:10 couples the Thorns with the Drunken, making the connection to Paul’s thorn in the flesh as those within who remain carnal in their thinking. Paul told the Romans, “to be carnally mind is death”, but he called the Corinthians “carnal minded”. Are they different words? No, the rebuke to the Corinthians was because they remained carnal, when they had been given the Spirit to become spiritual. We would call their condition “spiritual wickedness in high places”, or the Iniquity to become spiritual when one has the means.
God will not afflict a “second time”, this prophecy to Nineveh points directly to the Woman. God will not afflict them for idol worship a second time, the second time will bring His wrath and judgment (Nahum 1:10 & 1:12). This is evident here, God spared the people before, but they were warned and repented. What about longsuffering? It was still there, thus in this we learn something about God. Knowing this would be result, why didn’t He just do as Jonah said, destroy the city? Opportunity, God grants more opportunity than we can image. Man has so many opportunities, going beyond the natural reasoning of man to even fathom, this is just another example. However, there comes a time when God stops allowing them to play little idol games, a time to grow up, a time to put away carnal things, and natural reasoning. A time to allow the Spirit to bring us into a spiritual nature.
God’s plan is no secret, it’s written for us to see, the end is sure, the goal and result are already finished as far as God is concerned. It becomes our job to enter into the Witness to be of the Record to be saved from the Night, rather than remain in the plan He has seen for the Night.
When the Remnant enter their time, the devil and Satan will be bound (Nahum 1:8). Then we find “what do you imagine against the Lord?” (Nahum 1:9), the word Imagine is the Hebrew Chashav meaning To think, or Plan. The wicked make their plans based in deception, thus they lie in wait thinking they are not seen (Eph 4:14).
The word Wicked in Nahum 1:11 is the Hebrew Beliyal meaning Destroyer, it connects to the proper name Belial, which means Perdition, this places this “wicked counselor” with the “sons of perdition”, as the Drunk who go into the Night. If one goes Into the Night, they must come from the Day; therefore, they are seen now as antichrists, those run by the spirit of error who are opposed to submitting to the Spirit of Christ. They wear a religious mask, but they hold to the spirit lusting to envy. In the Night there will be no reason to be “antichrist”, thus they change hats to become the false prophet.
Jesus told us to take His Yoke, thus we must put off one to take the other. The one we take off is the Yoke of the bondage belonging to the Wicked Counselor (Nahum 1:13). The Yoke of Jesus brings Rest for our souls, as we enter the salvation of our souls (Matt 11:29). The Yoke was destroyed so we could gain the Anointing, so we could gain the Spirit, thus Jesus didn’t ask us to remain “Yoke-less”, rather He desires we take His Yoke and walk with Him in Union by Faith.
God will make the grave for the Wicked, which grave is the lake of fire (Nahum 1:14). We have two incentives before us, one is to avoid being a son of perdition by applying Mercy, the other is to Please the Lord by faith which removes us from being a son of perdition. The former is a “fear of God”, the latter is “faith toward God”, we need both in order to fight the good fight of faith.
Nahum points to all the children of God, we are to keep our vows, we entered water baptism as a token and vow to continue to believe, we vowed to follow the course laid out by the Lord. Our solemn feasts include Passover as our Communion, and Pentecost to be Born Again, when we keep the purposes of the feasts we find the Wicked shall not pass “through thee” (Nahum 1:15). This is how we maintain until the Rapture, Communion is a time of Remembering all Jesus did for us in the Body, as well as what His Blood gave us. Our Pentecost experience is more than a Jewish holiday, it’s the day we received Power from on High, the day the Word was sown in us, the day when the truth of “that Born of the Spirit is Spirit” began. The day will come when this Season ends, then the Wicked won’t even be a memory, they will be a “not”, as if they never were. The person who had the little smile as he tore your heart out and tossed it on the floor, won’t even be a memory. The one who set up the John 7 meeting to get their own way, or trap you with their words of deceit, won’t be a memory, they will be a “not” as if they never were; those experiences and the people who produced them will not pass “through” us again. This is evident by the wording “cut off”, which is again the Hebrew Karath showing the Rapture, but it also shows the cutting is also a removal from our memories.
This also divides Judah into two parts, we will see the “tents of Judah” are saved first, but the princes of the House of Judah remain and join to the City, since the City is located in Judah. The Wicked change not, they will be as deceptive when they take the Woman, as they were during the Day, they will still use the working of Satan.
We must Watch, but one can Watch for many things, but only one gains us entry. We Watch the Way seeking the face of God (Nahum 2:1). Nahum 2:1 begins the Day of the Lord, opening the Night. This is after we find the Wicked shall no more pass through us. The flood will come, it will overcome the saints (Remnant), but it doesn’t mean the flood wins, on the contrary the flood loses in the end (Nahum 2:6). Also this flood and these saints are not the Body, or the Church, rather John shows the flood is sent to destroy the Remnant of the Seed of the Woman by destroying the Woman, not the Body (Rev 12:15-17). We are the Seed of Christ, the Remnant are of the Seed of the Woman. The Remnant will finish the course by making the enemies of Jesus His footstool, they will deliver Mercy as sons of men, yet giving their lives supporting the Law and Prophets, we see the flood today, we also see the earth open up to swallow the flood. In the end when they attack the Law and Prophets, they are also attacking the Testimony of Jesus. How does it fit with us? Perfect, we have a different Law, but it doesn’t mean we attack the Old, or do it.
Those who love a lie, also love the bloody city, they will lay in the great number of carcasses on that day (Nahum 3:1-3). We tend to look for some elusive Antichrist with some sort of a head wound, but there are many who use the spirit of error, it’s a position. They are anti (opposed to) the Christ nature in this Season, but come as the False Prophet in the next. They are among those who love the whoredoms, they are well favored among the harlot. They use witchcraft, but call it faith, they sell the nations of God for self-gain, they overcome families with their witchcrafts; they are naked before God, shamed and shaven (Nahum 3:3-5 & I Cor 11:1-7).
In Nahum 3:7 we read, “Nineveh is laid waste”, relating to “Babylon has fallen, has fallen”. We also see, “who will bemoan her”, pointing to the Woman in Revelation 17. This “city” had a Wall from the Sea, it’s not the same as New Jerusalem, rather the division is seen in how the apostles formed the foundation for the Wall of New Jerusalem, not the Sea. The apostles had Jewish roots, here the Wall is Gentile, pointing to the Beast of the Sea in conjunction with the False Prophet. This gives us the biggest “takeover” of all time, the Wicked had plenty of experience from the many takeovers they promoted in our Season. They move in with lies, or tricks causing the Woman to change from the crown of twelve stars, to the one from the seven heads: from the foundation of the Moon to the Beast, from the Sun to the words of the False Prophet. At first the Woman is seen with the Sun, Moon and Crown of stars, later she is seen riding the Beast. The Woman helped form a Wall against God by killing the saints and discarding the Law and Prophets. The Woman went into captivity, but in the latter days she will take many into her evil captivity. Many of her people were killed by the sword, but then she will kill with the sword. She will force people to follow her concepts of her idol religion, as she listens to the false prophet, who causes her to use force and manipulation. Instead of the people following her religion, she ends with the Beast as her lover. The paradox to Paul’s teaching in First Corinthians chapter 11 is remarkable, the Woman becomes the congregation, the False Prophet the leader (husband), yet the covering is the Beast of the Sea, with the power, authority and seat of the dragon as her master.
Regardless of time or Season, when we attempt to force the Beast to be the kingdom of heaven, we end with the Beast as our lover, and compromise as our religion. It’s one thing to say we will show the Love of God, another to give them the chance to have the Love the God.
The Warning here is our warning, not our excuse. When the oppressed become the oppressor, their sins are greater: they had the knowledge of knowing the pain of being oppressed, yet they become the oppressor (Nahum 3:4-16).
At the Sixth seal the Fig Tree is shaken of a mighty wind, casting her untimely figs as she is shaken by a great wind (Rev 6:13). Here in Nahum 3:12 we find her strongholds are like Fig Trees with the Firstripe figs, if they be shaken, they shall even fall into the mouth of the eater. The fig tree has two fruits, with the second growing over the first; the first are not eatable, rather the second are. When we get to Mark we will find Jesus didn’t curse the fig tree, rather He made a statement of fact; it was Peter who presumed it was a cursing, when it was a blessing for the Remnant.
During the 1,000 years the sons of perdition will slumber, as they worship at the feet of the Sixth, until the Seventh church comes to the surface (Nahum 3:18). Nahum’s mystery is the exposure or the intent of the enemy. The enemy in our case is the old man (flesh) who still longs for the feelings gained from the wiles of the devil. Like Lot’s wife, the old man attempts to get us to look back as past carnal feelings, yet the New Man looks forward to the glorious heavenly residence God has prepared for us.
The old man claims to be our friend, our lover, our benefactor, the provider of our self-confidence, the granter of our every wish, yet the old man is death and destruction. The old man will tell us “go ahead, it’s okay”, but when the event turns on us, he blames us, accuses us, calls us stupid, or dumb. Nahum 3:19 shows the sin of failing to enter the saving of the soul will not be forgiven in the world (age) to come, there will be no healing. All who “hear the bruit” shall clap their hands over the city, the word Bruit means speech.
A testimony can be for us, or against us, a witness can be for us, or against us, it depends on which path we’re on. If against us, it’s a warning to change directions: if for us, it’s encouragement to continue on in the same direction; however, we must be aware of the false testimony of the Wicked attempting to change our path. These prophets warn of a present danger, coming again. For the sons of perdition the warning is to repent in this present Age, in the next Age it will be too late. To the victims of the sons of perdition, get clarity, see the Ways, know when to leave the deadly practice of the Wicked. Are the ways self motivated promoting worldly concepts? Are they devious? Are they slanderous? Or do they point to Jesus? Do they encourage us to walk by the Spirit? Do they center on bringing us deeper into the Greater He? Or do they use the ways of the he in the world? Come out of her my children, be not a partaker of her sins, rather seek to be a Partaker of the First Resurrection.
HABAKKUK
The name Habakkuk means Embrace, he brings the second leg of the burden (Hab 1:1). Very little is known of Habakkuk, thus he is another type of a nobody God picked to tell the some-bodies what they were doing. This is really a wise lesson, often we reject the words of the unknown, but these prophets show us God will use, whom He will use. Like most of us, Habakkuk begins to question God, but ends accepting the verdict, as he offers up his prayer of acceptance, an important lesson for us, there are times when the prayer of acceptance is in order.
Habakkuk will add to Joel, showing how to get Joy of being restored. Habakkuk comes to the conclusion, God is in no way obligated to comply with man’s ideas on how God should handle matters. When God answers Habakkuk, faith comes, then he knows God is completely wise and sovereign in all His dealings with man, whether we understand them or not. In essence he will move from “God wouldn’t to this to me”, to “God is God, and I accept the event knowing God is with me”. The former is fear, the latter faith.
The burden is seen by Habakkuk; whereas Nahum felt it. Habakkuk saw many things and wondered, How can the Lord allow this? How can God leave those Wicked among us? How can the Wicked seem to prosper, yet we sit here (Hab 1:1-3)? The prophet of God looked and saw contention and strife, how can this be (Hab 1:3)? The Law was slacked and judgment failed, on the same note we can be found guilty when we allow the Law of the Spirit to be slacked in our lives (Hab 1:4). God will work a work in the day of the heathen, which even the prophet of God won’t believe. This work among the Heathen is not bad at all, rather this is a prophecy showing how Grace through faith unto Salvation will come to the heathen; remember to the Jew the Gentile was a Goy (heathen).
God doesn’t say the heathen won’t believe it, rather we read “which you will not believe” (Hab 1:5). Of course, the immediate work God allowing the Chaldeans (Babylon) to bring the bitter (wormwood) as a hasty nation to march throughout the Promised Land, and the people of the time won’t believe it. We see the extension of the prophecy to our time in how the Cross and Resurrection opened the arms of God to all mankind.
Paul saw the precious in this, he used these words in the synagogue in Antioch (Acts 13:40-41). To him it was evident, through Jesus all Believe are justified, and the word “all” means just that, thus Paul used this warning to show how the Gentile was now included into the promise. After his preaching the Gentiles knew it, they asked Paul to teach them more (Acts 13:42). The Good News is so Good it takes belief to grab it, and faith to maintain it.
To the prophet all looked upside down and inside out, toward Jacob’s trouble it will appear the same to the Remnant. The prophet knew these things were going on, but God shows him the Iniquity (Hab 1:3). The word Show is the Hebrew Raah meaning To perceive or Consider, it goes a little further than merely seeing, it’s seeing and knowing what is going on. God will send us to places where He will “Show” us things, but if we see, and know not what to do, we are sent as observers. Knowledge and Wisdom are different, knowledge is the observance, wisdom is the ability to deal with it. If God has not given us the Wisdom in the matter, we remain silent and observe. There are some who see, some who observe to obtain the clarity. God trains us to observe, while others are seeing.
Habakkuk sees the Law “slacked”, not done away with. The word Slacked is the Hebrew Puwg meaning Feeble, or To grow numb. The tense used here shows the Law was still there, but feeble (Hab 1:4). The Judgment here is not the same as The Judgment, this refers to Psalm 82 as the caring for the people in a Godly manner. The reasoning is also Seen, the Wicked have compasses about the Righteous, like wolves ready for the kill as the “wrong judgment” proceeds. The word Wrong means Twisted or Wrested, showing there was a “judgment”, but the religious minded were using in an evil nature.
Connecting this to the end times we find the kings of the ten toes will control the world with their self-based, self-serving governments, until the day comes when Israel will rule the world in the Time of Comfort. The first call will be the attribute of Mercy, the proper and right Judgment. Then the Woman will rule by control, and manipulation invoking the wrong judgment, leading to The Judgment.
During our Season these ten kings are terrible, they fight or exist in rumors of wars, they fight pestilence with intellect, rather than the Power of His Christ, they fight famine with manipulation and guilt, instead of faith. However, all they have to fight with is the power, authority and seat of Satan (Rev 13:1-2). They deal dreadful judgment, they exist in “pull yourself up by your own boot straps”, or “God helps them who help themselves”, or worse they murder in the “name of God”. They play mind games, supposing they are in control, presuming their supposed goodness will gain them entry into heaven. They have swift horses, they shall gather the chosen as the Sand of Sea into captivity (Hab 1:5-9).
They shall scoff at the kings of the Kingdom and the princes of Israel, they will make jokes and mock the Body, or hold captive the people of God by social laws and regulations confining the activities of the Believer. They will use the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life. What they want, they call a right, whether it’s good or evil. They will offend by holding their own self as supreme (Hab 1:11). Yet, they will be working to complete the will of God toward the Judgment, yet never know it.
God is from everlasting to everlasting, there is nothing new under the sun, God saw it all before the foundation of the world, they bring no surprises. They bring no danger, they have no power except it be given them from on high. The Wicked boast in their supposed goodness, they are hypocrites. The Bible definition of a Hypocrite is one who presumes they are doing something, when they are not, yet they demand for others do it. They have a yardstick of compliance they apply to their own selves which is about twenty feet long allowing them great latitude, but in reference to others they shorten the rod to about one inch, allowing no latitude. In the Greek the word Hypocrite means to Judge Under, thus they judge us under them in order to exalt themselves; many times they accuse others of what they are doing. They presume their self-confidence is faith, they promote traditions of men as doctrine, yet demand 200 percent evidence before accepting Scripture. A hypocrite is the manner and nature of a legalist, allowing pride to rule their minds.
The Pharisees presumed they were the “workers of God”, yet they didn’t do anything close to what Jesus was doing, but called Him in error. Jesus said they were of their father the devil, the lusts of their father they would do (Jn 8:44). The world’s concept of a hypocrite is “do as I say, not as I do”, which is real close, but not close enough to the Bible concept. The Wicked boast they are something, they are nothing more than creeping things without Godly guidance (Hab 1:14). All of us were among the disobedient; however, all of us were pulled into the net to bring about a change so we won’t be numbered in the group. The Wicked accept the spirit of the world, only they use it to their advantage.
There are two nets, one the Lord casts, the other is man’s net. We saw the net of Zidon in the hands of Jezebel, which is the net of natural man. Instead of entering the net of God, some will sacrifice to the net of man (greed – Hab 1:16).
The good watchman stands on his tower, waiting to see what the Lord will say. If reproved by the Lord, the good watchman receives it (Hab 2:1). The Lord told Habakkuk, Write it down, make it plain for it is yet for the appointed time, a time to come (Hab 2:2-3). Habakkuk 2:2 isn’t saying the one who reads it will run from it, rather they will run to safety because of it, thus Jesus warned them to leave when the day comes. In the Book of Revelation at 18:4 God says, “Come out of Her, My people, be not partakers of her sins, that you receive not of her plagues”. Even in the very end God still provides choice, why won’t He now? It’s the point, He is providing choice in the exposure.
When the Lord gives us a vision, a word, or a dream, whether personally, or through someone else, write it down, it may be for an appointed time, a time to come. If it tarry, it will not tarry, it will come to pass (Hab 2:3). There are dreams and visions as warnings, some warn of events, some warn us of people, it’s as much faith to hear and run, as it is to hear and stand. It’s the hearing and doing, not the running or standing proving our Faith.
Anyone who lifts their soul up in pride, whether it’s a pride in self-confidence, or the pride of religion, cannot walk upright before God. We can’t walk upright in pride and be humble at the same time, we can’t hold unbelief, yet claim faith at the same time, the Just still Live by His Faith (Hab 2:4). Habakkuk 2:4 also gives us a division between the “soul” lifted up, and the Just who live by faith; we find one element of Faith is Humbleness to vacate pride. The phrase “the just shall live by faith” was used three times in the New Testament, but here it reads “the just shall live by His faith”, a mystery? Yes, in Romans 1:17 Paul said the Righteousness of God is revealed in the concept of “faith to faith”, then he says, “the just shall live by faith”. In Galatians 3:11 he shows no one is justified by the Law of Moses, for it is evident the Just live by faith. Back in Romans 8:33 he tells us it’s God who Justifies us, then in Hebrews 10:38-39 we are told the Just live by faith, which is connected to those who Believe unto the saving of the soul. If this is also connected to the phrase “faith to faith” then there must be two faiths. Paul also told the Galatians, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, Who loved me, and gave himself for me” (Gal 2:20). In Ephesians 3:12 he said, “In Whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the Faith of Him”. Then the mystery really deepens when we read in Hebrews chapter 11 of all the people in the Old Testament who had faith, yet in Galatians 3:23-24 we find Faith didn’t come until Jesus. The key to the faith of the Old Testament saints is found in Hebrews 11:39 where we find as great as the faith of some of those people was, it wasn’t enough to gain the Promise of the Holy Spirit. The Faith of Jesus is proven, the New Man knows the tracks, our faith is then in God to lead us on the path of Faith. The Faith of Jesus broke the bounds of the grave, the Spirit of Holiness declared it (Rom 1:3-4). The Spirit of Christ is us is merely following the path, we live because Jesus lives. We die to the self, because Jesus died on the Cross for us.
There are some who deny the Faith of Jesus, but the Faith of Jesus is The Faith by which we have access. This doesn’t mean we don’t have faith, rather it’s a connection between our faith and His Faith, thus showing from faith to Faith. We have faith in Him, and His Faith will carry us. Some have even gone to the extreme of removing the concept of “His Faith” from certain translations, then replacing it with “our faith”, which is very dangerous. In any translation there are rules, one is the Genitive, keeping the possession in the right place. There is a vast difference between “his house” and “my house”, just as there is between “my faith” and “the Faith of Him”. The “falling away from The Faith” doesn’t mean people stop using faith, it means they fall from the Faith of Jesus as they begin to use their faith in ways not conducive to the Faith. We are told “have Faith in God”, a commandment. We can sit in our puny faith limited to our knowledge of God, or move to the Faith of Jesus by faith, gaining the Righteousness of God to become among the Just. If we are Just, then we are being Justified, it’s evident the Law of Moses can Justify no one before God, yet the Just live by faith. The Father looks at us through the Spirit of Christ in us, all the efforts are accounted for in the New Man. We allow the New Man to save our souls, we obey as we hear, we leave nothing undone.
Perhaps the most confusing verse for the Jew is Habakkuk 2:4, since all Jews are taught they live by the Law of Moses: Jesus pointed out the error of this thinking to the Pharisees (Jn 5:38-39). The only way to be Justified is by faith, meaning faith is the evidence of things not seen, yet faith will have a obvious fruit. Faith is like unto a Tree, wherein we find the hidden roots tell us what type of Faith is being used, the fruit of faith identifies the manner in which one uses their faith. James said he would show us his faith, thus it can be seen. The example he used in regards to Jesus related to the Wisdom of God, showing Jesus was not partial, thus wisdom is a work of faith (James 2:1-4 & 3:17).
The foundation of Faith must hold two elements, believing God Is, then faith part holding God as a Rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Heb 11:6). Hebrews chapter 11 talks about people of faith, after reading about these people we tend to call the “Hall of fame of Faith”, then we read, “And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise” (Heb 11:39). They had the measure of faith, the only ones who don’t are the unreasonable and wicked. It’s not the measure of faith, but our faith reaching to a hope, the Faith of Jesus has obtained. It doesn’t mean we toss away our measure of faith, it’s still a gift, without it we haven’t a chance. Paul called it a “measure” of faith, the word Measure is the Greek Metron meaning A limited portion. He also shows the Measure was Given, thus it’s a gift (Rom 12:3). The gift reaches the Cross, the Faith of Jesus takes us by the measure of faith through the grave to obtain the Power of the Resurrection, it’s the Power of the Resurrection by the Spirit forming us into sons of God. The Cross grants us Mercy, making us sons of men, but we must have both the Mercy and Grace of God in order to make it.
This goes right along with “be you transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Rom 12:2). This Transformation is really a Transfiguration, since it’s the same Greek word used for Transfiguration. This is not a mistake, as we will see later, but for here we find our Faith in the Father, Son and Holy Ghost brings the Faith of Jesus in the New Birth, which is not limited, we then place our measure of faith in God to get us through this. This also shows when Jesus told the disciples “oh you of little faith”, He wasn’t belittling them, He was making a statement of fact.
We can’t confuse Faith for Mind Power, Mind Power is the use of natural mental abilities to control events, faith is a confidence in God regardless of the event. Our faith is not designed for us to put anywhere, or in anything, or anyone we want, it’s designed to be directional toward God (Heb 6:1-2).
The pride of life builds the lust of the eye, the lust of the eye builds the lust of the flesh, none of them can be satisfied (Hab 2:5). The Seventh church will be filled to the brim to the point of overflowing with the material blessing from the Windows of heaven, but it will think it’s rich and in need of nothing, not even God. The Seventh church will mix with the iron (bondage) and clay (flesh), but their downfall will come suddenly, in a Short Time (Hab 2:7). This helps us with the metaphors iron and clay, man’s flesh was formed of the dust, when you add water to dust it makes clay, or the substance keeping the dust in one lump. Iron is bondage, putting the iron and clay together we come up with the bondage of the flesh hindered by bitter water.
As for the Day we find the Body is going along just as God knew it would, yet we also know the sons of perdition introduced carnal self-based theology, traditions based in religious conceit, twisted truths calling for social change without Christ change, using the pride of life, or the Law of Moses to chase down the blessing, while denying the Kingdom of God. On the same note there have been many more, silent as they may be, who sought after, holding to the Doctrine of Christ, they rejected the traditions of men, refused to hear the doctrines of devils, denied the self, picked up their Cross, and sought the Christ change by the Spirit.
God will use the Sixth church to send the knowledge of the Glory, but they will not be the Glory (Hab 2:14). There is a difference between being the Glory, and telling people about it. There are different Glories, there is the Glory of the Sun and Moon unto judgment, but there is also the Glory of the Stars unto Salvation. The Glory of God is within us (Rom 8:18), the Glory will be revealed, thus if we are running all over the place, jumping from meeting to meeting looking for the Glory, we better consider our condition, for the Glory of God was granted to us in the New Birth.
Woe to the drunkard who goes into the Night and causes his neighbor to drink of his folly (Hab 2:15). Instead of the Glory of the Stars, Sun or Moon, the drunkard who goes into the Night has caused their glory to be a shame (Hab 2:16). The “cup of the Lord’s right hand” shall be poured out; it’s not the Cup with the Blood of Jesus for the New Testament, rather this is the Cup of God’s wrath, the same one Jesus took in the Garden (Hab 2:16).
Habakkuk 2:20 shows the silence in heaven during the last half of the Hour, the verses prior show the foolishness of the Image of Jealousy (Hab 2:18-20, Rev 8:1 & 15:8). Man makes idols so he can control his god; the Wicked use the Name of Jesus, yet they too want to control God, control their faith, control their salvation, and control people.
When the Beast (sons of perdition) give the Woman the wrong wine, she takes and drinks. Then the Beast shall make her naked and ashamed, she will fall under the curse of the Law with the curse of the Fall (Hab 2:15).
In Habakkuk 2:16 we find the Cup of God’s wrath, and the “spewing”. Jesus told the Seventh church “so then because you are lukewarm, and neither cold or hot, I will spew you out of My Mouth” (Rev 3:16). John saw the Two-Edged Sword coming from the Mouth of Jesus as well, yet we have a better promise. The Word of God is Sharper than Any Two-Edged Sword, thus the Word (Logos) is better than the Two-Edged Sword. “Oh wait now, I recall the Sword of the Spirit in Ephesians 6:17 is the Word”. Correct, but in Ephesians we find it’s the Rhema, thus the Sword of the Spirit has One Edge of Grace, not Two, thus we speak Words of Grace to the hearer (Eph 4:29).
Idol worship is the downfall of man; man makes idols out of wood, stone, money, pride, governments, civil security, people, thoughts, fables and many other things. Anyone who promotes an idol, regardless of the idol is accursed (Hab 2:18-19).
Habakkuk then gives his prayer; he heard the Word, he was afraid, not for himself, but for those who would face the latter days (Hab 3:1-2). He also couldn’t figure why God just didn’t end it now. It looked terrible, violence, spoiling, the Law was slacked, what was the hope? Far ahead of Habakkuk’s time was Jesus, therein lays the hope of all mankind.
Verse 3 gives us two areas, the word Teman means South, we find His Glory is covered in the Heavens, pointing to the Stars who will be with Him during the 1,000 years, but the Earth was full of His praise, thus this is another verse showing the ten thousand times ten thousand in the presence of the Lord, while the thousands from the thousands are on earth (Rev 7:1-9 & 5:11).
Habakkuk sees the Glory of the Lord, with the Power of the Lord coming from His hands (Hab 3:4). The Remnant will give the knowledge of the Glory of the Lord, we’re suppose to be the Glory of the Lord. We’re suppose to lay hands on people and impart the Power of His Christ to set them free, as we present them to the Lord for the baptism with the Holy Ghost. The Lord measured the Earth and the everlasting Mountains (nations) were scattered, the perpetual hills (subnations) did bow, thus every knee will bow and every tongue confess, including every knee and every tongue who has ever been on this earth (Hab 3:6).
Here in Habakkuk we find two different Hebrew words for the word Everlasting, in the phrase “and the everlasting mountains” it’s the Hebrew Adh meaning A time with duration, or Without end, depending on how it’s used, showing the Mountains will remain forever, but they remain on the Earth, even after the Earth turns into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is a kingdom lasting forever and ever, without end. In the phrase “His ways are everlasting” the Hebrew word Olam is used meaning The vanishing point, showing times past, times present and times future. The conclusion shows, simply because something is everlasting, doesn’t mean it’s good and everlasting, for hell itself is everlasting as it moves into the lake of fire (Rev 20:14). There are two everlasting kingdoms, the kingdom of heaven will be divided, with the Good Fish going to heaven, and the Wicked (Bad Fish) into the lake of fire, but the Kingdom of God will not be divided, it will last forever, and ever without end. If there is Eternal Salvation, there must be Eternal Life, but there must also be Eternal Judgment (Heb 5:9, 6:2 & Jn 10:28). The problem with those who want to limit Eternal Judgment, they must also limit Eternal life, but if something is Eternal it’s not subject to time, thus it can’t be limited by time. However, we also know the Hebrew has several words for Everlasting, thus everlasting can mean until another aspect takes place, or everlasting without means to escape, or everlasting unto everlasting without end, or as we know it, Eternal. The element of Time is only a factor to man who is under the hand of the flesh, even the resurrection unto damnation is not a timed element, like eternal life it will always be Now. Yet, as long is time is a factor we find Seasons, and the Seasons will not mix, the Day must come before the Night, thus the Night will not begin until the Day is complete.
The “tents of Cushan” are not the “tents of Judah”, they are the left over ones, or the Wicked after the Rapture. They did ride on the efforts of others during the Day (time of Salvation), but they held to their self-will and pride (Hab 3:8-9). The only place we find the word Cushan is here in Habakkuk, it means Their blackness, but it is a compound word. The first part has to draw our attention to “Cush”, from Cush came Nimrod, from Nimrod came Babel, from Babel came Babylon. From Nimrod came Asshur, and Nimrod built Nineveh, thus metaphorically this all fits (Gen 10:8-11).
Habakkuk then jumps to the Judgment, when the mountains (nations) see Him, they will tremble, the Sun and Moon shall stand still; the Sun and Moon are metaphors of Jacob and Zion connecting to the Woman (Hab 3:10-11). John says, every eye will see Him, then he shows every eye will be in one of two groups. The first are those who pierced Him, then those who wail because of Him (Gentiles), the Church doesn’t fit either (Rev 1:7). God does move through the world, but His purpose is for the salvation of His called (Hab 1:12). Jesus said the Holy Ghost will reprove the world of sin, righteousness and judgment, but the same Holy Ghost will teach us, guide us into all Truth, telling us things to come.
From the Day of Pentecost until today, and further until the Rapture, God has, is and will pour from His Spirit upon all flesh, both Jew and Gentile. God’s sovereignty is found in His foreknowledge, knowing what will happen without causing it to happen, yet providing a path through it for the Just. We know there are events “not of God”, but it doesn’t mean God didn’t know about them. Rather He has all things in hand; although the world appears anything but on a course, it’s nonetheless on a course. God’s sovereignty is also seen in His ability to make a path through or around any event for those who Love Him, and for those called according to His purpose long before we get to the event.
God wounded the head of the wicked house and discovered the foundation unto the neck (Hab 3:13-14). The metaphor Head points to authority, or the granted permission to do something; the head was wounded right to the neck. Yet we know the head of the image was Babylon, which image was of a man (Dan 3:1). The image stopped at the neck (foundation), but Nebuchadnezzar attempted to make the entire image subject to the head (Dan 3:1-4). Although the other heads continued, the house of the Wicked lost its authority, until the time of Jacob’s trouble. Even today they lack Authority, they usurp it, fake it, and talk about it, but in truth they lack authority in our Season. Without authority their power, if any, lacks ability. However, the Night is a time of little strength, things change and the Wicked bring back the wounded head by placing the abomination, which is also known as the image of jealousy in the place it should not be.
Habakkuk ends with the faith and patience of the saints, his real prayer centers on his confidence in God being much wiser than we. Even if the fig tree should not blossom, or if the vines fail to bear fruit, if the labor of the olive tree fails, if the fields yield no Wheat, if the flock is cut off, or there is no place for the herd, the faithful will rejoice in the Lord of their Salvation (Hab 3:17-18). If the flock is completely cut off, even if it’s passed away forever, there is still cause to rejoice. If we are without anything, even a stall to sleep in, there is still cause to rejoice. If the event doesn’t please us, there is still cause to rejoice. If the majority of the Body remains in iniquity, there is still cause to rejoice. We are in a time when we can be Born Again, a time when the New Man is forming our souls into the spiritual nature.
ZEPHANIAH
The name Zephaniah means JAH has secreted, his prophecy refers to the last half of the hour, but it also reflects to our time as well. The given lineage of Zephaniah is the longest of the prophets, yet we don’t find him mentioned in the historic records, thus he speaks to the “fathers”, but again he is a nobody, speaking to the some bodies.
The theme of the Book is the Day of the Lord, as before we find he speaks of it being at hand not in hand (Zeph 1:7). John the Baptist and the disciples of Jesus preached the Kingdom of God was “at hand”, not “in hand” (Matt 3:2, Mark 1:15 et al). Although the beginnings of the Rock were in place, the actual kingdom in hand would not be possible until Jesus was glorified. These prophets warn of the Day of the Lord as a pending factor, yet we know the Day must come before the Night, why then was the warning preached in their time? The Two Witnesses of the Law of Prophets pertain to their time, as the Night, thus these words will be on time for the Night. Really they are on time for us as well, since in our Season the iniquity does already work, but so does the Grace to free us from the iniquity.
The Lord says “I will utterly consume (destroy) all things from off the land” (Zeph 1:2). Was everything consumed at the time of the captivity? No, there were still people living in the land when the children were taken captive by Babylon, Jeremiah being one, when they return they will find people in the land as well. Also, there was still some buildings, even parts of the wall remained. In the days of Zephaniah the prophecies referred to the Promised Land only, but his prophecy is all inclusive, the “land” refers to the entire earth in the end of time. The Gospel has gone out to all the world, making the world the subject of the Net, meaning the world is also subject to the Judgment.
This is also a promise, since the word Consume has two meanings, pointing to the Broken Body, if the Body must be Broken then the Rapture is a real Hope. On one hand the word Consume means To destroy, but on the other it means To snatch away. In the Greek it would read Catch Away, thus pointing to the Rapture when the Tents of Judah (Church) are taken, but the House of Judah is left in it’s own destruction.
Zephaniah will prophesy regarding the Remnant, the Two Witnesses, the Seven churches and the Body. Zephaniah sees the Lord’s hand Stretch into the future upon Judah, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem. This connects to Isaiah 2:2 with the outline pointing to the end times regarding “Judah and Jerusalem”. From both groups the Lord will cut off His Remnant from Baal (idol worship), and from the priests who hold to idols in their minds while they claim to serve God (Zeph 1:4). The word Chemarims only appears here in Zephaniah, it means an Idolatrous priest, not only the priests of Baal under Jezebel, but any priest who uses the authority of idols. Simply, “the name of the Chemarims” refers to the Authority of darkness being used to lead God’s people to different gods.
Jesus said, pray the day not come on the sabbath, which is a direct correlation to the Jew, but He also said, Let him come off the housetop and take nothing. Zephaniah tells us they will be on the housetop worshipping idols, but which housetop? (Zeph 1:5). Their own, or the temple? Or both? It appears to be both.
The host of heaven is interesting, going back to First Kings 22:19 we find the prophet saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by Him, so what is this? Zephaniah breaks it all down, there are those who worship the host of heaven, much different from giving honor, or respect. Paul warned the Colossians about the danger of worshiping angels (Col 2:18). In First Kings the prophet saw the host of heaven, here in Zephaniah they are worshipping angels.
Then the phrase, “them who swear by the Lord, and them who swear by Malcham” (Zeph 1:5). The Lord covered it all, Malcham was also known as Molech, the god the people sacrificed their children to (I Kings 11:5). From the priests to the people, thus anyone who claims God, yet claims idols are lukewarm, leaving openings for demonic activity to invade. So it will be with the Lukewarm Seventh church in the end, they will leave the opening for the false prophet to enter; the false always look for those they can devour.
Like the Days of Noah the people felt Judgment was so far off they had plenty of time, in truth the Judgment itself is far off in our case, but the Night approaches quickly. The Lord has prepared the Sacrifice, yet the Day is at hand (Zeph 1:7). The Judgment is set, whether one is found in it, or not is up to the person. The Sacrifice and the bidding are different, presenting another interesting verse. The word Sacrifice alone doesn’t tell us much, it could be the great slaughter, or the Cross. However, the word Bid reveals the mystery, it’s the Hebrew Qadash meaning To prepare, or Make holy, thus showing the Cross was seen from the foundation of the world. We as the Body were also seen, the Bidding was done before the Day of the Lord could be in hand. This is another verse showing the Day would be first, then comes the Night. However, the Cross holds two positions, showing the Word is divided into two areas, Salvation and Judgment. For it will come to pass in the day of the Lord’s Sacrifice, God will “punish the princes” and the “kings children”, and all “such who are clothed with strange apparel”, what gives? Jesus told the Parable of the Wedding Banquet (Matt 22:1-14), in it we read, “Friend, how came you in here not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless, then said the King to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, for many are called, but few are chosen” (Matt 22:13-14). It’s the context here, many will be separated (Bid), but some will remain princes, some will be bad kings, and some will refuse their garments (natures). On the same note there will be Multitudes who will refuse to associate with the “prince of this world”, who refuse to be a bad king, who have submitted to the Blood to have their robes washed.
All this goes right back to verse 3, thus the Lord will Utterly consume all things, both “man and beast”, the word Man here is the Hebrew Adham meaning Mankind, it’s also used as the proper noun Adam. This is the division between the Wheat and Tares, only the Tares are tossed into the oven (Zeph 1:3). This is made clear when we find the Stumblingblocks of the Wicked will also be consumed, which stumbling blocks consist of fables, strongholds, fears, slander, or deception (Zeph 1:3).
The Sacrifice is the Cross, but the Supper comes for the Bride, thus the Cross opened the Way for the Bride to be the Bride. Some of us think the Bride’s Supper is a prime rib dinner, but it’s hardly an enjoyable feast. The Bride’s Supper is delivered to the birds and fowls, for the Day of the Lord will bring the Lord’s Sacrifice (Zeph 1:7). The Lord Gave a Sacrifice for us, the Bride’s Supper is another type of Sacrifice. When our prayers are mixed with the coals from the fire of God’s altar, they are then poured out on the Earth and Sea, as they will begin to Cook the meal.
Then we find others, they were termed Jezebel in our Season, the children of Jezebel in the next. They heaped violence (self-righteousness in our Season), and deceit (lies of the False Prophet in the latter Season) on the threshold of their Master’s houses (plural – Zeph 1:9). The “houses” points to the people, the Threshold is the place of entry, to the Jew once someone was invited past the Threshold they were a protected guest, here the people allow idols to enter, giving them protection. The worship of idols on the rooftops was common place, thus Jesus tells them to come down, and take nothing.
Zephaniah 1:10 talks about the “fish gate”, and “from the second”, which points to the rebuilding of the city and temple in the days of Nehemiah (Neh 3:3). The fish gate metaphorically refers to the Net, but we also find the family order who built the fish gate in the days of Nehemiah are “Hassenaah” (Neh 3:3). The name Hassenaah means Thorny, as a thorn in the flesh. The “noise of cry” was also seen in Jeremiah (Jere 49:21), in reference to a fall. This noise is one of sorrow, connecting to the next verse which shows why the noise comes. Zephaniah 1:11 shows the “howl” of the inhabitants of Maktesh, for all the merchant people are cut down. The word Maktesh is only found here, it means a deep hollow, connecting it to Jerusalem. Since this involves merchants it takes us to Revelation 18, where we find the fall of Babylon causes the “merchants” who were made rich by the blessing on the City to stand far off and weep, not because of the City, but because of their riches are fading fast (Rev 18:14-19).
Zephaniah 1:12 has been used to counter the Deists thought of God creating the heaven and earth, then leaving man to fend for himself. The sayings, “God loves those who help themselves”, and “pull yourself up by your own bootstraps” are both Deists concepts. Here we find God will use “candles”, the Book of Revelation shows the candles are the seven churches (Rev 1:20). God uses the saint, but only because the saint shows God can take the worse of the worse, and make them holy, set them apart as He is able to save their souls.
The context here in verse 12 is Jerusalem, the word “Lees” is the Hebrew Shemar meaning Lees, or The dregs or sediment settling during the fermentation of wine. This points those who actually appear as the Sediment, pointing to the Wicked. In our Season the New Wine is presented, but rather than partake of the New Wine, they took of the Lees, becoming the Lees, thus they were unable to hold to the Spirit at the Rapture.
This connects back to verse 11 and the wording “Are Cut Off” which is one Hebrew word meaning Broken Covenant. God didn’t break the Covenant, rather the Covenant or Falling Away was caused by those who became the Lees. Also the wording “Cut Down” means To destroy, thus we find Cut Off, and Cut Down, the Cut Off aspect refers to the Broken Body, then the Cut Down on the Day of Judgment. Another verse pointing to the Broken Body, the Rapture, the Night and Judgment.
In the latter days they will build houses, but they will become desolate. These are not houses of brick or stone, but houses in their minds and hearts (Zeph 1:13). The Voice of the Lord will bring the Great Day of the Lord, not the Word of the Lord (Zeph 1:14). The Day of the Lord is the wrath of God, a day of trouble, distress, darkness, all showing the pouring out of the Fourth Cup of the wrath of God. A time none of us want to experience, thus we will either Sleep in Jesus, or be among the Dead in Christ who are Raptured before the Night begins (Zeph 1:15-16).
Zephaniah and the other prophets defined this Day of the Lord in such detail, we know when Jesus does return it’s for Judgment. The First coming of Jesus established Salvation and the Kingdom, the Second coming relates to the Judgment. Peter and others define the New Earth as not New as the Garden, but New based on the condition, as it becomes the lake of fire (II Pet 3:12).
Man’s flesh will be as dung, their blood as water on the ground, their silver and gold will not save them from the Day of the Lord’s wrath (Zeph 1:16-17). Clearly there is the Day of Salvation, and the Day of the Lord, the two were Divided and Separated from the beginning, God desires for them to remain so.
The Good News is looking real Good, there is much for us in the Good News, being spared the wrath of God is only a part of it. A great part of the Old Testament prophecies don’t seem Good for mankind, but it’s all God, thus it’s Good if we receive the warning and act accordingly.
The “nation not desired” is caused by the Woman, it’s caught with the Woman as the Seventh church; therefore, God says, “come out of her My children, be not a partaker of her sins” (Rev 18:4). The “meek of the earth” are the Remnant. We tend to forget Jesus separated the Body from the Remnant, but He taught to both groups. We are the meek of the Kingdom of God who have taken the Kingdom, the Remnant will inherit the physical earth (Zeph 2:1-3). Going back to the Psalms we read, “The righteous shall inherit the land” (Ps 37:29) and “the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace” (Ps 37:11). This refers to the Remnant who will have Peace and Safety, but then comes the Seventh church, nonetheless the Lord shall deliver the Remnant from The Wicked, because they trust in Him (Ps 37:40). How will He save them? At the Judgment, thus they will be overcome in the physical, but it isn’t the end of it. While it is yet Today we have a better promise of being the overcomers, the Lord will save us from the Wicked because we Continually Believe in Him.
The meek are described as those who seek righteousness and meekness, the Lord will hide His anger from them (Zeph 2:3). We are told to have meekness, but seek the Righteousness of God. The Remnant will seek righteousness in the Two Witnesses, but they are nonetheless meek.
We see the term “Sea Coast” as a mixed metaphor (Zeph 2:5), meaning Near the Sand of the Sea, but not the Sand of the Sea, or near the Sea, but not of the Sea. This is seen in verse 2:7 where the coasts are for the Remnant of the house of Judah; the House of Judah is not the House of David, rather it shows those who are left after the Tents of Judah are taken in the Rapture. They are not the Sea, neither are they the Sand of the Sea, rather they become the element joining the two, John saw them as the Beast of the Earth. This of course defines the Night, then comes the end.
Zephaniah then sees all the nations without inhabitants, burning as Sodom, full of salt pits based on their pride (Zeph 2:4-10). When Jesus returns the earth will be the lake of fire, it’s still appointed unto all men once to die, then the Judgment. It’s torment as the second death after the Judgment, the first death is the soul separated the flesh, the second death is the soul separated from any and all attributes of God. They chased after the gods of the earth, but when they enter the lake of fire, they will worship the Lord and cry out day and night for mercy, but man’s opportunity to join the Lord is only when man’s soul is still in the flesh (Zeph 2:11). The paradox is how the devil thinks by getting as many as he can in hell, he will be the center of attention, but the Bible says every knee will bow, and every tongue confess Jesus is Lord. For some it will be too late, but they will nonetheless cry out to the Lord continually forever and ever.
God looks at the “rejoicing city” who said in Her heart, “I Am and there is none beside Me”, clearly this is a City, not a nation pointing to the Woman in Revelation 17. She will become a desolation based on the abomination of desolation, because she allowed the False Prophet to place it in the one place it should not be (Zeph 2:15).
God continues talking to the City, showing the rejoicing city is a she, the same Woman John sees in the wilderness (Zeph 3:1 & Rev 17:17). This Woman and the city are not the Church, nor the Body of Christ, the Hebrew wording for Oppressing City also reads, Sinful Jerusalem, thus this can’t be either the Body or New Jerusalem. The Body is akin to Zion, the Church is built on the Rock, thus New Jerusalem is not corrupt, it’s established by the hand of Jesus. The Rock is mixed with tares and wheat, thus when we find Jerusalem is polluted it’s the Woman on the earth. The description and iniquity define why she is judged; she obeyed not the Voice of the Lord, she failed to receive the correction, she trusted not in the Lord, she failed to draw near unto her God (Zeph 3:2).
The correlation between sinful Jerusalem and the iniquity found in the Body is close based on the Wicked in the Body now, but they surface as the Beast of the Earth in the Night, but it doesn’t mean the entire Body is corrupt, nor does it mean a majority of the Body is corrupt. The descriptions may draw a parallel, but not an exactness. The iniquity of the Body is found in those who hold the “he in the world” while rejecting the Greater He (I Jn 4:1-4). The Wicked in the Night still use the he in the world, while calling it the “Spirit of God” to infiltrate the Woman then entice her based on her lusts and iniquities.
While we are on earth we are termed The Body of Christ, the only place we see the term “Bride” is when we enter heaven, thus we find the she who is the City, is not the Kingdom of God. That’s important, if we don’t keep them separate we will think the Body of Christ is the Woman, ending missing the importance of the entire message given by these prophets of Old. The parallel does give us mutual warnings, but we also want to make sure we gain the Lesson while not mixing the Day into the Night, or the Night into the Day. The Wicked will entice the lusts of the Seventh church in the latter days expanding their error to include the abomination making desolate. God looks toward the Woman, and sees the leaders as the cause of the failure, then pronounces their iniquity on them. The lesson for us shows we can’t hide behind church dogma, thinking God won’t see us. We are called to be kings and priests, we have a kingdom, thus the purpose of any kingdom is to see the will of the king carried out. If we are kings, who then are our subjects? Not the other kings, thus things become our subjects, if we allow anger a ruling position, it will take it, but if we allow Mercy a ruling position, it will also rule. We can’t have rulers of the darkness of this present world sit as princes, then expect to be considered a good king. The rulers of darkness are defined by Paul as corrupt communication, anger, clamor, evil speaking, bitterness, wrath, unforgiveness, or anything from the fallen nature of man ruling over us. How many times have we said, or heard, “I’m sorry I lost my temper”, what happened? We didn’t lose our temper, anger ruled, guided, directed and spoke for us. Any emotion not saved will rule over us, yet saved emotions become useful tools. God has emotions, Joy, Anger, and the such, but they don’t rule Him. The false prophet takes advantage of something he discovers in the leadership within the Woman, thus God looks at the entire leadership as the Woman. She will have “princes”, those who have a principality, yet the Law is also a principality. The Law of Moses is not all the nation is, but it is a standard or a place in the nation. The City’s princes become roaring lions who go about seeking whom they may devour, her judges are evening wolves going about devouring for hire; her prophets are light and treacherous, since they are the false prophets; her priests polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the Law (Zeph 3:3-4). Many of these things were happening in the time of the prophet, but not all. Rather the preview is just that, the actual event is yet to come in the Night.
The metaphor “cedar work” means the foundation of an idol, it comes from the use of the people taking cedar wood and putting gold and silver on the wood to make their idols (Zeph 2:14). It’s after the Cedar Work where we find the Rejoicing City, only she is Rejoicing in her own iniquity, rather than the Truth. This shows us the base, or foundation is the desire to be worshipped, the failure of the Wicked is they don’t make the separation between worshipping God, and the lust to be worshipped.
The Remnant will not be privy to the Spirit; therefore, they will have a little strength, not as the supernatural power the disciples had before the Cross, thus the devil will have to be bound. Therefore, God sees the world Like the Garden, where sin was defined, but with the removal of the serpent, leaving the only enticing element as man enticing man, it’s the point. For some reason we think if only the devil was out of the way, we could be holy. Most cult systems have the same thought, but they trust in their self-righteousness as their holiness. Yet the End Times prove even with the devil bound, there are those who come with the working of Satan. We are provided a Much Greater Promise based on a Greater Covenant, if we neglect so Great a Gift as Grace, or run to promises not afforded to us, we also run from the responsibility of faith.
“Oh now, wait, it seems to me all this is about the enemies of Israel”. True, the Woman becomes an enemy to Israel and God, the Wicked are the enemies of Jesus, who will become His footstool. God pronounced four iniquities against the Women: 1) rebellion, 2) religious conceit, 3) ignoring the Truth, and 4) refusing to repent gives the fourth. Each of those is a failure to do something, rebellion is the failure to submit, religious conceit is the failure to see the Truth, Ignoring the Truth is a failure to be teachable, refusing to repent, is the failure to submit to God. All these are Unequal positions and conditions, each one shows the Woman had the ability to submit, be humble, be teachable, and to repent. Being Unjust is an iniquity, since in order to Un Just one must have the ability to be Just. Iniquity is when we have the ability, knowledge, capability and command to do something, yet refuse to, while doing other things presuming we are holy (Matt 7:21-23). In order to be Unequal, one must have the ability to be Equal, thus in order to be a worker of iniquity, one has to work at it. Making a mistake here or there, or even falling into sin is not the same, if we like the feeling of sin, then we’re in trouble, but if we know it’s wrong, and we seek the escape then we are still a saint, looking to be perfected.
The time will come when God finishes the work, yet the Woman produced it through her own free moral choice. These same four iniquities are talked about in Paul’s words on warfare, we war against these elements by seeking the things of God. What good would it do to defeat Principalities, yet remain a prince? No one can say their choice was not presented, the evidence to believe was placed before them (Zeph 3:5). Since the Woman falls, we tend to blame all women; however, it’s a man who causes her to fall. Paul said the woman was deceived, the man was not (I Tim 2:14), yet both lost their positions.
When Jesus returns there will be no physical inhabitants on the earth, yet every eye will see Him (Rev 1:6 & Zeph 3:6). Every eye will include every soul from the beginning of time who did not partake in the First Resurrection. It’s still appointed once to die, then comes the Judgment (Heb 9:27), thus all will be physically dead when Jesus returns for the Judgment. Peter shows the earth will become a great fire ball, John calls it the lake of fire as hell will widen her borders to include all the earth. However, we are promised to be spared the wrath of God, thus Grace never appoints us to the wrath of God. Our position is so great, God will not impute sin on us, as we refuse to impute sin on others (Rom 4:8 & II Cor 5:18-19).
The Good News gets better and better. If we fear (respect) the Lord, and His Name, we also remain open for instruction, if we reject the instruction, then comes the hard hand of correction. If we reject the correction, then comes the bondage and captivity. If we reject the purpose of the bondage and captivity, then comes the Just Lord to Judge our iniquities. Therefore, be obedient, teachable and open, the Lord will bring us into the perfection He promised.
Wait upon the Lord, don’t give up on Him, He won’t give up on us, the Day of the Lord will come, but thank God, we can still avoid it, rather than be partakers of it (Zeph 3:8). God will take His people then give them a pure language, we have the opportunity to speak the pure language now (Zeph 3:9 & Mark 16:17). In that Day the people of God shall not be ashamed, rather they repented, and sought the Lord, He will take us away from those who rejoiced in their pride (Zeph 3:10).
In the end the Jew will be judged to the Books, yet they still have to search the Book of Life for their name. All the others will be judged according to their “works” (ways of mercy), yet they too will have to search for their name in the Book of Life (Rev 20:11-15). It doesn’t matter if we fall or slip, it really doesn’t matter if we raise the dead, or heal all the sick, what does matter is our desire to finish the race Lawfully.
Zephaniah prophesies regarding God’s Offering, the Offering is when the enemies of Jesus become His footstool (Zeph 3:10). To these prophets, and to many Jews in general there is one Jerusalem, which is of the earth, but we know of Two, the one of the earth and New Jerusalem. Paul defined the differences by telling us the Jerusalem of the earth is in bondage with her children, but the Jerusalem of above is Free, which is the mother of us all (Gal 4:25-26). If New Jerusalem is our “mother”, how then does John see Her as the Bride? Do we become our own Mother? Or does our Mother become us? Oh wait the mother of Joseph was Zion, New Jerusalem is established on heavenly Zion, thus no one is going to make it to New Jerusalem during the Day unless they first begin in the Body. Paul merely shows the reversal, God made Zion of the earth, man built the city of Jerusalem, but we are of the Rock, as we build Zion, and Jesus builds New Jerusalem. The reversal explains Paul’s reference, we’re not our own mother, rather New Jerusalem like Zion of the earth is not the product of man’s hands, or endeavors. Even the Seal of the Spirit is a type showing construction in us is not the product of man’s hands, rather the Seal of the Spirit is the circumcision not made with hands. We do have a much Better Covenant.
In many of the prophetic words of these prophets we find the reference to New Jerusalem, yet they had no idea they were making the correlation. Therefore, we don’t ask a prophet to define or interpret their own prophecy. Such is the case here, God will take away from the “midst” of us them who Rejoice in pride, which happens at the Rapture (Zeph 3:11). There will be no Haughty people in the Holy Mountain, this Holy Mountain is defined for us in the Book of Hebrews. The Book of Hebrews isn’t written to Hebrews, it written about them, a Hebrew is defined as one who is a sojourner, one who has a kingdom, but has yet to fully take it. We have the promise in us, thus the Kingdom of God begins within, it’s not based on observation (Luke 17:21), yet we are true Hebrews waiting until the day when we are fully in our Kingdom.
In Hebrews 12:20-22 we find two mounts, one shows how any “beast” who touches the mount will be stoned or thrust through with a Dart (Heb 12:20). However, we then find another Zion (Sion, Greek rendering for the Hebrew Zion), which can be touched, this Sion (Zion) is joined to New Jerusalem (Heb 12:22). This separation between Jerusalem of the earth and New Jerusalem is important. Jesus said He would build His Church on the Rock, yet Jerusalem of the earth is also founded on a rock (mount), thus Jerusalem of the earth is founded on Zion of the earth, but New Jerusalem as the Bride is founded on the Rock, which Rock is the Body of Christ (I Cor 10:4). The Bride comes through the Rock to the Church to become New Jerusalem. However, to these prophets Old Jerusalem of the earth was their only concept, yet they spoke as the Holy Ghost moved them to say words to be Interpreted by the Holy Ghost in our Season (II Pet 1:19-21). We also find a division between the removal us from them who rejoice in pride, and how the Holy Mountain shall no more be haughty, giving way for the formation of the Remnant. This division shows the Rapture is the change of Seasons, then comes the Remnant of Israel, as those who are Israel.
Zephaniah’s description of the Remnant correlates with John’s, showing how they kept the undefiled religion, spoke no lies, which is a reference to bringing the knowledge of God. Then we read, “Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem” (Zeph 3:14). There are three elements, “daughter of Zion”, “O Israel”, and “daughter of Jerusalem”, they all relate. Israel is found in the middle, thus we find a division: the reference here to the daughter of Zion speaks of the Sixth church, the nation Israel is purpose for the restoration of the land, then the daughter of Jerusalem is the Seventh church. The Seventh church begins with the judgments taken away when the devil is still bound, thus the phrase “He has cast out your enemy” refers to the devil being bound. (Zeph 3:15).
Then we read of our promise, the Lord our God is in the midst of us in the New Man or the Greater He, who is Mighty. There is more than enough reason to Rejoice, this is the Day of Salvation, let us Rejoice and be glad in it. The change from earthly Jerusalem to New Jerusalem and from earthly Zion to heavenly Zion is found in Zephaniah 3:16. Here it’s not the “daughter of”, but an actual location, the nation Israel is not noted, thus this prophetic message is for us, “Fear Not”, let not our hands be slack, rather we lift holy hands to the Lord as we Rejoice, for the Lord our God has made us New Creatures, we are fully able to finish the race lawfully.
When the House of David is opened we will be standing before the throne of God, with the Great King of Israel in the midst of us (Rev 7:9). The Time of Comfort will give the Remnant praise in every country, God will again make them a “name of praise,” or give them a New Name (new form of authority), which points to making the enemies of Jesus His footstool (Zeph 3:20 & Rev 3:12). It will happen, it will come to pass “but even if” it doesn’t we will still rejoice in the Lord, the God of our salvation (Hab 3:17-18). We are a people so blessed we can’t help to be a blessing, our problem is still a lack of knowledge in who we are, where our hope is, and how all this is going to come to pass. The New Man is the greatest gift anyone could hope for, the Power from on high guiding us on the footsteps of the Faith of Jesus.
HAGGAI
The name Haggai means Festive, he prophesied at the end of the captivity in the time of the rebuilding of the temple. Haggai is important, he speaks to the battle after the battle, the one some of us forget. The correction time is over, the wilderness behind us, so now what? Be obedient, begin the building process. In most cases the wilderness is the place where God rebuilds our foundation, the place where He disrupts or removes the bad, or tears down mental idols, removing the self-based elements we thought were treasures. It’s the time for the destruction of fables, strongholds and traditions of men and devils. Now comes the battle after the battle, the construction process.
Regarding these people we might wonder if they would be as enthusiastic if they knew a drunken solider of Titus would cause the Temple to be destroyed in 70AD? Could the solider of Titus merely be the instrument, the religious leaders the cause? Ahh, a failure to engage in the battle after the battle. For us it seems when we’re “going through it” it’s a time when we cry out to God, or kick the family cat. When it’s over we puff out our chest and say, “Yes amen, I held my faith in the face of it all, and God was with me”. God was, but the rest of is bragging on something which didn’t happen, we failed to fight the temptation of self-righteousness and pride after the battle. These people will be told not to forget the captivity, to remain Obedient as they listen to what the Lord has said. Not a bad way to go regardless of the Season or time. Of course when the storm passes we do gain knowledge and clarity, nonetheless we were rocked from our foundation, it’s time to build our Tabernacle on a sure foundation. However, when we make up our minds to build on the secure foundation we will also find those who say, “not yet brother, the time has not come”, but when God says, Go, we Go whether others want to or not (Haggai 1:2-4).
Haggai will give us two earthquakes, first is when the heavens, earth, sea and dry land are shaken, which is the earthquake bringing about the Rapture (Haggai 2:6), then an earthquake to overthrow kingdoms destroying all (Haggai 2:21). We can also see how Haggai will finish Zephaniah, then set the stage for Zechariah.
Whenever we are in trouble, or when we’re “at ease” it’s a good time to “consider our ways”. This doesn’t tell us “look at the Acts”, rather it’s the Ways, neither does it mean if we are at Peace we’re in trouble. Here the people were back from captivity, it was time to enjoy the freedom, but it doesn’t mean to do nothing. They rested when they should have worked, just as they worked the land, when they should have given it rest. This is the battle after the battle, the foundation is set, yet don’t sit around waiting, get busy in the building (Haggai 1:5-7).
The result of the past had to be a reminder for the present, they have sown much, but gained little. Their bags have holes in them, as fast as they put things in, it seems as if it would disappear (Haggai 1:6). Something was missing, the only way to discover what was missing was to “consider your ways”. This is sound advise, it was time for Restoration, a time to be healed, but something was not right, the result was a lack.
Could it be they needed to plant more seed? No, they did that, yet they reaped little. What could it be? Obedience, doing what God has set forth, build. What else? Prophetic, the Prophetic word laid out the order, yet they had it backward, causing their own lack. At times we get a word from the Lord, then we decide how the Lord must accomplish the outcome. When it doesn’t go the way we want, we get mad. A failure to be obedient often leads to adding to, or taking away from the Word of the Lord. On the same note there are some who are obedient just to get what they want from the Lord, wrong kind of “fear of God”. They fear if they don’t appear holy and righteousness God will not provide for them, thus they wear a mask to convince God they are holy. A true fear of God is the awareness of the Integrity of God, He will do what He must do.
Going back to Jeremiah we found the premise was, “to root out, to pull down, to destroy and to throw down” those areas were done, but what was the order? “To build and to plant” (Jere 1:10). It was not to plant then build, they had the right items, but in reverse. How does this apply to us? “Seek ye FIRST the Kingdom of God (evidenced by the New Man), and His Righteousness (The Scepter of the Kingdom), then the Things will be added. At times we get all the right things, but in the wrong order. We work on our faith for days, yet never spend ten minutes on our foundation of belief. We speak of Grace, yet fail to walk in Mercy.
Since the priority was reversed the condition of the land was suffering again, there was no rain, a drought was on the land, not because of the enemy, rather they failed to have elements in order (Haggai 1:10-11). They did the planting, but forgot the building. What to do? All is lost? Nay, all is gain. God was still with them, the evidence was of course the drought (Haggai 1:13). The Lord then Stirred up the spirit (attitude) of the leaders, both civil and religious, enthusiasm joined to the excitement producing a will to accomplish the will of the Lord. They had to be reminded of God’s priority, when they remembered they began to build the house. Why even begin if it’s going to be destroyed? Prior their focus was “the Temple, God will not allow the Temple to be destroyed”, they were wrong. God did allow the Temple to be destroyed in order to destroy the pride in the people regarding the Temple. They made the Temple more than it was, they trusted in the Temple to protect them, rather than God. Now God wanted the Temple rebuilt, yet they placed the land as their priority. Was all this the Temple’s fault? No, it was stone building. The people caused it, they had to repair it to gain the Restoration. How does this apply to us? At times we make gods out of the things of God, the anointing is vital, but it comes from God, it is not all God is. The Body is our home, but it too came from God. We can’t honor the things of God above God, including elevating the ministry above the calling.
In our case it’s not building a house of stone, but the inner Tabernacle of Peace, Joy and Faith in God. Haggai looked at these people and said, “the Lord’s house Should be built”, the Lord does the same with us, it’s a choice, not a Commandment. Like many things in the Kingdom it’s based on the desire of the person. We have no Commandment to give, or pray, or present our sacrifice of praise, or many other things, rather they are products of the desire of the New nature (Haggai 1:2).
Zerubbabel was delivered from Babylon as a Governor of Judah, we are delivered by the King to be made kings and priests. Zerubbabel was governor, Joshua was the priest, thus Zerubbabel couldn’t hold both positions as governor and priest, thus Joshua couldn’t be priest and governor, but we have the opportunity to be both kings and priests. They had connections and examples of how God set the order before the captivity, thus they could remember the order as well.
Haggai’s ministry started on the sixth month of the second year on the first day (Haggai 1:1), but finished on the 24th day of the ninth month of the second year; it was short but profound (Haggai 2:10 & 2:20). However, the construction had to be based on something, who among them remembers what the Temple used to look like (Haggai 2:3)? Do we remember the joy and excitement we used to have? We walk by faith, but there times of Remembrance as well. We have to remember the joy of our Salvation in the midst of the test, or we will enter fear, or bitterness.
God tells them to remember back further to the time when He delivered the children out of Egypt. The purpose was to cross the wilderness to be established in the Promised Land, which they were, yet they ended in captivity. The captivity was based on the failure of the people to remember the purpose of the wilderness. Now they are delivered, don’t sit around wondering if the tree will make the water clean, get up, build a house, for us it’s assist in the building a place for the Spirit to work (Haggai 2:5).
Now the prophet points to the future, the heavens will be shaken: the earth, and sea and dray land and all nations, this points to the Day. The “desire” of “all nations”, both Jew and Gentile will fill “this house” with Glory, Jesus did it for us (Haggai 2:7).
Now the responsibility, the silver and gold belong to God, if so, He will tell us what to do with them. Silver metaphorically stands for redemption, Gold for purity relating to Paul’s comments on the building process. We can build with gold, silver and precious stones, or we can build with wood, hay and stubble (I Cor 3:12). Wood, hay and stubble won’t make it through the fire, the only thing remaining would be the foundation, which we didn’t lay. However, if we build with Redemption, the Purity of Christ, with all the precious stones of faith, love, hope and belief we will survive.
The glory of the latter is based on Jesus being in it, the former had the Ark of the Covenant, but we have Christ in us by the New Birth, which is the Glory in us (Rom 8:18), waiting to be revealed (Haggai 2:9). It’s one thing to follow the Ark of the Covenant, another to have the True Holiness and Righteousness of God within (Eph 4:24).
Then the question of holiness, if the garment makes the priest holy, does the garment make other elements holy? No (Haggai 2:12). The garment is the covering, but it’s designed to cover the priest, not to make things it touches holy. However, if one touches a dead body, then touch other things, the things are made unholy. Death produced death, thus it wasn’t the garment but what the priest touched. So is the nation, if the nation is covered, then the covering is to protect the nation, yet if the people in the nation play idols, which is playing with dead things, they make the entire nation unholy. There is no reason to ask, “How could God allow this?”, rather it’s a time to look at the ways of the nation.
In our case the Body will be broken, thus if this applied to us, there would be no broken Body, which means no Bride, but it’s not the case with us. We are a nation in a nation, we are kings and priests. If another kingdom falls, it doesn’t mean ours has to. If another priest presents a polluted sacrifice, it doesn’t mean we have to.
The prophet then shows God will bless them because they obeyed, but the “IF” clause was already mentioned, if they allow the idols to reenter, they will change positions again. This is exactly what happens, the Seventh church enjoyed the open windows, but felt it was their power and might, they fail to “consider their ways”, moving to a different position, as the city becomes Babylon.
Our lesson is this is the Restoration, adding this to Joel we can see how attitude makes a difference. It changes our viewpoint regarding the event, by putting us in a place to gain. The Lord is with us, He is in us by the Spirit, we remember all Jesus did for us, the purpose of Communion is to Remember. The purpose for us to Remember is to build our belief, giving us the ability to remain in our “continual belief”, in order for the premise of “shall be saved” to apply to us; let’s move to Zechariah.
ZECHARIAH
The name Zechariah means JAH Has Remembered, which holds two points; the first point indicates God will remember His promise to the Remnant, the next point shows He will remember all the evil done unto Him by those who refuse to repent. Zechariah started in the eighth month of the second year, the one month which Haggai didn’t prophesy, thus Zechariah will fill in some gaps.
Zechariah could be termed the “between prophet” he was also a grandson of a prophet. Zechariah, who had Eight Night visions, all of great importance. Zechariah will point out the destroying mountain, the one we say “go” to. From his visions we also identify the Two Witnesses, then we find they are not of the candlestick, but next to it, making the seven churches of history the candlestick.
Zechariah reminds us of the fathers, but not the founding fathers of Israel or the Church, but the last generation who polluted the house of God (Zech 1:2). Although we may be the victims of wanton theology, we can still turn things around by doing as the Lord has commanded (Zech 1:3-5). Zechariah will give us some Bible support to firm up our foundation of Belief, while at the same time giving us the power to cast away fables.
A clue to showing how the Prophets are one of the Two Witnesses is found in Zechariah 1:4 where we read, “be you not as your fathers, unto whom the former prophets have cried”. In the Night they won’t have the “New Testament”, neither will they have actual prophets, but they will have the written Law and Prophets, they contain more than enough warning for the Woman, the religious leaders, or the False Prophet.
Zechariah moves from repentance to a vision, as he sees the eyes of the Lord going to and fro through the earth (Zech 1:10). While they were in captivity the world was at rest, but it was time to end the captivity (Zech 1:12). When the world is at ease with itself it brings a disease to God, when the Body is comfortable in carnal behavior it brings disease to the Body (Zech 1:13-15). The horses seen here are not the four horsemen of Revelation, these horses See, they don’t do (Zech 1:8-11). They are the nations round about the land, they want to see what God will do with His people.
Zechariah 1:12 is predicated on the earth sits still, the prophet knew the Testimony of God’s people had failed, thus the prophet asks the Lord to have mercy on the cities of Judah and Jerusalem, but in verse 14 the Lord only points to Jerusalem and Zion, but where is the rest of Judah? Metaphorically and prophetically the tents of Judah are with the Lord, the House of Judah can’t receive Mercy after the Rapture, thus John sees those who rejected the premise to become “tents” in the lake of fire at the Judgment.
The people of God were in captivity, they had no Temple, God was more than a little displeased when the heathens who helped to afflict His people, but He is very displeased when they are at ease with their behavior (Zech 1:15). When the world is comfortable around us, we’re in trouble. It doesn’t mean we beat them with sticks, rather it means our Witness should reprove them. God will send us to disrupt the thoughts of the world to bring them to repentance.
God looks to the Time of Comfort and sees the rebuilding of the temple as a step to bringing the prophecy to pass (Zech 1:16-17). This is found in the phrase “shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem” (Zech 1:17). This is another area where the Jew obtains the phrase “Time of Comfort”, showing why Jesus marks the 144,000 on Zion opening the House of David, which also begins the Night.
Of course we see, “choose Jerusalem”, we know it to mean New Jerusalem, thus when God brings Comfort to Zion by marking the 144,000, New Jerusalem will be the Chosen before the Throne of God as the Crystal Sea of Glass.
The prophet sees “four horns” or powers, he finds these powers scattered Judah, but then he sees four carpenters. The Hebrew word used for Carpenters is also the word used for Engraver in Exodus 38:23, referring to a Re-builder. Then we find the “four carpenters” are also Horns, they will cause the land to return to Zechariah’s people (Zech 1:19-21). Zechariah defines the metaphor Horn relating to power, here it’s the power of the nations, not some specific leader. The nations have leaders, thus it’s still the ten kings with their crowns, when the kings are without their crowns, it’s the Time of Comfort (Zech 1:21 & Rev 17:13 & 17:16-17). This is one of those areas remaining in the time of the prophet, but nonetheless gives us something to gain when we see how the prophecy projects to a future event.
Zechariah sees a man measuring Jerusalem, this is not Revelation 11:1, where John measured the temple with a iron rod, rather this is Revelation 21:12-17, referring to New Jerusalem, as the time when John used the Golden reed to measure the wall and the city (Rev 21:15).
This is still a promise to the 144,000, Jerusalem will be inhabited in peace (Zech 2:4-5). Today Israel has a land, but she is hardly at peace or in safety, much less bringing the knowledge of God to the entire world for a 1,000 years. When we pray for the “peace of Jerusalem” which one do we mean? If it’s Jerusalem of the earth, we are praying to for the Night to come, if it’s New Jerusalem we are praying for the Peace of Christ to fill all who have the Spirit?
God then tells the daughter of Zion to deliver herself; John said, the Bride made herself ready, the process for both is to rebuild and restore (Zech 2:6-11 & Rev 19:7). The Lord shall inherit the portion of Judah belonging to Him, then He shall chose Jerusalem again (Zech 2:12). This is a key verse for us, it shows after Judah receives the inheritance, there is silence in heaven, thus John says during the Last half of the Hour Heaven is closed, until the silent is broken after the plagues (Rev 8:1 & 15:8). This shows how Judah is divided, the Tents with the Lord, the House with it’s princes unto perdition, thus both get their Reward, for the Tents the Reward is Good, for the princes it’s Bad.
This is seen in the wording “Shall Inherit”, which is the Hebrew Nachal meaning To Seize To Oneself, thus the Lord will Seize to Himself the Good, and the Bad will Seize to themselves what they sowed. Also in verse 2:13 we find “He is raised up out of His holy habitation”, which is a reference to the time when Jesus stands opening the Day of the Lord, but finishing the Day of Grace. He will first move to meet us in the Air, then continue the trip to the Judgment seat.
Then comes the Eighth doing the working of Satan, as he puts himself right next to the son of the high priest (Zech 3:1). The next verses explain how Michael stands for the Body of Moses (Law of Moses), there is a certain cultist religious system who twists these verses to fit a fable, but there is a great truth contained herein. All angels speak on behalf of the Lord, this shows various people talking, including the prophet, but one has to define who is talking to whom. Michael will speak on behalf of the Lord, Satan on behalf of himself. If we can see how Satan is the enemy of God’s people, we can also see how the Wicked come with the working of Satan from their synagogue of Satan to destroy the people of God. Jude uses this in reference to Michael contending with the devil in the dispute about the Body of Moses, did not bring a railing accusation, but said The Lord rebuke you (Jude 9).
The Lord said unto Satan through Michael, The Lord rebuke you, O Satan (Zech 3:2). If this was the Lord Himself it would seem strange at best for Him to say, “the Lord rebuke you” rather than “I rebuke you”. After all didn’t Jesus tell the devil, “Get you behind Me, Satan”? Yes, why didn’t Jesus say, “The Lord rebuke you”? Why does Jude use this to show how Michael didn’t bring a railing accusation? (Jude 9). Could it be Michael gave only what he was given, without adding to, or taking away from? Yes, it’s Jude’s point, the angel didn’t interject himself in any degree, rather he delivered exactly what he was given.
Joshua was clothed in filthy garments, after the angel says, “The Lord rebuke you”: Satan answered with, “Take away the filthy garments from him” (Zech 3:4). This is a challenge, Michael knows he lacks the ability to take away the garments. We can’t take away the defiled garments of another, we can point them out, help them to remove them, but we can’t remove the filthy garments for them. Jude tells us, some we have compassion on making a difference, others enter the net with filthy garments spotted by the flesh (Jude 22-24). We toss the Net, we don’t separate the fish, rather we separate ourselves from our own filthy garments, yet those who love filthy garments (flesh) we save with Fear (Jude 19-21). We are fishers of men, we are not the inspectors of fish.
After the challenge, comes the lie; if we assume Michael has taken the filthy garments, the rest of this makes no sense whatsoever, rather we find Satan says to Joshua “Behold I have caused your iniquity to pass from you and I will clothe you with change of raiment” (Zech 3:4). This is the false prophet speaking, not Michael, it shows the power behind the False Prophet is the dragon (devil)’ as the False Prophet uses the working of Satan. Satan tells Michael to remove the defiled garments, Michael does not, because he cannot. However, Satan says he did, yet it was Satan who caused them, but the illusion is the garments are gone, when they are not. Zechariah then says, “let them set a fair miter upon his head”, they clothed him with garments, but the angel protested over these events, he stopped the men from following the words of Satan (Zech 3:6). Here the angel is contending over the Body of Moses, the Law laid out the requirements for making a priest, hearing the False Prophet wasn’t one of them.
Joshua is told what it will take, not false words filled with pride and ego, rather if he walks in the Ways of the Lord, keeping His charge, then Joshua will be able to judge the house of the Lord, as he keeps the courts, among those who stand by (Zech 3:7). The change of garments isn’t going to bring the rebuilt temple, the rebuilt temple brings the change of garment. Here the false prophet nearly fooled the elect, they almost entered the illusion, but for Michael who stopped it.
The key to this entire dialogue is found in the word “protested” in Zechariah 3:6, which is the Hebrew Udh meaning To give testimony against; it can mean one has done wrong, or one is being told they are doing wrong, thus when they put the “miter upon” the head of Joshua, Michael tells Joshua how it’s wrong, the crown isn’t going to change the garment. It’s important to see Michael is not talking for himself, rather he is contending in the place of the Lord, as he speaks for the Lord by using the Law of Moses as a basis, thus he didn’t bring a railing accusation (Jude 9). This also connects to Revelation 12:14 where God gave the Woman an Eagle with Wings (Michael). Whatever the devil became, he started as a peer to Michael, rebuking a past or present peer by any means other than prophecy is wrong.
All the fellows who were sitting around Joshua, they were told “behold, I will bring forth My servant the Branch”, Jesus said, we are the branches, thus this Branch would almost seem to be Jesus, but wait, there is much more. Jesus is The Vine, in the Book of Revelation He is seen as the Root of David, not the Branch, thus this Branch is an extension of something, referring to the Remnant, the Lesser Light, thus they are not counted as “branches” many, but Branch as one (Zech 3:8). This is also seen in the “stone” before Joshua, it’s One Stone, but it has Seven Eyes, the metaphor Eye refers to churches, not The Church, but each of the seven as the Eye of God for their time. The metaphor eye by itself would point to clarity, but we can see how the first five churches all have Great Clarity, the Remnant will still see the tricks of the Wicked, by having clarity regarding the Image of Jealousy, but they will lack clarity in spiritual matters. The stone before Joshua will hold the seven eyes of the Lord (seven churches), which will be defined further in a few verses.
The lesson for us here shows, no one can make their self Christ Like, attempting to change our own garments produces a self-transformed condition, the outside appears righteous, but inside the old man still rules. We receive the New Man, it’s the New Man who brings us a New nature, we grow into the nature on a daily basis.
Then in Zechariah 3:10 we find the phrase “in that day”, but then we also find the terms “vine” and “fig tree”, pointing to two Seasons not one. Jesus said He was the Vine, we are the Branches, thus the Vine points to the Peace we have by Jesus, but the Fig Tree is a symbol for the religious order for the Jews. Although the Fig Tree will not produce Fruit, it will produce Leaves. The leaves of the Tree of Life bring healing, the leaves of the Fig Tree a covering.
Chapter four begins another Night Vision for the prophet, taking on a different avenue. This vision shows the difference between those who make it past Judgment, and those who don’t. When we read, “Not by Might, nor by Power, but by My Spirit says the Lord”, yet we find a few saying in their heart, “By my power, and by my might, and I will use the Spirit of the Lord”? The word Might is the Hebrew Chayil meaning Power, or ability, the word Power is the Hebrew Kowach meaning Firmness, or Authority. Authority is the granted permission to do something, power the ability to do it; however here we find one can have Authority and Power, but from the wrong source. The False Prophet uses the authority of the Beast of the Sea, but usurps the power of the Woman. Before the Cross the disciples had Authority and Power, but it was earthly in nature, based on the Mercy of the Father, thus they didn’t understand spiritual matters. After the Resurrection Jesus gave the disciples Authority in His Name, then told them to Tarry until they receive Power from on High, the Power was the Spirit (Matt 28:18-20, Acts 1:8, 2:3-4, 10:45-46, 11:15-16 & 15:8).
Zechariah sees the candlestick with the Seven Lamps, each lamp had a pipe and a bowl, but there were two olive trees next to the candlestick, not attached to it (Zech 4:1-3). These Seven are the Eyes of the Lord, it doesn’t mean the Lord can’t see, rather we find Jesus said “let your light shine”. The Light is the Eye, yet we know there is the Greater Light (eye), and the Lesser Light (eye). If we assume the Lord can’t see, but we can, we’re in deep trouble, No, it points to the Lights as the Seeing Eye before one enters the Holy Place.
Before we saw the horses run to and fro, now the Seven Eyes are turned loose throughout the entire world. Prior to Jesus coming the Jew was land and people centered, they didn’t reach out to other nations or seek converts, yet Jesus came for the Jews. However, it changed, during the Day we go ye into all the world, during the Night the world will come to Jerusalem.
The seven churches were not a factor until the Cross, Resurrection and Pentecost, then the time clock for the last Hour began. The Remnant keep the commandments of God, thus the two olive trees are supportive, not connected. Verse 12 assigns the two olive Branches to two of the golden pipes, not all seven. This is another key to understanding the division between the Day and Night. These two anointed ones are anointed, but they have a Season in which they will become active. The anointing depends on the call, there is an anointing for the offices, one for a task at hand, the anointing within us unto Salvation, but the anointing for the Two Witnesses is unto Judgment. John confirms how the Two Witnesses are only assigned to the last two candlesticks (Rev 11:4).
The “headstone” in verse 7 isn’t the Cornerstone, rather this Stone is one placed on Top at the corner, whereas the Cornerstone is the foundation, thus this “headstone” is the remaining Stone to be placed. It goes with the Shoutings and comes after the phrase “Grace, Grace”, thus the shoutings of “Grace” must be complete before the headstone is set in place. This stone is one of authority (head) as the last stone, showing the work complete when this stone is set in place.
On the same note we can see how one can be deceived into thinking since they keep the Law of Moses, they are also keeping the commandments. If one keeps the Law it shows they violated at least one of the Commandments, so how can the Remnant keep the Commandments? Which ones? The Ten? Or the least based on Mercy? A mystery? Perhaps, they keep the Least commandments of Mercy, in so doing they walk in Mercy (Matt 5:3-15). It’s Grace (Spirit) coupled with Mercy making the distinction between the Day and Night.
The two olive trees couldn’t rebuke the mountain, thus these two olive trees are the Two Witnesses who stood with the Lord of the whole earth on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matt 17:1-9 & Zech 4:13-14). Since they are Olive Trees we find their purpose is Mercy, based on repentance. When Jesus was on the mount Moses, as the “Body of Moses”, or “Law of Moses” was on one side, Elijah who represented the Prophets was on the other, the Father said, “Hear ye Him”, rather than “hear ye them”. The Mount of Transfiguration is not the “destroying mountain”, rather it’s the means in which one changes from the destroying mountain to heavenly Zion.
Zerubbabel, was delivered from Babylon heard how one can be delivered by The Deliverer, we can also define the call of “Grace, Grace” in knowing it’s Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of hosts (Zech 4:6). This goes with John 7:39 wherein we find the Spirit was not given until Jesus was Glorified by the Resurrection. We know the Spirit of the Lord was with the people, yet John 7:39 makes it appear as if He wasn’t, what gives? John 7:39 shows the Holy Ghost had not yet given man the Spirit by the New Birth, we find the Holy Ghost moved these men, but the title “Holy Ghost” never appears in the Old Testament. The manifestation of the Holy Ghost is a New Testament wonder, the Holy Spirit is a New Testament sign of the Seal of God in the Born Again Believer. There is the Spirit of God, and the Spirit which is of God (I Cor 2:11-12). Which simply means we who are Born Again have the Spirit connected to the Resurrection of Jesus as we are being formed into Spiritual Beings.
Zechariah sees, but understands not, this came as a result of Zechariah not knowing what the candlestick, or the two olive trees represented. Zechariah should know what they represented, after all he is included in one of them. Therefore, the prophet sees the two olive branches then asks, “what be these?” (Zech 4:12). The angel then asked him, “know you not what these be?”, which is a Jewish idiom meaning “you should know”. This vision would come to pass when the Voice on the Mount says, “hear ye Him”, the might of the Law and the power of the Prophets aren’t going to bring the Spirit, they are defeated in the end, it’s only by the Spirit one becomes a Victor.
Moreover the destroying mountain standing before them could only be removed by saying, “Grace, Grace” unto it (Zech 4:6-7). Saying Mercy, Mercy isn’t going to move it, saying “Law of Moses, Law of Moses”, isn’t going to move it, saying “I rebuke you, I rebuke you”, isn’t going to move it; it must be by the Spirit through Grace, since it’s “Grace, Grace” it points to a process.
It’s after the time of the Spirit the Two Witnesses become effective, the phrase Anointed Ones reads in the Hebrew “Sons Of Oil”, this is much different from having the Anointing in us. The Olive Tree is representative of the Father’s Mercy, the 144,000 are not the Olive Oil, the Two Witnesses are. This shows the Anointing in the Day is in the person unto Salvation, the anointing in the Night is in the Law and Prophets by Mercy, then the False Prophet turns it to Judgment. The Law of Moses and the Prophets are anointed, but for the single purpose, Mercy, but Mercy rejected produces Judgment, thus they will torment the people with conviction (Rev 11:10).
Zechariah then sees the flying roll, which is the curse applied to the whole earth: the metaphor here points to the world during both Seasons (Zech 5:3). Zechariah sees the Sixth as the ephah (bushel basket), then he sees the Woman with a cover of Lead over her (Zech 5:6-7). The word Mouth is the Hebrew Peh meaning the organ of speech, as in “mouth with great swelling words”. When we get the idea how the “weapons” of the enemy are words, we can defeat those darts by having the Armor of God in place. “Well brother, you know the devil is beating me up with two by fours”. You are far too close to Egypt.
There is the “house of the thief”, the thief attempts to enter another way, which means they attempt to enter heaven by the Windows (Zech 5:4). There are those in the house who swear falsely by the Name of the Lord, which points to the sons of perdition who use the Name of Jesus in this Season, but fail to live in it (Zech 5:4 & Matt 7:21-23). There is also the “house of Shinar”, an old name used for Babylon, in the latter days the Woman is known as Babylon (Zech 5:11).
Zechariah turns and sees two mountains, which is a symbol of the Law of Moses, but in this case both are cursing, thus they made the Mountain of blessing one of cursing. Therefore we find they begin with the Blessing, but turned it into a Cursing. Instead of one mountain for blessing, the other for cursing, the entire thing becomes cursing.
Then the prophet sees a Talent of Lead, a symbol of poison and bondage. The lead was already there, but then Wickedness was placed in the Ephah. The Wickedness is the False Prophet, the Lead represents the lust in the Woman he uses against her. This shows the Woman and the False Prophet become so close in the bed of adultery, one can’t tell one from the other (Zech 5:7). Clearly this is Judgment, since both mountains are made of brass, thus those who reject the Mountain of the Lord are judged. This mountain is the one we send back to the world, there is no cursing in Grace, just Blessing.
The talent of lead is lifted, then defined as “a woman” sitting in the midst of the Ephah (Zech 5:7). The word Ephah is the nation, it’s measured, in the end the Woman is given “double her measure”, thus this Ephah is numbered, weighed and found wanton. Then we find another element “this is Wickedness”, the Wickedness is cast into the Ephah, it’s measured as well. The Wickedness is sealed in the Ephah, the Two Women lift if between “the earth and the heaven”, it’s not lifted into heaven, neither does it remain in the Earth, rather it raises up out of the Earth, John saw this as the “Beast of the Earth”.
Then come four chariots, these are not the same Horses as John sees, these chariots symbolize God’s power directed toward the Earth for judgment (Ps 68:17 & Isa 66:15). The Four Horsemen in the Book of Revelation are seen as Rider and Horse, not as Chariots with more than one horse. Here we find a like metaphoric use, but these are not the same as the Four Horsemen. The Four Horsemen appear on the first, second, third and fourth seals, these Chariots are seen by the prophet correspond to “an angel”, the angels appear at the breaking of the Seventh Seal.
In the Book of Revelation we have a White horse, a Red horse, a Black horse, and then a Pale horse (Rev 6:1-8). Here the order is different, first is the Red, then the Black, then the White, then Grizzled and Bay, or a mixture of Grizzled (sprinkled with spots), and Bay. The Grizzled represent a “spotted garment”, the Bay the activity of Wickedness, yet they are called “four spirits of the heavens” (Zech 6:5). These are not “world empires”, they are not four of the ten toes, they are not from the devil, they represent something of the heavens coming upon certain portions of the earth. Since these are not the four horsemen in the Book of Revelation, they must point to something else. Metaphorically, Red represents the Blood of Jesus for the Day, the Black points to the Night, the White as Jesus returning for the Judgment, the Grizzled horse represents the masses at the Judgment, some with spots, someone without (Zech 6:6). These are also seen in the time as a Horn of Power to bring Peace to the north country, so they will not attack the people of God when they enter the land again. These horses are akin to the “four horns” we found back in Zechariah 1:21, they go to forth to the North and South, not to the East or West (Zech 6:6 & 6:8). The purpose is to cause interior wars among the northern nations, so they will enter peace with the Jews, thus leave the children of the Lord alone during the restoration. Zechariah is given his confidence, the enemy will not take them captive in the reconstruction. These horses in the time of represent a protection for the people, but they also give us a metaphoric look at the Day, Night, Judgment and Result.
Now the prophet is told by God to place crowns on the head of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest (Zech 6:10). Prior it was, “and I said, Let them set a fair miter upon his head”, now it’s the Lord doing the talking, not the prophet (Zech 3:5 & 6:11).
Here we also find the Branch shall build the “temple of the Lord”, which would sound like Jesus, but wait, doesn’t Jesus build us into the Church? Isn’t the metaphor Temple pointing to Judgment? Yes, the Branch here is the Remnant, they will build the Temple, they will also rule on the earth by the Mercy of God. As the Mountain of the Lord they will counsel “of peace”, since the Night begins as Peace and Safety (Zech 6:12-13).
In truth, if the Lord doesn’t build the house, the work is in vain, but it doesn’t mean the Lord has to do all the labor, rather it shows He is the Master Planner, or Contractor regarding the Work, often we are the laborers following the Voice of the Contractor.
All this is made clearer when we know the word Branch refers to the candlestick, showing the supporting Branch on the menorah. John saw Jesus “in the midst of the seven candlesticks”, he didn’t see Jesus As the menorah, or any of the candlesticks (Rev 1:13). Prior the two olive Branches were defined, here is another Branch, the House of David, as Zechariah will show us (Zech 13:1). Does this mean Jesus will return to build the temple? No, it means He has the keys to David, no man can open the House of David until it’s time.
Zechariah moves ahead to the fourth year of Darius in the ninth month, some two years later (Zech 7:1). Zechariah was in Chisleu, or the ninth month of the Hebrew calendar, which points to our December as the “new moons”, thus this isn’t a Place, but a Time. The Jewish Day of Dedication, or as we know it Hanukkah wouldn’t come about for many years after this vision, yet Hanukkah is in reference to the celebrated regarding the dedication of the temple in the Maccabees period around 167 BC, but this is some time around 520 BC. The only Jewish feast day in Chisleu is Hanukkah, it was at the Feast of Dedication where Jesus taught on the Sheep who hear His voice (Jn 10:22-32). The prophecy here shows when Jesus spoke the words it was a time to leave the past and have a Feast of Dedication. Here in Zechariah we find the priests mourning the past captivity, but there comes a time for a feast, rather than a fast (Zech 7:5-8).
Zechariah 7:9-10 is God telling them what the people of the past were suppose to do, but verse 10 tells us they refused, thus the blessing could have continued, but they turned their shoulder, closing their ears, thinking they were rich and in need of nothing. This points to the future as well, to the time when the Father will make the enemies of Jesus His footstool.
Having ears to hear is up to us, we can stop our ears by turning away our shoulder (Zech 7:11). Zechariah 7:12 shows how the Prophets are a witness against the people, then the phrase “sent in His Spirit” is defined by Peter as these prophets speaking of the Spirit of Christ by the Holy Ghost (I Pet 1:11), then he defines it further by showing these prophets may have spoke the words, but it takes the Holy Ghost to interpret them (II Pet 1:19-21).
The Lord then rebukes the people for the act of insincere fasting, on the surface it would seem fasting in and of itself was wrong, but it’s not the case. They fasted in the fifth and seventh month unto the Lord, but when they ate it was unto themselves, making their fasting in vain; since they didn’t Hear the Words of the Lord (Zech 7:5-7). This is not saying fasting is wrong, rather they failed to mix their fasting with Hearing. One can fast ten times a week, yet if they fail to show Mercy, their fasting is in vain (Zech 7:9). They fasted, yet imagined evil against their brother in their hearts (Zech 7:10). They pulled away their shoulder, the metaphor Shoulder points to government ruling. This shows they rejected the words of prophets, thus a Prophet is a government office ( Zech 7:11).
The Lord will return to earthly Zion, but He dwells in the midst of New Jerusalem, as New Jerusalem is the city of Truth (Zech 8:1-3). Jerusalem on earth will find her peace when we move to the Throne of God as the Sea of Glass (Zech 8:4-8). The Mountain of the Lord in this case is New Jerusalem, Jesus is Truth, and we have the Spirit of Truth, thus this prophecy points to the end of the Day as the beginning of Night. Jesus will mark the 144,000 on earthly Zion, but does so when we are before the Throne of God in heaven (Rev 7:1-9).
Zechariah 8:8 points to the New Birth, showing the New Man in us, formed or created in God’s righteousness and true holiness. The word Midst is the Hebrew Tawech meaning Within, denoting Between something at the same time, thus the New Man places us between the earth and heaven while we are on the earth, the purpose is to get us to heaven when the separation of the Seasons occurs.
The rebuilding of the temple may have seemed small to some, but it was important to the timing of God, and the fulfilling of prophecy. The Remnant in the Night will rebuild the rebuilt temple, but here, and in Daniel we found the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem was centered on the date the order for the rebuilding takes place; could they begin two days prior? No, God was in control, the day they began started the clock for the entry of Jesus. From the small task of rebuilding the temple the promise was affirmed (Zech 8:12-15). Did God make them build? No, He encouraged them, knowing they would build.
Zechariah 8:12 would make it seem as if Israel in the days of Zechariah possessed the entire earth, yet we know it’s not the case, rather we see prophecy being projected to the future. The “Seed shall be prosperous”, the “Vine shall give Her fruit”, the Ground shall give increase, referring to the Day. Jesus said He was the Vine, we are the Branches, we know the Seed of God in us is always Prosperous. After our Season then the “Seed of the Remnant of the Woman” will see the land as the Garden of God. Then many nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in earthly Jerusalem, as they will pray before the Lord (Zech 8:22). It’s the concept of the knowledge coming from Jerusalem, as the earth being like the Garden which seems to attract cult systems, but they fail to see the End of the test is Judgment. The end will come, the Lord will cast the Woman into the Sea, and she shall be devoured with fire (Zech 9:4). Since the Woman is the City, it stands this is something to be, it’s still in the Plan from the Beginning, now it’s working to the result.
In the Night the Remnant appear after the Latter Rain stops, then the time will come for the earth to appear as the Garden of God, but then comes the Dreamers, as the false prophet who will make the Comfort a vain work (Zech 10:1-2). Zechariah 10:11 shows the Affliction on the Sea, as the “waves in the sea” will suffer. The metaphor “waves of the sea” point to the Wicked (Jude 13). The rivers will be dry, or without Water, showing no Mercy in the land. The pride of Assyria will be brought down, as the false prophet uses the ways of the house who suffered the head wound. The scepter (crown) of Egypt will be taken, John says the City is known spiritually as Egypt and Sodom.
Zechariah 11 talks about the “foolish shepherds”, yet Jesus it the Good Shepherd, obviously this is not about Him, but it does point to pastors who allow the Foolish Stranger to rule them. The phrase “pride of Jordan” in Zechariah 11:2 doesn’t mean Jordan has pride, rather it refers to the Chosen of Jordan, it was once known as the “prophet’s river”, thus it shows how the foolish shepherds can spoil the prophets and prophecies.
A point to our Warfare is found in Zechariah 11:4-5, first Feed the flock of “the slaughter”, the word Slaughter is the Hebrew Hereghah meaning To kill a person by violence. This would seem way out of line, but it’s not, this is not feeding the people to destroy them, rather it’s feeding the people who are victims. This would apply to any victim of “violence” (unrighteousness), including the victims of the various cult systems. Instead of ripping their hearts out with destructive theology, we have pity on them by feeding them knowledge, truth and mercy. Writing books about how stupid they are, is hardly preaching the Truth in Love, but showing them the greatness of Jesus is.
God then gives us two metaphors, “Beauty” and “Bands”, the word Beauty is the Hebrew Noam meaning Pleasant, Suitable or Becoming words, it was used in Proverbs 15:26 and 16:24 in the phrase “pleasant words” thus Beauty connects to James defining a “doer of the Word”, since the word Doer was also translated as Poet in Acts. It doesn’t mean we go about saying, “roses are red, the sky is blue, I’m going to heaven and so can you”, it means a Doer of the Word has beautiful thoughts coupled with Pleasant words, meaning they speak the Rhema in Love by the Logos in them. The word Bands is the Hebrew Chevel meaning A rope, or Pangs, or Pains, referring to a measuring line, or something of division. Beauty is on one side, Bands on the other, these metaphors point to the Body of Christ. On one side the Doers of the Word, on the other those who attempt to bind the Word.
Then God shows the division of Seasons, those Cut Off, let them remain Cut Off. This is seen in Revelation 22:11, when John shows the division, and says, “He who is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still”. This would make no sense at all if it was talking about the Day, since all of us were unjust and filthy before we came to Jesus. Someone who is Unjust, is one who has Un the Just, or had the ability to be Just, but reversed the purpose to become Unjust.
Then John tells us, “he who is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he who is holy, let him be holy” (Rev 22:11). This connects to Ephesians 4:24 as the New Man is created (or formed) after God’s righteousness and true holiness. Another division is found in Revelation 22:11 as the Broken Body of Jesus, just as we find here in Zechariah, with the righteous holy saints being the Beauty, the wicked as the Bands. The word Staff in Zechariah 11:10 points to this as well, it’s the Hebrew word Maqqelah meaning A rod, as in Rod of correction: it also points to a “walking stick”, we walk by faith, thus Faith will mark the dividing Line.
Zechariah also points to a Covenant made with “all people”, not just the Jews, this Covenant is the New Covenant, yet the Body will be broken to separate times and seasons (Zech 11:10). The “poor of the flock” are the Remnant, since they Wait on the Lord, they also fit into the realm of Meek (Zech 11:11).
How do we know this division refers to the Body of Christ? Zechariah 11:12-13 points to the Thirty Pieces of Silver, the amount Judas took, then tossed back into the temple. Judas began a position, but the beginning of his final position gives us several things to consider. In order for one to be among the Wicked they have to escape the pollutions of the world, yet turn back to the ways of the world (II Pet 2:18-22). Next they have to have the opportunity to be Christ like, in order to be antichrist (I Jn 2:19). The only ones who can cause the Broken Body, are those on the inside (proved by Judas), by rejecting the premise for being members of the Body. They are few indeed, yet they could fool the elect, if it were possible.
God is going to raise up a shepherd, one who will not visit those who are cut off, nor seek the young ones, or heal the broken hearted, but one who shall eat the flesh, and tear with their claws. Why? Because of the foolish shepherds (Zech 11:15-16). Then God speaks to the shepherd: “woe to the Idol Shepherd” (Zech 11:17). The word Idol is the Hebrew Elyil meaning worthless, or of no value, one who trusts in false gods, or divination. They were in the office for self-gain, they used anything sounding as if the people would accept it. God will raise them up? What gives? God will allow the shepherd to come up, yet the shepherd will guide and rule based on divination. Then the Lord will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling, showing the shepherd came up out of the earth to join to the City (Zech 12:2). The Wicked use the authority of the Beast of the Sea, but they barter their life to the Image of the Beast. They hold to the spirit of the world, yet reject the Spirit of Christ. However, they were formed into vessels of dishonor by God (Rom 9:21-23), showing the mystery of how God will raise them, in the same manner as He raised Pharaoh for a purpose.
They are the fowls who hide in the shadow of the Tree, but when the Tree is cut, then the bands of iron will be in place. God will make Jerusalem a “cup of trembling”, referring to the Cup Jesus took in the Garden. Since Jesus took it, so we won’t face it. Jesus never intended, nor did He desire to give us this Fourth Cup of God’s Wrath, rather He freely presented the Third Cup of the New Covenant with His Blood to spare us the Fourth Cup. The Third Cup came at the table, the Fourth was taken in sorrow over the Rock in the Garden, two different locations, for two different purposes.
The rest of Zechariah 12 points to the latter days, giving us the beginning of the term “house of David” as it relates to the latter days and the Key of David. Jesus has the key of David, keys open doors, doors are connected to houses, thus the House of David is assigned to the Night. Jerusalem shall be inhabited, but first God will save the Tents of Judah, then comes the glory to the House of David (Zech 12:7). If ever a verse in the Old Testament supported Paul’s teaching on the Rapture, this is it. The word Saved is a past tense issue, one completed and finished, the goal is the Salvation of our souls, but here it’s completed before the House of David enters as the Sun and Moon for the Night.
Will Jesus be on the earth during the Night? Not hardly, the evidence is here, the House of David will be as David, a king, it will be as “God” (Zech 12:8). How can the House of David be as God, if Jesus is here? It would make Jesus subject to the House, rather than the House subject to Him. Fables ruin us, during the Night we are before the Throne, just as John showed us (Rev 7:9). The House of David will have the Two Witnesses, they will represent God during the Night.
Zechariah 12:10 would make it appear as if the House of David has Grace, but the word Grace here is the Hebrew Chen meaning Favor or Kindness, it’s more akin to Mercy, thus never confuse the word Grace in the New with the word in the Old, they are two completely different languages with different meanings. Grace and Truth came with Jesus (Jn 1:14 & 14:26). This verse shows God will open the windows of heaven to pour out a blessing on the House of David centered in Mercy, because the Remnant are keeping the Commandments of Mercy. The blessing will be so great there will be no need for social programs, governments, or anything else in that regard.
Then comes Jacob’s Trouble, in the end they shall look upon Him they have pierced. They shall “mourn of Him”, as there will be “bitterness”. This doesn’t sound like salvation at all, but it does sound like Every eye will see Him, those who pierced Him, and those who wail because of Him (Rev 1:7). In that Day there shall be Great Mourning in Jerusalem, if this was Salvation, surely there wouldn’t be Mourning. The word Mourning is the Hebrew Micped meaning Wailing or Lamentation, this is Judgment. Every land shall Mourn, the “family of the house of David” as well as all others, their “wives” as well, this has nothing to do with gender, rather it shows the influx of the Strange Woman into their ranks.
Zechariah confirms all prophecies given to us by the prophets, then adds, “In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem” (Zech 13:1). Jesus told the Sixth church, “These things says He who is holy, He who is true, He who has the key of David” (Rev 3:7). It takes the key of David to open the House of David, only Jesus can open the House, He does so at the Sixth Seal, but thank God we’re not on the earth then. The fountain is the fountain of waters, but this is not Living Water, rather this is God’s Mercy placed on the Remnant when they receive the Mark of God as the windows of heaven are opened, but at the end we find the fountain of waters become rivers full of blood (Rev 16:4-5).
Zechariah already showed us how the priest and Satan will stand side by side, thus even when the House of David is opened isn’t possible for the priests to pollute it. When the House of David is opened, God will bind the devil by causing the unclean spirit to pass out of the land, this is different than causing the unclean spirit to pass over the land (Zech 13:2). We also know during the time the devil is bound, the false prophet still comes forth using the Working of Satan, as the evil shepherd.
Then comes the judgment, it’s almost funny if it wasn’t so tragic; the false prophets are caught with their lies, yet even in the face of Jesus, they continue to lie. Instead of saying, “Lord, I have failed”, they say, “I am no prophet, I am an husbandman; for man taught me to keep cattle from my youth” (Zech 13:5-6). They pass the blame to those who taught them. Instead of “it was the woman you gave me”; they say, “It was the teacher you gave me”; however, they had the same Two Witnesses as the Remnant. We have the same Water, Blood and Spirit as Paul, Peter, Jude, John, Stephen, just as the rest of the Spirit Filled, Believing Disciples; therefore, there is no excuse in the end, God never allows any temptation to come on us which we are able to overcome (I Cor 10:13).
Then the Remnant look upon Him they have pierced, asking, “what are these wounds in Your hands?”: Jesus will answer, “Those with which I was wounded in the house of My friends” (Zech 13:6). This is not the “wicked house” with the head wound, this is Jesus, but if He was on earth for the 1,000 years, or if His Kingdom was in place, surely they would know about the marks. If there was one Christian on earth during the Night, surely the people would know about the Marks. This verse gives us Hope, yes there will a Time of Comfort, yes there will be plagues, yes there will be famine and great horror, but God gave us a promise, we will be lifted above the Night activities before they take place.
When they See Him, it holds every eye will look upon Him. John tells us one group is “those who pierced Him”, which is a direct reference to these verses (Rev 1:7). It’s after we read about Jesus making us kings and priests, we find “every eye shall see Him”, thus we find more evidence pointing to the Rapture. When they Look upon Him it will be the judgment at the end of the earth as we know it. This also shows the Book of Revelation is not some revelation given to Jesus, but Jesus Revealed to those who pierced Him, and to those who wail because of Him.
Jesus will bring one third through the fire and refine them as pure gold (Zech 13:9). Jesus told the Laodiceans “I counsel you to buy of Me gold tried in fire…” (Rev 3:18). It all begins to fit rather nicely.
Zechariah then shows why the judgment must be; the Woman, the Beast, and the false prophet all loved their pride of life, they loved to control people and religion, they hated rebuke, they ignored correction, they rejected righteous repentance, they brought destruction to the entire earth. The Lord will bring all nations, not a few, not just those in Europe, but all nations from all four quarters of the earth against Jerusalem (Zech 14:1-2 & Rev 20:8). It will not come until the devil and his band are released from the pit by the Fifth Angel, which is long after the Rapture (Rev 20:7 & 17:16-17).
Then Zechariah tells us more about the Rapture, then comes the time when Israel dwells safely. While Israel is in her Time of Comfort, New Jerusalem will flow with living water. This connects to Revelation 22 where we see the River of Life flowing from the Throne of God and of the Lamb, meaning the River did not deny either the Father of Son, the River is “clear as crystal”, defining the Bride (Rev 21:11). The Street of it will have the Tree of Life on either end, the Record and Witness joined (I Jn 5:7-8 & Rev 22:1-2). This shows us the Living Waters flow from the saint whose residence is New Jerusalem.
Zechariah continues to show Half toward the Former, half to the Hinder, the word Hinder is the Hebrew Acharon meaning Afterward. It would appear as if this is two groups, but it’s two locations. The Textus Receptus shows Revelation 22:2 as pointing to “here and there”, showing two locations, the Report at one end the River of Life flowing to the Witness at the other end. The Tree of Life is on both ends, yet it’s one tree, thus our connection to the Report is by the Water, Blood and Spirit which is of God.
The Church is called the Tabernacle, the feast of Tabernacles is the time when the Tabernacle of God is with men, as God Tabernacles with us (Zech 14:18). New Jerusalem will be the place where the living water runs freely, all who make it to New Jerusalem will have the New Name of “HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD” written on them forever (Zech 14:20).
MALACHI
The name Malachi means “My Messenger”, or “Ministrative”, like A Deputy With A Message, it seems to be the abbreviated from of “the messenger of the Lord”. Malachi ends the Old, but points to the New, speaking of John the Baptist who will be a “messenger”, not only announcing the Lamb of God, but a person with a very short ministry, who was neither Old Testament or New. Malachi then becomes the door hinge to the New Testament, he also received and speaks on the burden of the Lord.
Malachi bridges both Seasons, pointing to the whys; our First Love is to Love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind and soul. We know the Lord loves us, but in the valleys there are times when we question His love. The Lord says, “I have loved you, saith the Lord: Yet you say, Wherein have you loved us?” (Mal 1:2). As strange as it seems, this shows when adverse events happen, some yell at the Lord saying, “is this Your Love?”. At times we forget the joy of the mountain top takes a valley of training. At times things seem crazy, what are we doing here? What is this? Are we breathing? God has a purpose for us, yet to be revealed. “Well, I really don’t like this”, good, you’re being saved. “Well, I don’t think God would do this to me”, therein is your problem, you’re thinking. “Well, I really hate this situation”, good, you are being Crucified with Christ. For some reason we think the flesh hears, “I accept your Cross Lord, and impute my flesh dead”, then the flesh says, “oh dead, oh sure, yeah, I will just fade away, excuse me sorry, have to die now”. No, it will fight to show it’s supposed power, but God has a wilderness wherein we gain, as the flesh loses.
When we are being Crucified With Christ, the phrase shows the Method is By Christ, rather than instead of Christ. We can’t crucify ourselves, rather we must submit to the Spirit as we pick up our Cross by imputing the old nature dead, in order to receive the New. The secret is to have the same attitude as Jesus did, filled with Mercy forgiving all, then submitting to the Cross by being humble (Ph’l 2:8). However, how can we pick up our Cross if we never deny the self? We can’t, dancing around the Cross is hardly being crucified. It may seem confusing, but an example is the difference between a patient and the dentist, the patient must come to the office, sit in the chair, and allow the dentist to do their job. The dentist doesn’t ask the patient to do the drilling, thus it takes cooperation in order to accomplish the task, which benefits the patient, although it may not seem so during the “drilling”. Submission is not the same as being a slave, submission is allowing something to take place as it should. Submission does not insert it’s opinion, or self-devised plans, or agendas.
Two men from the same womb, Jacob and Esau, yet we find God hated Esau and laid his mountains to waste, because Esau sold his birthright, becoming a warning to those who play with Grace (Mal 1:3 & Heb 12:16-17). Jesus said He chastens those He loves (Phileos), thus the Lord will chasten us, but it also proves He loves us (Rev 3:19). Chastening is not hanging us by our thumbs, or running over us with a truck, it’s correcting our soulish endeavors, to bring us back to the path of perfection. Of course if the Lord has to chasten us every 38 seconds, something is wrong. Nonetheless we find Esau was given a gift he didn’t pay for, or ask for, his birthright, but he failed to respect it. It’s exactly what the Wicked do, thus God hates the ways of the Wicked. If they hold those ways into the Night, then the Father will make them the footstool of Jesus. Association is something we seldom think about, if we associate with the old man, we become like him. However, if we associate with the New Man we become like Him.
Esau is a type of the self-nature, the one who pulls their self up by their bootstraps, but what they Build, God will tear down in the end (Mal 1:4). Man is impressed by man, man says it’s Good to give honor to father and mother, and master, but God wonders why they don’t give Him honor. There is a commandment telling us to honor our father and mother, but who gave the Commandment? God, so why would someone honor the Commandment, yet not God? They failed to honor God as their Father, then complained about serving God (Mal 1:6). When God does those things pleasing we get all filled with Joy and dance around, but when God asks us to do something for Him which we don’t want to do, we get mad. Are we servants, or masters?
God hated Esau, but Loved Jacob; Paul used this same premise in his teaching toward those who question God (Rom 9:13). There are vessels of dishonor, but there are vessels of honor as well, our goal is to become one of honor (Rom 9:21-23). Paul equates the word “Serve” with the difference between Esau and Jacob, the elder will serve the younger. Which would make it seem as if God is to serve us, not so, this points to the soul being the Elder, the New Man being the younger (came second). Paul asked, which was first? The natural then the spiritual (I Cor 15:46). Our souls will be formed into Spirit by the Spirit, bringing to pass that Born of the Spirit is Spirit.
God then looks at the priests, yet they despised the Lord’s name (Mal 1:6). How can it happen? By not using the Name (authority) in the manner prescribed by God. Since Malachi points to the Jew and Gentile, we can see some warnings to our Season, as well as the Night. When we question God’s love, we enter error. However, wondering is different, just as seeking information to discern is not questioning. This type of questioning falls into the “how dare you!” category.
Since we are the Body, as Paul said we are “the Bread” it stands the comments and teachings by Malachi regarding the Bread point to us (I Cor 10:17). When we offer polluted Bread, we defile the Body of Christ, if we fail to discern the Body we have despised the Name of Jesus, becoming a shame to ourselves, and a dishonor toward God (I Cor 11:21-27 & Mal 1:7). Using the misfortunes of other people to exalt ourselves, or seeking a special validation from God before we will believe is error. For the priest to offer the lame, sick, or blind animals for a sacrifice was error. Here God wonders if He gave them everything to secure their position, why do they offer Him the inferior (Mal 1:8)? We are crucified with Christ as we imputed death to the flesh by the Cross, but we give ourselves a living sacrifice. The question here is what do we offer God, after God has blessed us?
The prophet speaks of the table of the Lord, showing the table is polluted, the fruit is contemptible and corrupt (Mal 1:12). This has to relate to our Season, some weren’t joyful because the table didn’t serve them, or God was not performing for them. The Table is the place to Remember what Jesus did, it’s a time of restoration; a time to belief. The table holds the Power, the Bread is pure because it’s Christ, but they weren’t seeking the holiness and righteousness, they were seeking the self-benefit and self-glory. Discerning the Body isn’t determining what the Body owes us, rather it’s to judge what we have done for, or against the Body. The Lord has given us His Body, we are separated from the wrath of God, we are in a place of enjoyment, peace and security. Jesus shed His own Blood to secure the New Covenant, Communion is a time to recall and remember all Jesus did.
God then gives all the priests a commandment, if we fail to hear or lay it to heart, then the curse will fall in full force (Mal 2:1-2). This covenant is only for those who have “life and peace”; therefore, it’s given to us (life) and the Remnant (peace). The Law of Truth relates to us, the Law of Truth is found in having the Spirit of Truth in the Law of the Spirit. The “test of the Spirit” is to determine between two spirits, not fifty, is it the Spirit of Truth, or the spirit of error? We seek the Spirit of Truth; the Remnant will seek Truth through the Two Witnesses by keeping the commandments of God. We have the advantage of having Another Comforter in us, but it still remains, to whom much is given much is required. We keep the knowledge and wisdom of God by the Spirit, to discern what God has for us, yet both we and the Remnant are seeking God’s Ways (Mal 2:7-8).
After the Rapture the house of Judah remains, we see how Judah will deal treacherously, as the abomination happens in Israel (Jerusalem); for Judah (the princes or Wicked) have profaned the Holiness of the Lord and married a strange daughter (Jezebel – Mal 2:11). They profane the Holiness? Is this a clue? Yes, the New Man is created (or formed) after God’s True Holiness, we are to be Merciful as our Father, and Holy as our Father, Mercy then connects to Holiness. The only difference between a vessel of honor and one of dishonor is Mercy (Rom 9:21-23). The Good received God’s Mercy, then give it, the Wicked took it, but refuse to pay it back.
The Woman allows the abomination to be placed in the Temple, then loses her purposed Glory. The Wicked marries a strange woman, then rejects their position to be the Glory. This helps us understand the correlation between the Mercy and the Glory. The Remnant have a Glory, it’s the Glory of the Sun and Moon, but still a Glory, since they give Mercy to the world. We have the Glory of the Stars, the Greater Glory, and the ability to bring Mercy to many. It’s the inherit Mercy of God healing our bodies, or bringing us into the kingdom of heaven. If you want More Glory, give More Mercy.
The Lord will put away the Wicked person, regardless of their soulish confession (Mal 2:15-17). Confessions without power, theology of unbelief, self-based testimonies weary the Lord (Mal 2:17). They say, “Every one does evil is good in the sight of God”, or “God accepts us the way we are” which is a half truth. God accepts us the way we are so He can change us to what we should be.
The Wicked go about saying, “Where is the God of Judgment?”. They claim God will neither do them good or evil, thus they claim God is dead, ineffective, or doesn’t care what they do. This is one area shows the mind of the Wicked, in our Season of Peace we have many attributes of God, yet the Wicked think natural intellect, forced moral behavior, or personal talents benefits them more than the Spirit. Wrong, the ways of the Wicked are still powered and enforced by the old nature. The old nature doesn’t mind being religious, the Pharisees were extremely religious, yet they did the lusts of their father the devil. God will reward the Wicked for their envy, strife and slanderous words in His time and timing.
God is a Just God, equal in all His ways; if the wicked man changes his ways while it is yet Day, God accounts him as righteous but if the righteous man rejects God’s ways, God accounts him as wicked. If the only reasons they are seeking God is for the personal fleshly benefit, they will also long for the conditions in the Time of Comfort, rather than the Kingdom. They love pleasure more than God, they attempt to change the stones into bread, tempt God with prayers of manipulation; while they praise Him with their lips, they hold iniquity in their hearts. Giving honor to the world is calling evil good, failing to give God the glory is calling good evil (Mal 2:17).
Is not God equal? Since God is equal it stands while it is yet Day if we seek the Lord, then He will Seek us. In order to help us in the struggle to gain true holiness God will break the bondage, then set up an everlasting Kingdom in us, it’s not by our power, nor by our might, but based in the Spirit (New Birth). However, there must be someone to prepare the Way, God will send His messenger, he shall prepare the way of the Lord. Jehovah whom we seek shall come suddenly into the temple (in us) by the New Birth, we shall suddenly leave this earth to enter His tabernacle in heaven, to avoid the opening of the Temple in heaven which brings the Judgment (Mal 3:1).
Jesus did come and clean the Temple, but the Temple was given to the religious leaders; they could receive the rebuke, or attack it. Of course we know they attacked it, yet their hope was written in the Old before Jesus came as the Word made flesh. The word Messenger in Malachi 3:1 is the Hebrew Malakh, which is the root word for the name Malachi, it means Dispatch someone. If God is doing the sending it can be an Angel, Prophet, Preacher, Evangelist, Teacher, Apostle, Deacon, Elder, Bishop, or a any Saint. If the devil is doing the sending then it’s a “messenger of Satan” sent to bring a thorn in our flesh. Nonetheless we can gain, regardless of the event, there is a Precious for us. There are times when the Word of the Lord opens the door to the hidden areas in us, the place where we are “judging un-righteously”. Exposure brings knowledge, knowledge opens us to allow the Spirit to clean us through and through, none can enter without the cleaning of the Water by the Word (Jesus in us – Mal 3:2).
Silver is the medal of redemption, Jesus will refine us in His redemptive Power (Mal 3:3). Then the offering of the tents of Judah (Church), and Jerusalem (Remnant) will be pleasant to the Lord (Mal 3:4).
When Jesus returns it will be a swift return with everlasting effects (Mal 3:5). The phrase “come near to you in Judgment” shows the Second coming of Jesus, then He will be a Witness against the Sorcerers, or those who used Mind Power but called it faith. He will be against the Adulterers, and the False Swearers, the Liars, who said they would serve God, but wanted God to serve them. A Covenant breaker is a liar, they enter saying they will adhere to the terms of the Covenant as God has given them, but then they begin to make their attempts to change the contract by introducing terms not in the Covenant, thus they break the Covenant, in so doing they break the Body as well.
The sons of Jacob are from the house of Jacob, they receive the Wicked and cause all great or small to stand before the Image of Jealousy, they will be consumed (Mal 3:6). Yet the call to any who have slipped is simple, “return unto Me and I will return unto you, saith the Lord”. This call is placed in a position where it defined the workers of iniquity, calling for them to return while it is yet Today.
The Time of Comfort will open after the Bread and Table are divided, the Lord laid out the method for the Remnant to operate. Using the tithe under the Law, and going about thinking we are honoring God is not Grace based, we are to please God by Faith (Heb 11:6). We have the principle of receiving tithe, not taking it. We are givers by nature, we are called cheerful givers, God honors the Tithe, but God loves the cheerful giver (II Cor 9:7). Israel will see the return when they bring their tithe to “the storehouse”, not storehouses, there is only one storehouse, it’s located in Jerusalem (Mal 3:9-10). This Scripture is so specific, one can’t confuse it, taking the tithe anywhere but to The Storehouse in Jerusalem isn’t completing the Scripture. The second danger is who is God talking to? Loving people who want to serve? Or people who are asking what good is it to serve God unless they gain a personal benefit? The last group, but the danger is the Window, a son enters by the Door, the thief attempts entry by the Window. God will pour the blessing out of the Window, but He never says one can gain entry by the Window.
We’ve been over this area, but look at the people God is speaking to. They ask “it is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept His ordinance, and that have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts?” (Mal 3:14). They are only interested in the profit, they never say they love God, or desire to serve Him.
The Windows are for a set time and people, we found the Table came before the Window, which shows the Day before the Night. When the Night begins God will rebuke the devourer, by binding him for the 1,000 years (Mal 3:11), then all the nations shall call Israel blessed (Mal 3:12). Although God will bless them, we find the words of these people are not accepted, as God says, “your words have been stout against Me” (Mal 3:13). They said, It’s vain to serve God, what profit is it? God will challenge them with a test, the use of the word “prove” means a test, or proving of the people. Wouldn’t it be better to please God by faith, to be a cheerful giver loved of God?
We look at the proud, calling them blessed with their great intellect and knowledge, yet they have tempted God; all those who have done wickedness, and followed their self-serving goals shall be delivered up to the devourer (Mal 3:15). Wait, didn’t God just rebuke (bind) the devourer? Yes, the rebuking begins the Night, but the fifth angel opens the pit allowing the devourer to be set free to torment the people. The phrase “they who work Wickedness are set up”, doesn’t mean God is “setting them up” for a fall, rather it means the people of God have set the Wicked in high positions. Then we read “they who tempt God are even delivered”, does it mean they are delivered from the evil? Or does it mean they are delivered into the hands of Judgment? The word Delivered is the Hebrew Malat meaning several things, running from God’s deliverance, to one delivering their self into the hands of evil, in this case it points to the person who tempted God causing their own deliverance into evil. God took the challenge, He opened the Windows for a blessing they could not hold, but it turned out to be a test, much like the Great Quail hunt.
The Book of Remembrance is the Book of Life, the Book of Life is Jesus, in Him do we trust (Mal 3:16). The warning is for our own good, for the Day of the Lord is coming, with it comes the time when the earth shall burn as an oven, with the proud who burn as stubble, yet the Lord will leave neither “root or branch” (Mal 4:1). Wait, didn’t we read where Jesus is the Root of David? Didn’t we read where Jesus is the Vine, and we are the Branches? Yes, this shows after the Judgment Jesus will not leave His own on the earth, they will either come with Him as the “Clouds”, or be received by New Jerusalem, but nonetheless, He will save His own. As for us who love and fear the Lord and walk by the Spirit, we shall go forth to meet Him in the Air (Mal 4:3). When the Body of Christ is Raptured the Time of Comfort begins, toward the end God tells the Remnant “remember the Law of Moses My Servant”; however, He tells us, Remember how you Received, and we received by the Holy Ghost given us the Seed (Isa 49:3, Mal 4:4, Rev 3:2 & Jn 14:17).
The next area is predicated on “Remember you the Law of Moses” connected with “I will send you Elijah”, giving us the Law and Prophets. Wait, didn’t Jesus say something about John the Baptist being Elijah? Yes He did, we will find some very interesting things regarding this. Here in Malachi we find this Elijah will “turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers” (Mal 4:6), giving us two things, not one. When the angel appeared to Zacharias (father to John the Baptist) he said, “to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just” (Luke 1:17). John came in “the spirit of Elijah”, not the “Spirit of Christ”, there is a difference. What was the “spirit of Elijah”, some reincarnation? Couldn’t be, since John said He was not Elijah (Jn 1:21-23). Wait, the disciples asked Jesus, “Why then say the scribes Elijah must first come?” (Matt 17:10), this was right after they heard the Father say, “Here ye Him” (Matt 17:5). Jesus answered their question and said, “Elijah truly shall come”, which is a future tense phrase, then He said, “But I say unto you, Elijah is come already” (Matt 17:11-12). Is come, will come, what gives? Wait now, isn’t there Two Comings of Jesus? Yes, John the Baptist was more than a Prophet, he stood between the Old and New, in the latter days the Law and Prophets will stand between the Time of Comfort and Jacob’s Trouble. The Day calls for the heart of the fathers to the children, the Night for the children (Remnant) to the fathers, two different methods, for two different Seasons.
Elijah becomes the Message of the Prophets, the Message, not the man will come before the Great and Dreadful Day of the Lord. We just read in Zechariah 13:4 how those in “rough garments” do deceive, yet John wore a Rough Garment, but did he deceive? Hardly, the “rough garments” will come much later by those who attempt to copy the outward appearance of the prophet, but they will do the working of Satan. Elijah was a prophet, but Jesus said John was greater, yet the least in the kingdom is greater than John. Therefore, John’s baptism was a timed event, it began with him, and ended with him (Acts 19:2-6). It called for the people to repent, adding they should believe, our water baptism is a token on our part accepting the Mercy of God, being accepted into the Body, and making our Vow saying we do believe and will continue to believe (Mark 16:16-18). This ends our study of the Old Testament, yet there is much more for us to learn. We will enter the Good News with some knowledge, hope, and a joy. The earthly ministry of Jesus is a place between places, He tells us the New Covenant is in His Blood, but the Old Testament ended with John the Baptist showed up. There is a place between places where knowledge will abound.
Between the Old Testament and the New there are a series of writings called the “Apocrypha”, which consist of 15 books. The Apocrypha was considered just as Jewish as the rest of the Old Testament, but not considered canonical (conforming to orthodox rules of Scripture). It covered the time element between Malachi and the coming of Jesus. Several of the church Fathers, including Origen, Augustine and Jerome considered the Apocrypha a source of information regarding Judaism. However, it was also felt the Apocrypha was strictly Jewish related, it contained no Christian information. During the Reformation period the Apocrypha was dropped from what we now know as the Bible. Meaning it was considered more history, rather than cannon. If one is interested in the Apocrypha they can obtain one from any Bible book store. We don’t cover it, since it was not considered a Christian connection.
SUMMARY OF THE PROPHETIC EVENTS YET TO COME
Amos 3:7 tells us, Surely the Lord God will do nothing but He reveals His secret unto His servants the Prophets, the End Times would be a perfect example. The information and knowledge of the End Times is recorded in the Prophets of Old, God said through Malachi “For I Am the Lord, I change not”, thus what God said will be, will be. On the same note, John didn’t call himself a Prophet, but he did say the Book of Revelation was Prophecy. However, we’re concerned with the words of these prophets as they relate to the End, yet we will take a look at parts of the Book of Revelation as they support the words of these prophets, showing God had the plan in hand from the beginning. We’re not going to cover all the words over again, it would not only would it be redundant, but we will catch the highlights.
In our Season we have the Spirit of Christ, in the very last days the Two Witnesses of the Law and Prophets stand; although the Law and Prophets testify for Jesus, they testify against the evil doer. In Zechariah 4:14 we found the Law and Prophets are the “sons of oil”, or the Anointed Ones standing by the Lord of the whole earth. During the Time of Comfort they will continue to Stand until they are overthrown and tossed it the street. For us we have a different route, the Father told us “hear ye Him”, but does it mean we cast away the Law and Prophets? Hardly, a good scribe knows both the Old and New, but they Hear ye Him. Knowledge of the Old helps us keep in the Now, as well as keep the seasons divided
Jesus tells the church of Philadelphia, He has the key of David, but Jesus gave us the keys to the Kingdom. Zechariah tells us the Lord will first save the tents (tabernacles) of Judah, then the House of David (Zech 12:7). The prophet then tells us “In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David” (Zech 13:1). The fountain is not the fountain of living waters, since there is a fountain of waters subject to the plagues (Rev 16:4-5). By simply adding the word “living” the matter of the “fountain” of “waters” changes considerably, the fountain of waters relates to Mercy, but the Living part adds the Spirit indicating Mercy and Grace combined, giving us the Strength of His Christ. The Remnant will have a little strength, the devil will have to be bound in the pit in order for them to operate.
By now we know the Day of the Lord is one of darkness, “Woe unto you who desire the Day of the Lord! to what end is it for you? the Day of the Lord is darkness, and not light” (Amos 5:18). The Season to come no man can change, God purposed it upon the entire earth, not just a few nations. The Season we’re in will reach an end, before the Season to come can open (Isa 14:24-27). The Prophets of Old spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost, the same Holy Ghost knows how it will end.
Malachi says, Israel will bring the tithe into The Storehouse, as God opens the windows of heaven when He binds (rebukes) the devourer, then the world will call Israel blessed (Mal 3:10-12). Of course a thief attempts to make entry by the Windows, the Door is for the Son of the house. John says the devil is bound during the 1,000 years, which supports Malachi (Mal 3:11 & Rev 20:3). In our day we cast out devils, the only way the devil can touch us, is if we give him place, thus after the Rapture they will have a little strength, not the Spirit, nor the same power of Mercy we have. Our Mercy is obtained by God forgiving our sins, in the Night a child shall live to be a hundred, but a man shall die in his sins. All these things separate the Seasons, explaining why Jesus said, Pray the day doesn’t fall on the sabbath, yet we are free of the sabbath rules. Also it explains why the Remnant look upon Him they have pierced, asking where He obtained the wounds, yet every Christian knows about the marks, even the Christian who walks by the flesh can tell us about the marks.
Jesus said, the last days would be as the days of Noah, not as the days of John the Baptist; in the days of Noah the earth was one land mass until it was divided in the days of Peleg (Gen 10:25). The air was clean, there was no need for government protection, there were no wars, no crime, people lived many years, there was no sickness, yet man held violence (unrighteousness) against God (Gen 6:11-13). If the Days of Noah were so good, why did God destroy them? Simply having Peace in the world doesn’t mean the world is holy. In the Days of Noah there was no fear of God, they didn’t think for one second God would destroy the earth. When Noah was making the Ark, they mocked him, they considered their Safety the Fruit of God on earth; therefore, they were given in marriage, as they ate, drank and were merry, until destruction came. As it was in the Days of Noah, so shall it be in the end.
God promised the fathers He would save the Remnant, they were the first promised, but last to receive; whereas, we are the last promised, but the first to receive. Jesus said, the last shall be first and the first shall be last (Matt 20:16). Malachi also tells us, after the world calls Israel blessed there will come a time when their words will be stout against God (Mal 3:13). They will say, “It’s vain to serve God”, but why? Could it be they equate Service with the reward of the material blessing? (Mal 3:14). Yes, when the Woman is clothed in Purple, she will have all the Silver and Gold, she will think she is the “I Am”. Then the day will come when they will burn as in an oven, but those who fear the name of Jehovah will be saved (Mal 4:1-2). Shortly thereafter, they shall look upon Him they pierced and say, “What are these wounds in Your hands” and He will say, “Those with which I was wounded in the House of My friends” (Zech 13:6).
When Jesus returns His Feet appear as Brass, as if they were burned in a Fire, this is a type and shadow of the Courtyard, the place where the enemies of Jesus made entry by the Sacrifice, but rejected the call to be sacrifices unto the Lord. They came marching in based on God’s mercy, but they refuse to grant mercy. They said they would serve God, but they really wanted God to serve them, they lied, meaning they loved the lie. They speak Great Swelling words promising Liberty, yet they are still bound to the flesh. The phrase “swelling words” means Domineering in character, To bring controversy or Chide, all of which are products of Iron mixed with Clay leading to Brass.
The Jew knows God is faithful to His promise, they know more about the Time Of Comfort than we do. They know the prophets have said the Mountain of the Lord will sit on the mountains of the world (Micah 4:1 & Isa 2:2); John told us the Woman sits on the mountains (Rev 17:9). It’s clear she sits on the mountains, rather than being surrounded by seven hills. Isaiah gave us the names of the ten horns (powers) and the Seven Mountains (nations), along with the one who removes three to produce the remaining Seven (Isa 11:11-14). When we fail to separate the seasons we mix the Day into the Night, or the Night into the Day, finding ourselves attempting to tame the Beast, yet God said the Beast will end in the lake in fire (Isa 2:2-4 & 11:9).
In the Night the knowledge of God will come out of Jerusalem, it will be the only place where the knowledge of God is found. Micah says, the Lord will bring peace through the temple, then He will “tread upon the high places of the earth” (Micah 1:3).
While in the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter was told to pray about The Hour, not for An hour (Matt 26:36-43). The hour has two seasons, John says the last half of the hour holds silence in heaven, no man can enter heaven until the plagues are finished (Rev 8:1 & 15:8). Jesus took the cup of the wrath of God in the Garden, but He gave us the cups of separation and remission (Luke 22:17-20, Rev 14:18-20 & Jere 25:15). The separation between the Table and Garden was made clear for us, it will seem like a Garden during the Time of Comfort, but which cup came in the garden? Was it the Cup of the New Testament? No, it came at the Table before Jesus entered the Garden. It was the Cup of the Wrath of God, thus we can take the cup with the Blood of Jesus to be free of the pending wrath of God in the Night.
The Jews know about the whore’s forehead, they also know all physical life will be dead when the judgment begins (Micah 1:7 & Jere 33:12). Jeremiah said, Babylon has been a golden cup in the Lord’s hand; thereby showing God is in control; all things will happen as God says they will. Although the cup of Babylon made all the earth drunken, it doesn’t mean God did it, rather it shows His control is based on His knowledge of the events (Jere 51:7). We find Babylon is the golden cup in the Lord’s hand, thus the Woman becomes Babylon, yet God never left her, nor did He forsake her, rather the plagues come from heaven, not hell. The Woman holds the cup filled with her abominations, and she is made drunk by the blood of the saints and prophets (Rev 174 & 17:6). The paradox is amazing, the Woman has a cup defining who she is, God holds her as a cup in His hand, the cup then becomes the fourth Cup of the great winepress (Rev 14:19-20 & 19:15).
The Woman in the days of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel was the nation, but in the Book of Revelation points to the city, thus the City is the adopted daughter of the Nation. The Woman is the same City called of God to proclaim Him to the world, but she rejected the First cup of Passover, then took upon herself a cup not afforded to her, which causes the Fourth cup of the wrath of God to be poured out on her. She begins by delivering the knowledge about God, she is blessed, but begins to think like Ephraim, assuming wealth is a product of her hands. Then the Beast of the Earth as the Wicked will come to her with smooth words to entice the Woman. The wicked house suffered a head wound by God, yet the same house of the Wicked arises with the Beast of the Earth, causing the Woman to take away the children of Ammon, Edom and Moab, leaving seven heads (nations) without crowns, then the same Woman is seen as the Bloody City (Hab 3:13, Dan 2:31, 2:38 & 3:1).
The Seven Mountains won’t become a factor until three are removed, the Eighth won’t surface until the time to remove the Three to make Seven, which is during the time of the Seventh church (Isa 11:11-14 & Rev 17:10-11). Many of these signs are yet to appear; however, the Tares are planted in our Season, they attempt to appear as Wheat, but inside they lack the heart to make them Wheat. They are a present iniquity, who will surface as the man of sin. However, the Meek shall inherit the earth, but the evil doers will be Cut Off.
When the Sixth church is active, the knowledge of the Lord will fill the earth, but the Wisdom of God will be with us in heaven. While the world is worshipping idols, they will also praise the Lord, but the Remnant will continually praise God, looking forward to salvation (Isa 12:1-6). When the Seventh church arrives, it will be rich, thinking it’s vain to serve God. They open the temple to the Eighth, who marches in with words of flattery (false prophecy) as the children of Jezebel (II Thess 2:3-7 & Rev 17:10-11). The “words of flattery” are seen today, “Oh look, what great men of God, who have come to show us the way to salvation” (Acts 16:16-19).
When Paul was faced with the unbelieving Jews, yet he told them how the Law of Moses could not justify them, then he said, “Beware therefore, lest it come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets” (Acts 13:39-40). Did Paul understand these End Times? Yes, they are written down so those in the Night can understand them as well. There were people who heard these prophets at the time, and repented. Therefore, the evidence is in, anyone who hears them can repent as well. However, some will look at the words of the prophets as torment, they will cast the Law and Prophets aside, then kill the saints of God, bringing it all to an end.
Proverbs 9 talks about Wisdom and the Foolish Woman, we know how both begin by giving the same invitation. Wisdom says, “Whoso is simple, let him turn in here; as for him who wants understanding, she says to him”, but the Foolish Woman also says, “Whoso is simple, let him turn in here: and as for him who wants understanding, she says to him” (Prov 9:4 & 9:16). However, there the similarities end, as Wisdom says, “Come, eat of My bread, and drink of the Wine which I have mingled”, but the Foolish Woman says, “Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant” (Prov 9:5 & 9:17). Wisdom promises Life, the Foolish Woman is death (Prov 9:6 & 9:18). They begin with the same words, but the intent, purpose and result are much different. The Foolish Woman is a metaphor for the Wicked, they use the wiles of the enemy, yet call them gifts of God.
Isaiah said, God will make a highway for the Remnant, but Assyria shall come upon Israel (Isa 11:16). Assyria is also among the ten horns, noted as one of the seven mountains (Isa 11:11-12). This shows when the Woman takes the Assyrian idols from the hand of the False Prophet, she becomes Babylon, healing the head wound of the wicked house. When the Woman thinks she is the Power of God, she will say, “I sit a queen and am no widow and shall see no sorrow” (Rev 18:7). The deeds of the False Prophet are found in the method used, which causes the Woman to set up the Image of Jealousy (Ezek 8:3-5).
The Woman begins her downfall by saying It’s vain to serve God, she does so because she is rich, thinking she needs nothing. The words of the False Prophet convince the Woman, she is God, then she places the Image in the place it should not be. It will be the first time the majority of the nation of God will place an actual Abomination in the Temple. We saw how Antiochus placed a pig in the Temple, but he was hardly a Jew. We also saw how the people brought their abominations in their hearts into the temple, but this latter day experience will be one the fathers never thought of: a called City of God allowing the Abomination to be set up in the Temple, then calling the City, “I Am” (Zeph 2:15). It was one thing to sacrifice on the mountains, then come to the Temple, but to make the City their god, while calling the abomination their Christ?
Isaiah says, Lucifer is a man (Isa 14:16); Ezekiel says, the prince of Tyrus is a man who says in his heart, “I am a God, I sit in the seat of God”, but God says, “you are a man and not God, though you set your heart as the heart of God” (Ezek 28:2). The image in the heart of the Wicked as the image of a man, not God, but the man thinks he is God. When Nebuchadnezzar felt he was rich and in need of nothing the Lord said, “let his heart be changed from man’s and let a beast’s heart be given unto him; and let seven times pass over him” (Dan 4:16). The image is like a lion, but without a heart for God, it has a man’s heart centered on the self, the wicked barter away their life, giving it to the image, ending with a “man’s heart” bringing the number of “a man” (Dan 7:4).
All ten horns came from two feet, the two feet represent two of the three sons of Noah (Gen 10). However, the image of Nebuchadnezzar began with the Head, working down to the feet, thus the feet will be the last in the series, yet they are the foundation. On the other hand the Beast grew from the horns, the horns didn’t grow from the Beast. Isaiah and Habakkuk show Babylonia suffered a head wound (removal of authority – Isa 7:20 & Hab 3:13). Isaiah also shows Assyria as one of the Ten nations, but survives the removal of the Three to remain as one of the Seven after God puts His hand A Second Time to recover the Remnant (Isa 11:11-14). The house of the wicked suffered the head (authority) wound based on idol worship, yet there are various forms of idol worship. The Wicked in our day are engaged in mental idol worship, but they would deny it. They hold the spirit of the world, the self, intellect, personal endeavors above the abilities of God. Judge their ways, not their acts (Matt 7:21-23).
The False Prophet will use wonders to entice the lust in the heart of the Woman, she will allow the purpose of the Law to be changed, setting up the abomination in the place it should not be. The Hour of Temptation has two halves, the Day and Night with the end of the Hour of Temptation beginning Jacob’s Trouble, ending the appointed sevens (Jere 30:7 & II Pet 3:7-13). Micah tells us, Jacob’s Trouble will be the sin of Samaria as the high places of Jacob will be found in Jerusalem (Micah 1:5). The hire of the harlot will make all things desolate; Daniel said the abomination will cause all things to become desolate (Micah 1:7-9 & Dan 9:27).
Micah shows the time of peace (Comfort) when the people will beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks (Micah 4:3). Joel shows a time when they take the same plowshares then beat them into crude weapons, then they come against the City (Joel 3:10). The “war” in the very end will not be anything like the ways of war we know, since they will not know the ways of war. Micah shows us the activity during the 1,000 years of Peace And Safety, nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn the ways of war any more (Micah 1:3). Therefore, the ways of the last war will be much different than the ways of war we see today (Ezek 38). Just as the world in the Time of Comfort will be much different, don’t attempt to compare what is going on today with what will be, rather the best way to view the circumstances is to see there are Two completely Different Seasons for two completely Different Purposes.
Although the Woman is noted in the singular, she contains many people from one nation; although the son of perdition is noted in the singular, the position also contains many (I Jn 4:1-4, Eph 2:2 & I Pet 2:7-8). Ezekiel said, the man will say, “I am God, I sit in the seat of God in the midst of the seas” (Ezek 28:2). This is a Man, not a Woman, thus the Wicked Prince will move to corrupt the Woman, but the seeds of corruption were already there, in her words of thinking she was in need of nothing, not even God. The saving of the soul exposes the seeds of corruption, keeping from us entering the corrupt ways of the wicked. The New Birth has many advantages, the Spirit of Truth as the Word in us saving our souls (James 1:21).
The use of the plural (Seas) shows two Seasons for the Sea, not one, the Sea in our time, and the Sea yet to come, thereby showing the Beast of the Sea is now. It doesn’t take a real genius to see how the world uses the power, authority and seat of Satan.
In the latter days there will be three elements, with two connected to make one, the Beast of the Sea and the Beast of the Earth are connected by using the same authority, but there is the Sand of the Sea who is suppose to be separated: within the Sand of the Sea is the City (Woman), and the Remnant. The Body of Christ is not seen in the End Times, since there will be no Christ like people on earth. The Body will be broken, one part taken from the earth where they will meet Jesus in the Air. Another part will sleep in Jesus until the 1,000 years end, then they will be judged according to their works of mercy. The last part will be those who are drunk with power, they will go into the Night as the synagogue of Satan. In our Season the Wicked are antichrist in nature, it doesn’t mean they are against Jesus, or the Cross, it means they are opposed (anti) to the spiritual things of Christ. In the next they will be the false prophets in a time when there are no prophets. Therefore, John sees the Sea, the Beast of the Sea, Beast of the Earth, the Remnant, and the Woman.
In the end the City says in her heart, “I AM” (Zeph 2:15). Jeremiah says, she has a “whore’s forehead”, which means her mind is set on corruption. This is made clear when Jeremiah also shows she refuses to be ashamed (Jere 3:3). God doesn’t give us this information to scare us, rather He provides information to show us the importance of walking in the Spirit in our Season. The City is noted as a she, but run by leaders. God views the result of what they are doing, they took the adopted daughter of God, then made her the abomination, wonder how He feels about that?
John tells us how the Woman entered the wilderness at the same time the Man Child (Jesus) ascended; Hosea tells us Israel will go many days without a king, prince, sacrifice, image, ephod or teraphim, which we see today. Afterward shall the children of Israel return seeking their God, and David their king in the latter days (Hosea 3:4-5). Could this mean David will come back as some reincarnated person? Silly? Some of us think the men Moses and Elijah will come again as reincarnated people to be the Two Witnesses. We know the term David means House of David, we also know now how Moses and Elijah represent the Law and Prophets. There is no need to make up stories about the End Times, it will be bad enough without fables.
Wherever the nation goes, so does the Woman, today she was trodden under foot by many nations. God will bring her into the wilderness, to speak comfortably (Comfort) to her (Hosea 2:14). Joel says, the land will return, they shall eat in plenty and be satisfied as they praise God, then God will restore Israel (Joel 2:25-26). It’s true God divorced Israel, but He didn’t cast off the City, thus His work in the latter days is with the City. Ezekiel shows the mark of God on those who cry over the abominations done in Jerusalem, rather than in Israel. The windows which poured out the blessing will be assaulted as the Wicked attempt to gain entry by the windows, but they will find the plagues being poured out instead of a blessing (Joel 2:9).
Isaiah wrote, “as one whom his mother comforts, so will I Comfort you; and you shall be comforted in Jerusalem” (Isa 66:13). There is a time promised to Daniel’s people and Jerusalem, Jesus called it the Restoration of Israel, Paul called it Peace and Safety, John called it the 1,000 years, but the Jews call it Comfort, or Restoration. Isaiah 66:13 pin points the location, when we see how Peace and Safety will reign we assume it will continue forever, but the prophets also give us the end as a ball of fire like Sodom. However before the 1,000 years we find those who are partakers of the First Resurrection before the Lord in heaven, thank God (Rev 20:4-6 & 7:9).
Elijah had two messages, the one John carried was “prepare ye the way of the Lord”, for the latter days it will be “If God be God worship Him, but if Baal be your god”. Just as John was not the man Elijah, we know the man Elijah will not be reincarnated for the end times: it’s the Message, not the man. Therefore, there are more than two people giving the message of the Two Witnesses, John saw 7,000 (Rev 11:13), Elijah found God had 7,000 prophets who refused to bow their knee to Baal (I Kings 19:18). In the days of Elijah they were prophets, in the latter days they will be those who stand with the Law and Prophets, nonetheless it shows God has His remnant.
Zechariah sees many false prophets as the False Prophet, John saw many antichrists run by the spirit of antichrist, yet both groupings are contained in the one position of the son of perdition (Zech 13:2, I Jn 2:18 & 4:1-5). Those who follow Jezebel will toss away the gift, enter perdition, then come out of perdition as the children of Jezebel, yet it’s still perdition.
God told the Jews, “When you are in tribulation and all these things are come upon you, even in the latter days, if you turn to the Lord your God and shall be obedient unto His voice; (For the Lord your God is a merciful God) He will not forsake you, neither destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers which He swore unto them” (Deut 4:30-31). The context is Mercy, not Grace, thus Jesus judges as the Son of man, not the Son of God.
If they are obedient God will not destroy them, if they are not, they will destroy themselves. God merely provides the evidence to repent, their rejection of repentance is the cause of their downfall. Jesus said, no man can shut, or open the Door to the House of David, thus no man is going to Usher in the Time of Comfort. The times and time were formed from the foundation of the world, they are in the Hand of the Lord, not the hands of man (Rev 3:7-8). However, there was another Door, one Jesus wasn’t going to open, rather we have to open it, then Jesus will come and sup with us (Rev 3:20-21). There is the Door which the Spirit takes us through (Rev 4:1), Jesus gave us keys to the Kingdom, but He has the keys to hell and death (Rev 1:18). There are keys many, and doors many, knowing which is which becomes a matter of knowledge. We could refuse to open the Door we’re suppose to, while spending all our time attempting to open one we are not; thus Jesus called it the time of “Doors” not door (Matt 24:33 & Mark 13:29).
The end sees the Woman flying upon the shoulders of the Philistines to remove Edom, Moab and the children of Ammon leaving Seven nations (mountains – Isa 11:14). The shoulders of the Philistines entails the use of soothsayers, the Eighth (false prophet) uses the same method of witchcraft now, they will use it again in the Season to come (Isa 2:6). Isaiah said, “therefore you forsake your people the house of Jacob, because they be replenished from the east and are soothsayers like the Philistines and they please themselves in the children of strangers. Their land also is full of silver and gold, neither is there any end of their treasures” (Isa 2:6-7). We know the word Philistine means To roll or wallow in the self, it will be the means the false prophet uses, exalting the self-nature, rather than denying it. Don’t confuse Philistine with Palestine, they are different, although they both call the Jews their enemy.
The Woman who rides the Beast in the wilderness was seen by Ezekiel many years prior, as he writes; “Your mother is like a vine in your blood, planted by the waters: she was fruitful and full of branches by reason of many waters” (Ezek 19:10). Here is the separation, yet joining of Two Women, the prophet shows “your mother” as the nation, but the statement is made to the daughter, thus the Woman is see with the Sun and Moon, rather than being the Moon, or Sun. Then speaking about the same Woman, he says; “now she is planted in the wilderness, in a dry and thirsty ground. And fire is gone out of her branches, which have devoured her fruit, so she has no strong rod to be a scepter to rule” (Ezek 19:13-14). The false prophet will do things his fathers would not do, since the false prophet came from us, but was not of us, the “fathers” would be those in our Season, meaning they attack the Christ nature now, but the City in the Night (Dan 11:24, I Jn 2:19 & 2:14).
Isaiah wrote, “they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant”. The Covenant was everlasting, as long as they kept it, but here we find the word Everlasting is dependent on man. The prophet then says, “Therefore has the curse devoured the earth, they who dwell therein are desolate, therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned and few men left” (Isa 24:5-6). Everlasting is still everlasting, but in the end there is no blessing, it’s all a curse.
Isaiah also said, “Behold, the day of the Lord comes, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and He shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it” (Isa 13:9). Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees excellency (pride), shall end like as the time when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah (Isa 13:19). Peter said the earth will melt with a fervent heat, or turn inside out to become like Sodom (II Pet 3:10). God will not destroy the righteous with the wicked, but when the righteous are removed by the Wicked, just as Lot was removed, then comes the Judgment. In our case it’s either the Rapture or those who Sleep in Jesus, in the case of the Remnant of the Seed of the Woman they will be overcome by being killed, yet they will also be resurrected unto life.
The false prophet, the woman, and the people will believe a lie, the lie will be God will not bring His wrath. The first key to discernment is when we see something we know isn’t right, we ask ourselves “Am I that way?”. Deception is based on seeing something not right, yet either not caring (condoning), or thinking it’s acceptable. The Seventh church thinks it’s rich and in need of nothing, yet Jesus sees a completely different picture (Rev 3:17). Jeremiah prophesied saying, the whole earth would be desolate, the Lord has purposed it and will not “repent, neither turn back from it” (Jere 4:19-29). It’s a Set Time, the Woman has Set Times, a time to be trodden under foot, a time of Blessing, then a time of Cursing. The abomination making desolate leads to the earth being desolate; however, the Eighth brings the image to the Seventh, and the Seventh makes a decision to accept it, but the 144,000 reject the Image Of Jealousy (Ezek 8:3 & 9:4). God doesn’t cause it, but neither will He stop it, He has spoken through the Law and Prophets, it’s up to the people to receive or reject, thus it’s still man who holds the choice to repent, or not. Does it mean God is not in control? Hardly, control is proven by who has the last word.
Lucifer is the son of the morning, or the son of perdition, he is the “man” from whom the number comes. This element begins in the Morning, not the Night, thus this “he” never made it to the Light of Day, yet he was of the morning. Jesus prayed three times in the Garden, the subject was Judas, the Wicked in our Season, and the Wicked in the Night, with the last two prayers being the same. Each time they reject one of those prayers, another six is added. Each six relates to the driving motivation of the Wicked, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life.
Isaiah not only says Lucifer is a man, but says this man destroyed his own land, and killed his own people, thus God didn’t destroy them, they destroyed themselves (Isa 14:16-20). What land? The land Lucifer destroys is the kingdom of heaven on earth, when the Church is removed at the Rapture the Earth remains, then the Beast of the Earth will destroy it based on the following the spirit of the world. They used the sheep for personal gain, just as Judas did. They attempt to make things turn out the way they want, rather than follow the plan of God. They seek the things of man, yet claim Christ, but reject the Greater He, for the he in the world.
The title Lucifer means Son Of The Morning, Joel says the Morning will spread upon the Mountains in darkness (Joel 2:2). No man, devil or demon can curse what God has blessed, but the Eighth causes the Woman to curse herself. No devil can curse us, rather we curse ourselves, thus blaming the devil for our own iniquity is adding foolishness to our iniquity. Don’t give the devil place (opportunity).
As we know, Daniel saw the nations as the leopard (Dan 7:6), bear (Dan 7:5) and lion (Dan 7:4). He saw the bear after he saw the symbol of Babylon stand as a man (Dan 7:4), we also recall how the bear stood on one side as a type of compromise. However, John shows the Beast of the Sea as a combination of the leopard, feet as a bear and the mouth of a lion, each representing the power, authority and seat of Satan (Rev 13:2). The man-lion with wings is a symbol of Babylon, but this image loses it’s wings, takes on the heart of a man, thus Babylon being the Woman takes the False Prophet as her heart (spirit). The false prophet becomes the voice of the abomination, giving the image status in the Temple.
The Beast of the Earth had the opportunity in our Season to enter the Power (Strength), Authority (Power of His Christ), and Throne of God (Kingdom of God), but rejected it for the power (authority) of the Beast of the Sea. Why? Control, the dragon also gave control to the Beast of the Sea, thus making connection to the Beast of the earth by using the same Authority, the Beast of the Sea is run by the spirit of man, the Beast of the Earth by the spirit of the world. Since both are earthly, sensual and devilish, it really doesn’t matter how they use the authority, it will end evil.
The Second Beast entered the kingdom of heaven, but retained the Stains of the flesh. This explains how the false prophet can do the working of Satan, while the devil is bound. The children of the prince of the power of the air are nonetheless the children of the disobedience, but the princes of the house of Judah exercise their wicked authority in a manner nearly as subtil is the serpent himself (Gen 3:1). The difference is knowing the children of disobedience are under the power of the prince of the power of the air. The Wicked have authority over the spirit of world, yet use it for their own interest.
The life given to the image doesn’t make it some mystic robot, rather the false prophet barters his life to the image, becoming the voice of the image. Being a false prophet means he speaks on behalf of a false god. It’s one thing to make images of pigs, goats and cows; it’s another to make one of a man, as did the king of Babylon. The acts of the king of Babylon are the acts of the false prophet, the voice behind the image is the voice of the false prophet.
The Woman is seen with all her Godly supports, the Sun (nation – Israel) as her light, her crown the twelve tribes of Israel, her foundation the Moon (Zion of the earth); however, she changes positions, then is found riding the Beast (Rev 12:1 & 17:3-5). The prophets called her the “bloody city”, for good reason. John says, the ten horns hate the Woman, they shall make her desolate (Rev 17:16). The paradox is strange at best, the Beast of the Earth uses the authority of the Beast of the Sea, yet it’s the nations of the Sea coming against the Woman in the end. Therefore, God says He will come at Israel as a lion, leopard and a bear (Hosea 13:7-8); John says the Beast will complete the will of God (Rev 17:17).
The Eighth brings the stout heart of idol worship as the little horn, just so they can control the one religion on earth (Isa 10:12, Hab 3:13 & Micah 5:6). In all this Daniel is told the saints shall possess the Kingdom forever, it’s the purpose (Dan 7:18). The Kingdom they possess is not of this world, Micah says the Kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem (Micah 4:8). With this we have an addition to the Woman, she will also have a daughter, the Remnant, the Virgins, the 144,000, they will gain the kingdom in the end. Therefore, the daughter of Jerusalem will face the children of Jezebel, thus the Kingdom will be granted to the Remnant after the judgment (Rev 11:11 & Dan 7:10).
Daniel understood the first three beasts, but this fourth troubled him, as it was “diverse from all the others” (Dan 7:19). Daniel knew the vision was not for his time, he kept it to himself; there are times to keep the pearl to ourselves. So, didn’t he write it down? Yes, but he kept the teaching and vision to himself in his time.
This diverse Beast had Ten horns, the little horn came from the first, thus the little horn is the Beast of the Earth, the one with the mouth. The little horn couldn’t be the Woman, since it came from the world, not the sand of the sea. The connection of the authority between the Beast of the Sea and the Beast of the Earth show this little horn as the Wicked. The little horn can’t be a Gentile king either, since the world is run by Gog in the end, not the little horn.
Hosea tells us God knew Israel when she was in the wilderness, but He doesn’t know her when she enters the latter days, because she doesn’t know Him (Hosea 13:5). They filled their hearts with Comfort, as they exalted themselves (Hosea 13:5). Jesus said, this was being lukewarm, or the product of the love of many waxing cold.
This is also reflected in our times, we wonder if the devil knows our name, but we better wonder if our name is written in the Book of Life. God still promises to save the Remnant, all Israel will be saved, but not all who use the title Israel are of Israel, just as not all who use the title Christian are Christ Like (Hosea 13:14-16 & Rom 9:6).
God warns both Israel, and us of the dangers of missing the Grace in the Day, as He said, “and you say in your heart, My power and the might of my hand has gotten me this wealth, but you shall remember the Lord your God: for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore unto your fathers, as it is this day” (Deut 8:17-18). Chasing the blessing, without holding to Him who blesses is error regardless of the Season. In the end the False Prophet will say the hand of the Woman provided the wealth, then she will consider herself a queen, calling herself the I Am.
Isaiah also says, those who are dead shall not live and they shall not rise, and those who make it to heaven will have no memory of the dead (Isa 26:14). Those in heaven will see the lake of fire, as a lake of fire, rather than the souls of the lost, but the souls of the lost will have the memory of “what could have been” forever. It’s a sad note, but nonetheless true, the false will know they were close to making it, except they elevated the self, rather then deny it (Ps 69:26-28). Every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess Jesus is Lord, but they should have done it while they lived in the flesh, not when they are up to their ears in flames. The entire premise of “Today” means just that, while it is yet Today we consider our ways, as we refuse to harden our hearts (Heb 3:7-4:7).
Malachi tells us about the latter days by saying, “an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem, for Judah has profaned the holiness of the Lord which He loved, and has married the daughter of a strange god” (Mal 2:11). Here we find the House of Judah, not the Tents; this reference to Judah points to the sons of perdition, since Judah has profaned, how can it be? The Wicked were in the Body, not past of us, but they were associated to the Lion of the tribe Of Judah. We tend to blame the Pharisees for rejecting Jesus, but here we find the Body produces more Pharisees than Israel. We also see both Israel and Jerusalem, thus we find the prophet speaking to the people of his time, as well as a time yet to come.
Malachi writes, “all nations shall call you blessed: for you shall be a delightful land, saith the Lord of hosts” (Mal 3:12). This speaks of the Time Of Comfort before the Eighth brings the abomination. Then they marry a daughter of a strange god, and Jesus said the children of Jezebel end in the bed of adultery (Rev 2:22-23). Israel will receive the blessing promised her fathers, but the priests will speak stout words against God as they say, “it is vain to serve God” (Mal 3:13-14). They will have the riches in hand, seeing no reason to serve the Lord, thus the only reason they served was for the wealth. The House of Jacob will set up wickedness and tempt God (Mal 3:15). How do they tempt God? It’s the same old challenge, “God won’t harm me, regardless of what I do”. They “shall burn as an oven”, all the proud will do wickedly, they shall be as stubble; in that day they will burn in the fire (Mal 4:1).
They are told “remember the Law of Moses” (Mal 4:3-4); this is a warning to those who would change the Law, but it’s only applicable to those subject to it, excluding those who are subject to the Law of the Spirit. We have a completely different Witness, our Witness is based on the Report, the Father (Mercy, Water), the Word (Blood, Grace), and the Holy Ghost (Spirit, Born Again – I Jn 5:7-8). The Remnant will have the Two Witnesses of the Law and Prophets (Rev 11:2-13). This is a clear separation between those who are subject to the Law of Moses, and those who have entered the Law of the Spirit. In all this it would be easy to say, “crazy Jews”, but John shows the Beast of the Earth is the one who causes all the problems, yet they came from us, it sounds like we should say “crazy Wicked ones” (I Jn 2:18-19).
Those in the Night will be under the Law of Moses, subject to “pray the day doesn’t fall on the sabbath”. Since they are under the Law, the Tithe under the Law would be proper for them, thus causing the Windows to open, but the open window will also close the Door (Mal 3:10-11 & Rev 20:1-2).
Although they begin by spreading the knowledge of the Lord, the world will still be joined to the Beast of the Sea by holding to it’s idols. There will be a famine of the Rhema, in the land. The Two Witnesses are of the Olive Tree, meaning they are centered on Mercy, not Grace. After the Rapture, since the Oil and Wine combined are gone, thus we can also see how Joel 2:24 is divided from Joel 2:25. Joel 2:24 talks about the Oil and Wine, but 2:25 about the restoration of the land. Toward the end of the restoration we know the Woman will sit on the Seven Mountains (nations) rejecting her foundation (Zion or Moon). Then another type of rain comes as it begins to rain brimstone upon the earth. They still have choice, it they repent the Comfort will return, but rather than repent they blaspheme (Rev 13:6 et al).
When the 1,000 years are finished the plagues begin, Jesus said When the day comes those on the house tops are to come down and take nothing (Matt 24:17). The things on the house are idols; Isaiah said, They will worship Nebo and Medeba on the tops of the houses (Isa 15:2-3). Zephaniah says, “I will cut off the Remnant of Baal from this place and the name of the Chemarims with the priests; and them who worship the host of heaven upon the house tops; and them who worship and swear by the Lord, and also swear by Malcham” (Zeph 1:4-5). All this must be, for God has seen it, then He told us what He saw through the His prophets (Isa 14:24-27).
These things have previews and examples, but we have yet to see Israel rule the world, or possess all her land to the river Euphrates. Nor have we seen the earth as it was in the time of Noah. Nor have we seen the sons of perdition worshipping at the feet of the Sixth church. Nor have we seen the earth destroyed by fire, more important we’re still here, as well as there are still wars and rumors of war. Therefore, the time is still here for us to be filled with the Spirit of Christ, so we can become the Power of His Christ on this earth (I Cor 11:1-17 & Rev 12:11-12).
The judgment doesn’t come because Israel sought God, or because they were rejected, but because, “She obeyed not the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in the Lord; she drew not near to her God; her princes within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones till the morrow; her prophets are light and treacherous persons; her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the Law” (Zeph 3:2-4). The Woman rejected the written words of the Prophets, for the foolish words of the False Prophet.
The False Prophet appears with flattery, or Great Swelling words, promoting the flesh, or mankind. God said, “O priests, who despise My name and say, wherein have we despised Your name? You offer polluted bread upon My altar and you say, Wherein have we polluted You?” (Mal 1:7). Paul said we are the Bread, and the Bread is Mercy based, the Blood Grace based; therefore, polluted bread is a product of the vessels of dishonor (Rom 9:21-23 & I Cor 10:17).
After the Rapture there will be a thousand vines, and a thousand silverlings, yet the result will be briars and thorns as the curse falls (Isa 7:23). Paul told Timothy about two men teaching how the Resurrection had passed (II Tim 2:17-18). What Resurrection? People were still dying, the people didn’t have resurrected bodies, the judgment had not happened, what Resurrection was in question? We are partakers in the First Resurrection, which we call the Rapture, or as Paul called it the Catching Away. The Rapture is not an independent Resurrection, it completes the First, thus the same Spirit who raised Jesus will raise us. If the Resurrection has passed, or was complete in Jesus, then there is no Rapture, but Paul called the teaching of no catching away error (II Tim 2:16-18). Our Hope is being partakers of the First Resurrection, our faith reaches to the very Promise. The error would put us into the Night, or make us subject to the wrath of God, yet we are not appointed to the wrath of God, we are children of the Day, not the Night (I Thess 5:9 & 5:5).
The Time Of Comfort will have an earthly Peace like the world has not known since the days of Noah, but it will not be Justification or Salvation. Yet, the peace will include the lion eating straw, the child living to be hundred years old, yet man will still hold his sins. Isaiah shows a child won’t die until a hundred years, yet the mere use of the word die shows us this is not heaven, for there is no death in heaven, neither is there sin (Isa 65:20). In the days of Noah a hundred years of age was a common age for a child, yet they died in the flood. The thoughts of the people in the Days of Noah, except for Noah and his family were violence toward God, the word Violence means Unrighteousness. The people refused to believe God would judge them, they did as they pleased, and feared not God. Jude tells us the wicked lack a fear of God as well (Jude 12), among other traits (Jude 8-13).
Since Jesus said the end times will be like the days of Noah, Salvation will not be presented or Jesus would have said, “like these Days”. During the days of Noah the people mocked the righteous preacher Noah, Ezekiel says Israel will fall into a multitude of riches (Ezek 27:33), and give forth to usury (Ezek 22:12). Isaiah says woe unto them who cast away the Law (Isa 5:24). We have not cast away the Law of Moses, we were lifted above it by Jesus into the Law of the Spirit. The Wicked reject the Law of the Spirit now, they will cause the Law of Moses to be cast down in the Night.
During the 1,000 years Israel will spread the knowledge of Jehovah God, the world and earth will listen, yet they will still hold the tare of the pride of life (Isa 2:8). John told us the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life were of the world. John also said the dragon gave power, authority and a seat to the Beast of the Sea, we find the lust of the eye has a power, the lust of the flesh has an authority, and the pride of life seeks the seat of Satan (I Jn 2:16-17 & Rev 13:1). Amos writes about the End saying: “Therefore thus I will do unto you, O Israel: and because I will do this unto you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel” (Amos 4:12), this is obviously directed to Israel, thus it includes the City.
Isaiah shows the curse is lifted, all the elements of the curse are held back for 1,000 years (however long it may be) as they live in peace (Isa 65:22). At the end we find the full force of the curse coming upon the earth because, “of the wickedness of your doings, whereby you have forsaken Me” (Deut 28:20), and “because you serve not the Lord your God with joyfulness and gladness of heart for the abundance of all things” (Deut 28:47). We also see, “your heaven over your head shall be brass, and the earth that is under you shall be iron” (Deut 28:23). Iron and clay point to bondage, clay for the flesh, iron for the bondage of idol worship.
John explained how the Lord brings the plagues, as our prayers are mixed with the fire (coals) of God, then poured out by the angels prior to the devil being loosed from the pit. This is the result of the actions of the False Prophet, thus the False Prophet Causes the fire to fall by the use of his false words, he doesn’t call it down. Placing this with Isaiah, we see during the 1,000 years there will be no sickness (Isa 65:20), nor war or violence (Isa 65:25).
In the end at the Judgment the Remnant will continue to call on the Name of the Lord, then He will hear them, explaining how they are able to follow the Lamb.
God delivered Israel when the cries of their bondage reached His ears (Isa 65:24). The cries of those who are truly Israel in the latter days from Jerusalem will cause the time to be shortened, the Lord will place the mark of God on them (Ezek 9:4). The Lord shows heaven is His throne, but the Earth His footstool. The enemies of the Lord are of the Earth, which pertains to those who took the granted Mercy then bartered it off for the authority of the Beast of the Sea (Isa 66:1 & Heb 1:13).
The enemies of God are not the Beast of the Sea, in fact, it’s not the Woman, rather it’s the Beast of the Earth, but when the Woman and Beast of the Sea join to the Beast of the Earth, they also become the enemies of Jesus. This is the same context as the people using the things God hates to the point one can’t the person from the horrid things (Prov 6:16, 8:7, 11:1, 11:20, 12:22, 15:8, 15:9, 15:26, 16:5 & 21:7).
Idol worship will be the activity of the day for the Ten toes, but the activity will venture into Israel, then into the City, they begin to sacrifice unto idols in the Temple (Isa 66:3). The temple will be rebuilt in the City, making it the “king David”, or the desire of David seen as the Temple established in the same place it was in the days of Solomon. Regardless of how many synagogues are in the various nations, it’s the Temple in the City pointing to the Season of the Night. Then comes the abomination causing the desolation (Isa 66:3 & Dan 9:7), then it changes from Comfort to Torment.
God has a timing intersecting the time of man for many things, all of which were determined before the foundation of the world (Isa 66:7-8). No man can change the times and Seasons, rather man changes his position in the times and Seasons. Isaiah tells us the process will not be overnight, rather as time moves on the praise will no longer be toward God, but turn toward idols (Isa 66:3). The love of many will grow cold, they will forget the commandments to love the Lord, or love their neighbor (Matt 24:12). Mercy and Love are sisters, when love ceases, mercy ceases as well.
The abomination is the Image of Jealousy, the word Abomination means Disgust, yet the seeds are already in the hearts of the people before the actual image is set up. Ezekiel sees the Image of Jealousy in the midst of the temple (Ezek 8:3), the Law of Moses says, “they provoked Him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations provoked they Him to anger. They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not” (Deut 32:16-17). Early Israel worshipped idols of Baal, but they never placed one in the temple. They did their idol worship on hill tops, but trusted in the “purity” of the temple to save them; however, they found they were bringing their idol worship into the temple in the corners of their minds. They were the abomination, in the latter days the abomination will be an image, but it will be based on the abomination in the minds of the people.
Zephaniah told us Babylon will have a voice, saying, “I Am and there is none beside me” (Zeph 2:15). God said, “I Am the Lord and there is none else, there is no god beside Me” (Isa 45:5). Lucifer as a man says, he is God, then says in his heart how he will sit on the mount of the congregation (Isa 14:13 & II Thess 2:4). In order to sit on the Mount of the congregation, someone must let him in. The phrase “sit on the Mount” is a direct reference to the Seat of Satan taking over the Congregation of Zion, as the tail becomes the head (authority).
Jeremiah said, a righteous Branch and a King shall execute judgment and justice in the earth, in His days Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely, and this is His name, The LORD Our Righteousness (Jere 23:5-6). In those days the purpose will be judgment and justice, not Salvation and Grace. When Israel dwells safely, the tents of Judah (the Church) will Be Saved (past tense) sitting in heaven with their white robes (Zech 12:7 & Rev 7:14). Further in Jeremiah we read, “but they set their abominations in the house, which is called by My name to defile it” (Jere 32:34). This is when the Seventh church is invaded by the Eighth, not when the Sixth is bringing God’s justice to the people (Ps 82:1-8). Jesus will still rule with the 144,000 through the Law and Prophets, but He doesn’t need to be on earth to do it. He rules now through the Body of Christ, yet we know, “Jesus on the Right Hand side of Majesty”, thus Jesus doesn’t have to sit on the earth to rule it. He rules from His Throne, like a King should.
When the abomination is set up, the Woman changes the concept of The Branch, and proclaims herself as the “lord our righteousness” (Jere 33:15-16). She proclaims herself as the I Am by saying in her heart “I sit a queen and am no widow and shall see no sorrow” (Rev 18:7). Malachi says, the sons of Jacob will have stout words against God (Mal 3:13-14). The sons of Jacob are the tribes, thus we find the 144,000 are taken from the thousands, rather than added to them. The Church is ten thousand times ten thousand, the Remnant are 144,000 taken from the thousands, two flocks, one small.
God said, “This is the rejoicing city who dwells carelessly, saying in her heart, I Am and there is none beside Me: how is she become a desolation, a place for beasts to lie down in.” (Zeph 2:15). The Woman, the sons of Jacob, and the Wicked all join together in the bed of adultery, all thinking God won’t dare punish them. They presume they are the Blessed of the Lord, they have the riches in hand to prove it. They will be Assertive, but the word Assertive means A declaration stated positively, but in this case it’s with no support or proof, thus they will say, they are of God, yet they will be wicked and evil with no evidence to prove they are of God. Assertion is not Faith, as Faith is not opinion. Faith is a Confidence in things Hoped for, Evidenced by things not seen. The word Evidenced is the same Greek word Paul used in II Timothy 3:16 for Reproof, yet Reproof without the evidence of the Spirit ends in condemnation. It’s one thing to be Positive, another to be Assertive. The evil Beasts are in the world with the False Prophet; the False Prophets will divine for money, the priests will teach for hire, becoming fountains of bitter water, they will say, “Is not the Lord among us?”, or “no evil can come upon us” (Micah 3:11). This is being Assertive, they assume the blessing means they are in the will of God, but the only reason they received the blessing was based on the promise to the fathers.
When “his branch” (fig tree) is yet tender (soft hearted) the season is about to change, then the time of the doors will be upon us (Matt 24:32-33). The tenderness of the fig tree begins the Time Of Comfort, it won’t end it. If one needs a sign, look for the nation Israel to become soft hearted toward all.
Jeremiah said Babylon was broken, and cut off by the Lord (Jere 51:54-58). Habakkuk, and the other prophets said the Lord wounded the head of the wicked house (nation – Hab 3:13, Dan 2:38 & Micah 5:6). Habakkuk wrote his vision for a time to come, at first the knowledge of the Lord will be over the waters (people – Hab 2:2-4 & 2:14). Then the graven image, with the maker thereof will cause the end (Hab 2:18-20).
Zephaniah said the Remnant shall do no iniquity, nor speak lies (Zeph 3:13). John said the 144,000 are virgins, or not associated with the Woman in the bed of adultery (Rev 14:4). The Remnant follow the Lamb, yet the Lamb is in heaven. The Lamb of God is a sign of the Son of man, thus the Remnant will not know Jesus is the Son of God until they look upon Him. We are told to deny the self, pick up our Cross and follow Jesus the Son of God, to become sons of God. The Wicked enter to become “sons of men”, but they never reach the position of being a “son of God”, because they fail at being sons of men.
God said, “And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord, that I will cut off your horses out of the midst of you and I will destroy your chariots, and I will cut off thy cities of your land and throw down all your strongholds, and I will cut off witchcraft out of your hand, and you shall have no more soothsayers, your graven images also will I cut off and your standing images out of the midst of you, and you shall no more worship the work of your hands and I will pluck up your groves out of the midst of you, so will I destroy the cities and I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the heathen, such as they have not heard” (Micah 5:10-15). This is the Judgment, there are no idols in hell, or green trees. Joel added, the noise of the chariots on the “tops of the mountains” will be like a flame of fire devouring the stubble, their faces will have much pain and gather blackness (Joel 2:5-9). The Beasts are one of the Sea (Gentile), and one of the Earth (sons of perdition), but the rebellious Jacob has sons, they are found joined to the Woman (Jerusalem), but the Remnant are Israel with the evidence of mercy to prove it. God shows they can avoid this by repenting, but John shows they will blaspheme God. It ends with the sickle bringing forth the judgment, because of their wickedness (Joel 2:12 & 3:13).
When the Sixth church receives the blessing, the house is filled with the brightness of the Lord’s glory, but the house is not the one on earth; rather we are the Glory of the Lord. We will fill heaven while the Remnant have their Time Of Comfort, in the end there is no Temple in heaven, rather God will Tabernacle with us (Ezek 10:4). John sees this, then reports how the temple was filled with smoke, and no man can enter till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled (Rev 15:8). The temple is a symbol of Judgment, thus we find the Temple of the Tabernacle in heaven until the end, thus when the Judgment is complete there is no more Temple in heaven, yet the Tabernacle is with men, as God will tabernacle with them.
Ezekiel sees the prayers being carried by the cherubims, then he sees the prayers, but John sees where those prayers come from. When the 1,000 years ends, our prayers of mercy, faith, hope and love are all mixed with the vengeance of God’s fire. The Lord said, Vengeance is His, He will repay. This doesn’t mean our prayers are evil, rather they are so holy, they turn the evil back on the people.
The Lord said through Jeremiah, “The priests said not, Where is the Lord? They who handle the Law knew Me not: the pastors also transgressed against Me and the prophets prophesied by Baal and walked after things that do not profit” (Jere 2:8). This was directed to the time of Jeremiah, but prophetically we can see how it points to the Night. The prophets who prophesied by Baal, points to the false prophet, the priests of course to the priests, the pastors to those who were supposed to watch over the people, which would point to the Laodiceans. Jesus said, the Laodiceans thought they were rich but they were poor and blind (Rev 3:14-17). Isaiah wrote, “Your nakedness shall be uncovered, yea, your shame shall be seen: I will take vengeance, and I will not meet you as a man” (Son of man – Isa 47:3).Then, “you have said in your heart, I Am and none else beside me” (Isa 47:10). All this falls on them because their words will be stout against the Lord (Mal 3:13). Daniel says the little horn is more stout than his fellows (Dan 7:20). After the Seventh church follows the lies of the Eighth (Beast of the Earth), God will say, “The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof, because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore, has the curse devoured the earth, they who dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned and few men left” (Isa 24:5-6). The few men are those who pass the fire, then hear Come Up Hither.
Zechariah said; “come forth and flee from the land of the north, saith the Lord, for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heaven, saith the Lord. Deliver yourself, O Zion who dwells with the daughter of Babylon” (Zech 2:6-7). God tells the Laodiceans, “Come out of her, My people, so you be not partakers of her sins, that you receive not of her plagues” (Rev 18:4).
God told Moses, “You have seen what I did unto the Egyptians and how I bare you on eagle’s wings and brought you unto Myself” (Ex 19:4). The eagle with wings is Michael, the Woman was sent into the wilderness during our season protected by the same eagle (Rev 12:6). Jesus told us in the last day the eagles will be gathered (Luke 17:37); the eagles are the angels of God sent forth to pour out the plagues. In our Season we are the angels of God sent to those who shall be heirs of Salvation, in the latter days the seven angels go forth to bring the Judgment.
After the prayers of the saints are poured out, the devil and his demons are turned loose on the earth as the fifth angel opens the pit. All those without the protection of the mark of God will be possessed by demons, yet those with the protection will be blamed for the torment, then killed. Then the Sun turns to blackness, and the Light of the Moon is taken away. The Seven Mountains run as mighty men to take the wall, they will fall on the sword, yet they shall not be wounded (Joel 2:6-8). John said they shall seek death, and not find it (Rev 9:6). To them death would end the torment, but they will find death is only the beginning of the torment.
In the days of Noah we find the mighty men as the “sons of God”, who joined to the daughters of men (Gen 6:4). The sons of God are the descendants of Seth, indicating someone who worships God. The daughters of men doesn’t mean female, rather it refers to those who engage in idol worship. The division before the flood saw the influence of those who worshipped God, and those who worship idols joining together; the End shall be as it was in the Days of Noah.
In the latter days we find the Eighth joining to the Seventh bringing idol worship into the place it should not be. When the mighty men run toward the wall, the Great Trump will be blown on Zion, announcing the end (Joel 2:1-2). Isaiah shows, the House of David will say, “I am the Lord’s and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob” (Isa 44:5). God asks the Seventh to leave the House (sons) of Jacob, and join the House of David (Isa 48:1, Rev 3:7 & Zech 13:1). This is a perfect example of God telling us to change positions to avoid what is already determined to happen.
Ezekiel says, “For thus saith the Lord God, How much more when I send My four sore judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword and the famine and noisome Beast and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and Beast? Yet, behold, therein shall be left a Remnant who shall be brought forth, both sons and daughters” (Ezek 14:21-22). This shows the Remnant is not all male, or female, just as the son of perdition is a position, not merely one person.
Jeremiah added, “Your bruise is incurable and your wound is grievous. There is none to plead your cause, you may be bound up, you have no healing medicines” (Jere 30:12-13). When the devil is bound, so is the curse for the 1,000 years. The devil would remain bound, except when man begins to act more like the devil, than the devil. During the Time of Comfort there will be no sickness or disease, no need for doctor’s, accordingly there will be no need for medicines or cures; therefore the people will believe the lie assuming they are living in Paradise, but the purpose is to test their love for God. In our season the wars are without, the danger within, in their season it will be Peace without, and danger working its way in.
Isaiah said in the last days the Lord will bring a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, as a flood of mighty waters (Isa 28:2). The flood of water destroyed the earth in the days of Noah, the flood of people from all tongues and nations will cause the earth to be destroyed in the latter days (Rev 12:15 & 17:15). Isaiah says, Lucifer destroyed the cities of the world and destroyed his own land (Isa 14:17 & 14:20). God won’t destroy the world, man will; it’s appointed unto all men once to die, then comes the judgment.
John called the great battle, Armageddon (Rev 16:16). Zechariah said, “In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem and as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon” (Zech 12:11). Ezekiel says, a sixth part of Gog will be left before the finish of the battle; then Gog will turn and go after those in peace, then God will bring them upon the mountains of Israel (Ezek 39:2). Gog is not a nation, but a leader, he will be left with a sixth part of his army. God will put hooks in his jaw and bring him back to the battle again (Ezek 38:4). They will come like a cloud or like the smoke from the pit attempting to overtake the whore (Ezek 38:9 & Rev 17:16). This is the great company with many horses of battle, they will come against the City by climbing the walls, but then Israel will have all her land to the river Euphrates. The Euphrates will be the place of protection, until the angels of the river allow the world to invade. The Lord will bring a great pestilence and blood and rain upon the people with hailstones, fire and brimstone to shorten the time (Ezek 38:21-22). Zechariah says, only a third will pass the fire of God (books and Book of Life); two thirds will be consumed by the fire (Zech 13:8).
This shows the evidence of the last days is truly contained in the Testimony of the Law and Prophets, they won’t need the Book of Revelation to know Rebellion is still Rebellion, and Repentance is still Repentance. The Book of Revelation speaks against the Bad Fish in our Season, but it gives the Good Fish incentive to endure by the Faith of Jesus, and endure we will, until we are called to meet Jesus in the Air. We know this is the Day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it. Now we can go on to the Good News, it’s going to be the Best News we could hope for.
By Rev. G. E. Newmyer – s.b.i. les9rev 11/©2003
