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From St John's standpoint the risen Jesus Christ is yet 'to make all things new.' In short what Dan 7:14 indicated was the will of God the Father in pluperfect tense.
The Spirit accordingly ends the Book of Daniel reminding of the Abrahamic promise in this verse, "And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament;" (Dan.12:3). Daniel was assured,"But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days."(12:13) His body and soul were in His safekeeping.
"And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy."
St John's vision is from standing upon sand of the sea which we shall first take up while what we discussed from Daniel was in setting out the events from the Abrahamic promise, where God assured the patriarch, "And said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. " (Ge.15:5) So he sees God setting about to stir world events about from heaven. What of the Apostle? He has positioned himself with regards to the promise of "And as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable." God's promise to Abraham is one where the stars signify the great congregation that has been called in his Son before the foundation of the world. While John in the midst of a wave of persecution under Domitian looks at the world of the body. If his earthly tabernacle are to be dissolved "We have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens./For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven." (2 Co.5:1-2) In order to understand the beast we need first define the spiritual context of the little horn (Dan.7:8) as "a beast rising up out of the sea." (Significant is how the everlasting dominion granted to the one like unto the Son of man (Dan.7:14) is morphed into a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes," in the vision of St.John.) The Spirit is ever consistent while describing the eternal will of the Father and the manner he shall prevail upon all the might of Satan and his spiritual dominion in accordance to the everlasting covenant.) From St John's standpoint the risen Jesus Christ is yet 'to make all things new.' In short what Dan 7:14 indicated was the will of God the Father.
The 1904-1905 Welsh revivalwas the largest Christian revival in Wales during the 20th century. Azusa Street Revival in 1906, United States of America, Los Angeles was not mere coincidence. But the outbreak of WWI wiped much of the force of the movement. The Three ribs were at it and it spoke from the pulpit and patriotic duty of Christian sounded high. The little horn had eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.
"And it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns./I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things. (vv.7-8)
The fourth beast was different in the sense that the three three ribs speaking 'Arise, devour much flesh"in the earlier cases were put in words so whoever heard them knew it came from the little horn, and its spoke great things. Thus when a former President said, '"I do not tell you that the war in Vietnam is the war to end wars" it had force and impact since the authority was one of them. Only time showed the lie and bad faiththat had nothing real about the man who was a creature of the Spirit of the times. The Silent majority of the three ribs merely spoke from the context. But the Spirit would not buy that. The number 10 instructs us the little horn was judged already.
"And it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns./I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, Three of the first roots plucked up by the roots which we shall see in the emergence of Rome as the arbiter of Pax Romana. Earlier the kings ruled Rome and from 509 BC, it became a republic till 27BC when it became an empire under Caesars. The little horn refers to Constantine the Great. Plucked up by the roots as with the eagle wings of the first beast indicate a violent action. Division of the Roman Empire into two is its result. "His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay." The subsequent development of Christianity kept the same number Ten intact. Instead of horns the alliance of the state and Christianity gives us its doctrinal quality. Heresies have become the norm.
Cleopatra was the last of Ptolemies. When she died in 30 B.C., Romans took over territory formally controlled by the Ptolemies.
Deification of Caesar was a clever way to marry state and religion and how did they placate the citizens but with 'bread and circus.' The no man's land would include as far as China from where Rome brought silk to give their splendor to a new heights. Imperial splendor of Roman masters was much emulated by their vassals throughought the Empire and beyond. Man's expectation took to wings just as Lucifer did say in his heart,"I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:" Wealth became a status symbol and consumable exotic and pricier they were the better. Decadence setting in was the least worrisome if citizens were on to 'good life',
In this context Daniel interpreting the King's Dream in Ch.2 focused on the world empires becoming decadent which brought the nascent Christianity into a collision course. How the three ribs caused the head in solid gold end with feet of iron mixed with clay explains the consequence of the three ribs goading each heart on. Their truth was entirely set on the context, no wonder Machiavelli was yet to write his magnum opus, The Prince.
"His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay." White Nationalism, prosperity theology making common cause with the State ought to tell the three ribs are doing their work still.
"After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it."
The leopard is associated with Greece as well as to Pre-Columbian cultures in the Americas. Just as well. The three ribs in the second beast having created a no-man's land would work for Satan which we see in the Revelation as three unclean frogs. The beast (State). false prophet (Religion), working with the dragon (Re.16: 13)also supplies the spirit of the times. Thus with the Age of exploration we have the mercantile Spirit driving the Europeans to plunder the natives in the Americas. They would claim that they arrived for God gold and glory.
"Arise, devour much flesh" shall make man think beyond the truth written in their inward parts. Instead of fearing for their souls the conquistadores were guided by their Religion, State and glory. Glory of wealth, religion well knew; so did the State. This is what the leopard-like beast achieved. Here the Spirit is not giving us a lesson in history but in the manner State Religion and Reason have served the will of Satan to muddy the waters upon which the Spirit had worked on before the creation of man. "And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters."
The third beast, 'like a leopard' also refers to the Hellenization of the world conquered by Alexander the Great. Dividing the lands into the hands of four generals (four heads) create distinct cultural context (four wings of a fowl). Antigonus,Cassander, Ptolemy, and Seleucus are merely figureheads since the three ribs having muddied the glory of power to goad each other 'Arise, devour much flesh' and their rivalries ultimately would weaken their own resources. For example Alexander's general set a dynasty which ruled Egypt for more than 300 years. There were 15 Ptolemic leaders and they ruled from 332 B.C. to 30 B.C. from Alexandria.
Let us consider Lydia, the state which introduced the concept of money (600 BCE),- and check out its influence on American Constitution (Federalist papers #9 by Alexander Hamilton) Egypt for its 'divine rights' which came down to the West as the divine Rights of kings. Their contribution to civilization lay chiefly in the mode of writing, thereby perpetuation of myths ('The winner controls history') and Religion.
Military conquests are merely flash in the pan and do not belong in a vision which is introduced by the Spirit to instruct us in righteousness. (One swallow does not make summer- as the expression is.) So we shall turn to the position of the three ribs in the Bible narrative. They develop on the fall of man in the following manner.
The Spirit set the serpent in Ge.3 to introduce the manner truth can be wrongly applied. (I have already covered in my posts). Truth written in our inward parts accepts either Or. Either you do the will of God( do not eat the fruit) or let the context of the serpent's counsel lead you. Eve let the contextual truth guide her. She saw the way Satan wanted her see the fruit and affect her will. She disobeyed the will of God.
The three ribs similarly provide a context for the bear to devour much flesh whether it actually requires or not. So the mouth of the bear is a no man's land where truth can be twisted whichever way one wants. Noticed every one who resisted God the little horn and the beast are given to big mouth? "And a mouth speaking great things."(7:8 ) and "And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies;"(Re.13:5) and finally Herod who was struck down by an angel. (Ac.12:23) He did not give glory because Satan muddled him head to look away from the truth. So he saw his own glory in speaking like gods. Fool of a man.
"I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him."
The Spirit presents the everlasting Covenant between God and Man as solemn and as grand it could be, considering a great congregation 'the clouds of heaven" are brought in as witnesses. This is a marriage between Heaven and the earth,-invisible God framing the world which is made to appear by his word.(He.11:3) The earth and the fulness thereof belongs to God and his Son is the Man in whom we are called and our faith is on the line. "And ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened"(v.10) includes us. With this in mind we shall see what do these four beasts signify in the history of mankind which is as much as a commentary of human civilization as well. Thus Israel called to be the firstborn whose glory was violently plucked off and given to stand as a man whose heart was not right before God. Israel was called to the fellowship but in rejecting the Son of man from Fellowship between God and Man.
in v.5 we have the second beast a second,"Like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth "
Medo-Persian Empire 'raised up itself on one side' What does it mean? They became a world empire in the breach made by Israel, and God let them win by the edge of the sword. Even so their dominion stood in context of the Son unto whom God has given everlasting dominion as the Spirit puts it. Their three military conquests over Babylon, Egypt and Lydia signify the three ribs. So much for historical facts. The Spirit uses them for our spiritual edification and warns us the pitfall of going against the express will of God as revealed in the Bible document.
This is what we see of their nation, and man's heart and the state of it, is what we see even now. However they stand in direct frame of reference to the Son of man. For this reason the Spirit gives us this verse, "As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time."(v.12) The phrase 'A time' separated from the season refers to a remnant being saved in the latter days.
vv.2-3
"Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea./And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another."
Night vision refers to the divine Will so we shall see the Ancient of the Days in session granting his Son- "behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven" which sets the history of human civilization in the content of the everlasting covenant. Accordingly the Spirits enumerates his glory in this verse, 'Dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion,"(7:14) This being the will of the Father what is the glory of the four beasts in the vision? They are set in the direct frame of reference to the Son.
God is in control and the four winds striving upon the sea describes action similar to this verse, "And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters" consequently nations gravitate into distinct groups 'diverse from one another'
Let us examine the first one in v.4
"The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it."
The lion refers to the lion of Judah in its primary sense. His eagle wings refer to God's loving kindness bearing the nation of Israel, "and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to Myself."(De.19:4-NKJV) Israel was his firstborn. ("Thus saith theLord, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:"-Ex.4:22).
Secondary sense would refer to the northern and southern kingdoms of Israel. God plucked them ('the wings thereof were plucked) indicating a violent action, ransacking Jerusalem by Babylon and later by Rome explains it. "And made stand upon the feet as a man" explain Israel shorn of their glory but made to stand upon the feet as a man.
18 For who hath stood in the counsel of the Lord, and hath perceived and heard his Word? who hath marked his Word, and heard it?
19 Behold, a whirlwind of the Lord is gone forth in fury, even a grievous whirlwind: it shall fall grievously upon the head of the wicked.
20 The anger of the Lord shall not return, until he have executed, and till he have performed the thoughts of His heart: IN THE LATER DAYS ye shall consider it perfectly.
21 I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.
Bible Scholars have hazarded many names to the three ribs, none of which sit accurately with the manner gives the serpent episode in the fall of man. It resonates with the three ribs pointing to religion state and reason have muddled the mind of man. Reason is as enticing as the fruit forbidden by the Lord Go. Power inflames the senses very much as the serpent presented it to Eve. 'She had to have it. Wealth pursuit of happiness and health are three planks on which nations build their Eutopia. Have they ever delivered other than political doctrines?
However these Three ribs serve as political will resisting the will of God. Now in Colorado we are witnessing how reason has put itself into knots. The controversy of the 14th Amendment is not in the law incorporated after a clear and present danger but how interested parties would want to have it interpreted. One group warns that, if it moves forward, it risks robbing voters of the right to deliver their own verdict on whether the former president should return to the White House. Whether the former POTUS attempted a coup or deny the rights of people is not admitted. Whether political parties stand above the principle of the Constitution or is a creature is not determined. If parties do want choose one who has proven least fit for the office because he has so many who are suspicious of government and as the base seems the case here. Experience has shown the danger of one who is hellbent to destroy the legitimacy of institutions so long survived. To predict another civil war is inadmissible. It is thus Reason has created its own Halloween party, "trick or treat?"
GOD is in control of history,nothing random happens.The material things are figure of spiritual things.Example:Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia,and answers to Jerusalem which now is,and is in bondage with her children-Gal.4:25.
In ancient time men said:Go to,let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven;and let us make us a name ...That said,as I have posted in prior posts,when men built the WTC,the Twin Towers,the tallest Towers among the 7,both were the main towers that were built,the others were secundary.But why?
By allegory,number 7(7 towers),signified the 7 regions of the Planet:Europe,Asia,Africa,Oceania(Australia),North America, Central America,South America,by the way,the 7 heads of the Dragon and of the Beast-Rev.12:3-4 &13:1.
In 2001,the USA was the single largest economy on the planet, followed by the European Union,mankind had just entered a new millennium,from the 6th to the 7th and last millennium,actually at the turn of a new Day.
Speaking materially the built of the WTC signified nothing more than two large and gigantic buildings,something like the Tower of Babel.But analysing deeply,by allegory,the BUILD and FALL of the Twin Towers,we the believers cannot ignore a great mystery, that is, the two towers of the WTC represented the most TWO POWERFUL ECONOMIES of the EARTH, i.e.the Economies of USA and EU.
The fall of the Twin Towers signified that both Economies would FALL in ruin day after day,since the fall of both Towers, and in future days,according prophecy,upon the earth will be distress of nations(of the whole earth),with perplexity;Men's hearts failing them for fear,and for looking after the things which are coming on the earth.And this generation shall not pass away,till all be fulfilled.
Two terrible impacts by two planes destroyed the WTC Twin Towers,and now two WARS, one in Ukraine and other in Israel, are two terrible impacts for the destruction of this currente world of Devil
Get ready
"And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh." (Dan.7:5)
The three ribs as in the case of the one taken from Adam refers to doctrines. In the creation of of Eve, the Spirit informs us "and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead" and the rib 'he made a woman' (Ge.2:21). This is not the case with the three. These are set between the teeth of the second beast and when they bawl,"Arise, devour much flesh' it is clear there is nothing in them to gain by the beast whether it satisfies its appetite or not. These are like the serpent who put the suggestion of eating the fruit forbidden to the man and woman. The serpent creates a context for the bear like beast to devour much flesh.' Was it said with benevolent motives? Oh no. The three ribs are three political principles and in arousing the beast devour they do not gain single advantage other than use the beast to serve the purposes of Satan, or Lucifer.
Satan challenged, " I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High." (Is.14:12-14) "I will" is a political principle as a challenge to the will of God. State, Religion and Reason as history has amply proved 'devour much flesh' not because of any intrinsic need but these serve the interests of Satan. His motto is: "I will," so Papacy set the earth as the centre of universe. Whosoever challenged it are burnt at stake. State similarly said 'I will' and the reign of terror following it shed blood through the streets of France. Reason invented Guillotine. The same Reason also serves as the basket collecting carcases of human institutions, each built up on its skewed world view.
"But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy."(1 Pe.1:15-16). We are called inhis Son, not of ourselves. "Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified."(Ro.8:30). In short He called us to be part of the body where Christ as the head is the firstborn of all creation. Same DNA of faith makes us the double for Christ
Without doing the will what did Jonah taking passage to Tarsis did? Literal approach skips much of his deity so ecumenism presents another Gospel and another Christ.
We have not learned the word of God thus. "For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." (2 Co.4:6) This glory is not static. " Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty./ But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."(2 Co.3:17-18)
This pro-Israel activism is nothing short of wrong reading of the word of God. Their literal approach makes literal Jerusalem loom large. New Jerusalem is the destination for those who live as pilgrims and sojourners while in body. Their faith indeed grows even as that of Abraham. "And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof." (Re.21:23)
St Paul writes how the Spirit helps us with our prayers.(Ro.8:27-28) The same holds true with dictating what transpired between parties where the Spirit is setting down precisely the truth, ("Thy word is truth"). For example Jonah praying from the belly of the fish only the Spirit could do justice. So faith is essential .
"God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth."(John4:24)
All scripture is God breathed so the word gone forth from his mouth and written down must be the basis for worship. So knowing what is His will and doing it must be considered as the only way acceptable to Him. "And the knowledge of the holy is understanding."(Pr.9:10-12)
So in understanding knowledge thus acquired must be helpful in worshipping him in truth and in Spirit. In Charismatic worship one find plenty of happy clappy worshippers, which is well and good. David did to the much displeasure of his Michal; so did Saul when he came upon school of prophets. But that did not help his case since he had no understanding what his holiness meant. David on the other hand was a man after his own, meaning that his life was the double for his Son. In short worshiping God is with understanding why we all were called before the worlds began.
God's calling is consistent. Some are called to be prophets to which the name Jeremiah is pre-eminent. (Je.1:5) Some are called to be helps, teachers etc., The Bible being god-breathed it bears names of holy men crediting them as authors, more accurate would be to call them as having taken dictation from the Holy Spirit. Conversations quote unquote therefore owe their truth to the Spirit.
St Paul writes as to how the Spirit helps us with our prayers.(Ro.8:27-28) The same holds true with dictating what transpired between parties where the Spirit is setting down precisely the truth, ("Thy word is truth"). For example Jonah praying from the belly of the fish only the Spirit could do justice. So faith is essential in order to understand how several parts in the God document relate to one another. Literal approach will not be of much help.
"If it had not been theLordwho was on our side, now may Israel say;/If it had not been theLordwho was on our side, when men rose up against us:"
This song of praise acknowledges the Lord God who shall not withhold any good thing from those who fear Him. "For theLordGod is a sun and shield: theLordwill give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly."(84:11)
'Our help is in the name of theLord, who made heaven and earth.' (v.7)
The first two lines state the enmity of flesh against the Spirit, 'where men rose up against us' for reasons obvious in that God a Spirit has made a common cause with a nation whose walk is different. Their upright heart has instilled fear and hatred in the ungodly. "Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name."(91:14). This name is what connects us to the Lord God where the time as we know it has no bearing. It is not that we chose him but He set his love upon us. "Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not." This name is what our soul represents.(1 Pe.1:8). From the Parable of Laborers in the Vineyard, we have agreed upon our hire charge, did we not? Now the question is how well do we know him?
"Then the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our soul:/Then the proud waters had gone over our soul"
Proud waters going over the soul explains our struggle with wickedness in spiritual places. The kind of online bullying in our times which do kill the vulnerable kids in their teenage explains how Satan shall use our very own strengths to fell what we cherish most. That is sin which rides along the world so world so the progress of the ungodly comes at a price. Soul of the unwary is forfeit in this unequal war. 'Blessed be theLord, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth. Our help is in the name of our Lord who spared not his own Son for our sakes.
"Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens./Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon theLordour God, until that he have mercy upon us."
Everyone of us is like the laborer in Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard (Matt.20:1-16) When God breathed into the nostrils of the man and made him a living soul this covenant set the price and period of service. Soul is the hire price,-a penny and we are accountable to God. Redemption of our soul is the whole duty of man. For this reason the Psalmist compares how every faithful servant would try to please his master to the uttermost. 'Have mercy upon us.' In the vineyard not all works are the same, Fortifying the soil, pruning, gathering grapes in season are all parts of service. Kings, counselors, bureaucrats clerks are all labels and each one attends to their tasks and are accountable to God. "Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences."(2 Co.5:11). How diligent should we then knowing the time is short we need to make our calling and election sure.
"s it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants?"(2 Ki.5:26). In the age of moonlighting Gehazi would have been the poster boy for the preachers who want holiness and also line their pockets.
3Have mercy upon us, OLord, have mercy upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with contempt.
4Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud.
3Have mercy upon us, OLord, have mercy upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with contempt.
4Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud.
"To give thanks unto the name of theLord./For there are set thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house of David.
Jerusalem was formerly a Canaanite city and in the time of David he drove the original inhabitants out of the city and since then Zion has remained a shadow of heavenly realities. As analogous to it our soul serves as an altar; so our living sacrifices are about the tabernacle of heart where prayers are before the throne of grace. "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty./I will say of theLord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust."(91:1-2)
'Thrones of judgment' as a spiritual term is the word of God, which is to warn us, exhort comfort as well as testimony. "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee."(119:11) Soul and Spirit serve a child of God. It is said, those who forget their history shall repeat the same mistakes. It is true in spiritual life as well. It is this we need approach the parable of Asaph in Ps.78. Soul needs to be taught fresh so indwelling Spirit is literally a Helper that the risen Christ has sent to us. "Moreover he refused the tabernacle of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim:/But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved./And he built his sanctuary like high palaces, like the earth which he hath established for ever.:(78:67-69)
The word of God is to expose our innermost recesses so we may be aware of where are we heading. We are not like the Israelites who perished in the wilderness for their disbelief.
vv.6-12
"Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee./Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces./For my brethren and companions' sakes, I will now say, Peace be within thee./Because of the house of theLordour God I will seek thy good."
"Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together." (v.3)
Jerusalem as a city of peace was never a city of brotherly love or in peace. Where the priestly class had established a status 'holier-than-thou' the name was a misnomer. Peace that can only be found in unswerving bond of peace between God and man eluded the city of Jerusalem then as now.
In rejecting the prince of peace we have instead a more realistic picture of the city and it came from the Man in whom God sent his gospel. . "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!/Behold, your house is left unto you desolate." The desolation of the house explained their nation which reflected their times and the world. Equally brutalized was their heart to reject the fear of God.
How would they fear what they have not believed? Truth in their inward parts they never looked at because the observance of sacrifices and traditions of their fathers made them complacent. In rejecting faith and relying on works they invited catastrophe. Going into exiles under Assyria and Babylon they had a illusion of Jerusalem as city of peace. It was a lie since they found no peace in their own soul. Is it not the case even now? "O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea:" (Is.48:18). It is to this Jesus referred,"For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord." (Matt.23:37-39)
This psalm composed by David can be approached literally as well as spiritually which is more to the point than indulging in a make-believe piety. "Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away." (2 Ti.3:5)
"I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.My help cometh from theLord, which made heaven and earth." The Holy Spirit gives us a symbol for God in terms of his Will. He is the Rock and the Son in terms of its fulfillment, the stone ("a stone was cut out without hands,"-Dan.2: 34). Besides we have the rock delineated in spiritual terms. With regards to the Israelites who were led forth from Egypt the Spirit gives a marginal note, "And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ."(1 Co.10:4). When Jesus walked on the earth on one occasion he declared, "Jesus said to them,"Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was,I am."/Sothey picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple."( John 8:58-59-ESV). What made the nation of Israel blind so they could not see Jesus for what he was? He was the fulfillment of the law and Israel could not deem him as such. The same error is in our times as well that man has not insight, an understanding as to what his soul signifies. 'for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well."(139:14)
In Ps.90 we have a wonderful description as to our dwelling place even before the mountains were formed. "Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations./Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God." (90:1-2) We were foreknown by our Lord God and He is compared to the rock of Ages to whom we can run for refuge because of his Son. God placing Moses in the cleft of a rock illustrates what He is.
'The Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand', where the Spirit means Jesus Christ. Similarly forever more also refers to Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today and forever' (He.13:8). The Word concerning His children is 'peace'.
"In my distress I cried unto theLord, and he heard me./Deliver my soul, OLord, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue."
how we are made. "I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well." (139:14) There is nothing here that we have added to it. It is 'thy works' and only these shall endure.
The word eternally settled in the heavens attest to it. It only needed a little madness to convince King Nebuchadnezzar that his magnificence was only a make believe. "The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?/While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee."(Dan.4:30-31) The king spoke being a man spoke with 'a false tongue.'
God formed man of the ground and his breath made him a living soul which Psalmist David affirms as knowing right well. God a Spirit also formed all hearts alike so we are worlds exactly as His Sovereign power and glory created heaven and the earth. In short His will has set everything needful for our life and godliness so inner world and exterior world precisely hold relationship correspondingly. Despite of what is ordained where man says,'There is no God' he is holding truth in unrighteousness. He is a fool.
According to the will of the Father the man was given authority so obedience of the soul is compared to the Father Son relationship in heaven. Thus Adam was the son of God.( Luke 3:38).
In this psalm when soul laments.'woe is me' that I sojourn in Mesech, we can appreciate how a Christian abiding in Christ would feel with all the activism of the ungodly going about among the congregation. In vv.3-7 we have the dilemma of being unequally yoked with sons of Belial despite of what they might profess.
The penultimate psalm leads the last section which is a recap of all other psalms gone before. Firstly what strikes is its heading 'Shin' or sin, the Hebrew letter to signify Shaddai, a name for God, This is coupled with the last, having equally a very apt title 'Tau' for Truth. The Holy Spirit thus rounds off the Psalm with the focus on the Word which in the beginning was with God. In these psalms the Spirit for our spiritual instruction set the word become flesh in terms of the heart where he dwelt by faith. Jesus Christ, (I am the truth")serves as the author and finisher of our faith.
One possible meaning of Shaddai is of God being associated with Mountain. "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help!/My help cometh from theLord, who made heaven and earth."(121:1-2) Shaddai comes from the Akkadian word Shaddu for mountain.. From the similitude of rock cut not with hands in the vision of Daniel to the mighty angel hurling down a rock like a millstone throwing into the sea the mountain has great spiritual significance. All these psalms we have been looking at are not some dry as dogma but a great movement which can only explain the relationship of the Lord Almighty and His creation. They know the terror of the Power and glory of God. "The waters saw thee, O God, the waters saw thee; they were afraid: the depths also were troubled." (Ps.77:16-ESV) God leading the Israelites through the Red sea for example cause terror which is no less than what mountains shall feel. "O mountains, that you skip like rams? O hills, like lambs?/Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob," (114:6-7) This movement ultimately leads to the day of Judgment, which the psalmist confess 'thy righteous judgments'.
This being the case how do we handle our life in the flesh? "Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them."(v.165). They are like mount Zion. ( Ps. 125:1-2)
"I will not forget thy word." from the previous unit leads us to meditate on the reward of having the Lord as our shepherd. "I shall not want: (23:1)
"Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple." 65:4)"For a day in thy courtsisbetter than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness."(84:10)
The word is the testimony set in the heart so the psalmist prays for grace not to forget His word but also keep his commandments. "Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live, and keep thy word./Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law."
Wisdom of the word is to choose life than death. "I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me./Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness./My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver./I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment:/That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures."(Pr.8:17-21) This is the reward the Hebrew letter Gimel indicates.
The last line is a statement that serves as the end. Each division holds 4 such units of eight lines. The command number Four signifies the Word become flesh,
To sum: the psalm 119 is made up of 5 major divisions as in the case of canto an Italian term, with the last two units serving as a recap, an envoi.
"For all my ways are before thee"(v. 168b) links to the last section under the last Hebrew letter 'Tau'* which means Truth. This validates 'the word' ('Thy word is truth'- John 17:18) which forms the focus of the entire psalm. "Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever."(v.160)
Here is a penitent psalm where the psalmist confesses that all his ways are before God. "And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account."(He. 4:13). "Sheol is naked before God, and Abaddon has no covering."( Job 26:6-ESV)
"Let my cry come near before thee, OLord: give me understanding according to thy word./Let my supplication come before thee: deliver me according to thy word./My lips shall utter praise, when thou hast taught me thy statutes."
"My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness./Let thine hand help me; for I have chosen thy precepts./I have longed for thy salvation, OLord; and thy law is my delight./Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee; and let thy judgments help me."
The penitent man rests his case: "I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments."(v.176)
*Note:Tav is the last letter of the Hebrew word emet, which means'truth'. The midrash explains that emet is made up of the first, middle, and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
Aleph is the first letter in the Hebrew alphabet. As a sign the upper yud represents the revealed word pointing toward the earth; on the other the lower yud represents the word in its return, thereby it encapsulates the verse,"So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it."(Is.55:11) In a general sense the vav, the diagonal stroke signifies the Spirit, the third office in Trinity.
This is merely marginalia, a marginal note to the word of God with which the Spirit in order to instruct man in righteousness. has set the will of God in terms of the statutes, commandments and testimonies. Which ought not be any strange to him given that the truth in his inward parts. and it is what his heart enshrines. When the psalmist says,"I wash my hands in innocence, and go about your altar, LORD,/proclaiming aloud your praise and telling of all your wonderful deeds."(26:6-7-NIV) He not only creates a proper atmosphere for devotion,- by washing his hands clean but also declares the loving kindness of God. Faith with works involves confession, restitution, obedience to the revealed word (statutes) and declaration.
This first section we have a colloquy between the exterior world with its analogous interior world.
What does truth tell the psalmist? "Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of theLord./Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart."
How does the soul respond? "They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways./Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently. The soul is addressing Christ the word become flesh, 'Thou hast commanded'
The v.8 serves as a bridge to the next section: "I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly."
This psalm is long in comparison and is arranged in sections and also hold an acrostic pattern. There are 22 letters in the Hebrew alphabet, and this psalm contains 22 units of 8 verses each. Each of the 22 sections is given a letter of the Hebrew alphabet, and each line in that section begins with that letter.We shall examine the second letter Beth. Beth literally means house, for example Beth-el would mean house of God.
In this section the Holy Spirit has organized a running exchange between the psalmist and his inner man: parallelism where the soul 'a tabernacle' the man affirms 'I will keep thy statutes', the truth written in his interior world' to which the soul asks a rhetorical question,'Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? The spirit moderates their colloquy: By taking heed thereto according to thy word." It is thus the indwelling Spirit helps us pray and pay attention to the word of God according to the will of God. "And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God./And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.(Ro.8:26-28)
Now the entire section:
I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly./Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.
10With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments./Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
12Blessed art thou, OLord: teach me thy statutes./With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.
14I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches./I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.
And ye shall know that I am theLordwhen I have wrought with you for my name's sake, not according to your wicked ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, O ye house of Israel, saith the LordGod.
45Moreover the word of theLordcame unto me, saying,
46Son of man, set thy face toward the south, and drop thy word toward the south, and prophesy against the forest of the south field;
'There is an emphasis on the 'south' in the Hebrew brought out by the use of different Hebrew words (the Negeb also indicated south of the hills of Judah), and we can see Ezekiel turning towards the south from Babylon in the sight of his listeners. Today the Negeb is waterless desert except where it is watered by man made irrigation, but it is clear that in Ezekiel's time the land somewhat more fruitful and sufficiently watered to produce a 'forest' of trees. It was from the south that Egypt was expected to come with its useless aid.
But 'the south' in the first two cases may have reference simply to the southern kingdom, to Jerusalem(Ez.21:2a) and the land of Israel (21:2-3) .(Ack:commentary/Peterpett)
Here we haven alternate redering:
"And say to the forest of the south, Hear the word of theLord; Thus saith the LordGod; Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned therein. (v.46)
This fire shall not be quenched meaning that we need look beyond the circumstances of Israel and to the end times. v.49 gives us the clue.
" Set thy face toward the south" Ezekiel positioned ('As the Lord have spoken it) which is about judgment. "And all flesh shall see that I theLordhave kindled it: it shall not be quenched."
49Then said I, Ah LordGod! they say of me, Doth he not speak parables?