Hey, Reader, ... a word?!
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Did He Say Octuplets...or What?
“And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.” Genesis 1:28
Be fruitful= to bear, bring forth, beget [In modern times we understand nine months to be our pattern of carrying or bearing young.]
Replenish= contextually: populating sea and earth
Subdue= contextually: dominate, the earth
Dominion= contextually: to have dominion, rule, dominate (Dominate: lord, master) [We could think of them as stewards of this household.]
Populating the then no-ocean earth would mean their task was to keep multiplying, keep bearing octuplet kinds of belly fruit until the earth was full of people living and settled around the globe. If we think today’s population is about 7 billion—with water everywhere—what would be a fair estimate of the extent of population, i.e. a good number to stop the populating process, and thus complete the command to replenish. We’re thinking about 67% [minus that percentage of the sea that existed for the whales, etc.] more land, trees, rivers, etc., than heretofore known by humans today. So we could imagine maybe 21 billion humans could easily populate that extent of real estate.
And with their purity of love, righteousness, light and good nature of God filling the land, think of the joy and the family love, gatherings and grandchildren occasions; not to mention how they would communicate over those distances.
The moving creatures were to be dominated, mastered, Lorded over (in love, righteousness, and with light and the good nature which they had gotten from God their Father.)
The Earth, land, dirt, rocks, etc. were also put under their stewardship, but as these were largely inanimate, the word subdue is used. Again, in this command, dominion is the word used in connection with the moving category of the fully sentient creatures, and subdue for the inanimate category which were not sentient and absent to some degree of response to love and righteousness and other intellectual expressions of God.
As in our normal course of civilization, we dig into the earth, push, and deposit garbage into it. Those kinds of things we would never do to a moving creature which responds to us as a pet. We would never dig into their flesh and deposit waste, for example.
Man was created with the purity of Love, Righteousness, Light and Life after God’s own nature. Their rule at the time was a pure, loving, fair judgment, and equal shining of light and life to all in their domain. So, in the grand restoration of the Eden by God, we should see this condition established again, and come to know what it was like for Adam and Eve in their time.
Be fruitful= to bear, bring forth, beget [In modern times we understand nine months to be our pattern of carrying or bearing young.]
Replenish= contextually: populating sea and earth
Subdue= contextually: dominate, the earth
Dominion= contextually: to have dominion, rule, dominate (Dominate: lord, master) [We could think of them as stewards of this household.]
Populating the then no-ocean earth would mean their task was to keep multiplying, keep bearing octuplet kinds of belly fruit until the earth was full of people living and settled around the globe. If we think today’s population is about 7 billion—with water everywhere—what would be a fair estimate of the extent of population, i.e. a good number to stop the populating process, and thus complete the command to replenish. We’re thinking about 67% [minus that percentage of the sea that existed for the whales, etc.] more land, trees, rivers, etc., than heretofore known by humans today. So we could imagine maybe 21 billion humans could easily populate that extent of real estate.
And with their purity of love, righteousness, light and good nature of God filling the land, think of the joy and the family love, gatherings and grandchildren occasions; not to mention how they would communicate over those distances.
The moving creatures were to be dominated, mastered, Lorded over (in love, righteousness, and with light and the good nature which they had gotten from God their Father.)
The Earth, land, dirt, rocks, etc. were also put under their stewardship, but as these were largely inanimate, the word subdue is used. Again, in this command, dominion is the word used in connection with the moving category of the fully sentient creatures, and subdue for the inanimate category which were not sentient and absent to some degree of response to love and righteousness and other intellectual expressions of God.
As in our normal course of civilization, we dig into the earth, push, and deposit garbage into it. Those kinds of things we would never do to a moving creature which responds to us as a pet. We would never dig into their flesh and deposit waste, for example.
Man was created with the purity of Love, Righteousness, Light and Life after God’s own nature. Their rule at the time was a pure, loving, fair judgment, and equal shining of light and life to all in their domain. So, in the grand restoration of the Eden by God, we should see this condition established again, and come to know what it was like for Adam and Eve in their time.
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Do We See The Elation
Luke 21:28 “And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.”
Look up= contextually: to be elated, exalted.
Lift up= to lift up, raise up, raise on high (of the timid and sorrowful recovering spirit).
Heads= the head.
Redemption= contextually: deliverance from the hatred and persecutions of enemies by the return of Christ from heaven.
Draweth= I come near, approach.
Elate = To bear, carry out; deliver up. Others: self-satisfaction over one's accomplishments or qualities (or over God’s accomplishments at the time of the plagues).
Exaltation= literally: to grow tall.
Excite= to move, stir up, instigate, rouse, call out, summon forth, produce.
If we do not see the elation around us, then it is because we are not by faith looking up into the sanctuary, and we are not participating in the Sanctuary things which are itemized throughout the Book of Revelation. If we read, keep and hear those things, then we would be in exaltation—We would be growing! We would deliver for God (Dan. 12, do exploits; and teach exploits also, because the word wise in this passage means, teacher.) We would be lifted up by the God who sees our readiness to be ridden as His special horse.
But if we sit in on lesson studies and our excitement does not show in the discussion—we do not move each other, nor have we been stirred, and we are not producing a loud cry.
In these days of the loud cry, our redemption draweth nigh: and we are not excited, not elated. Truly, there exists poor shame, Zedekiah blindness, and lack of faith.
Look up= contextually: to be elated, exalted.
Lift up= to lift up, raise up, raise on high (of the timid and sorrowful recovering spirit).
Heads= the head.
Redemption= contextually: deliverance from the hatred and persecutions of enemies by the return of Christ from heaven.
Draweth= I come near, approach.
Elate = To bear, carry out; deliver up. Others: self-satisfaction over one's accomplishments or qualities (or over God’s accomplishments at the time of the plagues).
Exaltation= literally: to grow tall.
Excite= to move, stir up, instigate, rouse, call out, summon forth, produce.
If we do not see the elation around us, then it is because we are not by faith looking up into the sanctuary, and we are not participating in the Sanctuary things which are itemized throughout the Book of Revelation. If we read, keep and hear those things, then we would be in exaltation—We would be growing! We would deliver for God (Dan. 12, do exploits; and teach exploits also, because the word wise in this passage means, teacher.) We would be lifted up by the God who sees our readiness to be ridden as His special horse.
But if we sit in on lesson studies and our excitement does not show in the discussion—we do not move each other, nor have we been stirred, and we are not producing a loud cry.
In these days of the loud cry, our redemption draweth nigh: and we are not excited, not elated. Truly, there exists poor shame, Zedekiah blindness, and lack of faith.
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The Man Worthy, Found
Just as Christ in chapter one was seen in the midst of the 7 golden candlesticks (7 symbolizes complete) and the seven golden candlesticks are in heaven, for that is where the full spiritual assembly is. So, we see from the beginning point that Christ is officiating among the church in heaven in Priestly garb.
Then John is called up to heaven. The scene he enters includes the throne of the universe and one sitting on that throne. Then are described the four creatures which are surrounding the throne. It mentions the 24 elders also.
I believe the statements from others, who say that Christ was not present in heaven in the 4th chapter and only arrives there from earth or other places in the 5th chapter, are not correct. From the words that are in the 4th and 5th chapters we can see and know for sure that Christ was always right there.
Following are five points that show, from the words that are in the text, that these two mentioned groups are humans from earth, and that they are there with Christ in the throne room—whichever one room it is:
Point one: In the 4th chapter the beings who sit on thrones are called elders. This is John’s description/recognition of them. Definitely human people, and we can easily believe this from the words he uses—From his perception they were not angels.
Point two: The 4 living creatures are positioned as in the midst of the throne. They are not sitting on thrones, but are in and just outside the throne—a very unique arrangement, but it is where and how they are doing their God’s business.
Point three: When found, the Lion of the tribe of Judah is beheld in the midst of the throne, and in the midst of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the 24 elders. It is interesting that this unique arrangement used to describe the placement of the 4 living creatures is repeated and amplified somewhat to show the Lamb’s arrangement, and how he is doing his God’s business.
Point four: The 4 living creatures and the 24 elders have vials full of odours which are the prayers of the saints. They are doing the business of the sanctuary. Elders were priests on the non-High Priest level. (Greek, presbyter, signifying elder.)
These two groups of officials are human: The creatures are human, and the 24 elders are human. This becomes clearer from the words which follow the description of the vials, etc. After the Lamb takes the book from the one sitting on the throne, these two groups as one sing a new song—a song whose words teach about their experience which shall end with them ruling on the earth. ‘We shall reign on the earth’ is also sung by the 4 living creatures. ‘Redeemed us’ means and includes the 4 living creatures too. From the words here,—yes, from their own words they are telling that they are human, all 28 of them.
Point five: If they are human, and if they are in heaven, then they are with their Lord. Thus they shall ever be with their Lord. He wishes them to be where he is and pleads with his father that they can be with him. So, wherever these humans that have made it to heaven—and throughout the bible it is written of those who have been taken to heaven—Christ is with them. This is fulfillment of the promise; here we are shown assurance that the promise of Christ—to be with them—is true, and that the Father has answered Christ’s request. (additionally: wherever two or three humans are gathered in his name, there he is in the midst of them.) In the 5th chapter, it shows him in heaven, in the midst of the representatives (kings and priests) who have gone beforehand at his resurrection and make up his church in heaven.
The one who is worthy to open the book was in their midst all the time of the 4th and 5th chapters. The lamb is found just where he ought to have been found: in the midst of—not only the 4 living creatures, but at the same time being in the midst of the 24 elders. He did not suddenly arrive there from earth or some other place. He is with his resurrected first fruits—forever—as designed and foretold.
Addendum: He Was There in the Throne.
Rev 3:21: To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
[The four creatures are sometimes in and sometimes out of the throne. This place is their officiating territory, their estate, and their place that he went to prepare for them. The 4 living creatures belong to that place. They sit with God in the throne of the son. And the son is in the midst of them. The glorious detail of this one little word in should show us something distinctly different about God as opposed to mankind kings and rulers. This is a glorious word phrase because it shows another dimension about sitting in rulership: the throne of God is something altogether more manifold a concept and a reality than the historical accounts about how mankind has sat on thrones. In John’s account of this sitting on thrones done by the 4 living creatures pictures what Jesus was promising. There is something more powerful about the way Christ describes the sitting he and we will do on his throne. This promise to the overcomer is describing about power for us which involves mixing with the essential makeup of the throne. And so, if we think about it, this throne must be made up of something earthly manufacturers of thrones have thus far not compiled. Glorious things are not like our things. In this one verse we see just one of the Deeper Things of God which the Book of Revelation is revealing. In seeing each word that is there, we really begin to see.
So, clearly, Christ was there all the time—inside the throne.]
In= in, on, among. [1722 en (a preposition) – properly, in (inside, within); (figuratively) "in the realm (sphere) of," as in the condition(state) in which something operates from the inside (within).] In over 270 times the word en is translated it was translated 124 times as ‘among’.
Then John is called up to heaven. The scene he enters includes the throne of the universe and one sitting on that throne. Then are described the four creatures which are surrounding the throne. It mentions the 24 elders also.
I believe the statements from others, who say that Christ was not present in heaven in the 4th chapter and only arrives there from earth or other places in the 5th chapter, are not correct. From the words that are in the 4th and 5th chapters we can see and know for sure that Christ was always right there.
Following are five points that show, from the words that are in the text, that these two mentioned groups are humans from earth, and that they are there with Christ in the throne room—whichever one room it is:
Point one: In the 4th chapter the beings who sit on thrones are called elders. This is John’s description/recognition of them. Definitely human people, and we can easily believe this from the words he uses—From his perception they were not angels.
Point two: The 4 living creatures are positioned as in the midst of the throne. They are not sitting on thrones, but are in and just outside the throne—a very unique arrangement, but it is where and how they are doing their God’s business.
Point three: When found, the Lion of the tribe of Judah is beheld in the midst of the throne, and in the midst of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the 24 elders. It is interesting that this unique arrangement used to describe the placement of the 4 living creatures is repeated and amplified somewhat to show the Lamb’s arrangement, and how he is doing his God’s business.
Point four: The 4 living creatures and the 24 elders have vials full of odours which are the prayers of the saints. They are doing the business of the sanctuary. Elders were priests on the non-High Priest level. (Greek, presbyter, signifying elder.)
These two groups of officials are human: The creatures are human, and the 24 elders are human. This becomes clearer from the words which follow the description of the vials, etc. After the Lamb takes the book from the one sitting on the throne, these two groups as one sing a new song—a song whose words teach about their experience which shall end with them ruling on the earth. ‘We shall reign on the earth’ is also sung by the 4 living creatures. ‘Redeemed us’ means and includes the 4 living creatures too. From the words here,—yes, from their own words they are telling that they are human, all 28 of them.
Point five: If they are human, and if they are in heaven, then they are with their Lord. Thus they shall ever be with their Lord. He wishes them to be where he is and pleads with his father that they can be with him. So, wherever these humans that have made it to heaven—and throughout the bible it is written of those who have been taken to heaven—Christ is with them. This is fulfillment of the promise; here we are shown assurance that the promise of Christ—to be with them—is true, and that the Father has answered Christ’s request. (additionally: wherever two or three humans are gathered in his name, there he is in the midst of them.) In the 5th chapter, it shows him in heaven, in the midst of the representatives (kings and priests) who have gone beforehand at his resurrection and make up his church in heaven.
The one who is worthy to open the book was in their midst all the time of the 4th and 5th chapters. The lamb is found just where he ought to have been found: in the midst of—not only the 4 living creatures, but at the same time being in the midst of the 24 elders. He did not suddenly arrive there from earth or some other place. He is with his resurrected first fruits—forever—as designed and foretold.
Addendum: He Was There in the Throne.
Rev 3:21: To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
[The four creatures are sometimes in and sometimes out of the throne. This place is their officiating territory, their estate, and their place that he went to prepare for them. The 4 living creatures belong to that place. They sit with God in the throne of the son. And the son is in the midst of them. The glorious detail of this one little word in should show us something distinctly different about God as opposed to mankind kings and rulers. This is a glorious word phrase because it shows another dimension about sitting in rulership: the throne of God is something altogether more manifold a concept and a reality than the historical accounts about how mankind has sat on thrones. In John’s account of this sitting on thrones done by the 4 living creatures pictures what Jesus was promising. There is something more powerful about the way Christ describes the sitting he and we will do on his throne. This promise to the overcomer is describing about power for us which involves mixing with the essential makeup of the throne. And so, if we think about it, this throne must be made up of something earthly manufacturers of thrones have thus far not compiled. Glorious things are not like our things. In this one verse we see just one of the Deeper Things of God which the Book of Revelation is revealing. In seeing each word that is there, we really begin to see.
So, clearly, Christ was there all the time—inside the throne.]
In= in, on, among. [1722 en (a preposition) – properly, in (inside, within); (figuratively) "in the realm (sphere) of," as in the condition(state) in which something operates from the inside (within).] In over 270 times the word en is translated it was translated 124 times as ‘among’.
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A Revelation of Things--
Not a Revelation About a Person
We have heard it spoken that the Book of Revelation is a revelation about Jesus Christ.
This is said because of the first few words in verse 1 of the Book of Revelation itself. However,
the Words that are there, clearly do not support the saying.
If the above saying were correct— and the Book of Revelation was indeed a revelation about Jesus— many more Christians would study the book as their Christian values grew and their end-time walk progressed, because the more love one has for the Savior, the more details one would love knowing about Him. And so they would have dived into the Book just as they do dive into all the other books of the bible. And they would converse about the themes found there which concern or reveal more about him as the phenomenon of salvation.
Obviously, the man Jesus is in ever detailed passage of this book; that is how important the book is to us, for finally God is shewing what Jesus will do to end the mess here on earth, and shew unto our generation the answer to Daniel’s agonizing question of what shall befall the people.
But, again, the words in this verse are not saying that the revelation is about Him.
It Simply States:
That it is a revelation…
That it came from Jesus Christ…
That Jesus Christ got the revelation from His God…
That the son is to shew it unto his servants…
That the revelation is about things which will quickly happen…
(The word ‘of’ should be translated as the word ‘from’; many translations render it such. We can also look at the phrase: The revelation of Jesus Christ, as saying "Christ's Revelation", as is similar to "son of Job", meaning "Job's son". Thus, continuing from there: Christ's revelation and where he got it from; then speak about its purpose and where it should be displayed and to whom. We know that every word in the bible speaks about Christ. That is a very obvious known theme. But in this last time, this last book, this last communication before the destruction of the world, should the details of the things which are to happen be given their point so that we may advance them to the world which may not know?
Christ will do the things; they will be under his timing, intensity, etc. but we must know the things. We must do something with, and attach ourselves to the tasks and things written in this book which pertain to our salvation, i.e. the things said about the church in the letters is not directly about Christ, but directly about our condition which probably causes Him great grief. These things said are a revelation about us, and about a serious, depraved us. We must then be about remedying these things.)
The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: Revelation 1:1
The verse emphasizes things; we should emphasize things. (Another: The Gospels emphasize Jesus; they are a revelation about Jesus which the nation of Israel misunderstood. The gospels are all about Jesus--directly: John's Gospel about Jesus. Well: Jesus's Revelation about things.)
The words From the Interlinear:
Revelation = (contextually) revelation of future things relating to the consummation of the divine kingdom; a disclosure of truth, instruction, concerning divine things before unknown — especially those relating to the Christian salvation — given to the soul by God himself, or by the ascended Christ, especially through the operation of the Holy Spirit.
Give = To give something to some one — in various senses:
of one's own accord to give one something; to bestow, give as a gift.
To grant, give to one asking, let have. To supply, furnish, necessary things. To give over, deliver, i. e., to reach out, extend, present.
To give to one's care, intrust, commit; to give or commit to some one something to be religiously observed. To give what is due or obligatory, to pay, render account. To furnish, endue, (one with a thing; to give to one (a part) of etc. To cause, produce, give forth from oneself
To Show = (contextually) to show, i. e. expose to the eyes
Things = who, which, what, that.
Which must = it is necessary, there is need of, it behooves, is right and proper
Take Place = I come into being, am born, become, come about, happen.
Quickly (shortly) = swiftness (speed), i.e. done as quickly (speedily) as is appropriate to the particular situation
Signified = (contextually) equivalent to: to make known: absolutely
Things: Addendum
"Revelation chap. 1. verse 1. “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angle unto his servant John.”
We are here assured, 1. That this book is a revelation from God; 2. That the things revealed were in futurity; and, 3. That God gave the revelation of those future events to Jesus Christ to show unto his servants. This declaration is enough to silence forever the objection which is so often made against the possibility of our knowing any thing about the fulfillment of the prophecies and the second coming of Christ. “Does not Christ,” say the objectors, “himself declare, that ‘of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father?’” All this is admitted. But what does it prove? Only that “the day and hour” were not known. And who professes to know it? But the text itself asserts, that the Father does know; both in the sense of “to know,” and “to make known.” The first verse of Revelations declares, that God has exercised his prerogative, to reveal the events of futurity. The events of this book go forward through time to the final judgment, and to the retributions of eternity." PSC pg.119, Josiah Litch, 1838.
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...The Wonderful Things...
"To John the Lord opened the subjects that He saw would be needed by His people in the last days. The instruction that He gave is found in the book of Revelation. Those who would be co-workers with our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ will show a deep interest in the truths found in this book. With pen and voice they will strive to make plain the wonderful things that Christ came from heaven to reveal."
We are here assured, 1. That this book is a revelation from God; 2. That the things revealed were in futurity; and, 3. That God gave the revelation of those future events to Jesus Christ to show unto his servants. This declaration is enough to silence forever the objection which is so often made against the possibility of our knowing any thing about the fulfillment of the prophecies and the second coming of Christ. “Does not Christ,” say the objectors, “himself declare, that ‘of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father?’” All this is admitted. But what does it prove? Only that “the day and hour” were not known. And who professes to know it? But the text itself asserts, that the Father does know; both in the sense of “to know,” and “to make known.” The first verse of Revelations declares, that God has exercised his prerogative, to reveal the events of futurity. The events of this book go forward through time to the final judgment, and to the retributions of eternity." PSC pg.119, Josiah Litch, 1838.
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...The Wonderful Things...
"To John the Lord opened the subjects that He saw would be needed by His people in the last days. The instruction that He gave is found in the book of Revelation. Those who would be co-workers with our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ will show a deep interest in the truths found in this book. With pen and voice they will strive to make plain the wonderful things that Christ came from heaven to reveal."
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How Bad is Our Prayer Asking
James 4.3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
Receive not = (a) I receive, get, (b) I take, lay hold of.
[It is the same word take as in Rev. 10:8 ‘…Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth.’]
Ask amiss = I ask, request, petition, demand. (Contextually) amiss, badly, grievously, diseased, evil, miserably, sick, sore. (contextually) with evil intent.
[Think: if we are Laodicea, then because we are sick, wretched, poor, blind and naked, then our present asking matches in rottenness to our pitiful condition. And our condition is still left with us to remedy by freely buying without price gold and salve, etc.. Only when we individually finally buy, and only when John (think, church) finally takes the roll and eats it, will we ask and not be amiss.
So let’s illustrate this again. If one is with flu, in fever, and is wretching all over the bed, how grossly will their asking-amiss be. Will they even know what to ask for to make themselves well. Additionally, if a person is ill with flu and is also blind, they will also possibly ask doubly amiss; then further, if the person is mentally off (think miserable: existing in a state of misery—i.e state of mind.) can they ask aright. And if poor, and naked: without wisdom, righteousness, glory, or character of God—how bad is the condition then.]
Consume = I spend, bear expense, waste, squander. (contextually) that ye may consume, waste what ye receive, in luxurious indulgence.
Lusts = desires for pleasure. Desires: c. 1300, a craving or yearning; an emotion that is directed toward attainment or possession of an object, sensual appetite, physical desire, lust; that which is longed for.
Your = Thou, self.
[And this asking amiss could be made even more sinful if we are in the spiritual condition of Laodicea, plus the condition of Sardis: where we are half dead, —and have on the fallen condition of Ephesus: where we have left our first love. [obviously, if one is in the Laodicean condition, then the causes of that condition are likely the results of other conditions spoken of in the Revelation Letter section of John. Click Button Below, to go to my study on Letters. Or go to menu above.]
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Reason
Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.
Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. Isa. 1: 16-18
Reason = (strongs) to decide, adjudge, prove
Decide =
late 14c., "to settle a dispute, determine a controversy," from Old French decider, from Latin decidere "to decide, determine," literally "to cut off," from de "off" (see de-) + caedere "to cut" (from PIE root *kae-id- "to strike"). For Latin vowel change, see acquisition. Sense is of resolving difficulties "at a stroke." Meaning "to make up one's mind" is attested from 1830. Related: Decided; deciding.
Prove =
late 12c., pruven, proven "to try, test; evaluate; demonstrate," from Old French prover, pruver "show; convince; put to the test" (11c., Modern French prouver), from Latin probare "to make good; esteem, represent as good; make credible, show, demonstrate; test, inspect; judge by trial" (source also of Spanish probar, Italian probare), from probus "worthy, good, upright, virtuous," from PIE *pro-bhwo- "being in front," from *pro-, extended form of root *per- (1) "forward," hence "in front of"), + root *bhu- "to be" (source also of Latin fui "I have been," futurus "about to be;" Old English beon "to be;" see be). Related: Proved; proven; proving.
Adjudge =
late 14c., ajuge, "to make a judicial decision, decide by judicial opinion," from Old French ajugier "to judge, pass judgment on" (Modern French adjuger, the -d- was restored 14c. and English followed suit by 16c.), from Latin adiudicare "grant or award as a judge," from ad "to" (see ad-) + iudicare "to judge," which is related to iudicem "a judge" (see judge (n.)). Sense of "have an opinion" is from c. 1400. Related: Adjudged; adjudging.
Reason =
early 14c., resunmen, "to question (someone)," also "to challenge," from Old French raisoner "speak, discuss; argue; address; speak to," from Late Latin rationare "to discourse," from ratio "reckoning, understanding, motive, cause," from ratus, past participle of reri "to reckon, think," from PIE root *re- "to reason, count." Intransitive sense of "to think in a logical manner" is from 1590s.
Plead = contend, strive (for the fatherless); conduct a legal case for (fatherless, widow)
The fatherless and the widow would in Jewish society be in loss of inheritance and other major features of society. Therefore we are to struggle with and for them.
Relieve = (context) set right, righten
Cease = put to an end, stop, leave off
Seek = seek with application, study, follow, practice, absolute by wisdom
Learn = train, really teach [Rigor, Advanced Placement style]
Like as in Paul’s case where he beat his body into subjection and kept it there, as it were. No pain, no gain kind of concept.
Put away = turn aside, out of one's course
Not Wimply
These words: Plead, Relieve, Cease, Seek, Learn, Put away, Declare, Justified, Transgression, are very intense and costly words. They demand of us cutting exactness if we are new to them, and careful intentioned thinking if we are to perform them. Not done in a wimply way, but forthrightly, just as the way in which God decided to deal with sin: before its entrance into universe and after.
After Court is Over
During the ‘reasoning together’ (mathing together) God most certainly will present words like: Have you considered my son Jesus, He died for every human sin, you know. He has provided a way out of this court for you. Then you would willingly act somewhat surprised, and say: yeah, I’d like that good word applied to my account. Then after the cour, it will be that ‘though thy sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow...’
In an even deeper explanation of the court, God might explain something like this: all these math things that the Law required of you, I (God) have also already done: i.e. relieved you, the oppressed; judged the fatherless, you who lost connection with your maker; pleaded for the widow, Adam and Eve; [we do the others: putting away, etc. because we have sin that needs to be put away. We need to stop, because we are sinning. God does not need to do anything of the things mentioned here. But also in a tangential way, God has been putting away sin by cutting it off from the universe, as it were, and by bringing it to a stop, end forever.]
Man has always been in need of a mediator, a judge, since the fall. And God was there, even before the fall, mathing things out to make sure it is well with our souls. Yet still, he invites us to be there in the mix of adjudicating our trial.
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I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. Put me in remembrance: let us plead together: declare thou, that thou mayest be justified. Isa. 43:25-25
Declare = to count, recount, relate
Plead = reciprocal, enter into controversy, plead: with God
Justified = be justified, in one's plea [because of what you are begging for]
Transgression = breach of trust (1), rebellion (6), rebellious (1), rebellious act (2), rebellious acts (2), transgression (37), transgressions (45).
Sin = sinful thing, sin
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(So that you may enjoy the math terms in the definitions, I have set them in Bold.)
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Come!
The Four Living Creatures’ Job
And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.
Four beings, which are different than anything yet described in the Revelation.
Even the seven lamps of fire of the Godhead is not described here, with this kind of distinctive prominence.
They are in the midst of the throne, and just outside it at the same time, as it were.
* * * * * * * *
And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.
All of scripture talks about these imagery. They tell of one significant person; they are they that talk about the one seed that was to crush the serpent’s head. Ordinances and themes are built around these four descriptive names. And these name are now attached to four living creatures of awesome position.
* * * * * * * *
And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.
Whom are they saying Holy to? Position and prominence would answer: the entire creation, every watcher in the universe.
* * * * * * * *
And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, the four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne,
Saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
Here: the highest adoration is spoken and then they lay their crowns of life, as it were, before the one on the throne.
This announcement is one of the highest statements of the purpose of life, of both created beings and the one who liveth forever.
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The Lamb Takes; They All Fall Down
And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.
The one on the throne is not seen as associated with the Cross, but the living creatures and the 24 Elders all have something which associates them with the atonement of Christ. The mention of the prayers of saints at this time could signify that this is the atonement period: the final atonement.
* * * * * * * *
And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
The Atonement language. A special, new song invented, on the spur of the moment, for their God. Adorations of His worthiness to take the book and open it. They tell why he is worthy: because he was slain. All this in atonement process language. They are priests at that very moment, but announce that they will reign on the earth. Does this reveal the intent of the ultimate reason for the opening of the seals session.
This is Pomp and circumstance, extraordinaire, over a small book with seven seals. The savior—the son of God is the only one found worthy (of equal value) to take, open and read the book. What is the worth of the Lamb, then? What is the worth (value) of this book? The response seen here by the living creatures and the elders must signify that the things in this book are very deep things of God—not just, or only, an enumeration of historical past events for us.
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Thunder of The Word ‘Come’
And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.
The Elder spoke to John. The elders at this time do not speak loud like thunder. From the context of this verse, the living creatures who have a job of speaking loudly in the ‘Call’ to worship—Holy! Holy! Holy!— now express the word 'Go' to each horse and rider. (the word 'come' here is translated as both 'come and 'go'. Four times this is done, for four major events (seals) which come from one of the most powerful, most valuable books, and which has come from the ‘right’ hand of power,—this sealed book is here further revealed to mankind during the rest of John’s writing.
The Thunder ‘Call’ is telling each horse and rider to 'Go'. In Young's Literal Translation of the bible, and other translations as well, the words 'and behold' are omitted. These four horses are given things, and then sent from before the throne out (forth) into the earth to do their thing. Like in Zechariah 6; so in this chapter: They are sent. Not 'come into existence'; not 'come closer and see the unsealed thing'; not 'come and behold'; but 'go, walk to and throughout the earth taking peace from the earth, and conquering and to conquer, and controlling the merchandise of the earth, and dragging hell and death around and killing some one fourth of the living with death, etc'.
"Go!"
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Excerpt from, It's Love, Actually. No Chpt. yet, no pg. Yet.
It was a dark night in the back yard, and I was there laying on a blanket with my oldest honey bun. After a few moments of quiet, she said in her 4 year old half-ounce whisper, “Daddy, what makes the world go around?” “Oh, so you want to learn about love, huh?” “No,” she answered, 'I just want to know what makes the world turn.” “I see,” I said...but I continued thinking as I stared up into the starry heights....
Love is gentle: it has a mathematical speed which is geared for the pace that human relationships have, but is still suited for all other relationships: Its weight varies. Love is a numerical arrangement that even moves 'balance for balance against the crimson flow of heart break'. It also resides placidly within the mother-turning of the gentle earth.
Love is kind: Giving, adding to others needs, multiplying happiness by sharing one's talents, and one's means.
Love is long-suffering: It lets things be...lets them be free, lets them be in error, lets them be foolish. Lets the number one be a number one, and a two, a two, and endures what something is, without trying to change it to what one personally thinks it should be—lets them be what they are fashioned.1
Vaunteth not: Does not constantly boast of what good 3's it has, without profiting someone other than self.2
This is some of what love is, actually....
1 Think, existentialism.
2 Think, vanity.)
It was a dark night in the back yard, and I was there laying on a blanket with my oldest honey bun. After a few moments of quiet, she said in her 4 year old half-ounce whisper, “Daddy, what makes the world go around?” “Oh, so you want to learn about love, huh?” “No,” she answered, 'I just want to know what makes the world turn.” “I see,” I said...but I continued thinking as I stared up into the starry heights....
Love is gentle: it has a mathematical speed which is geared for the pace that human relationships have, but is still suited for all other relationships: Its weight varies. Love is a numerical arrangement that even moves 'balance for balance against the crimson flow of heart break'. It also resides placidly within the mother-turning of the gentle earth.
Love is kind: Giving, adding to others needs, multiplying happiness by sharing one's talents, and one's means.
Love is long-suffering: It lets things be...lets them be free, lets them be in error, lets them be foolish. Lets the number one be a number one, and a two, a two, and endures what something is, without trying to change it to what one personally thinks it should be—lets them be what they are fashioned.1
Vaunteth not: Does not constantly boast of what good 3's it has, without profiting someone other than self.2
This is some of what love is, actually....
1 Think, existentialism.
2 Think, vanity.)
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The BurdenTaking of the Yoke is Easy Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. - Mat 11:29 KJV For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. - Mat 11:30 KJV The taking of the yoke is easy to accomplish; it comes by faith, by believing. But the working out of the salvation with fear and trembling is the load, is the work that is to be done—the big package in the cart, if you will. It is our task, our decision, our response to Christ’s saving act, our sanctification-involvement requiring perseverance, patience, peace, longsuffering and integrity. (Gal 5.22) The comforter strengthens us: ( com-, along with; fort-, to strengthen) The definition of yoke in most commentaries is the commands of Christ. The burden then can be likened to the response to those commands in carrying them out. Another way to illustrate this is thinking of yoke as the justification part of salvation; and the burden as the sanctification part of salvation. By looking at these two modes, we can see that the yoke and the burden are very weighty items. We can see further, and this is the important point: never should they be discussed too separately, alone. They are integral and in Matt 11, we see them paired, just as we do in most verses that itemize the details of Salvation. More understanding and more honor is given to God, when both subjects are discussed as a single subject. The Burden is…Our Stone Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts. - Zec 4:6 KJV The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you. - Zec 4:9 KJV This Matthew 11verse is about building a huge building. In the verses above we see that the builder is God and that by his spirit he will finish the work. We are stones, but not the builder. He builds ‘without hands”, by using his spirit. God lays the foundation which is Christ. His building/dwelling place is a temple made up of ‘lively stones’ which are Christians—those before the cross and since the cross. And God’s name (character) shall dwell in this temple. The Burden is: The Rivers of Living Waters In God’s building the chief corner stone is Christ, and from him will flow fountains of living water; He is that same figure of speech symbolizing the rock that followed the children of Israel in their wanderings in the desert. Even we become little lively stones whence rivers of living waters flow out to the world. Out of our experience with the Spirit, living waters will flow to water (Greek: nourish) others. "He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." - Jhn 7:38 KJV (* belly: Thayer’s word commentary, “The innermost part of a man”) "But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified."- Jhn 7:39 KJV Another amplification: “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. “So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. - Eph 5:30 KJV *Nourisheth: idea of watering, bring to maturity. Cherisheth: to keep warm. The Burden is: The Christian Character The spirit perfects the Christian in this our last times. Both the former and then the latter rain of the spirit will accomplish this. His righteousness is fully developed in us. The –ness on the end of this word righteousness makes the word 'righteous' a word that means the character, not just the acts. Thoughts and Emotions together make up character. The Burden is: The Cross Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. - Mar 10:21 KJV Notice the sequence of event for this young man: take up something that has not happened yet, and then follow me. For us here in our time, we take up the cross which has happened, and then we follow him. Believing--and maybe, too, assenting to Christ’s cross--is one thing, but the burden, the real bearing of the load, is the work of choosing to work with the spirit to sanctify our characters and to let his living waters flow through us to the world. The dying daily and the working out of our salvation with fear and trembling is the strugglingest part of these two deals of the plan of salvation. And if it is the most struggling, bitter part for humanity, should more time and press be given this—especially in our endtimes. The yoke, the thing which Christ has fashioned with his plan, is easy to put on, but what is in the cart, the dredge and the sin and the tendencies (both of others and ourselves), is His burden. But even so, isn’t it marvelous that the Spirit is provided to make all this even altogether as a light thing. The Strong Will Never Fall We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. - Rom 15:1 KJV Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification. - Rom 15:2 KJV For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me. - Rom 15:3 KJV We should bear the infirmities of the weak (we were once dead in trespass) because our reproach from Satan and the law first fell on Christ who bore our burden as being mind for us until our age of accountability. So, we see that the burden is much responsibility. He wants us to carry that burden with passion and integrity, and with a reverent knowing; because this burden (my burden is light) which he has purified for mankind on the cross will be harvested from earth and carried back to Heaven in us as wealth and glory. Addendum: About the River The garden of Adam’s Eden had a river associated with it. The Tree of Life has a river associated with it. Christ has a river associated with Him. The Throne has a river. The sanctuary has a river associated with it. The City has a river associated with it. The New Earth has a river associated with it. Salvation has its wells associated. God has a river associated with Him. Eze 29:3 KJV - Speak, and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great dragon that lieth in the midst of his rivers, which hath said, My river is mine own, and I have made it for myself. *** The Great Rejoicing
Rejoice in His Deliverance Several months ago the author of the weekly Bible study lesson wrote, ‘The focus, and the challenge, is for us to rejoice in His deliverance.’ “The focus, and the challenge, is for us to rejoice in His deliverance. This does not always make sense in the context of the overwhelming challenges that we sometimes find ourselves in, challenges that are so much bigger than ourselves. Rejoicing in God's deliverance before deliverance comes is an act of faith and worship, rather than the logical consequence of what is happening around us. On the other hand, because of what Christ has done for us, trusting in God's faithfulness is, really, the only logical thing we can do.” The above author’s statement is the true theme of the Book of Revelation, the book that should mean so much to the saints living in the last days of earth. [And if we look closely we can see this rejoicing theme re-occurring in all of the New Testament writings, as well.] Rejoicing in His cross even though none of them saw Him die Certainly, the believers in the long 1260 years of persecution could see little going along around them that spoke of victory or an answer of a prayer for group deliverance, but they rejoiced. They believed that in Christ’s cross it had happened, and were acting as if the substance was already accomplished. At the beginning of Bible studies we should talk, in some depth, about the word that is the focus, because if we don’t define the word adequately, how do we hope to perform or understand the word of focus. If it is indeed critical for believers to focus on this act of rejoicing, we as a group must have in common the same (one accord) biblical definition of this word. Rejoice: Thayer’s Lexicon: To leap for joy, dance, delight in, even to exultation (exult: literally, to leap about, leap up, leap out.) An Unseemingly Description of God In all the Bible I don’t think there is a more lovely, if not unusual (unseemingly) description of what God will do during the first moments when all his people are presented safe physically, etc, as in Zeph 3.17. Old Testament Unseemingly Description Zep 3:17 KJV - The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing. New Testament Unseemingly Description [Rev 14:1 KJV - And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads. Rev 14:2 KJV - And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: Rev 14:3 KJV - And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. Rev 14:4 KJV - These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb. So, it is God who dances and sings when the Lamb stands with the 144,000 (i.e. presentation of the wave sheaf). It is the 144,000 who do the singing, and harping. It is the four creatures and elders who are in audience. It is only the 144,000 who can learn the song (which God is singing at this presentation, i.e. the wave sheaf). It is a very joyous time: God is singing and dancing; deliverance has finally arrived. *** The Great Commission
Matt 28:18-20 (NKJV) And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you alway, even to the end of the age (Matt. 28:18-20 NKJV). Authority: (Webster) Meaning, ‘power to enforce obedience’ Dan 7:14 KJV - And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. Rev 17:14 KJV - These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful. Observe: (lexicon) to attend to carefully, take care of to guard metaph. to keep one in the state in which he is to observe to reserve: to undergo something Observe – ob, in the way of + serve, to serve or keep care of. So, to keep care of in the way in which it was meant. Attend: literally "to stretch toward," ad- "to" + tendere "stretch". The thought being to "stretch" one's mind toward something. With: Young’s Concordance: meta - with, in common with. (also, Greek, Lexicon - with, after, behind) Common: Latin communis "in common, public, shared by all or many; general, (and particularly to the gentiles who were previously excluded from the personal levitical right of serving in the presence of the shekinah. Now the whole world could choose to have all of the savior and God at the same time as all other people simultaneously…’The disciples held all things in common…’) He is not only saying that he would be beside them and in their midst, but that he would be held in common, shared equally by all disciples. Alway: (lexicon) individually = each, every, any, all, the whole, everyone, all things, everything. collectively = some of all types. Again, when the word alway is added to the commission it underscores something deeper: he is not only saying that he would be held in common, shared equally by all disciples but that he would be with all things and everything. Always includes in its meanings not only the peoples of the world who become disciples, but it also includes everything in the world. i.e. that he would be held in common by the ‘arrangement’, the kozmos that he came to save: ‘the earth was filled with His glory.’ When we look into the meanings of the words in each promise, commission, or prophesy of the Bible, we sometimes find that the meanings of the words are not what we have been thinking they meant, but as we take the time to ‘live by every word’ we gain that ‘little bit more’ than we knew the day before. |
The 5th Chapter
of Revelation Open the Scroll Rev. 5.2: Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” The word, open, here means to open up or again. Not just the mere open as in other passages. Even Rev. 10.2: it uses a related word to Anoizai, but not Anoizai. Rev. 10.2’s meaning is just opened, not again. So, reading again, we might get the deeper ‘alway word’ in this passage: …to break the seals and open up the scroll again… In the past the book was sealed, now it is being opened up again. Who is Worthy to Break the Seals Rev. 5.2: Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” The word, worthy, here means ‘of equal value’. (axios, of weight, or of worth—of equal weight, value) All of heaven is, at that moment, looking for one who is of equal value to the act of breaking the seals and opening up the scroll again. So, reading again, with this word in mind, we might get some of the deeper nuances of this passage: …Who is of equal value with the breaking of the seals and of equal value of the opening of the book again… The answer to this‘who’, happens to fall on Christ. Why Does it Fall on Christ The Angel in Daniel 10 says to Daniel that no one held with him in these things, but 'Michael your Prince'. This angel also raised his hands (both of them) toward heaven and announced the times, time, and half a times. Right after that he tells Daniel that the book is sealed until the time of the end. We do not hear the angel say that it was himself who sealed it. And if no one held with him in these things but Michael, then Michael could have sealed the book. (or God the father) In this section we have seen that a book or vision that involved times, time and half was sealed (closed) and the one who could have sealed it was Michael (Christ), then we look into Revelation and see that the Book of Revelation is talking about the times, time, and half; and (in the 5th chapter, they are looking for one who is of equal value to ‘open the book again,’ --we have arrived at the logical: that it is Christ. One who seals a thing, has the right, or equivalence to open a thing. So, reading again, with this word in mind, we can see how knowing the nuance of this word can sharpen and deepen our understanding. *** For God So Loved...For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. --John 3:16
If one is explaining the above verse/idea to a new believer, it is unlikely that that new believer would be expected to know many things about this verse. So also, a little deeper, it is true that one who is a little more mature in such scriptures may not know some of the deeper things in this verse—even as they quote this verse for the thousandth time. And all because of one word in this verse: world Hey, Reader! A word?! The rest of the verse I think is quite familiar to most, so let’s just look at this one word for now, and apply the new somethings we learn, and then you may live things from that point. Young’s Concordance: arrangement, beauty, dispensation, age Arrangement = that which is put in order (or has been put in order) Beauty = that which exalts Dispensation = to weigh out, measure, stretch Age = lifetime [ kósmos (literally, "something ordered") – properly, an "ordered system" (like the universe, creation); the world. The English term "cosmetic" is derived from kósmos, i.e. the order ("ensemble") in which one uses to treat the face.] The world and the universe has been put into order—numerically laid out, if you will. The purpose in which this has been done is so that it will exalt humanity and God. God stretched out, measured, weighed things, and so it stood fast. And, ah, lifetime: everything thing in the universe (earth too) has a season, a lifetime. Protons and neutrons, they say, break down into other particles; those particles are useful to the rest of the whole—by deep design somehow. The world and the universe has been made so that the more anyone reads it, the more they will exalt their creator, placing Him where He should be in rightful position. The more one reads the arrangement of this world and the humans in it, the more they will honor the human race as a unique special arrangement, weighed out with capacity and structure to occupy a heavenly position. Kings and Priest of God should be honored more than persons which are not a king or priest belonging to God. Man, in the biblical story of things, is seen as being taken from a garden in Eden in the earth to the throne room where he will sit with God on His throne. God is explaining in this verse how much He loved, who He loved so much, and what He loved so much. He loved the world and the arrangements he had weighed out in it, humans included, so much that he gave his eternal-living son to ransom it back, humans and all. In math and algebraic terms, if we did the evaluation of this equation it might sound something like this: to Him, the value of the arrangement lost on one side of the equation equals the remedy in ransom on the other. We earthlings obviously have difficulty with the evaluation of this simple algebraic equation, but that may be because we don't have, us scientist and all, a great amount of clues as to even a tiny bit of understanding of that which we find weighed out into this arrangement. We wonder at it, and can exalt the possibility of a creator with such high, high mathematical wisdom, and power. But God tells us plainly and succinctly in this verse that the arrangement, in all of its mystery, is the equal of His son’s life. *** Crying Over A BookThe word: book. Or the sight of the book. This excited John to the point that he wept openly, bitterly, deeply—on that order. John, for more than 60 years, was one of the chief expositors of Jesus, and an apostle, a teacher, a pastor, an evangelist, a healer, a spiritual father, a friend… and more. However, before those things, he was a lover of books: a word server. But this particular book excited him above all the books probably that he had ever beheld. There is something about this book that deeply moved him to the point of tears and guttural utterance and great distress of anguish upon finding that the Angels, the Elders, the Great Four Living Creatures, could not find, after using their excelling spiritual advanced eyesight, the one man who could deal with this book. The book itself, and where it is located in time and space, is significant because this is the context of the verse. Revelation 5.1:
From John’s perspective this book is an old book, a book that had its mention and origins in the Old Testament writings, and by that well established history, expected to contain a relevant connection to things which belonged in the immediate future. Therefore the book is prophetic. If John had not studied the Old Testament, then this book would not have been recognizable by him: He would have wondered with great admiration at its dazzling attributes, but would not have cried thus. But because he had studied so widely and had a deep abiding history with the people of God, and because of his love for the people of God which he now served, these experiences brought his emotion up to the level that he cried openly in Heaven—a place where one is not supposed to weep so—as if there were no hope at all. So what could be contained in this book that would bring a strong prophet, a wise teacher, a valiant friend, a founding father of many spiritual sons and daughters to open tears? It would have to be something that is not just packed with historical detail, not just something that would be a heads up kind of event in a continuing timeline, but something magnanimous, something planet and heavens shaking; something which John had been longing to see appear for a very long time. He was looking for the end of his joy, that second coming of his best friend, Jesus. He wanted, as we desire as well, for there to be an end of the misery and sin sickness of this age from which he had healed his thousands, but still had to endure the continued senselessness of unbelief for perhaps 60 years. This longing was also Jesus’ longing as well. The right hand = (in biblical themes) equals the power of the individuals authority. The person who sits = is obviously the God of the universe The writing within and without = lots of words, lots of details, many of events or promises. A heavy document of great portend. Sealed with seven seals = signifies seven the perfect number, complete number, fullness of numbers, and the fact that it is sealed means that it was only sealed for a particular group of people or a particular time or something of that nature. A book that has seven seals attached to it must be a book that contains some of the most powerful things in the universe. Something more than a list of names of all the Christians or an account of past or future earth history. Deeper, deeper…John was thinking. This indeed is a very special book of the highest and culminating importance that could only have been sealed by the God, and delineated by the God. By these above details it can be seen that the book is not about just a lower historical level of events, but events that are of the highest seventh level, if you will. And because this visit of Johns seems to be about a revelation, this little book, too, must contain things which must quickly come to past—the last day, the day of God, that day which men of god in the past have longed to see, and about which those who are reported to have seen ‘this Day’ ‘were satisfied’. This day is also what Jesus saw from his deployment during the years of his ministry on earth just before he endured the cross. In this book are found the deep things of God. In this book is explained and revealed the ‘Day that the lord hath made’; in it those who truly love God ‘will rejoice and be glad in it’. Time announced = it was time for the book to be thoroughly known what it meant. It was time for this book to be opened, brought to life, digested, experienced, completed with power to its end result. And the events would seal and solidify, by the glory displayed therein, the entire satisfaction of the rest of the universe. This would be the last and full display of God’s love event. No one found = that no one was found worthy meant to John that the book could not be opened, that the details could not be started into action. This also meant for John: another delay (later he was to hear the Christ Angel say that there would be ‘delay no longer’) and John simply seemed to not be able to abide yet another putting it off, hence his weeping between the porch and the altar— and at the foot of the throne. Worthy = of equal value. The power that would consequently go with this book is seen to be connected to the person who has the right, the honor, the position, ability, the strength that was equal to the portend and status of this unique book. This person must be of equal value as the word worthy means. Human beings, as the third chapter of Revelation under the Philadelphian letter states, only have a little strength. Yet could there be one found that was loved enough like Daniel to be given a chance to open and start the forces therein into action? The individual who was being looked for—all over the universe—must have strength on the order of seven seals of God, must have authority in his right hand to take the book from the right hand of the God, and this man must have life enough to reveal and give life to each written line in the book. And that was what John expected the presence of the book was for. I don’t think John was afraid of the one little book that held the many deep things of his Father. He wanted to finally see the hope of his glory begin—the ends of this world. *** Rightly Dividing2Ti 2:15 KJV - Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. Study: to hasten, make haste, to exert one’s self, endeavour, give diligence. Shew: present or show, or mirror the quality of one you represent. Approved: Acceptable or pleasing Thayer’s: acceptable of the things which God is the author; the things of God; his counsels; things due (unto) to God; things respecting or pertaining to God –i.e. the sacrificial business of the priest. "In the ancient world there was no banking system as we know it today, and no paper money. All money was made from metal, heated until liquid, poured into moulds and allowed to cool. When the coins were cooled, it was necessary to smooth off the uneven edges. The coins were comparatively soft, and of course many people shaved them closely. In one century, more than eighty laws were passed in Athens to stop the practice of whittling down the coins then in circulation. But some money-changers were men of integrity, who would accept no counterfeit money; they were men of honour who put only genuine, full-weight money into circulation. Such men were called dokimos, and this word is used here for the Christian as he is to be seen by the world." (Donald Grey Barnhouse, Romans: God's Glory, p. 18.) Needeth Not to Be Ashamed: having no cause to be ashamed Rightly dividing: To cut straight, to make straight and smooth, to handle aright, to teach the truth directly and correctly. Aramaic Bible in Plain English And take care of yourself, that you present yourself perfectly before God, a laborer without shame, who preaches the word of truth straightforwardly. International Standard Version Do your best to present yourself to God as an approved worker who has nothing to be ashamed of, handling the word of truth with precision. New Living Translation Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth. Darby Bible Translation Strive diligently to present thyself approved to God, a workman that has not to be ashamed, cutting in a straight line the word of truth. When I look at the phrase: to teach the truth directly and correctly, I am reminded of several commentaries that ask us to avoid joking around when we preach the word from the pulpit. And I can see how this phrase points out the flaw of when we do that. It is neither directly getting to the words at hand, and does not treat the words in the text rightly. The scriptures can stand alone on their own. They are not made better, or memorable, or deeper laid into the audience when we tell jokes with them. The jokes or things said to create a laugh only delay—directness is not delivered or arrived at. Doing things directly and correctly is much more in line with the idea of precision and straightforwardness. Rightly dividing may be looked at as the dividing of the parts of the words involved so that the key operating words of the text become more thoroughly and deeply explained. Word forming words, as etymologist use them, --words like re-, be- and de- are important parts and their meanings should be talked about too. I have found that understanding word forming words has given me more insight than a joke or a laugh. |