That was Israel, but now let’s look at Judah IN JERUSALEM under Rehoboam.

1 Kings 14:21-24 - They did evil, they built high places and images on every hill and under every green tree - they neglected The Temple and worshiped outside of it! Now - because of their sin, the King of Egypt came up against Jerusalem. (Vs. 25-28) *Our disobedience to God’s Finished Work always gives the enemy power over us! The enemy took away the TREASURES of the house of the Lord and the King’s house, and all the shields of gold Solomon made. These treasures speak of the Truth, Divine Knowledge and strength that God established in His House. They were LOST, and Rehoboam replaced them not with gold, but with BRASS shields. *They looked like the real ones, but were a mixture - not pure. He substituted for the Truth, and this is what we see prevalent in the Church world today - that’s why we are not strong against the enemy. Now in 1 Kings 15 we begin to see the history of the Kings that ruled over Israel and Judah, and they are always described in how they "walked" and according to their "walk" God judged them. Vs. 1-5: Abijam over Judah - He walked in all the sins of his father, his heart was not perfect with the Lord, but for DAVID’S sake The Lord gave him a lamp in Jerusalem, to establish Jerusalem. God remains faithful to His Work IN JERUSALEM. Look at the difference with King Asa - he walked worthy of what God had done in Jerusalem. 1 Kings 15:11-15 - He did that which was RIGHT in the eyes of the Lord. He took away the sodomites, removed all the idols, and Vs. 13 - even removed his mother as queen because she made an idol! Asa destroyed the idols, but the high places were not removed. Nevertheless Asa’s HEART was perfect with the Lord. What did he do? Vs. 15 - he brought in the things that were dedicated into the House of The Lord. This is the continual work of The Cross: destroying all false worship, and restoring what had been dedicated into the House of The Lord: The Truth, so that we would walk in that Truth.

Lesson 28

We are considering from the scripture how God’s people are to walk (or live) before Him in this earth - "walk worthy of The Lord." And in 1 Kings we see two different "walks". 1 Kings 15:3 - walked in all the sins of his father. And Vs. 11 - Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord. We are seeing that all of this was in relation to The Temple - what God had established for His people. This Temple established their relationship to God, and by it and all that was involved with it, they knew where, how, when to worship, and this was to be constantly dictating their lives. They were to be OBEDIENT to it. Now for us today, this obedience is NOT to a place, or a building (which was a type), but to a PERSON; but MUCH MORE for us it is The Obedience OF THAT PERSON.

- 2 Corinthians 10:3-6 - Our warfare is not in the flesh, but mighty through God... casting down imaginations and EVERY high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing EVERY thought to the obedience of Christ, and having readiness to revenge ALL disobedience. * We must pull down EVERY!!! thought that works against the knowledge of God - what He planned, purposed; His Will, His Finished Work - all must be subject to Him.*Note: to the obedience OF CHRIST. The challenge for us is not "me" obedient, but HIS obedience working in me. And that obedience is unto DEATH: not my will, not my words, not my thoughts, not my life - Not I, but Christ; total obedience of everything. This is the only way of Life - His obedience. It is not what I want, my understanding, so I can maintain "my" life. No - in everything, bring every thought into the obedience of Christ, and be ready to revenge all disobedience. We make excuses for our disobedience; God doesn’t! He brings judgment on it.

This is what we see in the history of Israel and Judah. They would NOT walk in obedience to this Finished Work, but walked in their own ways, and devised things in their own hearts to appear to worship God and obey Him, but God said it was evil, and He would not accept this. These thoughts exalted themselves against the knowledge of God that He set forth in The Temple. We were looking at some of these failures in 1 Kings, but I want to look more closely at Asa, the King of Judah in Jerusalem, and I want us to see the TOTAL obedience that God required. We "pat ourselves on the back" and exalt ourselves when we "obey God" in one thing or another, but that is not walking in the obedience of Christ - His obedience is in all things - every thought. 2 Chronicles 14:1-5 - Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the Lord, he took away the altars of strange gods, and high places, broke down images and cut down the groves. Vs. 4 - He commanded Judah to seek the Lord, and DO the law and commandments. Vs. 6-7 - The land had rest; no war in those days (days of revenging disobedience) because the Lord had given him rest. They built and prospered. Vs. 9-15 - When the enemy came against them, they asked help of the Lord; we rest on thee, and the Lord destroyed the enemy. The Ethiopians were overthrown and could not recover; the fear of the Lord came on the cities; they took much spoil.

2 Chronicles 15:1-7 The prophet encourages Asa: the Lord is with you, while ye be with Him... but if ye forsake Him, He will forsake you. For a long season Israel has been without the true God, and without a teaching priest and without law. In those times (of disobedience) there was no peace... God did vex them with all adversity. Vs. 8-19 - Asa took courage because of the prophecy and sought to bring Judah to TOTAL obedience. He put away the abominable idols and renewed the altar of THE LORD (not man’s "substitute" Cross, but The Truth of Christ’s death). He gathered Judah and Benjamin together (as One) at Jerusalem; they offered unto the Lord of the spoil; they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God with ALL their heart, and ALL their soul; whosoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel should be put to death. (Revenge all disobedience) Vs. 15 - All Judah rejoiced for they sought Him with their whole desire (not a part) and He was found of them, and the Lord gave them rest round about. This was what Judah received when they were obedient to the knowledge of God in their midst.

But - this obedience was NOT maintained by Asa, and he suffered because of it. 2 Chronicles 16:1-6 - The King of Israel wanted to stop "his" people going to Judah (where the Lord was) so he built Ramah (always a substitute for God’s place). But Asa brought out the treasures of the house of the Lord and sent them to the King of Syria to break his league with Baasha, King of Israel and help Asa. Vs. 7-10 - Another prophet comes to tell Asa of his foolishness. You relied on the King of Syria and NOT on the Lord thy God... he will show Himself strong in behalf of those whose heart is perfect toward Him. From henceforth ye shall have wars. But Asa REFUSED the prophet’s correction and was wroth with him, and put him in prison. Asa would not deal with HIS disobedience, and because he would not, the enemy now had power over the people AGAIN! Now - Asa started out well - but look at how he finished - SAD! Vs. 12 - Asa was diseased in his feet (he did not walk worthy of the Lord in all things), and the disease was great. Yet in his disease he sought not the Lord, but to the physicians. And so, he died. May we ask the Lord to work the obedience OF CHRIST in us - death, unto LIFE!

Lesson 29

I pray we are coming to a greater realization and appreciation of what God has done by Christ’s Cross - that Finished Work, and we are setting our hearts to be obedient to it. This is something we have to settle for ourselves. Paul did this. 1 Corinthians 2:1-4 For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and HIM CRUCIFIED. Not just Jesus, but HIM CRUCIFIED. Paul was obedient to that Finished Work, and he walked in it in all things. And my prayer for us is the same: that This Finished Work is all we would know - not as a teaching, but as our very Life: what God HAS DONE.

I want to contrast this "walk" with examples that are given to us back in 1 Kings 15, and I pray we will see the danger and the consequences of not walking in the Truth of This Finished Work. 1 Kings 15:25-26 Nadab, the son of Jeroboam, walked in the way of his Father, and in his sin, wherein he made Israel to sin. Vs. 34 - Baasha (he killed Nadab as judgment on Jeroboam) walked in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin, wherewith he made Israel to sin.

1 Kings 16:1-3 - Baasha taken away because he walked in the way of Jeroboam. Vs. 19 - Zimri walked in the way of Jeroboam. Vs. 26 - Omri walked in all the way of Jeroboam. ** This proceeds on to Ahab - Vs. 30-34. This is like a progression to do worse and worse. Ahab thinks it is a "light thing" to walk in the sins of Jeroboam, he takes Jezebel as wife and worships Baal. He did more to provoke God than all the other Kings of Israel. This is what happened because they continued "to walk in the way of Jeroboam". And notice it wasn’t just the King who did evil, but they made Israel to sin. *When the leader does wrong it causes the people to do wrong! And the end for them was death!

** Let us be reminded what Jeroboam did - 1 Kings 12:25-33 - HE made another altar for the people to worship, so they would not return to Jerusalem; HE made a house, HE made priests, HE ordained feasts, HE devised this in his own heart - and it was all contrary to The Finished Work in The Temple. It was all religious and looked good, but it was evil in the sight of God. And my question is - how many Christians today are "walking in the way of Jeroboam" and making Israel to sin? If we are not walking in The Truth of Christ crucified, but doing "our" religious things, we are doing that. And as we see God’s judgment in the Old Testament, what can we expect if we persist to walk in what WE devise in our own heart? This is SERIOUS! But let us look at God’s answer to this walk, and we want to see this in Jehoshaphat, Asa’s son. Remember Asa’s walk before God was not perfect, but Jehoshaphat continues to walk in the right way of The Lord. 2 Chronicles 17:1-5 - He strengthened himself against Israel (they were walking in the way of Jeroboam). He sought the Lord, and WALKED in His commandments, therefore the Lord stablished the Kingdom in his hand. Vs. 6-9 - His heart was lifted up in the ways of the Lord; he took away the high places and groves (casting down imaginations!) And sent the princes and Levites to teach. *They had the book of the law of the Lord with them, and they taught the people. There can be NO revival without the Word of The Lord; not man’s words. We must be taught out of the "book" of the Lord. In the Old Testament it was the written law and commandments, but now we need to see that all fulfilled IN CHRIST - but it all must be according to The Word of The Lord.

Jehoshaphat restored The Truth to the people to keep them in the ways of The Lord, and over and over in the scripture we see this is by teaching the people out of The Word of The Lord - not by man’s teaching. This is a big lesson for us! Now, Jehoshaphat did not walk perfectly, for he made alliances with Ahab, and he was rebuked of the Lord for that. 2 Chronicles 19:3 God’s wrath would come because he loved them that "hate the Lord", but Jehoshaphat had prepared his heart to seek God, and God honored that.

Let’s look finally at the knowledge and determination Jehoshaphat had when the enemies came against him. 2 Chronicles 20:1-13 - Judah gathered themselves to ask help of the Lord. Jehoshaphat stood in Jerusalem in the house of the Lord, and acknowledged God. *Re: The Temple - Vs. 8-9 - They have built a sanctuary for thy name, and when evil comes, and we stand (settled, determined) before THIS HOUSE and in thy presence (for thy Name is IN THIS HOUSE), and cry, then thou WILT hear and help. They stood IN THE PLACE! Jehoshaphat prayed in obedience - in an understanding of God’s House, of that Finished Work. They stood before The Lord in this Truth. And God honored that determined spirit - to trust what God had done. Vs. 17 - Ye shall not need to fight this battle; set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the Salvation of The Lord with you... fear not... go out against them; for The Lord will be with you. All they did was praise The Lord! (Vs. 21-22) And The Lord destroyed the enemy. Vs. 27 - Then they returned TO JERUSALEM with joy, for the Lord made them to rejoice over their enemies. Jehoshaphat taught the people what God had spoken and done, and they prayed and believed out of This Finished Work. He honored God, and God honored HIS NAME in their midst. He did NOT walk in the way of Jeroboam, but in the way of Asa his father, and departed not from it, doing that which was right in the sight of the Lord (vs. 32). This is how we are to walk!

Lesson 30

As we are looking at the failure of Israel to walk in the knowledge of The Finished Work as typed by The Temple in their midst, let us keep in mind that these are God’s people, and He wants them to return to His ways. His correction is always for our good. Hebrews 12:5b-11 - My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, whom the Lord loves he chastens (corrects, trains - as a child must be taught to walk)... if ye endure chastening... for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness... no chastening is joyous... but afterward it yields fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. And in our study in Kings and Chronicles we see that God was correcting and training His people in how they should walk, but many would not endure His chastening, and refused to walk in His ways. At this time God raised up prophets to rebuke the people, and bring them back to "that place".

We saw in 1 Kings 16 that Israel continued to walk in the way of Jeroboam (vs. 28-34), until Ahab reigned. He married Jezebel and worshiped Baal. So God raises up Elijah to correct His people. 1 Kings 17:1 - As the Lord God liveth, before whom I stand, there shall be no rain, but according to my word. *Elijah was to make God known, and His Word to His people. Now we know that lack of rain ultimately brings famine and death, but let’s consider WHY God would correct them this way. It takes us back to the Temple, The Finished Work, where God’s name was. * God’s prophecies and correction is in the light of His Finished Work.

1 Kings 18:35-36 When heaven is shut, and there is no rain because they have sinned against me; if they pray TOWARD THIS PLACE, and confess THY NAME, and turn from their sin... thou will forgive and teach them the good way wherein they should WALK, and give them rain upon thy land. ** God was calling them back to THIS PLACE. His Life (rain) would be sent to them, but they had to confess ONLY His Name in this place, and He would hear.

This now should give us a greater understanding of what is going to take place between Elijah and the prophets of Baal, but I want to first look at the significance of Elijah. His name means "MY GOD IS JEHOVAH." He comes declaring WHO GOD IS, and it is this name "Jehovah" that I want to look at briefly. Jehovah is often translated "Lord", but it is His Name in relation to MAN and His redemption. God reveals Himself to man as Who He is, and shows him His redemption/Salvation.

Exodus 6:2-8 - He was known to Abraham by the name of God Almighty, but by My name JEHOVAH was I not known to them. This is the name and understanding by which he will make Himself known to Israel. Vs. 6 - I will bring you out... and REDEEM you... and take you TO ME for a people, and ye shall know that I AM The Lord YOUR God. ** Vs. 8 - And I will bring you INTO THE LAND - into the place.

This is His Redemption - out from... into the place. And when God brought Israel out He gave them the Tabernacle and its form which was a type of their redemption. This was their relation to God, and when God’s people came into the land, and this work was finished, and they refused to acknowledge it and walk in it, God raises up Elijah to proclaim this God Who is their redemption, and call them back TO HIM.

And Elijah not only "spoke" The Word of The Lord Jehovah, but he manifested Who This God is. 1 Kings 17:8-16 - In the time of drought God feeds and keeps him, and he comes to the widow (Israel had lost her husband?). And the meal doesn’t waste nor the oil fail "according to the Word of The Lord by Elijah". Then Vs. 17-24 - The widow’s son dies, and Elijah carries the boy to his own bed, stretches himself on the child three times, and cries to the Lord, and Jehovah heard Elijah and revived the child. ** Elijah prayed out of the understanding of Who his God is; he prayed out from that place, he called upon his Jehovah, and by his works the widow believed. Vs. 24 - Now by this (by the raising out from death) I know thou art a man of God, and that the Word of The Lord (Jehovah - The Covenant God of Redemption) in thy mouth is TRUTH. Elijah MANIFESTED the Truth of Who God was, and that was the issue on Mount Carmel between Elijah and the prophets of Baal. 1 Kings 18:21 - If The Lord be God, follow Him; but if Baal, then follow him. And on that mount God revealed Himself so they all had to say (vs. 39) The Lord (This Jehovah) He is The God!! And this was all done to turn the people back to serving ONLY Jehovah.

** God corrects by REVEALING HIMSELF, that we might partake of His Life.

Just an interesting note: Sometimes we get mixed up between Elijah and Elisha, but understanding their names will help. FIRST comes Elijah who declares and manifests "My God is Jehovah". THEN comes Elisha whose name means "to whom God is Salvation". He has received Elijah’s understanding and spirit, and continues to make this Jehovah known to God’s people. Elisha walks in the Truth of Who Jehovah is. And this is how we are to walk also.

Lesson 31

We want to look a little deeper into the ministry of Elijah, who was raised up to speak The Word of The Lord and to correct God’s people to return unto Him. This was during Ahab’s reign. 1 Kings 18:1,2 - The Word of The Lord came to Elijah, Go, shew thyself unto Ahab. Shew thyself = Hebrew word "ra-ah" - to reveal one self, to make known, to show. And we want to focus on HOW this revealing took place. We would do well to understand that with God it is not revelationS (plural), but the revelation of HIMSELF that He desires, and we see a type of how this revealing is accomplished in what happened at Mount Carmel. God promised to send rain AFTER the revealing. Note: Vs. 4 - This was at a time when Jezebel had cut off the prophets of the Lord. How would God’s mind be made known to His people? But Obadiah took God’s prophets and hid them. * His Word would be preserved! Vs. 17-18 - Elijah was not the problem: the people were! They had forsaken the commandments of The Lord (all pertaining to "that place", The Finished Work) and they followed Baalim.

Vs. 22-24 - So the test to establish Who was God - Jehovah or Baal was to be by the sacrifice and the fire. *The God that answers by fire, let him be God. ** The TRUE God would be REVEALED by the fire coming from Him to accept and consume the sacrifice. God would make Himself known by THE FIRE. Now this fire and altar was nothing new to Israel (this is all one book), and it was BY FIRE that God appeared to Israel before.

Exodus 3:2 - The angel of the Lord APPEARED unto Moses (same word - revealed, ra-ah) in a flame OF FIRE out of the midst of a bush... the bush burned with fire BUT was not consumed. Vs. 4 - God called out of the midst of the bush... Vs. 6 - Put off your shoes... I AM. Moses asks, what is your name? Vs. 13-14, I AM THAT I AM. This is The God Who is, and is revealing Himself to, and in His people. And He would continue to reveal Himself by fire, that continual, burning fire. Leviticus 9 - This is God establishing the ministry of the priests in the Tabernacle. Vs. 2-6 - Take the offerings and offer them before the Lord: for TODAY the Lord WILL APPEAR (same word "ra-ah" - reveal self) unto you. This is the thing which the Lord commanded that ye should do... and the glory of the Lord SHALL APPEAR unto you. *The type of glory was in the Old Covenant; CHRIST IS that glory in the New. EVERYTHING was done "as The Lord commanded Moses" (vs. 7,10,21) Vs. 22-24 - The offerings were made, and the glory of the Lord APPEARED unto all the people, and there came a fire out from before the Lord, and consumed upon the altar the offering... the people saw, and fell on their faces. *A fire came out from before the Lord - and accepted the sacrifice, and consumed it upon the altar - when everything was as God commanded! We can see then the serious judgment that God brings immediately upon Nadab and Abihu in Leviticus 10:1-3 because THEY offered strange fire before the Lord, which He commanded them not - bringing death. It is only the fire that comes out from the Lord that God desires.

One more reference to this fire and the altar can be seen in 1 Chronicles 21 when David buys the threshing floor to set up an altar unto the Lord (vs. 18). David would pay full price for this place, and not offer burnt offerings without cost (vs. 24). And when David built THERE an altar unto the Lord (see the understanding in which David built it?) He offered the offerings, called upon The Lord, THEN He answered him FROM heaven BY fire UPON the altar of burnt offering.

May we see that it was with this history and knowledge of The Lord Who appeared BY FIRE to God’s people in consuming the offering upon His altar that Elijah set up this "test" on Mount Carmel. In this way, Jehovah would appear, and reveal Himself to His people. So back to 1 Kings 18. Both the prophets and Elijah had an offering to sacrifice on an altar, but NO FIRE. Baal didn’t answer with fire when his prophets cried to him. (Vs. 25-29) Vs. 30-38 - Elijah called the people unto him, and he repaired the altar of The Lord that was broken down, and took 12 stones representing Israel, and with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord. He put the wood IN ORDER, cut the bullock in pieces and laid him on the wood. Then he poured water on the sacrifice, the wood, the altar, the ground - then he called on the name of The Lord. *Vs. 37 - He prayed that by THIS FIRE coming from heaven and consuming this sacrifice (which naturally would be impossible), the people may KNOW that thou art The Lord God - Jehovah! THEN (vs. 38) the fire of the Lord fell and consumed - EVERYTHING! God accepted this offering, and HE APPEARED - He revealed Himself to be Who He is! This is by the fire. Vs. 39 - The people saw it, fell on their faces, and they knew Who The Lord is! All that the altar and the sacrifices spoke of in type was fulfilled by Christ and His Cross - and God accepted that. And by this fire, by this Finished Work, He reveals Himself to be Lord God - Jehovah, and no other god can do what He HAS DONE. This was done on Mount Carmel to establish to the people Who God is. For us it was established AT THE CROSS, where His Fire came and consumed that sacrifice. Are we knowing Him this way? As This Fire? It is in this appearing, revealing that He will make Himself known unto us!

Lesson 32

In our last lesson we were talking about God making Himself known - revealing Himself; not just what He can do, but WHO HE IS. *We want to know what He can do (heal, defeat enemy, supply needs), but not always Who He is (He not only heals; He IS health, strength. He not only gives life; He IS Life). And it is the desire of God’s heart to reveal HIMSELF, make Himself known. Galatians 1:15,16 - It pleased the Father... to REVEAL HIS SON IN ME, that I might preach Him. ** God’s revelation of Himself is NOW IN HIS SON.

Matthew 11:27 - All things (of the old, first) are delivered unto Me... no man knoweth The Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever THE SON WILL REVEAL HIM. *The Son makes the Father known. (He that has seen Me has seen the Father - John 14:9) and this is God’s desire - that we would know.... HIM. Jesus spoke of this in John 14 regarding our knowing, and Him being manifested to us and in us. Vs. 16-23 - When the Spirit of Truth would come... in that day (light, knowledge) ye shall KNOW... he that loves me shall be loved of my Father, and I will MANIFEST MYSELF to him... if ye keep my words... WE will come unto him and make our abode with him.

* We must relate keeping His commandments and His Words to the Finished Work of The Cross, for Jesus was preparing the disciples for this. ** The Spirit of Truth did come! By The Cross - when Jesus died, and rose, and was glorified, The Spirit came to reveal all things and make known to us Jesus’ relationship with His Father, and our relationship with Him. So God desires to make Himself known - as Jehovah - The Self Existing One Who Reveals Himself. And when His people left Him and served other gods, we are seeing in the Old Testament that He made Himself known so that they would believe in Him, keep His Word and live by His Finished Work, which was represented by Solomon’s Temple - "that place". We saw in 1 Kings 18 that the Lord made Himself known by fire on Mount Carmel, and this brings a response from the adversary. 1 Kings 19:1-2 Jezebel determined to get rid of Elijah and God’s Word, but we know that God protects His prophet, His Word, His plan - and those who oppose Him suffer a violent death. They refused to walk in His ways, and died. But let us look more at God’s desire to make Himself known. 1 Kings 20:13-14 - Even to Ahab, when the Syrians came against Israel, God would deliver them, and thou shalt know that I AM The Lord... Vs. 21 - And the Syrians suffered a great slaughter, but it was God’s desire to make Himself known - to Israel and all the enemies.

1 Kings 20:22-23 - The enemy would return with their understanding of Who Jehovah was (god of the hills), so they would fight in the plain. Vs. 26-28 - But God would show them all Who He IS!... and ye shall know that I AM The Lord. *Not what I can do, but Who I am. Vs. 29-30 - The Syrians were slaughtered, and then a wall fell on those left! ** Ahab experienced Who The Lord was, but he still would not be totally obedient to the Lord. He spares Benhadad, the King of the Syrians, and makes a covenant with him (vs. 34), and because of that Ahab’s doom is sealed, and he dies according to the Word of The Lord. Here we see that even though God did make Himself known to His people THEY REFUSED to walk in the way of the Lord, and they led His people astray, and 1 Kings ends with this struggle going on in the hearts of God’s people.

1 Kings 22:43-44 -Jehoshaphat in Judah did what was right... but not totally. And Vs. 51-53 - Ahaziah, son of Ahab in Israel did evil and walked in the way of his father and mother, and Jeroboam who made Israel to sin, for he served Baal and worshiped him. *We must see how strong this spirit of rebellion against God is. He makes Himself known, sends His prophets to correct them, but they still REFUSE to walk in that place that He established for them!

Remember the fire? That consuming fire that never goes out, by which God appeared and revealed Himself? That fire is still at work! 2 Kings 1:1-2 - Ahaziah, Ahab’s son is sick and enquires of Baalzebub.(They should enquire in "that place".) God sends Elijah to him. Vs. 3-4 - Is there not a God in Israel? Now thus says the Lord - you shall die! And Elijah departs, and sat on the top of a hill. Vs. 9-10 - If I be a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven and consume thee. And there came down the fire and consumed the men two times, and finally the third time, the captain asks for mercy. He acknowledges the fire that came down from heaven (vs. 14) and God is revealed as Who He is. He is a God of judgment, more powerful than any other gods, and demands that His people see only Him. Ahaziah died - Vs. 16,17 because he would not acknowledge The Lord who was made known to him.

This issue is a real one for us as Christians today. God’s people today are in the REALITY of The Cross; it was there that God made Himself known in Truth. The fire that was typed in the Old Testament was fulfilled by Christ Himself by His Cross. We should be walking in That Truth - of Who The Lord is, and not looking to any other. May we be faithful to The Lord being revealed in us - and by The Truth of Who He is - truly live. All else is death!

Lesson 33

We are looking at God’s dealings with His people when they failed to walk according to God’s ways and that Finished Work as represented by Solomon’s Temple. Now we want to look at the ministry of Elisha. Remember that Elisha means "My God is Jehovah", and he came declaring and manifesting Who Jehovah is. Why? So God’s people would turn back to Him - away from other gods, to Jehovah Who is. Elisha means "To whom God is Salvation." *Note the word "is" - not "going to be", or "was", but IS - a present, continual being. (He is, and was, and is to come; the same, yesterday, today and forever). ??Do we know Him Who IS - NOW and forever?

2 Kings 2 - Elijah is to be taken away, up to heaven, but Elisha is to remain on the earth. (We must see here a type of Christ, the Head, and the Church, His Body). Vs. 9 - Elisha asks - let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me. The original says "a double mouth of your spirit", and that means let me DUPLICATE what you speak, The Word of The Lord, the understanding that Elijah had of Jehovah, His God. Elisha would make this Jehovah known - in the power and understanding that Elijah had - in resurrection and by resurrection. Vs. 14-15 - took mantle of Elijah... Where is the GOD OF ELIJAH? Sons of the prophets SAW Elisha: the spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha... they bowed themselves to the ground. ** See the fulfillment of this - Ephesians 3:10 - Now unto the principalities... might be known BY THE CHURCH the manifold wisdom of God. *Those "To whom God IS Salvation" is to make Him known, all according to His purpose in Christ.

Lesson 34

I pray that during these studies we are coming to a seriousness regarding God revealing Himself to His people, and the very drastic consequences of not walking in the Truth of Who the Lord is, and what He has done. The Apostle Paul prayed in Ephesians 1:17-18 that the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that ye may KNOW...* This is the need in The Church today - that we know The Truth, know Him as He is, in the heavenlies, in The Finished Work. We see this declared by Elisha to his servant when the Syrians came against Israel. Elisha had been "taken up" with Elijah into the heavenlies, and he was functioning in the REALITY of The Finished Work of Jehovah, NOT by the happenings seen by the natural senses of this earth realm.

2 Kings 6:15-17 - Elisha KNEW they that be with us are more than be with them. Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes that he may SEE. *These words in the original are "ra-ah" - the revelation of Who God is. He SAW; had the Lord revealed - the heavens were full of horses and chariots of FIRE about Elisha. And it is in this understanding and with this assurance that Elisha continues to speak the mind of The Lord, and in declaring The Truth of the Lord, bringing God’s judgment upon those who refused Him. Vs. 31-33 - The King of Israel wanted to kill Elisha because of the famine in Samaria, but he knew this was of the Lord, that the Lord would reveal Himself to them.

2 Kings 7 - Elisha predicts food in Samaria, and the Lord removes the Syrians who were coming against the people. Vs. 5-8 - lepers found the Syrians had fled for the Lord made them hear a noise of chariots, horses, and a great host (that heavenly host!) And they fled and left their food, clothes, silver and gold. God was revealing Himself so that His people would be faithful to Him (The man who didn’t believe this saw it, but didn’t eat of it - he died. (Vs. 19-20)

In all this dealing of God He remained faithful to His promise, even though God’s people did not walk in His way. 2 Kings 8:16-19 - He would not destroy Judah for David’s sake. *David was a man after God’s own heart; and remember David wanted to build a HOUSE for The Lord. But God does bring His judgment and destruction upon the house of Ahab in Israel, and he does this by Elisha sending a prophet to anoint Jehu as King over Israel. ** This is very important!! And we see in type how God works when His people stray from Him - He anoints HIS KING! The anointing is His recognition, and empowering of His King, and this anointing was so the King would smite and destroy the whole house of Ahab (v. 6-10). To Ahab The Lord Jehovah had been revealed, but Ahab refused this revealing and his house must be destroyed. Who would do this? The KING who the Lord anointed - Jehu, and his name means "Jehovah IS He"; This King would execute God’s judgment on Ahab’s whole house. *This is a great and complete destruction! NO compromise with this King! 2 Kings 9:22-26 - What peace, so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many? Ahaziah, King of Judah and Jezebel also slain - all according to the Word of the Lord.

Then Ahab’s seventy sons were beheaded (only God’s King to rule!), and Jehu continues God’s judgment. 2 Kings 10:10-17 - Vs. 11 - Jehu SLEW ALL that remained of the house of Ahab, all his great men and kinsfolks, and his priests, until he left none remaining. Vs. 17 - He slew all that remained unto Ahab in Samaria (place of Baal altar). ** The destruction that Jehu was to bring was now upon the worshipers of Baal, and there is a separation of those who serve The Lord, and the worshipers of Baal. *Even though Jehovah had been revealed to them, they still continued to worship Baal, and Jehu would use subtlety to destroy them, their images and the house of Baal. He "becomes" them.

Vs. 18-28 - Jehu sent through all of Israel for the worshipers of Baal, and they came and the house of Baal was full from one end to another. * Vs. 25 - As soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering Jehu and his men slew them all! But there was a further destruction. Vs. 26-28 - Images were burnt, image of Baal was broken down, and the house of Baal, and it was rendered nothing to this day.

*We must see here a type of The Truth and the power of The Cross, that The Burnt Offering of The Lamb of God, and NO OTHER offering is acceptable to God, and all other forms of worship MUST be destroyed. Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel - but God’s judgment is a full judgment, and He will not settle for anything less than serving Him with all our hearts. Vs. 29 - Jehu still left the calves in Bethel and Dan, and did not fully depart from the sins of Jeroboam. Vs. 30-31 - God rewarded his children for doing what was right in God’s mind and heart to the house of Ahab, BUT - Jehu took no heed to walk in the Law of The Lord God with all his heart... and Vs. 32 - In those days THE LORD began to cut Israel short. Those who failed to walk in The Lord shall be cut off!

* None of these men were totally obedient, but The Lord Jesus was, and He has brought that great and complete judgment and destruction by His Cross. May His obedience be worked in us!

Lesson 35

We will begin this lesson by looking at two scriptures in Ephesians, and I pray these will help us to see how God works. Ephesians 1:11 - (we were) predestinated according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will. This is what HE DOES according to His good pleasure; God works all things toward that. And this is all towards something: Ephesians 3:10-11 - the manifold wisdom of God will be made known by the Church according to the eternal purpose which He purposed IN CHRIST JESUS. *God works all things according to what HE HAS purposed in Christ; that is His Will and His Pleasure, and His Eternal Purpose is fulfilled there.

This is what I pray we are seeing in our study - using The Temple of Solomon as representing This Finished Work, for it is there that God’s Will is seen and He finds His good pleasure. This Temple represents This Eternal Purpose - in Christ, and then Jesus comes and fulfils all it represents by manifesting by HIS CROSS - I AM The Way, The Truth and The Life, no man cometh unto the Father but by ME. (John 14;6) And hopefully we are seeing in our search in the Old Testament that God is working in regard to this Temple, this Place, His Counsel and Will. When His people walked in the Truth of it, they rested and prospered; but when they refused His way, they were judged and destroyed. *And God was always working with them according to the counsel of His Will as represented by His Temple - to bring them back to "THIS PLACE". And His working with us is the same - all according to Christ and His Cross.

In our last lesson we saw that God raised up and anointed Jehu in Israel, and he destroyed the house of Ahab and broke down the house of Baal and the image of Baal and those that worshiped Baal. Why? So Israel would return to JERUSALEM and worship in the place God had established for them. *All of God’s destruction was to cause them to RETURN TO HIM, but we see over and over that the Kings continued to do evil in the sight of God, and even though some are destroyed, God preserves a seed, and uses this King to bring revival and repair what has happened to The Temple. (This is God working all things after the counsel of His own will.) 2 Chronicles 22 - Ahaziah, King of Judah, who walked in the ways of Ahab was killed by Jehu, and his mother reigned and tried to destroy all the royal seed. Vs. 10-12 - Joash (whose name means "Whom Jehovah supports") was hidden for six years and preserved to be king. (Who else was set to be destroyed, but was hidden and preserved? Remember Moses as a baby? (Exodus 2) And even the Lord Jesus when He was born - Herod tried to kill all the baby boys (Matthew 2, but they were preserved, and brought about God’s Will for His people!

2 Chronicles 23 - Here we see in the seventh year (perfection) the work of the Priest Jehoida (= Jehovah knowing) in gathering the people into the house of The Lord and anointing Joash King. Vs. 2-7 - He gathered the Levites of Judah, and the chief of the fathers of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem (back to the place!) Vs. 3 - All the congregation made a covenant with the King in the house of God. The Kings’s son SHALL reign. *Important - Levites - those separated unto the Lord, who had no earthly inheritance - they kept the King and house). Vs. 8-11 - Jehoida equipped them with the spears of King David which were in the house of God, and they anointed Joash King and killed his grandmother. ** Vs. 16-21 - Jehoida the priest made a covenant that the people should be The Lord’s people; they broke down Baal’s altars and appointed the officers of the house of the Lord as it is written in the law of Moses (not as "they" wanted to do it!) Then they set the King upon the throne of the Kingdom and the people rejoiced and the city was quiet. ** See the order - the Priest gathers the Levites and brings the proper order to the House, and they set THE KING on the Throne. The people THEN are at rest.

2 Chronicles 24:2 Joash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all the days of Jehoida the priest. *Vs. 4 - Joash was minded to repair the HOUSE OF THE LORD. vs. 5-7 - The Levites were to gather the money because (vs. 7) Athaliah had broken up the house of God, and all the dedicated things of the house of the Lord did they bestow on Baalim Vs. 8-14 - The people brought in much money. Why? Vs. 12 - to REPAIR the House of The Lord; to MEND the House of The Lord. (?? What do we use "God’s money" for?) Vs. 13 - The workmen wrought, and the work was perfected by them, and they set the House of God in his state (all according to the counsel of God’s will and pleasure), and strengthened it. Vs. 14 - When they had finished it (this house is always known as "FINISHED"), they used the money to make vessels for the house. Everything is "for the house" - not for them! Note: they offered burnt offerings in the house of the Lord continually (this was how it was supposed to be!) All the days of Jehoida.

- We must see the ministry of this priest that cause The King and thus the people to walk in the ways of the Lord, and it is all in relation to the House of The Lord, according to what God established. Praise God that Christ is that Priest and King, who has perfected, set and strengthened His House! This is how God works.

Lesson 36

We are seeing that God works (in the past, present and future) ALL THINGS in the knowledge of His Finished Work, and He requires His people to walk in that light. And this is to be done continually, with their whole heart ( a heart not divided, or seeking other things). Christians today celebrate Easter, but we should be living in the reality of His death, burial and resurrection not just on a day, but continually - in all things.

We are seeing in our Old Testament readings that God’s people continued to FAIL - miserably, and consistently from walking in the ways of The Lord that He had established in their midst. They could not keep the Law and walk in that knowledge continually, with their whole heart, but God continued to work towards that end. He knew what was needed. Ezekiel 36 - God works for His Name’s sake. Vs. 17-19 - Israel defiled the land by their own way and doings, and idols and God judged them for it. Vs. 21-23 - He had pity for His holy name... I will sanctify My great name... the heathen shall know that I am The Lord when I shall be sanctified IN YOU before their eyes. Vs. 25-28 - A NEW heart will I give you, and a NEW spirit will I put within you. ** I will take away the stony heart... and I will give you an heart of flesh, I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them. ** Vs. 32 - NOT for your sakes do I this... be ashamed and confounded of your own ways. Vs. 33-38 - God speaks of restoration - why? They shall know that I AM THE LORD.

What God will do is take away... and give a new heart, His Spirit, so His people can walk in His ways. Why? To make Him known - The I AM! And we know that this taking away and giving of His Spirit was done BY THE CROSS. That is the only way by which we can make Him known to be Who He is, and that has to be worked continually in us. Philippians 2:13 - 16a - For it is God which works IN YOU both to will and to do of his good pleasure... that ye may be blameless... ye shine as lights in the world: holding forth THE WORD OF LIFE. This is God’s purpose for us! This Word of Life is CHRIST CRUCIFIED, and by The Work of The Cross IN US we can walk in His ways and make the I AM known.

Let’s look back now at 2 Chronicles 24 where we are seeing how God worked with His people to correct them and call them back to His ways. This was by the ministry of The Priest and Prophet. We saw that Jehoida the Priest repaired the temple that had been broken up, and the dedicated things had been given to Baalim worship (vs. 7) They offered burnt offerings in the house of the Lord continually all the days of Jehoida. (Vs. 14) But look what happened when he died.

Vs. 17-19 - The King Joash hearkened unto the princes, and they left the house of the Lord God of their fathers and served groves and idols. *He sent prophets to them to bring them again unto the Lord, and they testified against them; but they would not give ear. The King listened to the princes (man). Vs. 20-24 - The Spirit of God prophesied: Why transgress ye the commandments of the Lord (they had left the house!)? Because ye have forsaken the Lord, He hath also forsaken you. And rather than repenting, they stoned the prophet! And God brought judgment on them. The Syrians came against them (just a small army) but they destroyed ALL the princes of the people, and their spoil was sent to Damascus - because they had forsaken the Lord God of their father, and even Joash is killed by his servants.

2 Chronicles 25 - Amaziah his son now reigned. Vs. 2 and he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord but not with a perfect heart. Vs. 6-9 - he goes to battles and hires men out of Israel to fight with them, but is warned that God is NOT with Israel. He is told that God hath power to help and to cast down. The Lord is able to give thee much more than this. Vs. 14-16 - Amaziah was victorious, but he takes the gods of the enemy to be his gods, and bows down to them, and God’s anger is kindled against him to destroy him. * It is important that we see that when God’s people refused His correction and served other gods, not only were they destroyed, but damage was done to Jerusalem and the house. Vs. 20-24 - The Lord was allowing this destruction: the wall was broken down, and the gold and silver and vessels were taken out of the house. ** The wall, the house and the treasures in the House were all a reflection of the condition of God’s people Because of their hearts, God’s Testimony was destroyed, and this was evident in what happened to the Temple, and God continued to send His prophets to call them back to Him. God didn’t want a "form of" worship from them: He wanted a Perfect heart.

At this point in God’s dealings with His people we have to bring in the prophecies of Amos, Hosea, Obadiah, and Isaiah. God is making His case against His people, who have forsaken Him. They have left that place, and He is pronouncing judgment on them, and ultimately The Temple and The City will be destroyed because of their hearts. Now Isaiah 1 should make more sense to us. Vs. 2 - I have nourished children and they have rebelled against me. Vs. 11-15 - What purpose is your sacrifices to me? Vs. 18 - Though your sins be as scarlet; they shall be white as snow. This is all because they were unfaithful to God’s Finished Work, and Isaiah speaks of judgement and destruction, but then restoration - of THAT PLACE. This is the Full Work of The Cross.

Lesson 37

I pray that in these lessons we are seeing God’s patience and long suffering towards His people, and His continued desire for them to turn back to Him and walk in His ways. This was the ministry of the prophet. Hosea was a prophet who spoke the Word of The Lord unto Israel when they were adulterous in going after other gods. Hosea 6:1-3 - Let us return TO THE LORD (they had left that place), for He hath torn and He will heal us. After two days will he revive us; will raise us up, and we shall live in His sight - in the third day. * There would be a tearing before there would be a healing, and this is all speaking ultimately of The Cross; but God’s heart was for them to RETURN to Him, and this all had to do with them leaving The Temple, Zion.

Isaiah 62:1-4 - For Zion’s sake God will work until the righteousness and salvation of that place be seen in the earth. And even though God would punish and destroy, He remained jealous for Zion - His Wife.

Zechariah 8:1-3 - I was jealous for Zion.... not for buildings, but for His people who were brought into His Finished Work.

The Apostle Paul had this same spirit for The Church. Note the same analogy: 2 Corinthians 11:1-3 - note the "godly jealousy". That was God’s heart to Israel. The Church is to have ONE husband, and be a chaste virgin (knowing no other love). Paul feared they would be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. * The Temple, that Finished Work represented this simplicity - in Christ. You didn’t need to add to it, or take away from it - just be obedient to it, and know that God would be faithful to this place and this Work. ** Isn’t this much of the problem in The Church today? We have moved from the simplicity and singleness of The Cross, and in doing so we’ve left one husband and are joined to many "things" - they may have a form of worship and be "good things", but is it Christ?

God’s heart is jealous for what HE ESTABLISHED in Jerusalem, as Zion, and He wants us to return totally to Him, and know Him this way. He will tear and smite, but in the third day, only this will live. So this was God’s way with Israel and because they REFUSED to return to Him, He removed them from the land. The phrase we keep reading over and over again is "they did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord". It was all against The Finished Work in their midst. Everything was to be done according to God’s way - not theirs, and we see the painful consequences of disobedience in the case of King Uzziah. 2 Chronicles 26:5

As long as he sought the Lord, God made him prosper. Vs. 16-21 - But when HE was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction, for he transgressed against the Lord - he went into the temple to burn incense. Man (the flesh) was not to do this, and even though he was warned, he would not stop until the Lord had SMITTEN him with leprosy. (Remember Hosea 6?) ** It is AFTER this flesh King dies that Isaiah sees THE LORD in HIS Temple, filling it with Himself (Isaiah 6). The Lord is jealous for His ways and His order in His Temple. The first man must die, then the Second can come forth.

Uzziah was King in Judah, but let’s look at God’s judgment on Israel in Samaria. This was the city THEY had built and where they worshiped Baal; this was definitely NOT The Lord’s place and where His Name was known! 2 Kings 17:1-6 The King of Assyria besieged Samaria and took Samaria and carried Israel away into Assyria (God tore them from the land.) Why? Vs. 7-17 - They had sinned against the Lord God Who had brought them UP OUT of the land of Egypt. (**By their deliverance they were to live out from, and above the life of this world.) They worshiped like the heathen, making idols, and provoked The Lord (Jehovah - The One Who had revealed Himself to them.) Vs. 13 - The Lord testified against them by all the prophets and seers to TURN FROM their evil ways, and keep His commandments, but Vs. 14-17 - they would not hear, but hardened their necks (away from the Lord - they would NOT return to Him); they rejected His statutes and followed vanity and became vain... And they left all the commandments of The Lord... they used divinations and enchantments (these are God’s people!) Vs. 18-23 - The Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them out of His sight. Vs. 20 - He rejected all the seed of Israel, afflicted them and delivered them into the hand of spoilers... The Lord removed Israel from His sight as He has said by all the prophets. Israel was carried out of their own land to Assyria.

** Not only was Israel removed from the land, but Vs. 24 - The King of Assyria brought men from Babylon (confusion) and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel, and even though the Lord sought to teach them how they should fear the Lord (vs. 28-33), they made gods of their own and they feared the Lord and served their own gods. Now we can see why the Jews didn’t have dealings with the Samaritans of Jesus’ day. But it was all because Israel would NOT return TO THE LORD, but The Lord was faithful to His Finished Work. He will tear before He heals!

Lesson 38

In our last lesson we saw God’s actions against Israel because they REFUSED to walk in His ways. Despite His words that they return to Him, to the place He established for them, they chose other gods and continually provoked Him to wrath; they refused HIM. Hear the words of the prophet Hosea declaring the state of the people, and why God ultimately removed them from the land.

Hosea 4:1 The Lord has a controversy with THEM; no truth, no mercy, nor knowledge of the Lord - in them. They were an adulterous people to Him. Vs. 6-13 - MY people are destroyed (cut off from God)... they rejected knowledge (knowledge of the Lord was to be found in His House, His Temple, His Finished Work = The Cross). They will not be a priest to Him... They have left off to take heed to The Lord... the spirit of whoredom hath caused them to err, and they have gone awhoring from under their God. ** This is so very serious because eventually God stops dealing with them and removes them from His sight. Hosea 5:1-6 They will not frame their doings to turn unto their God... They shall go to seek the Lord, but they shall not find Him; He hath withdrawn Himself from them.

This all happened because they refused God’s place, where His Altar was, where His Testimony was - and that is the ONLY place He could be found. ** For us that "place" is Christ and Him crucified - the only altar God has established and set forth for His people. Only ONE - and no other place! So Israel was removed from the land and from the Lord, but God was still dealing with Judah in Jerusalem, - and we must note that it is all in relation to The Temple, The Altar, The Finished Work. 2 Chronicles 28:1-5 - When will God’s people learn? Ahaz walked in the ways of the Kings of Israel (idolatry, whoring after other gods), so God smote Judah and carried many AWAY CAPTIVE, and many even became captive to the children of Israel - their own brethren! Over and over in the scripture we see that God brought His people into captivity to their enemies when they refused Him. God’s people are to be free - in Him; not in captivity to the enemy, but many are - because of OUR disobedience. Vs. 16 - King Ahaz sent to the kings of Assyria to help him, but not to Jehovah. Vs. 19-25 - He took out of the house of The Lord and gave to King of Assyria to help, but he did not; he sacrificed to gods of Damascus to help him; he cut in pieces the vessels of the house, and shut up the doors of the house of the Lord, and made him altars in every corner of Jerusalem, made high places to burn incense unto other gods. We can only truly appreciate the significance and seriousness of this by understanding verse 24 - he shut up the doors of the house of the Lord and made MANY ALTARS. This was totally against that ONE PLACE God had established for His people. Can’t we see the situation in Christianity today? "Churches" on every corner, but The True Finished Work has been shut to God’s people, and we are worshiping many other things and gods!

But let us look at how God deals with this terrible situation regarding The Temple and a people turning back to Him. He raises up Hezekiah. *His name means "the might of Jehovah", and he restores The Temple worship - according to God’s Finished Work. 2 Chronicles 29:3 - Notice first ; "he opened the doors of the house of the Lord, and repaired them. *This is how true revival comes: The Truth has to be restored; The Testimony of Christ (I am The Door) must be established for them. Vs. 4-10 - Hezekiah gathers as one the priests and Levites to sanctify themselves and the House of God, and carry the filthiness out of the holy place (Judgment begins IN the house of God). Our fathers have trespassed, shut up the doors, put out the lamps. It is in his heart (vs. 10) to make a covenant with the Lord that His wrath may turn away from us.** This covenant is made in relation to THE HOUSE. Vs. 15-19 - They took the uncleanness that they found in the Temple (man’s doctrines, worship, flesh) and they restored, prepared and sanctified the vessels before THE ALTAR of The Lord - ONE ALTAR!! Everything was prepared according to God’s order. ** NOW they were ready to worship. Vs. 20-21. There are so many lessons here for us! Everything has to be The Lord’s way before we can truly offer on His Altar. And the next thing they must do is keep the Passover. 2 Chronicles 30:1-3. Now they were sanctified and gathered together to Jerusalem. * Now they could celebrate the death of The Lamb as their death - in the place, Jerusalem. So they sent forth a decree to come TO JERUSALEM to keep the Passover UNTO The Lord (all should be done unto HIM - not us!). Vs. 5 - for they had not done it for a long time as it was written. They were told to enter into HIS sanctuary and (Vs. 8) serve the Lord, and turn again to the Lord so the captives could come again into this land. (Vs. 9) Some mocked, but others came to Jerusalem, and they came with one heart to KEEP the feast (vs. 10-13) Vs. 14 - They arose and took away the ALTARS in Jerusalem, and altars of incense. Now there was only ONE altar in Jerusalem, and they kept the Passover there with much rejoicing, and they also kept other seven days. Vs. 26-27 - There was great joy in Jerusalem and priests blessed the people. Their voice was heard and their prayer came up to heaven; in this Place -prayers heard.

Lesson 39

I pray that we are seeing through these lessons that when God’s people were not faithful in following Him, He raised up those who repaired The Temple and restored things according to God’s mind. The Testimony of Who God was had been established there, and God would not have it any other way. And once The Temple and worship THERE had been restored, ALL were invited to come back to THAT PLACE. That’s what Hezekiah did, and he restored all the courses of service, tithes, etc. - ALL according to what God had commanded, and that pleases God. 2 Chronicles 31:20,21 - This is all in relation to The Temple, that Finished Work - he wrought what was good, and right, and truth. And now that The Temple and the place has been repaired and re-established, the enemy comes against this place. And it is now that God’s people are tested to see if they will live in the reality of this place. * The work of the enemy is to move God’s people from this place.

2 Chronicles 32:1-8 - Note: after the establishment of The Temple and God’s Finished Work, the enemy enters, comes against, to win them for himself. But Hezekiah takes steps against the enemy: stopped the water flowing out, strengthened himself, built up the walls, made darts and shields. He was going to protect the city and God’s Finished Work. *Hezekiah was standing in the good of The Temple - Vs. 7-8 - Be strong and not afraid; for there is more (MUCH MORE) with us than with him. With him is the arm of flesh, but with us is The Lord (Jehovah) our God, to help us and fight our battles. *Why was Hezekiah so confident? Because The Temple had been repaired and restored, and he knew God would be faithful to that! Should not our confidence be as great in The Lord our God? We must know that He will be faithful to "that place", BUT when that place has been ransacked, perverted and destroyed, we can’t be so confident. But when that Finished Work (The Cross) is established - in us - we can stand!

*Look at the end of Verse 8 - the people RESTED themselves upon the WORDS of Hezekiah King of Judah. Our rest comes from knowing The Truth, and living in The Truth of that Living Word, which is Christ! Vs. 9-16 - The enemy’s attack against those in Jerusalem centered on the thing that Hezekiah did. Vs. 12 - he took away the high places and altarS (plural), and commanded them to worship before ONE ALTAR and burn incense upon it. His argument was that many gods could not stand before him, so - who is YOUR God - with ONE ALTAR? Vs. 15 - Let not Hezekiah deceive you nor persuade you on this manner (the One altar), neither believe him; for no gods were able to deliver them; how much less (oh no - much more!) shall your God deliver you? *The issue for God’s people was - is that ONE ALTAR enough? Is your Jehovah God enough, is He much more - or do you need other gods, altars, for your victory? To us - is Christ enough? Is The Cross enough? In any circumstance or situation, do you need anything else? When your very life is threatened, do you need anything else but Him? Can you be deceived or persuaded? Vs. 16-19 - Notice this is all spoken against The Lord God, and to distress His people so they would be afraid and leave that rest, that peace, that assurance, that safety they had found in the place God established. The test for them was - would they seek ANOTHER ALTAR, another place? And if they did, God could not and would not deliver them! So, Vs. 20 - Hezekiah and Isaiah prayed and cried to heaven - out of that place, that One Altar! * This whole story is building, so you expect there is going to be a big battle; but look at how the Lord God proves HIMSELF to them all. *Vs. 21 - An angel (one?) Cut off the mighty men and the King of Assyria returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he came into the house of his god - his own children murder him! *The Lord God Jehovah shows Who he is - out from that place, that ONE ALTAR.

But with this knowledge also comes a responsibility to be faithful to The Lord in all our ways, and Hezekiah found that out. 2 Kings 20:1 - Set THINE HOUSE in order, for thou shalt die. *The Lord’s House, His Temple, this Altar must be a work IN US (The Kingdom of God is IN us.) Vs. 2-11 - Hezekiah calls on the Lord to say that he has walked before God IN TRUTH with a perfect heart, and the Lord heals him. But God’s judgment against Hezekiah and his house is proclaimed when he exposes his treasures to the men of BABYLON. * The infiltration of Babylon comes to God’s people over and over, to test them, and this test is in regard to the treasures in the house. Vs. 12-18 - Hezekiah showed the men of Babylon (confusion, place of spiritual fornications and religious whoredoms) all the treasure he had. Was it pride, boasting? But these were all the Lord’s, and not to be displayed to exalt the King. ** Playing with Babylon is a dangerous thing! Vs. 17-18 - God’s judgment was to carry all the treasures and his sons into Babylon! There they would be captive to that whole system. The glory and holiness of The Lord’s House - that we are - are for His glory - not ours!

May we be knowledgeable and faithful to THIS PLACE!

Lesson 40

As we continue with these lessons, I want us to be able to answer this question very definitely: Why did God spend so much time and energy with His people regarding "this place"? Why was He so insistent and determined that there be ONE Altar, ONE Temple, and refuse to accept everything and anything else? And why was His judgment and punishment so severe when they refused to be faithful to This Finished Work set in their midst? Why? ** Because it all spoke of HIS SON, and what He would do by His Cross. This was God’s Eternal Plan (He only has one!) And His Son would fulfil it - there is no other form of worship acceptable to God!

* This all comes to be fulfilled in the Person of Jesus Christ. John 14:6 - I am THE Way, THE Truth, and THE Life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me. The word "the" here means "the ONLY ONE". He is exclusively this - not "a" way, but "THE" - no other! And this is all by His death, burial and resurrection, as the context of John 14 sets forth. He is going away - to The Cross, and then He will come again as Spirit to bring them to life - Life with The Father. There is no other way!

This is why God will not deviate from what He set forth in type in the Temple, but required His people to walk in it. This is why He continued to repair and restore the Temple, and bring His people back to Himself by what He established there. And when they refused this, He had to bring judgment upon them and remove them.

Now let’s continue to look at what happened after Hezekiah commanded that they worship before one altar in the repaired Temple. 2 Chronicles 33 - Manasseh his son did that which was evil. Vs. 3-10 - He raised up high places and built altars for Baalim and all the host of heaven, and idols in the house of God; he observed times, and enchantments, and witchcraft. (Sadly, don’t we see these spirits in the Church today?) The Lord spoke to His people, but they would not hearken. Vs. 11-13 - The Lord took Manasseh to Babylon bound with fetters, but he besought The Lord his God, and humbled himself and prayed to Him, and God brought him again to Jerusalem and his Kingdom (rule of Christ). THEN Manasseh knew that The Lord He was God. *True repentance before God brings you back to Jerusalem, and there Jehovah is God. And this is all a Work of The Cross - taking away what is of the first - flesh, self, old; and establishing only the New - Christ. After Manasseh’s humbling and repentance (vs. 15-17) he took away the idols and repaired the altar of the Lord, but the people still sinned. And Manasseh’s son Amon did not humble himself (vs. 21-25) but trespassed again more and more against God, so God raised up his son Josiah (his name means "whom God heals’) to deal with the people.

Josiah (2 Chronicles 34:2) walked in the ways of David and declined neither to the right hand, nor to the left. ** ONE way only!! He destroyed the images and altars and repaired The Temple (again), but now something else was found.

2 Chronicles 34:15-16 - The priest found a book of the law of The Lord given by Moses. ** The Word of The Lord was in the house, but not known or followed by God’s people. Is this not the problem in much of the Church today? Vs. 18-21 - When the King heard the words of the law he is distressed, and enquires of The Lord. Now (by the Law) he knows that the wrath of the Lord is poured out on them because they have not KEPT The Word of The Lord, to do after ALL that is written in this book. Vs. 22-28 - Huldah the prophetess speaks of judgment upon the people because they have forsaken God, but Josiah would be spared from seeing the destruction, because he humbled himself to the words of God.

* But - Look what Josiah does. Vs. 29-32 - He gathers them together (as one) in the house of The Lord, and he reads all the words of the book of the covenant that was found in the house of the Lord. * This is NOT man’s words, but God’s declaring and establishing HIS Covenant with HIS people - HIS WAY. The King stands (established) in THIS PLACE and reconfirms The Covenant, and caused the people in that place to commit themselves to the words of the Covenant in This Book. Vs. 33 - All the days of Josiah they departed not from the Lord. This is the days of coming BACK to the Words of The Covenant - and doing them.

And the thing that Josiah brought them back to keeping was THE PASSOVER (Chapter 35) in Jerusalem, in that place, at that One Altar - all according to the Word of The Lord by the hand of Moses. * The Passover was the beginning for God’s people, and speaks of The Cross whereby they were redeemed, and they would always be brought back to keeping the feast - but ALL according to the Word of The Lord. Christ is our Passover. May we celebrate Him, according to the Word that He is!

Lesson 41

As we are coming to a critical point in our study, when God moves against His people because they refused to walk in the Truth of His ways in their midst, I want to go back and emphasize something very important that happened when This Temple was finished. This house was to be a place for The Ark of The Covenant. God’s Covenant was in the Ark (see 1 Kings 8:21) and it needed a place to dwell in, and in THIS PLACE God’s Covenant would be made known.

1 Kings 7:51 - All the work of the house was ended, and then they brought in The Ark of The Covenant and (1 Kings 8:6-11) brought it unto his place and they drew out the staves. *This signified that The Ark now had found its place of rest, and it would not move from here, from this Finished Work. God’s Covenant, and the vessel that contained it would remain here - work completed, now rest, then GLORY! The glory of God is now able to fill the House because God’s Covenant, God’s Work has found its place of REST. And it is in this place, Temple, Jerusalem.

** God’s idea of rest is given to us in The Old Testament as "The Sabbath", and was first given in Genesis 2:2-3 when God rested. (That word in Hebrew is "Sabbath" - to repose, to rest.) God’s Work was completed, so there was no need to continue. And here in The Temple, in type we see that God’s Covenant comes to a place of rest, and there is no need to continue to work because everything is finished. But notice that this is a PLACE and NOT a DAY. *The "day" was always speaking of something greater, and all the feasts and observances relating to The Temple were Sabbaths, but they were not done in the understanding that God’s Covenant is completed, so they can rest from their labors. And even though they observed "days" in this land, they never truly kept The Sabbath as God wanted them to, and His judgment against them is in regard to this. We will see this later at the end of this lesson.

Once The Temple is finished, The Ark, in its place, and glory has filled The House, God speaks to Solomon. 1 Kings 9:1-9 - His house is for His Name forever, His eyes and heart will be THERE perpetually. (God has found His rest in THIS place forever.) But if they will turn from following Him to other gods, He will cut off Israel out of the land, and this house will He cast out of His sight. HE will bring upon them all this evil because they forsook The Lord (Jehovah) their God. And what we have been seeing is that this is what Israel did, and God would be true to His Word concerning THIS PLACE. * This is something God’s people need to understand - God does NOT lie, and what He spoke concerning His House will be fulfilled. And we will either walk in the good of it, or in the judgment of God, come to destruction for failing to walk in this Finished Work. For almost 400 years God dealt with Israel regarding this place of His Covenant rest, and finally we see Josiah is raised up and he repairs The Temple, takes out the abominations, reinstates The Word, The Covenant of The Law, and they keep The Passover. All was restored to how God wanted it, but when he dies, God brings His judgment upon Israel, (Jeremiah’s lamentations speak of these judgments) and God continues to remove His people from the land and bring an end to The Temple - as He said He would.

2 Chronicles 36:1-7 - The Kings of Egypt and Babylon took away the Kings from Jerusalem to Egypt, and bound in fetters to Babylon because they did that which was evil in the sight of The Lord, and Nebuchadnezzar carried the vessels of the house of The Lord to Babylon, and put them in his temple in Babylon. Vs. 11-14 - Zedekiah (his name means "Justice of Jehovah") did evil and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking the Word of The Lord, and hardened his heart from turning unto The Lord. The priests and the people transgressed and polluted the house of The Lord which He had hallowed in Jerusalem - His Covenant, Name, Glory was THERE. Vs. 15-16 - God sent them his messengers because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place BUT they mocked the messengers of God (Jeremiah told them clearly of this! See Jeremiah 25) and despised his words, and the wrath of The Lord arose against HIS people, till there was NO remedy.

Vs. 17-21 - Therefore God’s people were killed, all the vessels of the house of God were brought to Babylon, the house was burnt down and the wall broken down. Those who survived were carried away captive to Babylon, To fulfil the Word of The Lord by Jeremiah UNTIL the land had enjoyed (had kept) her SABBATHS (Her rest, keeping God’s completed Work, living in what God HAD done, His Covenant complete in this place). As long as the people were gone - to be fulfilled in 70 years, the land, this place kept Sabbath ( God’s rest). ** This judgment was for a time (70 years), and then God would bring them back TO THIS PLACE, for it is HERE that God finds HIS REST. Confusion is ours for not living in His Rest, that Rest - which is CHRIST!

Lesson 42

In our last lesson we saw God’s final judgment upon His people because of their disobedience to Him and His Work in their midst. He removed His people and allowed The Temple to be destroyed. 2 Chronicles 36:21 - until the land had enjoyed her Sabbaths, to fulfil 70 years as Jeremiah had spoken The Word of The Lord. And we must understand to God Sabbath is NOT a day, but a REST that He has entered because The Work is done. This was set forth in Solomon’s Temple, but the people refused to live in that Finished Work, and so were removed, and The Temple destroyed for a time.

To help us understand God’s thought of The Sabbath let’s look at Isaiah 58, and here Isaiah is looking past the captivity to the RESTORATION God will bring - back to that place, that rest, that Finished Work. Vs. 13-14 - In truly honoring God’s Sabbath (His rest) we must NOT do "our own" thing, not find "our own" pleasure, not speak "our own" words. Then we delight thyself in The Lord (HIM only - not us), and He will cause His people to ride upon the high places of the earth. * In honoring God’s True Sabbath, His Rest in His Finished Work it is NOT I - But CHRIST, for God has found His Rest and satisfaction in The Cross of Christ, and we must too. (Reference 2 Corinthians 5:14-15- He died, all dead. Now we who live no longer live unto ourselves (doing our own thing), but unto Him!)

This was the failure of God’s people then, and unfortunately still is true for many Christians today. That’s why Hebrews 4:9-11 says there remaineth a rest (= keeping of a Sabbath) to the people of God. He that entereth his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from His. Let us labor to enter into THAT REST - ceasing from our own works, and resting in the completeness of what God HATH DONE. This is the working of The Cross - death, burial of me, and resurrection of Him. CHRIST is the fulness and keeping of God’s Work.

There are many Christians today "busy doing things for God", but how many have entered HIS rest? We may be keeping "my Sabbath", but are we enjoying and keeping HIS - His Finished Work, Christ and Him crucified? That is God’s Testimony, but how much of that is in the earth today? Sadly today we see more of "man’s testimony", and because of doing their own thing, they are in confusion, and are in bondage to that whole system! But God will have His Testimony, His Sabbath rest in a people, and we see how He moved to get it - He removed His people and destroyed that Testimony that they would not walk in.

We want to look a little at the prophecies of Jeremiah who spoke God’s Words to His people before Josiah died, warning them of God’s judgment. The Lord’s Word continued to them even during the captivity, and also brought words of a restoration. Jeremiah 1:4-10 - Jeremiah called to be a prophet. Look at his spirit: I can not speak, for I am a child (no strength in self), but God is with him - to ROOT OUT, to PULL DOWN, to DESTROY, and to THROW DOWN, to BUILD, and to PLANT. * Notice the destruction first, but then - unto Life (always The Work of The Cross.)

What follows are many messages to God’s people to RETURN to Him, but I want us to notice the relationship that God reminds them of. Jeremiah 2:5-8 - Where is the Lord that brought us up out of the land of Egypt... God always referred to them this way, and this is crucial to understand and remember. They were brought out by the Blood of The Lamb. God knew them by The Blood, God was satisfied by THAT Blood (when I see the blood the angel of death will pass over that house). And God’s relationship to them was maintained by Blood, but they refused to honor that, but walked in vanity.

My question to us is - do we understand and always consider The Blood of The Lord that was shed to bring us out? Do we honor THAT Blood, do we rest in THAT Blood, do we rely on THAT Blood? Do we continually drink THAT Blood and eat THAT Bread, showing The Lord’s death? Jesus said in John 6 that except you do that, you have no life in you - for His Life is in THAT Blood! ** God’s people have forgotten how they were redeemed by refusing to walk in the knowledge of THAT Blood, and sadly so do we. And for this God’s wrath came upon them.

God wants His people to live in the reality of this relationship that He brought them into as set forth in The Temple, and Jeremiah explains their failure in Jeremiah 2:13 - MY PEOPLE have committed two evils: they have forsaken ME the fountain (source) of LIVING waters, and hewed them out (man made - for himself, by himself) cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold NO water.

This was God’s judgment upon His people then, and tragically it can also be put on much of Christianity today. Have we forsaken Him? What have "we" built? Is it able to hold "living water", or is it just the work of man - unto death? God knows the difference, and those "temples" He will destroy, and raise up that Temple wherein He lives, and out of which flows Living Water!

Lesson 43

I am constrained of the Lord to spend some more time in the book of Jeremiah so that we can see God’s heart and His long suffering towards His people. When you read Jeremiah you have to feel his grief and anguish - speaking the Lord’s Words to His people, but having them reject Him. Jeremiah spoke God’s Word to them for 40 years! **Too many Christians view their Salvation centered around themselves, but we must see that God has done everything to please Himself: He called out a people for HIS name, He would have a House for HIS glory. As we read parts of the prophecies Jeremiah brought before the captivity of God’s people, may be understand what God is desiring in HIS people.

Jeremiah 3:12-13 - Return (to Me)... for I am merciful. Only acknowledge thine iniquity against the Lord thy God. Vs. 20-23 - As a wife has departed from her husband... they have perverted their way... Return and I will heal your backslidings. Truly in vain is Salvation hoped for from the hills, truly in The Lord our God is Salvation.

Jeremiah 4:22 - My people is foolish, they have not known Me... they have no understanding, they are wise to do evil, but no knowledge to do good.

Jeremiah 5:3-4 - Lord you have stricken them, but they have not grieved; thou has consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction. They are foolish; for they know not the way of the Lord nor His judgment (The Cross). Vs. 30-31 - prophets prophesy falsely (of peace) and my people love it!

Jeremiah 6:16-17 - Stand ye in the ways and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, we will NOT walk therein (Finished Work); we will NOT hearken.

Jeremiah 7 - This message is in the gate of the Lord’s House. Vs. 1-3 - Hear all that enter in at these gates to worship the Lord. Amend YOUR ways and YOUR doing, and I will cause you to dwell in THIS PLACE.** Here it is His ways and doings - NOT ours; here we worship in Spirit and Truth. Vs. 8-11 - You trust in lying words. Will you steal, commit adultery, burn incense to Baal and walk after other gods, and come and stand before me in THIS house, which is called by MY NAME... Is this house become a den of robbers... Behold even I have seen it. Vs. 12-16 - Because you have done all these works unto THIS HOUSE I will cast you out of my sight. Pray not for this people for I will not hear thee.

Jeremiah 11:3 - Cursed be the man that obeys not the words of this covenant. Vs. 10-12 - They refused to hear my words and broke my covenant. I will bring evil upon them. They shall cry to the gods but they shall not save them.

Jeremiah 13:1 - Get thee a linen girdle and put it on. (Linen = righteousness) Vs. 4-7 - girdle hid in a rock and marred. Vs. 9-11 - I will mar the pride of Judah and Jerusalem... good for nothing. They were to be UNTO ME for a people, and for a name, and for a praise and for a glory; but they would not! Vs. 24-27 - Therefore I will scatter them... they have FORGOTTEN ME and trusted in falsehoods (what about us?) I have seen thy abominations! (Doesn’t this sound like John’s letter to the Church in Revelation?)

Jeremiah 14 and 15 - God sends a drought (they were supposed to return to "that place"). They call upon God, but not with pure hearts. Chapter 14:7-9 - Do it for your name’s sake. Thou art in the midst of us, and we are called by thy name, leave us not. But the Lord does not accept them (Vs. 10-12). Vs. 13-15 - And false prophets prophesy no sword or famine, but assured peace in this place, but God did NOT send them, and will consume them!

Jeremiah 16 and 17 - Jeremiah will not take a wife, and His people shall die grievous death because (Chapter 16:11-13) they have forsaken God and His law. Chapter 17:5-10 - Cursed be the man that trusts in man and whose heart departs from the Lord. Blessed is the man that trusts in the Lord and whose hope the Lord is. I the Lord search the HEART and give every man according to his ways.

Jeremiah 18 - sign of the potter’s house. Vs. 4-6 - The vessel was marred, so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter (not us!) Cannot I do with you as this potter? The question to us is: who do we belong to? Can He not break us and make us again another vessel - as pleases Him. But God’s people refuse Him again. Vs. 11-12 - We will walk after our own devices, and they devise devices against Jeremiah who is speaking the Lord’s words. (Vs. 18) Let us not heed to any of his words.... So God has to bring His judgment upon them.

Jeremiah 19:15 - the Lord will bring all the evil I have pronounced BECAUSE they hardened their necks and did not hear My words.

God’s people tried to silence Jeremiah, and even he did not want to speak the Lord’s judgment upon the people, but God’s Word will prevail! Jeremiah 20:9 - but HIS WORD was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones... and I could not stay.

Jeremiah spoke the heart of the Lord Who was grieved for His own people. And the Lord performed His Word. God help us!!

Lesson 44

I trust that through these lessons we are learning more about God’s ways with His people, and that we must receive God’s training and correction. Hebrews 12:5-12 - Despise not the chastening of the Lord (instruction), He rebukes to correct His own, to make them see their faults and return to His ways. ** This is for OUR profit, that we might be partakers of His holiness. We must endure the instruction (not just in words, but by deeds), and afterward it yields the fruit of righteousness. This is God dealing with us as sons - to grow up in the knowledge of our relationship with Him, and walk in it.

And in our search in the Old Testament we are seeing God correcting and instructing His people, so they could partake fully of Him. But they despised the correction and refused to return to Him, but even so God still had those who would receive His instruction and live. The prophets were used to bring God’s instruction and chastening to His people, and we see God acknowledges those who would be instructed.

Jeremiah 24:1-3 - Two baskets of figs, set before the Temple of the Lord; one basket had good figs, the other had bad figs. Vs. 5-7 * I will acknowledge those carried away captive, whom I sent out of this place for their good. * Vs. 6 - I will set my eyes on them for good (His good, His plan, His Finished Word), I will bring them again to THIS land, I will build them, plant them, and I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the Lord (Jehovah) and they shall be my people, for they shall return unto Me with their whole heart. ** It is a matter of the heart, and God would use the captivity to draw hearts back to Him. But the evil figs (vs. 8-10) shall be consumed from off the land I gave them. Even though they remained in Jerusalem, they refused His corrections, and would NOT return to the Lord. (Romans 8:28 tells us that all things work together for good (even hard times!) To them that love God, to the called according to HIS purpose.)

Jeremiah 25 - Jeremiah prophesies of the 70 year captivity. Vs. 7-10 - ye have not hearkened unto me (received my correction) and provoked me to anger with the works of YOUR hands to your own hurt. *Vs. 10 - a description of what the captivity would be like: take away voice of mirth and gladness (they might make noise, but no contentment), take away voice of bridegroom (don’t hear from your Lord), take away voice of bride (no relationship to Him), take away the sound of the millstone (no grinding - of bread (Word), and light of candle taken away (no revelation of The Word to live by). What a dismal picture, but how accurate of many Christians today who are captive to a religious system TODAY.

Jeremiah 26 - The prophet continues to bring correction to the people. Vs. 2 -** STAND (secure, fixed, firm) in the court of the Lord’s House and speak unto those which come to worship in the Lord’s house, all the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word. ** Do you see WHERE and HOW the prophet STOOD concerning God’s Word? In His House! He spoke OUT FROM The Finished Work, and ALL the words must be spoken. You must speak HIS Word out from HIS place, and here it is not "my" word, or what is pleasing to me or you, but it is The Truth according to God’s Finished Work. But the people refused the correction (vs. 7-11) and they said Jeremiah was worthy to die. Note: Vs. 10 - they sat down in the entry of the new gate of the House. (Jeremiah was one with the House and God’s Word, but they were NOT!) Vs. 12-15 - But Jeremiah spoke only the Words of the Lord, and told them to amend YOUR ways and YOUR doings and obey The Voice of God. Vs. 16 - Jeremiah was not worthy to die. The people should repent, but they would not. * Vs. 24 - They were not able to put Jeremiah to death!

God continued to correct and instruct His people even when they were sent into captivity through Jeremiah’s ministry. Jeremiah 29:1 - ** Jeremiah sent the Word from JERUSALEM to those who were carried away captive. ** Even though The Temple had been destroyed, Jeremiah remained IN THAT PLACE, speaking THE TRUTH out from that place, and that Word was sent into Babylon to God’s people. Vs. 4-9 - The Lord tells His people that His judgment of the 70 years stands, and they will NOT be released before then. Vs. 8-9 - ** In Babylon, and out of Babylon comes false prophecy to deceive them into believing God will change His Word. Out of Babylon comes false prophecy, catering to the flesh; but out of Jerusalem comes THE TRUTH unto the total elimination of the flesh. What Word are you hearing? Vs. 10-14 - After 70 years I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return TO THIS PLACE. (God was speaking out from Jerusalem, Zion, Finished Work) I know the thoughts that I think toward you - of peace and not evil, to give you an expected END (Rest in Christ). THEN (when you return to THIS PLACE) ye shall call upon Me... and I will hearken unto you. You shall seek Me and find Me, I will turn away your captivity and gather you (as One) from all the places (many) and I will bring you again (anew) INTO THE PLACE. *AFTER His time of judgment and instruction, The Lord would turn their captivity and bring them to THIS PLACE, and those who were instructed would come back.

Lesson 45

As we continue in our studies of God dealing with His people according to a FINISHED WORK, I want us to look at two scriptures dealing with God’s faithfulness. We must see that God is faithful to His Finished Work, His Eternal Plan and Purpose in Christ Jesus by The Cross.

2 Timothy 2:11-13 - It is a faithful saying... Faithful means "certain, worthy to be believed". If we be dead with him, we shall also (as one with Him) live with him; suffer... reign with; ... deny him, he also will deny us. If we believe not, yet He abideth faithful: he cannot deny HIMSELF. *His plan, His Work His purpose is not a "thing" or a "thought" apart from God, but it is His very self, nature, mind. He is One with His Work. (Note: death - live; suffer-reign - isn’t that The Cross?) Even if we don’t believe, He is certain, and will be faithful to His Finished Work - now and forever.

1 Corinthians 1:9 - God IS (not "going to be" - His nature IS) faithful, by whom (this Faithful One) ye were called unto the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord. *Man is NOT faithful (certain, worthy to be believed) - God is, and out of His faithfulness to His plan, Eternal purpose, He has called a people unto the fellowship of His Son. Fellowship means "participation in anything", and our fellowship with God’s Son is The Cross - we must participate in HIS death, HIS burial and then HIS resurrection. And there is NO other way! (John 14:6) I AM the way, truth, life... no one comes to The Father but by Me.) God is faithful regarding this fellowship - of a people to Himself by His Son - by The Cross.

And this is what The Temple was a type of. Israel was called out and into the land to be God’s people, and to make Him known in the earth, and they could only do that by being faithful to The Finished Work set forth in The Temple. All of that spoke of Christ in His death, burial and resurrection, and a people in participation with That Work. When Israel refused to be faithful that way, God would not have fellowship with them, so He destroyed that Temple and scattered His people into bondage, BUT He remained faithful to Himself. And since all of this spoke of HIS SON, we can see why God’s wrath was poured out on Israel when they refused His Way. So God is (was, now is, for ever will be) faithful, and even though His people were removed from "this place", He still had those who remained faithful to this Work- even in the land of captivity. And we see God’s faithfulness manifested to them, and through them, and we also see their participation in The Work of The Cross. This is what we see so vividly in the case of Daniel. Daniel was taken as one of the captives to Babylon, but Daniel remained FAITHFUL along with several others to that Finished Work that God had established in Jerusalem. It was true in their hearts, and they knew God was worthy to be trusted concerning it. They would - by their faithfulness - go through death and burial, and God faithfully brought them through in Resurrection Life!

Daniel 1:1-7 - Daniel and others were taken out of Jerusalem to Babylon, and they were to be nourished and trained to stand before the King. *Vs. 8 - But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king’s meat or drink. This was at great risk to their welfare, but they knew if THEY were faithful - God IS faithful. Vs. 9 - Now God HAD brought Daniel into favor, and they had 10 days to prove themselves on pulse (porridge) and water. *The question to us is - what are we feeding on? The meat and drink of confusion, or the pure, unadulterated Word of God? Will you "give in" to get man’s favor? Vs. 15 - After 10 days their countenance appeared fairer than those who ate the King’s meat. Vs. 17 - GOD gave the four children knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in visions and dreams. Vs. 20 - They were found ten times better (much more!) than the magicians. * Even in Babylon, when a few remained faithful, God preserved them. It was a purpose IN THEIR HEART - to remain faithful to The God Who IS faithful.

Daniel 3 - Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold for all to worship. Vs. 12 - Certain Jews have not regarded thee, they serve not thy gods. Where did they get the strength to resist that? By being faithful in NOT eating the King’s meat! They KNEW Who would deliver them. The King asks (vs. 15) Who is "that God" that shall deliver you out of my hands? Vs. 16-18 - They KNEW The God they serve: He is able to deliver us out of the furnace, and HE WILL deliver us out of thine hand: But if not, be it KNOWN unto thee, that we will NOT serve thy gods or images. ** They were willing and determined to go to "their" death - and not serve other gods. *And God is faithful, and delivered them! Vs. 28 - 30 - Their God delivered them, and the Hebrew boys were promoted.

Daniel 6 - Daniel remained faithful to his God. (Vs. 4) They would find no fault because he WAS faithful. So they got the King to make a decree against praying to anyone but The King (but not Daniel’s King!). Vs. 10 * When Daniel knew the writing was signed, he opened his windows (his heart) toward JERUSALEM and knelt and prayed as he did aforetime. *Jerusalem in the natural had been destroyed, but Daniel knew His God is faithful to Jerusalem, and he would be too. He suffered the den of lions (unto death), but God delivered him and God is exalted (vs. 26-27), and Daniel prospered. What about us - are we faithful too?

Lesson 46

We have been talking about God’s Finished Work. Paul calls it "The Eternal Purpose of God." Ephesians 3:8-12 - It is all IN CHRIST, and by Him and faith in Him, we have boldness and access with confidence to the Father. This is what Solomon’s Temple represented, and since this was God’s Eternal Purpose, all of God’s dealings with His people are in light of This Finished Work.

Romans 8:28-34 - All things (in the scripture, in God’s dealings) work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose. *Not according to mine - but His - all in Christ. He predestinated a people to be conformed to the image of His Son (not I, but Christ; all living His Life). He foreknew - a people in Christ; He called - a people out and into Christ; He justified - a people made righteous by the blood of The Cross; THEM He glorified - they are raised as One with Christ. If God be for us, who can be against us? *God works all things towards this. The center is God’s Will, and He is faithful to what He purposed for a people, for He is faithful to His Son.

We saw in the last lesson that even though Israel denied the Finished Work and would not live in and by it, and were scattered because of it, there were still some in Israel who were faithful to this calling, and God continued to move using them, as He remained faithful to His purpose. We see this in the prophets - Isaiah, Ezekiel, Jeremiah and others who spoke of captivity and death, but also then of Life, restoration, resurrection. *And we saw that the characteristic of Daniel and the Hebrew boys was they were determined, settled, they purposed in their hearts not to defile themselves with other gods, and even though they lived in the land of captivity, they were NOT in bondage to it. They remained faithful to their God, and God worked wonders for them, and God was glorified through them.

I want us not to look at another case of one who was in captivity, but still purposed to remain faithful to Jehovah, his God. Turn to Esther. This book is special because the name of God does not appear once, but we can see His Mighty hand directing things. This book records events later on in Persia, when Israel could return to Jerusalem but most did not, preferring to remain under the rule of others. But God still had those who remained faithful to Him, and this we can see not so much in the person of Esther, but in her uncle Mordecai, for it was Mordecai who was carried away captive from Jerusalem into captivity, and he raised and influenced Esther (Chapter 2:5-7)

Esther 1 - The King has a queen, but she dishonors the King, and he looks for another queen. Note: relationship - queen as wife is to honor King. Isn’t the Church to honor her Head? Vs. 19 - The King will give her royal estate to another that is better than she. ("Better" is the word for the New Covenant."Esther 2 - Esther is brought to King’s house as he looks for another wife. Vs. 9-11 - Esther pleased the keeper and she obtained kindness from him. He preferred her, but she had not showed she was a Jew, for Mordecai told her not to shew it. During this time she was purified. Vs. 16-17 - Esther taken to King, he loved Esther above all women, she obtained GRACE and FAVOR in his sight more than all virgins. Note: grave, favor - from God. Vs. 21-23 - Mordecai had saved the King’s life by telling Esther of a plot, but look at Mordecai’s heart and his determination to God. Esther 3 - Vs. 1,2 - Mordecai bowed NOT to Haman, nor give him reverence. Vs. 3-6 - Why? He told them he was a JEW - he was in covenant with Jehovah - would not bow to anyone but Him! So Haman sought to kill all the Jews - "even the people of Mordecai". This was the spirit they should have had; One God-Jehovah. Vs. 8 - There is a certain people (the called)... their laws are different, and they keep not the King’s laws, so it is not good for the king to allow them to live. So the decree is made (vs. 13) to destroy, to kill, to perish all Jews in one day. *One who is faithful to God is a threat to the Kings of this earth realm! Esther 4 - Esther is told of decree of death, and Mordecai tells her she must go into the King and plead for her people (vs. 8) She is afraid because of the law of the King (vs. 11) but Mordecai tells her the GREATER LAW! Vs. 13-16 - Enlargement and deliverance SHALL arise to the Jews. He is sure of his God, and by his faith, Esther will go into the King. She is willing to perish, but she knows Jehovah will be faithful - and He is! Esther 6- Haman is forced to exalt Mordecai (vs. 11) Haman deceives himself into thinking the King will exalt him, but Mordecai is honored. Why? Vs. 13 - If Mordecai be of seed of Jews, thou shalt NOT prevail against him, but shall surely fall before him. God is faithful to His Own who REFUSE to bow to the rule of others. Esther 7:10 - Haman was hanged on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Esther 8:2- King gives his ring to Mordecai (power of authority) Vs.8,10 he writes for Jews (vs. 11) in every city to gather themselves together - as One, the called, and stand for their life, to destroy, slay, perish the enemy and take spoil. Vs. 15-17 - Mordecai comes out from presence of King robed in royalty. The Jews had light and gladness, and joy and honor - a good day. And many people of the land became JEWS, for the fear of the Jews fell upon them. *They SAW God’s faithfulness in Covenant to His people, and they wanted to know that true, Covenant Jehovah also!

Lesson 47

We have been looking at God’s faithfulness to His purpose, and to those who He used to speak His Word, and to be a faithful witness of Him, even in the midst of captivity. *God has never forsaken His plan and purpose, even when His own left it. Now we want to look at the ministry of others in the Old Testament who declared God’s Word to His people, but I want us to keep two scriptures in mind.

Revelation 19:10 - The testimony (witness) of JESUS is the spirit of prophecy. Prophecy is declaring The Truth of God’s Word; His grace manifested showing His will, purpose, mind. It is not just predicting the future. And the emphasis we must see is that the witness of JESUS (not us) is what God’s Word and thought truly is fulfilled in. HE is the fulfillment of all things.

John 5:39 - Search the scriptures... they are they that testify of ME. *As we read the scripture and see God’s Work, we must look for HIM in all things, and know that all things speak of Him and what He HAS done. All things must be understood in the light of His Finished Work. Man will be a part of that, but the emphasis will be on the LORD - not "me".

We want to look now at some of the ministry of the prophets; those who declared and manifested God’s mind. Some prophets spoke before the exile into captivity, some during, and some after, but rightly understood they all speak of The Lord; either pointing Israel to, encouraging them to remain faithful to God’s Work in their midst, or calling them back to "that place" - restoration.

Isaiah was a prophet before the exile. The people were in the land and the Temple was built, but there was a turning away - to other gods, to man’s will-worship, so God raises up Isaiah to speak His Word.

Isaiah 6:1 - In the year that King Uzziah DIED (man was polluting God’s Temple; that was the problem), I saw also THE LORD sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and HIS train filled The Temple. *Before Isaiah could go forth and tell God’s people God’s Word, he had to SEE something - he had to see God’s Vision - THE LORD on the throne, filling The Temple - with HIMSELF! Vs. 5 - The effect on Isaiah is that he sees his condition and that of his people - Woe is me! Why? Mine eyes have seen THE KING, THE LORD of hosts. *Without seeing Him as God sees The Lord, we look pretty good! Vs. 6-8 - a cleansing work from the altar takes place in Isaiah.... then - Send me.

But look at the ministry that comes out of seeing The Lord and being cleansed by that fire. Vs. 9-13 - Isaiah is to tell them God’s judgments, His mind, His will; but they will not understand. God knew their heart, and they can not be converted and healed. *Vs. 11 - How long, Lord? Isaiah didn’t tell God He shouldn’t do it, but asked how long? Until the land be desolate and the Lord has removed men far away (death and burial). BUT - Vs. 13 - There shall be a tenth, a remnant, that which is faithful to God and will declare His Truth; they shall return - to the land, the place; and then the HOLY SEED shall be the substance thereof. This is all fulfilled by The Cross with Christ being the Seed and Life of the New Creation.

We have also looked at Jeremiah the prophet, who remained in the land and sent God’s Word FROM Jerusalem to the captives in Babylon. Look at the witness of Christ and the Work of God upon Jeremiah when He called him to be a prophet to the people.

Jeremiah 1:4-10 - The Word of THE LORD came unto him. Jeremiah’s response was "I cannot speak; for I am a child." *No pride in flesh for those chosen to speak God’s Word! Be not afraid of their faces, for I AM with thee to deliver thee. Jeremiah’s mouth was touched to speak The Word of The Lord (there must be a work in the vessel). Jeremiah was set over the nations to root out, to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant. Isn’t that what Jesus did?

And finally for this lesson, let us consider Ezekiel. Ezekiel was carried away captive to Babylon, but there God spoke to him, showed him God’s plan and put His Word in Ezekiel’s mouth.

Ezekiel 1:1-3 - He was captive with the captives, but God’s Hand was upon him, and the heavens were opened and he SAW visions of God. This was God’s plan, purpose, work, and it is finally summed up in the appearance of a man. Vs. 26-28. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of THE LORD - not things, but Him. (Don’t focus on Ezekiel’s wheels etc., but the man on the throne.) What was Ezekiel’s response? Vs. 28 - I fell on my face, I heard a Voice of One.

Ezekiel 2:1-2 - He is raised up to stand (in power of His Resurrection) and spirit enters him. Vs. 3-10 - Ezekiel is told he will be sent to the rebellious Israel, and he is not to fear them, but (vs. 8) hear what The Lord says, be not rebellious, open his mouth and eat of the book. Ezekiel was faithful, as a Witness of The Greater Faithful One - Christ!

Lesson 48

We want to continue to look at God’s ministry to His people through the prophets during the time of their captivity. Remember that they were sent as captives to Babylon because they refused to walk in God’s ways, and had left His Finished Work. ** Their need then, and our need today in the Church is to see what God HAS DONE, and God does this by raising up those who see what God sees, and will declare that Truth to His people. ** Preaching in and out of the earth realm will NOT draw you out of confusion (Babylon, religious mixture). But preaching out of the heavenlies, The Truth as it is in Jesus, will; and in and out of the heavenlies there is ONLY ONE to be seen and preached. This is God’s answer for His people - then, and now. God raised up men that SAW.

Ezekiel 1:1 - The heavens were opened to Ezekiel and he SAW visions of God. Throughout Ezekiel’s ministry we see The Throne, the Man upon The Throne, The Temple, The Glory of God, and the Word of God going forth to His people in regard to what Ezekiel is shown - in heaven, by The Spirit.

Revelation 1:10-13 - John to the churches who were falling away - I turned TO SEE the voice... in the midst of the seven candlesticks ONE like unto The Son of Man. Revelation 4:1-4 - I looked, a door was opened in heaven... Come up hither and I will shew thee (reveal things in heaven)... I was in the spirit (not in earth) ...behold a throne set in heaven, and ONE sat on throne. (Same vision as Ezekiel!) The Church is being judged in regard to this One in their midst as the letters to the churches in chapters 2 and 3 clearly show. And this is why Christ is being revealed IN US, in His House, in His Temple, as His Temple, and there are grave consequences for not honoring This Finished Work. It is THE LAMB on the Throne!

Ezekiel 8 - He was shown what Israel had done by profaning God’s Temple, that Finished Work. The Spirit brought him (vs. 3) in the visions of God to Jerusalem. And the glory was there, but would depart, and God would have to scatter them for the abominations they would commit in His sanctuary (hidden idols, worshiping other gods). This is all speaking of what takes place in our hearts, and refusing to be faithful to what God has done for us.

Ezekiel continues to be carried up by The Spirit of The Lord to SEE many things - the visions of God, and the Word of The Lord comes to him to speak to the House of Israel. And even though he speaks of judgment and destruction, he also speaks of RESTORATION.

Ezekiel 37 - The valley of dry bones. Israel is the dead, dry bones that have been taken out of the land, but the Lord God will cause breath to enter them and they shall live. (Vs. 11-14) He will bring them out of their graves (other nations - in captivity), and bring you INTO THE LAND (the place) of Israel, and put my spirit in you, and place you in your own land. Then shall ye know that I AM The Lord. (** This is fully realized by Christ raising a people out of death by His Resurrection so that they live by His Life - in the Land, the I AM.)

** A great part of Ezekiel’s ministry can be summed up in Chapter 43 - AFTER the man of brass appears and completely measures the house with HIS measurement. The glory of The Lord fills the house (vs. 1-6) and this all relates back to the vision that Ezekiel saw in Chapter 1 of the Throne and the likeness of the Man, which is the Glory of The Lord. *God will have what He has determined to have - a House of His Glory, for His Name. Vs. 7-12. SHEW THE HOUSE TO THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL... Reveal to them what God has purposed and finished, and where He will dwell forever, for His Name’s sake. **...THAT THEY MAY BE ASHAMED, and let them measure the pattern, (all speak of Christ and His Cross - death, burial and resurrection) and show them all the forms of the House, and DO THEM. (They should be ashamed because they were not being faithful to This House; all that God had done for them.) The law of the house is: The top of the mountain is most holy. ** They are to live as THIS HOUSE, the House measured by The Man. It is this house that is filled by The Glory of God, and this is The House that we are IN CHRIST.

*God needed then, and God needs now those who SEE THIS HOUSE by The Spirit, and declare THIS HOUSE, its form and measurement to God’s people so they may live as This House.

The Vision of THIS HOUSE brings a people out of captivity... unto LIFE - HIS LIFE!

Lesson 49

We are considering those who God raised up during the time Israel was sent into captivity and we saw that necessitated the heavens to be opened so there was a SEEING of what God had planned, and a declaring of The Truth, even to those in bondage. We will continue to do that now as we look once again at Daniel. *Throughout Daniel we see a theme dealt with, and it is the same as the vision Ezekiel saw - who is on the Throne? And in Daniel we see the issue of Kings and Kingdoms, and even though Daniel and his people are in captivity - out of the land God had for them - The God of Daniel still prevails and shows Himself to be working out His plan, and all according to His Eternal, Heavenly Kingdom, and all other Kingdoms will give way to THIS Kingdom.

Daniel 2:31-35 - Daniel was given the ability by God to know the dream Nebuchadnezzar had forgotten (no magician or soothsayer could do that) and to interpret it. The great image was destroyed by a stone, which became a mountain, and filled the whole earth. And the interpretation of the dream is that the God of heaven will set up HIS Kingdom forever. *That STONE is a prophecy of Christ (remember: Testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy). His coming - by His Cross destroys all other Kingdoms and rules - even that of the devil! Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego and Daniel all lived in the knowledge and strength of THAT Eternal Kingdom; and they would NOT bow to man’s. Through them God made Himself known, and the boys were rewarded under Nebuchadnezzar - but not for themselves, but as "witnesses of God’s rule".

Daniel 4 - God dealt with Nebuchadnezzar (he was King of Babylon who besieged Jerusalem and took Israel away captive!) so he would know The Kingdom of The Most High. Vs. 25-26 - after that thou shalt know that the heavens do rule. Do we know that? After the King becomes as a beast he lifted up his eyes unto heaven (vs. 34-37) and he praises and honors the King of heaven whose works are truth; and his ways judgment; and those that walk in pride He is able to abase. (Isn’t that what the Work of The Cross is?)

Daniel 5 - Now Belshazzar, the son of Nebuchadnezzar will be taught the same lesson! *Vs. 1-4 - They took the vessels that were taken out of the Temple at Jerusalem, and used them in the land of captivity to drink wine and praise the gods of gold, silver, brass, wood. *These were vessels to be used in God’s house and to honor Him - not other gods, and God now brings judgment on this King - the writing on the wall (vs. 5-9) but no wise men of Babylon could interpret it.*The "wisdom" of Babylon does not see into the heavens! BUT there is a man in his Kingdom who can! (Vs. 11-12) Daniel is shown to be of a different spirit, with wisdom and understanding in him, and he can interpret the writing. Even though Belshazzar knew what happened to his father, he did not humble himself and honor the Lord of heaven (vs. 22-31) and therefore the Kingdom was taken from him.

Daniel 6 - Now Darius makes a decree that no one can make prayer or supplication except to the King, or be cast into the lion’s den. Here we see Daniel not bowing to the Kingdom of man, but (vs. 10) continuing to pray TOWARDS JERUSALEM and give thanks before his God, as he did aforetime. And we know that the heavens did rule in the lion’s den! And Darius makes a decree that men fear before the God of Daniel (vs. 25-27). HE IS The Living God, and stedfast forever. HIS Kingdom shall not be destroyed, and HIS dominion shall be even unto the end! *We today should realize that a GREATER THAN DANIEL has come, and by His obedience to His Father and that Finished Work at Jerusalem, has brought forth this Kingdom, and that He now is established as King in the heavens.

Daniel was the TESTIMONY then of The King and The Eternal Kingdom to come, and we today as The Church are to be the WITNESS of His Kingdom here - on the earth, as it is in the heavens.

This was the theme of the visions that Daniel continued to SEE and to DECLARE, and they are all fulfilled in The Lord Jesus Christ.

Daniel 7 - Other earthly kings and kingdoms shall arise out of the earth, but Daniel also sees what comes out of the heavens. Vs. 13-14 - I saw visions, and behold ONE like the Son of Man... (Isn’t that Who Ezekiel saw - on the Throne?) And there was given him dominion and glory, and a Kingdom, and all people should serve Him, and His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His Kingdom shall not be destroyed. And Daniel saw that God’s people will be given this Kingdom (vs. 27) And THIS Kingdom has NOW COME IN CHRIST!

* What did God do when His people were in captivity? He opened the heavens to those who were faithful to Him, and showed them His Eternal Kingdom and King. He declared The Truth to them as it is in the heavens, and proved through Daniel and others that THE HEAVENS DO RULE!

May our eyes be enlightened to see only That King!

Lesson 50

We want to look a little more at THE OPEN HEAVEN, something we saw was necessary in the ministry of the prophets, and the declaring of the Truth as it is in heaven. Ezekiel and Daniel spoke to God’s people what He showed them out of the heavens while they were in captivity. They saw what was TRUE in the heavens, and we have been seeing that the heavens were summed up into One - The Son of Man, The Man on The Throne - all speaking of CHRIST in His Finished Work by His death, burial and resurrection.

* They saw (had revealed) what was TRUE in the heavens, but THE TRUTH was NOT seen by them. The Truth was only seen when Jesus came to His Cross. Then the heavens were opened for all to see!

Luke 10:21-24 - Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see. Many prophets and kings desired to see what you see. What could they now see? The Son, and The Son will reveal The Father to them! This had been spoken of, but hidden; but now CHRIST would make them known. He would reveal The Truth of Heaven - to all who could come to Him.

*We now - by Christ, in Christ - can behold all that God has planned and purposed for a people. This is a GREATER seeing - not just seeing and knowing things in the earth realm but in the heavens. God’s people need the declaration of THE TRUTH IN THE HEAVENS, not just true things in the earth, and the revealing of Christ will enable that to be done.

Jesus spoke of this at the beginning of His ministry.

John 2:45-51 - Philip found Nathanael and told him we have found HIM of whom the prophets did write (Testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy!). Because Jesus saw Nathanael under the fig tree (in the earth realm) Nathanael believed He was The Son of God, but Jesus says you shall see GREATER THINGS than these. Ye shall see HEAVEN OPEN - and see The Greater One, The Son of Man.

*Do we desire to see That Greater One who fills the heavens? We now have the privilege of seeing and knowing all that was hidden because by His death, burial and resurrection, the heaven IS open, and He is revealed to us as being ALL that the prophets spoke of - in type and shadow, but could not then see.

Peter speaks of this in his letters. 1 Peter 1:10-13 - The prophets spoke of Salvation, of the grace that would come (law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. - John 1:17) They prophesied by the Spirit of CHRIST which was in them, and knew that these things were not just unto themselves, but to those who would receive the gospel preached with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven. (This was "in heaven", now on the earth). *The fulfilment of this grace is by the revelation of JESUS CHRIST. When you "see Him", have Him revealed in you - that is your Salvation; the fulness of ALL that God spoke of for His people.

** There must be a SEEING of THE TRUTH in the heavens, and out of that seeing, the declaring and manifesting of that Truth.

2 Peter 1:16-21 - Peter said they didn’t follow fables, but made known the power and appearing of Christ because they were eyewitnesses of His majesty. They heard The Voice which came from heaven - This is My Beloved Son. (It’s always, only The Son!) Vs. 19 - We have the word of prophecy made more sure. We are NOT looking for more prophecy, or things yet to come: IN CHRIST we have the fulfilment, assurance, establishment of all that the prophets spoke of. Let this light (understanding) dawn and fill our hearts so that we hear and see none but HIM. *No prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. The Holy Ghost moved men to speak, and IN CHRIST all prophecy is fulfilled. The Word testifies of HIM, and all things gathered in HIM.

Peter said they were eyewitnesses of His majesty when they were on the Mount. Read this in Matthew 17:1-13 - After six days (# of man) JESUS brought them UP INTO a HIGH mountain APART. He appeared to them as He is in the heavens - with Moses and Elias. Peter was still speaking in the earth realm and thought Moses and Elias were separate from Him, and to be honored along with Jesus. But The Voice out of the clouds corrects Peter and reveals The Truth in the heavens - THIS IS MY SON IN WHOM I AM WELL PLEASED; hear ye HIM! No more Moses or Elias - now, just HIM! The disciples fell on their faces, Jesus raises them up and they lifted up their eyes (heaven is opened) and they saw no man, save JESUS ONLY!

*This was only to be declared and revealed when The Son of Man is raised from the dead. He fulfils the law and prophets and fills the heaven - HEAR YE HIM!