The Many Journeys of the Soul
I. The wonderment of the Soul, pass it on
(my conversation with God and his Disciples.)
O my soul, my soul! I am pained in my very heart!
My heart makes a noise in me; I cannot hold my peace, because you have heard, O my soul, The sound of the trumpet, The alarm of war. For I am in trouble; Hear me speedily. And do not hide Your face from Your servant,
Draw near to my soul and redeem it; Deliver me because of my enemies. You know my reproach, my shame, and my dishonor.
And I am the song of the drunkards.
Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God.
The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any who understand, who seek God.
“For His eyes are on the ways of man, And He sees all his steps.
Come and hear, all you who fear God, And I will declare what He has done for my soul.
Both soul and body;
And the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh.
For I will not contend forever, nor will I always be angry; For the spirit would fail before Me, And the souls which I have made.
For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls.for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.’
But man dies and is laid away; Indeed, he breathes his last
And where is he?
The Lord has called Me from the womb; From the matrix of My mother He has made mention of My name.
“Lord, make me to know my end, And what is the measure of my days, That I may know how frail I am.
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“Man who is born of woman Is of few days and full of trouble. He gives them security, and they rely on it; Yet His eyes are on their ways. He rises up, but no man is sure of life.
Man is like a breath; His days are like a passing shadow. He comes forth like a flower and fades away; He flees like a shadow and does not continue. Since his days are determined, the number of his months is with You. You have appointed his limits, so that he cannot pass.
As water disappears from the sea, and a river becomes parched and dries up, so man lies down and does not rise. As drought and heat consume the snow waters, So the grave consumes those who have sinned.
For what is your life?
It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Surely every man walks about like a shadow; Surely, they busy themselves in vain. Whereas, you do not know what will happen tomorrow.
Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, And my age is as nothing before You; Certainly every man at his best state is but vapor. Selah
I am not at ease, nor am I quiet; I have no rest, for trouble comes.” Then You scare me with dreams and terrify me with visions, so that my soul chooses strangling and death rather than my body.
Listen, please, and let me speak; You said, ‘I will question you, and you shall answer Me.’
For our soul is bowed down to the dust, Our body clings to the ground.
Why have we afflicted our souls, and You take no notice?’
LORD, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill?
“Those who sanctify themselves and purify themselves, now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. For affliction does not come from the dust, nor does trouble spring from the ground.
No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.
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Man is like a breath; His days are like a passing shadow. He comes forth like a flower and fades away; He flees like a shadow and does not continue. Since his days are determined, the number of his months is with You. You have appointed his limits, so that he cannot pass.
As water disappears from the sea, and a river becomes parched and dries up, so man lies down and does not rise. As drought and heat consume the snow waters, So the grave consumes those who have sinned.
For what is your life?
It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Surely every man walks about like a shadow; Surely, they busy themselves in vain. Whereas, you do not know what will happen tomorrow.
Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, And my age is as nothing before You; Certainly every man at his best state is but vapor. Selah
I am not at ease, nor am I quiet; I have no rest, for trouble comes.” Then You scare me with dreams and terrify me with visions, so that my soul chooses strangling and death rather than my body.
Listen, please, and let me speak; You said, ‘I will question you, and you shall answer Me.’
For our soul is bowed down to the dust, Our body clings to the ground.
Why have we afflicted our souls, and You take no notice?’
LORD, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill?
“Those who sanctify themselves and purify themselves, now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. For affliction does not come from the dust, nor does trouble spring from the ground.
No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.
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For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now, our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.
Hear, my son, and be wise; And guide your heart in the Way.
The sower sows the Word. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the Word that was sown in their hearts.
Oh, that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!
To deliver you from the way of evil, From the man who speaks perverse things, from those who leave the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness; in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the Prince of the Power of the Air, the spirit who now works in the Sons of Disobedience, Who rejoice in doing evil, and delight in the perversity of the wicked; Whose ways are crooked, And who are devious in their paths; They do not know, nor do they understand; They walk about in darkness;
“For they are a nation void of counsel, Nor is there any understanding in them.
I awakened you under the apple tree. There your mother brought you forth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. “Look, the princes of Israel: each one has used his power to shed blood in you.
It is time for You to act, O Lord, for they have regarded Your law as void.
The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect, because the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression.
But righteousness delivers from death. Therefore, do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. Therefore, by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
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Hear, my son, and be wise; And guide your heart in the Way.
The sower sows the Word. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the Word that was sown in their hearts.
Oh, that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!
To deliver you from the way of evil, From the man who speaks perverse things, from those who leave the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness; in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the Prince of the Power of the Air, the spirit who now works in the Sons of Disobedience, Who rejoice in doing evil, and delight in the perversity of the wicked; Whose ways are crooked, And who are devious in their paths; They do not know, nor do they understand; They walk about in darkness;
“For they are a nation void of counsel, Nor is there any understanding in them.
I awakened you under the apple tree. There your mother brought you forth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. “Look, the princes of Israel: each one has used his power to shed blood in you.
It is time for You to act, O Lord, for they have regarded Your law as void.
The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect, because the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression.
But righteousness delivers from death. Therefore, do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. Therefore, by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
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Not only that, but we also who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.
Now therefore, make confession to the Lord God of your fathers, and do His will; separate yourselves from the peoples of the land, and from the pagan wives.” And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
But truly, as the Lord lives and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death.”
Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
“Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. He shall enter into peace; They shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness. They will not awake nor be roused from their sleep Till the heavens are no more, for as yet you have not come to the rest and the inheritance which the Lord your God is giving you. For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; Nor has He hidden His face from Him. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God.
for His seed remains in him.
My son, give me your heart, And let your eyes observe my ways. And apply your heart to understanding.
A sound heart is life to the body,
As in water face reflects face, So a man’s heart reveals the man. And thus, the secrets of his heart are revealed; For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light.
He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters.
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Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.
Now therefore, make confession to the Lord God of your fathers, and do His will; separate yourselves from the peoples of the land, and from the pagan wives.” And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
But truly, as the Lord lives and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death.”
Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
“Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. He shall enter into peace; They shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness. They will not awake nor be roused from their sleep Till the heavens are no more, for as yet you have not come to the rest and the inheritance which the Lord your God is giving you. For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; Nor has He hidden His face from Him. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God.
for His seed remains in him.
My son, give me your heart, And let your eyes observe my ways. And apply your heart to understanding.
A sound heart is life to the body,
As in water face reflects face, So a man’s heart reveals the man. And thus, the secrets of his heart are revealed; For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light.
He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters.
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And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.
The mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. about what would come to pass after this; and He who reveals secrets has made known to you what will be.
To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles:
Which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. But has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. Who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life. Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.
And this we will do if God permits.
He has aged my flesh and my skin and broken my bones. He has besieged me and surrounded me with bitterness and woe. He has set me in dark places Like the dead of long ago.
What man can live and not see death?
Can he deliver his life from the power of the grave? Selah
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Let my heart be blameless regarding Your statutes, That I may not be ashamed. For I know that You will bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all living. Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and uphold me by Your generous Spirit. For my days are consumed like smoke, and my bones are burned like a hearth.
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For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.
The mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. about what would come to pass after this; and He who reveals secrets has made known to you what will be.
To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles:
Which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. But has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. Who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life. Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.
And this we will do if God permits.
He has aged my flesh and my skin and broken my bones. He has besieged me and surrounded me with bitterness and woe. He has set me in dark places Like the dead of long ago.
What man can live and not see death?
Can he deliver his life from the power of the grave? Selah
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Let my heart be blameless regarding Your statutes, That I may not be ashamed. For I know that You will bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all living. Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and uphold me by Your generous Spirit. For my days are consumed like smoke, and my bones are burned like a hearth.
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Consider and hear me, O Lord my God; Enlighten my eyes, Lest I sleep the sleep of death; Make Your face shine upon Your servant and teach me Your statutes. Make me understand the way of Your precepts; So, shall I meditate on Your wonderful works.
My soul melts from heaviness; Strengthen me according to Your word. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength, and my Redeemer.
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart.
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.
Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; it is for purifying from sin.
The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, And strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
Apply your heart to instruction, And your ears to words of knowledge. Bind them continually upon your heart; Tie them around your neck. When you roam, they will lead you; When you sleep, they will keep you; And when you awake, they will speak with you.
He does not withdraw His eyes from the righteous; But they are on the throne with kings, For He has seated them forever, and they are exalted.
In the way of righteousness is life, and in its pathway, there is no death.
Oh, that I knew where I might find Him, That I might come to His seat! I would present my case before Him.
If you were pure and upright, surely now He would awake for you, And prosper your rightful dwelling place. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear.
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My soul melts from heaviness; Strengthen me according to Your word. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength, and my Redeemer.
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart.
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.
Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; it is for purifying from sin.
The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, And strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
Apply your heart to instruction, And your ears to words of knowledge. Bind them continually upon your heart; Tie them around your neck. When you roam, they will lead you; When you sleep, they will keep you; And when you awake, they will speak with you.
He does not withdraw His eyes from the righteous; But they are on the throne with kings, For He has seated them forever, and they are exalted.
In the way of righteousness is life, and in its pathway, there is no death.
Oh, that I knew where I might find Him, That I might come to His seat! I would present my case before Him.
If you were pure and upright, surely now He would awake for you, And prosper your rightful dwelling place. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear.
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Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? No one!
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me; in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.
And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. Therefore, He says:
“Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light.”
Awake, awake, sing a song!
And he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin. Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions.
Awake to righteousness, and do not sin.
For some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame. Do not let your heart envy sinners, but be zealous for the fear of the Lord all the day;
Why do You hide Your face, and forget our affliction and our oppression?
For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me.
How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever?
How long will You hide Your face from me?
Hide Your face from my sins, And blot out all my iniquities.
But He said, “You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live.”
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“The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light.
Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, and whom God has hedged in?
“Why is light given to him who is in misery, and life to the bitter of soul, who long for death, but it does not come, And search for it more than hidden treasures.
You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.
My eyes fail from searching Your word, Saying, “When will You comfort me?”
For I have become like a wineskin in smoke, Yet I do not forget Your statutes
In the light of the king’s face is life, In Him was life, and the life was the light of men, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him; Who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.
And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.
I sleep, but my heart is awake.
Arise for our help, And redeem us for Your mercies’ sake. Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am in trouble, My eye wastes away with grief, Yes, my soul and my body! For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing; My strength fails because of my iniquity, And my bones waste away.
You have set my feet in a wide place.
O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? My heart pants, my strength fails me; As for the light of my eyes, it also has gone from me.
For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, And He ponders all his paths
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Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, and whom God has hedged in?
“Why is light given to him who is in misery, and life to the bitter of soul, who long for death, but it does not come, And search for it more than hidden treasures.
You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.
My eyes fail from searching Your word, Saying, “When will You comfort me?”
For I have become like a wineskin in smoke, Yet I do not forget Your statutes
In the light of the king’s face is life, In Him was life, and the life was the light of men, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him; Who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.
And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.
I sleep, but my heart is awake.
Arise for our help, And redeem us for Your mercies’ sake. Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am in trouble, My eye wastes away with grief, Yes, my soul and my body! For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing; My strength fails because of my iniquity, And my bones waste away.
You have set my feet in a wide place.
O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? My heart pants, my strength fails me; As for the light of my eyes, it also has gone from me.
For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, And He ponders all his paths
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And do You open Your eyes on such a one, and bring me to judgment with Yourself?
The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who heeds counsel is wise. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect Will of God.
For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes. Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, But the Lord weighs the hearts. To do righteousness and justice Is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him. And a fool’s voice is known by his many words.
How long shall I take counsel in my soul, Having sorrow in my heart daily?
in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
A day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush, and to spread out sackcloth and ashes?
So, when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
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The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who heeds counsel is wise. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect Will of God.
For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes. Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, But the Lord weighs the hearts. To do righteousness and justice Is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him. And a fool’s voice is known by his many words.
How long shall I take counsel in my soul, Having sorrow in my heart daily?
in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
A day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush, and to spread out sackcloth and ashes?
So, when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
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And He said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”
For surely there is a hereafter, and your hope will not be cut off.And those who remain shall hear and fear, and hereafter they shall not again commit such evil among you.
So the Light of Israel will be for a fire, And his Holy One for a flame;
The entrance of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple. And your judgments are like light that goes forth. There is no darkness nor shadow of death Where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves. He uncovers deep things out of darkness, And brings the shadow of death to light.
Also, it is not good for a soul to be without knowledge, You asked, ‘Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?’
From you comes forth one Who plots evil against the Lord, A wicked counselor. The words of a talebearer are like tasty trifles, and they go down into the inmost body. The righteous eats to the satisfying of his soul, But the stomach of the wicked shall be in want.
“Though evil is sweet in his mouth, and he hides it under his tongue, You shall perish among the nations, and the land of your enemies shall eat you up. A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself;
The simple pass on and are punished.
but I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil.
Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.”
And lift up your voice for understanding,
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For surely there is a hereafter, and your hope will not be cut off.And those who remain shall hear and fear, and hereafter they shall not again commit such evil among you.
So the Light of Israel will be for a fire, And his Holy One for a flame;
The entrance of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple. And your judgments are like light that goes forth. There is no darkness nor shadow of death Where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves. He uncovers deep things out of darkness, And brings the shadow of death to light.
Also, it is not good for a soul to be without knowledge, You asked, ‘Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?’
From you comes forth one Who plots evil against the Lord, A wicked counselor. The words of a talebearer are like tasty trifles, and they go down into the inmost body. The righteous eats to the satisfying of his soul, But the stomach of the wicked shall be in want.
“Though evil is sweet in his mouth, and he hides it under his tongue, You shall perish among the nations, and the land of your enemies shall eat you up. A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself;
The simple pass on and are punished.
but I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil.
Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.”
And lift up your voice for understanding,
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Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water, But a man of understanding will draw it out.
It is drawn, and comes out of the body;
There are many who say, “Who will show us any good?”
He who gets wisdom loves his own soul; He who keeps understanding will find good.
“And now, Lord, what do I wait for?
For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.
My hope is in You.
But when I looked for good, evil came to me; And when I waited for light, then came darkness.
He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God? He said to them, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.
“Which is the first commandment of all?”
And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment.
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with promise: “that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.” He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul, But he who is careless of his ways will die. Because I have called and you refused, I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded, Because you disdained all my counsel, And would have none of my rebuke,
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It is drawn, and comes out of the body;
There are many who say, “Who will show us any good?”
He who gets wisdom loves his own soul; He who keeps understanding will find good.
“And now, Lord, what do I wait for?
For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.
My hope is in You.
But when I looked for good, evil came to me; And when I waited for light, then came darkness.
He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God? He said to them, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.
“Which is the first commandment of all?”
And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment.
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with promise: “that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.” He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul, But he who is careless of his ways will die. Because I have called and you refused, I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded, Because you disdained all my counsel, And would have none of my rebuke,
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For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men--Turn at my rebuke; Surely I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you.
And they hear my words, for they are sweet
How long shall I take counsel in my soul, Having sorrow in my heart daily?
For look, they lie in wait for my life; The mighty gather against me, Not for my transgression nor for my sin, O Lord. They run and prepare themselves through no fault of mine. Awake to help me, and behold!
How long will my enemy be exalted over me?
For look! The wicked bend their bow, They make ready their arrow on the string, That they may shoot secretly at the upright in heart.
Deliver me from all my transgressions; Do not make me the reproach of the foolish.
I loathe my life; I would not live forever. Let me alone, For my days are but a breath. When I wept and chastened my soul with fasting, That became my reproach.
“O Lord, behold my affliction, For the enemy is exalted!” The adversary has spread his hand Over all her pleasant things;
“There are those who rebel against the light; They do not know its ways Nor abide in its paths.
Fervent lips with a wicked heart Are like earthenware covered with silver dross.
In you they have made light of father and mother; in your midst they have oppressed the stranger; in you they have mistreated the fatherless and the widow.
And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. having condemnation because they have cast off their first faith. And besides they learn to be
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And they hear my words, for they are sweet
How long shall I take counsel in my soul, Having sorrow in my heart daily?
For look, they lie in wait for my life; The mighty gather against me, Not for my transgression nor for my sin, O Lord. They run and prepare themselves through no fault of mine. Awake to help me, and behold!
How long will my enemy be exalted over me?
For look! The wicked bend their bow, They make ready their arrow on the string, That they may shoot secretly at the upright in heart.
Deliver me from all my transgressions; Do not make me the reproach of the foolish.
I loathe my life; I would not live forever. Let me alone, For my days are but a breath. When I wept and chastened my soul with fasting, That became my reproach.
“O Lord, behold my affliction, For the enemy is exalted!” The adversary has spread his hand Over all her pleasant things;
“There are those who rebel against the light; They do not know its ways Nor abide in its paths.
Fervent lips with a wicked heart Are like earthenware covered with silver dross.
In you they have made light of father and mother; in your midst they have oppressed the stranger; in you they have mistreated the fatherless and the widow.
And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. having condemnation because they have cast off their first faith. And besides they learn to be
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idle, wandering about from house to house, and not only idle but also gossips and busybodies, saying things which they ought not. The look on their countenance witnesses against them, And they declare their sin as Sodom; They do not hide it.
Woe to their soul! For they have brought evil upon themselves.
Then they said to one another, “We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news, and we remain silent. if we wait until morning light, some punishment will come upon us. Yes, do good or do evil, That we may be dismayed and see it together.
His heart is as hard as stone, Even as hard as the lower millstone.
They are futile, a work of errors; In the time of their punishment they shall perish, The best of them is like a brier; The most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge; The day of your watchman and your punishment comes; Now shall be their perplexity.
The wicked in his pride persecutes the poor; Let them be caught in the plots which they have devised. For the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire; He blesses the greedy and renounces the Lord. The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God; God is in none of his thoughts.
When a wicked man dies, his expectation will perish, And the hope of the unjust perishes.
“Therefore, their way shall be to them Like slippery ways; In the darkness they shall be driven on And fall in them; For I will bring disaster on them, The year of their punishment,” says the Lord.
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Woe to their soul! For they have brought evil upon themselves.
Then they said to one another, “We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news, and we remain silent. if we wait until morning light, some punishment will come upon us. Yes, do good or do evil, That we may be dismayed and see it together.
His heart is as hard as stone, Even as hard as the lower millstone.
They are futile, a work of errors; In the time of their punishment they shall perish, The best of them is like a brier; The most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge; The day of your watchman and your punishment comes; Now shall be their perplexity.
The wicked in his pride persecutes the poor; Let them be caught in the plots which they have devised. For the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire; He blesses the greedy and renounces the Lord. The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God; God is in none of his thoughts.
When a wicked man dies, his expectation will perish, And the hope of the unjust perishes.
“Therefore, their way shall be to them Like slippery ways; In the darkness they shall be driven on And fall in them; For I will bring disaster on them, The year of their punishment,” says the Lord.
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So are the paths of all who forget God; And the hope of the hypocrite shall perish, whose confidence shall be cut off,
And whose trust is a spider’s web.
They have prepared a net for my steps; My soul is bowed down; They have dug a pit before me; Into the midst of it they themselves have fallen. Selah
“They shall die gruesome deaths; they shall not be lamented nor shall they be buried, but they shall be like refuse on the face of the earth. And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” And they shall bear their iniquity; the punishment of the prophet shall be the same as the punishment of the one who inquired, and there shall be no remnant of them.
If you say, “Surely we did not know this,” Does not He who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, does He not know it? And will He not render to each man according to his deeds?
You are of purer eyes than to behold evil, And cannot look on wickedness.
Why do You look on those who deal treacherously, and hold Your tongue when the wicked devours A person more righteous than he?
Yield now, let there be no injustice!
Yes, concede, my righteousness still stands! Is there injustice on my tongue? Cannot my taste discern the unsavory?
Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; Yes, our God is merciful.
The Lord preserves the simple;
But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who “will render to each one according to his deeds”:
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And whose trust is a spider’s web.
They have prepared a net for my steps; My soul is bowed down; They have dug a pit before me; Into the midst of it they themselves have fallen. Selah
“They shall die gruesome deaths; they shall not be lamented nor shall they be buried, but they shall be like refuse on the face of the earth. And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” And they shall bear their iniquity; the punishment of the prophet shall be the same as the punishment of the one who inquired, and there shall be no remnant of them.
If you say, “Surely we did not know this,” Does not He who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, does He not know it? And will He not render to each man according to his deeds?
You are of purer eyes than to behold evil, And cannot look on wickedness.
Why do You look on those who deal treacherously, and hold Your tongue when the wicked devours A person more righteous than he?
Yield now, let there be no injustice!
Yes, concede, my righteousness still stands! Is there injustice on my tongue? Cannot my taste discern the unsavory?
Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; Yes, our God is merciful.
The Lord preserves the simple;
But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who “will render to each one according to his deeds”:
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eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality;
but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath, And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
Shall evil be repaid for good?
For they have dug a pit for my life. Remember that I stood before You To speak good for them, to turn away Your wrath from them.
My soul melts from heaviness; Strengthen me according to Your word. Remove from me the way of lying and grant me Your law graciously.
Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips and from a deceitful tongue. I have chosen the way of truth; Your judgments I have laid before me.
O Lord my God, if I have done this:
If there is iniquity in my hands, If I have repaid evil to him who was at peace with me,
Or have plundered my enemy without cause,5 Let the enemy pursue me and overtake me; Yes, let him trample my life to the earth, And lay my honor in the dust. Selah
Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, On those who hope in His mercy, To deliver their soul from death, And to keep them alive in famine.
Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
“What strength do I have, that I should hope?
In hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light.
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but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath, And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
Shall evil be repaid for good?
For they have dug a pit for my life. Remember that I stood before You To speak good for them, to turn away Your wrath from them.
My soul melts from heaviness; Strengthen me according to Your word. Remove from me the way of lying and grant me Your law graciously.
Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips and from a deceitful tongue. I have chosen the way of truth; Your judgments I have laid before me.
O Lord my God, if I have done this:
If there is iniquity in my hands, If I have repaid evil to him who was at peace with me,
Or have plundered my enemy without cause,5 Let the enemy pursue me and overtake me; Yes, let him trample my life to the earth, And lay my honor in the dust. Selah
Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, On those who hope in His mercy, To deliver their soul from death, And to keep them alive in famine.
Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
“What strength do I have, that I should hope?
In hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light.
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But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul; All those who hate me love death.”
“For these things I weep; My eye, my eye overflows with water; Because the comforter, who should restore my life, Is far from me.
So He said to them, “Are you thus without understanding also?
O Lord, by these things men live; And in all these things is the life of my spirit; So You will restore me and make me live.
Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live!”
Then I fell on my face and cried with a loud voice, and said, “Ah, Lord God! Will You make a complete end of the remnant of Israel?”
Shall words of wind have an end? Or what provokes you that you answer?
How many are the days of Your servant?
When will You execute judgment on those who persecute me?
“How long will you torment my soul, and break me in pieces with words?
Oh, remember that my life is a breath! My eye will never again see good.
And what is my end, that I should prolong my life?
I also could speak as you do, If your soul were in my soul’s place. I could heap up words against you, And shake my head at you;
Do I say these things as a mere man? Or does not the law say the same also? Are Your days like the days of a mortal man? Are Your years like the days of a mighty man, That You should seek for my iniquity and search out my sin, Although You know that I am not wicked, and there is no one who can deliver from Your hand?
I loathe my life; I would not live forever. Let me alone, For my days are but a breath.
How many are my iniquities and sins? Make me know my transgression and my sin.
Every sin that a man does is outside the body Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death.
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“For these things I weep; My eye, my eye overflows with water; Because the comforter, who should restore my life, Is far from me.
So He said to them, “Are you thus without understanding also?
O Lord, by these things men live; And in all these things is the life of my spirit; So You will restore me and make me live.
Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live!”
Then I fell on my face and cried with a loud voice, and said, “Ah, Lord God! Will You make a complete end of the remnant of Israel?”
Shall words of wind have an end? Or what provokes you that you answer?
How many are the days of Your servant?
When will You execute judgment on those who persecute me?
“How long will you torment my soul, and break me in pieces with words?
Oh, remember that my life is a breath! My eye will never again see good.
And what is my end, that I should prolong my life?
I also could speak as you do, If your soul were in my soul’s place. I could heap up words against you, And shake my head at you;
Do I say these things as a mere man? Or does not the law say the same also? Are Your days like the days of a mortal man? Are Your years like the days of a mighty man, That You should seek for my iniquity and search out my sin, Although You know that I am not wicked, and there is no one who can deliver from Your hand?
I loathe my life; I would not live forever. Let me alone, For my days are but a breath.
How many are my iniquities and sins? Make me know my transgression and my sin.
Every sin that a man does is outside the body Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death.
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Who can say, “I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin”?
He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, Nor sworn deceitfully.
Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God;
And sin against your soul.
Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him,
So He said to them, “Are you thus without understanding also?
But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts,
If you sin, what do you accomplish against Him? Or, if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to Him?
And He said to them, “To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin.
“Therefore you, O son of man, say to the house of Israel:
‘Thus you say,
“If our transgressions and our sins lie upon us, and we pine away in them, how can we then live?” ’
Be angry, and do not sin. Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still. Selah
Lift up your eyes to the heavens, look at the earth beneath;
Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these?
He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.
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He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, Nor sworn deceitfully.
Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God;
And sin against your soul.
Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him,
So He said to them, “Are you thus without understanding also?
But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts,
If you sin, what do you accomplish against Him? Or, if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to Him?
And He said to them, “To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin.
“Therefore you, O son of man, say to the house of Israel:
‘Thus you say,
“If our transgressions and our sins lie upon us, and we pine away in them, how can we then live?” ’
Be angry, and do not sin. Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still. Selah
Lift up your eyes to the heavens, look at the earth beneath;
Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these?
He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.
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Look on Zion, the city of our festivals; your eyes will see Jerusalem, a peaceful abode, a tent that will not be moved; its stakes will never be pulled up, nor any of its ropes broken
“Is not the Lord in Zion? Is not her King in her?”
Have I sinned? What have I done to You, O watcher of men? Why have You set me as Your target, So that I am a burden to myself?
Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.
Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him.
For He need not further consider a man, That he should go before God in judgment.
But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council.
But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire.
Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
Let not my soul enter their council; Let not my honor be united to their assembly;
So do this, my son, and deliver yourself; For you have come into the hand of your friend: Go and humble yourself; Plead with your friend.
Lord, what is man, that You take knowledge of him? Or the son of man, that You are mindful of him? “What is man, that he could be pure? And he who is born of a woman, that he could be righteous?
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“Is not the Lord in Zion? Is not her King in her?”
Have I sinned? What have I done to You, O watcher of men? Why have You set me as Your target, So that I am a burden to myself?
Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.
Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him.
For He need not further consider a man, That he should go before God in judgment.
But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council.
But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire.
Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
Let not my soul enter their council; Let not my honor be united to their assembly;
So do this, my son, and deliver yourself; For you have come into the hand of your friend: Go and humble yourself; Plead with your friend.
Lord, what is man, that You take knowledge of him? Or the son of man, that You are mindful of him? “What is man, that he could be pure? And he who is born of a woman, that he could be righteous?
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“Man decays like a rotten thing, Like a garment that is moth-eaten. Man is like a breath; His days are like a passing shadow
But there is a spirit in man, And the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding. Why does your heart carry you away, And what do your eyes wink at, That you turn your spirit against God, And let such words go out of your mouth?
Who knows the spirit of the sons of men, which goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, which goes down to the earth?
“Behold, all souls are Mine; The soul of the father As well as the soul of the son is Mine;
Turn us back to You, O Lord, and we will be restored; Renew our days as of old,
Plead my cause, O Lord, with those who strive with me; Fight against those who fight against me. Take hold of shield and buckler, And stand up for my help. Also draw out the spear And stop those who pursue me.
Say to my soul, “I am your salvation.”
...I would like to be present with you now and to change my tone; for I have doubts about you.
Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?
You are snared by the words of your mouth; You are taken by the words of your mouth.
“And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home. When you cry out, Let your collection of idols deliver you.
Are You not from everlasting, O Lord my God, my Holy One?
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But there is a spirit in man, And the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding. Why does your heart carry you away, And what do your eyes wink at, That you turn your spirit against God, And let such words go out of your mouth?
Who knows the spirit of the sons of men, which goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, which goes down to the earth?
“Behold, all souls are Mine; The soul of the father As well as the soul of the son is Mine;
Turn us back to You, O Lord, and we will be restored; Renew our days as of old,
Plead my cause, O Lord, with those who strive with me; Fight against those who fight against me. Take hold of shield and buckler, And stand up for my help. Also draw out the spear And stop those who pursue me.
Say to my soul, “I am your salvation.”
...I would like to be present with you now and to change my tone; for I have doubts about you.
Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?
You are snared by the words of your mouth; You are taken by the words of your mouth.
“And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home. When you cry out, Let your collection of idols deliver you.
Are You not from everlasting, O Lord my God, my Holy One?
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II. No one can serve two masters: The imprisoned soul
We shall not die.
“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. Therefore, if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
And if you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own?
But this is a people robbed and plundered; All of them are snared in holes, And they are hidden in prison houses; They are for prey, and no one delivers; For plunder, and no one says, “Restore!””
He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.
And He said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power.”
Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison.
Yet you say, ‘Because I am innocent, Surely His anger shall turn from me.’ Behold, I will plead My case against you, Because you say, ‘I have not sinned.’
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“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. Therefore, if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
And if you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own?
But this is a people robbed and plundered; All of them are snared in holes, And they are hidden in prison houses; They are for prey, and no one delivers; For plunder, and no one says, “Restore!””
He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.
And He said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power.”
Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison.
Yet you say, ‘Because I am innocent, Surely His anger shall turn from me.’ Behold, I will plead My case against you, Because you say, ‘I have not sinned.’
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I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; Moreover I call God as witness against my soul,
O Lord, You have seen how I am wronged; Judge my case.
Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; When I fall, I will arise; When I sit in darkness, The Lord will be a light to me.
But he said to Him, “Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death.”
‘Thus says the king: “Put this fellow in prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and water of affliction, until I come in peace.” ’ ”
But Micaiah said, “If you ever return in peace, the Lord has not spoken by me.”
And he said, “Take heed, all you people!
Only take heed to yourself, and diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life.
And teach them to your children and your grandchildren,
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me;
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O Lord, You have seen how I am wronged; Judge my case.
Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; When I fall, I will arise; When I sit in darkness, The Lord will be a light to me.
But he said to Him, “Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death.”
‘Thus says the king: “Put this fellow in prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and water of affliction, until I come in peace.” ’ ”
But Micaiah said, “If you ever return in peace, the Lord has not spoken by me.”
And he said, “Take heed, all you people!
Only take heed to yourself, and diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life.
And teach them to your children and your grandchildren,
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me;
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You shall do according to the sentence which they pronounce upon you in that place which the Lord chooses. And you shall be careful to do according to all that they order you.
If a man should walk in a false spirit And speak a lie, saying, ‘I will prophesy to you of wine and drink,’ Even he would be the Prattler of This People.
Deliver Me from the sword, My precious life from the power of the dog.
“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of The Judgment.’
Lord, how long will You look on? Rescue me from their destruction's, My precious life from the lions.
They will accept their guilt, because they despised My judgments and because their soul abhorred My statutes. You shall not seek their peace nor their prosperity all your days forever.
When you go with your adversary to the magistrate, make every effort along the way to settle with him, lest he drag you to the judge, the judge deliver you to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison.
But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul. Who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life. Where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever... according to the order of Melchizedek.
pg22
If a man should walk in a false spirit And speak a lie, saying, ‘I will prophesy to you of wine and drink,’ Even he would be the Prattler of This People.
Deliver Me from the sword, My precious life from the power of the dog.
“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of The Judgment.’
Lord, how long will You look on? Rescue me from their destruction's, My precious life from the lions.
They will accept their guilt, because they despised My judgments and because their soul abhorred My statutes. You shall not seek their peace nor their prosperity all your days forever.
When you go with your adversary to the magistrate, make every effort along the way to settle with him, lest he drag you to the judge, the judge deliver you to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison.
But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul. Who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life. Where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever... according to the order of Melchizedek.
pg22
(Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)
Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron?
The Lord has sworn And will not relent, “You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.”
For He testifies: “You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.”
As He also says in another place: “You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek”;
So the priest shall make atonement for the person who sins unintentionally, when he sins unintentionally before the Lord, to make atonement for him; and it shall be forgiven him.
Since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.
Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not!
On the contrary, we establish the law.
But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”
Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the
pg23
Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron?
The Lord has sworn And will not relent, “You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.”
For He testifies: “You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.”
As He also says in another place: “You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek”;
So the priest shall make atonement for the person who sins unintentionally, when he sins unintentionally before the Lord, to make atonement for him; and it shall be forgiven him.
Since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.
Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not!
On the contrary, we establish the law.
But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”
Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the
pg23
...Power of Death, that is, the Devil, He is a murderer.
The avenger of Blood shall put the murderer to death when he meets him.
‘Woe is me now, for my soul is weary Because of murderers!’
“Arise and depart, For this is not your rest; Because it is defiled, it shall destroy, Yes, with utter destruction.
And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her,my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.
Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things,
He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied.
No one has power over the spirit to retain the spirit, And no one has power in the day of death. There is no release from that war, And wickedness will not deliver those who are given to it. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”
The Lord is a man of war; The Lord is His name. My soul has dwelt too long With one who hates peace. “Because you have had an ancient hatred, and have shed the blood of the children of Israel by the Power of the Sword at the time of their calamity, when their iniquity came to an end,
I am for peace; But when I speak, they are for war.
Who ever goes to war at his own expense?
And I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved.
pg24
The avenger of Blood shall put the murderer to death when he meets him.
‘Woe is me now, for my soul is weary Because of murderers!’
“Arise and depart, For this is not your rest; Because it is defiled, it shall destroy, Yes, with utter destruction.
And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her,my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.
Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things,
He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied.
No one has power over the spirit to retain the spirit, And no one has power in the day of death. There is no release from that war, And wickedness will not deliver those who are given to it. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”
The Lord is a man of war; The Lord is His name. My soul has dwelt too long With one who hates peace. “Because you have had an ancient hatred, and have shed the blood of the children of Israel by the Power of the Sword at the time of their calamity, when their iniquity came to an end,
I am for peace; But when I speak, they are for war.
Who ever goes to war at his own expense?
And I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved.
pg24
Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.
“I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death.
O Death, I will be your plagues! O Grave, I will be your destruction! Pity is hidden from My eyes.”
Let the groaning of the prisoner come before You; According to the greatness of Your power Preserve those who are appointed to die;
He will redeem his soul from going down to the Pit, And his life shall see the light.
And I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls; For the redemption of their souls is costly, And it shall cease forever— That he should continue to live eternally, And not see the Pit.
In Your mercy cut off my enemies, And destroy all those who afflict my soul; For I am Your servant.
or who knows what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he passes like a shadow? Who can tell a man what will happen after him under the sun?
For I indeed, as absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged (as though I were present) him who has so done this deed.
Is it a small thing to you that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to Himself, to do the work of the tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the congregation to serve them; and that He has brought you near to Himself, you and all your brethren, the sons of Levi, with you?
And are you seeking the priesthood also?
Am I not an apostle?
Precious in the sight of the Lord Is the death of His saints.
Am I not free?
pg25
“I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death.
O Death, I will be your plagues! O Grave, I will be your destruction! Pity is hidden from My eyes.”
Let the groaning of the prisoner come before You; According to the greatness of Your power Preserve those who are appointed to die;
He will redeem his soul from going down to the Pit, And his life shall see the light.
And I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls; For the redemption of their souls is costly, And it shall cease forever— That he should continue to live eternally, And not see the Pit.
In Your mercy cut off my enemies, And destroy all those who afflict my soul; For I am Your servant.
or who knows what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he passes like a shadow? Who can tell a man what will happen after him under the sun?
For I indeed, as absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged (as though I were present) him who has so done this deed.
Is it a small thing to you that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to Himself, to do the work of the tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the congregation to serve them; and that He has brought you near to Himself, you and all your brethren, the sons of Levi, with you?
And are you seeking the priesthood also?
Am I not an apostle?
Precious in the sight of the Lord Is the death of His saints.
Am I not free?
pg25
Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.
Who has told it from that time? Have not I, the Lord?
“These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. And said to them, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, to whom you sent me to present your petition before Him:
At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me.
May it not be charged against them.
Thus, says your Lord, The Lord and your God, Who pleads the cause of His people:
so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.
Bring my soul out of prison, That I may praise Your name; The righteous shall surround me, For You shall deal bountifully with me.”
“See, I have taken out of your hand The cup of trembling, The dregs of the cup of My fury; You shall no longer drink it. But I will put it into the hand of those who afflict you, Who have said to you, ‘Lie down, that we may walk over you.’ And you have laid your body like the ground, And as the street, for those who walk over.”
Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins;
pg26
Who has told it from that time? Have not I, the Lord?
“These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. And said to them, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, to whom you sent me to present your petition before Him:
At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me.
May it not be charged against them.
Thus, says your Lord, The Lord and your God, Who pleads the cause of His people:
so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.
Bring my soul out of prison, That I may praise Your name; The righteous shall surround me, For You shall deal bountifully with me.”
“See, I have taken out of your hand The cup of trembling, The dregs of the cup of My fury; You shall no longer drink it. But I will put it into the hand of those who afflict you, Who have said to you, ‘Lie down, that we may walk over you.’ And you have laid your body like the ground, And as the street, for those who walk over.”
Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins;
pg26
But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.
The way of life winds upward for the wise, That he may turn away from hell below.
And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.’
“At this also my heart trembles, And leaps from its place.
Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, That it cannot hear.
O my God, incline Your ear and hear; open Your eyes and see our desolation's, and the city which is called by Your name;
“As God lives, who has taken away my justice, And the Almighty, who has made my soul bitter, As long as my breath is in me, And the breath of God in my nostrils, My lips will not speak wickedness, Nor my tongue utter deceit.
“Listen to Me, O Jacob, And Israel, My called: I am He, I am the First, I am also the Last.
And there is no other God besides Me, A just God and a Savior; There is none besides Me.
pg27
The way of life winds upward for the wise, That he may turn away from hell below.
And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.’
“At this also my heart trembles, And leaps from its place.
Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, That it cannot hear.
O my God, incline Your ear and hear; open Your eyes and see our desolation's, and the city which is called by Your name;
“As God lives, who has taken away my justice, And the Almighty, who has made my soul bitter, As long as my breath is in me, And the breath of God in my nostrils, My lips will not speak wickedness, Nor my tongue utter deceit.
“Listen to Me, O Jacob, And Israel, My called: I am He, I am the First, I am also the Last.
And there is no other God besides Me, A just God and a Savior; There is none besides Me.
pg27
‘If you will still remain in this land, then I will build you and not pull you down, and I will plant you and not pluck you up. For I relent concerning the disaster that I have brought upon you.
To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.” For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us, and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
We, however, will not boast beyond measure, but within the limits of the sphere which God appointed us—a sphere which especially includes you. holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience. purifying their hearts by faith. that as your faith is increased,
we shall be greatly enlarged by you in our sphere,
Lift up your eyes, look around and see. ..and the mirrors;
For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.
pg28
To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.” For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us, and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
We, however, will not boast beyond measure, but within the limits of the sphere which God appointed us—a sphere which especially includes you. holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience. purifying their hearts by faith. that as your faith is increased,
we shall be greatly enlarged by you in our sphere,
Lift up your eyes, look around and see. ..and the mirrors;
For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.
pg28
If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it a great thing if we reap your material things?
But now you also must complete the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to desire it, so there also may be a completion out of what you have.
For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have.He shows no partiality to any who are wise of heart.
Did I ever say, ‘Bring something to me’? Or, ‘Offer a bribe for me from your wealth’?
For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened; Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass. Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin. And by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.
For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, ” so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.
For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;
Behold, how good and pleasant it is For Brethren to dwell together in unity? It is like the precious oil upon the head, Running down on the beard.
pg29
But now you also must complete the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to desire it, so there also may be a completion out of what you have.
For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have.He shows no partiality to any who are wise of heart.
Did I ever say, ‘Bring something to me’? Or, ‘Offer a bribe for me from your wealth’?
For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened; Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass. Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin. And by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.
For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, ” so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.
For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;
Behold, how good and pleasant it is For Brethren to dwell together in unity? It is like the precious oil upon the head, Running down on the beard.
pg29
Now look, God Himself is with us as our head, And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. “Behold, God is exalted by His power; Who teaches like Him? In whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, The power and the glory, The victory and the majesty; For all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, And You are exalted as head over All.
The glory of the LORD will be your rearguard.And your righteousness will go before you; "Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; You will cry, and He will say, 'Here I am.'
If you remove the yoke from your midst, To loose the bonds of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens, The pointing of the finger and speaking wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens, To let the oppressed go free, And that you break every yoke? Therefore, choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;
I have surely built You an exalted house, And a place for You to dwell in forever.” Therefore, let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father.
And this is the promise that He has promised us--eternal life.
Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment.
Indeed, he has crossed over from death to life.
pg30
Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, The power and the glory, The victory and the majesty; For all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, And You are exalted as head over All.
The glory of the LORD will be your rearguard.And your righteousness will go before you; "Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; You will cry, and He will say, 'Here I am.'
If you remove the yoke from your midst, To loose the bonds of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens, The pointing of the finger and speaking wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens, To let the oppressed go free, And that you break every yoke? Therefore, choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;
I have surely built You an exalted house, And a place for You to dwell in forever.” Therefore, let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father.
And this is the promise that He has promised us--eternal life.
Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment.
Indeed, he has crossed over from death to life.
pg30
II. Reincarnation
Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,
“Blessed shall be the fruit of your body. Then, surely you could lift up your face without spot;Yes, you could be steadfast, and not fear; Because you would forget your misery, And remember it as waters that have passed away For there is no more remembrance of the wise than of the fool forever, Since all that now is will be forgotten in the days to come.
And how does a wise man die? As the fool!
The soul who sins shall die.
************************
Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’
But someone will say, “How are the dead raised up?
And with what body do they come?”
You take away their breath, they die and return to their dust.
The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual. Always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. But the wind will carry them all away, A breath will take them. The breath of the Lord, His breath is like an overflowing stream, which reaches up to the neck, For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.
If a man dies, shall he live again?
The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; So also is the resurrection of the dead.
pg31
“Blessed shall be the fruit of your body. Then, surely you could lift up your face without spot;Yes, you could be steadfast, and not fear; Because you would forget your misery, And remember it as waters that have passed away For there is no more remembrance of the wise than of the fool forever, Since all that now is will be forgotten in the days to come.
And how does a wise man die? As the fool!
The soul who sins shall die.
************************
Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’
But someone will say, “How are the dead raised up?
And with what body do they come?”
You take away their breath, they die and return to their dust.
The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual. Always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. But the wind will carry them all away, A breath will take them. The breath of the Lord, His breath is like an overflowing stream, which reaches up to the neck, For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.
If a man dies, shall he live again?
The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; So also is the resurrection of the dead.
pg31
For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches.
Thus, says the Lord God to these bones: “Surely, I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live.
For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead.
For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come. He who has ears to hear, let him hear! Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist
And who knows the interpretation of a thing?
But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished.
Brethren, I urge you to become like me, for I became like you. You have not injured me at all. You know that because of physical infirmity I preached the gospel to you at the first. And my trial which was in my flesh you did not despise or reject, but you received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. Because He poured out His soul unto death, Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear. having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.
pg32
Thus, says the Lord God to these bones: “Surely, I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live.
For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead.
For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come. He who has ears to hear, let him hear! Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist
And who knows the interpretation of a thing?
But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished.
Brethren, I urge you to become like me, for I became like you. You have not injured me at all. You know that because of physical infirmity I preached the gospel to you at the first. And my trial which was in my flesh you did not despise or reject, but you received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. Because He poured out His soul unto death, Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear. having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.
pg32
And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.
In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, You renew Your witnesses against me, And increase Your indignation toward me; Changes and war are ever with me.
As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted, and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.
As their life is poured out In their mothers’ bosom.
“Son of man, what is this proverb that you people have about the land of Israel, which says, ‘The days are prolonged, and every vision fails’?
“And now my soul is poured out because of my plight; The days of affliction take hold of me.
…I lie down and sleep; I wake again, for the LORD sustains me. Before I was even aware, My soul had made me As the chariots of my noble people.
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. That the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of re-generation and re-newing of the Holy Spirit,
Behold, I will bring it health and healing; I will heal them and reveal to them the abundance of Peace and Truth
pg33
In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, You renew Your witnesses against me, And increase Your indignation toward me; Changes and war are ever with me.
As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted, and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.
As their life is poured out In their mothers’ bosom.
“Son of man, what is this proverb that you people have about the land of Israel, which says, ‘The days are prolonged, and every vision fails’?
“And now my soul is poured out because of my plight; The days of affliction take hold of me.
…I lie down and sleep; I wake again, for the LORD sustains me. Before I was even aware, My soul had made me As the chariots of my noble people.
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. That the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of re-generation and re-newing of the Holy Spirit,
Behold, I will bring it health and healing; I will heal them and reveal to them the abundance of Peace and Truth
pg33
So shall the knowledge of wisdom be to your soul.
He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; And comes again on its circuit Its rising is from one end of heaven, And its circuit to the other end.You send forth Your Spirit, they are created; And You renew the face of the earth.
The Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of the Almighty gives me life for His seed remains in him.
In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken.
For dust you are, and to dust you shall return.”
My soul clings to the dust; Revive me according to Your word.
“Woe to him who strives with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth! Shall the clay say to him who forms it, ‘What are you making?’
Let my soul live, and it shall praise You; And let Your judgments help me.
‘Thus, says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel:
“Take these deeds, both this purchase deed, which is sealed and this deed, which is open, and put them in an earthen vessel, that they may last many days."
I lie down and sleep; I wake again, for the LORD sustains me,
God has spoken once; Twice I have heard this:
And a voice spoke to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.” He shall not make himself unclean even for his father or his mother, for his brother or his sister, when they die,
because his separation to God is on his head.
pg34
He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; And comes again on its circuit Its rising is from one end of heaven, And its circuit to the other end.You send forth Your Spirit, they are created; And You renew the face of the earth.
The Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of the Almighty gives me life for His seed remains in him.
In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken.
For dust you are, and to dust you shall return.”
My soul clings to the dust; Revive me according to Your word.
“Woe to him who strives with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth! Shall the clay say to him who forms it, ‘What are you making?’
Let my soul live, and it shall praise You; And let Your judgments help me.
‘Thus, says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel:
“Take these deeds, both this purchase deed, which is sealed and this deed, which is open, and put them in an earthen vessel, that they may last many days."
I lie down and sleep; I wake again, for the LORD sustains me,
God has spoken once; Twice I have heard this:
And a voice spoke to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.” He shall not make himself unclean even for his father or his mother, for his brother or his sister, when they die,
because his separation to God is on his head.
pg34
No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for he patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse. Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”
Clothe me with skin and flesh, And knit me together with bones and sinews?
You have granted me life and favor, And Your care has preserved my spirit.
And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened. At his word they shall go out, and at his word they shall come in, he and all the children of Israel with him—all the congregation.” Then the Spirit of the Lord will come upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man. As a dream when one awakes, So, Lord, when You awake, “Blessed shall you be when you come in and blessed shall you be when you go out. For with You is the fountain of life.
In Your light we see light;
If you have found it, there is a prospect, and your hope will not be cut off.
pg.35
Clothe me with skin and flesh, And knit me together with bones and sinews?
You have granted me life and favor, And Your care has preserved my spirit.
And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened. At his word they shall go out, and at his word they shall come in, he and all the children of Israel with him—all the congregation.” Then the Spirit of the Lord will come upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man. As a dream when one awakes, So, Lord, when You awake, “Blessed shall you be when you come in and blessed shall you be when you go out. For with You is the fountain of life.
In Your light we see light;
If you have found it, there is a prospect, and your hope will not be cut off.
pg.35
He slept and dreamed a second time. But he awakes, and his soul is still empty. But he awakes, and indeed he is faint, and his soul still craves
Here is what I have found,” says the Preacher, “Adding one thing to the other to find out the reason, which my soul still seeks but I cannot find:
always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.
Thus says the Lord God to these bones: “Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live.
That which has been is what will be, That which is done is what will be done, And there is nothing new under the sun.
All have come to pass for you;
Even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate.”
Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours: whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come—all are yours.
And you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.
for we do not present our supplications before You because of our righteous deeds, but because of Your great mercies.
Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
pg36
Here is what I have found,” says the Preacher, “Adding one thing to the other to find out the reason, which my soul still seeks but I cannot find:
always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.
Thus says the Lord God to these bones: “Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live.
That which has been is what will be, That which is done is what will be done, And there is nothing new under the sun.
All have come to pass for you;
Even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate.”
Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours: whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come—all are yours.
And you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.
for we do not present our supplications before You because of our righteous deeds, but because of Your great mercies.
Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
pg36
knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you.
And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, but our presentable parts have no need.
But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. But I beg you that when I am present, I may not be bold with that confidence by which I intend to be bold against some, who think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.
Let such a person consider this, that what we are in word by letters when we are absent, such we will also be in deed when we are present. For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.
Therefore, I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the authority which the Lord has given me for edification and not for destruction. For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance,
as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake.
But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unjust who inflicts wrath? (I speak as a man.)
Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.
of whom the greater part remain to the present,
pg37
And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, but our presentable parts have no need.
But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. But I beg you that when I am present, I may not be bold with that confidence by which I intend to be bold against some, who think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.
Let such a person consider this, that what we are in word by letters when we are absent, such we will also be in deed when we are present. For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.
Therefore, I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the authority which the Lord has given me for edification and not for destruction. For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance,
as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake.
But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unjust who inflicts wrath? (I speak as a man.)
Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.
of whom the greater part remain to the present,
pg37
Now, may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I have told you before, and foretell as if I were present the second time, and now being absent I write to those who have sinned before, and to all the rest, that if I come again I will not spare--
“Behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth. And you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing has failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spoke concerning you.
All have come to pass for you; not one word of them has failed.
Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield.” Therefore, thus says the Lord:
“Behold, I will plead your case and take vengeance for you.
Then he said, “Do it a second time,” and they did it a second time. and he said, “Do it a third time,” and they did it a third time.
I have told you before and foretell as if I were present the second time, and he said, “Do it a third time,” and they did it a third time.
Is there anything of which it may be said, “See, this is new”?
It has already been in ancient times before us. There is no remembrance of former things, nor will there be any remembrance of things that are to come by those who will come after.
“The prophet who has a dream, let him tell a dream; And he who has My word, let him speak My word faithfully.
Truly You are God, who hide Yourself, O God of Israel, the Savior! Now for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be burdensome to you; for I do not seek yours, but you. For the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.
pg38
I have told you before, and foretell as if I were present the second time, and now being absent I write to those who have sinned before, and to all the rest, that if I come again I will not spare--
“Behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth. And you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing has failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spoke concerning you.
All have come to pass for you; not one word of them has failed.
Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield.” Therefore, thus says the Lord:
“Behold, I will plead your case and take vengeance for you.
Then he said, “Do it a second time,” and they did it a second time. and he said, “Do it a third time,” and they did it a third time.
I have told you before and foretell as if I were present the second time, and he said, “Do it a third time,” and they did it a third time.
Is there anything of which it may be said, “See, this is new”?
It has already been in ancient times before us. There is no remembrance of former things, nor will there be any remembrance of things that are to come by those who will come after.
“The prophet who has a dream, let him tell a dream; And he who has My word, let him speak My word faithfully.
Truly You are God, who hide Yourself, O God of Israel, the Savior! Now for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be burdensome to you; for I do not seek yours, but you. For the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.
pg38
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. until the days are fulfilled for which he separated himself to the Lord, he shall be holy.
For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.
But let those who love Him be like the sun When it comes out in full strength.
Truly the light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to behold the sun
(for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)--
‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: “Take these deeds, both this purchase deed which is sealed and this deed which is open, and put them in an earthen vessel, that they may last many days.” “Blessed shall you be when you come in and blessed shall you be when you go out. Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.
Then Job answered and said: “Truly I know it is so, But how can a man be righteous before God?
If one wished to contend with Him, He could not answer Him one time out of a thousand.
– For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward [man] is renewed day by day.
I charge you before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect angels that you observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing with partiality.
pg39
For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.
But let those who love Him be like the sun When it comes out in full strength.
Truly the light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to behold the sun
(for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)--
‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: “Take these deeds, both this purchase deed which is sealed and this deed which is open, and put them in an earthen vessel, that they may last many days.” “Blessed shall you be when you come in and blessed shall you be when you go out. Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.
Then Job answered and said: “Truly I know it is so, But how can a man be righteous before God?
If one wished to contend with Him, He could not answer Him one time out of a thousand.
– For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward [man] is renewed day by day.
I charge you before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect angels that you observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing with partiality.
pg39
My soul still remembers and sinks within me.
You are wearied in the length of your way; And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.
My soul longs, yes, even faints For the courts of the Lord; My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.
Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, The coming of the Lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, He feeds on ashes; A deceived heart has turned him aside; And he cannot deliver his soul, Nor say, “Is there not a lie in my right hand?”
He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.
But be doers of The Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.
For God may speak in one way, or in another, Yet man does not perceive it. In a dream, in a vision of the night, When deep sleep falls upon men, While slumbering on their beds, Testing the mind and the heart, Then He opens the ears of men, and seals their instruction.
The whole vision has become to you like the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one who is literate, saying, “Read this, please.” And he says, “I cannot, for it is sealed.”
The ear that hears the rebukes of life Will abide among the wise. He who disdains instruction despises his own soul, For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Your dead shall live; Together with my dead body they shall arise.
Awake and sing, you who dwell in dust.
pg40
You are wearied in the length of your way; And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.
My soul longs, yes, even faints For the courts of the Lord; My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.
Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, The coming of the Lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, He feeds on ashes; A deceived heart has turned him aside; And he cannot deliver his soul, Nor say, “Is there not a lie in my right hand?”
He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.
But be doers of The Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.
For God may speak in one way, or in another, Yet man does not perceive it. In a dream, in a vision of the night, When deep sleep falls upon men, While slumbering on their beds, Testing the mind and the heart, Then He opens the ears of men, and seals their instruction.
The whole vision has become to you like the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one who is literate, saying, “Read this, please.” And he says, “I cannot, for it is sealed.”
The ear that hears the rebukes of life Will abide among the wise. He who disdains instruction despises his own soul, For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Your dead shall live; Together with my dead body they shall arise.
Awake and sing, you who dwell in dust.
pg40
For there is not a just man on earth who does good and does not sin. For many times, also, your own heart has known That even you have cursed others.
And she said, “O my lord! As your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood by you here, praying to the Lord. I am a woman of sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor intoxicating drink but have poured out my soul before the Lord. “And now my soul is poured out because of my plight; The days of affliction take hold of me. I am poured out like water, And all My bones are out of joint; My heart pants, my strength fails me; As for the light of my eyes, it also has gone from me.
Thus says the Lord God to these bones:
“Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live.
The Lord will not allow the righteous soul to famish,The generous soul will be made rich,
And he who waters will also be watered himself.
You will show me the path of life;In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, And my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips.
O my soul, march on in strength!
The poor man and the oppressor have this in common:
The LORD gives light to the eyes of both.
The light of the eyes rejoices the heart, And a good report makes the bones healthy.
pg41
And she said, “O my lord! As your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood by you here, praying to the Lord. I am a woman of sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor intoxicating drink but have poured out my soul before the Lord. “And now my soul is poured out because of my plight; The days of affliction take hold of me. I am poured out like water, And all My bones are out of joint; My heart pants, my strength fails me; As for the light of my eyes, it also has gone from me.
Thus says the Lord God to these bones:
“Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live.
The Lord will not allow the righteous soul to famish,The generous soul will be made rich,
And he who waters will also be watered himself.
You will show me the path of life;In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, And my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips.
O my soul, march on in strength!
The poor man and the oppressor have this in common:
The LORD gives light to the eyes of both.
The light of the eyes rejoices the heart, And a good report makes the bones healthy.
pg41
He sent from above, He took me; He drew me out of many waters. As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for You; With my soul I have desired You in the night, Yes, by my spirit within me I will seek You early;
To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul. Truly my soul silently waits for God;
From Him comes my salvation.For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.
pg42
To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul. Truly my soul silently waits for God;
From Him comes my salvation.For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.
pg42
III. Hide and Seek
Why do You stand afar off, O Lord? Why do You hide in times of trouble?
How long will my enemy be exalted over me?
“What profit is there in my blood, When I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise You? Will it declare Your truth? Redeem Israel, O God, Out of all their troubles!
How long will You hide Your face from me?
I gave My back to those who struck Me, And My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting.
If He goes by me, I do not see Him; If He moves past, I do not perceive Him.
With a little wrath I hid My face from you for a moment; But with everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you,” Says the Lord, your Redeemer.
“Have you entered the springs of the sea? Or have you walked in search of the depths? Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Or have you seen the doors of the shadow of death? Have you comprehended the breadth of the earth?
Tell Me, if you know all this.
Let the enemy pursue me and overtake me; Yes, let him trample my life to the earth, And lay my honor in the dust. Selah
Why do You hide Your face, And regard me as Your enemy?
For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life
And what is my end, that I should prolong my life?
But he said, “As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!”
Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Kings shall be your foster fathers, And their queens your nursing mothers; They shall bow down to you with their faces to the earth, And lick up the dust of your feet. Then you will know that I am the Lord, For they shall not be ashamed who wait for Me.” I will feed those who oppress you with their own flesh, And they shall be drunk with their own blood as with sweet wine. All flesh shall know That I, the Lord, am your Savior, And your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.”
But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one.
Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.
pg43
How long will my enemy be exalted over me?
“What profit is there in my blood, When I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise You? Will it declare Your truth? Redeem Israel, O God, Out of all their troubles!
How long will You hide Your face from me?
I gave My back to those who struck Me, And My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting.
If He goes by me, I do not see Him; If He moves past, I do not perceive Him.
With a little wrath I hid My face from you for a moment; But with everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you,” Says the Lord, your Redeemer.
“Have you entered the springs of the sea? Or have you walked in search of the depths? Have the gates of death been revealed to you? Or have you seen the doors of the shadow of death? Have you comprehended the breadth of the earth?
Tell Me, if you know all this.
Let the enemy pursue me and overtake me; Yes, let him trample my life to the earth, And lay my honor in the dust. Selah
Why do You hide Your face, And regard me as Your enemy?
For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life
And what is my end, that I should prolong my life?
But he said, “As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!”
Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Kings shall be your foster fathers, And their queens your nursing mothers; They shall bow down to you with their faces to the earth, And lick up the dust of your feet. Then you will know that I am the Lord, For they shall not be ashamed who wait for Me.” I will feed those who oppress you with their own flesh, And they shall be drunk with their own blood as with sweet wine. All flesh shall know That I, the Lord, am your Savior, And your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.”
But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one.
Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.
pg43
Bind up the testimony, Seal the law among my disciples.
And I will wait on the Lord,Who hides His face from the house of Jacob; And I will hope in Him.
Say to God, “How awesome are Your works!
Through the greatness of Your power Your enemies shall submit themselves to You.
He does great things past finding out, Yes, wonders without number.Who does great things, and unsearchable, Marvelous things without number.
Surely I am more stupid than any man, And do not have the understanding of a man. I neither learned wisdom Nor have knowledge of the Holy One. Hear a just cause, O Lord, Attend to my cry; Give ear to my prayer which is not from deceitful lips. Give ear to my words, O Lord, Consider my meditation. “Hear my prayer, O Lord, And give ear to my cry; Give ear to the words of my mouth. Do not be silent at my tears; For I am a stranger with You, A sojourner, as all my fathers were. And do not hide Yourself from my supplication. Hear my prayer, O Lord, Give ear to my supplications! In Your faithfulness answer me, And in Your righteousness. Let my vindication come from Your presence; Let Your eyes look on the things that are upright.
Then Jesus answered and said, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you?
Bring him here to Me.”
So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God.
pg44
And I will wait on the Lord,Who hides His face from the house of Jacob; And I will hope in Him.
Say to God, “How awesome are Your works!
Through the greatness of Your power Your enemies shall submit themselves to You.
He does great things past finding out, Yes, wonders without number.Who does great things, and unsearchable, Marvelous things without number.
Surely I am more stupid than any man, And do not have the understanding of a man. I neither learned wisdom Nor have knowledge of the Holy One. Hear a just cause, O Lord, Attend to my cry; Give ear to my prayer which is not from deceitful lips. Give ear to my words, O Lord, Consider my meditation. “Hear my prayer, O Lord, And give ear to my cry; Give ear to the words of my mouth. Do not be silent at my tears; For I am a stranger with You, A sojourner, as all my fathers were. And do not hide Yourself from my supplication. Hear my prayer, O Lord, Give ear to my supplications! In Your faithfulness answer me, And in Your righteousness. Let my vindication come from Your presence; Let Your eyes look on the things that are upright.
Then Jesus answered and said, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you?
Bring him here to Me.”
So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God.
pg44
After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven.
And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.”
“Cry aloud, spare not; Lift up your voice like a trumpet;
I cried to the Lord with my voice,And He heard me from His holy hill. Selah
Lord, by Your favor You have made my mountain stand strong; You hid Your face, and I was troubled. I cried out to You, O Lord; And to the Lord I made supplication:
But he said, “As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!”
...So the two of them went on.
Hear, O Lord, and have mercy on me; Lord, be my helper!
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. The Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.
When I remember these things, I pour out my soul within me.For I used to go with the multitude; I went with them to the house of God, With the voice of joy and praise, With a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast.
My son, let them not depart from your eyes--
Keep sound wisdom and discretion; If you have found it, there is a prospect, And your hope will not be cut off. So they will be life to your soul And grace to your neck.
So shall the knowledge of wisdom be to your soul; Then you will walk safely in your way, And your foot will not stumble.
Therefore, my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope.
And our hope for you is steadfast, because we know that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also you will partake of the consolation.
But for him who is joined to all the living there is hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion.
pg45
And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.”
“Cry aloud, spare not; Lift up your voice like a trumpet;
I cried to the Lord with my voice,And He heard me from His holy hill. Selah
Lord, by Your favor You have made my mountain stand strong; You hid Your face, and I was troubled. I cried out to You, O Lord; And to the Lord I made supplication:
But he said, “As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!”
...So the two of them went on.
Hear, O Lord, and have mercy on me; Lord, be my helper!
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. The Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.
When I remember these things, I pour out my soul within me.For I used to go with the multitude; I went with them to the house of God, With the voice of joy and praise, With a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast.
My son, let them not depart from your eyes--
Keep sound wisdom and discretion; If you have found it, there is a prospect, And your hope will not be cut off. So they will be life to your soul And grace to your neck.
So shall the knowledge of wisdom be to your soul; Then you will walk safely in your way, And your foot will not stumble.
Therefore, my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope.
And our hope for you is steadfast, because we know that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also you will partake of the consolation.
But for him who is joined to all the living there is hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion.
pg45
And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.”
“Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’
These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb.
Now, concerning virgins: I have no commandment from the Lord; yet I give judgment as one whom the Lord in His mercy has made trustworthy. Because of the fragrance of your good ointments, Your name is ointment poured forth; Therefore the virgins love you “And because of all this, We make a sure covenant and write it; Our leaders, our Levites, and our priests seal it.” for whatever is written in the king’s name and sealed with the king’s signet ring no one can revoke.”
He seals the hand of every man, That all men may know His work.
Set me as a seal upon your heart, As a seal upon your arm; For love is as strong as death, Jealousy as cruel as the grave; Its flames are flames of fire, A most vehement flame.
But let those who love Him be like the sun When it comes out in full strength.
His glory is great in Your salvation; Honor and majesty You have placed upon him. For You have made him most blessed forever; You have made him exceedingly glad with Your presence.
For You meet him with the blessings of goodness; You set a crown of pure gold upon his head.
He asked life from You, and You gave it to him—Length of days forever and ever.
For this is God, Our God forever and ever; He will be our guide Even to death.
Then He said, “I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.”
Therefore, when I have performed this and have sealed to them this fruit And you shall bear no sin because of it, ...when you have lifted up the best of it.
And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
pg46
“Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’
These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb.
Now, concerning virgins: I have no commandment from the Lord; yet I give judgment as one whom the Lord in His mercy has made trustworthy. Because of the fragrance of your good ointments, Your name is ointment poured forth; Therefore the virgins love you “And because of all this, We make a sure covenant and write it; Our leaders, our Levites, and our priests seal it.” for whatever is written in the king’s name and sealed with the king’s signet ring no one can revoke.”
He seals the hand of every man, That all men may know His work.
Set me as a seal upon your heart, As a seal upon your arm; For love is as strong as death, Jealousy as cruel as the grave; Its flames are flames of fire, A most vehement flame.
But let those who love Him be like the sun When it comes out in full strength.
His glory is great in Your salvation; Honor and majesty You have placed upon him. For You have made him most blessed forever; You have made him exceedingly glad with Your presence.
For You meet him with the blessings of goodness; You set a crown of pure gold upon his head.
He asked life from You, and You gave it to him—Length of days forever and ever.
For this is God, Our God forever and ever; He will be our guide Even to death.
Then He said, “I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.”
Therefore, when I have performed this and have sealed to them this fruit And you shall bear no sin because of it, ...when you have lifted up the best of it.
And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
pg46
For it is better that he say to you, “Come up here,” Than that you should be put lower in the presence of the prince, Whom your eyes have seen.
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.
He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward.
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain.
But I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. For I said in my haste, “I am cut off from before Your eyes”;
Nevertheless, You heard the voice of my supplications When I cried out to You.
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
And the Lord will grant you plenty of goods, in the fruit of your body, Your dead shall live; Together with my dead body they shall arise
Awake and sing, you who dwell in dust;
For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established—For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. He does great things past finding out,Yes, wonders without number.
But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, Say to them:
‘As I live,’ says the Lord God,
‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked,
but that the wicked turn from his way and live.
Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?’
For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?
pg47
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.
He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward.
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain.
But I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. For I said in my haste, “I am cut off from before Your eyes”;
Nevertheless, You heard the voice of my supplications When I cried out to You.
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
And the Lord will grant you plenty of goods, in the fruit of your body, Your dead shall live; Together with my dead body they shall arise
Awake and sing, you who dwell in dust;
For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established—For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. He does great things past finding out,Yes, wonders without number.
But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, Say to them:
‘As I live,’ says the Lord God,
‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked,
but that the wicked turn from his way and live.
Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?’
For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?
pg47
Say to them, ‘As I live,’ says the Lord, ‘just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will do to you:
And how does a wise man die? As the fool!
The soul who sins shall die.
“Therefore you, O son of man, say to the children of your people:
‘The righteousness of the righteous man shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression; as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall because of it in the day that he turns from his wickedness; nor shall the righteous be able to live because of his righteousness in the day that he sins.’
...Even them I will bring to My holy mountain, And make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices Will be accepted on My altar;
The Lord is far from the wicked, But He hears the prayer of the righteous.
Again, when a wicked man turns away from the wickedness which he committed, and does what is lawful and right, he preserves himself alive.
But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one; Who keeps our soul among the living, And does not allow our feet to be moved.
The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself. For there is no more remembrance of the wise than of the fool forever, Since all that now is, will be forgotten in the days to come.
“Behold, all souls are Mine; The soul of the father As well as the soul of the son is Mine.
pg48
IV. Israel's Redeemer, and Judah's Doubtless God
For anyone of the House of Israel, or of The Strangers who dwell in Israel, who separates himself from Me and sets up his idols in his heart and puts before him what causes him to stumble into iniquity, then comes to a prophet to inquire of him concerning Me,
I the Lord will answer him by Myself.
“It shall come to pass in that day That I will answer,” says the Lord; “I will answer the heavens, And they shall answer the earth.
The rebuke of His people He will take away from all the earth; He will swallow up death forever, And the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces;
For the Lord has spoken.
Doubtless You are our Father, Though Abraham was ignorant of us, And Israel does not acknowledge us.
Shall Doubtless come again with rejoicing, You, O Lord, are our Father; Our Redeemer from Everlasting is Your name.
Then they remembered that God was their rock, And the Most High God their Redeemer. “The Redeemer will come to Zion, And to those who turn from transgression in Jacob,” Says the Lord.
With Him are Strength and Prudence. The deceived and The Deceiver are His. Their Redeemer is strong; The Lord of hosts is His name. He will thoroughly plead their case, That He may give rest to the land, And disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon.
“Cry aloud, spare not; Lift up your voice like a trumpet; Tell My people their transgression, And the house of Jacob their sins.
pg49
I the Lord will answer him by Myself.
“It shall come to pass in that day That I will answer,” says the Lord; “I will answer the heavens, And they shall answer the earth.
The rebuke of His people He will take away from all the earth; He will swallow up death forever, And the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces;
For the Lord has spoken.
Doubtless You are our Father, Though Abraham was ignorant of us, And Israel does not acknowledge us.
Shall Doubtless come again with rejoicing, You, O Lord, are our Father; Our Redeemer from Everlasting is Your name.
Then they remembered that God was their rock, And the Most High God their Redeemer. “The Redeemer will come to Zion, And to those who turn from transgression in Jacob,” Says the Lord.
With Him are Strength and Prudence. The deceived and The Deceiver are His. Their Redeemer is strong; The Lord of hosts is His name. He will thoroughly plead their case, That He may give rest to the land, And disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon.
“Cry aloud, spare not; Lift up your voice like a trumpet; Tell My people their transgression, And the house of Jacob their sins.
pg49
They ask of Me the ordinances of justice; They take delight in approaching God. Yet they seek Me daily, and delight to know My ways, as a nation that did righteousness, And did not forsake the ordinance of their God.
You, O Lord, are our Father; Our Redeemer from Everlasting is Your name.
If I am not an apostle to others, yet doubtless I am to you.
For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
My soul faints for Your salvation, But I hope in Your word.I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” And You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah
I will extol You, O Lord, for You have lifted me up, and have not let my foes rejoice over me. O Lord my God, I cried out to You, And You healed me. O Lord, You brought my soul up from the grave; You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.
Sing praise to the Lord, you saints of His,And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name. For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.
Now in my prosperity I said, “I shall never be moved.”My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and give praise.
Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.
This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
pg50
You, O Lord, are our Father; Our Redeemer from Everlasting is Your name.
If I am not an apostle to others, yet doubtless I am to you.
For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
My soul faints for Your salvation, But I hope in Your word.I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” And You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah
I will extol You, O Lord, for You have lifted me up, and have not let my foes rejoice over me. O Lord my God, I cried out to You, And You healed me. O Lord, You brought my soul up from the grave; You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.
Sing praise to the Lord, you saints of His,And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name. For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.
Now in my prosperity I said, “I shall never be moved.”My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and give praise.
Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.
This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
pg50
His glory is above the earth and heaven. For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light. God is my strength and power, And He makes my way perfect. For His name alone is exalted;
O You who hear prayer, To You all flesh will come.
He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, And you mourn at last, When your flesh and your body are consumed,
I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies.
There is no darkness nor shadow of death Where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves. “When the waves of death surrounded me, The floods of ungodliness made me afraid. The sorrows of Sheol surrounded me; The snares of death confronted me. In my distress I called upon the Lord, And cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple,
And my cry entered His ears.
The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light. Look, He scatters His light upon it, And covers the depths of the sea., And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned.” And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
A noise will come to the ends of the earth— For the Lord has a controversy with the nations; He will plead His case with all flesh. He will give those who are wicked to the sword,’ says the Lord.
”Then comes the end,
when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power.
pg51
O You who hear prayer, To You all flesh will come.
He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, And you mourn at last, When your flesh and your body are consumed,
I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies.
There is no darkness nor shadow of death Where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves. “When the waves of death surrounded me, The floods of ungodliness made me afraid. The sorrows of Sheol surrounded me; The snares of death confronted me. In my distress I called upon the Lord, And cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple,
And my cry entered His ears.
The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light. Look, He scatters His light upon it, And covers the depths of the sea., And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned.” And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
A noise will come to the ends of the earth— For the Lord has a controversy with the nations; He will plead His case with all flesh. He will give those who are wicked to the sword,’ says the Lord.
”Then comes the end,
when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power.
pg51
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.
Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.
Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’
And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”
But now Christ is risen from the dead and has become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.
For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead.
For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive But each one in his own order: Christ the first fruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.
Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
Who has performed and done it, Calling the generations from the beginning?
‘I, the Lord, am the first; And with the last I am He.’
“Listen to Me, O Jacob, And Israel, My called:
I am He; I am the First, I am also the Last.
“In that day, a fountain shall be opened for the House of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God
pg52
Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.
Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’
And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”
But now Christ is risen from the dead and has become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.
For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead.
For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive But each one in his own order: Christ the first fruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.
Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
Who has performed and done it, Calling the generations from the beginning?
‘I, the Lord, am the first; And with the last I am He.’
“Listen to Me, O Jacob, And Israel, My called:
I am He; I am the First, I am also the Last.
“In that day, a fountain shall be opened for the House of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God
pg52
through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. That the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.
Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
So, they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. Indeed, let no one who waits on You be ashamed. Let those be ashamed who deal treacherously without cause.
“Thus, says the Lord, the King of Israel, And his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts:
‘I am the First and I am the Last; Besides Me there is no God.
If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.
Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore, whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works,... but to evil.
but this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law,
‘They hated Me without a cause.’
...For to You, I have revealed my cause.
And He said to me, “It is done!
pg53
Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
So, they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. Indeed, let no one who waits on You be ashamed. Let those be ashamed who deal treacherously without cause.
“Thus, says the Lord, the King of Israel, And his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts:
‘I am the First and I am the Last; Besides Me there is no God.
If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.
Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore, whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works,... but to evil.
but this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law,
‘They hated Me without a cause.’
...For to You, I have revealed my cause.
And He said to me, “It is done!
pg53
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning, and the End.
I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. You shall call, and I will answer You;
You shall desire the work of Your hands. You therefore, O Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel, Awake to punish all the nations; Do not be merciful to any wicked transgressors. Selah
Your own wickedness will correct you, and your backslidings will rebuke you. Know therefore, and see, that it is an evil and bitter thing That you have forsaken the Lord your God, And the fear of Me is not in you,” Says the Lord God of hosts.
“There is no peace,” Says my God, “for the wicked.”
“Thus let all Your enemies perish, O Lord!
(for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)--
For in that day every man shall throw away his idols of silver and his idols of gold--sin, which your own hands have made for yourselves.
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life— the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us— that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.
pg54
I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. You shall call, and I will answer You;
You shall desire the work of Your hands. You therefore, O Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel, Awake to punish all the nations; Do not be merciful to any wicked transgressors. Selah
Your own wickedness will correct you, and your backslidings will rebuke you. Know therefore, and see, that it is an evil and bitter thing That you have forsaken the Lord your God, And the fear of Me is not in you,” Says the Lord God of hosts.
“There is no peace,” Says my God, “for the wicked.”
“Thus let all Your enemies perish, O Lord!
(for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)--
For in that day every man shall throw away his idols of silver and his idols of gold--sin, which your own hands have made for yourselves.
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life— the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us— that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.
pg54
But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy… He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
“See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess.
pg55
“See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess.
pg55
Return, O Lord, deliver me!
Oh, save me for Your mercies’ sake! Turn, O LORD, and deliver my soul;
For in death there is no remembrance of You; In the grave who will give You thanks?
And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, what is this proverb that you people have about the land of Israel, which says, ‘The days are prolonged, and every vision fails’?
Tell them therefore, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “I will lay this proverb to rest, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel.” ’ But say to them, ‘ “The days are at hand, and the fulfillment of every vision. For no more shall there be any false vision or flattering divination within the house of Israel.
For the earth will be filled With the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, As the waters cover the sea.
“The sun shall no longer be your light by day, Nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you; But the Lord will be to you an everlasting light, And your God your glory.
This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.
And she said, “O my lord! As your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood by you here, praying to the Lord. But the end of all things is at hand; therefore, be serious and watchful in your prayers. Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him, Who seek Your face. Selah
Selah!
But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine.
pg56
Oh, save me for Your mercies’ sake! Turn, O LORD, and deliver my soul;
For in death there is no remembrance of You; In the grave who will give You thanks?
And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, what is this proverb that you people have about the land of Israel, which says, ‘The days are prolonged, and every vision fails’?
Tell them therefore, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “I will lay this proverb to rest, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel.” ’ But say to them, ‘ “The days are at hand, and the fulfillment of every vision. For no more shall there be any false vision or flattering divination within the house of Israel.
For the earth will be filled With the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, As the waters cover the sea.
“The sun shall no longer be your light by day, Nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you; But the Lord will be to you an everlasting light, And your God your glory.
This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.
And she said, “O my lord! As your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood by you here, praying to the Lord. But the end of all things is at hand; therefore, be serious and watchful in your prayers. Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him, Who seek Your face. Selah
Selah!
But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine.
pg56
Forever Alexis Rosas, August 21, 1995- December 28, 2019
Let me see your face, let me hear your voice; For your voice is sweet, And your face is lovely.”
So, I sent to you immediately, and you have done well to come.
For I know that You will bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all living. I will bear the indignation of the Lord, Because I have sinned against Him, Until He pleads my case and executes justice for me. He will bring me forth to the light; I will see His righteousness.
And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you.
But when you are invited, go, and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, go up higher.’ Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you
Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, “Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping.
“When He came in, He said to them, “Why make this commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping.”
Then he gave her his hand and lifted her up; and when he had called the saints and widows, he presented her alive.
Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.
Therefore, He says: “Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light.”
My soul follows close behind You; Like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the brightness all around it. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. So, when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of One speaking.
‘Thus, says the Lord God of Israel:
“Concerning the words which you have heard-- because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before the Lord when you heard what I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants, that they would become a desolation and a curse, and you tore your clothes and wept before Me,
I also have heard you,” says the Lord
Your right hand upholds me..
I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustained me.
So He said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who
shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life.”
I know also, my God, that You test the heart and have pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of my heart I have willingly offered all these things; and now with joy I have seen Your people, who are present here to offer willingly to You. And all the people from the least even to the greatest,
“These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble.
O Lord, You have pleaded the case for my soul; You have redeemed my life.
Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, On those who hope in His mercy, To deliver their soul from death, And to keep them alive in famine.
For death has come through our windows, Has entered our palaces, To kill off the children--no longer to be outside!
I was brought low, and He saved me.
Return to your rest, O my soul, For the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.
For You have delivered my soul from death. You have put gladness in my heart, I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. I will be glad and rejoice in Your mercy, For You have considered my trouble; You have known my soul in adversities, And have not shut me up into the hand of the enemy;
Have You not kept my feet from falling, That I may walk before God In the light of the living?
Then the king said to me, “What do you request?”
So I prayed to the God of heaven making request if, by some means, now at last I may find a way in the will of God to come to you. For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established— that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.
But as for me, my prayer is to You, O Lord, in the acceptable time;
***************************
Will you trust him to bring home your grain, And gather it to your threshing floor?
He will swallow up death forever, And the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces; The rebuke of His people He will take away from all the earth; For the Lord has spoken.
Those who come He shall cause to take root in Jacob; Israel shall blossom and bud And fill the face of the world with fruit.
This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him.
Two things I request of You (Deprive me not before I die): Remove falsehood and lies far from me; Give me neither poverty nor riches--
and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood,
And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life;
and I will raise him up at the last day.”
me: “Here I am, a dry tree.”
So, I sent to you immediately, and you have done well to come.
For I know that You will bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all living. I will bear the indignation of the Lord, Because I have sinned against Him, Until He pleads my case and executes justice for me. He will bring me forth to the light; I will see His righteousness.
And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you.
But when you are invited, go, and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, go up higher.’ Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you
Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, “Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping.
“When He came in, He said to them, “Why make this commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping.”
Then he gave her his hand and lifted her up; and when he had called the saints and widows, he presented her alive.
Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.
Therefore, He says: “Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light.”
My soul follows close behind You; Like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the brightness all around it. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. So, when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of One speaking.
‘Thus, says the Lord God of Israel:
“Concerning the words which you have heard-- because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before the Lord when you heard what I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants, that they would become a desolation and a curse, and you tore your clothes and wept before Me,
I also have heard you,” says the Lord
Your right hand upholds me..
I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustained me.
So He said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who
shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life.”
I know also, my God, that You test the heart and have pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of my heart I have willingly offered all these things; and now with joy I have seen Your people, who are present here to offer willingly to You. And all the people from the least even to the greatest,
“These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble.
O Lord, You have pleaded the case for my soul; You have redeemed my life.
Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, On those who hope in His mercy, To deliver their soul from death, And to keep them alive in famine.
For death has come through our windows, Has entered our palaces, To kill off the children--no longer to be outside!
I was brought low, and He saved me.
Return to your rest, O my soul, For the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.
For You have delivered my soul from death. You have put gladness in my heart, I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. I will be glad and rejoice in Your mercy, For You have considered my trouble; You have known my soul in adversities, And have not shut me up into the hand of the enemy;
Have You not kept my feet from falling, That I may walk before God In the light of the living?
Then the king said to me, “What do you request?”
So I prayed to the God of heaven making request if, by some means, now at last I may find a way in the will of God to come to you. For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established— that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.
But as for me, my prayer is to You, O Lord, in the acceptable time;
***************************
Will you trust him to bring home your grain, And gather it to your threshing floor?
He will swallow up death forever, And the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces; The rebuke of His people He will take away from all the earth; For the Lord has spoken.
Those who come He shall cause to take root in Jacob; Israel shall blossom and bud And fill the face of the world with fruit.
This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him.
Two things I request of You (Deprive me not before I die): Remove falsehood and lies far from me; Give me neither poverty nor riches--
and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood,
And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life;
and I will raise him up at the last day.”
me: “Here I am, a dry tree.”
- "BibleGateway." Thomas Nelson, 1982. Web. 18 July 2016. <https://www.biblegateway.com/quicksearch/?quicksearch=goliath&qs_version=NKJV>.
- "Pistis Sophia." Translated by G.R.S Mead 2014 Chapt 100/pages 134-135.<http://gnosis.org/library/pistis-sophia/ps105.htm
Although the author and publisher have made every effort to ensure that the information in this book was correct at press time, the author and publisher do not assume and hereby disclaim any liability to any party for any loss, damage, or disruption caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause.09/25/2020