Christian Life Page 16

Ju.12:7-15 "70 Ass colts"

And Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then died Jephthah the Gileadite, and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead./

8And after him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel./9And he had thirty sons, and thirty daughters, whom he sent abroad, and took in thirty daughters from abroad for his sons. And he judged Israel seven years.

In this list of names their role were as judges and as matter of course served the house of Israel and the Spirit do not pause to give them encomiums, and rightly so since they ruled by the Spirit of God and not by their own merits. "And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me(Is.63:5)". The Spirit uses however certain tags to give their service within the context of the Son as the Judge. So threescore and ten ass colts found place here because the Spirit is serving multilayered account of the Salvation Plan of God.

Earlier we read of "Jair, a Gileadite, and judged Israel twenty and two years./And he had thirty sons that rode on thirty ass colts(10:3-4)", Here we have Abdon associated with ass colts which are hovever 70 in number.

And after him Abdon the son of Hillel, a Pirathonite, judged Israel./And he had forty sons and thirty nephews, that rode on threescore and ten ass colts: and he judged Israel eight years. He belonged to Ephraim while Jair belonged to Gilead.

What is the significance? Gilead and Ephraim just went through a bitter conflict, 'and there fell at that time of the Ephraimites forty and two thousand'(12:6). In Christ Jesus their middle wall of partition was removed. 70 number connects Ephraim and Gilead to the Prince of peace. 70 is a command number to refer the end times.

Ju.12:6-7 "Burden" (2 of 2)

When God delivered Israel from Egypt he freed them from their burdens. They were a people and not 12 tribes each indivisible part of the whole. In the choice of Judges also we see this. Israel's blessings on his death bed foresaw Judah ''The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his fee(Ge.49:10a). The Judges were whoever handpicked by God from the whole. All these were in frame of reference to his Son. that is all.

Here we see instead a conflict between brethren and were under the partisan spirit of Satan.

"Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am theLord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments:/ And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am theLordyour God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians(Ex.6:6-7)."

Ju.12:6-7 "Burden" (1 of 2)

"And the Gileadites took the passages of Jordan before the Ephraimites: and it was so, that when those Ephraimites which were escaped said, Let me go over; that the men of Gilead said unto him, Art thou an Ephraimite? If he said, Nay;

6Then said they unto him, Say now Shibboleth: and he said Sibboleth: for he could not frame to pronounce it right. Then they took him, and slew him at the passages of Jordan: and there fell at that time of the Ephraimites forty and two thousand."12:6-7

The internecine war between the Gileadites and Ephraimites was set in motion by Abimelech who set tribes at each others throat and as we shall see there are more such conflicts in the offing. Earlier to it we are given a ringside view of the spirit of revolt in the camp of Korah, Dathan & Co. The Spirit however gives us it silently working in them which is fought in earnest when the son of Gideon's concubine could get men of Shechem to back his power grab. Here we have now the struggle for pre-eminence between Ephraim and Gilead.

As Jeremiah would say whoever made his reliance on his arm was accursed. "Thus saith theLord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from theLord (Je.17:5)". The number of casualties as a result of the battle was 42x1000. This number connects it to the end times. Thousand signify that period of time. The beast in the latter days was given power for a duration of 42 months.("and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months".-Re.13:5b)). The culprit that caused this conflict was none other than Satan who gave the beast authority to muddy the glory of the word of God. The difference between Shibboleth and Sibboleth is how an ear of corn of corn becomes a burden. "They are exalted for a little while, but are gone and brought low; they are taken out of the way as all other, and cut off as the tops of the ears of corn( Job 24:24)".

Ju.11:11-31 " On Taking Oath"

Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and captain over them: and Jephthah uttered all his words before theLordin Mizpeh./And Jephthah sent messengers unto the king of the children of Ammon, saying, What hast thou to do with me, that thou art come against me to fight in my land?

Jephthah was not picking a quarrel with the king in order to prove a point of his valor but God had willed it so. Moses in his farewell address "For theLordthy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee(De.31:3-6)". Just as Moses and Joshua had served before him Jephthah would have a formidable strategy, a willing formula that is trust. He spoke to the king, "So whomsoever theLordour God shall drive out from before us, them will we possess(vv. 23-24)".

Jephthah the mighty man of valour spoke, well not drawing attention to him but to the Omnipotent God whose word would never fail. The king shall know the Lord God is the sovereign Lord of heaven and the earth. His word whatever spoken therefore came up before the Word eternally settled in heaven. (Ps.119:89).

The Spirit also gives us a fatal error by which his spoke under oath and it was impossible for him to withdraw. The Spirit instructs us not to swear any oath owing to our infirmity in the flesh. God multitasks so events are in flux to which no one may foresee unless it is given from above. Jephthah never hoped to see his only child coming to greet him on his return.

Here below we have Jesus warning as to to the peril of oaths. God does not demand one from us knowing our weak nature. By an oath does anyone think to rise to His level? Grace is all that we need.

It is for this reason Jesus warned us,"But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil(Matt.5:37)". We are accountable for every idle word spoken.

Ju.11:6-24 "The Head"

"And it came to pass in process of time, that the children of Ammon made war against Israel./And it was so, that when the children of Ammon made war against Israel, the elders of Gilead went to fetch Jephthah out of the land of Tob:/And they said unto Jephthah, Come, and be our captain, that we may fight with the children of Ammon."

In this context let us go back to the fable of Jotham. "The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us./But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honor God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?((:8-9)"

What made olive tree bear the fatness to honor God and man but God who is the Head? When trees forget this crucial fact it bodes ill for them. They are clueless without God. What they choose shall be leaders without exception, fools whose short-sightedness only matched by the calamity brought in by events that turn contrary. This is one lesson we learned from wars in our century. Unless God is not the head, - the Tree of Liberty we shall keep counting Iraq, Afghanistan not to forget Vietnam so many bitter fruits of nation's misdaventure. You keep counting and it shall do no good. People perish for want of vision.

This is how man without God leads nations.

Israel had to come back to Jephthah whom they had earlier rejected because God had taken a hand in the matter.

Ju.11:1-4

"Jephtha"

Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valour, and he was the son of an harlot: and Gilead begat Jephthah.

The Spirit sets Jephtha the Gileadite in the mold of Gideon by addressing him with the title God had used earlier."And the angel of theLordappeared unto him, and said unto him, TheLordis with thee, thou mighty man of valour(6:12)". This sets continuity which by the Law of Gradation invites comparison with God and we shall begin with this verse,"The right hand of theLordis exalted; the right hand of theLorddoeth valiantly(Ps.118:16-KJ21). This takes us all the way to the Son the Alpha Omega, the beginning and the ending. So when Jesus announces "but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.( John 16:33b)"what are we to assume? Is it not that the final outcome of the battle is already determined? For those who entrust their lives unto him, He is the King of kings Lord of Lords who is shown arrayed in all white and on a white horse. He bears this inscription, -"And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written,King Of Kings, And Lord Of Lords(Re.19:16)". Predestination by the word of God which is eternal, has covered us. It is a decree Ps.2:7-8. When John speaks of him reveals, "Who has made us kings and priests 'unto God and his Father(Re.1:6)"

Jephtha was the son of a harlot for which his brethren had cast him out. But God raises him out of exile as he did with Moses. God did not hold against Gideon for his Father's idol worship. God had already found him an extension of His sword and also sets events,- as we might say God multitasks, that we cannot refuse but take up our cross as mighty men of valor. As teachers, helps, administrators or as influencers God can make use of every Christian for His kingdom. God chose Jephtha despite of what shame he might have carried among his brethren."Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?/And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother!"

Ju.8:1-3 "Gideon"

Gideon rallied around him men from his own tribe Manasseh and all those who obeyed call to arms from other tribes from Asher Zebulun and Naphtali(6:35). Since it was God who fought their battle he could accept criticism from men of Ephraim who had faulted him for not including them.

'A soft answer turns away wrath'. In vv. 2-3 Gideon puts this precept to practice (Pr.15:1). Gideon as a judge did not win their victory but the word of God by Law of Gradation made his sword as that of David after him one and also with that of the Prince of peace. When the three hundred in one voice shouted "The sword of theLord, and of Gideon(7:18)" it was God the Son who fulfilled the directive of his Father. The glory of his Word when flashed holds eternal word in its fierceness against which no power shall stand. Thus the Law of Gradation just stated, takes us to Moses on the rock at Horeb with his hands raised up while Joshua fought with Amalek (Ex.17:13) The same sword connects with the sword of Jesus Christ, 'And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations(Re.19:15a)'

Gideon places himself merely as doing the will of his Father. The Spirit uses him as a stand-in for the Son. What does it lead to. He makes himself insignificant before the men of Ephraim,'What have I done now in comparison of you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer?'. Ephraim can take credit over their victory and it recalls the line' the lame take the prey, "For theLordis our judge, theLordis our lawgiver, theLordis our king; he will save us.When God is the cause for victory even The lame shall take the prey(Is.33:23)"

Ju.7:16-25 "The Three Companies" 2 of 2)

"No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of theLord, and their righteousness is of me, saith theLord(Is.54:17)".

By Law of Gradation we fight against spiritual wickedness in high places where we are backed by every hero of faith, 'cloud of witnesses' (He.12:1) and we have already considered the Spirit using expression 'multitudes' or 'as the sand by the sea side for multitude(v.12)'. Such numbers we are given is what the Spirit found as more accurate in God document. On the other hand history of wars between nations the manner numbers are used are arbitrary. The Bible is God document and intent of the Spirit is not to control history from the victor's standpoint.

Ju.7:16-25 "The three companies" (1 of 2)

"Arise; for theLordhath delivered into your hand the host of Midian./And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man's hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers".

God revealed through a dream that two Midian soldiers shared, what Gideon needed to know. It was not for him to enquire how God shall deliver the enemy into his hands but trust Him totally. This new confidence he imparts to the three hundred. He tells them,"Arise; for theLordhath delivered into your hand the host of Midian"

Their victory was the victory of Israel. The host of Israel at first comprised of 22,000. According to the will ('as thou hast said') Gideon was left with the three hundred. The Spirit uses this as representation for the whole. The trumpet in every man's hand represented the entire host of Israel. Thus did the empty pitcher with lamps therein signified his fellowmen.

The three hundred were to do exactly as Gideon did and cry,'The sword of theLord, and of Gideon'.

This is what they did. "And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of theLord, and of Gideon (v.20)." The trumpet is the Gospel of God and in their obedience they were preaching the same gospel ('as thou hast said') and the Spirit sets the Father Son relationship where the word of God shall prosper and no weapon shall prevail against children of God. The three companies signify body spirit and soul. Body of each by law of Gradation carries the whole and it was meant to be broken as Jesus did. Broken pitcher symbolizes that of the Son,('A body hast thou prepared.). Light concealed therein represents the Spirit of Christ that could give voice to, The Sword of the Lord & etc.,

Ju.7:13-15 "Interpreting a dream" (2 of 2)

" For I have sent them(Ac.10:19-20)". When St Peter obeyed the Spirit he realized the significance of his vision.

Visions or dreams in whichever case, are from God."And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I theLordwill make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream(Nu.12:6)". Thus God multitasks in this department one tells a dream and another interprets for him. Let us go back to the story of Joseph in Egypt. Alone in a strange country his misery had just begun. In the prison where Joseph is thrown, he is an undesirable alien and God uses it according to His will. A dream comes to his help and it serves God just as well. Butler and Baker of the royal household see dreams and Joseph in interpreting their dreams successfully would by and by bring him to the presence of the Pharaoh.

God had foreseen Joseph in terms of his Son and in setting Joseph as redeemer of a nation he is setting the course of the church in eternity. Joseph telling his dreams to his parents much to the chagrin of his brethren, belongs to the world of the flesh. It is sibling rivalry that bellows into a hurricane and throws the dreamer into a dungeon in Egypt. The famine in Israel was God's way of bringing out the sin of his brethren into open. By the same token the king's dream sets the stage for Daniel to predict the catastrophic end of nations when the stone cut not with hands smashes them so not a speck of dust shall remain, works from the spiritual space that every heart envelops. King Nebuchadnezzar and Daniel have right of way as the baker and the butler. Thus God sets dreams along the royal highway of heart. The Midian soldier was not simply telling his dream to his comrade but for the benefit of Gideon in a manner of speaking.

Ju.7:13-15 "Interpreting a dream" (1 of 2)

And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along.

14And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: for into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host.

15And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the host of Israel,

Visions take place in the centre of immensities of 'mind' to which interpretation is left to another. One way is described in the Acts of the Apostles. St Peter went up to the terrace of the house he was lodged in, and fell into a trance.(Ac.10:10). This was experienced by none other than Peter. Trance is not sleep. That was a vision unlike a dream as narrated by the Midian soldier here.

Dream is nevertheless a vision but with eyes closed. Eyes move while asleep, and REM explains precisely that rapid movement that lasts some 20 minutes are physical activities. Explaining it at length is not worth the while but we need understand sleep means a royal highway is opened in the inward parts where truth is written so King Nebuchadnezzar having seen a dream shall forget but Daniel supplies it and its significance. God a Spirit helped Daniel the Seer where truth makes the king worship him. "The great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure./ Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel(Dan.2:45-46)",In the case of Simon Peter who interpreted his vision but the men sent by the centurion? "While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee./Arise therefore, and get thee down,

Ju.7:1-9 The Three Hundred (2 of 2)

'For multitude' and 'as the sand by the seaside', and such like expressions are not hyperbole but to indicate there are bad actors,- spiritual wickedness arrayed against children of God."For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places(Ep.6:12)". By the same token the three hundred(3x100) in which 3 is a command number to highlight the glory of the Son, logos principle personalized by Gideon's words 'as thou has said'. His word is yea in his Son so promises of God are met in Christ. "For all the promises of God in himareyea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us(2 Co.1:20)".

Ju.7:1-9 The Three Hundred (1 of 2)

When the Spirit of the Lord came as we read in the preceding chapter Gideon did not waste time,"And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh; who also was gathered after him: and he sent messengers unto Asher, and unto Zebulun, and unto Naphtali; and they came up to meet them(6:35)" . Against him were the host of Amalekites and of the Midianites 'and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude(7:12).

3Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand.

4And theLordsaid unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee.

When God chooses a hero of faith He also takes care to build up his faith. There was a formidable opposition and God would yet limit the number who would fight alongside Gideon."And theLordsaid unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me(v.2).

The Spirit uses exceptionally large numbers that ought to give us a clue about the nature of our struggle. The host of the enemy was 'like grasshoppers for multitude,'and their camels were without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude'. 'For multitude' and 'as the sand by the seaside', and such like expressions are not hyperbole but to indicate there are bad actors,- spiritual wickedness arrayed against children of God."For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, "

Ju.6:36-40 (2 of 2)

"The dew as a Sign"

"Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."(2 Co.12:9)irit that worked with Samson to do mighty works, explains this verse,'But the Spirit of theLordcame upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet;(v.34)" Gideon was empowered to lead Israel as a result.

Secondary meaning is about spiritual bodies which were yet to come. The parallel narrative of Christ as the Head and the church his body shall transform in the latter days and it is because of their citizenship is of heaven. This Power or the grace of his Word is intended to build up the church by the same glory of the Son." Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself."(Phi.3:21). Dew on all the ground consequently points to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and it was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost.

Mode of inversion points to the emphasis we place on the flesh shall change places in the world of the Spirit. This shift in emphasis takes our attention from heaven and the earth to the new heaven and new earth. For this reason in the vision of John New Jerusalem comes down from heaven as a bride. "And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband(Re.21:1-5)".

The Spirit structured this narrative as two streams on tracing the heaven and earth from God the Father and that of new heaven and new earth from the Son who testifies in v.5: "And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful".

Ju.6:36- 40 "The dew on the ground" (1 of 2)

Gideon uses 'As thou hast said,' in such a manner to bring revelation of the word, which is theophany user-friendly and Gideon asks further proof which God is willing to allow. When Abraham similarly draws God with hypothetical questions God let him speak on."And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto theLord, which am but dust and ashes:/Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five?(Ge.18:27-28)" Where God had foreknown heroes of faith like Abraham and Gideon (He.11:8,32) their common ground is trust. Enoch walked with God is one way of empowering man to lift further than possible. Gideon by nature timid and who knew his place, ("Behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house"-v.15) however was not a quitter. When his winepress was unviable he would convert it as threshing floor in order to support his family. In the face of adversities wine was no longer the means to 'make glad the hearts of men' but he had the word of God to fall back upon. The providential God gave His creation 'meat in due season' as He preserved him as matter of course (Ps.104:15a, 27).

In the sign Gideon sought from God the Spirit instructs us at different level. The floor is the world of Gideon as against the ground. Which metaphorically teaches with the illustration of an island brings in its wake the sea though it is unsaid. Or in a face-vase image where you fix your attention is only your subjective. God looks at body soul and spirit as glory of God and Power. Gestalt psychology of divine Mind thus empowers body of some so they may rely on God and trust Him to supply the shortfall in other areas. St Paul could understand this so he would say"And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness." (2 Co.12:9)

Ju.6:31-34 (2 of 2)

2Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal plead against him, because he hath thrown down his altar.

33Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east were gathered together, and went over, and pitched in the valley of Jezreel.

34But the Spirit of theLordcame upon Gideon,

Ju.6:31-34 (1 of 2)

"Jerubbaal"

And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Baal? will ye save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put to death whilst it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him plead for himself, because one hath cast down his altar(v.31."

Here we have the kind of sophistry which Gideon's father adopts when he discovers a wrong word could put his son's life in danger. Apostasy of Israel metaphorically is in degrading 'the tree of righteousness' as a grove for pagan gods. "The trees of theLordare full of sap; the cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted(Ps.104:16)." Ge.1:11-12. God commanded Gideon to offer his burnt offering,'with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down(v.26)'.

The Spirit holds symbols of tongues of fire and also mist significance of which is determined by the context. .Cutting down the grove of his father and using the idols of wood in fire signify jealousy of the Lord God. Gideon was to be created anew into a heroic mold and jealousy for his Holiness had to match as Jesus cleansed the temple of of the merchandise that had crept therein.In the Gospel we have this verse from the Psalms cited,"The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up( John 2:17)".

The Spirit uses the mode of inversion which in vv.36-40 serves a guide to the life of an overcomer where heroic mold of a Christian has nothing in himself to rely upon but the full armor of God holds everything. In denying oneself as Christ did redeems a saint from the earth which Gideon had to learn/ This is a far cry from the most useless bramble sending out fire to consume the olive tree in the fable of Jotham( Ch.9)

Then we have this v.34 pointing to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit this creates a parallel narrative using people(Moses Joshua Gideon) and consistently it taking further the Fellowship of God with Man (in which Seth would be in the image of his Son(Ge.5:3), and thus shall continue)

Ju.6:25-35 (2 of 2)

"At the ordered place"

'And theLorddelivered them into the hand of Midian seven years(6:1b)'.

Gideon was a new creation and he had to build up his life as mighty man of valor in complete trust and it is signified by God's command,'And build an altar unto theLordthy God upon the top of this rock, in the ordered place,' The Spirit clues us in its significance: Christ is the rock and foundation on which he had to grow unto the measure God had in mind.

And it came to pass the same night, that theLordsaid unto him, Take thy father's young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the grove that is by it:

26And build an altar unto theLordthy God upon the top of this rock, in the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down.

27Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as theLordhad said unto him: and so it was, because he feared his father's household, and the men of the city, that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night.

Ju.6:25-35 (1 of 2)

"At the ordered place"

Theophany of God was in the glory of the word, which is encapsulated by the name Jehovahshalom, God our peace. At a time of great depredations from the Midianites and of strife in the land what prompted Gideon to think of peace unless it was from God? The angel of the Lord had greeted him by 'TheLordis with thee, thou mighty man of valour.' In short God's word brought it in so many words that he found peace, unlike anything he had known before and it was a covenant as it were when the angel accepted his offering. 'Can two walk together unless agreed upon?' The angel of the Lord visited him as a mighty man of valor and now he had to grow into the stature God desired of him. This is what we find in vv.25-35.

Gideon was a new creation and where he was nervous of the Midianites coming down to rob him of his crop he had 'threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites'. Now he was demanded of God to cut down the grove 'and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath', God was now leading him to a point of no return. No more he could continue his former life going against his grain, while putting up with the practice of Baal-worship of his father's household he was cultivating a defeatist attitude of taking the line of least resistance. No more of that. The word of God had planted the light of the knowledge of the word, and he had to be heroic for God. This reminds the words of Jesus," If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.( Luke 14:26)".

He had to choose bullock one for himself as a peace offering and the second bullock of seven years old as a token of cutting himself loose from vain traditions of his father. The bullock of seven years holds another significance and it signaled that the threat of Midian was coming to an end and unknown to him he was spearheading the revolt.

Ju.6:11-24 (2 of 2) Body Spirit Soul

Gideon was to pour out broth as libation which reminds us of the messianic prophecy of Isaiah. The broth represents soul,'Because He poured out His soul unto death (Is.53:12)' while unleavened cakes for the body and the kid stands for the spirit. These were placed on the rock which represents Christ. Altogether it refers to our reasonable service where we are to offer our bodies as living sacrifice.

The angel specifies the rock which is unlike Jacob erecting an altar of the pillow."And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it(Ge.28:18)".

The expression, "unto this day" refers to the Son. "which are called Havothjair unto this day, which are in the land of Gilead."(10:4)

Ju.6:11-24 Body, Spirit Soul (1 of 2)

"Then Gideon built an altar there unto theLord, and called it Jehovahshalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites"(v.24).

This altar is especial because as the Spirit tells it is to be found in Ophrah of the Abiezrites 'unto this day.'

Jehovah shalom the name of the place and it translates as 'God my peace', which passes all understanding, and is unto this day.('And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus-'Phi.4:7)

The angel of the Lord tells Gideon in what manner he was to make his presentation."Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so./ Then the angel of theLordput forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes".

Three articles are mentioned,"And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an ephah of flour: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out unto him under the oak, and presented it(v.19)'.

Fire was from God."Then the angel of theLordput forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes." It made Gideon realize what it was to see God 'face to face'.

In vv.22-23 an example of Theophany and the word of God is represented by the Angel of the Lord. Gideon has the assurance that his life became entirely new'. If any man is in Christ he is a new creation' is the idea the Spirit wants us to know."Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new(2 Co.5:17)".

The Spirit sets the rock symbolically with which every article also acquire appropriate spiritual significance.

Ju.10:6

'And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of theLord'(v.6)

This led the Lord to chastise them. 'And the anger of theLordwas hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hands of the Philistines, and into the hands of the children of Ammon(v.7). God having overlooked their erring way warns them: 'Yet ye have forsaken me, and served other gods: wherefore I will deliver you no more(v.13). The Lord however cannot deny His divine nature. When they sought Him earnestly we read in vv.15-16 that his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel. 'Deliver us only, we pray thee, this day./And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served theLord: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.

He grieved for Israel in a manner of speaking brought to His mind his Son 'slain before the foundation of the world.' We shall examine the role of soul.

Jesus the Lover of my Soul (1 Sa.20:17)

The Spirit speaks of the soul of God grieving for Israel, which recalls the manner Jonathan grieved for David because of his Father. "For he was grieved for David, because his father had done him shame(1 Sa.20:34)." The Spirit uses the number tag 3 to refer the Son, The mystery of the three arrows explains the nature of Love in the FatherSon relationship. It goes beyond what body of a carnal man (as in the case of Israel) is capable of. The love God correspondingly had for the world, explains it in the verse . John 3:16 "But the lad knew not any thing: only Jonathan and David knew the matter(1 Sa.20:39)".While we speak of the number 3 let us consider the significance of Thirty (3x10) in these verses, vv.3-4

"And after him arose Jair, a Gileadite, and judged Israel twenty and two years./ And he had thirty sons that rode on thirty ass colts, and they had thirty cities, which are called Havothjair unto this day, which are in the land of Gilead. Thirty ass colts invite us to set him in frame of reference with the Son who rode to the city of David.

p 2.

unwarranted mercy, unwarranted forgiveness, fatherless father, unchanging duality, split oneness, etc.

In the ego's mind or dualistic world, oxymorons, which oppose each other and have myriads of degrees in between, appear to be reality as we perceive it. The only thing one can rely on is that change will not change, unless of course we change our mind about opposites coexisting in the the changeless, pure non dualistic , consistent mind of God. God means consistency. It is a solid foundation His Creation can depend on without any confusion as to Who and What He is. He cannot be affected by our split mind and so called "sins", which we dream in deep sleep. He knows nothing of illusions.

We have literally boiled God's character and way of thinking down to an oxymoron, and then when we attempt to justify it we write it off as some kind of "paradox" or "anomaly".

In all due respect to God's Children, this is why after 2000 years we still can't agree on much of anything, which should be obviously evident to onlookers and participators on this site.

My friends, God is Perfect and Eternal, and His Creation is the extension of His Mind, and therefore must also be perfect and eternal. He created us in His Own image, meaning His Own Thought. He created us in His Own likeness, meaning as of like quality. We cannot usurp the power of God. What God creates has no alternative (opposite), the Truth arises from what He knows.

How EFFICIENT and PERSUASIVE and SKILLFUL is the ego. How convenient for us to project onto the God of Perfect Love OUR opposing egocentric thoughts and OUR perceived qualities; for now we can justify our and the ego's (not God's!) wrath, anger, hate, evil, condemnation, judgments, etc.

We can count on one thing from the ego: It will always cite truth in order to keep his lies. This is the epitome of the source of a split mind, causing us to believe fear is Love and Love is fear.

God loves you eternally,

Peace

Blessings to all,

p.1

Definition of oxymoron:1. A figure of speech that juxtaposes concepts with opposite meanings within a word or in a phrase that is a self-contradiction.

2. In rhetoric , a figure consisting in adding to a word an epithet or qualification apparently contradictory; in general, close connection of two words seemingly opposed to each other; an expression made epigrammatic or pointed by seeming self-contradictory.

Definition of epithet:A term used to characterize a person or thing.

Definition of rhetoric: The art, study, or skill of using language EFFECTIVELY and PERSUASIVELY.

Examples of oxymorons effectively and PERSUASIVELY used by the ego in regards to spiritual matters, in order to convince that they are real, i.e can coexist in TRUTH or be reality: healthy fear, loving hate, hateful love, genuine hate, real hate, fearful love, changing love, conditional love, imperfect love, murderous love, loving ego, wrathful love, loving vengeance, loving crucifixion, righteous anger, holy war, peaceful chaos, patient wrath, longsuffering vengeance, guilty innocence, just injustice, special equality, united division, excluding inclusion, excluding oneness, divided oneness, opposing oneness, fresh impurity, pure saltwater, new old, imprisoned release, unconditional "ifs", enslaved freedom, spiritual slavery, eternal death, life ending, united division, making creation, godly evil, good evil, evil good, evil-making God, physical spirit, spiritual flesh, false god, eternal time, limited compassion, weakened power, man woman, mindful brain, sleeping awareness, awakened sleep, dark light, restful death, ungodly existence, extended hate, projected love, perceptual knowledge, faithful sin, past present, future present, spiritual warfare, limited grace, corrective punishment, changing constants, changing consistency, truthful lies, dual oneness, real ego, omnipresent time, killing salvation, solid sand, sinking foundation,

see p. 2

Ju.9 "Conclusion" (2 of 2)

Having made a disastrous step Abimelech had to dig deep on his father's example without the spiritual revelation that carried therein. God lets the curse of Jotham take effect. Abimelech speaks to his men whom he divided into three companies(v.43), "What ye have seen me do, make haste, and do as I have done./And all the people likewise cut down every man his bough, and followed Abimelech, and put them to the hold, and set the hold on fire upon them; so that all the men of the tower of Shechem died also, about a thousand men and women(vv.38-49).

The Spirit narrates the end of Abimelech where the symbol of millstone is the rock of offense. Similarly when God wants to make an end of Babylon,'And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone'(Re.18:21)

And Abimelech came unto the tower, and fought against it, and went hard unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire./And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech's head, and all to brake his skull (vv.52-53)"

Ju.9 "Conclusion" (1 of 2)

When the heart has departed from sound advice what man does is setting himself into a perilous slope. Abimelch usurped to the seat of honor he was not entitled. He troubled his own house and he inherited the wind(Pr.11:29).

"Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech(v.23)" His base had tainted the whole length and breadth of the land. It was a divided house reminiscent of our times. In such climate of hate do we not in the politicians of our times the boast of Gaal, the son of Ebed and treachery of Zebul invite comparison? Gaal knew how to grandstand before the base of Abimelech. "And would to God this people were under my hand! then would I remove Abimelech(v.29a)"Such bragging as Gaal delivered is not the last of its kind. Abimelech, Gaal in their intrigue by Law of Gradation connect with the beast whose power came from the dragon."And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months./And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven./And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations(Re.13:5-8). These men of straw belong to the brambles in the fable spoken by Jotham. There is a long list of names that shall not be found in the book of life 'of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world'.

Abimelech sets the battle plan and it is similar to what Gideon had spoken to the three hundred,

First Gideon's words, "And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise: and, behold, when I come to the outside of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so shall ye do(7:17)".

Ju.9;22-26 "Mischief" (2 of 2)

(continued)

The Spirit in the case of Judas gives us a clue how evil spirit connects with man. Judas knew there was a demand for his master 'And the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill him;' and he had the know-how how to meet their demand. 'Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve( Luke 22:2-3).' Unclean spirits or Satan gain entry only when the heart of man is 'without borders'. Judas was only particular about his wages and the chief priests and scribes, their position and praise of men what the seat of Moses gave them. Similarly when the Spirit writes, "Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem the latter justified their banditry as their due for keeping an Usurper in power.

In our times when we hear of White Evangelicalism or Replacement Theory what it boils down to is a heart that has replaced simplicity which is in Christ, with brambles and thistles of heresies. Churches thus set up do not serve God but will-worship from which wages are collected by some like men of Shechem to justify their banditry.

Ju.9:9-22 "Mischief" (1 of 2)

"When Abimelech had reigned three years over Israel,/Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech:24That the cruelty done to the threescore and ten sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother, which slew them; and upon the men of Shechem, which aided him in the killing of his brethren."

The Spirit uses Number Three in order to emphasize the reign of the bramble over the trees of righteousness. The number indicates righteousness of the trees by Law of Gradation is drawn from the Son,("He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him"- Is.53:2-NIV)".

"And the men of Shechem set liers in wait for him in the top of the mountains, and they robbed all that came along that way by them: and it was told Abimelech./ And Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brethren, and went over to Shechem: and the men of Shechem put their confidence in him".

What are 70 pieces of silver paid out to silence the men of Shechem into compliance? It is of the same kind as the wages Judas received for betraying Jesus."And saidunto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.(Matt.26:15; Ze.11:12)"In our time can politics thrive without lobbyists getting into the act? Wikipedia has this:In politics it is the act of lawfully attempting to influence the actions, policies, or decisions of government officials, legislators or members of regulatory agencies. They come between like men of Shechem who believed they owed to themselves to get back their investment with profits.

Ju.9:9-15 "Devour the cedars of Lebanon"

Here we have a fable in its classical tradition where life experience of the natural world prepares us to draw our own conclusions. The Spirit in order to instruct us in righteousness ties the narrative mode to the triune God so we have the brambles metaphorically set for body of a carnal man. As against this a child of God whose body spirit and soul shall represent vine, olive tree and fig tree respectively.

Brambles are the least qualified to preside over the weal of any commonwealth for a happy conclusion. Workers of the world unite! I shall lead you as one" Comrade Bramble harangues but woe to anyone who draws near! He shall draw blood indeed. We all have seen how Stalin set the stage for early demise of the Soviet union! What is eighty years in the history of nations? Or for that matter 13 years of the Third Reich? A blip, leaving in its wake not a single feature of goodness that man may use to profit. No, nothing but poison of its tangled ideology. When the Spirit sets trees in figurative sense it is implied that by Law of Gradation whoever draws from this philosophy are of one kind. It is what this verse instructs us, "And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.(Ge.1:11). Thus Neo-Nazism and its variants are after its kind. The beast of the latter days in the vision of John is another example, In the end he and his cohorts shall be thrown into lake of fire(Re.20:10).

"Thus saith theLord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from theLord(Je.17:5-8). Bramble personifies man and his pride. Ideologies are offspring of human intellect and brambles represent any that runs contrary to the divine Will. Thus what worth is 'the end justifies the means'? Nothing but misery.

Ju.9:6-21 "Curse of Jotham"

Here we have a fable for our times. It is spoken by Jotham who narrowly escaped from being slaughtered along with his brethren. His life was that of an outlaw since the men of Shechem had elected an 'Usurper' legally. Is this not how democracy works in the 21st century?

We elect our lawmakers through an electoral process by counting of heads which is people power in action. Such democratically elected governments as we see from results make the rich super rich and the poor poorer. When effect of governance proves to be quite contrary to what democracy is supposed to deliver we may be sure it is the curse of Jotham at work.

"And all the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of Millo, and went, and made Abimelech king, by the plain of the pillar that was in Shechem(v.6)". While the heads of those who said, 'yea' to the proposal were being counted what they missed were hands buying their votes. "And they gave him threescore and ten pieces of silver out of the house of Baalberith, wherewith Abimelech" got what he wanted. (v.5)" The Spirit instructs us that such practices come under the curse of Jotham.

It is part of the curse God laid on the serpent in the Garden of Eden. "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel(Ge3:15)". This implacable enmity has spilled over in every human institution from which politics is no exception.

Abimelech is a bramble but his base, all vain and shallow shall never produce worthwhile fruits. "Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?(Matt.7:16)". They may go by fancy names and are all patriots who are only good for fire. Now Jotham asks, "And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and put your trust in my shadow: and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon."