Bible, NT-21, Metaphors/Allegories
Part 1
LESSON 21
METAPHORS & ALLEGORIES
PART 1
By Rev. G. Evan Newmyer
INTRODUCTION LESSON 21
Before we continue on with the New Testament Letters we must gain some knowledge regarding metaphors, allegories, and numbers. Paul used many allegories, as did Peter, John and of course Jude. It will be difficult to know what they are talking about, unless we can gain a foothold on these matters. If we think none of these writers used metaphors we have to ask, When is the last time you saw a “well without water” sitting in a pew? What does it mean? Both the word Well and Water remind us of how Jesus said we would be wells with Living water springing forth, so are we really wells? Jesus said we are sheep, so are we little lambs who have gone astray? We know these terms are metaphors, but are there other symbols not as obvious? One is of course the “Word of God”, which we could limit to the Bible alone, missing the concept of the “Word in us”, or the “spoken Word of God”. Peter tells us we need the “sincere milk of the Word” (I Pet 2:2), meaning to hear the basics, not simply read the Bible. The Pharisees read the Scriptures, but didn’t understand a thing about Jesus. We don’t want to make these mysteries “science fiction”, or twist them to fit our own thinking. If we have to take a number and divide it by itself, add the sum, slip in the last verse, scratch behind our ear, then bark at the moon, we have taken the concept too far. Paul never said, “well brothers we know Ishmael had three eyes, each one a different color, thus we must divide his nose by his ears, to find the mystery”. We know we can take any verse and stretch it, twist it, or make it fit our own thinking, ending taking it beyond the purpose in the verse. The same is true with allegories, metaphors and numbers; let’s keep them within the given meanings, rather than form a science fiction space adventure melting in the heat of the sun. We want to find the mysteries, not make them up; Amen?
Of course there are saying or verses which are not allegories, or metaphors. The Faith of Jesus is not a metaphor, it’s real. On the same note we can take our measure of faith, call it the “Faith of Jesus”, which is not an allegory, but a fable. The same is true with baptism, we can say we had a vision and John the Baptist came to us and baptized us, thus our baptism is the “true baptism”. Wrong, we know John’s baptism ended at the Cross, thus it would be error, heresy, and really weird, but not an allegory.
We will examine many areas in the realm of Metaphors and Allegories, more specifically, their benefits and dangers. Nearly all error can be attributed to an extended Metaphor or an Allegory taken literally, or taken beyond its intended purpose. Neither do we want to make the mistake of making everything a metaphor, Jesus casts out devils, not metaphors. The concept of Abraham’s Bosom is a metaphor, we know the actual bosom of Abraham wasn’t extended to become Paradise, rather it referred to a place of faith, rather than the reward for the doer of the Law.
However, we can’t ignore the metaphor either, or push it to one side by saying, “Oh it’s just a saying”. If Jesus said it, it had purpose and meaning. We will not attempt to cover each and every metaphor, but in the process we will see many as they tell a truth within the Truth, without changing the Truth. These metaphors and allegories are the fun part, the real opening of an adventure into the mysteries; however, as a word of caution, let’s keep them within the God given boundaries.
METAPHORS AND ALLEGORIES – BENEFITS & DANGERS
It’s apparent God uses metaphors and allegories, as does most of His prophets. Understanding the metaphors and allegories helps us discern what the Spirit is saying to the Church in these last days. These areas can be abused by the extremist, or ignored by the fundamentalist, but when we keep them in the confines God has laid out they become keys to opening mysteries. In Proverbs 25:2 we find the Glory of God is to conceal a thing: but the honor of kings is to search out a matter. God told Aaron and Miriam “I the Lord will make Myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream”. Paul said we prophesy in part (I Cor 13:9); thus many of the prophesies in the Bible contain metaphors. A metaphor is not a definition, the Logos is defined as To speak as a word of expression of intellect, but the metaphor shows the Logos is Jesus (Jn 1:1). The Rhema (or Rema) is defined as a series of words, or the operative, or substance of the words, but the metaphor points to Spirit and Life (Jn 6:63); Rhema ears seek to hear things concerning the Spirit or Life. Therefore, we don’t want to confuse the meaning of a metaphor with the definition of the word.
The argument against strict fundamentalist thinking is found in the mysteries defined in the allegories and metaphors. The fundamentalist sees the word “Rock”, to them it means Rock, or they define it as a stone (Greek Lithos rather than Petros). The extremist sees Rock, then attempts to make it the moon. Both produce error, each is countered through the check and balance of properly defining metaphors and allegories. Paul said the Rock was Christ, Jesus said He would build His Church on the Rock, so does it mean we have to find the Stony hill Jesus was talking about before we can go to Church? No, metaphors, the Rock is Christ the Body, or the Body of Christ. We know the Rock is not Peter, since Peter was not Born Again, was not Christian, or Christ like, yet Paul said the Rock was Christ. Jesus takes from the Rock to build His Church, He does not use the world, or other religious bodies, one must be in the Rock (Body) before they can consider being of the Church.
Nearly all Whacko theology can be traced to the misuse of a metaphor or allegory. This doesn’t mean we should ignore the metaphors and allegories, rather we must be able to define them. Once defined and kept in the proper order metaphors and allegories are more than tools, they open an entire wonderful area so we can know the things God has concealed. We as kings search out those things, adding to Proverbs 25:2 we find Proverbs 25:4-5 tells us how searching will separate the dross from the silver (redemption), as the vessel will be prepared for the Refiner (to purge by fire), securing the king in Righteousness. We don’t want to build strongholds by misusing metaphors, but like any gift from God we can use them in a Godly manner by separating the Precious from the vile, or twist them into the dross.
When Paul speaks of mysteries, he shows there are underlying adventures in the various words and concepts leading us into a spiritual awareness of Jesus. Paul used Hagar and Ishmael as allegories to prove how important allegories are. He also used the principles of marriage to show us the mystery pointing to Christ and the Church (Gal 4:22-26 & Eph 5:32). The argument against the extremist thinking is proper spiritual discipleship in the use of allegories and metaphors. The simple conclusion shows the heart of all allegories and metaphors point to Jesus.
Of course we know spiritual matters to the carnal mind appear as foolishness, or useless. Therefore, we must have the New Man to guide us into the mysteries, by defining the metaphors. Joseph had the gift of interpreting dreams, but his dreams were a mass of metaphors (Gen 37:7 & 37:9). If the dreams were not metaphoric in content how did Jacob see the “sun” as himself? (Gen 37:9-11). Dreams are generally warnings (Gen 20:3, Matt 1:20, 2:12 et al), visions are not. A vision comes when we are awake, or in those moments when we are not asleep, but not really awake either (Job 33:15 & Numb 24:4). A vision is a mental picture, which can be in the mind alone, or something we see, generally they point to a future happening (Gen 15:1, Dan 2:19, Matt 17:9, Acts 9:12 et al). However, we don’t want to confuse dreams or visions based on a bad meal, or a lustful desire. Neither do we want to miss what God is saying in dreams and visions (Acts 2:16-17).
We may point out one basis of an allegory, or metaphor, but the Spirit may lead you into a deeper meaning for the particular event you are facing, or for someone you are ministering to. Mankind spends years in natural intellectual endeavors, but one session with the Spirit out weighs them all. Discipline absent the Spirit of Truth, is not being disciplined at all. Training without the Spirit of Truth is not training at all; knowledge without the Spirit of Truth is absent knowledge. The carnal mind thinks its opinions are Truth, but if you reject Truth you are not disciplined. Metaphors and Allegories are one of the methods God uses to bring us into the light, for unto us it is granted to know the mysteries (Matt 13:11).
When we read the various New Testament letters, especially Jude’s we see various strange terms, then wonder what is a “wave of the sea”? Or “a tree”? Then we read some of Paul’s comments we wonder, “What has Hagar got to do with Israel?”. In this lesson we will explore Metaphors and Allegories, with their benefits, and dangers. Danger? Yes, but simply because a carnal mind misuses a spiritual principle, it doesn’t mean the principle is error, rather it shows the misuse is the error. However, on the other hand we find the knowledge of metaphors seems to sharpen our spiritual awareness.
Numbers are important as well, but when we have to make up mysteries, we have taken the context too far. If we have to stretch a metaphor, allegory or number to the breaking point in order to make it fit our thinking, we’re in big trouble. Whackos are bad enough, but even the most sincere person can fall into the trap of making a mystery, where there is none.
We know Jesus is the “Lamb of God” (Jn 1:29), we also know He is the “Shepherd and Bishop” of our souls (I Pet 2:25), so how can a lamb be a shepherd? Sounds like some type of weird evolution. Not so, merely metaphors giving us positions. David was a shepherd, but called himself one of the Lord’s sheep, so was David really a sheep? No, we are members of the “Body of Christ”, so does it mean there is a one fleshly body with millions of heads stuck to it? We read about “seals”, especially in the Book of Revelation, but are these real “seals” found in the ocean? Does the Gospel have closures called seals? Are “seals” locks keeping man out? What are they? We read about “doors” and “windows”, so does God live in a two story? Or an apartment building? All metaphors given to us by God so we can understand matters a little easier. It doesn’t take long in reading the Bible to know God uses metaphors, allegories, and parables.
When one reads the Book of Revelation they see many metaphors, if they don’t understand the metaphoric content they will think the “mark” of the Beast is some computer chip, or a mark made with a branding iron. The metaphor Mark means one is identified to a premise or object by their acts and ways. Clearly the Mark of the Beast has to do with money, based on the words “buy and sale”, but does it mean to buy and sale anything? Yikes, we’re all doomed!! Hold on, the metaphor to buy and sale means to do business as the world does, to engage in the barter mentality, or use the same “money is power” thinking the world uses. To the world money is power, and power is money, they use money to get their way, to force change, or manipulate businesses. If it’s legal, or appears it might be, the world will use it, regardless of whom it may hurt. Surely if the Mark was simply buying then Paul would never have stayed at the house of Lydia, the seller of purple. It’s the nature of greed, do we do business in the same cut-throat manner is the world? Are we in this for financial gain? Do we give, just so we can gain? Is our motive to be rich and famous? Or is our motive to please the Lord? Does money regulate our decisions? Does money impress us, or motivate us? Money is a tool, but when the tool rules over the builder, the builder is in trouble.
Not only do we find the Book of Revelation filled with metaphors, but what about Paul’s comments on “women”? Does he really mean the wife has to remain silent? Or is he using metaphors? If he means the wives, does it mean the widows and single women can run the pews? If a “wife” is to learn at home, what does it say about the teaching in the church? If a wife is to remain silent, how can she pray? If the wife’s head is her husband, and the face is attached to the head, and the mouth to the face, it would seem the husband has to remain silent. Metaphors, when we miss the metaphor our own carnal natural thinking will end putting our sisters in the Lord in bondage to carnal rules which have nothing to do with being Spiritual in nature. It’s best to learn these matters, and seek the Liberty of Christ, Amen?
Without knowing these many metaphors and allegories we cannot gain from many of the mysteries, yet we don’t want to make up mysteries either. Metaphors are a two-edged sword, on one side we find many great and marvelous things, on the other we can allow our wild imaginations to lead us into deep trouble. Simply, any of us can take a Bible related metaphor and run wild with it, or keep it as intended and hold another key to the Kingdom. The old man loves to be the only one who knows a mystery, so he makes up his own mysteries, often from metaphors. The old saying, “I have a revelation the Body isn’t ready for”, is a sign post showing the spirit of man has just moved into a theological position with another fable based stronghold. If the person is a member of the Body, they’re not ready either. They allowed the old man to counterfeit the voice of God, then formed a type of, “I know something you don’t know” thinking. This lust to be the special of the special, or better than all the other members of the Body is the source of legalist thinking and the mother of Whacko mentality, a road we want to avoid.
Metaphors and Allegories are defined in the Bible, we need not make up some unending formula to define them. Metaphors, Allegories and Numbers are all important, we don’t want to take from the premise, but neither do we want to scare someone half to death, we simply want to use caution. For example why did God tell us the creation was from evening to morning? Why did He rest on the Seventh Day? Was He subject to time? Was there a calendar back then? If God rests on the Seventh Day does the universe stop? All important issues, needing to be explored. God tells us things to expand our knowledge of Him, in the expansion we fall deeper in love. A fantasy love affair is based in not knowing the person, a firm love is based on knowing them, as we are known.
There are many books on the “hidden” things in the Bible, but every mystery is defined in the Bible. Forcing numbers to fit some mysterious code is not finding a mystery, it’s making one. We can take any number or metaphor and stretch it to fit our thinking, but it doesn’t mean we’ve discovered a mystery, it only means we made one up. For years the famed “666” was used to fit the names of people based on ones political hatred, or some fear of another religious body. The verse reads, “Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and the number is Six hundred threescore and six” (Rev 13:18). This is not Knowledge but Wisdom, thus the number has to do with the manner in which we deal with people or events. It’s the number of the Beast, but it’s also the number of A man, it doesn’t say the man is the Beast. However, two words in the text tend to draw on the lusts of man. Those two words? Wisdom, and Understanding; of course we know they refer to the Wisdom and Understanding of God, but when a lust sees those two words it tells us, “if I can figure out the number then I must be wise and of understanding, I will have a mystery no one else does”. In the Greek the word for the phrase “number of a man” is Anthropos meaning natural man, it’s a generic term, but nonetheless it’s still the number of a man, not the number of men; however, keep in mind the man is not the Beast, nor the Beast the man. It’s the number drawing our interest, so where do we find it in the Bible? Revelation 13:18, the only place, now what? How about relating it to man, but what man? Jacob took 66 into Egypt, so it could relate to Egypt; Nebuchadnezzar’s image was 6 by 60, or 6-6, it could relate as well since it was the “image of a man”. If we go to Adam the first man, we find he was created and formed on the sixth day, along with him we find the creation of the creeping things, and the beast of the earth (Gen 1:25). We know the Second Beast is the Beast of the Earth, so we have many connections to show this number leads to the “lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life”, the motivating power of the world. It has to make sense the beast of the earth is the son of perdition, what else would he promote? Allowing our imaginations to make this some whacko with computer chips running around the world implanting them in our minds, removes man from free moral choice. The context of the text shows Choice is granted to all, they can take the number, or reject it, no one can force people to worship the Beast, or use the ways of the Beast, they make a choice to do so, or not. The three Hebrew children had choice as well, not even Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon could force them to worship the image.
If we make the Beast a person, then we will run around adding letters, or pointing to a human, when the text shows it’s the number of a man, not the man. The point being we have seen over the years how many have taken the number “666”, then used the Greek numbering system naming all sorts of people as “The Antichrist”, yet their Antichrist dies, then they pick another “Antichrist”. First John says there are many antichrists run by the spirit of antichrist, yet we find they came from us, thus in order to be “antichrist” in nature, one must be privy to having the Christ nature. The enemies of man are of his own house. In the entire Bible the term “antichrist” is never attached to a single person, it’s to a group who are run by the “he in the world” (I Jn 4:1-4). What does the he in the world promote? The lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life.
Worldly thinking and wisdom makes its own rights and wrongs, if the world says it’s Legal, then it’s a right. Moral? Who cares, as long as they have a “right”, or can stretch the law of the land to fit their thinking, but the thinking is based in the pride of life, a “6” associated with man being run by the spirit of man. Paul tells us the spirit of man doesn’t know the things of the Spirit of God (I Cor 2:11), yet the spirit of the world is opposed to the Spirit which is of God (I Cor 2:12). James tells us of the spirit lusting to envy, with the word Envy meaning incapable of doing good (James 4:5), they are the self same spirit of man known as the spirit of disobedience, the natural force now working in the children of wrath (Eph 2:2-3). If natural worldly man wants something, he figures out a way to get it, then justifies the means, which is the lust of the eye, another “6”. Man seeks to preserve his flesh, which is the lust of the flesh, another “6”. When confronted with the Mark, anyone who is run by those “6’s” will take it, they want to preserve their flesh, they want what they want, since the powers of the world say it’s “legal”, they will say it’s “right”. It’s still related to the world, or to worldly methods. “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not the friendship of the world is enmity with God?” (James 4:4), “love not the world, neither the things of the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (I Jn 2:15). Jesus said, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (Jn 16:33), and “when He, the Spirit of Truth (Greater He in us I Jn 4:1-4) is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak, and He will show you things to Come” (Jn 16:13). The division is between the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and the spirit of the world, if we use the spirit of the world we are bait for the Beast.
Is this famed “mark of the beast” only set for the far distant future? Not hardly, Revelation 20:4-6 shows those who enter the Rapture before the 1,000 years of the Night refused the mark in their “foreheads”. Why forehead? It’s were our thinking is, our motivation, our reasoning. The mark on the hand points to ability, we can talk about being Christian, yet hold to the old man, we are “marked” with the world. Does it mean if we slip we’re doomed? No, it means we mind the Spirit, or at least try to on a daily basis.
The world is the world, we are the Kingdom, two completely different areas, with completely different standards. They are overcome, we overcome by the Faith of Jesus. We call the called from the world, we don’t go and play with the un-regenerated in the world.
What is a metaphor? A Metaphor is defined as A phrase or series of words forming a Figure of Speech in which one object or an idea is compared or identified with another object or idea to suggest a similarity between the two. For example we know the phrase “he is a pillar of the church”, yet the word Pillar means An upright structure, usually of stone, wood or metal, serving as a support for a building, or stands alone as a monument. Does it mean this “he” is some stone monument? Could it be God turned him into stone? No, we know it means he is a support to the Body, thus by reading the suggestion we know the subject matter intended. The same is true with the metaphor “putting all your eggs in one basket”; does it mean we have to go about searching for eggs? Of course not, we know the metaphor means putting our wealth in one natural element is dangerous. How about “counting your chickens, before they hatch”? Does it mean we are in the chicken business? No, we know it means not to count on something before we have it, or not to count on something before it’s in hand. How about a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush? Do we go about with a bird in our hand? No, we know it means something in possession, is far better than twice not in possession. We have no trouble defining “the Lamb of God” as Jesus being a Sacrifice, but is Jesus really a little lamb? No, it’s a metaphor pointing to the Sacrifice. These are metaphors, things suggesting a subject, without really identifying the subject, yet making a correlation helping us identify what the subject is talking about.
How about “the Rock”? Jesus said a man who builds on the Rock has a firm foundation, but then He said He would build His Church on the Rock, so who does the building? Two different things, one metaphor. In the context of us building it was the difference between building on the Rock (Christ) or on the Sand (Law of Moses). We are the ones who build the Rock, Jesus builds the Church from the Rock. What about the sand? Does it mean we can never own a beach front home? No, we know the Rock is a metaphor for Christ, or the Body of Christ, the Sand a metaphor for Israel. Simply, we build on Christ Jesus, not the Law of Moses.
If we take and mix metaphors and get into trouble, for instance Jesus looked at Peter and said, “Upon this Rock I will build My Church”. The name Peter means “a piece of the rock”, so was Jesus saying the Church was to be built on Peter? Doesn’t sound right since we know the Kingdom is not flesh and blood, plus at the time Peter was not what one would call a “spiritual leader”. Did it mean the knowledge Peter received is the Rock? No, since Jesus didn’t say, “Blessed are you Simon for thou has received a piece of the Rock”. The name Peter meaning “a piece of the rock”, adding Jesus used Peter’s other name of Simon shows how Jesus was separating Simon Bar-Jona from the total of the Rock. Was Peter the only piece of the Rock? No, John, James, and yes even Judas were also pieces. Paul defined the metaphor Rock as Christ, then used the term in respect to the purpose of the children of God in the wilderness. They were not the Rock, but they saw water coming from it, which relates to us as Spirit filled saints with the Living Water flowing from us. Paul also equated us to the Bread, so are we really a loaf of bread turning into a Rock? No, we understand the Bread relates to Life, the Rock to the Body.
The metaphors used help define the process, displaying how Jesus said some will come to Him saying, “Lord, Lord haven’t we”, yet He tells them to depart. It makes more sense when we can see Judas was part of the Rock, but he was never a part of the Church. The Rock is the place between places, it’s not the Church, it’s not the world, it’s akin to the kingdom of heaven, a place, but not a personage. The Kingdom of God is different, it relates to personage, evidenced by the New Man. Jesus handed us the Bread and Cup, but said the New Testament was in His Blood, He didn’t say it was the Body, or the Cup. The kingdom of heaven is important, the Rock is important, since one cannot be formed into the Church without being of the Rock. Jesus never said He would build His Church from the world, from Hinduism, from Tao, from the Muslims, or Judaism, it was the Rock alone.
Tolerance in the world’s view is also seen as compromise by God, allowing someone to hold the illusion of their supposed good works are better than the efforts of Jesus is doing the person an injustice. Yet, informing them, and forcing them are different, we inform, they make their own decision.
An Extended Metaphor is defined as Taking the Metaphor beyond its intended use, or purpose, usually ending in heresy. If we took the prior Metaphor, “he is a pillar of the church”, then extended it to mean the “he” was the only pillar of the Church, or the Church is supported only by the person, we would form a heresy. It would be the same as making Peter the only person within the Rock, which would introduce another Law, only it would be the “Law of Peter”. Not very smart considering all God said about putting people between us and God.
A metaphor is not a Scenario, nor is it a Hypothetical; a scenario is a rough outline of a synopsis of a dramatic work; whereas a hypothetical is based on a hypothesis, or a supposed assumption. An example of a Hypothetical would be looking at something, determining what we think the something means, then setting out to prove it. Much, if not all of science is based on hypothetical thinking, they find a little piece of a bone, then set out to form what they think the creature looked like from the bone. Hypothetical thinking is dangerous in the Kingdom, we wonder “what if?”, then form a hypothetical. What if Adam had wings, then he could fly around like a bird. That’s it, Adam could fly. Not hardly, Adam named the birds, he didn’t become one. The same is true with Inferences, an inference is the act of drawing conclusions, but it can be based on an assumption, or an a conclusion based on known evidence. An unrelated, unsupported inference based on assumption would be Peter as the one and only Rock, a connected inference would be using the Greek words, plus other evidence to show Peter is a piece of the Rock, not the entire Rock.
An Allegory is much different, when Nathan the prophet came to David and talked about a man who took the lamb of another, we know the Allegory pointed to David taking Bathsheba from Uriah, but the prophet used symbols to make the correlation. An allegory compares one real thing to another; although they don’t seem to relate, they do by some element common between the two. Paul used Hagar as an allegory in reference to Mount Sinai, then as an allegory to Jerusalem of the earth, but it doesn’t mean Hagar was the Mount, or the city, rather Paul showed Hagar and her circumstances held a similarity to the Mount and Jerusalem of the earth. God didn’t build Jerusalem, He found it, cleaned it, then adopted it; however, God did create Mount Zion upon which the city sits. Wait, Rock? Church? Zion? Jerusalem? Would it point to a mystery? Could be, God created Zion, the Rock upon which the city of Jerusalem is built, but man built the city. The complete opposite is found in the Kingdom, we are brought into the Rock, then made fishers of men to build the Rock, but we don’t build the Church (New Jerusalem), Jesus does.
Any of us know Hagar was around long before the Law, yet neither the Law or Jerusalem is some human, but Hagar was. One could see how the Woman in the Book of Revelation is a “city”, but is the city really a woman? No, but it shows how God clearly points to human traits to identify things, just as the Holy Ghost uses allegories and metaphors to give us mysteries. One sign of someone who has the Spirit is how these areas cause an excitement within, they want to know the mysteries, not for self-importance, but because the Spirit in them wants to reveal the things the Holy Ghost had the men of Old write for us.
Jude says the Wicked are spots in our feasts of love, trees whose fruit has withered, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots, and many other things. Peter talks about “dogs”, as does John, so does it mean not all dogs go to heaven? Does it mean if someone does something evil, they turn into a dog? Yikes, now what? Easy, they are metaphors and allegories, not mystical magic.
Allegories and metaphors compare one thing to another to draw a likeness for simple identification. By comparing Hagar to the Law we find the product is Ishmael. Is it what God intended? No, but Paul shows the Law of Moses is designed for a people who lack a God centered inner conscience, but we who are Born again have the New Man (Spirit of Truth). The Law of Moses isn’t bad, but it was designed for a people who had the tendency to do bad things. Paul then shows how we must cast out the Ishmael with the Hagar, so what does it mean? We are under a completely different process, none of us can lawfully pick a deed or two from the Law of Moses and use them to gain by. We can’t deny Hagar, yet use Ishmael. Did you understand that? It was an allegory showing the tendency to toss out the Law of Moses, but grab a deed here or there to expand our self-righteousness. If we tossed out Hagar, yet adopted Ishmael, we’re still in bondage.
If we didn’t know Paul was using an allegory, we would think Paul was telling us Hagar was around when Moses obtained the Law, or Ishmael followed the Law, or Hagar was buried in Israel, then she grew into the city, like a carrot. Any of those would be “thoughts of a whacko”. The Holy Ghost gave Paul a picture to explain something, making a clear comparison to the reader. This clearly falls within Proverbs 25:2, it’s the Glory of God to use these matters, but the honor of a king to find their meaning.
Anyone who has read Genesis knows Ishmael mocked the son of promise, all Ishmaels mock the promise, yet they can be blessed, but they are not a blessing. Hagar was the bondwoman, yet she gave birth to the son of Abram, but the son was not subject to the Promise, yet he was blessed. Did Abram love Ishmael? Yes, but it didn’t make Ishmael subject to the promise. God talked to Hagar about Ishmael, He talked to Abraham about Ishmael, but God never talked to Ishmael. Ishmael’s are products of manipulation, and compromise, they are half Egypt and half blessed of God based on a relationship with another God is dealing with, but they are never blessed based on a personal connection with God. We can have an Ishmael and see what we suppose is a blessing, but it’s hanging on our back, causing us to compromise to get the blessing, it will soon hold us in bondage. Ishmaels will lie to get what they want, they will mock the Promised Son to exalt their self.
The Law of Moses was not “of Promise” it was a tool God used to bring the children into the Promised Land in order to teach them obedience. God never promised Abraham, “I shall grant you and your seed the Law after Moses”. The Law is then a type of Ishmael, as Hagar a type of the Mount from where the Law came. While Moses was gaining the Ten Commandments the children were making the golden calf, as well as violating each of the Commandments. Ishmaels will praise the Lord, but only for they can get. Ishmaels will tempt, or test the Lord as did the children in the wilderness, thus when we are Born Again those days of testing God, or using manipulating prayers to get our way are suppose to be gone. It’s the point isn’t it?
A Mixed Metaphor is defined as an Expression in which two or more metaphors are combined in an illogical and contradictory manner. For example the phrase “To take arms against the sea of troubles”, takes the metaphors Arms and Sea of Troubles mixing them to make a point. We know it doesn’t mean to take up physical arms against some storm at Sea, rather the metaphor points to two things. The first is the word Arms, which we know points to weapons, then the metaphor Sea refers to the world, adding the word Troubles shows the troubles of the world. When they come against us, we pick up Godly weapons. In this we find the Weapons of our warfare are not carnal, nor worldly, but we also see the area of battle in this case is based on the troubles of the Sea, not the Sand, or the Rock. Those troubles can follow us into the Wilderness; Jesus warned us about taking the cares (troubles) of the world. With this, we can take the metaphor then presume we must change the world, rather than be free of the troubles of the world. The Bible shows us the outcome of the world, Jesus said He has overcome the world, thus for us to make some attempt to make the world the Kingdom is really fighting God. We call the called from the world, we don’t become the world. Would it be easier to say “Take the weapons of your warfare and stand against the troubles of the world”? Perhaps, but God has filled the Bible with Metaphors, it’s far better to explore His Knowledge, than attempt to make Him carry out our agenda.
Parables are a type of metaphor, yet different. Parables are not illustrations, since an illustration need not be true to prove the point, whereas a Parable must be based in some truth to explain another truth. For instance, if we tossed a rock into the air saying, “there see, it’s the way planes fly”, it would be an illustration, since rocks don’t fly, but it would not be a Parable. However, if we pointed to a bird, then described the wing structure, or how the wind moves about the wing of the bird to produce flight, then used it to show the flight of a airplane, it would be a truthful illustration, but still not a parable, since it has no point in reference to the way of life. Ahh, a Parable must also give us some value to a way of life, plus it must be based on a truth. When Jesus told us about a “seed” being planted, He used a real truth to explain another. The seed doesn’t come out of the package as a plant, it takes Time, Patience, Ground and Water before it becomes a plant. If we take a seed and set it on the table, then watched it for weeks, what would it do? Nothing, but if we planted it in good soil, watered it, then cared for it, what would happen? It would grow. We are in a Covenant, a Covenant requires at least two parties, with duties for each. Not works of the flesh, but duties nonetheless. What do we think, “seek ye the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness” means? How about the other side, “and these things shall be added”? Covenant talk, duties based on a mutual good.
Studying parables we find all sorts of things, Jesus told us to “say unto the mountain”, so what mountain? Go find a mountain and say unto it, what happened? It just stood there. Jesus also told us to say “unto the tree”, so what tree? Go into the backyard and say to the tree, what happened? Nothing, hum must not work for you. Not so, a natural thinking person would walk out in the backyard say “go” to the family orange tree, if didn’t go they would assume they either had no faith, or Jesus was wrong, in most cases they would say the Bible was wrong since it didn’t work for them. We know better, we know the Tree is a symbol, in the case of saying Go to it, it was saying Go to the Fig Tree, but what does the Fig Tree represent? Back in the Garden we know Adam used fig leaves to cover his flesh, thus the religious order of Israel is metaphorically termed a “fig tree”; as a way to cover the flesh, not a way to be free of it. We can’t build our House on the Fig Tree expecting it to turn to Grace. God has Laws for various people in various realms or principalities, using a law for a group we are not part of makes us an outlaw.
The Olive Tree is much different, it refers to the Anointing of Mercy in the New Covenant. What would happen if we said Go to the Olive Tree? Wow, better know what Tree to say Go to, and what Tree we adhere to. Metaphors all over the place, we need to know what they represent, as they differ from Parables and Allegories. The Olive Tree produces Olives, the Olives are placed under pressure to produce the Oil. We find the New Testament saint used Olive Oil, not the famed Anointing Oil of the Law of Moses. The Anointing Oil under the Law of Moses was used once, it would be unlawful and a violation of God’s rules to make the oil Moses used again, much less use it. Figs do not produce oil, we can mash figs until they are nothing more than liquid, then put a match to them watching the match go out, thus figs were not designed by God to produce light, but Olives were.
Metaphors in the Bible are not always defined by their first usage. For example the metaphor Word isn’t defined until we get to John’s Account of the Gospel. Yet, the first place we find the metaphor Word is in Genesis 15:1 when “the Word of the Lord came to Abram”, but we also find the Voice of the Lord walked with Adam. How did He do that? Wow a walking voice, sounds strange doesn’t it? The Hebrew word is Kole, meaning a voice or sound, thus we find God Himself didn’t walk with Adam, but the Voice of the Lord did. No man has seen God at anytime, the evidence proved it. If we seek the Adam nature we may hear the voice of the Lord, but we won’t understand what the Voice is saying. If we seek the Christ nature we will hear, and understand. In this case there is no metaphor, only a understanding of the words used.
From John’s account we find In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, and the Word was God, then the Word became flesh. Therefore, the Word “was” before the Beginning, thus all creation is for the Word, not Adam. Does it mean Jesus made a personal appearance before Abram? No, it means when the Word of the Lord came to the people of Old it came verbally pointing to Jesus (Spirit of Christ) in some fashion. What about the angels? What about them? They did appear, but an angel of the Lord carries the Word of the Lord, just as you and I as angels of the Lord carry the Word of the Lord. We are not the Lord, but we do represent Him. We find angels don’t play with the Word they are entrusted to give, as they hear, so they give. So much so, it appears many times as if the Lord Himself is speaking, yet it says an angel was speaking. If someone told us, “I want you to go to them and say, ‘I have said you shall not”, and don’t you change one word”, we would go and say, “I have said you shall not”. If the person knows we are a representative, they have no problem in knowing from where the message came. Do we find something in our everyday life equating to the premise? Yes, the New Man tells us as He hears, thus we say, “the Lord has told me”, but did the Lord Himself tell us? Or was it the Spirit of Truth in us? John 16:13 explains it, showing the Spirit of Truth hears and speaks, thus it was the Lord who told us, but He told us via the Holy Ghost to the Spirit of Truth, to our souls.
We know God spoke before Genesis 15:1, but nonetheless the first time we find the “Word of the Lord” is in Genesis 15:1; therefore, we also find the first thing the Word of the Lord said was “Fear Not”. This shows us Jesus is the purpose of Faith, Through Him we gain perfect Love casting out Fear (I Jn 4:18). How about Love? We know God so loved the world, He gave His only begotten son, so was the world created by His Love as well? The first time we find the word “love” in the Bible it refers to the love Abraham had for Isaac (Gen 22:2). This shows the world was created based on Love, but not a Love for the world, but a Love the Father has for the Son. The next place we find the concept of Love is in Genesis 24:67, where it has to do with a husband’s love for his wife, thus we find the Love Jesus has for the Bride. The next time we see the concept of love it’s much different, it has do with a love of the flesh (Gen 27:4). Three areas of love, give us allegories. The Father loved the Son, the Son loves the Bride, but the love of the flesh attempts to disrupt the entire process.
The next thing the Word said, “I Am your shield and your exceeding great reward” (Gen 15:1). Doesn’t it sound like Jesus? Is the Faith of Jesus our Shield? Yes, He is the Great Reward for those who Diligently seek. These examples show us the importance of knowing Metaphors and Allegories and their use. However, Paul warned us about holding Imaginations, the word Imagination is first used in Genesis 6:5 in reference to the building of the Tower of Babel, pointing to Confusion, yet it’s not defined until Paul opens the concept, which happens to be the last place the word Imagination is used (II Cor 10:5).
A classic example of a metaphor is found in Matthew 10:37 when Jesus said, “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me”. It makes sense until we get to Luke 14:26 where Jesus said, “If any man come to Me, and hate not his father, and mother…..”. What say thee? How can someone who represents the same Father who said, “honor thy mother and father” say hate them? Metaphors, with understanding the language. Some of us use Luke to continue to hate our parents, then say, “well Jesus said to”. Wrong, we find the Greek word Apotassetai in Matthew explaining Luke. Apotassetai is the middle voice of Apotasso, from Apo, with Tasso meaning To properly arrange. In Luke we find the Greek word Miseo which usually means to hate, but when used in contrast we find it points to arrangements, thus in Luke we find it as the 3rd person singular. Every member of our natural family is human, unless we bring in Matthew 10:37 we could make the horrid mistake of hating our family with a passion, thinking hate is Godly. Therefore Matthew 10:37 defines the word Hate in Luke 14:26 showing the word Hate is more of a metaphor. The legalist would take the word Hate thinking we are to hate our family, way wrong. It speaks of Priority, if we love family more than Jesus, we will compromise Jesus for the sake of the family order.
Proverbs 6:18 shows a heart can devise Wicked Imaginations, every place we find the metaphor Imaginations it means something against the knowledge of God. What does God know? All things, thus an Imagination is some natural reasoning regarding some information, event, or person. Natural reasoning is a source of the spirit of man, thus it lacks Godly insight and clarity to know the Truth. Natural reasoning always thinks it knows what is going on, but rarely has a clue. Natural reasoning makes a determination of an event, or what someone is doing, then forms an entire scenario. Natural intellect is still natural, the natural mind cannot understand the spiritual things of God (I Cor 2:14). We can have years of discipline, yet if it’s based on natural reasoning, or natural education, it’s still natural, meaning we still won’t understand the smallest spiritual truth. The Holy Ghost teaches by comparing spiritual to spiritual, yet spiritual matters are foolishness to the natural minded person.
Extended metaphors would be taking a proper metaphor, then adding a natural imagination to it, producing deception thinking the entire thing “came from the Spirit”. It would be half right, the metaphor was found in the Bible, so the basis did come from the Holy Ghost, but the imagination came from the spirit of man. As an example we could take the metaphor Sun, then assume any word connected to the word Sun in any manner relates to the metaphor, whether it’s the word Sun, or Light, or Bright, or Fire, some other word within the category. In Genesis 37:9-10 Jacob defined the metaphor “sun” pointing to him as the nation Israel, but we also have the Lights back in Genesis chapter one, so is Jacob a Light? Not hardly, we know The Light supplies Light to the Greater Light for the Day, the Lesser Light for the Night, showing they did not come into existence until the Light (Jn 1:6-10). The first time we find the words Sun and Moon linked together is in Genesis 37:9-10, so didn’t man know there was a sun and moon? Yes, but the Bible doesn’t link them together until the defining of the metaphors became necessary. This is a example of the metaphors being defined by the first usage when we find them in combination, but we can’t limit all definitions to the first usage. For instance “the Light” is defined in John’s Account as Jesus, but we first find it used in Genesis, thus we could assume the Light is the Sun, with the Sun being Jacob, yet we would end with “in the beginning was Jacob, and Jacob was light, and Jacob became Jesus”, hardly sound theology, or sound thinking in any regard.
Accordingly when we look at the Hebrew language we find the first place the Hebrew words for Sun, Moon and Stars are all joined together is in Genesis 37, where the Sun is described as a metaphor for the House of Jacob (nation Israel), the Moon the mother of Joseph, and the numbered Stars pointing to the twelve tribes of Israel. However, we also know the mother of Joseph was not the mother of all twelve sons, so is there a metaphor there as well? Yes, the “Woman” in the Book of Revelation has a crown with twelve stars, one star for each tribe, she has the Moon as her foundation, and she is clothed with the Sun. The Woman is not the Sun, she is not the twelve tribes, she is not the moon, since all these are see around her, thus they are her covering, or foundation, but they are not her. The same Woman is defined as a “city”, there is only one city on the earth fitting all those areas, Jerusalem of the earth, the one Paul called Hagar. Therefore, the Book of Revelation defines the Woman as the city of Jerusalem, at the same time we find the moon defined as Zion of the earth, the mount upon which the city sits. Would it make Zion or Jerusalem the mother of Joseph, how can it be? Wait, didn’t Paul say New Jerusalem is the mother of us all (Gal 4:26)? Yes, thus he saw the metaphor, then made an equation separating the two areas of Jerusalem and Zion, in bondage of the earth (Gal 4:25), the Free of heaven (Gal 4:26).
Taking the metaphors Sun, Moon and Stars and extending them all the way back to the Genesis account, leaves us in deep trouble. Why? There was more than two lights in the Genesis account. There was The Light, the Greater Light, and the Lesser Light, but the sun and moon are really one light of the sun, with the reflection on the moon. Yet, in the Genesis account the Greater Light and the Lesser Light were divided, each was a light unto itself, each obtained their light from The Light. It would appear God didn’t know the moon was merely reflecting the light of the sun, without understanding the metaphors the doubters would use Genesis to show the Bible was just a book written by man: “You see, Moses didn’t understand the moon reflecting the light of the sun, and his mistake proves the Bible is written by man”. Wrong, Moses had no idea of the Season of the Day for the Church, nor of the things of the Night, yet he wrote the words as he was told. God knew what lays ahead for man, we are given the mysteries, thus the true Author of the Bible is the Holy Ghost.
Abraham was told the children of Israel would number as the sand of the sea, but where is the “sand of the sea” in the Genesis account? There is no sand in the Genesis account, but there’s no mention of rain either. Did Moses know about rain? Yes, did he know about the sand of the sea? Yes, he was the scribe who wrote about it. If the Bible was written by man, surely man would have added those elements to the Genesis account. The evidence shows the Bible is the inspired document, yet it has mysteries written therein, many of those mysteries are found in the metaphors and allegories.
A classic use is found in three verses, all in the same chapter. In Daniel 7:9 we read: I beheld till the thrones were cast sown, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head like pure wool, His throne was like the fiery flame, His wheels as burning fire”. Taking it to Revelation chapter one where we find Jesus whose hair was white like wool, His eyes as a flame of fire, His feet as if they burned in a furnace (Rev 1:14-15). We would conclude the description is Jesus, until we get to Daniel 7:13 where we read: “one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heave, and came to the Ancient of days”. If the Ancient of days is Jesus, how is He comes to Himself? The word days is the Hebrew Yom the same word used in Genesis chapter 1. Then in Daniel 7:22 we read: “Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment” then the metaphor begins to take shape. In the beginning was the Word, but the Word was before there were “days”, yet the most Ancient of days is in Genesis chapter 1 when God finished the work for Judgment. We tend to look at the metaphor “Ancient of days” as a person, but it reflects to the Judgment being set in the most Ancient days. Then in Daniel 1:22 we find the saints will posses the Kingdom, meaning the end of time as man knows it. How does it define the Daniel 7:9? The same as John sees, the Judgment Jesus.
Look at Revelation 9:6-11, what is that? Shapes of Locusts, like unto horses, how many locusts do you see looking like a horse? Faces of men, hair as women, teeth of lions? What is that? Metaphors, not some monster out of the movies. Each one of those areas defines something, giving us the many facets of this group. We will learn how “hair” is a metaphor for the covering (anointing), in this context the covering is of women, or better of idols, it doesn’t mean all women are idols. Far from it, metaphors have little to do with gender classification, Paul has gained a bad reputation by some from just such a mistake. For some reason we claim “Liberty”, yet twist the words of Paul to put women in bondage. Paul used metaphors and allegories, when we understand them we can gain much, when we misuse them we put people in bondage.
These creatures in the Book of Revelation have tails like “scorpions”, but we have power over scorpions, apparently they don’t, rather we find their motivation is Scorpion influenced. Scorpions come at you with their claws, but their death is in their stinger, coming from behind, over the top. Deceptive? Yes, it’s the point, deception is always demonic, the first one to use deception was the devil. These creatures in the Book of Revelation are motivated by hate, greed and many other “rulers”, but it doesn’t mean they are some space creature from another galaxy.
Jesus told us to Work while it is yet Day, for the Night comes when no man can work. Was Jesus talking about a 24 hour day? Has it passed? Doesn’t the first chapter of Genesis show all Work complete? Didn’t God rest on the Seventh Day? Why then would Jesus tell us there is a time of Work? In Genesis 1:5, 1:8, 1:13, 1:19, 1:23 and 1:31 we have a specific time element for the creation in Genesis, all of which say, “evening and morning”; however, we know evening to morning points to the Night, not the Day. Does it mean God didn’t know the difference? Was God working swing-shift? I thought Light came, then creation, what happened? The answer is found in Genesis 2:1 where we find the wording, “were finished”, meaning Ready to be destroyed, connecting back to the Ancient of days. The first aspect of creation points to the result of rejecting either the Light of the Day, or the Light of the Night in their various Seasons and Times. God had Salvation in mind, but created and finished the elements of Judgment first: which is first will be last. Why? When the elements of Judgment were in place it proved above all things Salvation was coming. The Creation of the Day is the New Man, we are a New Creature based on a New Creation. If all creation was done in Genesis, we’re all living a dream. Not so, the New Birth is real, anyone who is Born Again knows it.
What promise did God make in the first creation? Let us make man in our Image, the prophecy is completed in the New Man (Rom 8:29), thus the work for Judgment began, but the prophecy for life was also given. If the creation was from evening to morning, then Adam and the Beast of the Field were both Night creations. Jesus as a Quickening Spirit is a Day Creator, not a Day creation.
In Genesis we also find the word Made (Formed), which is the Hebrew Asah meaning To fashion, or Predestined; whereas the Hebrew Bara holds an emphasis on the initiation of an object, not the altering or forming from one thing to another. We find the use of both Bara and Asah with the latter pointing to the altering or forming of the original, the former pointing to producing something from nothing. What importance would this hold for us? If we assume the New Birth is Asah, we error, it’s Bara, or a New Creature in Christ Jesus, not a recreation of man’s natural ability. We are not “re-birthed” by the Holy Ghost, we are Born Again (a second time) by having the Spirit, much different. This doesn’t mean a spirit in us is born again, it means we are. We were first born of the flesh, then we are Born Again of the Spirit. The Spirit is granted by the Holy Ghost, therein lays other matters. The Holy Ghost is part of the Record, the Spirit part of the Witness (I Jn 5:7-8). The purpose is for our souls to become Spirit by the Spirit. We were soul and flesh, the soul adopted the traits of the flesh, thus our souls were born into flesh, but after we receive the Spirit our souls are adopted by the Spirit into a Spiritual nature. The Holy Ghost brought the Seed, but the Seed is not the Birth. Jesus made a comparison, the flesh determines many things, no one in their right mind would equate conception the same as Birth. The product is there, but it doesn’t mean conception and birth are one in the same. There is a period of growth from the seed to the fetus, to birth. We are no different, Jesus said the Seed was planted, then came the Root, then came the Blade; it’s the Blade proving one is Born Again (Mark 4:13-20). Of course it’s metaphoric in nature, but we can see how Paul could say the Corinthians had the Spirit, but they were carnal, and not able to understand spiritual matters (I Cor 3:3 & 3:16). Having the Seed, or having the Root, doesn’t mean we are Born Again.
Unless we know which words are being used we won’t be able to discover the metaphor God is pointing to. Adding, we find Genesis 2:22 shows the woman was Taken from man, the word Taken is the Hebrew Banah meaning to Begin to build, it’s the prime root word for the word Build. This helps us understand what Jesus was saying about building the Church. Adam is akin to the Body, yet divided; there are some like the First Adam, some like the Second. Those like the Second Adam are heavenly in nature, they are taken from the Body then established as the Church by Jesus. Jesus is not going to use natural building material, He is looking for the potential Spiritual soul.
Both Tares and Wheat grow from the Rain and Sun, it depends on the seed used. If the Seed is good, the product is good, if the seed is bad the product is bad. Watering tares never gets rid of them, ignoring them won’t get rid of them either, pushing them deeper won’t make them go away. Pushing them deeper only allows the Root to become Stronger; showing there must be a creation for the Night, and a Creation for the Day. When Jesus entered the temple in Luke 4:18-19 the Day Spring came, our Age was opened; when our Age finishes then comes the Night.
Wheat? Tares? We know what they mean, they are another example of metaphoric use. How many of us spray weed killer in our ears to get rid of the tares? Not many, hopefully none, most of us would think the thought silly. Yet, a tare is like unto a “fox tail”, the Spray we use is the Living Water to rid us of tares.
This brings us to the metaphor Day which we found is the Hebrew Yom, not only does it mean the Day as we know it, but it also refers to Life. Jesus said He came to give us Life, so we may have it more abundantly, more abundant than what? Adam was a living soul, thus his life was soul based, really not bad, or evil, yet it’s the same life we gain at the Cross of Jesus, but we gain Life More Abundantly by the Spirit. The same Spirit who raised Jesus, will raise us, so did the Spirit put Jesus on the Cross? Did the Spirit lay Jesus in the grave? No, but Jesus was declared the Son of God by the Spirit of Holiness through the Resurrection. Process, we gain Life at the Cross, but the call is to enter the grave where we die to the self, then gain the Spirit by the Power of the Resurrection. From Genesis we find there was darkness, then Light, then Day then Night with the Light granting the Greater Light for the Day, and the Lesser Light for the Night. This gives us at least three elements, Day, Night and Darkness. The Darkness can exist in either the Day or Night, but it is neither Day or Night. It also stands one can see more during the Day, than they can at Night, and more during the Night, than they can in the Darkness. Both John and Paul defined these areas for us; Paul said we are Children of the Day, not the Night, nor the Darkness (I Thess 5:5). He also placed Children of Light in the same category as Children of the Day (I Thess 5:5). John talked about one location with two brothers, both say they are Light, one shows it, one says it but has acts prove he is yet in darkness (I Jn 1:5-10). Clarity comes in the Light, John shows those of the Light, Hear, See, Look upon and Touch Jesus (I Jn 1:1). John placed the Light and Love of God in the same category, thus we of the Day, have the Light and Love of God in the New Man, as the New Man is forming us into sons of God. However, knowing it, and walking in it are different, there must be a Key to open this area. There is, we will get to it.
Some Metaphors change from Good to Bad, or Bad to Good when they are mixed with other metaphors. Just as a blessing can become an Ishmael when we attempt to apply it to the wrong purpose, or continue to hold to it when God has told us to let it go. An Ishmael? Another metaphor, we have seen this metaphor prior, probably in our own lives. An Ishmael is not totally a “worldly” endeavor, although it’s mother is. Ishmaels are based on a Word from God, but they are the product of testing the word, rather than believing it. Ishmaels are the product of, “has God really said?”, they come about when we attempt to bring the promise to pass by our own efforts. Having a sign or prophecy come to pass is great, making it come to pass is an Ishmael. The Ishmael or Hagar are always forms of bondage, although they may seem to be rewarded, they are nonetheless void of the Promise. An Ishmael can be a “prince”, even appear as a “nation”, but void of the promise, it will always end mocking the promise, or riding on our backs.
We know the Metaphor Rock means Anointing, as in the Anointed Body of Christ, it was defined as such by Paul in I Corinthians 10:4-18, but we also know there are different meanings for the Greek words Rock and Stone. Peter was called a Piece of the Rock (Greek Petros), or a little Rock, but Jesus said He would build His Church on The Rock (Greek Petra). Therefore, it’s also important to know what Rock Jesus is talking about, or whether or not there are other words used in the Greek language for the English words used. We also know Zion is a Rock upon which the city is built, so is Jesus talking about Zion? If so which one? Could it be the Body of Christ is the Zion of the New Covenant? Yes, the Book of Hebrews gives us a reference showing it (Heb 12:22). If we miss it, we will run to the physical land of Israel presuming we’re on the Rock. Running around looking for the glory, or allowing the glory within to manifest are completely different. Just as running to a physical land to see where Jesus walked is much different than having His footprints on your heart. A nice vacation, but walking the land isn’t going to make us like Jesus.
Jesus said He was the cornerstone, or the stone of support, but Peter said the same stone can be a stone of stumbling, how can it be? If we walk with the Stone by belief it’s a support, if we fail to believe it becomes a stone of stumbling. Same stone, we have the keys.
This brings us two more metaphors, the kingdom of heaven, and the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is within, but we are in the kingdom of heaven. Heaven is a place, God a personage, thus we find two areas. The field points to the Body, thus the Body is the same as the Rock, as the kingdom of heaven. Then the Church, which is the Kingdom of God. Another way to see it is the kingdom of heaven the place of Life, the Kingdom of God life more abundantly, or the kingdom of heaven the place where the Mercy as the will of the Father is carried out, the Kingdom of God where the Will of the Lord by the Spirit through Grace is carried out. They are joined, no can have the Kingdom of God without being in the kingdom of heaven, but one can be in the kingdom of heaven, yet not have the Spirit (Rom 8:1).
However, Paul will tell us there are two types in the Body, those who walk after the Spirit, and those who walk after the flesh (Rom 8:1). Paul called the Corinthians “brethren”, but he also said they were carnal, not spiritual. We can’t confuse the Body and Church into the very same element, the Church is build on the Rock, the Church houses only those who are spiritual in nature, but we are also of the Rock, thus we find spiritual people in the Rock, but we also find the carnal, as those who mind the flesh. Minding something means we put our mind on it considering it a point of holiness. Those who mind the flesh center on the flesh to determine what they consider holiness, or righteousness. They hold moral appearances before men, they have a taste not, touch not theology. The Carnal minded are different, they trust in natural intellect, or reasoning, yet they are unable to discern spiritual matters.
The New Covenant is where the Blood of Jesus is found, the Body is the Bread, both are great, and needed. Jesus didn’t put the bread in the wine and say, “here this is the New Covenant”, He separated the bread from the cup, then said the New Covenant was in His Blood (wine in the cup). This is not “against” putting the wafer in the wine, or “against” not breaking the wafer, simply saying what Jesus did.
Was Peter Born Again when Jesus told him “thou are Peter (Petros), and upon this Rock (Petra) I will build My Church” (Matt 16:18)? No, but he was part of the ministry as his sins were forgiven on earth (freely he received, freely he was to give). We find even the Petros can remain natural, as Peter proves when he made his self-determined statement rebuking Jesus in his attempt to force change (Matt 16:22-23). Even natural Peter had a position in the kingdom of heaven, but he lacked the Kingdom of God, which means he lacked discernment. Until Pentecost when the Holy Ghost came with the Gift, then Peter would be taken by another into places he was unable to venture into as natural Peter.
The Metaphor Petros was defined by Jesus as a piece of the Rock, nonetheless a piece is more concerned about the affairs of man, than they are about God (Matt 16:23). When we view the Greek words we not only find there is but One Rock upon which the Church is built, but we find Jesus is the builder of the Church. We can see other things as well, including a warning. We never build on a “piece of the rock”, nor do we build on those in the Rock. The very warning Jesus gives is “not to build on Peter, the seat of Peter, or any member of the Rock”. Peter had the knowledge, but Jesus called him a piece of the Rock, thus the warning was not to make Peter as Simon Bar-Jona the Rock.
If there is only One Church, what about all those churches in the Book of Revelation? There are churches (assemblies) within the Body, but only One Church on the Rock. The term “Church” became generic, its used to define the gatherings of those in the Rock, but just as there is only one storehouse for the Jew, there is only one Church for the Christian.
By adding the words dependent, or independent we change the meaning of the metaphor from Good to Bad, or Bad to Good. This goes right back to why the people run to the “rocks” after the Rapture, they don’t run to The Rock, but rocks. Why? the true Rock will be gone, but the remaining rocks retained their soulish independence as the “drunken” who go into the Night, becoming the Beast of the earth.
If the Greater Light is the Rock, and the Greater Light leaves in the Rapture, it means the Lesser Light is connected to “Zion” of the earth which becomes effective in the Night. There Rock is Zion of the earth, thus Jesus marks the 144,000 on Zion of the earth. Giving us another division, Zion and Jerusalem of heaven are unto Salvation, Zion and Jerusalem of the earth unto Judgment.
In order to lawfully proclaim Jesus as the Christ of Grace, or to speak about the Holy Ghost lawfully one needs the Spirit. Really no one can lawfully call Jesus Lord, but by the Holy Ghost (I Cor 12:3). When the Spirit is taken no one will have the position to claim Christ, or Jesus as Lord, thus in our Season we say “Christ is here”, since we have the position, but in the Night no one will have the position, making it unlawful to say, “Christ is here” or “Christ is there”. There is a division between the Day and Night, one noted by Jesus in Acts 1:6-8, although we are to have knowledge of the events of the Night, we are not to mix the Night into the Day, or the Day into the Night.
The division between the Day is Night is seen in other areas, we are of Agape Love, the Night has Phileo. Another difference is we overcome by the Faith of Jesus, they are overcome by the Wicked. We of the Day are of Salvation, they are Judgment. God separated the Day from the Night, the Wicked, or unlearned want to mix them. This also helps us understand the preconceived minds of some who look at the events of the Night as some great and wonderful happening. If one is in darkness the Night looks good, but the Day looks frightening. If one is of the Day they understand the Night, knowing the Greater Light of the Day is far better than the lesser Light of the Night. When one seeks to be Adam like, rather than Christ like they will seek the things of the sensual, soulish realm, rather than the spiritual.
There are some things not meant to be metaphors, they define themselves, so what happens when we make them metaphors? We fall into error. Take the word Wiles in Ephesians is defined by the Greek language as Method, or Methodology, but to make Wiles a metaphor presuming it means “devils”, rather than Methods of darkness, would be error. Therefore, it’s important to know the value of metaphors, as well as their dangers. Faith is not a metaphor, faith is faith; truth is not a metaphor, truth is truth. Jesus is Truth, yet we have boldness and access by His Faith, both the Truth and Faith remain as they are.
What about Prophecy? It doesn’t take much to read the prophecies of Old to see metaphor after metaphor. It stands, if we want to get a handle on prophecy we must also know the metaphors; after all, God changes not. If we heard a prophecy talking about the Sea, Word, Field, Earth and Light, how would we know what God is saying, if we don’t know the various meanings of the metaphors? We never ask a prophet to interpret their own prophecy, but it does little good if no one can. One can extend the prophecy, ending with a mass of people running off in the wrong direction, or they can discern the prophecy, being ready when God brings it to pass. The Spirit in us discerns, everyone Born Again has the capability to detect the real from the fable.
Names and titles can also be metaphors, we just saw how Hagar was one, another would be Adam, who was a metaphor in and of himself. If we assume Adam was the exactness of God we miss the prophecy, purpose, ending desiring to be Adam Like, rather than Christ Like. We know Adam failed, we know there is no mention of him having faith, nor do we see where he believed God. Rather he tested the commandment, he not only gave up his position and kingdom, he turned them with his generations over to the wicked one. Then he made excuses for his failure, so, how then can Adam be like unto God? Adam never went to God, it was God who came to Adam. How can Adam be in the Image of God, yet fleshly and earthly? There must be more to the metaphor Adam than the phrase “image of God”. On the same note it doesn’t mean Adam is all evil either, after all he was created by God as good. The living soul has a purpose and benefit, but without the Spirit it becomes dependent on the flesh. It doesn’t take long to see Adam was a living soul, but he was flesh as well. When he saw the woman his statement was, “This is now bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh” (Gen 2:23).
The darkness has a prince and a master governing it, we find the first child to Adam and Eve was born outside of the Garden, thus all humans from then on were also born under the hand of darkness. The flesh being a reproduction became the point of contact with the darkness, thus it rules the soul. Man would do good things and bad things, but the bad always out weighed the good. Even if man did something good, man would twist the glory to the self, by taking the glory. Whatever God gave man is good, but man would take the same gift then find some way to make it evil. God gave man the ability to know there was God, yet man goes about honoring man. Man still does, man gives man awards, honors for man’s accomplishments; however, if it was good in any degree, it came from God. Natural man robs God of the glory, steals the honor, then claims to be in the “image of God”! Man sees other natural men as able to overcome, and live productive lives, but any life without Christ is still death. Therefore the word Image has many variables, a stone can be cut to form an image of someone, a painting can project the image of someone, but it doesn’t mean they are the exactness of the image. In order to be the exactness the image needs what defines the specify, God is Spirit. The old man loves to make Adam a human with the Spirit of God, since it means God can be made to be corrupt, since Adam became corrupt.
The metaphors “life and life more abundantly” point to two areas of life, not one, with one being less abundant than the other. If Jesus came to bring Life, then He also came to bring us into a Living Soul condition. The next step is a decision on our part, but based on the efforts of the Spirit going beyond Life to a more abundantly heavenly position. It’s not a separate Life, but an addition to the Life granted, thus we gain Life as a Living Soul by the Cross and Breath of Jesus, but the Spirit of Christ in us coupled to Life becomes More Abundant. In what manner? More money? No, the ability to come boldly to the throne of Grace, even the ability to reach the end of our faith, the salvation of our souls. The mere addition of “abundant” proves the living soul position is still natural, thus when Adam was is in the Garden as a Living Soul (I Cor 15:45-49).
The disciples before the Cross couldn’t speak of Jesus as the Christ of Grace, they lacked position and knowledge, but the Corinthians had the position. The most dangerous position to be in is the living soul with the Spirit, yet remaining carnal. The Corinthians had the position to speak of the things of Grace, but lacked the knowledge and discipline by the Spirit, which means they would do the spiritual injustice. They will speak foolishness attempting to define spiritual matters, or as Jude put it, “speak evil of dignities” (Jude 8), or “speak evil of things which they know not” (Jude 10). Paul said, “the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (I Cor 2:14). When Paul spoke to the Corinthians it was to encourage them to enter the spiritual area, they had the Spirit (I Cor 3:16), but they were void of the spiritual, remaining carnal (I Cor 3:1-2). The signs of a carnal mind were evident, envy, strife, division, lay in wait to deceive, natural thinking, earthly intellect, always learning, but never gaining spiritual insight. Since the Corinthians had the Spirit, Paul knew it was only a matter of decision to reach the area to be Born of the Spirit to be Spiritual. Of course he couldn’t become spiritual for them, but he could instruct them. In the instruction he used tons of metaphors, especially in chapter 11, he also used allegories in chapter 10. Therefore, if we have the Spirit we should be able to keep the metaphors and allegories in their proper order gaining great insight into the mysteries.
When one has Life, they also have authority over the earth, but they still lack authority in heaven, thus Jesus also told us to Loose ourselves from the earth, so heaven can be Loosed on us. However, after heaven is loosed on us, it’s time we become loosed of the earth by the Spirit.
If we Bind ourselves to the earth, as we Bind heaven from us by failing to forgive, it would be like what? A son who accepts a gift, but refuses to use it in the manner the Father desires.
A son of man based in the kingdom of heaven, and a son of God based in the Kingdom of God. Although Jesus was nonetheless the Son of man, and the Son of God, the declaration of being a Son of God was based in the “Spirit of holiness” by the Resurrection (Rom 1:3-4). The same is true with us, we impute death on the Cross, we obtain the Ingress Aires to forgive based on the Father’s mercy, as God for Christ sake has forgiven us. Then we move to “receive ye the Holy Ghost”, which brings us the Gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 11:15-17 & 15:8). Based on the Holy Spirit (Spirit of Holiness) we have the Resurrection Power of the Greater He in us, forming us into sons of God.
When the devil presented the fruit neither Adam female or Adam male were subject to him, he was their adviser, not their master. Although we were in darkness, the devil could not stop us from coming to the Cross. The measure of faith has great power in and of itself, it’s suppose to (Heb 11:4-38). The position Adam had before taking the fruit is granted to us at the Cross by the Breath of Jesus. Paul tells us, “don’t give place to the devil”, showing we have the power to either grant the devil place, or not to. The devil has no authority equal to or over anyone who has received the Cross of Jesus.
Adam being a “living soul” also shows the limited knowledge associated with the position. God didn’t discuss the affairs of heaven with Adam, rather the dialog was always earth related. Adam had no concept of “heavenly things”, since he was formed of the earth, as his soul was created on the earth. To presume the “Adam mind” gives us insight to heaven is not in line with the Scriptures. Therefore, Life More Abundantly gives us heavenly insight, and access by the Spirit. Adam’s concern before and after the fall was still earth related, not heaven related. The Fall gives us one obvious insight, a Living Soul cannot discern those who lie in wait to deceive.
Adam was not Light, yet God made Two Great Lights, not One, the word Great is the Hebrew Gadol meaning Elder or Mighty, yet it also has a negative side meaning A proud thing, thus it depends on the usage, or what we do as the light. The two lights are not Proud things, rather they come against pride by being humble, but the proud can take the Lights turning them into lasciviousness (Jude 4). The wording To Rule in reference to the Lights is the Hebrew Memshalah meaning To reign, it’s found in Psalm 136:8-9 wherein we find the Sun rules the Day, and the Moon and Stars rule the Night, which becomes a treasure basket of metaphors. The actual Sun in the sky is not a self-generating light, it’s burning itself out. We are the Sun of the Day, but there is Jesus the Light who is over the Day and Night. The Moon (Zion) and the Stars (12 tribes which produce the 144,000) will rule the Night. We don’t rule the Night, they don’t rule the Day. Jesus said, The righteous will Shine as the Sun, when we find the Brightness of the Sun referred to, it points to the Day, not the Night (Matt 13:43). Therefore, God’s Mercy is seen in all Ages, but His Grace is only found during the Day.
There are Connecting Metaphors, two words or phrases linking one to the other in context, but are separated by the context. For example the very first verse in the Bible tells us God created the “heaven and the earth”, does it mean there is only one heaven? No, we know Paul tells us of the Third heaven, we find the plural “heavens” in many places, as well as in the Book of Genesis. Later in the Book of Revelation John sees a Beast coming out of the earth, yet he also saw a Beast of the Sea, but here in the first verse of Genesis we don’t find the Sea, nor do we find the phrase Sand of the Sea. They were in the plan, just as rain was in the plan. The “forecast” saw the rain, sand of the sea and the Cross before the Plan was put into motion.
Is God’s concern found in the Metaphors? Yes, the metaphor Heaven points to the Kingdom of God, but the metaphor Earth points to the kingdom of heaven. Which is First in God’s view? The Kingdom of God, but the kingdom of heaven is also given importance, thus they are linked together, but they are nonetheless separated. Genesis 1:1 is the Plan, we find God had the Kingdom of God with the kingdom of heaven in the plan before He put the Plan into motion; the Record was written, the Witness is being played out on the earth.
God doesn’t say the Heaven is without form and void, but He does show the earth is without form and void until Light came from on high (Gen 1:2). God doesn’t say the heaven was in darkness, but He does show the earth was. The Spirit didn’t move over the Heaven, but He did move over the Face of the Waters. Before God said a thing regarding the Plan, His purpose was dictated, thus Jesus said, Seek ye First the Kingdom of God, and His Righteousness. Why not seek the Righteousness, then the Kingdom of God? Why not seek the kingdom of heaven, then the Kingdom of God? One can’t consider seeking the Kingdom of God until they enter the kingdom of heaven, one can’t obtain the Righteousness of God without the Seed of God (Eph 4:24). Without the Seed, conception is out of the question, without the Root, the Birth is out of the question: Process.
What about seeking the Anointing? Are we suppose to seek the Anointing? If so, why didn’t Jesus include it in the Seeking? It’s not until Luke 4:18 where we find the answer. Jesus said “the Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has Anointed Me”; therefore, the Anointing came first, then the Spirit. Is it proven? Yes, Jesus came as the Word, but began His ministry as the Son of man, yet the Holy Ghost filled Him for the ministry, then the Spirit descended on Him as the Anointing. It doesn’t mean the Holy Ghost had a Spirit in His back pocket, it shows us the Holy Ghost brings the Spirit, the Spirit is in because of the Anointing. Neither does it mean Jesus was Born Again at the Baptism, He is the cause of us being Born Again. The Baptism didn’t make Jesus the Son of man, it confirmed it. The Resurrection didn’t make Jesus the Son of God, it declared it.
On Pentecost the Holy Ghost brought the Spirit, then the disciples were Born Again, as they entered the spiritual realm. Yet, the Holy Ghost came because they were anointed. How? The breath of Jesus gave them a Mercy position, forgiveness has an anointing. If it’s the case, we know if we have the Spirit we must also have the Anointing. Having the Anointing in us, and walking in it are different. Could we have the Anointing and not know it? Yes, God’s people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge, not for a lack of the Anointing.
This explains Isaiah 10:27 where we read “the Yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing”. The phrase Shall Be Destroyed is the Hebrew word Chaval meaning To bind, or Spoil. It’s Because of the anointing the Yoke is destroyed, not as a result of it, thus the Cross will remove the Yoke of bondage, then comes the Anointing, then comes the Spirit, showing the Spirit is drawn by the Anointing. Some of us read this as “the Yoke is destroyed by the anointing”, but it’s not what it says. When we ask for the Anointing, yet claim we have the Spirit we place a blockage in the way of the Spirit. Since the title Christ means Anointed, thus we are the Body of Christ, it then stands if we are in the Body, we have the anointing granted to the Body. Ahh, there are various areas within the Body, all of which have Anointings. The Anointing is Power based, it’s always the ability to accomplish a task assigned.
The Anointing for the office is limited to the functions of the office, thus the anointing of the Doma (gift) will not save us, it will edify us, it will teach us, and it will do the work of the ministry. The anointing of Mercy will conduct supernatural functions in the Name of Jesus, but it won’t save our souls. It will save us from the world, but not our souls. The Anointing over the Body is the Unction, a protection for the entire Body, whether they are carnal or spiritual. The Anointing in the New Man will save our souls, thus when we attempt to use a specific anointing in a place it was not intended, it won’t work. Perhaps it’s our problem, we attempt to use the Doma anointing to save our souls. Does it mean the Doma anointing will fail? No, it means it wasn’t designed for the task, much like using a spoon as a hammer.
We seek more of the Holy Ghost because He has anointed us, rather than seeking more of the anointing because of the Spirit. Paul understood the Anointing, when he spoke from the office, he kept the area where it belonged. When he spoke as a saint, he kept the area where it belonged, and in all cases the anointing for the function worked. Of course when he moved outside of either the anointing didn’t work, evidenced by his visit to Jerusalem when he was arrested.
We know one Yoke is the Mosaic Law (Acts 15:10); therefore, we can’t find one prophet in the Old Testament who became a prophet because of doing the Law. This also explains the Two Witnesses as the Law (Moses), and the Prophets (Elijah) for the Season of the Night. They are called the “anointed ones”; whereas we of the Day have the Water, Blood and Spirit making us the anointed ones.
The Two Witnesses are assigned to Two Churches only, they are not assigned to all Seven, thus we follow “hear ye Him”, the Night will follow “them”. Why is it so important? The “hear ye Him” is unto Salvation, the “them” unto Judgment, which do you prefer?
This brings us to the metaphors Binding and Loosing, two aspects talked about much today. To find these elements we have to look at how Jesus used them, as well as what He did in reference to them. On one hand we say “I bind you devil”, then turn right around and say “come out”; two completely different commands, much like saying, “I command you to stay, so come out”. True, we just covered this in the Warfare, but this is the metaphoric usage. Demons know two opposite commands mixed are not something Jesus did, nor something the disciples did. In Acts 19:11-16 we find the term Exorcists, which means one who binds devils, thus the misuse would be to bind a devil; whereas Jesus loosed the people from devils. It has to be a clue, Jesus cast the devils out, which Loosed the people, but the people were not moved to a different location, they remained standing right where they were at. The devils were the ones who trespassed, thus to loose the people was the purpose. Jesus cast the devil from the people, He didn’t bind the devils to the people. Binding and loosing are a Godly principle, but when we use a Godly Principle in an ungodly manner we will make mistakes, at times enter error.
The seven sons of Sceva lacked standing, yet they were connected to a religious order via Sceva their father. When the demon heard the mixed command (I adjure (bind) you to come out) from the seven sons of Sceva he said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?” (Acts 19:15). There are two different Greek words used for Know in this verse. The first means to have knowledge of something or someone, the second means to be acquainted with, as in prior contacts. This demon knew of Jesus, ran into Paul prior, but these seven sons of Sceva were not giving the command from the proper position, nor where they doing it in the same manner as Paul did, in fact they were attempting to bind and loose at the same time, the result was failure. In Acts 16:16-18 Paul Loosed a woman, in Acts 3:1-10 Peter and John Loosed a man. Wait, didn’t Jesus say “I will give unto you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matt 16:19). Yes, but notice Jesus told Peter “I shall give”, rather than had given, thus the Keys had to come after the Resurrection, not before, yet Peter and the other disciples were casting out devils before the Cross. The reference to this is also found in John, “Whosoever sins you remit (loose) they are remitted (loosed), and whosoever sins you retain (bind), they are retained (bound)” (Jn 20:23). The context is a key, how do we know? Where is the place of command? The earth, it’s in our hands, so is the devil in heaven? No, so this has to be something outside of the devil’s realm, but within our realm. What could it be? Ahh, Mercy, “say unto the mountain (unforgiveness) be you cast into the sea (back to the world)”, and “when you stand praying (from earth to heaven, forgive (loose) if you have aught against any: so your heavenly Father also which is in heaven may forgive (loose) you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive (bind), neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses (bound in heaven)”. Binding and loosing pertain to Mercy, but we also find other uses for the words. In any case, we need the example.
Where in the Scriptures did Jesus bind a devil? What did the devils do? In Matthew 18:18 we find a connection between the metaphors, explaining the teaching. After Matthew 16:19 we find a devil had bound a lad, but Jesus Loosed the lad (Matt 17:15-19). Then Jesus showed how He would be Loosed from the earth (Matt 17:23), then He told us hindering the little ones Binds them (Matt 17:25-18:5). Then how unforgiveness will bind us to earth, as it binds God’s forgiveness in heaven, yet forgiveness will loose heaven’s mercy upon us (Matt 18:18-19). Jesus then told a Parable about a man who was Loosed of his debt, but refused to Loose another. The man Bound one who owed him money; when the king heard it, he bound the man who failed to forgive as he was forgiven (Matt 18:26-35). Next when Jesus was confronted by the Pharisees, they used the word Divorce, which is another way of saying Loosed, but they were using it in the wrong manner, for the wrong purpose. Jesus taught on Loosing the Little Children, by never Binding them (Matt 19:14). There was the rich man who was Bound to his riches, he couldn’t Loose heaven (Matt 19:23-24). The Strongman must be Bound before the Stronger One can be Loosed (Luke 11:21-23). When the Stronger One (Spirit) comes to take (remove) all those so-called treasures, the Strongman will raise up to fight to keep those things “bound”. In all this we find Jesus Loosed, the devil and lost man binds, why then do we bind? Because we think it works, but so does witchcraft. Having to bind something everyday doesn’t mean it works, rather it shows it lacks. When it’s all said and done, the example and teachings show us binding and loosing have to do with Mercy connected to our willingness to forgive.
The Keys are the clue, if Jesus has the Keys, then He is master of what He holds the Keys to. The same is true with us, if Jesus gave us certain keys, we are master to those areas. Jesus has the keys regarding death and hell (Rev 1:18); therefore, when Jesus gave us certain other Keys, He told us, “this is up to you, you are kings, you have the power to forgive, or not to, you have the power to ask for the Spirit, or not to, you have the power to do the things of the Kingdom, or not to”. This is also found in the saying, “seek ye first the Kingdom of God”, it wasn’t “the Kingdom will come whether you seek it or not”. Keys then relate to Authority, power is different, rather we gain the power after we exercise the authority.
Jesus has the Authority over death and hell because through death He defeated him who had the power of death, that is the devil (Heb 2:14); however, the Power comes when death and hell give up their dead at the Judgment (Rev 20:13-14). We have the Authority to make the decision to use the Key, once we do, then comes the Power. Some of us are waiting for the Power, but Authority always comes before the Power (Matt 28:18-20 & Acts 1:8).
Paul used Allegories to explain mysteries, an Allegory is A literary device of presenting abstract ideas or concepts in a symbolic form in character. For an example we know the Jacob – Israel principle, as well as, the Isaac – Ishmael principle, as well as the Hagar – Sinai, or Hagar – Jerusalem principles, by comparing one element in the allegory to the other opens the mystery. An Allegory is not a Metaphor, but they do relate, we can’t talk about the Metaphors without moving into the Allegories as well. We will view many Metaphors and Allegories, but we will keep them within their intended purposes.
In our everyday life we run across many metaphors and allegories, most of which we take with a “grain of salt” (oops another metaphor), yet they all mean something. In the prior studies we viewed some Metaphors finding their importance in understanding the Latter Days, but metaphors and allegories also hold importance in our day to day walk with the Lord. If someone told us “don’t count your chickens, before they hatch”, we know what it means, but if they said “don’t burn your chickens, before they roll down the hill gathering hens”, we would think they had a few screws loose. Today in the Body, we find many concepts, some good, some very good, some bad, some very bad. For the most part we find a metaphor at the core of the concept, whether good or bad. The term “spiritual warfare” is a metaphor, since the phrase itself doesn’t appear in the Bible. One can take the metaphoric premise, add their imagination, but they will end in spiritual wickedness. The term “whore of Babylon” is neither a metaphor or allegory, it’s a misnomer, since there is no verse denoting a whore of Babylon, the Woman is a whore and Babylon, but she is not from Babylon.
We know the word War or Warfare only appears five times in the New Testament and none of them have to do with the devil, but they all have to do with our flesh and soul. The word Stronghold is a metaphor, we know someone didn’t grab a bunch of bricks and plant them in our minds, thus Paul shows Strongholds are imaginations and high things coming against the knowledge of God. If we assume these Strongholds are devils we only proved we have a stronghold. Clearly the Strongholds are established by our carnal thoughts, which come from the knowledge and wisdom of man. We can attack strongholds with all sorts of carnal weapons, but the only beneficial Weapons are through God. Truth, clarity, knowledge, obedience in Christ break down strongholds and traditional thinking.
However, as soon as some tradition we hold is exposed, we will accuse the one who brought the truth as being “against” our tradition, but it’s not them, it’s the Holy Ghost exposing something slowly eroding our power. Strongholds, like Traditions are not Truth, they make the Word of God void in our lives. The Scriptures are our hope, the New Man our ability, thus the enemy attacks the Scriptures with unbelief and doubt, thereby placing us in a disobedient mode, which negates, or chokes the Word our of us. If our Tradition was something done in the early days, yet not supported by plain Scripture, which will we hold to? The evidence determines if we are seeking Truth, or Traditions. Traditions are things we do, don’t confuse those with areas of study. If someone exposes a tradition we held, our natural, carnal knowledge will attempt to find something about them we can accuse, thus we have our excuse to reject the exposure in order to hold the tradition, yet any tradition of man will take something away from a Commandment.
What other example do we have of this? Going back to Genesis 1:1-2 we see the Heaven was pure, it wasn’t void or in darkness, but the earth was void, without form and darkness. The concept shows the information, ability and victory must come from above, or we end fighting darkness with voidness. The Spirit moved over the Face of the Water, He didn’t move in the Water. In the first two verses of the Bible we find nine metaphors; the Heaven, the Earth, Without Form, Void, Darkness, Face of the Deep, Moved, Face of the Water, and the Water. All these are clues to the Mystery, the purpose was not the Living Soul, it was the Quickening Spirit. The living soul was part of the Plan, but not the reason for the Plan.
Numbers and Colors are types of Metaphors and Allegories, since they refer to something beyond the number or color in itself. When we see the color Purple, we say “so what?”, but when we know the color Purple refers to Royalty, then it takes on a new light. When the children were in Egypt they projected some of their knowledge to the Egyptians, today we find the use of some colors and numbers in the old Egyptian tombs. Did these concepts come from the Egyptians to the Hebrews, or from the Hebrews to the Egyptians? Natural man thinks it was from the Egyptians to the Hebrews, but the Hebrews were using them before they were captive to the Egyptians, yet the Egyptians didn’t use them until the Hebrews settled in the land. Many Egyptian tombs have the color Yellow, which is a metaphor pointing to the Resurrection, but it also relates to Light, thus there is a Greater Light for those who are partakers of the First Resurrection, and the Lesser Light for those who are stood up on the last day.
The same concept is true with numbers, if we see nine blessings in the Law of Moses, nine fruit of the Spirit, and nine areas to the Manifestation of the Spirit we have to wonder where else do we find the number Nine, or what does it mean? The number nine refers to the Spirit, or the New Man (Holy Spirit), but is nine always pointing to the Spirit? Not necessarily, but in Luke 17:17 we find ten lepers were healed, one returned to praise Jesus, but nine didn’t, then Jesus asked where were the other “nine”. Does it mean the Spirit is a Leper? No, numbers are to assist us, but if we get paranoid over them we will be afraid to move unless the “number is right”. The number ten is the number of testing, the number one hundred is the testing complete, thus the ten lepers were given a testing, one came back to the place of healing to praise the Healer, the other nine did as they were told, but forgot to praise. Some of us get healed, then turn right around and give our faith the praise, and forget it was Jesus who took the Stripes. In this case the nine show the opposite of having good fruit, they did as they were told, but they should have praised the Lord as well. Therefore, the praise was not mandatory, but expected. For us we find the Father is searching for those who can worship in Spirit and Truth, showing the only way is by the Spirit of Truth.
The first place we find the number 13, it relates to rebellion, thus we can understand why there were really 13 tribes, but God only pointed to 12, so did they lose one? The warning was there, God made sure they knew there was hidden rebellion in the heart of man. Ishmael was circumcised when he was 13 years old, he has become a metaphor relating to rebellion, as it mocks the Promise. In Genesis chapter 14 the number is defined as, “in the thirteenth year they rebelled” (Gen 14:4). Does it mean whenever we see the number 13 we’re in rebellion? No, but it does make us consider, we can be in rebellion, we can be around someone who is in rebellion, or rebellion can be in the process of being broken, or it could just be the number 13. Wisdom always has a hand in the realm of numbers, metals and colors. We don’t discount them, but neither do we get paranoid. We can become so paranoid we refuse to buy a brass lamp since brass relates to judgment. Listen to the New Man, become aware of signs, but don’t form your life around them.
Other metaphors give us great hope and knowledge, Jesus said we can build on either of two places, the sand or the rock. We know He was not talking about a physical house, but the foundation of our theology and knowledge. The “sand” is not the Sea, it’s not the Earth, it’s not the Rock, it’s a place next to the Sea. When God called Abraham out, it produced the “sand” next to the Sea, prior all mankind was metaphorically known as the Sea. Although man has many cultures and “peoples”, God only has two of the earth, and one of heaven, who are still on the earth. The Sea was the place from which God called Abraham, from Abraham came the Jews, thus the Sea is Gentile, giving us two groups Gentile and Jew. If one is not a Jew, they are a Gentile, unless they fit the third group. The third group is also called out, but they are called out from both Gentile and Jew, to the Rock. We can build our foundation on the Law God provided for the Sand of the Sea, or on the precepts of the Sea, or we can build on the Rock; from the Rock Jesus builds the Church. Whenever we attempt to use any aspect of the Law of Moses as foundational, we are setting ourselves up for a fall. How can it be? The Law of Moses is “sand” related it has no benefit or power on the Rock, it was not designed for the Rock, thus it is not beneficial for the Rock. The Law of Moses was anointed, but it didn’t anoint the doer. Those of the Rock are covered with the Unction, but they are also anointed. In order to get to the Rock one has to accept the Cross, yet the Law of Moses is nailed to the Cross. However, if we build on the Rock (Anointing, Christ) we have a firm position.
Whether on the sand or the rock one thing is for sure, the storms will come. If we are on the sand, our house will fall, but if we are on the Rock we will not only survive, but we will gain. There is only one foundation for us, Jesus, the Cornerstone (oops another metaphor).
The Allegory of Jacob – Israel is a mystery in itself. It was the same man, but the Scriptures show the attitude of Jacob was not like Israel. Could God change an entire person by the changing of a Name? The allegory shows the word “Name” means more than a means to identify someone in order for them to cash a check. When the Name was changed, so was the authority, thus authority changes a person. When we enter the Rock we are given a New Name (authority) to cause change. The Name of Jesus means more than a means of identification, after all many people are named Jesus, but only one had the Position, Power and Authority to make the Name useful. Anyone in the Body, carnal or spiritual has authority in the Name of Jesus (Matt 7:21-23). The Name of Jesus has supernatural and spiritual ability as it defines Christ as the Son of man, and Christ as the Son of God. The disciples before Pentecost had the ability to cast out devils, and preach on the subject of Mercy based on their knowledge, but they had no idea what the Cross and Resurrection stood for. They operated as “sons of men”, not sons of God. However, after the Spirit was granted on Pentecost their position changed, by the Spirit they became known as sons of God (Rom 8). Therefore, the Name of Jesus will work in either of those two areas, but simply using the Name and watching it work doesn’t mean we Believe in the Name. It does show we Believe in the Power of the Name, but not necessarily the Name itself. The Name of Jesus also denotes a character, but the Authority shows us the Nature of Jesus. By the Spirit we are being conformed into the Nature and Character to become sons of God. Not the physical shape, or personality of Jesus, but a New Nature.
The various names of God pertain to authority, thus there are various forms and types of authority. The waster can only destroy, it’s all it knows, the authority is based in destroying alone. We know the devil is metaphorically known as the devil, Satan and Lucifer, but we also know the Book of Revelation gives us the three unclean spirits from the Mouths of the dragon, beast, and false prophet (Rev 16:13). Do these allegories all match to tell us about the “power, authority and seat of Satan”? Yes, they also tell us about the “seat of the beast” (Rev 16:10). We know the false prophet will do the working of Satan while the devil is still bound, but the false prophet isn’t Satan. Isaiah said Lucifer is a man, thus the unclean “spirits” are not devils, but attitudes, natures and vile religious thinking based in the earthly, sensual (soulish) and demonic, thus the false prophet is Lucifer the one who destroys his own land (earth). Lucifer says many things, but his authority is limited to destruction, since he destroys his own land.
Misuse of authority is a danger, not a metaphor, the authority of the waster is to destroy, either by laying in wait to deceive, attacking the anointing, disrupting Godly acts, dividing local bodies, attempting to destroy a person by slanderous remarks, or as James put it “kill the Just”. It’s the authority of the devil, however we rejected his authority by fully accepting the Cross of Jesus. Our Authority in the supernatural area of Christ is to cast out devils, heal the sick, baptize in water, preach the kingdom of heaven, and forgive as we are forgiven. All those are acts of Mercy from us to others, the spiritual Authority in the Name of Jesus is within, or the Word in us. The Authority is sent with the Spirit (Word in us, New Man, Greater He) to save our souls, and Witness Jesus by the manifestation of the Spirit. The Authority of Grace has granted us Charisma of Charis, and many other spiritual attributes. However, casting out devils doesn’t mean we are spiritual, it means we are members of the Body. The letters to the Romans and Corinthians display one can be in the Body, yet not spiritual. The Authority of Jesus in either the supernatural or spiritual is never to be used to destroy, or to exalt the self, or promote the old man. The Waster cannot save, protect, or do anything Christ like in nature. The Waster is associated with the authority, power and seat of Satan, not the Name of Jesus. The authority one uses identifies their source, if they are cunning, deceptive, lie in wait to deceive, or promote unbelief they are using the authority of the darkness. How can this be? The Book of Revelation shows us it’s what the false prophet does, which is what Judas did. The devil was first the anointed cherub, but God knew he would be the devil, thus God created him good, knowing he would become the Waster, producing Wasters (the old man).
There is the mark, number and image of the Beast, so do these relate to the power, authority and seat? Yes, but the words Mark and Number are metaphors, we have no problem understanding the phrase, “numbered among them”. Does it mean someone had a number pinned to them? No, it means they associated with the grouping to the point they became part of the group. How about a “mark”? Don’t mess with them, they are “marked”. Were they walking around with a “check mark” on their head? No, it means someone who has entered the authority of something to the point they can use the authority as a way of life. The “mark of the beast” is not a credit rating, or someone holding us down to put a computer chip in our nose; it’s association with the cares of this world, deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts for other things as a way of life, until they control ones nature, so much so, it becomes their motivation and lifestyle. Clearly if the Mark is “buy and sell” then it has to do with money, connecting it to the love of money, relating to a system trusting in money as its god.
We know the word Waters is a metaphor as it relates to Mercy, but in Revelation 17:15 it points to people, how come? The Sea is water, salt water, but water, yet we know there is also bitter water. We also see how the dragon sent a “flood” after the remnant of the Seed of the Woman, so does it mean the dragon sent Mercy? Hardly there is Living Water, Fresh Water, Bitter Water, and Salt Water. James asks, “Does a fountain send forth at the same place sweet (fresh) water and bitter?” (James 3:11). It’s one fountain, but two types of water, thus the metaphor Water depends on the usage. A “flood” to us is “water”, but to God it’s a something leaving it’s assigned banks to invade another area; separating the “flood” from the metaphor “water” as it applies to Mercy.
In Genesis 1:7 God divided the Waters, placing some below the firmament and some above. The word Firmament is the Hebrew Raqia meaning various things from Sky to Pavement, but literally it means “an expansion of plates”, within the description the Hebrew shows the Plates are those which have been beaten out. Clearly this shows classes of Waters, yet in Christ there are no classes. God formed the world with division already in the process, but the Image of God is without division; therefore Paul shows us the carnal mind is based in division, strife and envy (I Cor 3:3). So is God carnal? Not hardly, but the division was in place to keep the earthly from thinking they were heavenly.
The Hebrew Raqia was also used in Ezekiel 1:22 and 1:26 in reference to the canopy over the Cherubim, but under the Throne. We then find the word Firmament is a metaphor showing something relating to division, something under the Throne of God to divide it from the earth. Clearly God also has classes, He picked the Jews over all the other people of the world, there are Believers and non-believers, those of the Day and those of the Night, the Just and the Wicked, but God’s division is not to belittle, rather it’s to advance mankind. If God is no Respecter of Persons how come He picked the Jews over the other nations? How come Paul had special power, but Peter didn’t? How come Peter’s shadow healed, but John’s didn’t? The metaphor “no respecter of persons” simply means whether one is a Jew or Gentile they have the same Opportunity to accept the Cross, but it doesn’t mean since God allowed Peter’s shadow to heal, He has to allow ours to do so. Extending the premise can lead us into temptation where Pride waits to consume us.
Colors are attached to objects, relating to metaphors, which draws us to metals, such as gold, silver, brass and the such, all of which relate to some action or quality. Brass is a sign of judgment, Gold relates to purity or holiness, Silver to redemption, thus God had Moses make the elements in the Courtyard Brass, the elements in the Holy Place were covered with Gold, with Silver as the undercoat pointing to something yet to come, or better something hidden in Jesus until the time appointed.
Some elements are known to us, but relate to broader concepts. One matter we find in the Book of Revelation is the difference between the Seed of the Woman, and the Remnant of her Seed. If we assume the Remnant comprises the entire Seed of the Woman, then we form a high thing coming against the knowledge of God. The word Remnant means more than a portion of something, it refers the Remaining portion of something to complete the course, thus the Greater Light doesn’t complete the entire plan, but the Lesser Light can’t bring the purpose of the plan into being until the Day has passed, thus each has a purpose in the plan. Jesus warned us about mixing one into the other (Acts 1:6-8). Judgment is set for the Night, but those of the Day seek the fullness of the Spirit to become Witnesses for Jesus unto Salvation. The Remnant have one purpose, to make the enemies of Jesus His footstool, it’s not our course or job.
Viewing the word Remnant we also find it means “to stay behind”, thus one could form a stronghold thinking the Remnant are the Wicked who missed the Rapture, rather than the 144,000 whom God has blinded to the Gospel; however, John cleared the issue by standing on the Sands of the Sea, then seeing the Second Beast come from the Earth, showing the Beast of the Earth did not come from the Sand of the Sea, yet the 144,000 did. The Beast of the Earth is earthly, sensual and devilish, comprised of those who rejected the purpose for entering the Body (antichrist), even the salvation of their souls, rather they drew back to perdition (Heb 10:38-39). The Remnant on the other hand are taken from the twelve tribes, giving us another clue. In our Season it’s ten thousand times ten thousand, or multiplying. However, in the case of the Remnant they are taken from the tribes, showing thousands from thousands, two groups the multiplying for the Day, the subtraction for the Night (Rev 5:11). Therefore, the Day is based in the two things in which it’s impossible for God to lie, in multiplying He will multiply us, and in Blessing He will bless us. We are of Grace, the Night of Mercy, thus the Wicked fail at Mercy.
In reference to the Metaphor Sand of the Sea, why didn’t God say “Sand Next to the Sea”, or “Sand”? Why does the metaphor incorporate the Sea, while at the same time separating it? The metaphor alone shows the Sand came from the Sea, not the other way around. Yet further inland we find the “Earth”, on the Earth sits the Rock, on the Rock Jesus is building His Church.
We know God said “Light Be”, but what was first? The darkness, or the Light? The darkness was already on the earth before God brought the Light, thus the word darkness is also connected to the world. Jesus made it clear in John 3:19, “men loved darkness rather than Light”. Man’s flesh is a product of the earth, thus the flesh relates to darkness. If the soul of man attaches itself to the flesh, it seeks and loves the things of darkness. However, if one is Born Again it means they have a heavenly connection for their souls, producing a transfiguration from flesh to Spirit, so their souls can be spiritual.
Do we see the actual Sun come up every morning? How then can the world still be in darkness? The word darkness must relate to some condition man is in, rather than man not having the Sun to see by. God prophesied about the Greater Light and Lesser Light before Adam came on the scene, thus the Gospel was being preached before Adam was formed and created. Also, the Day was separated from the Night long before the actual Season for the Day came into being. Paul said we are children of the Day, not children of the Night, nor are we children of Darkness. He also pointed out how the children of darkness are guided by the spirit of disobedience; therefore, if we are guided by the Spirit of Christ unto Obedience we are not of the darkness. Were we? Yes, we were not only in darkness, but we were darkness. However, we were not “children of the Night”, nor intended to be children of the Night. There are children many, it depends on which family order one associates to, in order to determine what type of child they are.
Metaphors can also have more than one meaning, depending on the context in which they are used. In the Book of Revelation we see the “Sun” in darkness, but we also see it “covered with ashes”, we could make the mistake of thinking it’s one event, but the wording “darkness”, and the wording “black as ashes” are two different things. The Sun is the same, the condition is different. Ashes are a metaphor for repentance (Job 42:6), but darkness is a metaphor for demonic activity, mixing the two would indicate repentance is demonic, hardly the case. Neither can we take a blanket term and associate it to one group alone. If we see the metaphor Field, then the Beast of the Field we might assume all those in the Field are Beasts, which is not true. The Field has both Wheat and Tares, by the time the Beast comes out of the Earth, all the Wheat are gone. The same is true with the metaphor Beast, if we assume all Beasts are evil, wicked and demonic, we are stuck with the four beasts before the Throne of God being demonic, hardly the case at all. There are different words for the word “beast”, the four beasts before the Throne have life, but the beasts of the field, earth, and sea do not. The Beast of the Field gives up Life to hold to the authority of the Beast of the Sea.
The metaphor Scorpion is referred to in the singular for the first time in Luke 11:12, but in the plural in Deuteronomy 8:15, in all the word is seen some nine times, does it mean the metaphor Scorpion refers to the Spirit? Yes, and no, since Jesus was the first to use the singular in the phrase “if you ask an egg, will He (God) offer him a scorpion?”, indicating the counterfeit of the Spirit is metaphorically mentioned as a scorpion (Luke 11:12). In the Hebrew the word for Scorpions is Aqrab, it also means A knotted whip. In the Greek it’s Skorpios meaning To pierce, but the creature itself tells us something about the metaphor. A scorpion is an eight legged arachnid among the spider family, with two claws at the front of the body, with the killing stinger located on its back; metaphorically a Scorpion is related to deception, especially those who lie in wait to deceive. One looks at the claws as the danger, but the death is in the tail. The scorpion is found in temperate and tropical regions, usually it hides under rocks or other elements in wait, its also a Night creature. Ahh, the mystery, it seeks the things of the Night, as it hides under Rocks, thus the metaphor relates to The Rock, not the Rock itself, but the “earth” upon which the Rock sits. Jesus said He would build His Church on the Rock, yet we have Power to tread on serpents and scorpions (Luke 10:19). Does it mean if we want to find the Church we have to find some actual Rock? Or does it mean if we want to be rid of the devil, all we have to do is kill all the snakes and scorpions on the earth? Or are these metaphors? Metaphors of course. Being able to tread on something shows it is under us, not over us, meaning it has no power over us. Those who lie in wait to deceive, or form questions pointing to one thing, yet their hidden agenda is to insert their trap, think they are over us, or control us, but Jesus says it’s not so, we have the advantage, the New Man is who is able to discern the spirit. Serpents are defined as cunning, they run hand in hand with the deceivers, only in their case they attack with a viciousness, nonetheless they have no power over us.
There are many New Testament metaphoric phrases, but defined or described by the Greek word used. Yet, there are others found in the Old Testament carrying over to the New. One such phrase showing the former is, “be you doers of the Word” (James 1:22). On one hand it would seem if we do those things in Scripture, we would be completing the concept, but the word Doer is the Greek Poietes, in Romans 2:13 it was used in the phrase “For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified”. Which Law, the Law of Moses? Nay, but the Law of Faith (Rom 3:27). The Just still live by faith, but it still doesn’t tell us what Poietes means. In Acts 17:28 this same Greek word was translated as Poet, we get our English word Poet from the Greek Poietes. Does it mean we are to go about saying, “Roses are red, violets are blue, I’m going to heaven, and so can you”? No, the original meaning of the word Poet goes back to ancient times, meaning one with Beautiful Thoughts, or A keeper of the precept. If a Doer of the Word is one with beautiful thoughts, then it stands they keep the Precept of the Faith as they seek the Precious things of God, rather than the vile things of man, one meaning of beautiful fitting the concept is “truthfulness” (AHD).
Another metaphor is Almond or Almonds, the Hebrew root word for Almond is Shaqad meaning A lookout, or A watch, thus Jesus told us To Watch. The candlestick in the Tabernacle had designs like unto Almonds (Ex 25:33 & 37:19), but the first time we find the word is when Israel (Jacob) sent the goods to Pharaoh to retrieve Benjamin (Gen 43:11), thus Almonds also refer to Mercy. This helps us understand the phrase “Watch” means to applying Mercy, as in “watch for the opportunity”. Aaron’s rod had Almond Buds, not almond trees, thus the rod budding was a shadow of life, although Aaron’s rod appeared dead, it brought forth life, a sign of the Life we gain at the Cross.
On the same note, what would we do if a prophet came and called us “gum-wood”, which did happen to one pastor. The gum-wood or Algum (also noted as Almug) tree was used for pillars in the house of God (I Kings 10:11), as well as for the entrance to the temple (II Chron 9:10-11). Therefore, the metaphor Gum-wood is calling us to be pillars, or stand for God at the entrance of the Holy Place. If we didn’t know the metaphor we would either go out and buy every stick of gum we could find, or punch the prophet in the nose.
Aloes are another metaphor pointing to something beyond the plant itself. Today we use Aloe Vera for many things, including burns, it was first seen in a prophecy from Balaam, last seen with Jesus (Numb 24:6 & Jn 19:39). Balaam wasn’t a false prophet, and never considered as such, but he was considered a false teacher, as one who loved the wages of unrighteousness (seeking payment for the work of God – II Pet 2:15 & Rev 2:14). Balaam is an example of a prophet who speaks true prophecy, but teaches lies, thus Balaam is a metaphor for one who has one position, but moves into another without the calling or anointing to do so. The false prophet is like Balaam, in the Night there will be no prophets, they will have the written Prophets, thus the false prophet appears at a time when there is no position. Jezebel is a symbol of the self-appointed, those who move into a position, yet not called by the Holy Ghost. Both are elements found within, both produce gates, yet the called and anointed of God are able to set the captives free. Positions have attributes to identify the person to the calling, a teacher who centers in unbelief is not a called to be a teacher in the Office. A pastor who uses the lambs for personal gain, is not a called pastor in the Office. When Jesus gives the Gift (Doma) there is something in the gift to identify the person to the office. Paul knew he as an apostle, teacher, and prophet, but he also knew he wasn’t a pastor. If we feel called, we need only find the attribute to determine the calling in the gift.
In Proverbs chapter 7 the Prostitute (strange woman) says “I have perfumed by bed with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon” (Prov 7:17). This doesn’t say the Strange Women did it, only showing what she said. The “fair speech” of the Strange Woman lays the trap (Prov 7:21). Does it mean Aloes are an evil metaphor? Hardly, Jesus was covered with many pounds of Aloes for His burial (Jn 19:39). Like Balaam the Strange Woman talks about the Aloe, but it doesn’t mean she has it. Jesus didn’t talk about it, He had it, thus we find one metaphor connected to another, yet pointing to different things.
In the Song of Solomon we find the metaphor Aloes connected to the “fountain of gardens, a well of living waters”, we know the Living Waters refers to God’s Mercy applied through us by the Spirit (Song 4:14-15 & Jn 7:38-39). The purpose for the Aloe and Living Waters is for the Fruit in the Garden to be Pleasant (Song 4:16). Aloes have long been associated with healing, when Jesus as the Son of man was buried in the Garden there were Aloes, indicating the Healing power of God’s Mercy. Then the Resurrection coupling the Spirit with the Mercy, to bring forth the Living Waters. The same Spirit declares us sons of God, allowing us to couple Mercy and Life to bring forth living waters.
Aloes then represent Mercy, the Strange Woman says she has Mercy, but she also thinks stolen water is pleasant. This doesn’t mean we use the actual plant, assuming we are Resurrected, rather the metaphor points to the healing power of God through God’s Mercy. Therefore, when we hear the word “Aloes” or “Aloe” in prophecy we can now associate it to the metaphor in order to gain a better understanding. God said we are destroyed (cut off) for a lack of knowledge, God expects us to study to be approved, the honor of the king is to know these things. Prophecy can come, yet unless we understand what God is saying, our “goose bumps” may be in vain.
Today we hear the word Altar used in many prophecies, but which Altar? There was the Altar of Incense (Ex 30:27), the Brazen Altar (Ex 38:30), the Golden Altar (Ex 39:38), the Vessels Of The Altar (Ex 38:30), and the man who stood next to the Altar of Incense full of unbelief (Luke 1:11). There are the Horns of the Altar, yet those Horns shall be Cut Off (Amos 3:14), there are those who offer polluted Bread on the Altar (Mal 1:7), but where in the Law does anyone offer Bread on the Altar? Sounds like an a metaphor found in the Old Testament enjoined to the New. The importance of “bread” under the Law was found in two elements, the Manna and the Shewbread. The Shewbread was not made from the Manna, thus the Manna was not found in the Holy Place. A portion of the Manna was placed in the Ark of the Covenant, along with the Ten Commandments and Aaron’s rod, but the Ark was in the Holy of Holies. Therefore, we find two connecting metaphors, yet separated. Jesus said He was the Living bread from heaven, the fathers did eat the Manna, but they died; indicating Manna is not Life, it is however a temporary miracle for our time in the wilderness. The Shewbread represented the twelve tribes, thus it was a shadow of the Body of Christ. Jesus didn’t give us the Manna, He gave us much more. The Body of Christ is referred to as the “Bread”, but the New Covenant is found in the Blood. The Bread is the Rock as Christ, and Christ is the Anointing for the Body. It’s still the Body of Jesus (Christ), thus there is an anointing on the Body, but it doesn’t mean each and every person in the Body has the Anointing of the New Man within. Judas was anointed to do many things, but he was still a son of perdition.
The Manna was a miracle, but short lived, it ceased when the children crossed over into the Promised Land. Therefore, the manna is a wilderness element, it was never designed to enter the Promised Land. The Body will make a great change at the Rapture, the Bride will leave her “body” state to become New Jerusalem, but the “rocks” will remain behind and become the “Beast of the earth”. However the Shewbread could never leave the Holy Place, making the Holy Place is a metaphor for the Kingdom. Jesus is the Bread from heaven, but the Manna was not from heaven, the command and ability to produce it was, but the Manna grew from the ground (earth), the Jews considered the Manna, but didn’t consider the One who made it come forth.
The Holy Place was just for the “priests”, yet Jesus has made us both kings and priests. The Holy Place was the place where the Menorah was found, in the Book of Revelation we find Jesus in the midst of the Golden Candlestick (Menorah). He is not the candlestick, the Seven churches are the Menorah, within them we find some good, yet we also find there are evil invaders into some of the churches, thus they are not “The Church”, but churches, pointing to the Body. The Holy Place then represents the Body, not only do we find the Menorah and the Shewbread, but we also find the Golden Altar of Incense, which represents the prayers of the saints. The Golden Altar is a shadow of the Altar we find in the Book of Revelation, thus the Holy Place it was just before one makes entry into the Holy of Holies. In all this where is the Oil? In several places, the Shewbread was made from special flours mixed with oil, the light in the Menorah was the result of oil, and there was oil mixed with the incense in the Golden Altar. Putting all this together we find our priestly duties are to minister to the Body on behalf of the Lord as the Shewbread, Menorah, and Golden Altar of Incense. When we hear the metaphor “Altar of Incense” we know it has to do with prayers, what else? If the prophecy relates to the Night, then the same Altar takes on a different position. Revelation 8:3 tells us another angel stood at the “altar” having a golden censer, there was given unto him “much incense”, that he should (not might) offer it with the “prayers of all the saints” upon the “golden altar” which was “before the Throne”. This doesn’t say the altar was the Throne, but like the shadow we find it’s just Before the Throne. This angel then takes the censer, fills it with the fire of the altar, and casts it “into the earth”, then the plagues of judgment begin. Where does the angel toss this fire? Into the earth, not in heaven, not in the Kingdom, and not on the sand of the sea. Judgment begins in the house of God, yet the Wicked are connected to the same House; the enemies of a man are of his own house.
What about the Gate of the Altar where abominations are seen (Ezek 8:5)? We also see the souls of the Dead in Christ under the Altar. Which Altar? If we have a prophecy regarding “the altar” it behooves us to find out which one God is referring to, and why. We know the Brazen Altar was located in the Courtyard of the Tabernacle, it was used for the burnt sacrifices only. In Malachi 1:7 the word for Altar is the Hebrew Mizbeach which is a masculine noun meaning a Place of sacrifice, but it the text shows one can offer Polluted Bread there, how can it be? (Mal 1:7). No where was bread offered on the Brazen Altar, but it’s what the text says. If we are the Bread (Body), can we Pollute it? Yes, Jesus said “Take eat, this is My Body”, Paul said “shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them members of a harlot? God forbid” (I Cor 6:15). The Polluted Bread is when we take the Body, or any part thereof then place it on the “altar of judgment”, rather then encourage the Bread to enter the Golden Altar.
There were altars of devils as well (Deut 7:5, 12:3 & Judges 2:2). In Deuteronomy 7:5 we find the wicked altars, their images, groves, and graven images. Four items all counterfeits to the things of God, but notice the wording “images” and “graven images”. The word Images could also read Pillars or Statues, a Statue is a representation of something; tracing the word back to its original meaning we find it means “to stand in place of”, thus referring to someone placing something in the place of God, which would include placing Adam, or Michael in the place of Jesus, or man’s wisdom in the place of God’s, or intellect in place of the anointing.
If the children of God were commanded to burn, tear down and destroy these Statues, why didn’t Paul tear down the images on Mars Hill? More importantly, why did he use one of the images to preach about God? Was there a Greater Power with the Greater Light? A power so great, demonic influence, regardless of what the influence was, became subject to one with the Anointing of Christ? Most assuredly, if we receive it. When Jesus said we Tread on the demonic, it’s what He meant, we should never fear the demonic, beware of the potential, but not fear it. However, on the same note Paul didn’t worship any of those idols, rather he said they were based on superstitious behavior.
In reference to the metaphor Yoke we found the Yoke is destroyed to make way for the anointing, but what Yoke? Jesus said in Matthew 11:29 “Take My Yoke upon you”; therefore, it can’t mean any Yoke. The metaphor Yoke means something between two objects in which one of the objects has control over the other, or is superior over the other. One type of Yoke uses force and manipulation to control the lesser, the other requires cooperation to complete the process. There is also the single yoke placed on an animal to control the direction and action of the animal until it’s trained. Could the Yoke of Jesus be the Spirit? Yes, the New Man guides us, instructs us, and is forming us into the image of God’s Son, so we can be sons of God.
In Isaiah 9:4 it’s the Yoke of the oppressor, in Isaiah 14:25 it’s the Yoke of the Assyrian, in Isaiah 47:6 it’s God putting the Yoke on those who polluted His inheritance as they failed to show Mercy. In Jeremiah 28:2 we read how a false prophet gave a factual statement regarding the Yoke, but lied concerning when God would break it. The Yoke of bondage is related to the metaphors Egypt, Assyria and Babylon, all of which are pillars to the world. If it’s the case how then can the Law of Moses be a Yoke? The children to whom the Law was given still held their Egypt mentality, what they sowed, they reaped.
God’s Mercy destroys the evil Yoke to make room for the Anointing to bring us into Grace, thus we find Mercy must be obtained before Grace can be found. The greatest hindrance is the failure to give Mercy, which places a Yoke about our own neck. When God delivered us from the world by His Mercy, the Yoke was broken, if we receive it. It then becomes our choice to receive the Yoke of Jesus.
Now we will look at the word End as it’s used by Jesus in Matthew 24:12-14. Jesus said “and because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he who shall endure unto the End, the same shall be saved. And this Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a Witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come”. The word End used here is the Greek Telos meaning The limit, but it doesn’t mean the End of all things, rather it means Reaching a point ending something, often it refers to the point where one element ends, then another begins. The same context is found in the word “forever”, if “forever” means to the very end, why say, “forever and ever”? Forever means to the end of something, the next “ever” then begins, having an end as well. We know this is the Day, it has a forever, then comes the Night and it has a forever as well, thus the saying is “forever and ever”, it is not “forever and ever and ever”.
In Matthew 24:12-14 the meaning of the word End is very important; the Day of Pentecost started an Age, the Time Ends before the Night begins. There shall be “false christs”, or those who say they are Christ Like, but lack the nature (Spirit). John calls them “antichrist” in First John, here in Matthew it’s false chirsts, but they are one in the same. Matthew 24:11 shows many false prophets shall arise, then we find the word Iniquity in verse 12 pointing to the Workers of Iniquity, whom we know go into the Night. Then Jesus shows the result, “the love of many shall wax cold” (Matt 24:11-14). It’s not the Faith of many Waxing cold, but their Love, yet we know Paul said there would be a Falling away from The Faith, thus we find two Seasons, a time when there will be a falling away from The faith, then a time when the love of many shall wax cold.
Without knowing the various metaphors, we would ending mixing one time into another. The wording “shall wax cold” is the Greek Psucho which comes from the Greek Psuchos which we know as Soulish, thus their Phileo Love shall revert back to an Agapao love for the darkness. If we miss the metaphor we would think the love of many ends up in a wax museum. None of this is to be confused with the phrase “without end”, which also means eternity, a place where there is no time, or ending.
This brings us to Similar Metaphors, or metaphors suggesting a similar aspect, but hold a different context. We have a prime example in four areas, all pointing to one metaphor, but with different aspects to show different events. The metaphor can be the same, but other added metaphors change the time, or location. The example we looked at prior was covered in ashes, as opposed to being in darkness. The same metaphor of the Sun was used, but with different metaphors showing a change in time.
Our examples are A, B, C and D, then we will discuss each.
- Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the Sun be darkened, the Moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken (Matt 24:29).
- And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the Sun became black as sackclothe of hair, and the moon became as blood; and the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casts her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind (Rev 6:12-13).
- And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the Sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. and the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the Beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness. (Rev 6:12-13 & 16:10).
- And the light of the candle shall shine no more at all in thee….And in her was found the blood of the prophets and of saints (Rev 18:23-24).
All of these are Similar in nature, yet different, when we find similar metaphors they hold a mystery, but we can error by putting them all into one time period, ending with an extended metaphor (imagination). The surrounding metaphors, or words define the time and timing of the metaphor.
In example A we have the Sun, Moon and Stars, in example B we have the Sun, Moon and Stars, in example C we have the Sun alone, and in example D we don’t see the Sun, Moon or Stars, but we do see the word Light, which relates to example A. From this we must go back to the first place where we find Sun, Moon and a certain number of Stars used at the same time, then we must also define the Hebrew words used for the Sun, Moon and Stars. One of the Hebrew words for Sun is Shemesh, which is the most prominent word used meaning To be brilliant. Then the Hebrew Cherec meaning To itch, which is translated as Sun in a prophetic sense. Then the Hebrew Owr meaning Luminary or Happiness, which is the same word we found in Genesis for the Greater Light, and Lesser Light, the only place it’s translated as Sun is in Job 31:26. In the prior studies we found the “thing Job feared the most” was God destroying him and his belongings. In Job 31:23 the concept is confirmed, in Job 31:26 the premise is “If” Job had beheld the Sun or the Moon, there the metaphor is connected to Job’s failure to Behold the Sun and Moon, the iniquity was identified in Job 31:28. Prophetically we find Job 31 points to the time of the Sun and Moon as the Lesser Light. Then we find the stranger did not Lodge in the Street, as a metaphor showing a method to get from one location to another, or a place between locations, thus the Law and Prophets in the latter days are seen in the Street, not in hell, or Paradise (Job 31:32 & Rev 11:8). The last Hebrew word is Chammah meaning the Heat of the Sun. In the Greek we only have one word in reference to the Sun, but our concern is to find the first place where the actual Hebrew word is used, we already know the last place. The first place we find the word Sun connected with the Moon is in Genesis 37:9, there the Hebrew word is Shemesh eliminating the Hebrew words Cherec, Owr and Chammah. We know Genesis 37:9 is the dream of Joseph, yet it wasn’t the first dream of Joseph. The first dream had to do with Sheaves being Bound in the Field (Gen 37:7), we know the metaphor Field refers to the kingdom of heaven as it was defined by Jesus as the place where the children of the kingdom (wheat), and the children of the wicked (tares) dwell. The word Sheaves is the Hebrew Alummah from the Hebrew Alam means Tongue tied, Alummah means something bound, showing these elements are all earth related.
The first time we find the word Moon is in Genesis 37:9 as the Hebrew Yareach. More important the first time the Sun, Moon and Stars as a unit didn’t appear with Abraham, but with the offspring of Jacob. If the Holy Ghost wanted us to make the inference to Genesis chapter 1, then He would have used the Hebrew words in combination, but He didn’t, neither will we. An inference without supportive evidence is an assumption, but an inference with supportive evidence becomes a fact. In this case the fact is in Genesis 37, the assumption would be to use Genesis 1.
With example A we find the Sun darkened, the Moon losing her light, and Stars falling from heaven (singular), but the powers of the heavens (plural) are shaken. However, in example B the Sun is not “darkened”, but becomes black as sackclothe, the Moon as blood, yet not losing her light, with the stars of heaven (singular), but we don’t see the plural usage of the heavens being shaken. Both A and B are similar, but there are differences, thus example B is looking at the same Sun, Moon and Stars, but showing a different set of events separating it from example A, thus we find different times dictate the differences. The events are found in the other two examples; example C shows the Sun full of darkness, example D shows the she losing her light, thus all the events noted in example A do take place, but at different times. Example B shows a move from the Greater Light, to the Lesser, by the use of the metaphor Sackclothe in reference to the Sun in Repentance, thus one End of one Season has taken place, another Season is opening, leading to the completion of all events. Later the same Sun is covered with darkness, as demon possession, but it’s after the devil is loosed from the pit by the fifth angel.
It’s very important not to take a blanket view of metaphors, but look at the aspects given. We find example B taking place at the Sixth Seal, but example C with the Fifth Angel, and example D at the very end of the judgment, thus example B points to the Rapture as the End of the “ever” for the Witness of Jesus by the Water, Blood and Spirit, opening a time when the Lesser Light becomes effective (Acts 1:6-8). This will be the time after the Tares are bound in the Field as they are readied to become the footstool of Jesus. Which leads us to another area, the various Beasts, and where they are located, as well as what importance the metaphor Beast has in our Season.
Beasts are defined in Genesis as earthly, but didn’t John see four beasts in heaven? Yes, they pointed him to the four horsemen on earth, showing the beasts still relate to something done on earth, but in the case of the four beasts in heaven they display something ordained of God for the earth. John also used different Greek words to show a difference between the beasts in heaven, and the beasts of the Sea and Earth. If the riders of the horses would have pointed out four beasts on earth, the context would be much different. However, as we know the First Horseman is the Holy Ghost, the Second brings wars and rumors of wars, the Third brings famine, and the Fourth pestilence, the last three must be until He who now lets takes us out of here to bring an End to this Season. The Peace and Safety is actually a reverse of the world as we see it now, today attempting to make the world safe, or sickness free is a waste of time, the horsemen are faster than man. However, when the Holy Ghost goes, so does the “reproving” meaning the other three horsemen cease, bringing man the “perfect earth”, yet man being natural will listen to the false prophet bringing the entire thing to “sudden destruction”.
In the Old Testament we have several Hebrew words for the word Beast, first is the Hebrew Chay pertaining to having life, this word was the first one used in the Bible for Beasts. Next is the Hebrew Behemah meaning a dumb beast, then Nebelah meaning an idol, or a dead beast because of itself. Then the Hebrew Terephah meaning A beast devoured by other animals, then Cheyva meaning A Beast as an Animal, this word should not be confused with the Hebrew Chiyel meaning The result of life as a direct result of God. The Hebrew Beeiyr means A beast can be consumed, the Hebrew Meriy means A stall-fed beast, or domesticated. The Hebrew Tsiyiy means A Nomadic, or Beast of the Desert, or wilderness connected. The Hebrew Karkarah means A dromedary, the root word means To dance, referring to a beast appearing to be joyful, but is not. The Hebrew Iy means A howler or Beast of the islands, relating to a Woe, the Hebrew root word is a short form for the word Woe, this type of Beast is described in the Book of Revelation as the Beast of the Earth producing the Woes.
In the Prophets we often find the word “wild” added to the word “beasts”, seen in the wording “wild ass” or one running wild without a law, or refuses to submit to leadership, or goes about to widen its borders (Isa 32:14 & Hosea 13:8). In the Greek we find the four beasts in heaven are defined by the Greek word Zoon, meaning Of life, with the root word as the Greek Zao meaning To have life, as a living thing, thus the four beasts point to Life, although three of the four horsemen on the earth appear as anything but life. The four horsemen are sent to drive us from the World to the kingdom, thus the last three relate to the Holy Ghost’s reproving work on the Earth. The reproving of Sin is found in the wars and rumors of wars, as mankind kills his brother, or causes his brother to kill, or as man wars to protect his possessions, this beast is seen as the Calf being sacrificed, indicated by the horse being Red as blood. The reproving of righteousness is seen in how man loves and holds money as power, the beast is seen as a man, the horse is black representing the heart of lost man; the rider holds scales showing man is unequal. The reproving of judgment is seen as death and hell, yet Jesus has the keys to death and hell (Rev 1:18), the beast is seen as a flying eagle representing the angel of death, who was first seen just before the Exodus, yet it was sent by God: the horse as pale or sickly. The reproving comes because they Believe not in Jesus, because they reject the Son of God sitting on the right hand of Majesty on high, judgment comes because of the prince of this world as the beast of the earth causes it all to come to fiery end is judged.
The Beast of the Sea and the Beast of the Earth are defined by the Greek word Therion meaning A dangerous or Venomous beast, which associates to the serpents and scorpions; therefore, there is a clear separation between the four beasts in heaven, and the two beasts from the sea and earth. Since the metaphors serpent and scorpion are used, we can see how we can tread on these elements. As sad as it is, the beast of the earth makes the decision to become a beast, they are unequal, they actually work to remain in their iniquity. This explains why we see the people in the Book of Revelation after the devil is loosed becoming possessed seven times worse than at anytime prior, as they appear as scorpions. Are they really scorpions? Or is this a metaphor showing the power, seat and authority of the devil personified in the people? The latter of course. The false prophet is using the working of Satan while the devil is still bound, the old adage “the devil made me do it” will not hold water in the end.
In II Peter 2:12 with Jude 10 we find the use of the Greek Zoon in reference to the Wicked in our Season, but we also have the additional word Brute added to the word Beast. The word Brute is the Greek Alogos, which is a compound word with the letter A (Anti) the Word (Logos), thus Alogos refers to one who is unreasonable, unteachable or irrational, as they twist the Scriptures to their own destruction, but they nonetheless hold the position of a “living soul” just as Adam did during the Day: however, when the Day ends, so does the Unction over the Body, meaning they give their life to the Beast. They are still self-based and unable to hold to the Spirit, they are in the Field as the Tares. We also find the metaphor “Brute Beast” connects them to the beasts of the field, as those who are the spirit of antichrist. This explains how the forgiveness of our sins brings us Life, but it’s still not the Life of Jesus in us. While Jesus was on the Cross He said “Father forgive them”, but the Sacrifice didn’t stop there, neither can we. We must “Follow” Jesus through the grave to the Resurrection, then into heaven. From this we can see the Adam state is not the goal, yet it is where the Wicked remain. They are in the Body, they have Life, but they will test God in the next season they are found cast out of the Garden, they will bargain their life (Zoon) away to become the Beast.
Psalm 50 is termed “God Is The Judge”, in Psalm 50:11 we read “I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field”. The metaphor Mountain means A nation, the metaphor Mountains refers to the Gentile Nations, but Zion of the earth refers to the place upon which Jerusalem of the earth is built, thus the Mountain of the Lord will sit on the Mountains (Isa 2:2), when Jesus marks the 144,000 on Zion. The City (Woman) in the Book of Revelation is not surrounded by seven hills, she sits on Seven Mountains. The Seven Mountains were of the Ten, but the Woman and false prophet cause three to be removed, meaning the Woman sits on the nations of the entire earth. If we miss the metaphor we would spend our time looking for a physical city surrounded by seven hills, which would be extending the metaphor to satisfy a religious prejudice. The Woman is seen riding the beast, yet prior she is seen on a throne, the Moon as her foundation, but then we find her joined to the Beast of the Sea by the False Prophet as her guide.
In Psalm 50:12 we find the word World, but in verse 11 it’s the Field. The Hebrew word for Field is Saday (which we talked about prior); the Hebrew word for World is Tevel which is a feminine noun meaning The inhabitants or people of the earth, it was used as a poetic word, often considered to be the opposite of the Hebrew Midbar (A Pasture). The description of the Beast of the Field is seen in verse 18; defined as the Wicked, those who counsel with the Thief are partakers with adulterers, give their tongue and mouth to evil, they speak against their brother, their Mother’s Son, yet God will suffer them for a time, but in the end He will “tear” them to pieces (Ps 50:18-22). The defines why it seems like some get away with so much in this Season, yet God does nothing. Someone sells the dove, or slanders us to pieces, they walk away thinking they are victorious, yet we are faced with one thing after another, is it fair? Yes, when we know God will not do anything to them during the Day, but it changes in the Night. In our case it’s a trial and testing to bring us into a deeper place in Christ to make sure we are in the Rapture. Enjoy the testing and trial, it’s far better than the thought of getting away with killing the Just.
In Psalm 79:2 we find the “beasts of the earth” and the “fowls of the heaven” (not heavens). The fowls were defined by Jesus as Satan, those who pick at the fruit, hang around the tree to gain self benefit, yet never contribute to the Tree. This also gives us a separation, the Dove is not a “fowl” metaphorically, but the fowls are the opposite of the Dove, same class, different motives and character. The potential to be either a Dove, or a Fowl is in hand, keeping the old man makes us fowls, receiving the New makes us Doves. One might thing fowls are useful, they spread the “seed” of the Tree, but in this case the Tree is to remain One, only the Holy Ghost can spread the Seed through the saints, who are the Fruit of the Tree.
The word Earth used here is different from the word World used in Psalm 50. Here in Psalm 79 it’s the word for Earth is the Hebrew Erets meaning The physical planet, as opposed to heaven, referring to the Second Beast, as John saw it come from the Earth. The fowls have the ability to be above the Earth, but they are connected to the Earth by their desire (greed) for the things of the world. Psalm 79:3 shows these Beasts of the Earth and the Fowls have shed the blood of the saints round about Jerusalem; this also indicates the fowls are the religiously conceited, as whitewashed sepulchers, but the Beast are the Wicked who are the drunk who go into the Night.
The Prophets of Old tell us of the Beasts of the Desert, the Beasts of the Islands, the Beasts of the Forest, the Beasts of the Earth, and the Beasts of the Field, all are Beasts, but in different locations, yet the location gives us purpose (Isa 13:21-22, 18:6, 34:14 & 56:9). After the Rapture there will be no more Islands, thus the Beast of the Islands must relate to a time before the Rapture. The Field was defined by Jesus as something continuing past our Season; the Earth is defined as the kingdom of heaven, or the Rock, yet there are independent rocks continuing beyond our Season, but what about the Forest? Jesus used the metaphor Tree in various aspects, depending on the type of tree; thus simply talking about a Tree doesn’t define the metaphor. In the end the Trees of the earth are subject to the plagues, as are the Rivers, and Grass, all of which are metaphors. We know there is the Tree of Life, the Tree of the Knowledge of good and evil, Trees yielding fruit after their own kind, there are trees pleasant to the eye not bearing fruit. There is the Fig Tree, Olive Tree, Palm Tree and Cedar Tree, all of which mean something. The Fig Tree was defined when Adam used a Fig Leaf to cover himself, becoming the symbol for the religious order of Israel. Jesus talked about the Parable of the Fig Tree, as it would not bear fruit, but the leaves would appear. The leaves go back to Adam as a covering, not a doing away with the flesh, merely a covering for the flesh.
The Olive Tree is a metaphor for the Anointing of Mercy pointing to the Body of Christ. Paul talked about the Wild Olive Tree in Romans 11, his reference doesn’t point to the wild branches of the Fig Tree, he speaks directly about an Olive Tree. The reference points to how the Gentiles gained entry when the unbelieving natural branches were cut off. If God cut off the natural branches based on their unbelief, what do we think God will do to us if we hold unbelief? So, does it mean when we come to Jesus we turn into an olive tree? No, the Olive Tree relates to Mercy, the Commandments of Mercy were given to us by Jesus from the Mount of Olives. Therefore, the Olive Tree relates to the Body, not the Church. We don’t see the Olive Tree in heaven, but we do see the Tree of Life with the River of Life, thus the Tree of Life and River of Life relate to the Church.
Paul explains how a branch is defined by the fruit, if the Firstfruit is Holy, the lump from which the branch came must be Holy. If it’s Holy, then the Root will be Holy, if the Root Holy, the Seed must be Holy. However, we also read how some of the Branches are broken off, how can this be? Wait, the Root wasn’t broken, the Trunk wasn’t broken, not All the branches were broken, only a few. Each branch broken off was due to the unbelief of the branch, not the Trunk or Root, or the other branches. The warning of course is not to allow unbelief to cause us to be broken off, for God spared not the Natural branches, will He not spare us if we fail to believe? God is equal.
Paul’s comments on the branch and the Broken Body of Jesus are interesting, when he spoke of the broken branch in Romans he used the Greek Ekklao, but in First Corinthians 11:24 for the bread (Body) being broken he used the Greek Klao the root word for Ekklao. The Greek Ek means the origin, or the place of connection, thus the branch in order to remain must be Engrafted. Showing the branch must be conducive to the Trunk and Root. Yet in reference to the Broken Body we find something else, Paul equated the breaking of the Body to the betrayal of Jesus (I Cor 11:23). The Greek Klao means a complete separation of one element from another, it does not relate to a broken leg or arm, or even skin removed as a result of a beating, it means some attached element completely removed. In reference to the Olive Tree we find the breaking is in this season, if not Paul would not use the past tense, “because of unbelief they were broken off” (Rom 11:20), but in reference to the Broken Body it is yet future tense. Two different dangers, unbelief leading to betrayal associated with the son of perdition, those who draw back to perdition. Making unbelief an iniquity to continue to believe after we are identified with the Body.
The Tree of Life is of course the Holy Ghost connecting to the Spirit, Living Water is a product of Mercy and the Spirit. The Cedar Tree is known for the tenacity of its roots, relating to a foundation. The Sycamore Tree is somewhat different, it’s related to the Fig Tree, but is more ornamental in nature (all show). Our English word Sycamore comes from the Greek word Sykomoros, which originally meant a Fig Tree, thus Jesus told us to put our faith in God, not a religious system, even if the system came from God. Christianity is not a system, it’s a relationship based on a change in natures. Our religion is how we deal with people, as we remain separated from the world (James 1:27).
In Isaiah 34:14 we find the metaphor Wild Beasts of the Desert will meet with the Wild Beasts of the Island. The word Desert means Wilderness, thus the Woman in the Book of Revelation is found in the Wilderness. The Beasts of the Island during the Night become the Beast of the Wilderness, which is also the Beast of the Earth. When the Laodiceans think they are rich and in need of nothing, the Wicked as the Beast will make entry. Therefore, what they presume is their condition is a lie, since Jesus sees them as wretched.
The Book of Leviticus was written while the children were still in the Wilderness: Leviticus 26:22 says “I will also send wild beasts among you, which shall rob you of your children and destroy your cattle, and make you few in number; and your highways shall be desolate”. This is God speaking, but the cause is “if you walk contrary unto Me, and will not hearken unto Me; I will bring seven times more plagues upon you according to your sins” (Lev 26:21). Jesus said an evil spirit leaves, wanders, then returns finding the place it left conducive for evil. The evil spirit then brings more, making the end of the house seven times more wicked then the first. The devil will be bound for 1,000 years, but it doesn’t mean evil is bound, as the False Prophet still operates with the working of Satan while the devil is bound. The Book of Revelation shows God reaching out for the people to repent, yet the people blaspheme God, as they kill the saints. God will not destroy the Righteous with the Wicked, but when the Wicked destroy the Righteous, then comes the end. It’s still appointed for all once to die, then comes the Judgment.
In order to determine some of these Beasts we also have to define the word Wild, but we find it’s connected to the Wild Ox, Wild Roe, Wild Vine, Wild Ass, Wild Grapes, Wild Honey, Wild Olive Tree, Wild Man, Wild Goat, Wild Gourd, Wild Branch, as well as the Wild Beast. It shouldn’t surprise us by now to find more than one Hebrew word for the word Wild. The very first use of the word Wild is connected to Ishmael in Genesis 16:12 as the Hebrew Pere meaning to Run wild, but the word Man in this phrase is the Hebrew Adam, placing an Allegory with the Metaphors. The word Wild generally means one who ventures past it’s borders, or one who usurps authority, or one who makes themselves void of laws. To Usurp authority doesn’t mean to misuse your own, it means to misuse the authority of another.
As we found, Hagar is a type of metaphor. Paul also used her as an allegory, pointing to two different things. Ishmael is also a metaphor, he was used an allegory as well. When Paul points to Hagar as the Allegory, he suggests the unseen metaphor of Ishmael. Hagar was not half Egyptian and half Jew, she was all Egyptian, a real person, a bondwoman, but she became an allegory. Her activities were governed by Sarai, but it doesn’t mean she liked the commands. Genesis 16:3 shows Abram dwelled in the land Ten Years, yet the number Ten is the number of testing (Dan 1:12 & Rev 2:10). It was at the end of this period of testing, but before the promise was in hand when Ishmael came forth, thus the self-desire to produce Ishmaels comes near the end of the Test, but before the Promise is in hand. The moment when we are about to break through is when the desire to form our Ishmael will manifest. We must cast out the bond woman, with the Ishmael. Ishmael’s are the result of testing God’s Promise, or an attempt to make the Promise come to pass in our timing (still a testing we put on God), making them a product of manipulation. God tests us, we don’t test Him; teachers test disciples, disciples don’t test teachers. We pray and pray for God to use us, when it looks like He might, we get scared He will. All of a sudden it comes down to believing what we told everyone we believed.
When Sarai saw Hagar with child she went to Abram, but heard “do to her as it pleases you”, this could also read “do to her which is good in your eyes” (Gen 16:6). What was good in the eyes of Sarai was to “deal hardly”, or afflict Hagar (Gen 16:6). Hagar carried Ishmael on her back, a type of Hagar being Zion misused and Ishmael a type of a lazy self-based Laodicea nature of the City. Hagar called the place where the Lord spoke to her Beer-lahai-roi or “the well of Him that lives and sees me”, thus it was God who Lives and sees, not Ishmael. It wasn’t until Genesis 17:18 where we find Abraham (not Abram) made a request of God, regarding Ishmael, saying “O that Ishmael might live before You”. All of us must be careful what we ask for; how many of us what our Ishmaels to live before us? The wording “might live” is the Hebrew Chayah meaning To exist, thus the request of Abraham was a projection (might) to the future. From Ishmael would come many things, some of which are still around today. God never promised to make Ishmael many nations, but He did promise Ishmael would be A nation with twelve princes (Gen 17:20). The word Princes is the Hebrew Nasi (rather than Sur), meaning A sheik, or a Rising Vapor, something here today, but gone tomorrow. Literally it means One lifted up in a public way, yet in the Septuagint this same word was translated into the Greek Arche some twenty times in reference to the Davidic Prince, or Messiah, thus it also points to a beginning of something, or a principality. Ishmaels are earth bound, but they nonetheless come from Abram, not Abraham. Wasn’t Ishmael circumcised? Yes, at the age of Thirteen, yet the number Thirteen is the number of rebellion (Gen 17:23-25 & 14:4), thus Ishmaels are products of rebellion. Ishmael is a perfect example of having the Token of the Covenant, but not being of the Promise. This would be the same as being Sealed by the Holy Spirit, yet continually grieving the Holy Spirit.
We tend to view the word Adam as a male, but we find a change in the Hebrew when God took the rib (side) from Adam. Instead of Adam, the position of the male to become the Hebrew Iysh, the female as the Hebrew Ishshah, both of which appear for the first time in Genesis 2:22 and 2:23. We find the metaphoric use of Adam in a prophetic sense isn’t referring to male or female, but to either as creations who have the potential to either toss away, or accept what God offers. Adam male and Adam female are examples of free moral choice, the devil talked to them, he didn’t grab them, he didn’t have control over them, he couldn’t force them to take of the fruit, rather he enticed Adam female, she gave to her husband who was there with her, and he did eat. They were in a position where they could resist evil, or accept the evil suggestion. While in the Garden sin was defined, but sin was not an act until they set out to take of the forbidden fruit.
Within the prophetic verses we find the Hebrew word Adam associated with the evilness of man on one hand (Prov 11:7, 12:14, 28:12, Isa 2:11-12 et al), as well as the goodness of man on the other hand (Ezek 2:1-8), a product of “the knowledge of good and evil”, unfortunately the nature of man would take the good and make it evil, or take the glory for any good done, meaning lost man is more incline to sin, than not.
Ezekiel was termed a “son of man” some forty-five times, but Ezekiel was both priest and prophet, who was among the captivity who were taken to Babylon. Within the Book of Ezekiel the “Glory of the Lord” is mentioned over fifteen times, the combination of the term “son of man” and the term “Glory” should have been more than enough evidence for the Pharisees to receive Jesus, but choice is still a factor given to man. The Pharisees had more power to resist Jesus than the devils, thus they had the power to receive Jesus over the objections of the devil. They made the choice to reject, and paid the price. The paradox displays how even those possessed of the devil could make the choice to receive Jesus. On the flip side of the coin were the Pharisees, who used the same power in an evil way to resist Jesus. Resistance and Acceptance are matters of choice, when used in a Godly way we find we have the power to believe, when used in an evil way it ends in unbelief. It also proves the devil has no more power now, than he had at the tree. The demon possessed worshipped Jesus to be free, yet the Pharisees who were not devil possessed did the wiles of their father the devil, all matters of choice.
What does the metaphor regarding the evilness of the first Adam have to do with the Beast of the Island? We see both the word Island and the word Isles, the first time we find this metaphor is in Genesis 10:5 in reference to Noah. The sons of Japheth were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech and Tiras. The sons of Javan were Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim and Dodanim, by these “were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; everyone after his tongue, after their families, in their nations” (Gen 10:5). Here the word Isles relates to the nations of the Gentiles, it also shows the nations are just above the sea.
The Hebrews as the Jews were in the loins of Shem, with all the Gentiles from the other two sons of Noah. Regardless of the sub-nations, there are only two major groups, Jew and Gentile, with the Gentile being first on the earth.
The Hebrew word for Island is Iy meaning A habitable spot or A coast, it comes from the Hebrew Avah meaning To covet. The also defines the metaphor Coast is the place where Gentiles are located, next to the Sand of the Sea. The Hebrew Iy is also known to us as the short form for Woe, or Alas. This Beast of the Island connects to a Woe for the Gentiles, defined in Revelation 12:12, which reads “Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and the sea”. Where are the locations? The Earth and Sea? Now we know those two places have Beasts, thus the Sea relates to the Gentiles, the Earth to the sons of perdition. However, the beast of the sea doesn’t mean all in the sea are beasts, rather those who associate with the beast of the sea are beasts. The sons of perdition are also known as the Eighth, associated to the Seven, but Seven what? Seven mountains making it Gentile, and Seven churches making it from us, but not of us. The position holds those who draw back to perdition, then come out of perdition in the Night (Rev 17:11). This Eighth is the Eighth because it separated itself from the seven mountains into the Body, but then separated itself from the churches becoming the synagogue of Satan, although it’s of the Earth, it uses the authority of the Beast of the Sea.
Peter said the evil Beast has eyes full of adultery, unstable souls, who have a heart exercised with covetous practices, cursed children, which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam (II Pet 2:12-15). This shows this Beast is a position, not one person. They don’t have “unstable spirits”, rather it’s their unstable souls becoming the problem, connecting to Hebrews 10:38-39 showing they reject the saving of the soul. Peter calls them “brute beasts”, yet he also says they have escaped the pollutions of the world, thus this Beast is among us during this Season. John said the antichrists came from us, but were not of us.
The Beast of the Earth has life in this Season, as it escaped the world by entering the Body (kingdom of heaven), thus it relates to the metaphor Adam, one with life, but is nonetheless absent of the Ways of God. They lose life by bartering it away for the image of the Beast, thus Jude says they are “twice dead” (Jude 12).
What about the words Windows, Gates and Doors, are they also metaphors? In our prior studies we found the Gates of the city relate to the Remnant, but we also see the gates of hell do not. Then we find one Door points to heaven for the Anointed Gentile Church, another Door to the House of David, giving us the “time of Doors”. With these metaphors we also have the metaphor “days of Noah”, all of which connect. Before the Days of Noah we find Cain and Abel, two brothers, both born after the fall, both from the same womb, both with the same parents, both with the same opportunities, but with one difference, one held Envy against the other. Cain will be the first in the Bible to hear the words Door and Sin (Gen 4:7); the word Lieth in the phrase “sin lieth at the door” is the Hebrew Rabats meaning To crouch on all four legs, it suggests something crouched and ready to spring forward to devour as soon as opening occurs. This was after the Fall, yet God said Cain had the power to resist sin, or use it. The nature of man at the time was more prone to use it, then resist it.
The allegory of Cain and Abel is connected to many metaphors, not only to the metaphor Door, but to the metaphor Field as well. In the Book of Hebrews we find it was not the sacrifices given by these two brothers, but whether or not Faith was involved in their giving making the difference (Heb 11:4). Faith includes pleasing God, thus Cain gave as a chore, Abel wanted to give. We also find in the Book of Hebrews the first human on earth equated as using faith is Abel (Heb 11:4). Abel was a “keeper of sheep”, which is the meaning of the word Pastor, but Cain a “tiller of the ground”, or one who assists in the planting of Seed. Here we have two brothers involved in a metaphoric religious services, both actually gave sacrifices to God, one was honored, one was not. The one who was not honored was told by God sin was at “the door”, but he ignored the “word” of the Lord, ending blaming his brother. The reasoning? The same reasoning the spirit of man holds today, “if it were not for him, I would have been excepted”. Instead of seeing the fault lays within, Cain blamed the righteous.
The sacrifice of Cain was from the Fruit of the Ground, and Abel’s the Firstlings, giving us the Field (Gen 4:3-4). Abel gave his best with a joy, Cain saw it as duty. Those under the Law of Moses are bound by duty, or exercise the deeds for self-centered reasons, those under the Law of Spirit labor in joy and appreciation. Under the Law of the Spirit we do find Commandments, but we also find many areas where there are no Commandments, thus some things are done by our New Nature. The test of the New Nature is often by doing things where there is no Commandment, rather it’s by faith.
Both Cain and Abel were obedient, but only Abel mixed Faith with his obedience. One can be obedient to the command, with or without faith. “Yeah, well I’ll go there, I don’t like it, but I’ll do it, I’m always submissive”. No thanks, stay where you are, we will seek out the faithful servant.
Cain’s excuse wasn’t, “it was the sin you gave me”, rather it was, “Am I my brother’s keeper?”, or “it was the brother you gave me” (Gen 4:9). The word Keeper is the Hebrew Shamar meaning To keep a garden, or To keep safe, it was used to describe a Watchman, thus Cain blamed God for not protecting Abel. The Hebrew Shamar was also connected to Keeping a Covenant, or keeping a Promise. The Cherubim before the Garden guarded against intruders (Gen 3:24), which means the Cherubim did Shamar. Cain also had authority over the Door before him, thus God didn’t remove the sin, or put it there, rather He pointed it out. Cain refused to take the responsibility for what he did, he never considered he had the power to resist. The voice of Abel’s blood came from the earth, not heaven, yet Cain was cursed from the earth, while being on the earth (Gen 4:11). The “mark of Cain” was not someone running around painting check marks on him, it was his attitude and character. When anyone ran into one of the “Cain Klan” they knew it. Cain had an attitude growing more bitter to the point only the “Cain Klan” could stand to be around him, really it shows Cain was his brothers Keeper, thus we pray for the brethren as intercessors, or protectors.
Cain was used as a metaphor by Jude in his description of the false ones, Jude added both Balaam and Core (Korah) to the equation giving us Three evil products all of which are in the Field (Jude 11). Does it mean Cain, Balaam and Korah were around in Jude’s day? No, we know they were used as types, or allegories. Cain ended bitter in his ways, Balaam produced error; Core (Korah) was swallowed by the earth in his attempt to usurp authority. Three steps, all of which take one backward as they form their own way, then use the wrong door to commit error, making their bed in the pit of the earth.
Jesus said the doctrine of Balaam was among Pergamos, but He also pointed to the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes as well as the self-appointed Jezebels. Do they relate to Jude’s comments? Yes, Balaam is used as an allegory and warning in both, the Nicolaitanes control by domination, which is the way of Cain; the Jezebels are self-appointed, which was the sin of Korah. How does this relate to Judas being the son of perdition? Judas sold his brother and teacher (Jesus) to the enemy to get his own way, yet the same Judas was ordained by Jesus. When Judas moved out of his calling yet used the authority he became a self-appointed leader, who thought his position gave him power over the affairs of Jesus. Judas assumed he could control the Head of the Body, he also attempted to change prophesy to fit his desires. Judas was among the first to enter the earthly ministry right after the Baptism of Jesus, yet we also know Jesus knew all about Judas from the beginning, it was Judas who didn’t know himself. Judas heard the Parable of the Wheat and Tares, but failed to make the correlation.
The word Door is also found in Genesis 6:16, in reference to Noah and the Ark. The Ark had one door and one Window, God pours the blessing out of the Windows when the Door is closed. Although the Ark only had one window and one door, God shows there are Windows in heaven (Mal 3:10), yet there is the Time of Doors. There is only One Door into heaven, so why the Time of Doors? When John makes entrance by The Door into heaven, the Door to the House of David is opened, yet we also see how Jesus stands at a Door, thus we find Doors many, but only one Door into heaven. Jesus is the only one with the keys to the House of David, yet He gave us keys to the Kingdom. Jesus also has the keys to death and hell, thus Jesus gave us some keys, not all the keys.
Jesus tells those with the Door of David how no man can open or shut, but then He says He stands at the Door, if any opens He will come an sup with them (Rev 3:7 & 3:20). If no man can open it, how can He come in? Different doors, no man is going to usher in the Season of the Night, on man is going to stop it either. However, we have the Keys to the Door leading to Heaven, Jesus isn’t going to open the Door, we have to open it to invite Him in, then Jesus by the Spirit can take us through the Door at the Rapture.
In the Days of Noah the people were at rest, they didn’t have wars, rumors of wars, sickness, disease or famine, but they also considered God’s Judgment a moot concept, but they held Violence (unrighteousness) against God (Gen 6:11). Now many in the “days of Noah” really believed God was going to judge man? Just eight, Noah and his family. The saying, “as it was in the days of Noah” should tell us to look to the days of Noah. They were given in marriage, but is being married a sin? If it is, God should never have told us to leave our mother an father and cleave to our wives. It wasn’t marriage, but the timing, Judgment was being preached, but they went about like there were many tomorrows. They will ignore the Prophetic warning in the end times, just as they did in the Days of Noah. However, we Watch, as we’re ready for the end of the Day. The Wicked tell us the end of the world is today, but during the Night they will say there is no Judgment. For those of the Day it’s not the end of the world, but the coming of the Rapture.
The same was true in the days of Lot, the people in Sodom mocked the people of God, they lacked respect for the angels, rejected the thought of judgment. They felt life was their possession, they could do as they pleased, yet destruction came in a second.
There is more to the metaphor Door, the first Passover also had a “door”, one where the children were not to open, rather they were to remain behind it until the destroyer passed. Moses was told to place the blood in three places, and three places only. He had to put the blood on the top, and both sides, giving us a symbol of the Cross. The Hebrew word Inhshqowph means a Lintel, the Hebrew Mezuzah means the Door post, but the Hebrew Chap means the Threshold to the Door, or a Cup, thus the Door relates to the Cup. In the case of Moses the destroyer saw the blood and passed by. In our case the Blood of Jesus frees us from the second death as it cleans us continually.
Jesus also told us how the Door to the Sheepfold is opened by the Porter (Jn 10:3), the word Porter is the Greek Thuroros meaning A Watcher, or One who inspects. This connects the Porter to the entrance of the Tabernacle Courtyard as they inspected the sacrifice, regardless of the person. Jesus is the Door and Sacrifice, by His Sacrifice we make entry. Once inside we move through the Water and Fire to the Holy Place, the place where we gain entry by Position, not Sacrifice. Only the priests were allowed in the Holy Place, but then only the high priest was allowed into the Holiest of All. Jesus as our High Priest invites us into the Holiest of All.
In Revelation 21:12-25 and 22:14 we find the Gates to the Wall of New Jerusalem are given to the Twelve New Testament tribes, but it’s still New Jerusalem. The first time we find the word Gate is in Genesis 19:1 referring to the “gate of Sodom”, which can’t equate to the Gates for New Jerusalem. If we assume the first place we find the word Gates defines all gates, we would end with the Wall to New Jerusalem having the gates of Sodom, which generates a big problem, one so big we can’t get past it. Not all metaphors are defined by the first usage, we have to look at context and usage.
The gates to Sodom are more a reference to the gates of hell, not the Gates of New Jerusalem. Since the two angels walked through the gates of Sodom, we find those gates could not prevail against the Messengers of God. More important is the fact how the Gate of Sodom couldn’t keep Lot in bondage, he passed them as if they wasn’t there.
The word for Gates used in the phrase “gates of hell” is Greek word Pule, meaning a gate, but it related to the large gates around the city, not some small picket gate to a garden. The Jews used the gates to separate the outsiders from those inside, thus Gates are a form of division, showing why Paul asked, “Is Christ divided?”. Division has two forms, the Godly, and ungodly. The Word in us separates, and divides, but it’s for clarity. The gates of hell set up barriers to keep the Righteous from finding the Throne of Grace. The Wicked and Legalist set gates in our path, we have to either move around them, knock them down, or climb over them to keep on the path. Each time they set a gate of tradition, doctrine of man, or doctrine of devils in our path we have to stop, deal with the gate, then move on.
Jesus said “enter you in at the Strait Gate, for wide is the gate, and broad is the way leading to destruction” (Matt 7:13). Here we have two gates, one strait, the other unto destruction, thus ungodly division leads to destruction. The word Destruction is the Greek Apoleia meaning A state of perdition, or Exclusion from salvation, but it also means Destruction in either a temporal form (Acts 25:16 compared with 8:20), or eternal (II Pet 2:1). Peter connected it to those who have escaped the pollutions of the world, but like a dog returning to its vomit, they returned to the ways of the world.
The word Strait is the Greek Stenos meaning Narrow, but with obstacles standing close about. Stenos is akin to the Greek Histemi meaning To stand; clearly Jesus shows two gates, one narrow, one broad, the narrow one takes a close watch.
In the Book of Exodus we find “the hanging for the gate of the court”, with “the door of the tabernacle” (Ex 38:18 & 38:30). It may not seem like much, but we find the Gate and the Door are different. The Hanging to the Gate pertains to what one sees from the outside looking toward the Courtyard, but the Door to the Tabernacle pertains to one looking from the Holy Place to the Courtyard. The Sheepfold has a Door, not a Gate, thus once we make entry to the Holy Place, we can go in and out, and the strangers voice we will not hear. The entrance cannot be found by natural man, it takes the Porter, in our case it’s the Holy Ghost leading us to the Cross, which is a Door gaining us entry.
The Strait Gate leads directly to the Door of the Tabernacle, it doesn’t run around the Tent looking for some hidden revelation buried in the sand, nor does it seek some other Way. There is a route of progression, through the Brazen Altar, through the Brazen Grate, through the Brazen Laver, through the Door to the Holy Place, then one can be a partaker of the Light, Bread and Golden Altar of Incense.
If this Way has obstacles, yet begins at the Entrance, it seems there are obstacles within the Courtyard itself. Why would God do that? Why even put mysteries in the Bible? Why not make it plain and simple? Those who really care, search for the Lord to know Him, some will search for self-benefit, ending as the wanderers in the courtyard.
The activity was always in the Courtyard, the Quiet place was the Holy Place, unless someone brought in Strange Fire. There is Strange Fire and Strange Incense (Ex 30:9 & Lev 10:1); the word Strange is the Hebrew Zur meaning To press together, To turn away from, To be a stranger, or To be adulterous. The root idea pertains to deviating, this same word was used in Proverbs for the Strange Woman. What was the wrong with Aaron’s sons using the Strange Fire? What made it Strange? In Leviticus 1:7-9 we find the duties of Aaron’s sons pertained to putting fire on the altar, thus their duties were related to the courtyard, but in Leviticus 10:1 both Nadab and Abihu put fire in “his censer”, which shows they put the fire from the courtyard of judgment into the Censer of Aaron which was only used in the holy place, thus we can’t mix Salvation and Judgment in the same lamp, they are appointed to different SeWe know Hebrews 4:12 contains many metaphors, after all, does the Word in us divide the joint from the marrow? It says so. Does it mean when we receive the Word all the marrow in our bones will divide, or our joints will fall apart? Hardly, the metaphors show us mysteries. The first thing we see is a division between soul and spirit, thus the Weapons of our warfare are capable of dividing the soulish from the spiritual, which also shows the soul and spirit are different, yet interrelated, the Word never confuses the two. The Word will also point out our Ishmaels, fables and strongholds, as natural soulish elements, thus the Word will divide the things we do, and the things the Spirit does, allowing us to keep them separated. Of course this is predicated by having the Word in us.
Intents are motives, or the reason we do something, the thought is how we put the plan together, then comes the action. Without the Word in us we would never know our real intent; deception tells us “this is of God”, yet we will kill our Isaac while giving honor to our Ishmael, thinking it’s “of God”, when it’s not. The Word puts light on the Intent, exposing the thought before it becomes an action.
There are some human conditions becoming metaphors in the Kingdom, one of those is the word “barren”. The first place we find the word Barren is in Genesis 11:30 in reference to Sarai. There are two areas of being Barren, one is when God withholds for His time and timing, the other is when we cause the barrenness. Michal, the daughter of Saul, who was the wife of David made herself barren. When David danced before the Lord, it was Michal who attacked him, despised him, then rejected the purpose of the king’s joy (II Sam 6:14-16). Where did Michal birth the despising making her barren? In her heart (II Sam 6:16). Birthing envy, strife, division, competition and contention will make us spiritually barren.
Michal’s barrenness was self-induced, while David’s focus was on the Lord’s Ark, Michal was forming bitterness in her heart (II Sam 6:15-16). David made a tabernacle, or better stretched out a tent to hold the Ark, then he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of Hosts (II Sam 6:17-18). Next he gave everyone a Cake of Bread, a Good piece of Flesh, and a Flagon of Wine, all types and shadows of Communion (II Sam 6:19). With this we metaphorically find Shouting, Joy, the Word, the Body, the Flesh of Jesus, and the Blood, but Michal didn’t see it, rather she saw nakedness and shame, then attacked the appointed and anointed Ruler (II Sam 6:20-21). Cain attacked his brother, here Michal attacked her husband, yet both had the same intent, they sought fault and self-justification. Then we read “Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death” (II Sam 6:23). Why doesn’t the Scripture say “the wife of David”, after all, she was his wife. Michal was like unto Saul, not like a Wife of the King. She is a type and shadow of one who claims the position, but holds the nature of the old, thus she became Barren.
In the Study of Barrenness we find six Hebrew words, and two Greek words to consider. There are also the differences between Abortion, Miscarriage and Forced Miscarriage. The word Abortion means the use of something on the outside to cease the development of something within. Jude referred to this as “certain, men crept in unawares” (Jude 4). The wording “crept in unawares” is from the compound Greek word Pareisduno meaning To settle alongside, or Lodge stealthily (secret manner). The wicked run natural abortion clinics, by using deception and unbelief as their tools. A Miscarriage simply means the person’s body was either incapable of holding the seed or was not ready for the birth, causing the seed to be rejected, relating to time and timing, not fault. A forced miscarriage is akin to an abortion, it uses the body functions to cast off the seed, rather than outside instruments. The Hebrew word Shakol means Miscarry or Abortion, but it also shows a time of Bereavement, the root meaning of the word means To rob us of children. It also refers to Forced Miscarriage, it was first used in II Kings 2:19-21; however there it points to the land, not a person. In this case we find the prophet in the land will activate something, the false prophets attempt to abort it. Unbelief, doubt, unfounded attacks, envy, ungodly division and strife are tools used by wicked in their natural abortion clinics.
The men of the city said unto the prophet Elisha “behold I pray you, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees, but the water is naught, and the ground barren” (II Kings 2:19). The city was pleasant, but the ground, or the place for planting the Seed was barren. Our local church can appear “okay”, but we can have barren ground. If the ground is not healed, the city will soon suffer, dry up and blow away. The prophet didn’t grab the Water first, he went to the Salt, yet Salt is the product of dry ground. Then the prophet went to the Water Spring then applied the Salt saying, “there shall not be from there any more death or barren land” (II Kings 2:21). It took the Salt and the Water to bring Life, the prophet was metaphorically looking ahead. Jesus said, “You are the Salt of the earth: but if the Salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted?” (Matt 5:13). The wording “have lost his savor” is the Greek Moraion meaning To become insipid, or Lacking excitement, or Losing taste, becoming bland, which defines the character of a legalist. The context shows losing our excitement for God leaves us useless, tasteless and boring. Soul based excitement falls in the face of battle, whereas excitement of the Spirit endures.
In Psalm 107:34, which is entitled, “God Rescues Us” we find God can turn the rivers into a wilderness, the water springs into dry ground, the fruitful land into Barrenness, but it’s based on the wickedness of them who dwell therein (Ps 107:33-34). The Hebrew word for Wickedness is Ra meaning Evil thoughts from the intent of slander, producing ill words against others. The opposite would be a Doer of the Word, but in order to be a Doer, one must have the Word in them. The Word of God still divides between the thought and intent, discerning the source of the words of others, as well as our own.
We know Isaac came from Abraham, and from Isaac came Jacob, but what about the women involved? Was there something about them giving us a clue to the method God uses to bring His promise to pass? Is there a reason for the “dry spells” we face on the narrow path? What about the time between the ending of the Old Testament and the Birth of Jesus, was it a dry time? Of course we know of the Apocrypha contains fourteen books relating to the age between the Old Testament near the beginning of the earthly ministry. Yet, by the name Apocrypha we find it means Writings or statements of doubtful authorship or lacking authenticity, pointing to a Barrenness. The word Apocrypha comes from the Latin, meaning Not canonical, or not authentic, it’s the neuter plural of the Latin Apocryphus meaning Hidden. Giving light to another subject, the Greek word Apokryphos means Hidden, it’s connected to the Latin Apocryphus, thus any Hidden Book, whether under a tree or not, is Not canonical or authentic.
The first Hebrew word for Barren is Aqar meaning Sterile as if Extirpated in the generative organs, the root word means To be plucked up by the roots. Does this sound familiar? Yes, Jude said the false are plucked up by the roots (Jude 12). The word Extirpated means To remove or destroy completely, or Eradicate. The Hebrew shows there is nothing from which to build, thus it lacks usefulness. It wasn’t a lack regarding the number of eggs for reproduction, or weak eggs, rather there was no egg to begin with. In man’s eyes this produced the thought of reproduction being impossible, or foolish to even hope for offspring. This produces two areas of Barren, both related to God’s actions. On one hand the wicked are made barren, but on the other hand God produces a Barren time to bring about a promise where the only conclusion is “this is of God”.
Is being Barren a sin? Is it a curse? Not always, discernment leads us to the Bible where we find the first woman to be found Barren is Sarai (Gen 11:30), the second is Rebekah (Gen 25:21), the third is Rachel (Gen 29:31). On the same note the first barren woman to give birth was Sarai, the second was Rebekah, and the third was Rachel. In each case it was a barrenness for a purpose. The two forms of barrenness show the time before the Promise is based on a barren time in order to fit the time and timing of God.
Sarai heard the Lord say “is anything too hard for the Lord?”, but she was looking at Abraham, considering, “is anything possible with this old fool?”. Was Sarai barren through any fault of any human? No, but was it for a purpose? Yes, it was the Lord who held her back, not to punish her, as she supposed, but to Wait for the “time appointed” (Gen 18:14). The purpose was to show both Abraham, Sarah and us the promise came only from the Lord, not man. There is a time of being Barren, and the Appointed Time for the Promise to come forth.
The wording “time appointed” is the Hebrew word Moed meaning A festive gathering, it designates a predetermined time or place without regard for the purpose, thus the Appointed Time points to a specific time, yet the purpose could vary. In the case of Sarai the appointed time was the birth of a male child Isaac; however, for God the purpose went much further.
When Rachel saw her sister giving Jacob children, yet she was barren, envy entered (Gen 30:1). When we are in the barren area, yet the church down the street is in the birth stage, the danger of envy becomes real. If we fall into envy we will seek a handmaiden to bring forth on our own what God desires to bring; the result for us? Ishmael. We must then cast out the Ishmael and his mother, or the next time barrenness comes, we will again run to the mother of Egypt to produce another Ishmael.
God had a plan for Rachel, two sons both pointing to a time far beyond the years of Rachel. Rachel would give birth to Joseph (Gen 30:24), and Joseph means Adding or The Lord shall add. It was just after his birth when Jacob made his bargain with Laban for the rejected cattle (Gen 30:25-33). Much later in Genesis 35:18, after Jacob returns to Bethel, Rachel would give birth to Benjamin (son of the right hand), then she would die in child birth. Wait, wasn’t God able to bring her through this? Would a Good God allow this? Yes, but for a Better reason. Rachel was buried In the Way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem (Gen 35:19). Matthew and the prophet Jeremiah saw the death of Rachel as a prophetic message. Herod signed his own death warrant by ordering the slaughter of the children from “two years old” in Bethlehem. The “two years” was supposed by Herod to handle his problem, but God saw it as a Jew coming against Joseph (The Lord Adding) and Benjamin (The Son Of The Right Hand). Couldn’t God stop Herod? Yes, but God has plans far beyond man’s self-based thinking. The slaughter was seen by God from the foundation of the world, but it doesn’t mean God ordained it, rather it was worked into the plan, without manipulating Herod, thus the blood of Rachel was weeping for her children, yet from the slaughter the Door would be open for the Son of the Right Hand to Add to the kingdom. At the same time the weeping preserved a place for those children, they did not die in vain.
In Joseph’s dream the Moon was his mother, yet by the time Joseph had the dream Rachel was dead. We know the Moon is Zion, thus Rachel weeping for her children not only pointed to Bethlehem, but it was a prophetic message of Zion weeping for her children. Between Sarai and Rachel was Rebekah, the wife of Isaac, who was the second woman in the Bible to be Barren (Gen 25:21). Isaac didn’t obtain his own wife, rather the servant of the father went out and found her at the Well of Water. We look at this as a type and shadow of the Holy Ghost seeking the Bride of Christ, which is correct and proper, but there are other metaphors as well. Isaac was Forty years old when he took Rebekah as his wife, we know Rebekah was the sister of Laban the Syrian (Gen 25:20). The number Forty refers to a wilderness experience. Rebekah had two children, twins, yet they were two nations in one womb as two manner of people, one was stronger than the other, and the elder shall serve the younger (Gen 25:23). The word Serve is the Hebrew Avad meaning To be made to serve, enslave, to cause to worship, rather than a willingness to worship, it’s this latter definition drawing our attention. One son will move in the path God has for him, the other will rebel in all regards, yet both will be blessed in a material sense, but in the end the elder will serve the younger.
The kingdom of heaven is the womb for the Kingdom of God, thus the metaphor kingdom of heaven also points to one Womb with two sons, one good, one evil. Yet the Kingdom of God contains the spiritual “sons of God”. Paul would make reference to these two sons by saying, “(For the children being not yet Born, neither having done any good or evil, the purpose of God according to the election might stand, not of works, but of Him who calls) it was said of her (Rebekah), The elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob I have loved, but Esau have I hated” (Rom 9:9-13). Paul made this reference in explaining the difference between the vessels of honor, and dishonor. Did God know which would be unto honor, and which to dishonor? It’s Paul’s point, before either did good or evil God knew what type of person they would be, then worked them into the plan; however, it doesn’t stop God from presenting opportunity.
The metaphor Esau points to the vessels of dishonor, pointing to those who really don’t respect the Birthright, they give more honor to their flesh, than the promise. Paul used this metaphor again in the Book of Hebrews, when he wrote, “Follow Peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: looking diligently lest any man fail of the Grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled: lest there be any fornicator, or profane person as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright” (Heb 12:14-16). The New Birth is the reason for entering the kingdom of heaven, those who reject it are akin to Esau.
There were two other women in the Old Testament who were barren; Manoah the mother of Samson, and Hannah the mother of Samuel (Judges 13:2 & I Sam 2:5). This gives us Five barren women in the Old Testament, relating to the first Five churches in the Book of Revelation. How does this relate to us? In Isaiah 54:1 we read, “Sing, O Barren, you who did not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, you who did not travail with Child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the Lord”. The word Barren used here is the same Hebrew word used in reference to the five barren women; other than the five barren and here, it was used one other time in Psalm 113:9, and twice in the Law of Moses. We may have come into this Barren, but there is no reason to remain so.
In Second Peter 1:8 we find the English word Barren, but it’s the Greek Argos, meaning Unemployed. Peter said, “For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you, that you shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ”. The Greek Argos is the opposite of the Greek Ergon meaning Labor or Work, Ergon was used by James in explaining the Work of our faith. Peter tells us to Add to our faith, virtue; to virtue add knowledge, and so on until we are Fruitful and no longer Unemployed. Putting it with the context of II Peter we find the Unemployed are the false ones, they are independent contractors. They entered by the Mercy of God, but refuse to give it, yet they are Workers of iniquity, but unemployed nonetheless. This has nothing to do with being out of job in the secular area, it has to do with being a member of the Body. For those who have entered the Rest of God, they have ceased from their works. The Doctrine Of Christ demands for us to move from the repentance of dead works, to Faith toward God. Why then did the Holy Ghost pick the word Barren? Why not Unemployed? Or Useless? The concept shows we can have the Seed of God, but we are expected to be spiritual, thus the Corinthians would be an example of Barren.
There any other metaphors or allegories defining how the Word divides (Heb 4:12); Jacob – Israel is one; the name Jacob is from the Hebrew Aqav meaning To swell out, To seize by the heel (which curves outward, and displays a weakness), To come from behind, To circumvent (as in tripping up by the heels), To throw someone down, To supplant, To defraud, To deceive, To keep back, or Restrain, thus the noun Jacob is the attitude of the verb Aqav. We can build from a Jacob position, or wait on the Lord and have Him build us from the Israel. Jacob was the fearful one, Israel the man of faith.
The first place we find the name Israel is in Genesis 32:28 when Jacob wrestled with a “man”, the word for “man” is the Hebrew Ish meaning Man, Mankind, Possessor of manliness, but more important it refers to a Human Being, not an angel. The allegory shows the travailing of the New Birth, although it appears in Genesis 32 Jacob won the battle, we find he really didn’t, rather Israel won. Jacob the Fearful One was told by God to return home, yet just before meeting Esau, Jacob made plans to protect himself and his belongings, just as the Strongman will attempt to protect his so-called treasures. The message or “angel” of Israel came to Jacob, a battle ensued when Jacob was “left alone” (Gen 32:24). The wording “was left” is from the Hebrew Yathar meaning The residue left over after the portion has been Divided. This gives us the metaphoric clue to the Word dividing, as the man Jacob was told one thing, yet he assumed another. This battle was after all the sons, except Benjamin, were born.
We recall the battle and how Jacob heard the calling, but so did his feet. Like many of us who hear the call, soon comes the awareness of what the calling entails, then the thoughts enter, our feet no longer want to walk by faith, they begin to shake. The Jacob – Israel principle displays the call as Jacob hears, but Israel (faith) will answer. Recalling our study in Genesis we know there were times when the man was “Jacob”, other times when the same person was “Israel”. How could this be? Was he a nut? Was he real? Jacob is an example or Process, during the Process the man would answer or react as Jacob, at other times as Israel. We do no less, at times Jacob will answer, but Israel (faith) will come to the rescue. Israel believed God, but Jacob believed his own fears. The result will tell the tale, God provided Peace, Jacob didn’t see it, but it was there. The following chart gives us the Jacob – Israel thought process.
CHART – JACOB – ISRAEL
Genesis 32:28: Genesis 35:10-12 “And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.” “And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel. And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins; And the land which I gave Abraham and Issac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land.”
The above chart shows two things, the calling seen in the shadow, and the Call showing the purpose. Therefore, when the calling comes, settle down, wait for the Call to be defined, it’s won’t take forever, but it may take a training.
The man told Jacob “Your name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince have you power with God and with men, and have prevailed” (Gen 32:28). It’s from this statement the term “shall rule as God” came into being. The next day Jacob saw Esau coming, then he Divided the children unto Leah, and Rachel, then unto the handmaidens (Gen 33:1). A division took place in Jacob the night before, now another division is taking place, both were based on fear, not faith. At this point in time he has eleven sons, not twelve (Gen 32:22). The order is also important; Jacob placed the handmaidens and their children in the front, then Leah and her children, then Rachel and Joseph at the hindmost. This division was based on protecting the family, but didn’t Jacob the night prior say “For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved”? (Gen 32:30). Didn’t the man say “Your name shall no longer be Jacob”? Yet, the very next verse shows Jacob was still Jacob, really he was Jacob until Genesis 34:7. What was this battle? Who was this man? Was it an angel? If so, why use the Hebrew Ish? Doesn’t the Holy Ghost know the difference between a human being and an angel? Why did God come again in Genesis 35:10-11 talking as if Jacob had no children at all? The battle was between the Supplanting One and the Called One. It might help to know the meaning of the word Supplanter, which means one who Supplants, and Supplant means To displace by use of scheming, treachery or other devious means. The battle was Jacob attempting to scheme his way out of the calling, but the calling prevailed.
In Genesis 35:10-11 God points to a future event and says “shall come out of thy loins”. Didn’t God know Jacob already had 11 sons? Yes, but the metaphor goes to the “Son of the Right Hand”, not the twelve tribes. We find “a nation” and “a company of nations”, two groups, not one (Gen 35:11). The words Nation and Nations are both the Hebrew word Ghoy meaning a Gentile or “non-Israel”, yet isn’t his name Israel? The word Company is the Hebrew Qahal, it’s considered one of the most important terms in the Old Testament. It means A congregation, An assembly, A crowd, it also referred to the “people of Israel”, or the eligible worshipping members of the assembly. The word Company really doesn’t fit with the Hebrew word Ghoy used in Genesis 35:11, but God has a plan. The first aspect is the Ghoy or Gentile in our Season coming to the Cross, but the combination of the Ghoy and Qahal displays the Born Again Believer who can worship in Spirit and Truth by the Spirit of Truth, whether they are Jew or Gentile.
Before Jacob came face to face with Esau, he attempted to give Esau “a peace offering” in order to “find grace” in the sight of Esau, but God wasn’t even going to allow it, thus Esau refused the “grace gift” (Gen 33:8-9). When the “grace gift” turns into a Blessing from Jacob to Esau, rather than a pay off, then God will allow Esau to receive (Gen 33:10-11). This Blessing and meeting took place during the Day, the battle at Night, thus the division came before the Day, the Blessing and Grace during the Day (Gen 33:16 & 32:24).
Jacob came to Bethel and built an altar calling it ElBethel, or The God Of The House Of God. While there, Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse would die, and was buried under the Oak, the name of It was called Allon–bachuth (The Oak Of Weeping). Then Jacob would hear from God, this time Jacob would hear “Your name is Jacob: your name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be your name” (Gen 35:10). What happened? Did the so-called angel get the message wrong? Or was it the calling in the loins of Jacob doing battle with the fearful one over the “message”? Going back to the battle we find the man said “Your name shall be called no more Jacob” (Gen 32:28), but here in Genesis 35:10 God clearly says “Your name is Jacob”. The two events are connected, but shouldn’t be confused, there is the battle of the calling, then the calling. The battle of Jacob – Israel is the Authority change, something anyone who has a calling will go through. The anointing of the Calling, isn’t the same as the anointing in the New Birth, there is an authority change to take place. It’s what we find here, the authority of Jacob ceases as the authority of Israel begins. The calling is to assist the Body, not make us famous or holy. Far too often leaders fall into the trap of “self-mentor worship”; they see the anointing working, then think it’s because of them. They attempt to control the results, placing themselves in danger (I Tim 3:6). Balaam thought the calling was a “profession”, as he thought the gift was a means to make money, rather than a means to display the glory of God.
The man in the battle said “for as a prince have you power with God and with men”, but God said “I Am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of your loins” (Gen 35:11). Seems like God was about eleven sons late with the phrase “kings shall come out of your loins”; however, God was looking at us, notice it wasn’t “prince” but “kings”. The calling had a view of what it entailed, but here God clears the issue showing what will be produced. God is prophetically speaking to the product of the calling; Jesus, since Jesus has made us both kings and priests.
However, for Jacob there needed to be some “house cleaning”, some of the old Jacob had to go in order for Israel to take residence. Houses have three things of interest which relate to metaphors, the Doors, Windows and Furniture. When the Lord tells us “it’s time to clean the House”, it doesn’t mean clean our physical house, it refers to the soul as the House. Some of us keep some junky furniture, calling it treasured antiques. They’re antiquities, old, rotten, and about to fall apart. The restoring of our soul is really a Renovating, or removal of the Old, by bringing the New. If we have a Newness, we need New things to fit the Newness. The old bag just won’t hold the New Wine, it will burst, yet at times we get mad because the Spirit broke our faulty toy.
The word Furniture is also a metaphor relating to the tools used, or the weapons of our warfare. The weapons of our warfare are mighty through God, but there are other weapons not of God. Strife, manipulation, validation, using anger to get our way, causing division and envy.
Jesus said, when the unclean spirit is gone out of a person, it goes to dry places seeking rest, finding none comes back. If it finds the house empty, swept and garnished, it not only reenters, but brings seven more, thus the last state is worse than the first (Matt 12:43-45). We know this refers to the very end times when the pit is opened, but we also find some interesting facts. The three elements of Empty, Swept and Garnished are important factors, the word Empty is the Greek Scholazo meaning To take a holiday, To be at leisure, thus it doesn’t mean empty in the sense of void, but shows the person is now free, but decides to take pleasure in their freedom, rather than seeking to be filled with the Spirit to have a change. This is akin to being forgiven of our sins, but rejecting the New Birth, or receiving the Spirit, but rejecting the purpose. The word Swept is the Greek Saroo meaning To brush off, indicating a removal, but nothing replacing the old, being clean yet failing to have the Word in residence is being unequal. The word Garnished is the Greek Kosmeo relating to the orderly decorate fiber of the world. The House was set free, but refused to be filled with the things of God, thus the House was free of the demonic, but it took rest in the freedom assuming it would not happen again. It’s like leaving the world, yet going back to the world thinking we can now control it. To the demon the house was prepared with more room, allowing more demons to enter. Once the house is emptied and clean we don’t prepare it for the world again, we don’t continue to use natural intellect and wisdom then call it Godly, we seek the Spirit coupled with the knowledge and wisdom of God. Paul said, “which things we speak, not in the words of man’s wisdom” (I Cor 2:13). Therefore there is a man’s wisdom and a Godly wisdom. He then said the natural man cannot receive the things of the Spirit, for they are spiritually discerned (I Cor 2:14), thus there is a natural knowledge, and one of the Spirit.
After the New furniture is conducive to the New Man we must look at the house. The Window is not a way of Entrance, it was used by the Jews to toss things out of, to speak from, and to allow air in, but it was not used for an entrance. At the first Passover Moses didn’t put the Blood around the Window, he placed it around the Door, thus the Window is not Blood related. Attempting to climb in a window where the blessing came from makes us a trespasser, or a thief. We enter by the Door, since we belong in the House.
There are houses many, there is the House of Pharaoh, we know Pharaoh’s house is a type and shadow of bondage (Gen 12:15). God plagued Pharaoh and his House with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife (Gen 12:17). There are three Hebrew words for House, by far the most common being Bayith, which means To build, A dwelling place, A race, Descendants, the word includes what is in the house as well. We find the Hebrew Atrowth-beyth-Yowab used once meaning Crowns of Shophan, or Hidden, referring to the House of Joab in the family line of Judah (I Chron 2:54). The reference points to the House of Judah as a clue to something hidden, yet Proverbs tells us “it is the Glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honor of kings to search out the matter” (Prov 25:2). In the searching of the hidden mystery we find if we take away the dross from the silver, it will produce a vessel fit for the Refiner (Prov 25:4). Then we find if we take away the Wicked (old man) from before the king, then the king’s throne shall be established (Prov 25:5). Some of us are impressed by the natural knowledge of “great men”, but we are told “stand not in the place of great men” (Prov 25:6).
When John heard “come up hither” it was time to pass through the Door (Rev 4:1), only the Spirit of Truth can gain us the ability to “come up hither” (Rev 11:12). One other place we find the phrase “come up hither” it reads, “for better it is that it be said unto thee Come up hither: than you should be put lower in the present of the Prince whom your eyes have seen” (Prov 25:7). It begins by finding the hidden mysteries, the keys to open the knowledge and wisdom of God. The house (soul) is important, having the Newness of the house more so.
The Hebrew Bayith is translated as Court, Daughter, Door, Dungeon, Family, Hangings, Home, House, Household, Palace, Place, Prison, Tablet, Temple and Web; all these show the various forms and types of houses. There is the House of David and the House of the Spider; the House of Judah and the House of Jacob; the House of Levi and the Rebellious House. There are Tents as well, God will save the Tents of Judah first, then the House of David (Zech 12:7). The word Tents is a metaphor pointing to the Feast of Tabernacles, which was the Feast celebrated to show the end of the wandering in the wilderness. Moses died in the wilderness, as a clue to our wilderness purpose and condition. Any thought of using self-righteousness must die in the wilderness, it cannot enter the Promised Land, it will hinder our crossing. After we get faith, then we do the things of faith, anything not done in faith is sin.
This brings us the metaphor “wilderness”, showing the “wandering” is separated from the world, yet connected. The wilderness is the place of “mask removal”, where the ways of the old man are made manifest, even to the point where we can see them. In the wilderness the many voices of unbelief, doubt, pride, ego, fear, the mask of who we think we are will all shout, “there are giants in the land”, but the still small voice of the Lord will tell us “the battle is the Lord’s, the victory is yours”. This gives us the result in the allegory of Joshua and Caleb. What? Joshua and Caleb were the only two witnesses in the wilderness “spy group” who stood for God. Therefore, they become the allegory of what leaves the wilderness with us. Joshua means “Jehovah’s salvation” or “the salvation of Jehovah”. Caleb means “Forcible”, which doesn’t make any sense, unless we couple it with Faith. Ahh, Joshua is a type of God’s love, Caleb a type of our measure of faith. This shows what comes out of the wilderness is a Faith working by Love.
The wilderness is the “junk leaving” place, the place where the old man loses his grip on us, where we gain the upper hand on the old nature. Joshua and Caleb were in a house alone, yet faced a house divided. They were the minority voice who stood for God, when the majority did not.
There are hundreds of references to the word House, but this is a lesson, not a novel, we’re not going to look at them all, but we do want to view some. The prophet Ezekiel was told by God “Son of man, I send you to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation who have rebelled…” (Ezek 2:3), adding, “for they are a rebellious house” (Ezek 2:5). Here we find the entire nation is a house, but within the house are other houses. There is the House of David, House of Levi and House of Judah, all of which are within the House of the nation. Defining the House spoken of is necessary to determine the context, a neighborhood has many houses, but it’s still one neighborhood. For instance Psalm 30 is entitled “The song at the dedication of the House of David”, but Psalm 52 refers to the House of Abimelech, yet Psalm 58 is a reference to the House of the Wicked. Why is it so important to keep the various houses separate? Isaiah said, “Woe unto them who join House to House, or who lay Field to Field” (Isa 5:8), then “In My ears says the Lord of Hosts, Of a truth Many Houses shall be desolate, even great and fair, without inhabitant” (Isa 5:9). The wording “shall be desolate” is the Hebrew Shammah meaning Horror, it emphasizes the spectacle of desolation, or the reaction which causes desolation. This also shows it’s the foundation upon which the house is built determining the type of house. One can build a nice house, but build it on the sand, it will fail in the end.
David had his house, but his desire was to “dwell in the House of the Lord forever” (Ps 23:6). There is one House which will never be desolate, our goal is to reach the position where our entire existence on the earth is dedicated to the House of the Lord in heaven. God desires to Tabernacle with His Tabernacles, God is looking for Fellowship.
Jesus has the keys to the House of David, but the dedication of the House tells us much about its future. The House of David will bring the Knowledge of the Lord to the world, but there is an attitude within the House of David lacking in the House of Jacob, thus the Time of Comfort begins with the House of David spreading the knowledge of the Lord, but ends with the House of Jacob bringing sudden destruction. The House of David is not designed to bring the Grace of the Lord, or the Wisdom of God, or the New Birth, it’s designed to represent knowledge regarding the Mercy of the Lord, thus they will not deny the Name of Jesus as it relates to Mercy. It doesn’t mean they go about saying, “In the Name of Jesus”, it means they hold the least of the Commandments, the ones Jesus gave on the Mount of Olives, prior to the Cross and Resurrection. In our case we hold to the least Commandments, but we also have the addition of the Cross and Resurrection. We have the Spirit, but the 144,000 they will operate in Mercy, the same as the disciples did before the Cross, yet the 144,000 won’t heal, because no one will be sick, they won’t cast out devils, since the devil is bound, they won’t have great strength, but a little strength.
The House of David will be open when the Lord sets His hand a second time to recover the Remnant, then they will say “O Lord my God, I cried unto You, and You have healed me” (Ps 30:2). In Psalm 30:5 we find Weeping during the Night, but Joy in the morning. We use the verse indicating a time of Joy, which is true and correct, but it points to the Weeping in the Night, not the Day. The Joy was found in the Morning, not the Night.
In Psalm 30:7 we find the Mountain of the Lord, which is also a metaphor for Zion of the earth. In Isaiah 2:1-2 we read “The word Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall come to pass in the last days, the Mountain of the Lord’s House shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it”. This shows both Mountains and Hills in the last days, but not the isles. Jesus said the Gospel was to be preached in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the earth (Acts 1:8). He didn’t say we were to draw all men to Jerusalem, rather we draw mankind to Jesus. There are differences in the Seasons, thus we can’t mix them. In our Season we pull people from the Sea and bring clarity to the field, in the next Season the people will come to Jerusalem to hear the Knowledge of the Lord; however, among them will be the Synagogue of Satan who will worship at the feet of the sixth church, yet take over the seventh. Toward the end of the Time of Comfort the Knowledge will lay in the Street, proving “My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge”.
The House of David will project the knowledge of the Lord, which is their goal, but not their attitude, rather their attitude is “To the end my glory may sing praise to You, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto You forever” (Ps 30:12). The basic premise of Praise is to give Thanks unto God for all things; there are many times when the event calls for the Sacrifice of Praise. This precious attitude is lacking in the House of Jacob, they think they are rich and in need of nothing. In our case, if we take the attitude “I will praise God through it, but not for it”; we haven’t praised God at all. We have heard the slander of man against us: fear was on every side, they devised to take away our life, but we Trusted in the Lord, saying The Lord He is our God (Ps 31:13-14); pointing to the attitude of the Tents of Judah, which tents we are. The Lord will deliver us by His Righteousness, not by our self-righteousness (Ps 31:1). The Lord will bring a House of Defense in the Rock (Ps 31:2-3), upon the Rock we do stand, not under it.
Zion of the earth is the hill upon which Jerusalem of the earth is built; therefore, we can find why Jesus said, Upon the Rock He will build His Church. The correlation separates Jerusalem of earth from New Jerusalem, as well as Zion of the earth from the Zion of heaven. Zion of heaven is the Rock, we are part heavenly Zion. The first place we find the word Zion, it relates to a Stronghold, as David took the Stronghold (II Sam 5:7). Then we find Zion is a City (I Kings 8:1). Then Zion has a Daughter (II Kings 19:21), then we see Zion is a Mount (II Kings 19:31). The first four times we find the word Zion it refers to four different things, yet it’s the same Zion upon which the 144,000 are marked. The word Zion is the Hebrew Tsiyown meaning A permanent capital, it comes from the Hebrew Tsiyah meaning To perch or a Wilderness, it’s the latter meaning holding importance. God sees the City in the wilderness, yet the wilderness is miles from the City, yet we find Zion is the Wilderness for the City.
Other meanings derived from the root words for Zion are A sign, or A monumental pillar. Zion is not only noted as a City and Mount, but a Hill and Castle as well (I Chron 11:5, II Chron 5:2 & Ps 2:6). Why so many? Do they relate to something? Yes, it helps define the difference between a Mountain and a Mount. The metaphor Mountain means a Nation, but a Mount refers to the People of the nation, thus the Law of Moses was delivered from two Mounts; whereas, Jesus delivered the Blessings of Mercy from One. This shows Zion of the earth is established on the Sand of the Sea, with two aspects, blessing and cursing, but Zion of heaven is the Rock, with one aspect, Blessing. Mixing the two will end in polluting both.
The children left Egypt they were on their way to the Promised Land, but first they had to cross the Wilderness, thus the Wilderness was the Street between Egypt and the Promised Land. The paradox shows the Body as a Street between the world and the Church.
The city of Jerusalem is known as a she, thus the metaphor Zion would include the worshipping elders of the City. Therefore, we can have the City and the Mount in the same location, as well as the Mount known as the City, since the city is build on the mount, becoming part of it. We know the Rock will have “rocks” left behind, but the Church will not, since the Church becomes the Bride of Christ. Zion and Jerusalem of the earth are just the opposite, the 144,000 are marked on Zion, but they will see the abominations done in the temple in the city. The correlation sees the structures as the Mount upon which the City is built, the Temple within the City. Therefore, the 144,000 are seen as Pillars in the Temple, not Pillars in the Tabernacle. Why didn’t Jesus mark the 144,000 in the City? The City is the Woman, Jesus went to the foundation (Zion) to mark the 144,000. We find Jesus Standing on the Mount shows the purpose of the 144,000 is to make the enemies of Jesus His footstool, hardly our task. Won’t the Father actually make the enemies of Jesus His footstool? Yes, showing the 144,000 are Mercy motivated, they will not be privy to Grace. The Night will be the perfect example of the vessels of honor as the 144,000, and the beast out of the earth as the vessels of dishonor.
The name Abimelech is a metaphor itself, the name means “father of a king”, the Abimelech David knew, wasn’t the same one Abraham knew, obviously. When David came to the House of Abimelech he produced the Psalm regarding Doeg the Edomite (Psalm 52). Doeg the Edomite is a type and shadow of a wicked person who uses his tongue in an evil manner to get his own way, or to exalt himself. Doeg’s heart was set on doing evil, then calling it good. In reference to those who hold the Doeg mind, the Psalm shows God will “pluck you out of your dwelling place”, which shows God will move those with the Doeg mind from one house to another. Then we find the phrase “Lo, this is the man who made not God his strength” (Ps 52:7). This takes us to Isaiah 14:16 where we find Lucifer is a man, then “They who see you shall narrowly look upon you, and consider you, saying, Is this the man” (Isa 14:16). The phrase “shall narrowly look” is the Hebrew word Shagach meaning To glance at sharply, or Discern, connecting to the Tares who are discovered by the Servants of the House. When the Tare is exposed, the tongue of the Tare will come forth with slander, and deception.
What about Edom being a metaphor? Obadiah notes Edom as a her (Obadiah 1:1), thus the Edomite must also relate to the City. Obadiah also says Edom will be Cut off (Obadiah 1:5). The wording Cut Off is the Hebrew Dhamah meaning To lay waste, To be silent, To perish with a violent end. The prophet lays out a picture showing Edom will appear blessed, but God will search her heart, exposing the hidden things (Obadiah 1:6). This relates to the Seventh church in the Book of Revelation. Jesus tells the Laodiceans “Because you say, I am rich and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and know not you are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind and naked” (Rev 3:17). The Laodiceans are an example of prospering, yet failing to prosper as ones soul prospers. Amos says there will be a Famine of hearing in the end (Amos 8:11), he also shows something very interesting about the Image of the Beast. Amos says, “They who swore by the sin of Samaria, and say, Thy God O Dan, lives; and the manner (way) of Beer-sheba lives; even they shall fall and never rise up again” (Amos 8:14). They will call the Image “God”, thus the trick of the Wicked is to bring an Image of the world into the temple calling it “God”. One of the tribes not mentioned in the New Testament list is Dan, here we find out why.
Malachi says Edom will say “We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places”, but God says “They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them The border of Wickedness, and, The people against whom the Lord has indignation forever” (Mal 1:4). This describes the Footstool, in our Season Jesus sits, but in the next He stands. We start at His footstool of rest, yet when He stands the footstool changes to one of vengeance.
Is Mount Zion the same as the Mountain of the Lord? The Mountain of the Lord was established on Sinai, but Paul said Sinai was akin to Hagar, go figure? How could the Mountain of the Lord be on Sinai? Sinai was in the wilderness, the place where Moses obtained the Ten Commandments and the Law. Ahh, the principality of the Law will be the yardstick of judgment in the end. The Law was the means used to balance the failure of doing the Ten Commandments, natural man assumes by Attempting to keep the Ten Commandments they have kept them. The Ten Commandments show man’s failure, not man’s success. The children in the wilderness proved it, they also knew no human being was capable of keeping the Commandments. The ego and self-reliant pride of man assumes many things, but fails at the doing. The Law of the Spirit is much different, the Ability is provided in the New Birth, what we couldn’t do, we find we can do: what we didn’t want to do, we find we no longer want to do.
Okay, Mount Sinai was in the wilderness, Mount Ebal is in the Promised Land, yet the Law came from them both. God gave Moses the Law on Sinai, but Moses commanded the Law be read to the people from Ebal (when they reached the Promised Land). This shows the Nation or Mountain of the Lord being established. The Hebrew word Ebal means To be bald, or Uncovered, it holds a Division between blessing and cursing while holding both (Deut 11:29). Horeb is also known as the Mountain of God (I Kings 19:8 & Ex 3:1). From this Mountain came the Law, the Commandments, also the image of the golden calf (Deut 5:15, 5:2, 9:8-12, I Kings 8:9 & Ps 106:19). If one was a legalist they would have hung Paul for making an equation between Hagar and the Mount, but we see the Law came from God because of the failure of the people to believe, not as a result of their faith or belief. Hagar was a symbol of the mother of the product of manipulation, the manipulation came as a result of testing God, testing God is a result of doubting in the ability of God to bring about His Promise, which produced the Law.
The word Sinai means Pointed, but Horeb means Desolate, with a root word meaning To destroy. Sinai was the place where the Law was presented, but it was associated with the Wilderness (Ex 16:1). The metaphor “mountain” means a Nation, thus the Nation of Israel was formed when Moses obtained the Law, but the Law is not all Israel is. The Law and Commandments are powers and principalities, they came from God, but they are not God. They were sent as Instructors to the nation Israel, but there were many other things making up the nation. One of the problems the Pharisees had was making the Law their god, then making it the god over God, or the god to define God. In the process they missed the Word made flesh walking among them.
We also find the Hill of God is Bashan (Ps 68:15), yet Bashan has Strong bulls who mock the Cross (Ps 22:12). The Kine of Bashan is related to the Mountain of Samaria (Amos 4:1). All this shows there are Mountains many, the premise of a “hill” points to a small mountain, meaning it’s also a principality, or an element within a larger element. Hills usually refer to things within the nation, for instance there is the hill of Bashan which belongs to God, but in the hands of man it became a place of idol worship. It didn’t change the ownership, rather it became a testimony against the “landlords”.
Mount Zion for the Born Again Believer is much different from the one the 144,000 are marked on. In Hebrews 12:22 we read, “But you are come unto Mount Sion (Zion), and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels”. Then Peter said, “”Behold, I lay in Sion (Zion) a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he who believes on Him shall not be confounded” (I Pet 2:5). We also find, “You also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ” (I Pet 2:6). Hebrews 12:22 shows two locations, one is heavenly Zion, the other Heavenly Jerusalem, thus we find New Jerusalem is the Church, heavenly Zion the Rock upon which the Church is built. The Zion of the earth wasn’t a stone of stumbling, but the Gospel is. This shows Jesus as the Christ of Mercy and Grace provided the Christ covering as the ability of the Rock. Christ is the Anointed, the Rock has the anointing. Jesus is the Body and Head, Zion the Body, the Church the Head. We are not the Body of Moses, or Elijah, or Peter, or Paul, or the candlestick maker, we are the Body of Christ, we Hear ye Him.
This is shown when Peter points out the Chief Corner Stone is a benefit to the Believer, then Peter adds “but unto them which be disobedient, the Stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner. And a stone of stumbling, and a Rock of offense, even to them which stumble at the Word, being disobedient (unbelieving): whereunto also they were appointed. But you are a chosen generation..” (I Pet 2:7-8). Here we find the Stone has two elements; benefiting the Believer, yet stumbling to the unbeliever. There are no unbelievers in heaven; therefore, Zion of heaven begins here on earth, it’s established by Jesus as the Son of man, then the Church is being built by Jesus as the Son of God.
How does this relate to the Rock? After all the verses seem to point to Jesus as the Rock of stumbling. Ahh, Christ in you the hope of glory, Greater is He in you, all showing many in the Body of Christ are Christ like by having the New Man, but we also know there are those who mind the flesh, and those who have crept in unawares. Far better to center on minding the Spirit, then minding the flesh.
By Rev. G. E. Newmyer – s.b.i.les21rev6/© 2003
