STUDY 6: The Levites

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In the third chapter of the book of Numbers, the Levites are introduced as a tribe that replaces the special place of the firstborn. The Israelites as a whole represent believers in Jesus during the Gospel Age, and the Levites — as with the firstborn on passover night — represent the spirit begotten ones.

Subsequently, in Numbers 8:5-16, the Levites are required to wash their garments and are then presented to the priesthood as a helper class. When the Levites are thus distinguished from the Priests, this represents the end of the Gospel Age, when there is made a distinction between the Priests (the Bride class of overcomers), and the Great Company class, who wash their robes in the blood of the lamb, and are then made a helper class to the Church in glory (Revelation 7:9, Revelation 19:1). They will inherit a heavenly (spiritual) reward and be “before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple” (Revelation 7:15).

The Levites

The Levites that served the Tabernacle (from thirty to fifty years of age, Numbers 4:3, 23, 30, 35, 39) were from the clans of the Kohathites, Gershonites and Merarites. All were descendants of Levi, a tribe which had no inheritance in the land but lived off the tithes paid by their brethren (Leviticus 27:32–33; Numbers 18:21, 24), and the farming they did around the Levitical cities. A tenth of the tithe was also to be given to the priests (Numbers 18:26–28).

Here is a chart showing the descendants of Levi (who was one of Jacob’s 12 sons).

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Age Considerations

In Numbers 8:24–25 we are told that Levites who were 25 to 50 years of age could serve with work for the Tabernacle yet in Numbers 4:3, 23 & 30, the age range of 30 to 50 is stated.

Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown’s Commentary says this: “They entered on their work in their 25th year, as pupils and probationers, under the superintendence and direction of their senior brethren; and at 30 they were admitted to the full discharge of their official functions.” Perhaps so. Or, perhaps in chapter 4 it refers to the transporting of Tabernacle items, and in chapter 8 it refers to auxiliary duties helping others in the services.

Later during King David’s day, we note that the age for entering priestly service was from 20 years of age (see 1 Chronicles 23:27). Age 20 was the age of fighting men, and by the time of King David lifespans were decreased somewhat, so perhaps David made the adjustment for practical considerations. As to a spiritual meaning — this is only a conjecture—but 20 is a number (2, 20, 200, 2000) that refers to the holy Spirit (This is explained in Study 3 of “Beauties of the Tabernacle” on this website). As such the age of 20 may refer symbolically to those who have received the Spirit of God.

The Role of the Levites

The Levites fulfilled the following roles:

assisting the priests (Numbers 1:50; 3:6, 8; 16:9; 1 Chronicles 9:22, 26; 23:2–4, 28; Ezra 3:8–9.)

preparing the cereal offerings (1 Chronicles 23:28–32);

dismantling, transportating and reassembling the tent of meeting (Tabernacle) at a new site (Numbers 1:48-54; 4:3–15; 18:6).

carrying the ark of the covenant (Deuteronomy 10:8; 31:9, 25, Numbers 4:3–15).

Later—the Levites were involved in interpreting the law and thus functioned as teachers (Nehemiah 8:7, 9; 2 Chronicles 17:7–9; 35:3).

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The Levites were explicitly permitted to go near the sacred furniture, and this special privilege distinguished them from ordinary Israelites (Numbers 8:19; 16:9–10; 18:22–23). Yet the Levites were allowed to approach the sacred furniture only when it was covered (Numbers 18:3).

The Israelites who were not Levites had no right to go into the Tabernacle. The Tabernacle represents the condition of the spirit begotten, not merely believers.

Numbers 18:22–23, explains that “the stranger” (non-Levites) did not have the privilege of service regarding the Tabernacle that the Levites did.

“²²Neither must the children of Israel henceforth come nigh the tabernacle of the congregation, lest they bear sin, and die. ²³But the Levites shall do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they shall bear their iniquity: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations, that among the children of Israel they have no inheritance.”

Favoured Above Other Tribes

The reason the Levites were favoured above other tribes to be specially allocated to the service of God, is that they stepped forward to the side of Moses and God when the Israelites sinned with the golden calf in the wilderness. They were “set apart to the Lord” because when Moses asked the people “whoever is for the Lord come to me” the Levites “were against their own sons and brothers” and rallied to him. (Exodus 32:26, 29, NIV). They did as Moses commanded, slaying 3000 of the offending Israelites.

Numbers 3:14-17 describes the selection of the Levites as substitutes for the firstborn male Israelites — a class specially marked out for the service of God.

Antitypes

When considering the antitypes in relation to the Levites and the Priests (see Study 7 of “Beauties of the Tabernacle”) as well as for the Israelites (see Study 5 of “Beauties of the Tabernacle”) it must be considered on a situational basis, thus it is scripturally context specific, or for better words, contextually sensitive. Each of the three groups of Israelites cannot be considered as one static picture and mean the same thing in every case. In fact, all these three groups do not appear together in any particular case. Sometimes there are Levites and Israelites written about (such as in Numbers chapters 1–4). Sometimes there are priests and Levites (such as in Numbers chapter 8). Each of these cases has its own meaning as to who and what are represented. They are all separate pictures.

In Exchange for the Firstborn

To understand the symbolic meaning of the Levites in this exchange of the firstborn, one has to recall the symbolic meaning of the firstborn. Recall that on Passover night, all the Israelites were to remain in their homes, with the blood of the Passover lamb brushed onto the doorposts and lintels. All of them were to eat of the lamb. Thus the Israelites there represent people of faith — believers in Christ Jesus during the Gospel Age.

However, on Passover night only the firstborn were in jeopardy of death. The firstborn represent the consecrated, spirit begotten of the present Gospel Age, who are under jeopardy of losing their spiritual life if they do not remain in the house sanctified by the blood of the lamb. Paul refers to the “Church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven,” linking the symbol of firstborn to those begotten to a heavenly hope (Hebrews 12:23).

That is the foundation for the picture in Numbers 3:45, which reads, “Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle; and the Levites shall be mine: I am the Lord.”

The standing of the firstborn as specially devoted to God is now transferred to the Levites. As the “Church of the firstborn” do not have an inheritance in earthly things (1 Peter 1:4, Ephesians 1:11) but in heavenly things, so the Levites had no inheritance in the land. (Deuteronomy 10:9). They represent the ones “called out” of the world during the Gospel Age and described by the Apostle Paul in Romans 8:30, “Whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified,” or honoured, with a “heavenly calling” (Hebrews 3:1).

The “Called Out” Ones

It is this “called out” class that James (who was later beheaded by King Herod Agrippa, the first grandson of Herod the Great) explains about, to a whole assembly of gathered believers in Acts 15:14-18, some of whom belonged to the party of the Pharisees and thought the Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses:

^“14Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. ¹⁵And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, “¹⁶After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: ¹⁷That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things. ¹⁸Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.”

Here the Apostle James appeals to the prophecy of Amos 9:11–12 to support what Apostle Peter (Simon) had said, namely that the Gentiles were receiving the Gospel of Christ. The Apostle James saw that “the residue of men” calling upon God was shown by the Gentile
converts coming into Christ. James said that the prophecy from Amos said this would occur after the “tabernacle of David” was raised up again.

The house or the “tabernacle of David,” the ruling house of Israel, had fallen when Zedekiah lost his throne six centuries earlier (587 bc, at Nebuchadnezzar’s third captivity of Israel). It had been raised up by virtue of Jesus of the tribe of Judah and descended for David, ascending to glory seated at the right hand of God, as our King and leader.

Jesus is our Melchizedek priest — a king and a priest.

Melchi is the Hebrew word for “king.”
Zedek is the Hebrew word for righteousness, and Jesus is “king-righteousness” — Melchi-zedek — “king of righteousness” (Hebrew 7:1–3).

Thus, the Apostle James explained that Jesus as king has been established as monarch in glory, the house of David had risen again, and it was timely for the “residue of men,” the Gentiles, to receive the grace of God through Jesus. Thus, as Apostle Peter and others testified was occurring here, the High Calling had started since Jesus’s ascension, allowing the “called out” ones of God (1 Peter 2:9), the opportunity to become Sons of God if faithful until death.

The following Scriptures are helpful concerning this calling: Jude 1:1, Galatians 1:6, Romans 11:29, Ephesians 4:1–4, 2 Thessalonians 1:11, 2 Thessalonians 2:14, Hebrews 3:1, 2, 1 Peter 5:10–11.

In Numbers 8

In Numbers chapter eight, the Levites will be distinguished from the priests. In this distinction, the Levites represent the Great Company class, who will be distinguished from the elect Priest class, following the completion of the judgment period by the end of the Gospel Age.

In Numbers 8:7, the Levites “shave all their flesh,” and “wash their clothes, and so make themselves clean”. The shaving of their flesh pictures the beginning of the service of the Great Company beyond the vail resurrected as spirit beings of a high order, but subordinate to the Bride class. It also pictures the end of their consecrated walk on earth as those who had pressed “towards the mark for the prize of the high calling in God through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:12) during the Gospel Age, much like those who took the Nazarite vow were to shave at the conclusion of their vow (Numbers 6:13, 18). This even pertained to Joseph, when raised out of prison, representing Jesus raised out of death. Joseph had to shave and change his garment, to appear before Pharaoh, picturing that Jesus had completed his consecrated walk here, and had a change of nature in order to appear before God.

The Levites washing their clothes reminds us of the Great Company class washing their robes in the blood of the lamb, to cleanse them for their service in glory (Revelation 7:14–15). This distinction between the priests (the Church in glory) and the Levites (the Great Company in glory), also appears in Ezekiel 44:10–14 (Levites), compared to verses 15-24 (priests).

The “Great Multitude” are mentioned in Revelation 7:9-10, and reflected in types such as Rebecca’s maidservants, and Elisha who walked with Elijah.

Some points to be aware of:-

In the types of the Book of Leviticus, as far as we can see, the focus is on the Bride class, rather than on the Great Company class. This is because there is no separate calling to the Great Company class, so pictures about the Gospel Age calling to service and sacrifice do not show this class as a distinguished class of spirit begotten ones here, during the Gospel Age. The Great Company class are simply part of the spirit begotten class, all called in the one hope. The distinction between the Bride and the Great Company appears at the end of the Age or otherwise at the time of each member’s judgment time (final sentence/verdict). The Great Company class are depicted in the fifth chapter of the Song of Solomon where there is the lazy lover who does not rise for her betrothed, and misses her opportunities. (Song of Solomon 5: 2, 3, 6).

Only those who are finally judged as “more than overcomers” at death — who qualify to be of the Bride, the Elect, Little Flock class — fully share in the sin offering experiences of the present time, and are represented in the Lord’s goat of the Day of Atonement. The special focus on the Bride class in this picture can be compared to the picture of Eliezer in Genesis chapter 24 (who represents the holy Spirit), sent out by Abraham (God) to find a bride (the Church) for His son (Jesus). The bride is Rebekah. This picture is focused on the bride class, but in fact all who are spirit-begotten are called by the same spirit (Eliezer). So with sacrifice. We are all called to sacrifice, and all the spirit begotten do sacrifice. But the picture is focused on the bride class.

Another Kingdom Picture

There is another kingdom picture represented in the Levites if we consider just the four groups of Levites on their own, which may picture the state of the completed work of God’s great plan of the ages after the world of mankind reaches perfection in the kingdom as also seems to be the order suggested in Psalm 45:13–17.

EAST: The AMRAM Levites (signifying highly exalted, very high) represented the “Little Flock” (144,000), the Bride. These had full charge of all things religious—their brethren—even all the Levites—being their honoured assistants or servants. “The king’s daughter is all glorious within: her clothing is of wrought gold. She shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needlework.” (Psalm 45:13–14).

NORTH: The MERARI Levites (signifying bitterness) represented the “Great Company” of spirit-begotten ones (before the throne), the Bride’s “allies” and Companions who fail to win the prize of the Royal Priesthood, and are “saved so as by fire,” coming up through great tribulation and bitter experiences to the position of honor and service which they will occupy.

The Merari Levites were given four wagons and eight oxen to transport the gold-covered boards and posts, sockets, cords and pins, etc. (Numbers 3:36–37; 4:31–32; 7:8).

“The virgins her companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee. With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought: they shall enter into the king’s palace.” (Psalm 45:14,15).

SOUTH: The KOHATHITE Levites (signifying ally or comrade) represented the Princes, the “Ancient Worthies”—whose faith and obedience and loyalty to God and willingness to suffer for righteousness was so fully attested, and with whom we feel so close a kinship. They were, indeed, the Lord’s allies and ours.

“Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children, whom thou mayest make princes in all the earth” (Psalm 45:16).

The Kohathite Levites were given no wagons. These had charge of the most sacred articles—the Altars, the Candlestick (lampstand), the Table and the Ark. (Numbers 3:31; 4:34–36; 7:9).

WEST: The GERSHOM Levites (signifying refugees, or rescued) represented the saved “World of Mankind,” all of whom will be refugees succoured and delivered, rescued from the blindness and slavery of Satan.

“I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations: therefore shall the people praise thee for ever and ever” (Psalm 45:17).

The Gershom Levites had charge of the least important services — the porterage, etc., of the cords, outer curtains, hangings, gate, etc. which they first transported on two wagons and four oxen (Numbers 3:25–26; 4:22–26; 7:7).

References & Acknowledgment

Pastor Charles Russell: “Tabernacle Shadows,” “The Tabernacle and Its Teachings” — Supplement to Feb. “Zion’s Watch Tower,” Pittsburgh, PA, 1882, Volume 6 — “Studies in the Scriptures,” Reprints of the Watch Tower.

Br. Anton Frey: “Notes on the Tabernacle,” pages 362-364; “Wilderness Wanderings.”

Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown’s Commentary.

Br. David Rice — some written content for this post.

Suggested Further Reading

STUDY 1: An Introduction To The Tabernacle And It’s Purpose
https://biblestudentsdaily.com/2016/09/02/study-1-an-introduction-to-the-tabernacle-and-its-purpose/

STUDY 2: The Pillar of Cloud By Day And The Pillar of Smoke By Night https://biblestudentsdaily.com/2016/09/09/study-2-the-pillar-of-cloud-by-day-and-the-pillar-of-smoke-by-night/

STUDY 3: The Tabernacle Construction: The Holy and The Most Holy https://biblestudentsdaily.com/2016/09/14/study-3-the-tabernacle-construction-the-holy-the-most-holy/

STUDY 4: The Court (“Holy Place”)

STUDY 4: The Court (“Holy Place”)

STUDY 5: The Camp. The Israelites.
URL: https://biblestudentsdaily.com/2016/10/28/study-5-the-camp-the-israelites/

STUDY 7: The Priests. The Day of Atonement.
https://biblestudentsdaily.com/2016/12/10/study-7-the-priests-the-day-of-atonement/

STUDY 8: The Tabernacle Coverings
https://biblestudentsdaily.com/2017/01/02/study-8-the-tabernacle-coverings/

STUDY 9: The Gate. The Door. The Vail.
https://biblestudentsdaily.com/2017/03/01/study-9-the-gate-the-door-the-vail/

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Great Gain(s)

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A test of patient cheerful endurance
In faith currently still remains,
For the last feet members of the Church,
That will prove great gains.

These do experience ridicule
And rejection both from those near and far,
As the Gospel message they proclaim,
Even on their guitar.

Having no fleshly interests,
Just a desire to heed God’s will,
Their consciences are in tune with God’s voice,
As in their Father’s presence they remain still.

As they adhere to the Divine Words of Jehovah,
Leaning on Jesus as their rock,
They watch and pray and help others understand Divine Scriptures,
Like shepherds of a flock.

With heart and minds that desire
To know what is best,
What is purest and most righteous,
To be perfect like Christ—this is their quest.

Sacrificing every earthly and fleshly interest
Is a pleasure to do,
For it means a share in the sin offering through grace,
A privilege for only but a few.

When soon all 144,000 Bride members
Are beyond the Vail,
They shall begin their roles as the heavenly judges and kings—
WHY? Because they did not fail!

These win the prize of the High Calling,
Which was the longing of their hearts.
What mattered to these dear Ones most,
Was to please God, and of Him and His dear Son Jesus, to boast!

When Armageddon comes,
The faithful few will have been taken from earth;
They will have completed their race
Having proven their worth.

Belonging to Jesus—
They shall forever with him remain,
Bringing greatest pleasure to the Heavenly Father—
Like the Lamb of God that had once been slain.

So dear brethren in Christ Jesus
who are our crown and joy:

Let’s continue to put away behind us,
What would cloud the narrow way ahead,
Not even for a split second look back at the wrong,
Only disciplining the mind to keep focused on what Jesus has said.

Feasting on God’s Words in the Bible
Every moment we can in this life that remains,
God promises to reward justly,
For all good done, with great gains.

romans-2-6-7-c

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ACTS 23:6 —HOPE & RESURRECTION. PART C: The Order of the Resurrection Process

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According to Christian beliefs, you can only get to heaven and God through Jesus. How did people get to heaven before Jesus came on the scene?

Answer: They didn’t.

Jesus opened up the “New and Living Way”—that is, he opened up the heavenly calling.

The rest of mankind from Adam until now who have not come in through Christ will get a resurrection on the earth. You are familiar with the Lord’s prayer, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on the earth as it is in heaven…”

The faithful Christian is part of the “first resurrection.” If there is a first then there is at least one more. They are the resurrection of the “just” or justified, and the rest of the world is the “unjust” or unjustified by Christ. Their resurrection is not to condemnation as some translation say, but to judgement—that is the Millennium is a period of trial for all of mankind. Not a sentencing, but trial. They come back and will “know the Lord from the least unto the greatest”—they get an opportunity not afforded them in this life.

Two Salvations and Two Resurrections

Here are some texts that explain that there is one Ransom but two salvations and two resurrections.

“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18).

“…There will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just [the spiritual classes: Bride of Christ & Church, and the earthly class: the Ancient Worthies] and the unjust (the world of mankind)” (Acts 24:15).

“(28) Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, (29) and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life (Heavenly Salvation), those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment (Earthly)” (John 5:28-29, NAS).

The Overcomers in the 1^st Resurrection

In John 16:33 Jesus said “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

We read in 1 John 5:4 that “everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.”

These “overcomers” or “more than conquerors” (Romans 8:37) have been redeemed from Adamic condemnation (Romans 8:1), and committed their earthly life to be a “living sacrifice” in the present time (Romans 12:1). They have become begotten to a new life, a spiritual life, and thus are on trial for their spiritual life presently. These are the Church members. The Apostle Paul states in 1 Corinthians 15:51-52, RVIC: “(51) Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall all fall asleep [Acts 7:60- also says “fell asleep”], but we shall not all be changed (52) in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, in the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”

[NOTE: RVIC – THE REVISED VERSION (AMERICAN EDITION) IMPROVED & CORRECTED BIBLE – is the most accurate up to date English version of the Holy Scriptures available, compiled from manuscripts discovered and published to AD 1999.]

The ones who died long ago were “raised” to life at the Lord’s return in 1874, at the sound of the last, or seventh, trumpet. Those who die within the present harvest period of the Gospel Age are “changed” at the moment of death.

Overcomers in the 1st resurrection.jpg

The ORDER of the Resurrection Process

1^st – Christ, “the firstfruits” (1 Corinthians 15:23)—Christ has inherited DIVINE NATURE = IMMORTAL LIFE.

2^nd – The Sleeping Saints—these are the OVERCOMERS and they that are Christ’s at his coming i.e. the Bride of Christ—the Elect, 144,000 members of Christ’s “body”.

3^rd – The Harvest Saints—these are also the OVERCOMERS—the Bride of Christ, the 144,000 raised “in the twinkling of an eye” in new, spiritual bodies and inherit IMMORTAL LIFE since 1874 until the completion of the Bride of Christ.

“God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect” (Hebrews 11:40). This talks about the necessity of the Church to be a part of blessing all the families of the world.

What is meant by “a better resurrection” in Hebrews 11:35?

This refers to the resurrection of the Ancient Worthies, the “Heros of Faith.” Some of the Ancient Worthies are described in Hebrews chapter 11. In Hebrews 11:39 and 35 we read, “… these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise… (35) Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection.”

It is understood that Apostle Paul meant that the ancient worthies receive a better resurrection (i.e. eternal life) than those received who were revived temporarily in the Old Testament (which is the subject of Hebrews 11:35).

The Ancient Worthies will be the first humans resurrected onto the earth in the Kingdom. They will be raised perfect, as they already were justified by their faith. They will lead mankind on earth. Psalms 45:16 refers to them as “princes in all the earth.”

4^th – The Great Multitude & Ancient Worthies—

The Great Multitude:

The Great Multitude will be resurrected after the GREAT TRIBULATION (Armageddon, Battle of Gog and Magog) starts, as indicated in the following passages of Scripture in the Bible:-

Genesis 19:23 – “The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar.”

Zoar was the city, not “the mountain.” The mountain, to which Lot fled subsequently, represents the heavenly realm where Lot later went to dwell (Genesis 19:30). Lot is often seen as a picture of the Great Company, who lingers through the severe troubles that close the present Harvest period.

Matthew 25:1-13 – the five wise and the five foolish virgins.

Micah 7:1-7 – here the Great Multitude realize that the Bride of Christ is taken and there is a time of God’s wrath when deplorable and fearsome conditions on earth remain and all faithful men have perished and there is no one upright on earth – yet in verse 7, God delivers them as they “watch in hope”.

Revelation 7:14 – “And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”

Members of the Great Company class have received purging experiences whenever they may have lived during the Gospel Age (since AD 33). However, Revelation 7:14 speaks in particular of members of the Great Company who are living during the Harvest and pass through the “four winds” that close the harvest. In the Revelation 7:3-4, the 144,000 class are “sealed” before the four winds blow which may signify that they are taken to glory—but the Great Company class linger and pass through the experience.

The Ancient Worthies:

The Ancient Worthies—it is possible that these faithful ones of old will be resurrected towards the end of Armageddon to bring peace during the 7^th (last) plague described in Revelation chapter 16. That seventh plague includes a battle, an earthquake, and a plague of hail.

The Ancient Worthies, or at least some of them, evidently will be raised in the midst of the crisis of Israel invaded by the coalition of Gog and his allies. This is suggested by Micah 5:5, and 2 Kings 3:10,11, and context.

“And this man shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land: and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men” (Micah 5:5).

Assyria—represents Gog with his invading hosts, thus Russia, together with their allies.

——-[NOTE: The battle at Israel when God fights for them is described also in Ezekiel chapters 38 to 39. Here we again see that the coalition that comes against Israel includes:

Gog (Russia) which is part of Old Christendom
Persia (Iran)
Cush (perhaps Muslim black Africa),
Libya (Libya, perhaps North central Africa, not including Egypt)
Gomer (perhaps Western Europe),
Togarmah (Turkey).

Except perhaps for Gomer, the identification made here are customary, not unusual, they are however interpretive, so let us “watch and pray”.

On the other side, in the author’s understanding (and this is interpretive), is (according to what we read in Ezekiel 38:13):

Sheba and Dedan (Saudi Arabia, always against Iran),
the Merchants of Tarshish (England), and
the young lions thereof (American, Canada, Australia). They are part of newer Christendom, and not part of the alliance of the sixth plague whose representative governments fall at Israel. The victory at Israel is orchestrated by God, using the forces of the Israelis assisted by God’s overruling power.]——-

Seven shepherds—represents the Church completed beyond the vail. The word “shepherd” was a way of referring to kings in the language of the day. (For as a shepherd has control of his flock, so a king has control of his people.)

Eight principal men—Eight “princes” of men, as contrasted to the seven kings (shepherds). Thus those who will be “princes in all the earth” (who are the Ancient Worthies.) The number seven is about the Church because of the seven stages of the Church—the period following the Gospel Age is then period “eight,” and that is when the Ancient Worthies come back. Thus the number “eight” is associated with them.

In Micah 5:6 we read, “And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof: thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian, when he cometh into our land, and when he treadeth within our borders.”

Here it is explained that Israel, under the hand of the completed heavenly Church above and the advice of the Ancient Worthies among them, will have a dramatic
military victory.

The land of Nimrod is the land of Assyria, perhaps because Asshur who came from the land of Nimrod (Shinar) built the initial area of Asshur (Genesis 10:10-12).

Our second lot of verses quoted above is from 2 Kings 3:10-11:

^“10And the king of Israel said, Alas! that the Lord hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab! ¹¹But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the Lord, that we may enquire of the Lord by him? And one of the king of Israel’s servants answered and said, Here is Elisha the son of Shaphat, which poured water on the hands of Elijah.”

Elisha represents the Ancient Worthies, raised at a point of crisis in Israel. Some of the Great Company class may linger to see the intervention of God on behalf of Israel. This may be what precipitates their expressions as prophesied in Jeremiah 8:20, “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.”

[NOTE: Elisha does represent the Great Company class when they are separated from Elijah (the Church) by the whirlwind. When Elisha then crosses the Jordan from east to west, after the taking of Elijah, Elisha thereafter is a picture of the Ancient Worthies in their experiences during the Millennium. Refer to 2 Kings chapter 2.]

5^th – The Remainder of Mankind

All will have an adequate opportunity to be on trial for life in the Kingdom before judgement is received. (Isaiah 65:20)

The “Highway of Holiness” operating during the Millennium will lead people from ungodliness, to holiness as we read in Isaiah 35:8,

“And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.”

John 5:28-29 refers to the resurrection of judgment, which will be the point of decision between self will and God’s will:

“²⁸Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, ²⁹And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation (judgment).”

All mankind will be raised by Christ and the Church. They will be raised as human beings, and during the Millennium they will be developed and prepared to receive everlasting life in the judgment following the Millennium. The world will be natural being, fleshly beings, as at present. “There is a natural body (human) and there is a spiritual body” (spirit beings) (1 Corinthians 15:44). The world will be natural, fleshly, human beings.

When is the Resurrection Complete?

The resurrection will be complete when all who have died are raised again. The curse will be lifted at the beginning of the age, by the application of the Ransom for the world of mankind, in order to allow the resurrection of the dead.

The resurrection is the only hope for the dead. Let us conclude with John 11:23-26—

“23Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again.’

24Martha said to Him, ‘I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.’

25Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?’”

The resurrection is our ONLY HOPE and an integral part of God’s Divine Plan!

How thankful we are to our Heavenly Father for such a Perfect Plan that will result in eternal life for all.

Romans 11, 36 - from him and through him... to GOD be the glory.jpg

References

Some source material was used from the power point presentation (a BibleTruth411 Video) titled “The Hope and Resurrection of the Dead.”

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Our Trial

1 Peter 4, 12-13 - poem OUR TRIAL.jpg

Come into the furnace, brother dear,
Do trust the Lord, for he is near;
You must not faint, be of good cheer,
Our trial, it soon shall end.

Forget all thoughts of world or self,
And every coin of earthly wealth;
God’s holy spirit-means good health!
Our trial, it soon shall end.

Cut all ties of earthly kin,
For the prize we want to win;
Farewell to every taint of sin,
Our trial, it soon shall end.

Though every friend should be a foe,
Our hearts, the Lord, does surely know;
He has no doubt-we love him so,
Our trial, it soon shall end.

From Where Eagles Gather
By Sr Rosemary Page

1 Peter Chapter 4

1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;

2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.

3 For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:

4 Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:

5 Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.

6 For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.

8 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.

9 Use hospitality one to another without grudging.

10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

13 But rejoice,

inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.

15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters.

16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.

17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

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ACTS 23:6 —HOPE & RESURRECTION. PART B. Will Mankind Resurrect With the Same Mind?

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Why is a Resurrection Necessary?

The Apostle Paul explains why a resurrection is necessary through stating a precious promise in 1 Corinthians 15:21-22, (21) For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. (22) For as in Adam ALL die, even so in Christ shall ALL be made alive.”

The resurrection is necessitated by the fall, if God is to recover the fallen human race.

The Greek word in the Bible used for “resurrection” is “anastasis”—(noun).
The “ana” means again, the “stasis” means a standing.
It has the connotation to be lifted up back to full and perfect manhood…. Back to perfection.

The Old Testament does not state this word “resurrection”; it is only found in the New Testament.

So can we find this term expressed anywhere in the Old Testament? Let’s take a look at some Old Testament scriptures.

“You turn people back to dust, saying, “Return to dust, you mortals” (Psalm 90:3, NIV).

“And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away” (Isaiah 35:10)

“Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away” (Isaiah 51:11, NIV).

God doesn’t just want a blinded obedient creation
but one that will actually REJOICE after returning from death!

Men Sleeping in the Dust

Mankind isn’t just poor, but impoverished!

We read in Daniel 12:2, “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.”

Job confirmed this expectation of a resurrection in Job 14:13-15, “(13) O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me! (14) If a man die, shall he live again?… (15) Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands.”

Job expected to be remembered and restored. Job believed he would be awoke so much, that he asked God to put him in the grave until all his trouble would pass!

So in the Old Testament there was the understanding of the concept of being re-awakened from the sleep of death.

Release from the Prison of Death

In Psalm 146:7 we read,“The Lord looseth the prisoners …”

When you are in prison you cannot get out. The whole purpose of the prison is to keep you in. Until the door of death is unlocked, there is no coming out.

“Looseth”—freed from death as until then, there is no coming out of this condition.

In Job 3:18 we read, “There the prisoners rest together; they hear not the voice of the oppressor.”

Death is oblivion—there is no consciousness there… resting not in the same place of course but meaning in the same condition.

In Isaiah 49:8-9 we read, “ (8) I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages; (9) That thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Shew yourselves.”

We see a glimpse of how this will be accomplished—Christ and his ‘body’ (the Elect)—through them the New Covenant will begin once they are complete.

GOD will unlock the prison house of the grave then!

“I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes” (Hosea 13:14).

“(54) …Death is swallowed up in victory. (55) O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? (56) The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. (57) But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15: 54-57).

Will Mankind Resurrect With the Same Mind?

Yes. The mind you die with the mind you will come up with. If they were constantly thinking of evil or immoral… they will have to correct that!

Here are some verses to prove this:

“… if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be” (Ecclesiastes 11:3).

If they are earnestly seeking God they will have no problems in changing their characters.

^“As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, … even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all” (Ecclesiastes 11:5).

^“Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it” (Ecclesiastes 12:7).

In all the trials of life in the kingdom in perfect conditions wherein righteousness rules, mankind will have to make righteous choices to live forever.

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The principle in scripture is, described as the sowing and reaping one; that what we sow we will reap…

It seems today in the world that the wicked prosper, right?
But there is no fooling God!

As the way they go down, so they will come up… it will catch up with them as they will have to unlearn the unrighteousness and to sanctify themselves.

“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7).

You can fool the government …
You can fool the courts …
You can fool the majority of people …
But! You cannot fool God!

“The eyes of the LORD are in every place, observing both the evil and the good” (Proverbs 15:3).

^“For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:14).

So, the character you go down with, will be the character that follows in the resurrection.

Wickedness and deceit will be their own punishment in the kingdom, so they will have much further to have to go, to change their characters.

But can God Restore a Mind? Yes!

“(29) Lo, all these things worketh God oftentimes with man, (30) to bring back his soul from the pit [“sheoul” = hell, pit, grave,] to be enlightened with the light of the living” (Job 33:29-30).

The light of the living concerns the mind, the intellect. Resurrected humanity on earth will “be enlightened” again with the light of life. Their resurrection from the dead will be clear and convincing evidence to them of God’s wonderful blessing on their behalf. This itself will provide an opportunity for them to begin anew on a better footing than before, with faith in God and appreciation for His kindness.

This favorable new beginning for mankind, each one individually, being raised again on earth during the Millennium, will come through the reign of Christ with his “Bride” (comprising 144,000 members, Revelation 7 and 14). Then evil will be restrained, rather than allowed to proceed, as at present. The Spirit of understanding from God will be poured out upon the hearts of humanity, starting with the nation of Israel (Zechariah 12:10).

The spirit of understanding will bring joy to mankind in doing what is pleasing to the Heavenly Father. They will seek after righteousness when they recognize the blessings that shall be gained in doing so. As Proverbs 21:21 says, “whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor.”

In Jeremiah 31 we read about the Spirit of understanding coming to Israel when they finally recognize Jesus as the Messiah.

“(31) Behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah … (33) This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. (34) And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more (Jeremiah 31:31-34).

After Israel has been inducted into this “new covenant,” at the beginning of Christ’s Millennial Reign, they will be used by God to extend the same blessings outward to the remainder of the world. Then all will be able to receive the spirit of understanding from God. “And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest” (Hebrews 8:11).

At the outset of the Millennial Age, the ransom will be applied for the world in order to remove the curse. The removal of the curse is the first necessary step in order to proceed with the resurrection. However, that does not mean the resurrected individuals are justified. They will be sinful people still (because they will return back with the same thoughts, as mentioned earlier in this post). Many of those raised will be without faith, and far short of good works. Teaching people about God and the standards of righteousness will take time. Individually, the blessed influences of the Kingdom will bring people to repentance, faith, and obedience. Ultimately they will be righteous and holy. As this process continues, they will be blessed also by physical blessings of health and vitality, returning to the perfection of being that Adam enjoyed in the garden before his sin.

The Basis of Our Hope

The basis of our hope IS the resurrection of the dead, and that ALL who die, shall come back alive.

“(20) But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. (21) For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. (22) For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. (23) But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming. (24) Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power” (1 Corinthians 15:20-24).

All will be made alive. There is a hope to the resurrection.

SOME EVEN TODAY SAY— THERE IS NO RESURRECTION!

But the Bible clearly teaches us that our HOPE is based on the resurrection—the key to our faith!

Here is a beautiful explanation that there IS a resurrection:

^“(12) Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? (13) But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: (14) And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. (15) Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. (16) For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: (17) And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. (18) Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. (19) If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable” (1 Corinthians 15: 12-19).

The Apostle Paul is saying if your assumption is there is NO RESURRECTION, then you have NO HOPE!

The Apostle Paul is teaching us that the ONLY HOPE IS the resurrection!

The Church class (those running in the race of the High Calling) understand this and they understand that since Jesus did resurrect—this is our seal of approval that there IS a resurrection. The resurrection is really key to our faith.

Is the resurrection illustrated in the Scriptures?

Yes. Some temporary re-standings from the dead are illustrated in the Bible and as listed below, which demonstrated the capability of there being a permanent resurrection of all those in the grave:-

Resurrection Illustrated in the Bible.jpg

Remembering Those in the Grave

The hope of man is that they will be remembered by others. Yet are they?

In Psalm 6:5 we read, “in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?”

As generations pass, people are largely forgotten as explained in Psalm 102:11-12,^“11My days are like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass. ¹²But thou, O Lord, shall endure for ever; and thy remembrance unto all generations.”

Although mankind cannot remember people even 100 years ago, God can remember all generations and that too, means, that God CAN restore!

Can God Put a New Mind in an Old Body?

Of course God can!

In Acts 26:8 (NIV), the Apostle Paul explains to King Agrippa that it is because of this hope in the resurrection from the dead that the Jews are accusing him and states, “why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?”

If God has the ability to allow for the creation of 100 billion galaxies, then there is no doubt that God can restore all mankind in the soon to begin Kingdom!

Psalm 147, 4-5 - STARS AND GALAXIES.jpg

In Isaiah 40:28 (KJV) we read, “Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.”

Why Restore the Old Mind?

In Mark 12:27 we are told that our Heavenly Father “is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living…”

The Bible explains that God has appointed a day, in which “He will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead” (Acts 17:31).

This necessitates the remembrance of the consequences of sin.

All mankind who resurrect on earth will have the chance to gain eternal life so that there is PERFECT JOY FOREVERMORE as it is disobedience to God’s commands that led to PAIN, SORROW, TEARS, SUFFERING and UNHAPPINESS… while OBEDIENCE to RIGHTEOUSNESS is what pleases the Creator of our Universe and adhering to this, will lead to ETERNAL JOY!

The Bible assures us that God will “swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces… for the Lord hath spoken it” (Isaiah 25:8).

Acknowledgement

Br. Bob Goodman — for source material from his power-point presentation (a “BibleTruth411” – YouTube Video) “The Hope and Resurrection of the Dead”.

Br. David Rice — assistance with content and editing.

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His Way Is Best

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“All things shall work together for good to them that love God…” (Romans 8:28).

Just how this statement can be true
Perhaps has often puzzled you.
You’ve wondered how that “all things” could
Work out for your eternal good;
How trouble, sorrow, and unrest
Could work together for the best.
How this could be, you did not know,
And yet, you felt it must be so.

Now “all things” mean both good and bad,
Yes, things that really make you sad.
It means your sickness and your health,
Your poverty as well as wealth.
Of trouble you will have your share
While in this world of toil and care.
But rest assured, you have a Friend
Who knows your life from start to end.

Should God permit dark clouds some day
To cast a gloom across your way,
Just take it as your Father’s will.
You’re in His care–He loves you still.
Be not alarmed, nor be cast down,
“Tis through these trials you win a crown.
All earthly sorrow soon shall cease,
While joys eternal shall increase.

There’s much we do not understand,
But “all things” are within His hand.
Remember God’s mysterious plan
Cannot be solved by mortal man;
But when we reach the land of rest,
We then shall see that He knew best.
The things we had not understood,
We’ll then realize were for our good.

A poem from “Poem of the Way.”

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STUDY 5: The Camp. The Israelites.

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The Camp Arrangement

The set-up of the Israelites’ camp is described in the first three chapters of Numbers. Numbers 1:1-4 describes how God asked Moses to divide up the Israelites and take a census of the Israelites a little over a year after the Exodus. (The date of the Exodus is discussed in Study 2 of the “Beauties of the Tabernacle” Series.)

“1 And the Lord spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of the congregation, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying, ²Take ye the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, after their families, by the house of their fathers, with the number of their names, every male by their polls; ³From twenty years old and upward, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel: thou and Aaron shall number them by their armies. ⁴And with you there shall be a man of every tribe; every one head of the house of his fathers.”

[NOTE: “the first day of the second month, in the second year” was 1^st Iyyar, 1444bc, one month after the Tabernacle was set up. The Tabernacle was first set up on 1^st Abib, 1444bc—see Exodus 40:2, 17.]

The camp was arranged into east, south, west, and north sides as documented in the diagram below.

ARRANGEMENT OF THE CAMP OF ISRAEL.jpg

God arranged that Moses, Aaron, and his sons (the Priests) would camp “in front of” (i.e. closest to) the Tent of Meeting (Numbers 3:38). God also instructed that the Levite camps be adjacent to the tent on the 3 other sides (South, West, and North), while those of the other Israelites were to be “far off” (Numbers 2:2).

WHO DO THE ISRAELITES REPRESENT?

In the Tabernacle arrangement, Israel consisted of 4 categories of Israelites:

(1) the High Priest (Aaron) — represented Jesus, our “high priest.”

We read in Hebrews 4:14-16,

^“14Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. ¹⁵For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. ¹⁶Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

Also, Hebrews 6:19-20:

^“19Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; ²⁰Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.”

The symbolic meaning of the actors in the next 3 categories of Israelites depends upon the passage of Scripture at hand. The meaning is contextually sensitive.

(2) the under priests (Aaron’ sons) — Refer to Study 7 of the Beauties of the Tabernacle section, titled “The Priests. The Day of Atonement.”

(3) the tribe of Levi, (not including the Priests) — Refer to Study 6 of Beauties of the Tabernacle, titled “The Levites.”

(4) the Israelites (not including the Tribe of Levi) — Let us examine this here.

There are two groups of such Israelites represented in the Tabernacle type, which do not consist of the Priests (who only came from the Tribe of Levi) and the remaining (non-Priest) Levites:-

(a) the non-believers in Christ amongst the world of mankind — These are represented in the Israelites who are outside the court, in the camp area. Such individuals do not believe in Jesus and do not consider the Bible as the glorious, divinely inspired words of God, just as the Tabernacle’s outer-most covering may have looked unattractive to the Israelites in the camp. We discuss this further below, in the following Study. (See also Study 9 of Beauties of the Tabernacle, titled “Tabernacle Coverings.”) As the burnt offerings were a stench to Camp of the Israelites, so the message of God’s Truth is a stench to non-believers in today’s world and considered “foolishness” (1 Corinthians 1:18; 2:14; 3:19).

(b) the non-spirit begotten believers in Christ amongst the world of mankind—These are represented in the Israelites inside the court area who enter the “gate” (which represents Christ, see John 10:9; 14:6). See Study 4 of Beauties of the Tabernacle, titled “The Court (Holy Place).” These are believers in Christ but non-spirit begotten individuals, who have not fully consecrated their lives in following Christ and doing God’s will.

Let us now consider what an Israelite represents in relation to the Gospel Age and the future Millennium Age:-

During the Gospel Age

During the Gospel Age (33 ad until the completion of the 6000 years of Permission of Evil) an Israelite coming to make an offering typifies “the Church of the Firstborn whose names are written in heaven” (Hebrews 12:23) — those who have consecrated their lives to the God. These develop as Christ’s body members, sharing in the sufferings of Christ (2 Timothy 2:12), and “by persistence in doing good, seek glory, honor and immortality” (Romans 2:7). Such are promised a “first resurrection” and spiritual, “incorruptible bodies” as Divine beings (1 Corinthians 15, Revelation 20:5). After the present time of sacrificing, these are to be kings and priests unto God, and to reign on the earth (Revelation 5:10).

The Laodicean (7^th) Messenger to the seventh Gospel Age Church, Brother Charles Russell, in his later years, came to see that full justification applied to only the spirit begotten, rather than to those who are believers but not consecrated. Please refer to Reprints from the Original Watch Tower 4546:4, 4427:6, 5972:6.

During the Millennial Age

As the type also pertains to the Millennial Age, the Israelites represent the world of mankind in the near future who will choose to walk up the Highway of Holiness. The term an “Israelite indeed” (as Nathanael was labelled by Jesus in John 1:47) is an expression that applies to anyone who adheres to the principles of Godliness, the golden standard in the Kingdom, the only standard by which one will be able to have eternal life. (Isaiah 26:9, Proverbs 2:21–22, Hebrews 12:22, Revelation 21:1.) For further reading, refer to the post “Will All Mankind Need to Become “Israelite Indeed”?”

Hence when considering the Day of Atonement, the Israelites (not including the Priests) represented the world of mankind. The sin offering sacrifices made for the Israelites only, represent the “better sacrifices” and atonement made on behalf of the whole world by Jesus (“head”, Colossians 1:18) and the Church (the “body” of Christ members, 1 Corinthians 12:27, Colossians 1:18, Romans 12:5) — who God has permitted to share in the antitypical sin offering. The sufferings of the Church count as sin offerings sacrifices, in that the present sufferings of the Church prepare them to assist the world during the Millennium to be purged from the propensity for sin — much as the sufferings of Christ prepared him to be our high priest, to purge from us the propensity for sin (2 Corinthians 1:3-7, 2 Timothy 2:12).

The Apostle Paul beautifully explains this through his words in Colossians 1:23-24:

“ 23 I Paul am made a minister; 24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church…”

In 1 John 2:2 we read that Jesus “is a propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” In the future, the saints are permitted the privilege of assisting Jesus to free the world from their sins, through the priestly work they will share with Christ during the Millennial Age of Christ’s Reign with his 144,000 (Bride) body members.

What could be seen from out in the camp looking toward the Tabernacle arrangement?

The Tabernacle was in the middle of the camp in the desert.

Looking at the Tabernacle from the outside, an ordinary Israelite only saw the gate kept by the cherubim, perhaps the top part of the first 5 pillars of the Holy; perhaps some parts of the top of the posts and fencing equipment; the pillar of cloud of God’s presence, and the smoke of the perpetual offering rising from the altar in the Court because the white fine twined linen curtain surrounding the court was 5 cubits (2.29 metres; 7 1/2 feet) high all around. That is how we human beings perceive others and sometimes even God himself. Yet the Lord teaches Samuel the prophet and us, “man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).

Of course depending on where one stood, the top of the Tabernacle could also be seen from the camp, since it was twice the curtain’s height. It would have appeared dark since it was made of the skin of sea cows (manatee or dugong) skins, (mistranslated badger skins). Because this dark skin was not attractive to the eye, perhaps a foreigner could never imagine that this was the house of the Creator of the Universe. Who would imagine there was so much gold inside?

“What you see and what you hear depends a great deal on where you are standing” (C. S. Lewis).

Here are parts of an excerpt from “Approaching God,” by Br. Regis Liberda in The Herald of Christ’s Kingdom, Nov.- Dec. 2002:

As the Tabernacle as seen from outside was not attractive, God knew it had to be this way for the camp in the desert where the Tabernacle is set represents the world. God does not attract anyone by apparent riches. We do not come to God because of the majesty and beauty of some building. Our reasons are not visible.

Many think that the Truth is as unattractive as the outer skin covering of the Tabernacle. Many think a Christian life is sad and dark; they do not know that for Christians the exterior has no value. Inside there is light, joy, richness, and peace.

Some are interested to know more. They suppose that this tent contains something more, and they draw closer. The closer they get, the greater appears the building, but they cannot see what is inside the Court since the linen hanging is too high. They can only see the top of the Tabernacle or tent. When they are very close, they can only see what resembles a white wall; the Tabernacle itself has disappeared. They know there is something beyond the wall but they cannot enter into the Court because of that wall. It is the white linen. Linen represents the justice of God; white represents purity and holiness: “Fine linen is the righteousness of saints” (Revelation 19:8).

In front of that white wall, one understands he is a sinner. If he circles the wall trying to enter the Court, he continues to be stopped by this justice. When he finally recognizes his situation as a sinner, a unique door appears on the eastern side.

The sun arises in the east at the beginning of a new day. Likewise when someone reaches the door of the Court, a new day or a new life starts for him. He is now walking in the light.

Outside the Camp

Through Moses, God instituted a Law for all Israelites to adhere to which entailed the exclusion of lepers out of the camp in the wilderness, and out of the cities in Judea. We read about this in Leviticus 13:46, “⁴⁶All the days wherein the plague shall be in him he shall be defiled; he is unclean: he shall dwell alone; without the camp shall his habitation be. ⁴⁷The garment also that the plague of leprosy is in, whether it be a woollen garment, or a linen garment.”

In Numbers 5:2-3 we read, “Command the children of Israel, that they put out of the camp every leper, and every one that hath an issue, and whosoever is unclean by the dead; both male and female shall ye put out, without the camp shall ye put them; that they defile not their camp, in the midst whereof I dwell.”

Leprosy is a picture of sin, and its cleansing represents the cleansing of the consecrated and spirit begotten believers in Christ now, during the Gospel Age, and the cleansing of the world later in the Millennial Kingdom Age, under the righteous rulership of Christ with his Bride of 144,000 Elect members.

The camp, the dwelling place of God, throughout which God would “walk” just as in the garden of Eden (Genesis 3:8), was to be holy. We are explain about this in Deuteronomy 23:14, “For the LORD thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp, to deliver thee, and to give up thine enemies before thee; therefore shall thy camp be holy: that he see no unclean thing in thee, and turn away from thee.”

Its holiness was to be achieved by the keeping of the ordinances of cleanliness, by the cleansing received from sacrifices, and by removing those who threatened its cleanliness. Offenders would be stoned outside the camp. (Leviticus 24:14) The remains of the offenders who died inside the camp were taken outside such as was the case of the two sons of Aaron, Nadab and Abihu (Leviticus 10:4).

There was a “ceremonially clean place outside the camp“ (Numbers 19:9) where the ashes of the sacrifices whose blood was carried into the sanctuary, were thrown and a wood fire on this ash heap was where, for instance, the remains of the sin offering’s bull were to be burned up as explained in Leviticus 4:11-12. The ashes of the red heifer were gathered up by a “clean” Israelite and placed in this ceremonially clean, which according to Numbers 19:9-10 were used “in the water of cleansing”. The water from a jar containing the red heifer’s ashes would be sprinkled over any one or any thing classified as “unclean” to purify (Numbers 19:9-22).

—–

Hebrews 13:13 (KJV) — “Let us go forth therefore unto him without [“outside,” ESV] the camp, bearing his reproach.”

The following extract is from: Souvenir Notes, Bible Students’ Conventions 1913 – Question Meeting Conducted by Br. Charles T. Russell (in the Bible Students Library CD) – Question 4 — “Together with Him without the camp” — does this mean to go out in the second camp, or are there two camps?

Answer —

The Apostle says, “Let us go to Him without the camp.” In the English of today we would
say, “Let us go to Him outside the camp.” We do not use the word “without” the camp in that same way today. Let us go to Him outside the camp — what does that mean?

Well the camp would represent that condition of things which claimed to be in harmony with God.

Look back in Jesus’ day:

Jesus went outside the camp. Was it the Gentile camp? No. What was the camp with Him? The camp in Jesus’ time was composed of all those who professed to be God’s people, holy people — all the Jewish people who professed to be in harmony with the Lord. What would it mean that He went outside the camp? He was pledged in his faithfulness and loyalty to God to take His stand which took Him outside of the sympathy and fellowship of those who were not fully Israelites indeed — all the Jews that were Israelites indeed in whom was no guile could appreciate it, and they, like the disciples, were in the attitude of the Levites that were approaching the Holy and drawing near to the Lord, and were, like the Levites, ministering in the Court. This would represent the attitude of all believers inside of that white curtain, but those who constituted the camp at that time were nominal professors who did not appreciate fully, and Jesus in order to be faithful to God and His message was obliged to stand for the truth, for that which is right, and that brought Him out of sympathy and out of accord with the great nominal mass of the Jewish people.

Now the Apostle says, “Let us go to Him outside the camp.” What does this mean?

It meant to the Apostles’ of old that they should also take the same stand toward the law that Jesus took toward the law; the same stand toward the pharisees and scribes and the doctors of the law that Jesus took. Then to those afterwards who became associated with the Gentiles, as, for instance, Paul, Silas and Barnabas, who ministered to the Gentiles, we think outside the camp meant outside the synagogue of the Jews and all of those who professed to be in harmony with God that were living in Rome, or wherever they might be — whoever stood for and claimed to be God’s people constituted the camp.

What does it mean today?

The camp today means all of Christendom, all the dear people who claim that they are spiritual Israelites, that is God’s camp… And all of God’s people who are sincerely following in the footsteps of Jesus will find that they will not be appreciated by the general camp. In other words, the nominal church will not generally appreciate the spirit of the Lord and the teachings of the Lord, and therefore all who would he faithful to Jesus and walk in His steps will find themselves today just as much out of accord with the camp of today as Jesus and the Apostles found themselves out of accord with the camp of their clay. To go to Him without the camp today means that we will take up our cross, whatever sacrifice it might mean to you and me, the breaking of tender ties with dear fellow Christians who are Methodists, or Presbyterians, etc., willing to go to the Lord and be faithful and loyal to Him at any cost, no matter how others may view it.

And as a matter of fact it was those of the camp that persecuted Jesus and the Apostles: and it is those of the camp who have persecuted the Church which is the Body of Christ from that day to this.

References

Br. Charles Russell: “Tabernacle Shadows,” “The Tabernacle and Its Teachings” — Supplement to Feb. “Zion’s Watch Tower,” Pittsburgh, PA, 1882, Volume 6 — “Studies in the Scriptures,” Reprints of the Watch Tower.

Br. Anton Frey: “Notes on the Tabernacle,” “Wilderness Wanderings.”

Br. Regis Liberda: An article titled “Approaching God”, The Herald of Christ’s Kingdom Magazine, Nov.- Dec. 2002.

Souvenir Notes, Bible Students’ Conventions 1913 — Question Meeting Conducted by Br. Charles T. Russell — in the Bible Students Library CD —

Bookstore

Suggested Further Reading

STUDY 1: An Introduction To The Tabernacle And It’s Purpose
https://biblestudentsdaily.com/2016/09/02/study-1-an-introduction-to-the-tabernacle-and-its-purpose/

STUDY 2: The Pillar of Cloud By Day And The Pillar of Smoke By Night https://biblestudentsdaily.com/2016/09/09/study-2-the-pillar-of-cloud-by-day-and-the-pillar-of-smoke-by-night/

STUDY 3: The Tabernacle Construction: The Holy and The Most Holy https://biblestudentsdaily.com/2016/09/14/study-3-the-tabernacle-construction-the-holy-the-most-holy/

STUDY 4: The Court (“Holy Place”)

STUDY 4: The Court (“Holy Place”)

STUDY 6: The Levites
https://biblestudentsdaily.com/2016/11/18/study-6-the-levites/

STUDY 7: The Priests. The Day of Atonement.
https://biblestudentsdaily.com/2016/12/10/study-7-the-priests-the-day-of-atonement/

STUDY 8: The Tabernacle Coverings
https://biblestudentsdaily.com/2017/01/02/study-8-the-tabernacle-coverings/

STUDY 9: The Gate. The Door. The Vail.
https://biblestudentsdaily.com/2017/03/01/study-9-the-gate-the-door-the-vail/

“Going Outside the Camp.” Reprint 4607 – from the Original Watch Tower and Herald of Christ’s Presence.http://www.htdbv8.com/1910/r4607.htm

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STUDY 5: The Camp. The Israelites.

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2 Corinthians 5:20 – What Does Being “Ambassadors for Christ” Mean ?

2 COR. 5, 20

What is an ambassador ?

According to Wikipedia, an ambassador is :

“an official envoy, especially a highest ranking diplomat who represents a state and is usually accredited to another sovereign state, or to an international organization as the resident representative of their own government or sovereign or appointed for a special and often temporary diplomatic assignment… They are stationed in a foreign country and they as well as the embassy staff are granted diplomatic immunity and personal safety while living abroad.”

Apostle Paul made it clear to us that those who are accepted of God and begotten of the holy spirit are ambassadors of another country:

“For our citizenship is in heaven; whence also we wait for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20, ASV).

“For he has delivered us out of the dominion of the darkness, and transplanted us into the kingdom of his dear Son” (Colossians 11:13).

The Apostle Paul

Apostle Paul referred to himself as an “ambassador in chains” (Ephesians 6:20). This is hardly the view we take of diplomatic ambassadors today. But Paul does not say this to elicit pity. Rather he tells the Church not to lose heart over what he is suffering because it is for the Church’s glory.

Truly Apostle Paul was a great ambassador!

Should we not also represent our head, Christ Jesus and SHINE like stars in the sky, being blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation”? (Philippians 2:15)

YES we MUST do so… not tomorrow… BUT NOW… right NOW… the High Calling of the Gospel Age is soon to end and Christ’s Bride composed of 144,000 members, shall hath made herself ready!

Dear Brethren, we will not miss out for the chance of eternal eternities and forevermore to belong to the BODY of Christ… to be counted worthy of the prize of the High Calling… of bringing our Heavenly Father grandest JOY and who shall present the Bride as the most righteous gift to Christ!

Let us “trim our lamps” as the “wise virgins” (Matthew 25:7) and stay separate from this world (2 Corinthians 6:17); and be “peculiar people” renouncing the world and its evil desires!

^“14Do all things without murmurings and disputings:¹⁵That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world…” (Philippians 2:14-15).

Prepare yourselves through strict training and discipline to belong to the ONE BRIDEGROOM ONLY—let JESUS BE YOUR HEAD–SEEK him; SEARCH for him; COPY him; make him proud; REPRESENT him in spite of ALL RIDICULE and SUFFERING in this world.

^“24Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.
²⁵Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.
²⁶So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air.
²⁷But I discipline my body and keep it under control^,lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:24-27, ESV).

The Apostle Paul encourages us: “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:20, KJV).

Qualifications of an Ambassador

As ambassadors of Christ, how should we conduct ourselves? What is our role?
Let’s consider the following characteristics of an ideal ambassador:

PATIENCE

An ambassador listens carefully to the citizens of the countries he is involved in helping to understand their needs and situation so that any conflicts or disagreements can be resolved in peace. The Apostle Paul was so patient through his experiences as a prisoner and in his dealings with rulers he sought to bring about mutual understanding concerning the Truth.

WISDOM

An ambassador uses his knowledge of people to (as far as possible) resolve conflicts between any parties involved. We have an example of this by the Apostle Paul–when question by rulers and confronted by hostile Jews and Greeks, he used Godly wisdom to answer.

“Now when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. It is with respect to the hope and the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial” (Acts 23:6, ESV).

GRACIOUS SPEECH

As a spokesperson for his country, an ambassador is one who encourages and entreats with his words rather than causing any offence or hostility, as well as seeking the good of all. We see this in Apostle Paul’s conduct here:

^“32Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God: ³³Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved” (1 Corinthians 10:32-33, KJV).

Apostle Peter explains: ^“¹¹Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; ¹²Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation” (1 Peter 2:11-12, KJV).

GENEROUSAn ambassador will use his time and talents to help others, especially as it promotes the interests of his home government, even at personal sacrifice and we note how Apostle Paul laid down his life for kingdom interests in Philippians 2:4:-

Phil. 2, 4.jpg

REASONABLENESS

An ambassador will try to help those in his host country and persuade them to appreciate the benefit of his counsel. Paul continually appealed to others to accept his counsel concerning Christ’s kingdom and the blessing it will be to all.

HONESTY

An ambassador tells the truth and uses facts to persuade others. He neither deceives nor exaggerates to achieve his way. Paul was forthright, even on occasion calling the attention of Peter and others to what appeared to be a misleading example.

“¹¹But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. ¹²For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party.¹³And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. ¹⁴But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?” (Galatians 2:11-14, ESV).

UNDER READINESS OF MIND

An ambassador is ever alert to represent and promote the interest of his government even at the risk of personal benefit or gain.

Apostle Paul did not let opportunities slip by him, to regret latter. He embraced his appointed service with diligence. As Jesus, “for the joy set before him” endured ALL manner of rebuff and persecution, so Apostle Paul followed the example of Jesus (1 Corinthians 4:11-13).

HUMILITY

An ambassador recognizes that he has no personal authority apart from the country he represents. Further, as he provides instruction and direction, he explains the laws of his home country.

Though Apostle Paul was a leading light in the early church, he considered himself the “least of the apostles” (1 Corinthians 15:9, Ephesians 3:8).

“If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable” (1 Corinthians 15:9).

“To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ“ (Ephesians 3:8, ESV).

If we as Christians could keep these thoughts always prominent before our minds, what a dignity it would add to our character! What a transforming power it would be!

What an assistance to the new nature in its battle with the low and grovelling tendencies of the old nature now disowned by us and reckoned dead!

Dear friends, let us remember that “our citizenship is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20).

While still living in the world, we are not of it but have transferred our allegiance and citizenship to the Kingdom. And now, as appointees of our Kingdom, while still living in the world among aliens and strangers, we as representatives and ambassadors should feel both the dignity and the honor of the position and the weighty responsibilities and keep in memory the Apostle’s words,

“Whatsoever ye do in word or deed do all in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Colossians 3:23).

(Refer to Reprints of the Original Watch Tower page 3329 for a lovely article titled “Do All in the Name of the Lord Jesus.“)

We can learn by Apostle Paul’s wonderful example of ambassadorship and demonstrate, as he did, a ministry of reconciliation now.

Our Christ-like behavior in this world brings a certain amount of help and healing to a world that needs deliverance.

“A wicked messenger falleth into unhappiness; but a faithful ambassador bringeth healing”
(Proverbs 13:17, Leeser).

This will prepare us well for the greater reconciliation of all mankind in which we will participate, no longer as ambassadors, but rather as kings and priests with Jesus.

What a hope is ours!

May we do ALL in our power to glorify our Heavenly Father Jehovah through Jesus Christ, GOD’s Son–in our bodies and our spirit which belong to our Head—Jesus CHRIST.

Reference:

Special thanks to Br. David Stein for source material from the article “Paul the Ambassador“, The Herald of Christ’s Kingdom, August/September 2011.

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Give In … (and Know That I am GOD)

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“Be still, and know that I am GOD. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”
Psalm 46:10

I only wish to teach you right,
Why do you ignore the light?
You have to kick against the goads,
Clinging to your heavy load.

Will you not accept his way?
And praise him ever–all your days;
It truly is, son, for the best,
And then you would be really blessed.

You must give in and don’t fight GOD,
Yes, tread the way the Master trod;
Be submissive–do his will,
With JOY-your days He’ll fill.

He says “Give in, please do not fight,
To serve me you must know is right;
I am your Master, I am the LORD,
The one who bears the mighty sword.”

And soon will come the reign of peace,
The will to struggle–it will cease;
For everyone shall know my name,
The reason why–Christ Jesus came.

For soon the iron rod will rule,
So listen please, don’t be a fool;
For Jesus loves you–serve him now,
For soon to him all knees will bow.

A poem from “Where Eagles Gather” by Sr. Rosemary Page of Blackpool, England

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PHILIPPIANS 2:14 – How to Stop Murmuring & Reap Blessings

How do we find true JOY in living a life that would please God?

Answer: Getting rid of murmuring and complaining.

——-

YOU CAN CHOOSE to be bitter or better.

YOU CAN CHOOSE to repay unkindness with kindness.

YOU CAN CHOOSE to accept God’s will (Romans 8:28).

——-

How To Stop Murmuring and Complaining

Let’s begin with the words from the Book of Jude, verses 12‑16 (KJV):

“(12) These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; (13) Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever. (14) And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, (15) To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. (16) These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.”

The Apostle Jude warned of concerns rising in his day (i.e. the gnostic heresy, which undercut the foundation of Christ), and each of us can look within ourselves to see that inclinations in this direction within ourselves are rooted out. But we need not suppose that all the things Jude spoke about must be found among brethren of our fellowship. In our own Bible Student classes of today, the same things will not be so manifest. Yet we all need to take care of course.

The Apostle Paul also warned the elders at Ephesus that after Paul’s parting, “Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them” (Acts 20:30).

The Apostle Peter similarly warned brethren of his day, that as there were false prophets among the Israelites, so some would appear teaching Christian principles and contrary to the sweet teachings of Christ. These influences would be harmful to the New Creature ways, and lead to the Truth being evil spoken of.

These words of warning from three apostles induce us to watch and pray.

BE HOLY STILL

Revelation 22:11 says, “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.”

GOD allows experiences to manifest the heart attitude of every child of GOD. It is for us to follow Christian principles in each experience, and thus “be righteous still, and … holy still.”

Revelation 1:12‑15 pictures the “feet” members of the body of Christ as “fine copper.” The Apostle John saw the “Son of Man” (Jesus) clothed with a garment down to the feet, but saw the bright shining feet, suggesting the character of God’s people.

Copper represents perfect or justified human nature. This copper appeared “as if they burned in a furnace” (Revelation 1:15). It calls to mind the prophecy of Malachi 4:1, “The day … shall burn as an oven.” In a prophetic sense, we have been in that day since the return of Christ (his invisible presence, Parousia) in 1874. Thus “the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God” (1 Peter 4:17).

In the present ending period of the Gospel Age, God allows trials to purge us, as a furnace of affliction, so that the copper of our justification may shine resplendent in the light of faithful and tested loyalty to GOD.

As Jude suggests, we are not to be surprised if there be murmurers, seeking more or less to have their own will confirmed. Could this include us also?!

— If we are guilty of murmuring, then let us ask God to change us. —

Sin can be a gangrenous growth, like a little bit of leaven that makes the whole bread sour. So murmuring can become a habit, and how easy is it to change a habit?

—– It requires prayer, petitioning to the throne of Grace. —–

But with GOD all things are possible — He can mold us for change (Luke 1:37).

The more degraded one may become, the MORE WORK is required to reverse the damage.

Wishing to change won’t get us anywhere.

We MUST DO AND ACT, while continuously seeking, knocking and asking God, for His help.

WHAT IS MURMURING?

Murmuring is “to utter complaints in a low, half‑articulate voice; to feel or express dissatisfaction or discontent; to grumble; often with, at or against” (Webster’s Online Dictionary).

Murmuring indicates we are out of harmony with our lot. First it expresses dissatisfaction; then perhaps pride and covetousness, leading us to rebel against God’s providence. As roots of bitterness lodge in our hearts and minds, disappointment and dissatisfaction with our environment and our circumstances of life allowed by GOD in His love and mercy, will spring up and growth to DISASTER, in our spiritual life.

Have we been guilty of complaining in regards to the Lord’s providential leadings?

Dear friends, if that very circumstance had not been the very best the loving heart of our Heavenly Father could devise for our edification and upbuilding in Christ Jesus, He would not have permitted that circumstance to occur. Shall not the God of all the earth do right? Of course He will.

“Content whatever lot I see, since ’tis God’s hand that leadeth me.”

We are ALL guilty to some degree to having failed to measure up to the Lord’s standard in this respect.

In Philippians 2:14, Paul relates murmuring even with activity in the Lord’s service.

“DO all things without murmurings and disputings“.

The word “do” here is one of the smallest words, but one of the most forceful! It is not that we are to do some things that are hard and murmur about the rest; it is not to be satisfied with some things and be dissatisfied with others.

DOING “all things without murmuring“ is the test of our own hearts and minds!

Complaining is being ungrateful! If we complain we are wordly!

The murmuring ‘domino effect’ will continue until a break is made, and a change is effected. Once this weakness of character becomes a strength of character, it means the test has been overcome. (2 Corinthians 12:9).

1 Corinthians 10, 10.jpg
ANALOGY

Suppose we see a man carrying a corpse along the street, making a public display of it, we’d be mortified! Perhaps we’d ask him the reason and probably someone would phone the Police! Suppose this man replies that he must, day after day, carry this corpse with him, with all its loathsomeness. Would we not think him insane? But do some of us do this metaphorically?

In Colossians 3:3 the Apostle Paul says, “YOU HAVE DIED, and your life has been hidden with Christ in God.”

Yet we hear the corpse complaining and murmuring every day, dissatisfied. What a peculiar corpse it would be from a natural standpoint, if after it was ready for burial we continued to preserve it, and it had the ability to murmur and complain against its condition!

Dear friends, if we bury the dead (and that is what we are to do with our fleshly interests, desires, wants, and preferences), then we must put it out of sight, put it in the tomb, bury it, and every time the “old man” complains, throw another shovel of dirt on him.

Live ABOVE the circumstances of your life.
“Set your affection on things above” (Colossians 3:2).

Then any temptation to murmur about the things below will be minimized by far!

EXAMPLES OF MURMURING IN THE BIBLE

We have many illustrations about murmuring in both the Old and New Testaments.

EXAMPLE 1.

The Old Testament book of Numbers could easily be renamed The Grumbler Chronicles. The Children of Israel grumbled against Moses, Aaron, and God.

In Numbers 12:1 we read, “And Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he married.”

Miriam and Aaron were displeased that Moses had married at all, and that he was foolish enough to marry without consulting the wishes of the family, and in addition, that he had been foolish enough to marry an Ethiopian woman. Yet the real reason for their murmuring was due to pride and selfish ambitions of their own hearts.

In verse 2 we read them murmuring, ^“Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the Lord heard it.” We can rest assured that the Lord will hear and regard every attitude of dissatisfaction with his plans and purposes that may manifest itself in our hearts and lives; it is to be indeed charged up against us!

Notice the results of murmuring… Miriam became leprous. Leprosy is a type of sin. Miriam perhaps represents a certain class, leaders in this rebellion against the Lord, and murmuring against his plans and purposes. Miriam’s seven days of punishment is a picture of the eternal punishment (i.e. second death, Revelation 20:6-15) for those who will lead in rebellion against the Lord and his arrangements (Jude 1:13). Miriam represents such who fail to recognize Christ as the leader of spiritual Israel and who fail to honor those whom he uses as his mouthpieces and servants. R4037:5 In this type, Aaron reflects those who are busy-bodying in other men’s matters. R3061:4 A weak character; as shown on this occasion and when he made the golden calf. R5308:3

God probably favored this marriage so the Jews would not choose Moses’ children as his successors; they were supposed to look to the Lord as their leader. R3061:4 Of an alien race, she replaced Miriam as first lady, arousing Miriam’s jealousy on religious grounds. R5308:1 Zipporah, typifying the Bride of Christ. R1651:6 Perhaps Moses’ first wife had died, and Zipporah was his second wife. R5308:1

[NOTE: R – denotes Reprints from the Watch Tower which can be read at http://www.htdbv8.com or Google: “Harvest Truth Data Base” for the latest version.]

EXAMPLE 2.

Matthew 20:1‑16 ‑ In his parable of the vineyard workers, Jesus noted of disciples how those who worked from the first hour, having “borne the burden and heat of the day,” murmured because they received the same wages as those who worked only the last hour. Jesus declared that such labourers in the Lord’s vineyard who murmur over what seems to them are life’s inequities, actually are murmuring “against the goodman of the house.” (Matthew 20:11).

The goodness of the Lord is attested to in so many ways—mansions await!—so let us not allow any ungrateful thought to creep into the mind!

EXAMPLE 3

In the latter portion of Jesus’ ministry he began to be more direct. He declared that he was to be the true bread which came down from heaven, of which if any man would eat he would live forever; that God would raise him up at the last day. His hearers began to murmur inquiring, “Is not this the son of Joseph, the Nazarene, whom we know? Have we not been acquainted with him since the days of his youth? And he says he came down from heaven.”

Oh, they murmured!

As Jesus continued to say that unless they ate his flesh and drank his blood they had no part or lot in the matter; others turned back saying, “This is a hard saying, who can bear it? This is difficult, hard to comprehend. Who can bear it? Look at the reproaches it will bring; look at the disturbances it will make in our life”. They do not like the reproach of the cross of Christ nor to bear the shame or to be made of no reputation. Recall the exhortation of Apostle Paul, “Let us go forth to him without the camp, bearing his reproach.” (Hebrews 13:13)

They said Jesus had a devil and was mad. His course was contrary to the world, and the world began to berate the Apostles, and they declared, “Lord we have left all and followed thee, what do we get in return? Others are turning away, what remains for us?” (Mat. 19:27) Jesus said, “Doth it also offend you?”(John 6: 61) Here, those who had followed Jesus closely began to be offended at him, and murmured.

The same spirit of pride and rebellion, discontent, eating at their very hearts, began to manifest itself under the severity of the tests that were coming on them. As it is written, “There are some of you who believe not.” (John 6:64) At one point Jesus turned longingly and lovingly to them, and said, “Will ye also go away?” Apostle Peter replied, “Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life” (John 6:68).

Indeed, to whom would he go? To whom will you go, if you go out of the Truth? If you are dissatisfied, discontented, with God’s plan and providential leadings, if you turn aside, unto whom will you go? And what is the remedy for murmuring?

With God’s help through prayer and petition, here are some helpful tools in regards to :

HOW DO WE STOP MURMURING?

Here are 6 suggestions:-

1. REALIZE THAT COMPLAINING IS A DANGEROUS SIN.

We know the enemy of our souls doesn’t want us to fulfill God’s intended purpose for our lives. If he can’t derail me, or you, because of lust or immorality in our private lives, then the devil will seek a different bait for his trap. For many of us, that snare is the temptation to gripe, grumble, and complain against God (1 Corinthians 9:24-10:13).

Murmuring is a sin. Here are 10 reasons why :

1.It is questioning God’s capacity, in the face of all God’s assurances to us in the Bible to display that He does care about us (Romans 8 :28, 1 Corinthians 15:22).

2. It is a rebellion against’s God’s will, (Job 23:2) and thus, dis-satisfaction with what God sees as the perfect experiences for us and in His perfect time (Ecclesiastes 3:1). Joshua and Caleb urged the murmuring Israelites not to “rebel against the Lord” (Numbers 14: 9). But rather than listen to reason, the Israelites were ready to elect new leaders who would oversee their rebellious plans.

3. It is another form of mocking God’s plan of salvation, where despite acknowledging God, one criticizes His ways by wanting things to be done in our ways, even though our ways are much lower ways. (Isaiah 55:8).

4. It ignores God’s potential. The report of the ten spies (see Numbers 13) reflected a godless perspective. God had opened the sea to save the Israelites, the heavens to feed them, and the rocks to provide water for them. He had defeated mighty armies throughout their wilderness trek. He had freed them from perhaps the most powerful nation on the planet (the Egyptians). Certainly He could deal with any problems the new land might present.

5. Murmuring leads to self-pity. “Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness!” (Numbers 14: 2).

Murmurers often feel sorry for themselves and focus on how they have been mistreated, misused, and let down.

6. Murmuring is born in the context of bad report. Sins of the tongue that spread negative reports (beguilement, gossip, slander, false witness) create an environment in which murmuring can thrive.

Are we such complainers?

7. Murmuring also drains us from the energy we need to RUN the race of the High Calling set before us and energy to carry our cross. The cross can only “be light” as Jesus promised us in Matthew 11:30 if we do not carry the extra unnecessary and dangerous baggage of sin: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us…” (Hebrews 12:1, ESV)

8. Murmuring distorts good judgment. The murmurer misinterprets and misrepresents reality. For instance, after God gloriously delivered them from Egypt, the Israelites began to speak of their former life in Egypt as better, saying, “Yahweh delivered us out of Egypt only to kill us and our children in the desert. This Yahweh is no redeemer; he is more cruel than Pharaoh himself.” Here we see the utter inability to interpret reality correctly. And eventually these murmurers tried to stone Moses and return to Egyptian bondage, like a dog returning to its own vomit.

When people murmur, their hearts become darkened and they become incapable of interpreting reality correctly. Thus, good is evil, and evil is good: autonomy is good, and the Lordship of Christ is bad; worldly friends are good, parents and other authorities are bad. The sons of Eliab told Moses, “Isn’t it enough that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey to kill us in the desert? And now you also want to lord it over us?” (Numbers 16:13).

9. A murmuring spirit is quick to jump to the wrong conclusion. Just like the Israelites wanted to return back to Egypt.

10. Murmuring thrives in an atmosphere of fear. Twice Joshua and Caleb exhorted the people not to be afraid (Numbers 14:9). But the Israelites’ fear of the unknown fanned the sparks of grumbling in their midst. They were in a situation beyond their control, and they felt threatened and insecure. Their faith disappeared as their fear increased.

2. TRUST THAT GOD KNOWS WHAT HE IS DOING –

GOD KNOWS WHAT HE IS DOING! So let us let God be in charge of what He sees must be our experiences if we have given up our wills to do His.

Look at Joseph – He was thrown into a pit by his brothers, sold by them into slavery, unjustly accused of fooling around with Potiphar’s wife, thrown into prison forgotten by a friend he had helped – and yet Scripture does not record even a single complaint!

Joseph could have become bitter against his brothers…
Joseph could have smashed his fist against the prison walls and complained that his circumstances were unjust...

But did he do that?

No. He surrendered to God’s power. He had TRUST IN GOD.

Let us not forget, through Joseph, to look unto Jesus, who suffered being tempted, yet without sin; who was slandered, and persecuted, and …“He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.“ (Isaiah 53:7)

What was the secret of Joseph’s complaint-free life?

The answer is in Genesis 45:5-8 where we find Joseph, now the Governor of Egypt, addressing his starving brothers,

(5) Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life. (6) For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest. (7) And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. (8) So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.

Three times in four verses Joseph says – “God sent me here”. Talk about perspective that comes as a result of an uncommon faith in an Omnipotent God. Joseph grasped the truth that God is in control, and that He knows what He is doing.

3. “GIVE THANKS IN ALL THINGS – 1 Thessalonians 5:18.

4. FOCUS ON OUR BLESSINGS we receive from the Lord, such as:

That our sins can be forgiven thanks to Jesus’s precious blood paid as the Ransom price to free all mankind from the prison house of death.

The assurance that God and Jesus are with us (Matthew 9:2; Hebrews 13:5).

HEB 13, 5&6.jpg

That situations of stress (from which such murmuring would emerge) are actually THE TESTS we are wanting to pass to develop CHEERFUL patient endurance in ALL things. (Colossians 1:11, Romans 5:4 & 12:12). The sooner we do this, the greater shall be our joy, in turn, in doing the Father’s will (John 4:34, John 15:11, 1 Thessalonians 2:19, John 6:38).

Don’t wish to trade your difficult experiences for anything as this is where all the effects happen — the positive changes in character, in the face of adversity, by God’s help, developing the New Creature in Christ to be fully surrendered to God’s will and delighting in fulfilling God’s will to bring the Heavenly Father greatest joy through cheerful, willing self-denial and self-sacrifice.

Here is a helpful prayer starter:

“Almighty Heavenly Father, could Your will be done in (E.g.) my life concerning … in this experience… in my relationship with …”

“Heavenly Father, I do not know what to say … what to do …. Could You please show me. I trust in You. Please put the words in my mouth… Please direct my steps… Please put a seal on my tongue … Please let me not fail you … Please let me be like your Son in character …

Have the DISCIPLINE to NOT COMPLAIN!
Pray for this DISCIPLINE of CHARACTER.

5. BE OF GOOD CHEER, BE CHEERFUL

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me you might have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33, KJV)

Cheerfulness comes from COURAGE which comes from implicit TRUST in God. TRUST comes from firm FAITH in God – which develops from a life where one ‘walks and talks’ with God. (Proverbs 3:5, Psalm 37:4-6, Romans 8:28, Proverbs 3:6, Joshua 1:9)

Being of good cheer is contagious and in Proverbs 17:22, we are told it is “good medicine”.

6. BE GRATEFUL & CONTENT – for God gives us what we NEED not necessarily what the flesh would at times want, as He knows best what would develop in us greater love towards doing His will, and thus, what would help us BE RIGHTEOUS – without which no one can please God. (Hebrews 12:14)

Hebrews 13:5-6 (KJV) – “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.”

Other tips for how to be grateful:

Begin your prayers with all the “thank you’s” to God.
Each morning/day think about (or write out) all the things you are grateful for.
Lower your expectations of others, and rather, have implicit TRUST in the Heavenly Father’s precision and perfection of ALL details in your life!
Accept the circumstances.
Don’t take things personally.
Deal with the circumstances by relying upon God’s help through Christ.
Do your best.

CONCLUSION

Let us, then, “fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2) and follow him all the way to the Heavenly City with singing. Let us give thanks in everything, knowing our Redeemer is with us to keep us from falling. He to whom all authority in heaven and on earth has been given is telling us, “Go into the world of trouble, and I will be with you always, even unto the end of the ages.”

Take encouragement from Paul’s message in Romans 8:35-39:

“(35) Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? (36) As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. (37) Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. (38) For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, (39) Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. We are saved, we are being saved, and we will be saved.”

May God help us not to murmur, but to pray and praise him in the midst of our problems, knowing there is divine design in every trouble he has ordained for us. May we rejoice, knowing that trouble is for our good, to humble us and test us, and may we believe in God’s promises and render him complete obedience, that it may be good for us in the end. Amen.

He Leadeth Me

He leadeth me, O blessed thought!
O words with heav’nly comfort fraught!
Whate’er I do, where’er I be,
Still ’tis God’s hand that leadeth me.

CHORUS

He leadeth me! he leadeth me!
By his own hand he leadeth me.
His faithful foll’wer I would be,
For by his hand he leadeth me.

Sometimes ‘mid scenes of deepest gloom,
Sometimes where Eden’s bowers bloom,
By waters still, o’er troubled sea‑
Still ’tis his hand that leadeth me.

Lord, I would clasp thy hand in mine,
Nor ever murmur or repine‑
Content whatever lot I see,
Since ’tis my God that leadeth me.

And when my task on earth is done,
When by thy grace the vict’ry’s won,
E’en death’s cold wave I will not flee,
Since God thro’ Jordan leadeth me.

URL: https://biblestudentsdaily.com/2016/10/10/philippians-214-how-to-stop-murmuring-reap-blessings/