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Spiritual Lessons on Fire and Wood Burning

Pete

“Spiritual Lessons on Fire and Wood Burning”

For the first time in my life, I have gotten much experience in buying and burning firewood.  It’s a good lesson and reminder for things we already have been given to know in the Spirit.   The major workings of the Lord are not seen with physical observation (Luk 17:20-21), yet they are revealed in His physical creation.  This is a major revelation once you are in the Truth and have your heavens opened to such a great understanding.

Rom 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the [physical] things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

Heb 11:3  Through faith we understand that the [physical] worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

Using the physical to ascertain things in the Spirit is a useful and needed tool for us to study the Scripture and grow in the knowledge of the Truth.   Our primary way of learning the deep things of God (assuming we have been given ears to hear and eyes to see) is comparing spiritual to spiritual across the Old and New Testaments (2Ti 3:16, 1Co 10:11, Hos 12:10)

1Co 2:12  Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

1Co 2:13  Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

Joh 6:63  It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words (the entire Bible) that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

One can take anything in the physical and outward world and with the mind of Christ, apply many spiritual truths and principles thus proving the macro truth of Romans 1:20. In this study, we are going to look at physical fire and apply its traits and characteristics in the physical to the truth of how the Lord works in the Spirit.  At a bare minimum, this study should help refute the lie of an eternal hell where God burns his own creation alive forever and without end.

What is Physical Fire? – Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material in a chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products (gases, ash, etc.)

This is interesting because it is the positive of spiritual fire that is the Word of God and that fire is making a quick work in making major changes within us that comes with much spiritual heat and light.

God’s Word is fire:  The fire is what is remaking us from a natural firstborn Adam into a son of God via the process of our judgment.

Jer 23:29  Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?

Jer 5:14  Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.

Rev 11:5  And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.

Having our old “natural” way of life burned up is not pleasant to our flesh and its desires, yet it is necessary for us to be saved and made partakers of His Holiness.

Psa 119:71  It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.

Mal 3:3  And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.

Heb 12:10  For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.

Men and our flesh are likened unto trees and wood in Scripture.  In the negative meaning (as the word is two edged – Heb 4:11), trees and wood symbolize our physical life and life of being carnally minded.  That is what God’s fire is making combustion within our day of judgment.

Jer 7:20  Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, mine anger and my fury shall be poured out upon this place, upon man, and upon beast, and upon the trees of the field, and upon the fruit of the ground; and it shall burn, and shall not be quenched.

Joe 1:19  O LORD, to thee will I cry: for the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness, and the flame hath burned all the trees of the field. 

Eternal hellfire along with the delusion of free will is one of the biggest lies of orthodox Christianity and the “other jesus” billions know and worship.  The Lord’s fire is what is saving us and burning up the wood that represents our flesh and carnality.

Mat 3:12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

Psa 89:46  How long, LORD? wilt thou hide thyself forever? shall thy wrath burn like fire?

Eze 5:4  Then take of them again, and cast them into the midst of the fire, and burn them in the fire; for thereof shall a fire come forth into all the house of Israel.

The question of how long is also answered in Scripture.  It takes as long as God has ordained for every man as our entire lives have been predetermined (Psa 139:16).  But we know the fire of judgment by the Word (Psa 19:9, Rev 1:3, Joh 12:48) will eventually go out when its work is finished and we have learned (been perfected) righteousness.

Pro 26:20  Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife (the fiery trial) ceaseth.

Isa 26:9  With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

Sodom and Gomorrah are not still literally burning in an eternal hell.  God’s spiritual fire worked its work and destroyed the sinfulness and the sinful city which is its purpose yet today in saving all men.

Gen 19:24 Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven;
Gen 19:25 And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities …..

What is needed for fire to combust?  Typically, physical fire comes from a chemical reaction between oxygen in the atmosphere and a fuel source (i.e. wood).  The presence of these things is not enough, as combustion requires a spark and a heating of the wood to its ignition temperature.  The heat needed to spark a fire can come from lots of different things for instance:  a match, focused light, friction, or even lightning.

The Spirit of God is the oxygen (the air, the wind) that fuels His Word and is sparked to life by the many wonderful works of God to His children.  The Lord who works all things (Eph 1:11) is the one who creates the sparks in our spiritual life and brings the trials that raise the temperature that burns up the wood and impure metals within us.

1Pe 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

1Pe 4:13  But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

Gen 1:3  And God said, Let there be light: and there was light (spiritual match)

Isa 63:17  O LORD, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our heart from thy fear? Return for thy servants’ sake, the tribes of thine inheritance (match)

Mat 24:27  For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

1Pe 1:7  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ (spiritual friction)

Burning wood creates smoke:  Smoke is a symptom of a burning fire and contains the trapped gases along with other organic matter.  These are pollutants which are then driven away by the physical or spiritual winds that are God’s judgment by the Word.

Hos 13:3  Therefore they shall be as the morning cloud, and as the early dew that passeth away, as the chaff that is driven with the whirlwind out of the floor, and as the smoke out of the chimney.

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:

Rev 14:11  And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

Little pieces of wood burn quicker and faster than big pieces:  A fuel’s size also affects how easily it will catch fire. A larger fuel, such as a thick tree, can absorb a lot of heat, so it takes a lot more energy to raise any particular piece to the ignition temperature. A toothpick catches fire more easily because it heats up very quickly. Chopping us up and burning our carnal mind results in fiery trials which come in all shapes and sizes according to what is needed.  In the same way, the Lord gives us stripes (judgment) according to the size of the log (sin and carnal-mindedness) needing to be devoured.

Luk 12:47  And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.

Luk 12:48  But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

The Lord starts us out dealing with the small stuff before He moves on to the big stuff needing to be burned up.

1Co 10:13  There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

The hardened parts of our wicked heart will take a hotter fire than the small sins.  The Lord truly knows how to deliver the new man (the godly) out of those temptations.

2Pe 2:9  The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

The harder the wood or the more of it, the hotter the fire:  Fire burns hotter when the wood is hard or there are lots of it.  Here in South Africa, the best wood for braii is arguably Namibia hardwood.  The Lord knows how to dial-up the heat in our lives accomplish His work in us by fiery grace.  Our hardened rebellious hearts take a hot fire to burn the “I, me and my” out of us.

Rom 2:5  But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;

Eze 24:9  Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the bloody city! I will even make the pile for fire great.

Eze 24:10  Heap on wood, kindle the fire, consume the flesh, and spice it well, and let the bones be burned.

Softer wood burns easy and quickly and there are some issues the Lord works that require much less heat and anguish than others to purify our heavens and our earth.

Dry wood burns best and green wood is difficult to burn:  The Lord prepares us to be burned in His fire by drying us up of good works and draining us of confidence in our flesh.  The Lord promised there would always be seasons on the earth (Gen 8:22) that are used to prepare the wood for further chastening.  The best wood is seasoned wood that has been prepared and dried out waiting it’s time to be burned in a fireplace or a stove.

2Pe 3:7  But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

 Jud 1:6  And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.

Jud 1:7  Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

Truly wet wood will not burn:  Two different perspectives I will mention on this criteria as there are always two sides to the Word, it being a double-edged sword.  In the negative sense, water or wetness is associated with the flesh and our walking by that mindset.  When we are still wet with that mindset, we have not been prepared for judgment and the Word of God is not yet burning up our old man and we remain carnal beasts.

On the other hand, when we are full of the Spirit, drenched in God’s rain which is His doctrines the fire does not harm us.  Those raised in the first harvest of men (the second harvest of the three) will be the completed new man and have the fullness of the Spirit and hence there is nothing left to be hurt by the Lake of Fire has already been through that in this age.

Rev 2:11  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

The new man who stands on faith abides in the fire and is never hurt.

Dan 3:24  Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king.

Dan 3:25  He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.

Fire generates heat which warms us physically and also warms us up spiritually and helps get us through the non-fruit producing seasons of life.

2Ti 4:2  Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

Rom 15:4  For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

Fire generates light in times of darkness to show us the path and bring others that need help to us.

Psa 119:105  Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

Mat 5:14  Ye (My disciples, the Body of Christ) are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

Heb 1:7  And of the angels (messengers) he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.

Flame color indicates relative temperature: Generally speaking blue and white flames are the hottest which ties wonderfully to the symbolism of colors in Scripture.   Blue symbolizes the things of God and the goal of our going through the fiery process now and in turn becoming a fire to save others.

Isa 10:17  And the light of Israel shall be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame: and it shall burn and devour his thorns and his briers in one day(the day of the Lord)

When the fire is truly intense there will be blue flames present.  In the same vein, the goals of achieving the righteousness of Christ (white linen) is only found in the fire of judgment with white also being an indicator of a very hot flame.

Rev 3:18  I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

Rev 19:8  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

More air equals a faster burning and hotter fire:  A poorly burning fire is usually solved quickly by giving it more air (oxygen).  Our measure of faith (Rom 12:3) and infilling with the Spirit of God is all of the Lord’s determination. Only the Lord had the fullness of the Spirit in a clay body (Joh 3:34).  Yet we can look forward to growing in our anointing as we mature abiding in the Holy City (The Body of Christ) waiting for the fullness to come (Rom 8:23).

Luk 24:49  And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

2Ti 2:15  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

We should welcome the fire and seek it knowing it is what hastens the coming of the Lord within us more each day Lord willing (2Pe 3:11-13).

2Pe 3:11  Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
2Pe 3:12  Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

To keep our fires burning and grow in the power of God, we need spiritual air to tap into the power the Lord has given to His Christ (Joh 20:21)

Mat 28:18  And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

A fire goes out when the wood is consumed:  The fire of God is used for good to remake us into sons of God.  Our God and Heavenly Father is inseparable from His Word which is consuming our wood (carnal mindedness) more each and every day

Heb 12:29  For our God is a consuming fire.

The wood won’t be gone fully until the clay vessels are gone. Hence we persevere.

Pro 26:20  Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife (the fiery trial) ceaseth.

The priests of God in the making (Rev 5:10); we are the bearers of the Lord’s fire and work to keep that fire burning always in the temple of God which temple each we are.

1Co 3:16  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

It is the Lord’s temple that the altar resides and where His fire will be forever burning.  It has nothing to do with the lie of eternal hell.

Lev 6:12  And the fire upon the altar shall be burning in it; it shall not be put out: and the priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and lay the burnt offering in order upon it; and he shall burn thereon the fat of the peace offerings.

Lev 6:13  The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out.

The residue of a wood fire is ash: Ash is a very fine dust particle that has many good uses.  Physical ash is an unburnable mineral that is very useful in fertilizing gardens, trees and promoting new life.  Interesting that ash is also used in making soaps that clean and purify us, controlling foul odors (landfills), and even deter and kill insects.  All of this has great spiritual significance when we apply Romans 1:20 to what the Lord is doing with us in this age where judgment is now fallen (1Pe 4:17).

Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice (losing your life), holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Mat 21:44  And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

Gen 22:7  And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?

I have even learned the hard way that ash retains its heat for a long time which in the Spirit is very positive in our ability to minister and help others when we are humble and our selfish lives have been burned up.

It is after our life is sacrificed, the wood has been burned that we are given new garment that is white as the ashes of wood burned in the fire.

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

Fire is made up of many burning pieces of wood:  It is difficult to light and keep burning a single piece of wood.  But if one puts multiple pieces in building his fire, the fire will burn much longer and more consistently.  This brings to mind the truth that the Body of Christ is being made into a spiritual fire right now in this age as the first to be judged.

Zec 12:6  In that day will I make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem.

The cloud of many witnesses (Heb 12:1) and the infolding fire are one in the same description and vision of the Elect (Body of Christ) who are being made into saviours.

Eze 1:4  And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire.

Oba 1:18  And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall kindle in them, and devour them; and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau; for the LORD hath spoken it.

As we come thru the fire, we become saviours who in turn will help save others including all mankind in the lake of fire.

Oba 1:21  And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD’S.

It is the Body of Christ who will be the lake of fire at the White Throne Judgment.

1Co 6:2  Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?

We saw just some of the attributes of physical fire and how that reveals how the Lord is working things in the Spirit. One could take virtually anything in the physical world and deduce much about the ways of the Spirit.  But they are going to need to be prepared of the Lord, we cannot give the gift.

Pro 20:12  The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them.

I hope this study stirs your memory and recollection of these spiritual truths.  As winter comes to those in the northern hemisphere, making a fire and watching the wood burn can become a time of reflection and examination of ourselves and all the good works the Lord is doing to the children of men.

Isa 66:15  For, behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.

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:

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

Studies

Pursuing After the Midianites

Pete

For Our Admonition Part 18

“Pursuing After the Midianites”

Key Verses:  Jdg 7:16 – 7:25

The judgment of the nations and deliverance of Israel which are one and the same process commences as Gideon, as a type of God’s elect, has overcome his (our) unbelief and begins judging that which exalts itself against the Lord.  Gideon is now leading Israel by example in overcoming and putting to flight the Midianites.  Remember this is all happening in the Kingdom of God within us and these stories are here to edify and admonish us into action in waging warfare against our carnal mind and the strife and contention, the meaning of Midian, that arises from such thoughts.

Jdg 7:16  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. 

Jdg 7:17  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. 

Jdg 7:18  When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon. 

Jdg 7:19  So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in their hands. 

Jdg 7:20  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 the LORD, and of Gideon. 

Gideon is now boldly leading by the example of Christ.  That is what priests and servants do in helping others and showing them the more excellent way.

1Co 11:1  Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.

Following Christ means obeying Christ (Luk 6:46) which is the love of God (1Jo 5:3) and the more excellent way that Paul devoted an entire chapter on which ends with this admonition.

1Co 13:13  And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love (Obedience to the commands).

The elect of God are the army of the Lord, who “is, was and will be” bringing judgment to the nations within and without in the appointed times.  The symbolism of the little flock (Luk 12:32) of 300 men signifies the process by which all men will be brought to “spiritual completion” aka maturity.

There are many ways mathematically to get to 300, yet all of them involve the judgment process (3), chastening grace (symbolized by 5) and the perfection of our flesh (symbolized by 10) with the witness (2) of God’s Elect.  Some examples:

  • 3 x 10 x 10 = 300
  • 6 x 10 x 5 = 300
  • 2 x 3 x 5 x 10 = 300
  • 5 x 2 x 3 x 10 = 300
  • 4 x 5 x 5 x 3 = 300 (double blessing of grace!)

The heathen nations of the east (our immaturity) represent our fleshly mindset and include the Midianites, the Ammonites, and the Amalekites, which cannot inherit the Kingdom of God.  This mindset and these nations within must be destroyed in fiery judgment as flesh cannot inherit the Kingdom (1Co 15:50).  Peace comes when the land is purged by our obedience and we reap the blessings of God.

Lev 26:6  And I will give peace in the land, and ye shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid: and I will rid evil beasts out of the land, neither shall the sword go through your land.

Lev 26:7  And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword.

Gideon’s (the Lord’s) army is divided into three groups and armed with trumpets and empty pitchers containing lights. It is through using these trumpets and our putting lights into empty pitchers that victory comes, and the land of Israel is delivered of its Midianite oppression.  All of these instruments and actions are highly symbolic that show us how to wage war against our own Midianites (1Pe 1:10-12).

Trumpets:  Trumpets signify judgment in the promise land (Jos 6:13) and are blown to warn of pending war.  They are blown by God’s elect (Zion) who are also His ministers and priests and angels/messengers (Rev 8:1-13)

Joe 2:1  Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants (Midianites) of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand;

Empty Pitchers: All men are likened unto clay jars or pitchers.  We are clay in the hands of the Potter (Isa 64:8) either holding water which is either positive (Word of God) or negative (lies and carnal thoughts – Midianites).  An empty pitcher with the light of Christ in it is spiritually a full pitcher but empty as it relates to trust and reliance upon flesh.  No flesh will glory in the presence of the Lord (1Co 1:29) so it takes pitchers emptied of the fleshly mindset to be viable for service in the fight of faith.  It is not by the might of our flesh but only by His Spirit (Zec 4:6) by which our deliverance or exaltation from sin and our carnal mindedness comes.

1Pe 5:6  Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

The Lord set the best example of emptying Himself to then be exalted by His Father.

Php 2:8  And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

Php 2:9  Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,

As He is, so are we in this world (1Jo 4:17) if we are His Elect.

Lam 4:2  The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!

The negative side of being empty speaks to us as being carnal men in marred vessels of clay full of vanity and deceit.  Such a pitcher cannot hold the water that is the Spirit of God and we are overrun by Babylonian lies and evil spirits (Jer 51:34).  It by being filled with the Spirit of God, having the Word dwelling within us, from whence we can contend with and conquer the spiritual enemies the Lord created and put into our own house to try our faith.  We begin to overcome and rule over these nations only as we are given the Spirit of Christ in sufficient measure (the morning star).

Rev 2:26  And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:

Rev 2:27  And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.

Rev 2:28  And I will give him the morning star.

Putting Light into these pitchers is the judgment of God coming to us as Christ, who is the Light of this world (Joh 8:12). This, in turn, makes us, God’s chosen sons, into the Light of the world (Mat 5:14) because as the Lord was sent, He also sends us as His Christ (Joh 20:21).

Heb 1:7  And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.

Zep 1:12  And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem (within you) with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees: that say in their heart, The LORD will not do good, neither will he do evil.

Broken Pitchers: 

When we are weak in the flesh, we are strong in the Spirit and that is who the Lord is using to defeat the Midianites.  The Lord breaks us of our will and our fleshly strength by many tribulations and then promises to use us mightily in Spirit.

2Co 12:7  And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

2Co 12:8  For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.

2Co 12:9  And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

2Co 12:10  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. 

Breaking these pitchers symbolizes us coming to life in the Spirit through death to our flesh (Joh 12:24).  The trumpets bring judgment which brings the Word that is Christ.   This revelation of Jesus Christ within us, comes little by little by the ongoing process of warfare that we are fighting on this walk of faith for the rest of our physical lives.

Psa 51:17  The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

 As we grow in faith, the fire (trials) gets hotter and more of our old man is burned up and Christ is revealed.

2Co 4:7  But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

2Co 4:8  We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;

2Co 4:9  Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;

2Co 4:10  Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

It was interesting that Gideon’s army (elect) only comes into our spiritual life in the middle watch of our witness for Christ.  The first half of our witness ends poorly as we are overcome by our sins, the Midianites and our beast.

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 Midianite wars speaks to the same spiritual war in how we are raised with Christ and then empowered by His Word and His Army to put fear into our inward enemies and overcome.

Rev 11:11  Now after the three-and-a-half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them.

Rev 11:12  And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them.

The instructions to yell “the sword of the Lord and of Gideon” after blowing the trumpets and breaking the pitchers symbolizes us identifying with Christ and claiming His Name.

Rom 10:9  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Rom 10:10  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Identifying with Christ, we tie our name to His Name.  We are coming in His Name with His Truths and doctrines.  It is the Lord’s sword, but that sword has now become our sword as we believe and act out our faith.

Mar 16:17  And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

Mar 16:18  They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

Col 3:17  And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

The entire army of 300 men doing this in unison signifies our oneness with the Lord.

1Co 1:10  Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. 

It is an ongoing process in fighting against the Midianites.  That is what makes it a war and a lifelong good fight of faith versus a one and done battle.  All of our inward enemies are to be destroyed leaving nothing alive or else we are being led astray from the narrow way.

Deu 20:16  But of the cities of these people, which the LORD thy God doth give thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth: 

Deu 20:17  But thou shalt utterly destroy them; namely, the Hittites, and the Amorites, the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee:

Deu 20:18  That they teach you not to do after all their abominations, which they have done unto their gods; so should ye sin against the LORD your God. 

The NT version of this law would be these:

1Co 5:7  Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:

1Co 5:8  Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Gal 5:24  And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 

It is by standing on faith in the spot the Lord puts us that our enemies flee from the land and our bondage to strife and contention cease.

Jdg 7:21  And they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the host ran, and cried, and fled.

This is the same as Paul’s admonition on how to wage the war.

Eph 6:13  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Eph 6:14  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

Standing in faith with the armor of God is blowing the trumpets and breaking the clay pitchers that begins the breaking up of the Midianite strongholds.

Jdg 7:22  NKJV When the three hundred blew the trumpets, the LORD set every man’s sword against his companion throughout the whole camp; and the army fled to Beth Acacia, toward Zererah, as far as the border of Abel Meholah, by Tabbath.

While the war may seem to be over with the initial dispersing of the Midianites, it is really just the beginning.  We must endure the war to the end to be saved  (Mat 24:13).  Putting our inward enemies to flight is a great beginning, yet they must be tracked down and pursued throughout the whole land.  There are many nooks and valleys for carnal thoughts to hide within us and they will all be rooted out and destroyed in due time.  As we shall see, there are two princes and two kings (Jdg 8:10) to be taken along with the fleeing Midianites.

A house divided is the Midianite house that cannot stand (Mat 12:25-26) in the day of the Lord and is being put to flight by the sword of the Lord.

1Co 3:3  For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

1Co 3:4  For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?

The Midianites who have as their father, the father of lies, being of the flesh, are turned one against another as Christ brings divisions within their ranks (Luk 12:51-52).  The Midianite host (army) is dispersed further into the Promised Land.   

Beth-Shittah, at Zererath (YLT/CLV):  BethShittah or BethAcacia means house of Shittim or House of Acacia, speaking of the name of the wood by the same name.  We know from the Awesome Hands studies #95 and #96 that Acacia wood is the common hardwood that Moses was commanded to build the Ark of the Covenant that is then covered in fine gold (the word of God). Such wood represents God’s elect who are the Ark in which the Word dwells and is carried to this very day.  Acacia wood is rooted in “those who run to and fro” with there being a positive and negative side of to and fro. Carnal thoughts have us reasoning going to and fro versus standing on the Word.

Eph 4:14  That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

To stop going “to and fro”, the army of God needs to go “to and fro” (i.e. Rev 5:6)  in the land seeking out and destroying all things that exalt themselves against the Truth.  Thus, the pursuit by Gideon of the princes and kings of the Midianites is so important to bringing lasting peace to the land.  Zererath represents the place where Solomon erected the metal foundries to make the many instruments to construct the first physical temple (1Ki 7:46).  It is within the elect, the House of Acacia wood, where the fiery furnace and refiners of metals are found to this very day (1Pe 4:13, Psa 12:7, Rev 3:18).

Mal 3:3  And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.

The second set of places where the Midianites fled also support this thought and need for ongoing pursuit and endurance.  Abel-Meholah (YLT/CLV) means “meadow of dancing” according to Strong’s dictionary and is where Elisha was born and commissioned into service by Elijah (1Ki 19:16).  Tabbath is only found this one time in the Scriptures with no defined roots and is said to mean “celebrated”.   Through Christ, the victory is ensured if we are given to pursue our enemies.

Psa 118:14  The LORD is my strength and song, and is become my salvation.

Psa 118:15  The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly.

We will always be at war with carnal thoughts and lusts of our flesh.  We must remain vigilant and pursue our enemies when we see them.  We are warned of becoming lazy.

Jas 1:14  But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

1Co 9:27  But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

All of Israel from the three tribes rejoins the pursuit after the 300 put the remaining remnant of the Midianites to flight.

Jdg 7:23  And the men of Israel gathered themselves together out of Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued after the Midianites. 

Jdg 7:24  And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim, saying, Come down against the Midianites, and take before them the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and took the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan. 

Naphtali and Asher were born of Jacob’s concubines (Bilhah and Zilpah).  Manasseh was the elder son of Joseph, who was not given the primary blessing by Jacob’s right hand.  That greater blessing was only to Ephraim, the younger, symbolizing the elect who would receive the double blessing spiritually (Gen 48:19) and bear fruit in heaven and the earth. Hence the meaning of the name of Ephraim being “double fruit” and for whom the rest of Israel (mankind) shall be broken off for our benefit (Rom 11:30).

Judges judge themselves and one another.  Sending messengers throughout all of Ephraim (the church) reminds us of this importance of the ongoing battle in our minds. Sending Ephraim to Bethbarah [H1012]  is sending us mentally to the place of guarding our gates which is the first line of defense of overcoming our enemies.   Bethbarah means “house of the ford”. A ford is crossing and entry point which spiritually symbolizes the men of Israel going there to guard their gates and entryways into their mind and heart.  As we covered in our first look into Judges (FOA Part 11), the Lord is purposeful in leaving enemies in the land to test and try our faith.  These fleshly and carnal thoughts are ever present within us to chasten and shape and mold us.  We are learning to keep watch and always be on guard.

Pro 4:23  Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

Luk 21:36  Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man

The more powerful lies and carnal minded strongholds are princes that must be destroyed for us to move onwards towards perfection and walk by faith.  The now gathered men of Ephraim bear some quick fruit in slaying Oreb And Zeeb.

Jdg 7:25  And they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and they slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the winepress of Zeeb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side Jordan. 

The names of these two princes are very significant.  Oreb means “raven” and Zeeb means “wolf”.  These two Princes represent our doctrines and deeds that are against Christ.   Oreb is what is in our heaven and Zeeb is what we walk out or do.  Both the heaven (Oreb – the bird) and the earth (Zeeb – the beast) must be cleansed.

H6159 – Oreb: “raven”, dusty and darkened, the evening. A Raven an unclean bird

A raven is an unclean bird, a false doctrine or lie that is flying in our mind (heavens) and clouding our spiritual vision and keeping us in bondage to strife and contention.

 H2061, Zeeb, From an unused root meaning to be yellow; a wolf: – wolf.

We are wolves when we are immature and lusting after significance in the congregation of Israel.  Yellow comes from the combination of red (Adam – Flesh) and green (representing new yet immature growth for God).  We are to beware of wolves in sheep’s clothing (Mat 7:15) beginning with ourselves.

2Co 13:5  Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

We learn a nugget on these two princes looking at their only other mention in Scripture.

Psa 83:11  Make their nobles like Oreb, and like Zeeb: yea, all their princes as Zebah, and as Zalmunna: (the two kings of Midian)

Psa 83:12  Who said, Let us take to ourselves the houses of God in possession.

These two princes of Midian represent our witness for Christ that is defiled by our lust for preeminence in the congregation.  Strife and contention are defined by gain-seeking and lack of contentment as we compare, measure and exalt ourselves against Christ and His Christ until the Lord in His mercy brings judgment upon those spirits and thoughts.  Ridding the land of these two princes is a double blessing that will manifest the double fruit (heavens and earth) of Ephraim.

Oreb is slain on a rock that represents, the rock and pillar of the Truth.  The rock of Christ slays the beast within us all.  Yet that beast is always there to rise back up and must be beheaded as was Goliath (1Sa 17:51) by the fiery sword of judgment (Rev 20:4).

Rev 17:8  The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is. 

That beheading, as we are learning more each day, only comes in the winepress of judgment, by the process as we live out all seven vials of wrath against our carnal and wicked ways of the old man (Rev 15:8).  These are still the two kings of the Midianites to be pursued and killed. We will look into that next time and grow in understanding of the daily battle we face in keeping the peace in the house of God.

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

 

Studies

The Floating Axe Head

Pete

The Floating Axe Head

Key Verses: 2Ki 6:1 – 6:7

The focus of this new series entitled “For Our Admonition” is to draw out the spiritual significance of key events, conquests and parables from the OT books of the judges and kings of Israel; specifically, Judges, 1st and 2nd Samuel, 1st and 2nd Kings and 1st and 2nd Chronicles.  Why are these events so important to understand?

1Co 10:11  Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

2Ti 3:16  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 

This series plans to exemplify the Bible “meaning what it means” rather than meaning what it literally says.  All these words are in parables, and written in similitudes, the Old and the New Testaments (Hos 12:10) to keep the world blind and only enable those blessed few given ears to hear and eyes to see and understand the mysteries of the kingdom of God (1Co 2:7, Rom 11:7).

Mat 13:13  Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 

It is not only the WORDS, but the very EVENTS themselves that are in parables and thus hidden from carnal eyes and ears to understand.

Mar 4:11  And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all things are done in parables:

We are reviewing history but not for the history lesson but instead for ministration of spiritual understanding which was the reason for these historical events.

1Pe 1:12  Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us (the Elect) they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you ……

We begin the series with a short story about a sunken and lost axe head.

2Ki 6:1  And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us. 

2Ki 6:2  Let us go, we pray thee, unto Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell. And he answered, Go ye. 

2Ki 6:3  And one said, Be content, I pray thee, and go with thy servants. And he answered, I will go. 

2Ki 6:4  So he went with them. And when they came to Jordan, they cut down wood. 

2Ki 6:5  But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed. 

2Ki 6:6  And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he shewed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither; and the iron did swim. 

2Ki 6:7  Therefore said he, Take it up to thee. And he put out his hand, and took it. 

Only the Lord can work miracles including causing an axe head, a piece of heavy iron, to rise to the surface of water and float.  This story is not about a physical miracle but instead is an admonition of how we, as the Lord’s Axe, will have us, the chief of sinners, to rise above fleshly lusts and overcome sin. These miracles are impossible with man but are nothing to the Lord who is working all things (Mat 19:26) as salvation is His work in all of us (Isa 64:8). Jesus Christ brings truth and grace which shall not fail to have us rise up in victory over sin.

Rom 6:14  For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

1Jn 5:4  For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

The first symbol we see are “the sons of the prophets” introduced in our first verse.  Sons are the offspring of their father and inwardly and outwardly represent the “kings and priests in training” (our fellow brothers and sisters).  Paul and his spiritual son Timothy are perhaps the best example of this (1Co 4:15-16).

Elisha and God’s elect are given to minister grace and bring onto maturity by feeding them the Word of the Lord (Joh 21:15, Eze 34:16).  All the Lord’s prophets in training complain that the way is too “strait” as we are first unable to bear the burden of carrying our cross, not yet understanding or counting the cost.

Hab 1:2  O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!

Luk 14:27  And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

Our complaints in our immaturity (weak in faith) speak to our inability to overcome our enemies who are the adversaries of our obedience (the flesh, the sea, the waters).  Seeing how the Hebrew word H6862 “tsar” is primarily used helps us to see this more clearly in these verses.

H6862, tsar

Total KJV Occurrences: 103

enemies, 26

adversaries, 21

trouble, 17

enemy, 9

adversary, 6

distress, 4

affliction, 3

strait, 3  – 2Ki_6:1

enemy’s, 2    foes, 2

We simply don’t have the faith at first to stand in the fire and take the heat of the Lord’s suffering (Phi, 1:29, Isa 48:10).  We are overcome by our flesh before we are being made into overcomers (Gen 49:19).  The promise made to a murderous Cain (all men) is that all mankind will rule over sin (Gen 4:7) in due time.  Overcoming is salvation and is accomplished by having our sins exposed and burned away in God’s consuming fire (Heb 12:29).

Rev 13:7  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.

Rev 17:14  These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

The sons of God, collectively are the church, the called-out ones (G1577 – Ekklesia) who are being led to separate themselves from their carnal enemies within and without.  Coming out of Babylon and separating ourselves from the world (abstaining from spiritual fornication) is a firm commandment of the Lord (Act 15:20, 2Co 6:16, Rev 18:4).  The people of the Lord are being of one mind and stay together in working out their salvation.

2Ki 6:2  Let us go, we pray thee, unto Jordan, and take thence every man a [one]  beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell. And he answered, Go ye. 

2Ki 6:3  And one said, Be content, I pray thee, and go with thy servants. And he answered, I will go. 

2Ki 6:4  So he went with them. And when they came to Jordan, they cut down wood.

We see the symbols of the Jordan, a beam and wood in these verses, leading up to the axe head being lost.  Comparing spiritual with spiritual the meaning is dug out by the Lord’s kings in training (Pro 25:2) using the sum of the word (ASV – Psa 119:160).

The name Jordan, referring to the River, comes from the Hebrew word H3381 meaning to descend and go downward.  The Jordan River symbolizes our baptism into Christ being a key part of the one baptism of Eph 4:5 as we are being led out of the world and made into a mature man in Christ.  The Jordan River in its negative use, represents an obstacle we must get beyond to enter into the promised land and cleans the land of its defiling giants.  The giants are the besetting sins, idols and false doctrines that becomes spiritual nourishment to the new man when we are able to pass over Jordan by faith in the Word.

Num 14:8  If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.

Num 14:9  Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not.

Every man taking “a” beam is the Lord’s people having “one” [H259] Mind.  A beam is what holds up a roof and in fact the Hebrew word H6982 is translated either as beam or as roof, in its only use in the Scriptures.  As the temple of God, our roof or beam relates back to our mindset which must be transformed.

Rom 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Php 2:2  Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 

The carnal mind is what keeps us from believing and this must be chopped away by the battle axe of the Lord.  Only then will we be able to engage with the Lord and His Christ in overcoming the giants in the land.

Rom 8:6  For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Rom 8:7  Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

Men are likened to trees in Scripture and the carnal mind is symbolized by the same wood that must be devoured by the Word of God we are so blessed to be able to hear now in this age.

Jer 5:14  Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.

Learning to walk by faith requires us to first walk by the works of the law and try to save ourselves by our own strength and initiative.  We cannot and will not get across the Jordan until we follow the priests of the Lord and stand still in the waters of Jordan.

Jos 3:3  And they commanded the people, saying, When ye see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place, and go after it.

Jos 3:8  And thou shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the water of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan. 

Chopping our beam of wood with an axe head that comes loose and SINKS into the river is symbolism for us saving ourselves by our own works.  The true circumcision is without hands (no iron tool is used) as salvation is solely of the Lord.

Col 2:11  In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:

Exo 20:25  And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it.

Living by every word God speaks (Mat 4:4, 1Co 3:21), we, are being ensured that our experience at failure is how we learn righteousness in the end (Isa 26:9, Tit 2:11).

2Ki 6:5  But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed

To learn to swim we first must sink into the waters and fail.  It is the same with overcoming sin When we do not have faith, we sink in the waters and are unable to rise above the flesh and a saviour is truly needed.

Psa 18:16  He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.

Psa 18:17  He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me.

Our faith is not our own, it is a gift (Eph 2:8, Jam 1:17) and is the faith OF Jesus Christ.

Eph 4:7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift

In that sense, the axe was borrowed, or as H7592 is more often translated, the axe was asked or requested of us to do the job.  Squandering our cherished gifts and being overcome and sinking into the waters brings torment (Rev 14:11) and suffering all in the presence of the Lamb and the saints of the Lord.  We are appointed to suffer (Phi 1:29) yet when we suffer for our lack of faith (i.e. unrighteousness) we are in in torment and are not happy.

1Pe 3:14  But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;

Our response to finding ourselves sunk into the waters of the Jordan, incapable of doing battle in the promised land is to seek help from Jesus Christ and specifically His Christ.

1Pe 5:5  Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble….

1Pe 5:7  Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

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.

We, are individually as God’s elect, an axe head who is on a wooden handle (carnal fleshly body) but have and are growing into the mind of Christ as we travail together.  The word for axe head is actually the word for iron.

H1270, barzel

Total KJV Occurrences: 77

iron, 73

head, 2  Deu_19:5, 2Ki_6:5

ax, 1 2Ki_6:5

smith, 1

The Lord’s people are the iron or head of the axe.  This is the one mind of Christ that we sharpen each other with and exercise our spiritual senses to gain dominion over the Lord’s enemies.

Pro 27:17  Iron [H1270] sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

Heb 5:14  But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

The negative side of iron is its representation of our carnality and immaturity before we are proven and remolded in the fire of judgment.  Iron in its unrefined state is rejected of the Lord and represents the works of the flesh.  But iron also has a positive side as it is used to squash all rebellion to the Lord’s ways and commandments.

The rod of iron is the mind of Jesus Christ, His Word, that is ruling in His elect.  As the Lord’s instruments of salvation, His prophets are the Lord’s battle Axe once being prepared for service. The carnal minds of all men and the heathen nations, within and without, are being smashed to pieces by the Lord’s battle exe.  Anything to do with our old man is destroyed by this axe.

Jer 51:20 Thou art my battle axe and weapons of war: for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms;

Jer 51:21 And with thee will I break in pieces the horse and his rider; and with thee will I break in pieces the chariot and his rider; ….

Jer 51:23  I will also break in pieces with thee the shepherd and his flock; and with thee will I break in pieces the husbandman and his yoke of oxen; and with thee will I break in pieces captains and rulers.

It those given to overcome that will be given to rule and tread on the rebellious world.

Rev 2:27  And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.

Rev 19:15  And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

Iron, in the positive, is also our trials and torment that come from the Word and our abiding in the heat and pressure of our day of the Lord.  The temple of the Lord is built with LOTS of iron which are the many tribulations by which we enter into Christ (Act 14:22).

1Ch 22:14  Now, behold, in my trouble I have prepared for the house of the LORD an hundred thousand talents of gold, and a thousand thousand talents of silver; and of brass and iron without weight; for it is in abundance  …

The axe head falling into the waters of the river Jordan is representative of us being overcome and snared in our initial service to the Lord.  We are learning the hard way to believe in the promises of Christ and there is always a way of escape for any temptation we are given (1Co 10:13). Those being justified by faith are building the Temple but without the use of any iron tool.  Jesus Christ is building His church (Mat 16:18) via His three-day process of judgment and He does not need any works of the flesh to help Him out (Act 17:25).

1Ki 6:7 And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building.

Yet we learn to build the house by first building in error and having the fire of the Lord burn those works up (1Co 3:13-15).  Turning to our brethren, casting our cares upon Christ is how we are being lifted up in our time of trials and need.

2Ki 6:6  And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he shewed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither; and the iron did swim. 

The word for stick here is the same word for tree and wood [H6086] as it is far often translated.  Cutting down a tree and casting it into the waters was seen earlier in Israel’s history when they had no faith and could not drink the bitter waters.

Exo 15:23  And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah….

Exo 15:25  And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them

Not being able to drink bitter waters is the same as sinking into the waters and being overcome.  In both cases it was due to our lack of faith or unbelief.  The solution the Lord’s prophet provided was the same then as it is today.  Christ is hung on a tree to die (Act 5:30) and so we are dying to self in order for the iron to rise in the living waters.  Cutting down our tree is dying daily with Christ.  It is the way we overcome the flesh and this world.

Rev 12:11  And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

1Jn 5:5  Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

Dying to the flesh makes the bitter waters sweet and in this parable, allows the axe head to rise and float on the surface of the river.  The axe head rising is Christ being resurrected within us, which happens when we count all things in the flesh as loss to win the higher prize.

Php 3:9  And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

Php 3:10  That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

The axe head floating to the top of the water is a parable on how it is possible for Jesus Christ (and us as His Christ – Joh 20:21) to walk on water which is symbolism for overcoming the flesh. We sink if we believe not in the Lord.  The elect of God is that axe head as part of the Body of Christ.  We are sinking at first until a prophet of the Lord, aka our fellow brethren, comes with rebuke/admonition/encouragement (fire, grace) that raises us up.

Mat 14:29  And he (Jesus) said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.

Mat 14:30  But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. 

Mat 14:31  And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

Our reasonable service is to lay down our lives for the brethren. This is another reason why it is better to give than to receive (Act 20:35) as giving our life is the greatest love (obedience) which yields the greatest blessings.  Our laying down our lives for the brethren as our Lord did for us, helps them to walk on water and be saved from their sins, a high calling indeed.

1Jn 3:16  Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

Joh 15:13  Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

Elisha showed (taught) the less mature son the secret to overcoming and rising above the waters.  We must die to self and to our flesh to be of useful service in the kingdom of God now and in the ages to come.

2Ki 6:7  Therefore said he, Take it up to thee. And he put out his hand, and took it. 

Picking up our axe head is taking up our cross and following the Lord learning from our past shortcomings and the examples of our elders and mature brethren.

1Co 11:1  Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.

Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Judgment by the Axe Head is already on the house of God (1Pe 4:17, Mat 3:10).   This is the fire that is correcting us and preparing us for our roles to come.

1Co 11:31  For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.

Being dead to sin and alive to Christ is what walking on water and standing upon the sea spiritually symbolizes.  Overcoming is accomplished with lots of heat and pressure hence the representation as a sea of glass!

Rev 15:2  And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.

The axe head story is a parable that reveals the process of how we are being made into overcomers and rise above the flesh.  Judgment is how all men are redeemed (Exo 6:6, Isa 1:27) and the sooner we embrace that, knowing it is God’s will to destroy our flesh and carnal minds, the sooner we will see the coming of the Lord within us in fuller glory.

2Pe 3:12  Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

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

This series will continue, Lord willing, in the weeks ahead in looking at many more of the stories and events in the books of the kings that were written to help us endure to the end.

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

A Servant in Christ,  Pete