Tag: second coming

Articles, Studies

The Is, Was and Will Be Coming of the Lord  

Pete

“The Is, Was and Will Be Coming of the Lord” 

Christian orthodoxy and all the outward Babylonian churches of men continue to teach and focus outwardly on Bible prophecy concerning the Lord Jesus Christ.  The coming of Christ to His people is salvation to every man in God’s appointed order.  When the Lord comes to us, our focus and mindset is turned away from outward carnal distractions and is turned inwardly to what the Lord is doing in our own [inward] heaven and earth.  It is in heaven and earth within where the Lord is revealed to us by the gift of faith [belief] and men are saved in every age.

Joh 12:38  That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? 

Rom 1:17  For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith [the gift – Eph 2:8]: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

Rom 1:18  For the wrath of God is revealed from [inward not the sky out there] heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men [spiritual fire on the earth – Luk 12:49], who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

The purpose of this study is to correct a misapplication many of us learned and may still cling to with regards to the characteristics of the Living Word, Christ, being “is, was and will be”.  This phrase was very often repeated and the “will be” component often linked to an outward fulfillment of the Scriptures.  It will help us see the truth and our error by using sound words [2Ti 1:13] of what is written in the Scriptures.

A closer look will correct our way of speaking and link it to the Lord’s coming into His Kingdom within every man.  Here are all the places where the attributes of Christ most often cites as “IS, WAS and WILL BE” are taken from in the Scriptures being translated from a single Greek word Strong’s G3801.  Please note the tie to His Coming in every single instance.

Rev 1:4  John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;

Rev 1:8  I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. 

Rev 4:8  And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him, and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. 

Rev 11:17  Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.

Pretty much all translations, even the literal ones take this ONE GREEK word and translate the perpetual “is, was and is to come” coming of Christ.  Here is what Strong’s offers for the definition of G3801.

 G3801

ὁ ὢν ὁ ἦν ὁ ἐρχόμενος

ho ōn ho ēn ho erchomenos

ho own ho ane ho er-khom’-enos

A phrase combining G3588 with the present participle and imperfect of G1510 and the present participle of G2064 by means of G2532; the one being and the one that was and the one coming, that is, the Eternal, as a divine epithet of Christ. (Each “and” (G2532) was ommited from the phrase because of limited space.): – which art (is, was), and (which) wast (is, was), and art (is) to come (shalt be).

Total KJV occurrences: 4

 

Where does Christ Come to and appear to men?

This is an elementary truth to most of us who have been blessed to see the spiritual meaning of the Scriptures, yet it is a profound truth, actually, a blessing [Mat 13:17], when we first have our eyes opened to see it.  Jesus Christ is not coming out there nor will He be found out there where carnal men continue to look for Him.  The Scriptures tell us where He is found and that is in His Kingdom where He sits on His throne. Where are these places? They are within you and me and all men.

Luk 17:20  And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: 

Luk 17:21  Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you. 

2Co 6:16  And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 

Act 7:49  Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest? 

The indwelling of the Lord is the conclusion of every man’s judgment having lived through the vials of wrath [Rev 15:8] and come out of the Lake of Fire having died to death in the lake of fire which is also the Second Death.

Rev 21:3  And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 

“All in all” with the Father, the end of Christ’s mission [1Co 15:28] is when Christ is fully formed and living in every man having converted all inward enemies.

Joh 14:19  Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. 

Joh 14:20  At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. 

Gal 2:20  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me ….

This INDWELLING of the Lord, the coming of Christ into His Kingdom, has always been the promise of the New Covenant even as written in the Old Testament.

Eze 37:26  Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. 

Eze 37:27  My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 

Eze 37:28  And the heathen shall know that I the LORD do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.

The Lord dwells in His people beginning with the chosen few; yet this will grow to include all men as all Israel; [Rom 11:26] will be saved and as all men will be transformed into the image of God through His Son.

Joh 10:16  And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring [the third harvest at the feast of Tabernacles] and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. 

The whole Millennium Reign lie has even deeper roots and tentacles that will continue to be weeded out and burned up in the fire as the Lord leads us to a greater understanding.  Jesus is not coming to reign on the outward earth yet our correction of that false doctrine is even larger. He is not coming back to the outward physical earth whatsoever! When He as Spirit, ascended into the outward heaven, that being an event and an act that remains a parable [Mar 4:11], we are told that is the same way He will come again.  We will see him coming out of our inward heaven and those He dwells in!

Act 1:11  Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. 

These as all words of the Bible are Spirit [Joh 6:63].  Those given the gift of faith and eyes to see, having an earnest deposit of the same Spirit,  know He already IS COME back to them and that Christ will continue coming in every generation as men are judged and translated from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light.

Col 1:13  Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: 

Christ is the firstborn from the dead IN EVERY MAN in their time of judgment in the lake of fire.  He is already come in the flesh of His Body [Eph 5:30] and that Body will continue to grow as He comes to men and they are saved in their appointed times [the two general harvests of men].

1Jn 5:20  And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.

Those of God will understand and know He is come to them and those who continue to believe and teach of an outward future coming are not of God.

1Jn 4:2  Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh [their flesh and in the Body] is of God:

2Jn 1:7  For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

We are commanded to not to look behind us [Luk 9:62] or look out to the future to find our direction and focus, but instead, follow Him in the here and now of TODAY.  Yes, we do look behind us to see from where we have come from and learn lessons by our experiences in judgment that teach us the right ways of God [His righteousness].  Our spiritual focus and eyes are to be turned into today and looking inward.  The carnal mind looks outward and into the future.  As we are learning more each day, Christ who is the Truth is not to be found out there [Mat 24:26] in what the Scriptures do not reveal.

Ecc 8:17  Then I beheld all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because though a man labour to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea further; though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it. 

Today is our day of salvation [2Co 6:2] if we are given ears to hear and eyes to see the true things of the Spirit.

Rev 1:3  Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand. 

Mat 6:34  Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. 

That which defiles [the Lord’s temple] is found within us and is what we speak out of our fleshly heart.  It is within us that the work of God is focused and our travailing in judgment brings salvation as Christ comes to us and cleanses the Temple in which He is now dwelling.

Mat 15:19  For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. 

Mat 15:20  These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.” 

Do the Words of Christ Have an Outward Future Fulfillment?

They have a future fulfillment but not a certain outward fulfillment.  Many of us, if not all, were taught the doctrine that every word of God has an outward fulfillment in their former churches or fellowships by men that have created idols and twisted the Scriptures to their own destruction.  The “is, was and is to come” characteristic of Christ, is the coming of the Lord to save His people by establishing His kingdom within them.  As we should know, the macro plan of saving mankind comes in the three harvests of 1) Christ, 2) the chosen elect in this age, and 3) all of mankind in third and final harvest.

1Co 15:23  But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming [in 2nd and 3rd harvests]

It is “at his coming” by which all men are saved in the appointed times.  A little leaven leads us to mistakenly apply the “is come, has come and will come” promise of Christ to mean that His words have a future “will be” and OUTWARD FULFILLMENT. That is a false doctrine that comes from looking out there into end-time prophecies and speculating on the end of the physical world [Kosmos] and how humanity will cease to exist in the flesh.  The Lord and the Bible simply does not give us those details as much as carnal men continue to try to find Christ in what is not revealed.    

Deu 29:29  The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law. 

This error of men has led to all kinds of twisting and perverting the simplicity of the gospel into different rewards, two events and experiences for the men in the second and third harvests which teaches us God is a respecter of persons in direct contradiction to His Word. Lord willing we will continue to contend for the faith and the common salvation that comes alike to all men in the times appointed by the Father.

Jud 1:3  Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. 

Ecc 9:2  All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked ….

The words of the Lord, all of them remain Spirit [Joh 6:63].  The prophecies about the end of the age and making of a new heaven and new earth are always speaking or spiritual events [is, was and is to come] that take place in the kingdom of God [be it in iinward heaven or the earth] within every man.  Carnal disciples did not understand then and many do not understand to this day.

Mat 24:3  And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world [G165 – AION or AGE is the proper rendering rather than the word world] 

2Pe 3:13  Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth [G1093 = the inner earth that is the KOG, not the outward kosmos or world], wherein dwelleth righteousness

The Lord and the Apostles answered the question regarding the end of the age, which speaks to the end of our carnal mindset and life to every man in the day of the Lord for each.  That is how spiritual words of prophecy and the coming of Christ to set up His inward kingdom in your mind [His throne] is speaking about.  Here is just a partial list of the common signs of the end of the age and the Lord’s coming spoken in many OT and NT books in the Scriptures.

  • Wars
  • Drought and Famine
  • Earthquakes and disasters
  • Disease/epidemics
  • The rise of “the” Antichrist
  • Gospel preached to all the world
  • Persecution of Christians
  • Armies surrounding Jerusalem
  • New Temple Built with the abomination of desolation
  • Great tribulation on all the earth

Everyone reads these signs and immediately our carnal mind will have us looking outside and watching the news to figure out where we are in the Lord’s timeline and when is His outward return to physical earth.  But that was never the purpose or intention of the words of Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21; as those words speak about the Lord coming and appearing to His people within them.  We need to remove the outward future application of “is, was and is to come” into the dust bin of our former carnal thinking.

The Lord has truly confounded the wisdom of the wise of this world, keeping them all in spiritual darkness by working all things, even outward events for His purposes.  His purposes in this age is to blind everyone except those He has chosen for salvation in this age.

Rom 11:7  What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded 

Rom 11:8  (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day. 

Without the God-given abilities of hearing and seeing in the Spirit [Pro 20:12, Exo 4:11, Mat 13:10], the outward events in the outward world and the Scriptures themselves written in parables and dark sayings [Psa 78:1] will deceive all but the precious few the Lord is moving on to salvation in every generation.

1Co 2:7  But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: 

1Co 2:8  Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 

1Co 2:9  But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 

Looking out there into the world and reading down the prior list of signs, it certainly seems like the end of the world is at hand.  Yet those signs have always been present in the outward world.  Physical wars, diseases, calamities, earthquakes, even the persecution of professing Christians, has always been present on the planet and across the diverse civilization of mankind.  The gospel has long ago been outwardly preached to the ends of the outward earth even the hidden tribes in the Amazon jungle and remote Pacific islands.  The whole deception of physical Israel continues to mesmerize and hold Orthodoxy [i.e. Babylon] in great darkness to this day.

History tells us many professing men of God, all were deceived in the same way we once were and saw these outward signs and the ungodly environment as proof of the end of the world as we know it.  But as the sum of the Word tells us, our eyes and focus are not to be out there on the affairs of the world that are a distraction.  The Lord’s purpose is to keep the whole world in spiritual darkness waiting for their appointed time of His coming with the true light WITHIN THEM.

Mat 6:23  But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! 

Our understanding grows as we endure judgment and we see that all those signs written in Spirit have been manifesting in our inward earth and heaven where the Lord is making a new vessel complete with a new heaven and a new earth.

Rev 21:1  And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. [flesh, carnal mind]

2Pe 3:10  But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. 

2Pe 3:13  Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. 

There will be a future application of the words of God until the last man goes through judgment and is remade.  Until that time, Christ has not come to every man.  Every man in His appointed times will have Christ come to them and begin the process of remaking His Temple within them.  That is when those men will live out and fulfill those Scriptures and when these signs and the end of the age will begin to be seen INWARDLY.  Judgment will have then fallen upon the Lord’s house in those so chosen of God for salvation.  The Lord is already come and continues to come in the hearts and minds of His people in the day of His Second Coming to every man.

Mat 24:29  Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: 

Mat 24:30  And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth [G1093 – inward land/earth] mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

Christ’s coming is always speaking of Him coming into His Kingdom which is the same as His appearing in the hearts and minds of those being saved.  It is the grace of God that is saving us and that grace is the favor given to those He loves in all generations and times [is, was and will be] when He appears within them.

Tit 2:11  For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 

Tit 2:12  Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 

Tit 2:13  Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing [WITHIN] of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 

The appearing of Christ and His chastening grace will bring much suffering and affliction within us as the gospel is preached to the dead nations and Gentiles within us.  Knowing the truth and standing on the promises of God will have us endure to the end of our inward world [AION – G165] and be saved in this age Lord willing.

2Ti 1:8  Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; 

2Ti 1:9  Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, 

2Ti 1:10  But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death [carnal mindedness, sin], and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:

 We are blessed to know and to see these truths [Mat 13:17].  Lord willing we will endure our suffering and afflictions with thanksgiving and pray that He hastens His coming to our earth and finishes the good work He started within us.  We are hastening to the coming of Christ within us as we embrace and receive with thanksgiving the joy of the cross as the signs of the end are made manifest within us.

Rev 22:20  He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

Rev 22:21  The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. 

 

This study was extended into the next:  Christ’s Coming Fulfills the Promise of God

 

Sincere questions and comments always welcome.  You can also email me directly at peterjwilson56@gmail.com

 

 

Studies

Reaping Death, a Trial of Our Faith

Pete

For Our Admonition Part 7

“Reaping Death, a Trial of Our Faith”

Key Verses:  2Ki 4:18 – 4:28

We now continue with the events regarding the Shunammite woman (Click Here for earlier study).  This is the second mention in the Bible of death that will be followed by a resurrection to life. We will cover the death portion of the story and the mother’s response in seeking out Elisha this week and the details of the boy’s resurrection in our next study. There are multiple facets to the story with multiple characters and many spiritual lessons that all have applications to our life and our walk with God (1Co 3:21).

2Ki 4:18  And when the child was grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father to the reapers. 

2Ki 4:19  And he said unto his father, My head, my head. And he said to a lad, Carry him to his mother. 

2Ki 4:20  And when he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died. 

2Ki 4:21  And she went up, and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door upon him, and went out. 

2Ki 4:22  And she called unto her husband, and said, Send me, I pray thee, one of the young men, and one of the asses, that I may run to the man of God, and come again. 

2Ki 4:23  And he said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him today? it is neither new moon, nor sabbath. And she said, It shall be well. 

2Ki 4:24  Then she saddled an ass, and said to her servant, Drive, and go forward; slack not thy riding for me, except I bid thee. 

2Ki 4:25  So she went and came unto the man of God to mount Carmel. And it came to pass, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to Gehazi his servant, Behold, yonder is that Shunammite: 

2Ki 4:26  Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well. 

2Ki 4:27  And when she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught him by the feet: but Gehazi came near to thrust her away. And the man of God said, Let her alone; for her soul is vexed within her: and the LORD hath hid it from me, and hath not told me. 

2Ki 4:28  Then she said, Did I desire a son of my lord? did I not say, Do not deceive me? 

This parable (Hos 12:10) is about a young one in the faith, one that has not yet been given dominion to die to this world and instead is overcome and dies spiritually.  This is all of us in our time.  Dominion over sin only comes by and follows our first being slain and overcome.  Thus, the first half of our witness for Christ ends in the wrong kind of death.

Rev 11:7  When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them.

The glorification of Christ in us requires that we first die, yet there are two aspects, the positive and the negative side of spiritual death (Heb 4:11).  First, we die spiritually and our overcome by sin and secondly as we are judged we are given the ability to rise up, overcome and begin to die to the lusts of the flesh.  Before we can reap the spiritual blessing of death to the flesh, we reap the wages of our sin (anything not of faith).

Rom 6:23  For the wages of sin is death (spiritual death – negative type); but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The bearing of fruit unto eternal life requires Christ to come again for judgment bringing the fire to chasten us and quicken us by grace poured out through our faith.

Tit 2:11  For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,

Tit 2:12  teaching (chastening) us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age,

As the Israel of God, our reaping of death via our sins gives Christ the occasion to come cleanse His Temple (1Co 3:16) and glorify His Name within us (Eze 36:23).  Christ (Elisha) returns a second time after we spiritually die to bring salvation from our sins.

Heb 9:27  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 

Heb 9:28  So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

Only then can we begin to die in the Lord, losing our life to this world and bearing the peaceable fruit of righteousness (Heb 12:11, Rev 14:13).  The Lord wastes nothing even using our evil for good in bringing salvation and teaching us righteousness (Jer 2:19).

Luk 5:31  … They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.

Luk 5:32  I came not to call the righteous, but (DEAD) sinners to repentance

Rom 7:5  For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.

The son is the woman’s offspring of her faith or said another way the renewing mindset growing within us (aka the new man).  The son comes to us by the prophesy of the Lord’s priests and prophets, in this case Elisha, a type of Christ, and representation of the Body of Christ in every age.  Faith comes by hearing (Rom 10:17) the Word spoken by God’s Elect that imparts faith to those prepared to hear those words.

2Co 3:6  Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. 

The child grew meaning the child matured spiritually and that led to an appointed day where the Lord begins seeking the occasion to come again to mature us even more.  He does this by causing us to err from His ways (Isa 63:17, Jdg 14:14) to reap the wages of  sin that lies hidden in our fleshly members.

Eph 2:2  Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

Eph 2:3  Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

The reaping of the Lord’s harvest comes at the end of the age (Greek word -AION) of us being carnally minded.  The angels of the Lord are the reapers meaning the Body of Christ which is the fire by which the man is harvested, and the old man is, was and will be destroyed.  Christ tells of this mystery in the explanation of the wheat and the tares.

Mat 13:40  As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.

Mat 13:41  The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;

Mat 13:42  And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

We go out to this harvest with our “father” to the reapers.  The father in this parable and the woman’s husband is a representation of our old man (2Ki 4:14) that is tied to the law of the Gentiles (Rom 2:15).  This is whom we serve in our belief system that it is by our own works of the flesh by which we are saved.  Before we are given the mind of Christ (a spiritual mind) through the gift of God, we, are of the mindset of our father, the devil and naturally at enmity with the ways of the Lord (Gen 3:15, Joh 8:44).  This mindset has us eating and drinking unworthily reaping the resulting sickness and death.

1Co 11:29  For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.

1Co 11:30  For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep.

Spiritually speaking, sleeping is the same as death.  Christ must come wake us out of our sleep (Eph 5:14) and He does this by the brightness of His coming.  When Christ comes again, unlike the first time He comes (Rev 13:3), there will not be any healing of the head wound.  The old mindset and head of our father the devil will be no more when we rise.

Php 1:6  Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

Nah 3:19  …. There is no healing of thy bruise; thy wound is grievous …

The Word we so eagerly embrace and begin eating turns bitter to our fleshly way of life (Rev 10:9), by shining light onto our sins.

Rom 7:22  For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:

Rom 7:23  But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

The son of faith is placed upon the knees of his mother where he dies at noon which is the brightest part of the day.  There is great significance in these symbols.  Knees are the largest joint in the body and in the physical are essential in our movement and stability.   When we apply knees spiritually (Rom 1:20) we can see they represent sound doctrine.  The knees of the church, the mother of Christ, is pure doctrine that supports and guides our walk on the narrow way.

Luk 8:21  And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it.

We come to see our state of spiritual death only when we abide in the bright light (noon day) that is Jesus Christ through our fellowship and interaction with His Christ.

Rev 14:9  And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,

Rev 14:10  The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: 

The hour is come for Christ to be glorified (in type and shadow) in this child of faith. 

2Ki 4:21  And she went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, shut the door upon him, and went out. 

2Ki 4:22  Then she called to her husband, and said, “Please send me one of the young men and one of the donkeys, that I may run to the man of God and come back.” 

2Ki 4:23  So he said, “Why are you going to him today? It is neither the New Moon nor the Sabbath.” And she said, “It is well.” 

2Ki 4:24  Then she saddled a donkey, and said to her servant, “Drive, and go forward; do not slacken the pace for me unless I tell you.” 

2Ki 4:25  And so she departed, and went to the man of God at Mount Carmel. So it was, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to his servant Gehazi, “Look, the Shunammite woman! 

 

The mother’s response is our correct response when our spiritual son falls into great trial and is sick and overcome in trespasses.  When we see ourselves as chief of sinners in need of repentance, we are told to run to the mountains that are “The Christ” casting all our care upon Him (1Pe 5:6, Psa 11:1).

Mat 24:15  When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)

Mat 24:16  Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: 

Laying our son on the prophet’s bed in the upper room of the house is symbolism for us trusting in the Lord and His promises to raise up the dead.  This is resting from our own works and call upon the elders and those in the church for help.

Jas 5:14  Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:

Jas 5:15  And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

It takes eating a lot of strong meat (bearing trials and chastening) to become mature (Heb 5:13) in the faith.  While we have faith, our faith is initially weak until it is tried in the fire where we buy the true spiritual gold (learn righteousness).

Rev 3:18  I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.

Yet we fail first and call upon our “old” husband and lean back on our own carnal understanding.  The mindset of our old man will resist the mind of the Spirit (Rom 8:7) and questions why we would go to the Lord and expose our sins and faults.  Yet that is how we are healed and raised back to life.

Jas 5:16  Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much

The mindset of being under the carnal law (the husband) has us going to Christ only on prescribed days (Sunday, new moons and sabbath’s) when an offering to God was commanded (Num 28:11).  The Lord is not pleased with are rituals and Babylonian sacrifices, He wants our whole heart (Mat 22:37) and gets it by putting us through these trials of life and death.

1Pe 1:7  NLT These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.

Rev 13:10  He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. 

Saddling [H2280] a donkey and riding to Elisha symbolizes us being bound [H2280] to our yet carnal and immature stage of our faith but where we are being humbled and coming to Christ lowly.

Zec 9:9  Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.

A donkey or an ass is the perfect symbolism for our spiritual condition when we first come to The Christ.  We, as Christ, come riding our beast albeit one that is being humbled by trials and seeing the wages of our sin.  The scepter of the Word is bringing judgment as Christ (Shiloh) is come to the woman and her son and they are being saved and redeemed by judgment.

Gen 49:10  NKJV The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes; And to Him shall be the obedience of the people.

Gen 49:11  Binding his donkey to the vine, And his donkey’s colt to the choice vine, He washed his garments in wine, And his clothes in the blood of grapes.

The woman has many things right in coming to Elisha and laying her son on the prophet’s bed, yet she has to learn to glory in her tribulations.  Such is our learning process, as we doubt because the cost of our discipleship (everything) is coming due.

Luk 14:33  So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

It takes much experience of evil (Ecc 1:13) and most importantly our failure to learn this.

Rom 5:3  And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

Rom 5:4  And patience, experience; and experience, hope:

Elisha sees the woman coming and sends Gehazi his servant to aid and comfort her.

2Ki 4:26  (Gehazi) Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well. 

2Ki 4:27  And when she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught him by the feet: but Gehazi came near to thrust her away. And the man of God said, Let her alone; for her soul is vexed within her: and the LORD hath hid it from me, and hath not told me. 

2Ki 4:28  Then she said, Did I desire a son of my lord? did I not say, Do not deceive me? 

The word Shalom is the Hebrew word for peace and what is translated as “Well” in this story as the woman’s answers questions about her wellbeing.  This is the second time we see the woman claiming peace (it is well) in her life and life of her family when there is no such thing.

Jer 6:14  They have also healed the hurt of My people slightly, Saying, ‘Peace, peace!’ When there is no peace.

Our Babylonian pride, learned over 70 symbolic years, does not allow us to disclose our faults and expose our nakedness to others.  Like Adam and Eve, we will seek to cover ourselves with the works of our hands not truly believing the Lord sees all and works all things.  In the presence of Christ all are being revealed in due time.

1Co 4:5  Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God

We don’t easily admit that our faith has been overcome by sin and we are bearing the fruit of death.  We seek to hide this, but the Lord sees our heart, and nothing can be hid when we come into His presence.

Luk 8:17  For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.

We have not yet reviewed the other main player in this story who is Gehazi.  Gehazi represents a spirit of disobedience and gainsaying that is the conflict between the ways of God and the flesh.  The name Gehazi comes from two words H1516 and H2372 and means “valley of perception/vision”.  But a low point of vision represents an obscured view of truth where we seek to serve two masters.

Mat 6:23  But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!

Mat 6:24  No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. 

The lessons in this story are as much about Gehazi failures and his (our) ineptitude as it is about the actions of the woman whose faith is being severely tried.  Gehazi will soon be exposed for his spiritual impotence caught between the spirit and the flesh and faith vs. unbelief.  Gehazi is outwardly godly and religious, yet inwardly is a gainsayer and lover of pleasure (2T 3:1-3:5).  Gehazi cannot perform the greater works as he tries to serve two masters.  Gehazi is unable to raise the dead child later in this story (2Ki 4:31) and we learn from the story of the healing of Naaman, Gehazi’s true spiritual condition.

2Ki 5:20  But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, as the LORD liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him.

Elisha confronts Gehazi on his sin and the problem is clearly identified.

2Ki 5:27  The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee (Gehazi), and unto thy seed forever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.

Gehazi is our mixed multitude state of being lukewarm trying to save our old life as well as gain the new.  Here in this story we see Gehazi commit another error by hindering those weak and struggling in coming to Elisha (Christ).  When the young in the faith struggle, those that are stronger are to bear their weaknesses and infirmities but by no means hinder anyone or every dissuade anyone from coming to Christ and casting all our care upon Him.  The unconverted disciples make the same mistake and we make the same mistake inwardly hindering the weak and the immature (the young) from coming to Christ (Elisha).

Mat 19:13  Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them.

Mat 19:14  But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

Rom 15:1  We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

We are to be patient and gentle with the weak, inwardly and outwardly, knowing everyone is exactly where they are written in the Lord’s Book from the beginning (Psa 139:16, Isa 46:10, Act 17:26).

The strong are to minister to the weak and needy; but do it only in a gentle and peaceable way (Gal 6:1).  The fact Elisha puts up with a “weak in the faith” Gehazi (within ourselves and without) proves his obedience to these commands.

2Ti 2:24  And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,

2Ti 2:25  In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;

Our preventing babes from coming to Christ and laying at His feet is much displeased by the Lord and a sign and a reason for us to examine ourselves.

Mar 10:14  But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.

We are guaranteed fiery trials to try our faith (1Pe 4:13).  None of disciples which are His Elect asked to be elected nor did we count the cost before accepting.  When the heavy trials come, we cry out to Christ not wanting to be deceived anymore and reminding the Lord what He already knows.

Joh 15:16  Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you….

Rom 10:20  But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me

We are always reminded that the Lord works all things, even the failings and shortcoming in our walk and it is through failure we learn to do it the right way.  It reminds me of the old saying about Thomas Edison, the inventor of the lightbulb.  He did not first invent the lightbulb, he first discovered 10,000 ways not to make a lightbulb.

Pro 24:16  For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.

Next study Lord willing, we will finish this parable and look at the intimate details of what Christ (Elisha) does to revive us and how we are being brought back to life and given back to our spiritual mother.  We will begin with the failed efforts of Gehazi to first revive the child and later see Elisha enter in and perform the miracle of raising one to newness of  life.

2Ki 4:33  He (Elisha) went in therefore, shut the door behind the two of them, and prayed to the LORD.

2Ki 4:34  And he went up and lay on the child, and put his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands; and he stretched himself out on the child, and the flesh of the child became warm.

2Ki 4:35  He returned and walked back and forth in the house, and again went up and stretched himself out on him; then the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes.

Sincere questions and comments are always welcome.  You can also email me directly at peterjwilson56@gmail.com

A Servant of Jesus Christ,  Pete