THE PAUSE
From the beginning of Moses' service, God has one objective: the fulfillment of his promise to Israel and the continuation of His Plan.
But what is His Plan?
The return of His People. He wants them back. He will bring them home to the Promised Land.
How?
He will separate them from the world, from Egypt, from where they have been anad take them ona journey to where they are meant to be. By divine edict.
He begins where? He begins with Moses. He separates him out. He allows his own failing, his temper, to bring an end to his hope of reigning. He takes him away from the world for forty years, puts him under a priest, (though the priest of what we seldom hear) marries him into a priestly family. He gets to be humiliated by doing one of the lowliest tasks: tending sheep. Recall that the shepherds who witness Jesus' birth would not have been accepted as witnesses in an Earthly court. A nomadic life, learning to depend on God for whatever he offers along the way to feed the sheep, learning to guide them skillfully to places where there was water to drink, learning to keep them from harm by wolves and lions. Remember David's bragging before the battle with Goliath that he had killed a lion with his bare hands. The whole time God has been preparing Moses for one mission, one very long mission: taking a massive herd of people, God's sheep, the lost ones Jesus will later say he has come for as the "good shepherd."
But was that the beginning?
What was Eden? We've covered it WAYYYYYY back at the beginning. It was a place set apart from the rest of the world. God walked there. WITH his people. With Adam and Eve. In the cool of the day. He provided all they needed so they never had to leave Him, never had to go off on a long journey in a dangerous world seeking after the basics just to survive. More than enough for two, a bounty beyond our dreams, so they would never have to work for themselves, to have things because all they needed was right there. Then a snake convinced them they were slaves, which they were in that they belonged to God, and they should be Gods themselves when all the snake really wanted was for them to be HIS slaves. Worked on the angels in heaven so why not us?
Just as every snake throughout history has convinced humanity it should be his slave instead of God's slave. Because he knew the secret. There was this book called "The Secret." All about personal power and how to become so powerful using your personal power. Really it was the same as all books like it. A chewed up and regurgitated mess of a long openly told secret: you can be like God. And people can. They can gain power by deceit and lying and sometimes by being possessed by demons or demonic forces and they can wield that power to their glory and gain a name for themselves. Caesar, Genghis Khan, Napoleon, Stalin, Hitler, the Buddha...
"Wait," you say, "That last one, he's a good guy. Has millions of followers. Spoke of love and caring and..."
And has lured millions to their deaths the same as all those folks before him, only a worse death. Believing they would die and find peace,, Nirvana. Glorious nothingness.
And, yes, some of his teachings about good karma, the same as Hinduism and the same as "the Secret."
Worse, because he made a separation from the world that was an insult to the actual separation, a false lure, a baited hook of self destruction.
Because God's separation leads to a place vastly different from nothingness. It leads to milk and honey.
Ex 3:8 And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
Ex 3:17 And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with milk and honey.
Ex 13:5 And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee, a land flowing with milk and honey, that thou shalt keep this service in this month.
Ex 33:3 Unto a land flowing with milk and honey: for I will not go up in the midst of thee; for thou [art] a stiffnecked people: lest I consume thee in the way.
Le 20:24 But I have said unto you, Ye shall inherit their land, and I will give it unto you to possess it, a land that floweth with milk and honey: I [am] the LORD your God, which have separated you from [other] people.
Nu 13:27 And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this [is] the fruit of it.
Nu 14:8 If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.
Nu 16:13 [Is it] a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that floweth with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, except thou make thyself altogether a prince over us?
Nu 16:14 Moreover thou hast not brought us into a land that floweth with milk and honey, or given us inheritance of fields and vineyards: wilt thou put out the eyes of these men? we will not come up. {put...: Heb. bore out}
De 6:3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do [it]; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey.
De 11:9 And that ye may prolong [your] days in the land, which the LORD sware unto your fathers to give unto them and to their seed, a land that floweth with milk and honey.
De 26:9 And he hath brought us into this place, and hath given us this land, [even] a land that floweth with milk and honey.
De 26:15 Look down from thy holy habitation, from heaven, and bless thy people Israel, and the land which thou hast given us, as thou swarest unto our fathers, a land that floweth with milk and honey.
De 27:3 And thou shalt write upon them all the words of this law, when thou art passed over, that thou mayest go in unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, a land that floweth with milk and honey; as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee.
De 31:20 For when I shall have brought them into the land which I sware unto their fathers, that floweth with milk and honey; and they shall have eaten and filled themselves, and waxen fat; then will they turn unto other gods, and serve them, and provoke me, and break my covenant.
As you can see, the land of milk and honey also carried more than a few responsibilities, Wild tribes to be purged from the land, laws to be obeyed once they got there, a dues to pay if they broke the laws. They would be set apart from the rest of the world.
Set apart, A word comes to us. One from Moses first encounter with God, one used by Bruce Wilkinson http://teacheverynation.org/usa/about/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_Wilkinson https://www.facebook.com/LastingLifeChange/ in his book, Set Apart:
Ex 3:3 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.
4 And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.
5 And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.
(KJV)
"Holy ground? How could ground be holy? If Moses had taken a handful of "unholy ground" and compared it with the "holy" sand at the burning bush, would he have seen the difference?...Why did the Lord declare this ground to be holy?
"If you had a big Hebrew dictionary sitting within arm's reach as I do (obviously before Goggle. W, :)), you could soon find the answer...the root concept of holiness lies in separation. The ground became holy because God separated it as the unique place where He would reveal Himself to Moses."
Page 22-23
The subtitle of the book, (because in a publishing world ruled by Jame Patterson and Stephen King, it seems that every non fiction book requires a subtitle), is Discovering Personal Victory through Holiness. That would mean victory in obedience to Christ and I suggest reading the book for suggestions on that score. We will touch on some of the broader ideas here but keep in your mind that God wanted the heart of every single Israelite. Not just the leaders.
In the old days before the marvel of computers, back when dinosaurs roamed the high schools, we used to have transparencies:
A teacher would put one plastic film with an image on it down on the overhead projector base:
Then the teacher would skillfully place another transparency over the other adding details to it or emphasizing what was already there.
Now, since these are long extinct, (Please be smiling at least a little) in your mind, place a transparency of holiness over what we've been studying.
See Adam and Eve driven from Eden. Understand that was a Holy place, God walked there with them so they could no longer walk there because they were not holy.
Later. layer the flood over all the land. God has baptized the world and made it all the same, so
Eden no longer needs a guard.
Overlay now the Tower of Babel. Recall God was especially angry about THAT ziggurat or whatever type of tower it was. Overlay a map of the area of Babylon and see that the area is roughly where Eden was, around the Tigris and Euphrates area, which, you recall, we suggested may have taken up a lot of area. Man built hia false worship center there where their ancestors said Eden had been, purposely worshiping false gods on what had been holy land. God remembered, even if they didn't or didn't understand the insult. Babel may have come down as a reminder that once this was a Holy place.
Now consider again this journey and lay down a transparency of water over it, one of Jesus as the source of Living Water.
The People are freed partly by the changing of the world's water, the Nile, to blood, even as the blood of Christ will purify from sin, the blood of the world destroys the water with sin.
Again, the People flee on dry land FROM the world and the world pursues only to be washed away by water God has touched, making it Holy water as the land was Holy on which Moses stood.
And we come to Paul seeing this same thing:
1Co 10:1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat;
4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. {followed...: or, went with them}
5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
(KJV)
And vs. 4 gives us transition to the next transparency:
Overlay the Rock.
Twice they call for water and twice God has Moses give them water from the rock, the symbol of the Rock which will be rejected but become the capstone:
Ps 118:7 The LORD taketh my part with them that help me: therefore shall I see my desire upon them that hate me.
8 It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.
9 It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.
(It is best to memorize this verse. Really take it to heart. W.)
10 All nations compassed me about: but in the name of the LORD will I destroy them. {destroy...: Heb. cut them off}
11 They compassed me about; yea, they compassed me about: but in the name of the LORD I will destroy them.
12 They compassed me about like bees; they are quenched as the fire of thorns: for in the name of the LORD I will destroy them. {destroy: Heb. cut down}
(Keep this in mind as the years come on which will be very different for America.)
13 Thou hast thrust sore at me that I might fall: but the LORD helped me.
14 The LORD is my strength and song, and is become my salvation.
15 The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly.
16 The right hand of the LORD is exalted: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly.
17 I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD.
18 The LORD hath chastened me sore: but he hath not given me over unto death.
19 Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the LORD:
20 This gate of the LORD, into which the righteous shall enter.
(Lay Claim to Holiness. The gates are there provided by the Lord. Enter it. Know that the Spirit provides the Holiness and awaits obedience.)
21 I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation.
22 The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.
23 This is the LORD'S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes. {the LORD's...: Heb. from the LORD}
24 This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
25 Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech thee, send now prosperity.
26 Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD.
27 God is the LORD, which hath shewed us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.
28 Thou art my God, and I will praise thee: thou art my God, I will exalt thee.
29 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
(KJV)
I include a lot more because it touches on much of what is going on in these transparencies. But first, Jesus' own affirmation:
Mt 21:42 Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
44 And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.
45 And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.
46 But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet.
(KJV)
(Also Mark 12:10-12)
And Pete:
Ac 4:1 And while they were talking to the people, the priests and the captain of the Temple and the Sadducees came up to them,
2 Being greatly troubled because they were teaching the people and preaching Jesus as an example of the coming back from the dead.
3 And they took them and put them in prison till the morning, for it was now evening.
4 But a number of those who gave hearing to the word had faith; and they were now about five thousand.
5 And on the day after, the rulers and those in authority and the scribes came together in Jerusalem;
6 And Annas, the high priest, was there, and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all the relations of the high priest.
7 Then sending for Peter and John, they said, By what power and in whose name have you done this?
8 Then Peter, being full of the Holy Spirit, said to them, O you rulers of the people and men of authority,
9 If we are questioned today about a good work done to a man who was ill, as to how he has been made well,
10 Take note, all of you, and all the people of Israel, that in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you put to death on the cross, whom God gave back from the dead, even through him is this man now before you completely well.
11 He is the stone which you builders had no use for, but which has been made the chief stone of the building.
12 And in no other is there salvation: for there is no other name under heaven, given among men, through which we may have salvation.
13 Now when they saw that Peter and John were without fear, though they were men of no education or learning, they were greatly surprised; and they took note of them that they had been with Jesus.
(BBE)
And in his letters:
1Pe 2:6 Because it is said in the Writings, See, I am placing a keystone in Zion, of great and special value; and the man who has faith in him will not be put to shame.
7 And the value is for you who have faith; but it is said for those without faith, The very stone which the builders put on one side, was made the chief stone of the building;
8 And, A stone of falling, a rock of trouble; the word is the cause of their fall, because they go against it, and this was the purpose of God.
(BBE)
So the stone was Jesus. Over and over again, we are told that. First struck by Moses to release the healing water even as He was struck on the cross that salvation might be unleashed:
Ex 17:6 See, I will take my place before you on the rock in Horeb; and when you give the rock a blow, water will come out of it, and the people will have drink. And Moses did so before the eyes of the chiefs of Israel.
7 And he gave that place the name Massah and Meribah, because the children of Israel were angry, and because they put the Lord to the test, saying, Is the Lord with us or not?
8 Then Amalek came and made war on Israel in Rephidim.
9 And Moses said to Joshua, Get together a band of men for us and go out, make war on Amalek: tomorrow I will take my place on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand.
10 So Joshua did as Moses said to him, and went to war with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.
(BBE)
Overlay a notation: God unleashes his healing water and the people are called to war against giants. First the living water and then Joshua whose name would translate the Jesus in Greek, leads his people to war.
Then the mistake of the Holy man, the one set apart, but still a man, still just a man:
Nu 20:8 Take the rod, you and Aaron, your brother, and make all the people come together, and before their eyes give orders to the rock to give out its water; and so make water come out of the rock for them, and give the people and their cattle drink.
9 And Moses took the rod from before the Lord as he gave him orders.
10 Then Moses and Aaron made the people come together in front of the rock, and he said to them, Give ear now, you people whose hearts are turned from the Lord; are we to get water for you out of the rock?
11 And lifting up his hand, Moses gave the rock two blows with his rod: and water came streaming out, and the people and their cattle had drink enough.
12 Then the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, Because you had not enough faith in me to keep my name holy before the children of Israel, you will not take this people into the land which I have given them.
13 These are the waters of Meribah; because the children of Israel went against the Lord, and they saw that he was holy among them.
(BBE)
This is part of the complaining thing we've used as our structure for this series of posts. But see now why the punishment see the notion of holiness as God sees it.
Spurgeon from his commentary:
Numbers 20:11
Were they not wrong in calling the people rebels, and in saying "must we fetch you water?" Certainly Moses erred in smiting the rock, for he was bidden to speak to it. The best of men are men at the best.
Numbers 20:12
See how jealous the Lord is of those whom he most loves. He will have them obey him in every particular, or else he will chasten them. A whole life of service shall not excuse us for one glaring offence. What manner of persons ought we to be? How careful should we be in thought, and word, and deed; and how doubly anxious lest we transgress by unbelief!
Numbers 20:13
This was one of the most memorable of Israel's sins, because it was a repetition of an old crime, in the face of former mercies and judgments. May the Lord save us from repeating our sins, lest we be made bitterly to smart for them! Keep us, dear Savior, that we rebel not against thee.
When I or anyone speak of Holiness, of separation, keep in mind that we are as human as Moses, that we will fail that Holiness requirement surely as Moses did. When someone reads Wilkinson, for instance, you can Google him and find all manner of references to what are seen as mistakes and miscues. They may be correct criticisms or not, what matters is that he is correct in his interpretation of Holiness here even as Moses was correct in obedience in the first release of water.
Even as Holiness itself is, as Wilkinson said above, and please don't miss that through all these overlays: "The ground became holy because God separated it as the unique place where He would reveal Himself to Moses."
Moses struck the rock, God unleashed the water. Moses found the tree which God blessed to purify to water. Moses came to follow God's edicts on how to set the people free,
Read back through the overlays.
Adam and Eve lost Eden. God didn't take it from them, He gave it to them to keep or lose by following His one instruction.
The folks at Babel lost their worship tower because they didn't worship God They lost what they built by their own hand by disobedience. Building for themselves meant nothing to God.
The Flood came because people chose not to be Enoch and follow God alone. Their own desires led them astray and held their attention, their worship.
Noah was set apart by God. Enoch walked with God and was gone. Set really far apart.
Tibetan and Catholic monks can set themselves apart all they want, but they are not holy by their own actions. Seemingly set apart but they can even have hit recordings of their chants and meditations. American faithful can scream about their churches not being right and follow someone on the media having not real contact with other Christians as they worship, but their "set apart" is not holiness. Governments may force Christians into hiding but it is God who makes the hiding Christians Holy not the act of defying the government. Like Paul, we can be set apart as easily in a city of flaunted worldliness like Corinth as we can in a wilderness with John the Baptist. God sets us apart. Our own actions may actually be striking at the Rock doing more than God asks and, in so doing, acting like the world, in an unholy fashion.
Modern example. First, think of that name Moses. IN an earlier post, our research into newer sources, revealed the name was likely derived from his Pharaoh "father". He came to the Israelites with a foreign name. He was born one of theirs, but had that foreign name. Had he arrived today, would his people have said he was a foreigner because of his name, demanded his birth certificate, and said he couldn't lead them because he didn't meet their idea of the correct co,or of a leader? If you think Obama was not Moses, you are correct but he was like Moses in being chosen by God to lead a nation out of a terrible situation, placed there by God if the Bible is correct in it's assertion that all leaders are placed by God.
Pr 8:14 Wise design and good sense are mine; reason and strength are mine.
15 Through me kings have their power, and rulers give right decisions.
16 Through me chiefs have authority, and the noble ones are judging in righteousness.
17 Those who have given me their love are loved by me, and those who make search for me with care will get me.
18 Wealth and honour are in my hands, even wealth without equal and righteousness.
(!!!!!!!)
19 My fruit is better than gold, even than the best gold; and my increase is more to be desired than silver.
20 I go in the road of righteousness, in the way of right judging:
(BBE)
Pr 24:20 For there will be no future for the evil man; the light of sinners will be put out.
21 My son, go in fear of the Lord and the king: have nothing to do with those who are in high positions:
22 For their downfall will come suddenly; and who has knowledge of the destruction of those in high positions?
23 These are more sayings of the wise: To have respect for a person's position when judging is not good.
(BBE)
"Wait," you say. "Will just wrote we are given the ruler by God and so did Solomon now he's saying be wary of those in high positions?"
Did Solomon not just separate the king and the people he wrote about in "high positions?"
So we are to realize the king is God's placement and those in high positions under him may have less than the king's best interests at heart. Perhaps Solomon thought of his half-brother Absalom who was so loved by David but still turned against his father and tried to take the throne by whatever means possible.
You know like people who will do anything to subvert the vote, tell all manner of lies to turn people's heads and mislead a nation. People in high positions who envy the ruler and think their policies however failed are correct.
Da 2:19 Then the secret was made clear to Daniel in a vision of the night. And Daniel gave blessing to the God of heaven.
20 And Daniel said in answer, May the name of God be praised for ever and ever: for wisdom and strength are his:
21 By him times and years are changed: by him kings are taken away and kings are lifted up: he gives wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to those whose minds are awake:
22 He is the unveiler of deep and secret things: he has knowledge of what is in the dark, and the light has its living-place with him.
23 I give you praise and worship, O God of my fathers, who have given me wisdom and strength, and have now made clear to me what we were requesting from you: for you have given us knowledge of the king's business.
(BBE)
Daniel, a prophet of God, a name of a captive Israelite, "God is my judge". One who points out the king of a foreign land was given by God as much as the king of Israel. And he served loyally until a false god was erected to worship. Then he did not defy the king except when it came to worshiping that false god. He had a discussion over diet that he won by showing his diet was better but that was to show to the Israelites who left the diet that they were wrong. And God corrected Nebuchadnezzar himself.
That corrected king even seems to have taken up the writing in part of Daniel;
Da 4:1 Nebuchadnezzar the king, to all the peoples, nations, and languages living in all the earth: May your peace be increased.
2 It has seemed good to me to make clear the signs and wonders which the Most High God has done with me.
3 How great are his signs! and how full of power are his wonders! his kingdom is an eternal kingdom and his rule goes on from generation to generation.
4 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest in my place, and all things were going well for me in my great house:
5 I saw a dream which was a cause of great fear to me; I was troubled by the images of my mind on my bed, and by the visions of my head.
6 And I gave orders for all the wise men of Babylon to come in before me so that they might make clear to me the sense of my dream.
7 Then the wonder-workers, the users of secret arts, the Chaldaeans, and the readers of signs came in to me: and I put the dream before them but they did not make clear the sense of it to me.
8 But at last Daniel came in before me, he whose name was Belteshazzar, after the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods: and I put the dream before him, saying,
9 O Belteshazzar, master of the wonder-workers, because I am certain that the spirit of the holy gods is in you, and you are troubled by no secret; this is the dream which I saw: make clear to me its sense.
10 On my bed I saw a vision: there was a tree in the middle of the earth, and it was very high.
11 And the tree became tall and strong, stretching up to heaven, and to be seen from the ends of the earth:
12 Its leaves were fair and it had much fruit, and in it was food enough for all: the beasts of the field had shade under it, and the birds of heaven were resting in its branches, and it gave food to all living things.
13 In the visions of my head on my bed I saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven,
14 Crying out with a loud voice; and this is what he said: Let the tree be cut down and its branches broken off; let its leaves be taken off and its fruit sent in every direction: let the beasts get away from under it and the birds from its branches:
15 But keep its broken end and its roots still in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass; let him have the young grass of the field for food, and let him be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his part be with the beasts.
16 Let his heart be changed from that of a man, and the heart of a beast be given to him; and let seven times go by him.
17 This order is fixed by the watchers, and the decision is by the word of the holy ones: so that the living may be certain that the Most High is ruler over the kingdom of men, and gives it to any man at his pleasure, lifting up over it the lowest of men.
18 This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw; and do you, O Belteshazzar, make clear the sense of it, for all the wise men of my kingdom are unable to make the sense of it clear to me; but you are able, for the spirit of the holy gods is in you.
19 Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was at a loss for a time, his thoughts troubling him. The king made answer and said, Belteshazzar, do not be troubled by the dream or by the sense of it. Belteshazzar, answering, said, My lord, may the dream be about your haters, and its sense about those who are against you.
20 The tree which you saw, which became tall and strong, stretching up to heaven and seen from the ends of the earth;
21 Which had fair leaves and much fruit, and had in it food for all; under which the beasts of the field were living, and in the branches of which the birds of heaven had their resting-places:
22 It is you, O King, who have become great and strong: for your power is increased and stretching up to heaven, and your rule to the end of the earth.
23 And as for the vision which the king saw of a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven, saying, Let the tree be cut down and given to destruction;
24 This is the sense of it, O King, and it is the decision of the Most High which has come on my lord the king:
25 That they will send you out from among men, to be with the beasts of the field; they will give you grass for your food like the oxen, and you will be wet with the dew of heaven, and seven times will go by you, till you are certain that the Most High is ruler in the kingdom of men, and gives it to any man at his pleasure.
26 And as they gave orders to let the broken end and the roots of the tree be, so your kingdom will be safe for you after it is clear to you that the heavens are ruling.
27 For this cause, O King, let my suggestion be pleasing to you, and let your sins be covered by righteousness and your evil-doing by mercy to the poor, so that the time of your well-being may be longer.
28 All this came to King Nebuchadnezzar.
29 At the end of twelve months he was walking on the roof of his great house in Babylon.
30 The king made answer and said, Is this not great Babylon, which I have made for the living-place of kings, by the strength of my power and for the glory of my honour?
31 While the word was still in the king's mouth, a voice came down from heaven, saying, O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is said: The kingdom has gone from you:
32 And they will send you out from among men, to be with the beasts of the field; they will give you grass for your food like the oxen, and seven times will go by you, till you are certain that the Most High is ruler in the kingdom of men, and gives it to any man at his pleasure.
33 That very hour the order about Nebuchadnezzar was put into effect: and he was sent out from among men, and had grass for his food like the oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hair became long as eagles' feathers and his nails like those of birds.
34 And at the end of the days, I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifting up my eyes to heaven, got back my reason, and, blessing the Most High, I gave praise and honour to him who is living for ever, whose rule is an eternal rule and whose kingdom goes on from generation to generation.
35 And all the people of the earth are as nothing: he does his pleasure in the army of heaven and among the people of the earth: and no one is able to keep back his hand, or say to him, What are you doing?
36 At the same time my reason came back to me; and for the glory of my kingdom, my honour and my great name came back to me; and my wise men and my lords were turned to me again; and I was made safe in my kingdom and had more power than before.
37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, give worship and praise and honour to the King of heaven; for all his works are true and his ways are right: and those who go in pride he is able to make low.
(BBE)
Jesus:
John19:11 Jesus gave this answer: You would have no power at all over me if it was not given to you by God; so that he who gave me up to you has the greater sin.
(BBE)
Paul:
Romans 13:1 Let everyone put himself under the authority of the higher powers, because there is no power which is not of God, and all powers are ordered by God.
2 For which reason everyone who puts himself against the authority puts himself against the order of God: and those who are against it will get punishment for themselves.
3 For rulers are not a cause of fear to the good work but to the evil. If you would have no fear of the authority, do good and you will have praise;
4 For he is the servant of God to you for good. But if you do evil, have fear; for the sword is not in his hand for nothing: he is God's servant, making God's punishment come on the evil-doer.
(BBE)
It has often been sited that Paul was speaking at the time Nero was ruler. Note that the one thing Paul did not do, that the Christians of that time, led by the Holy Spirit, did not do, was stop worshipping God.
Many brothers in high positions failed God and did everything to subvert every action of Obama even the ones aimed to help the poor and the elderly as best a government of limited resources could.
It speaks volumes that the one action that succeeded in the health care plan was a .9% tax increase on those deemed rich under the tax codes to equalize their payment to the system and it saved the Medicare system which would have been bankrupt by 2017 without it . Now the resources may last to 2028. What speaks loudest is the rush of neo cons to repeal that section and apply something Solomon also mentioned about different weights and measures:
http://www.jeremiahproject.com/culture/just-weights-and-measures.html
It's interesting to note these words follow previous verses that instruct the people of Israel to love the stranger who resides among them as they love themselves. It's as if honest scales and weights are a "practical application" of the golden rule (Lev. 19:18; Lev. 19:34; Matt. 7:12; and Lk 6:31), to do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
From the beginning of Moses' service, God has one objective: the fulfillment of his promise to Israel and the continuation of His Plan.
But what is His Plan?
The return of His People. He wants them back. He will bring them home to the Promised Land.
How?
He will separate them from the world, from Egypt, from where they have been anad take them ona journey to where they are meant to be. By divine edict.
He begins where? He begins with Moses. He separates him out. He allows his own failing, his temper, to bring an end to his hope of reigning. He takes him away from the world for forty years, puts him under a priest, (though the priest of what we seldom hear) marries him into a priestly family. He gets to be humiliated by doing one of the lowliest tasks: tending sheep. Recall that the shepherds who witness Jesus' birth would not have been accepted as witnesses in an Earthly court. A nomadic life, learning to depend on God for whatever he offers along the way to feed the sheep, learning to guide them skillfully to places where there was water to drink, learning to keep them from harm by wolves and lions. Remember David's bragging before the battle with Goliath that he had killed a lion with his bare hands. The whole time God has been preparing Moses for one mission, one very long mission: taking a massive herd of people, God's sheep, the lost ones Jesus will later say he has come for as the "good shepherd."
But was that the beginning?
What was Eden? We've covered it WAYYYYYY back at the beginning. It was a place set apart from the rest of the world. God walked there. WITH his people. With Adam and Eve. In the cool of the day. He provided all they needed so they never had to leave Him, never had to go off on a long journey in a dangerous world seeking after the basics just to survive. More than enough for two, a bounty beyond our dreams, so they would never have to work for themselves, to have things because all they needed was right there. Then a snake convinced them they were slaves, which they were in that they belonged to God, and they should be Gods themselves when all the snake really wanted was for them to be HIS slaves. Worked on the angels in heaven so why not us?
Just as every snake throughout history has convinced humanity it should be his slave instead of God's slave. Because he knew the secret. There was this book called "The Secret." All about personal power and how to become so powerful using your personal power. Really it was the same as all books like it. A chewed up and regurgitated mess of a long openly told secret: you can be like God. And people can. They can gain power by deceit and lying and sometimes by being possessed by demons or demonic forces and they can wield that power to their glory and gain a name for themselves. Caesar, Genghis Khan, Napoleon, Stalin, Hitler, the Buddha...
"Wait," you say, "That last one, he's a good guy. Has millions of followers. Spoke of love and caring and..."
And has lured millions to their deaths the same as all those folks before him, only a worse death. Believing they would die and find peace,, Nirvana. Glorious nothingness.
And, yes, some of his teachings about good karma, the same as Hinduism and the same as "the Secret."
Worse, because he made a separation from the world that was an insult to the actual separation, a false lure, a baited hook of self destruction.
Because God's separation leads to a place vastly different from nothingness. It leads to milk and honey.
Ex 3:8 And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
Ex 3:17 And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with milk and honey.
Ex 13:5 And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee, a land flowing with milk and honey, that thou shalt keep this service in this month.
Ex 33:3 Unto a land flowing with milk and honey: for I will not go up in the midst of thee; for thou [art] a stiffnecked people: lest I consume thee in the way.
Le 20:24 But I have said unto you, Ye shall inherit their land, and I will give it unto you to possess it, a land that floweth with milk and honey: I [am] the LORD your God, which have separated you from [other] people.
Nu 13:27 And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this [is] the fruit of it.
Nu 14:8 If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.
Nu 16:13 [Is it] a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that floweth with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, except thou make thyself altogether a prince over us?
Nu 16:14 Moreover thou hast not brought us into a land that floweth with milk and honey, or given us inheritance of fields and vineyards: wilt thou put out the eyes of these men? we will not come up. {put...: Heb. bore out}
De 6:3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do [it]; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey.
De 11:9 And that ye may prolong [your] days in the land, which the LORD sware unto your fathers to give unto them and to their seed, a land that floweth with milk and honey.
De 26:9 And he hath brought us into this place, and hath given us this land, [even] a land that floweth with milk and honey.
De 26:15 Look down from thy holy habitation, from heaven, and bless thy people Israel, and the land which thou hast given us, as thou swarest unto our fathers, a land that floweth with milk and honey.
De 27:3 And thou shalt write upon them all the words of this law, when thou art passed over, that thou mayest go in unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, a land that floweth with milk and honey; as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee.
De 31:20 For when I shall have brought them into the land which I sware unto their fathers, that floweth with milk and honey; and they shall have eaten and filled themselves, and waxen fat; then will they turn unto other gods, and serve them, and provoke me, and break my covenant.
As you can see, the land of milk and honey also carried more than a few responsibilities, Wild tribes to be purged from the land, laws to be obeyed once they got there, a dues to pay if they broke the laws. They would be set apart from the rest of the world.
Set apart, A word comes to us. One from Moses first encounter with God, one used by Bruce Wilkinson http://teacheverynation.org/usa/about/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_Wilkinson https://www.facebook.com/LastingLifeChange/ in his book, Set Apart:
Ex 3:3 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.
4 And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.
5 And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.
(KJV)
"Holy ground? How could ground be holy? If Moses had taken a handful of "unholy ground" and compared it with the "holy" sand at the burning bush, would he have seen the difference?...Why did the Lord declare this ground to be holy?
"If you had a big Hebrew dictionary sitting within arm's reach as I do (obviously before Goggle. W, :)), you could soon find the answer...the root concept of holiness lies in separation. The ground became holy because God separated it as the unique place where He would reveal Himself to Moses."
Page 22-23
The subtitle of the book, (because in a publishing world ruled by Jame Patterson and Stephen King, it seems that every non fiction book requires a subtitle), is Discovering Personal Victory through Holiness. That would mean victory in obedience to Christ and I suggest reading the book for suggestions on that score. We will touch on some of the broader ideas here but keep in your mind that God wanted the heart of every single Israelite. Not just the leaders.
In the old days before the marvel of computers, back when dinosaurs roamed the high schools, we used to have transparencies:
2.
A teacher would put one plastic film with an image on it down on the overhead projector base:
Then the teacher would skillfully place another transparency over the other adding details to it or emphasizing what was already there.
Now, since these are long extinct, (Please be smiling at least a little) in your mind, place a transparency of holiness over what we've been studying.
See Adam and Eve driven from Eden. Understand that was a Holy place, God walked there with them so they could no longer walk there because they were not holy.
Later. layer the flood over all the land. God has baptized the world and made it all the same, so
Eden no longer needs a guard.
Overlay now the Tower of Babel. Recall God was especially angry about THAT ziggurat or whatever type of tower it was. Overlay a map of the area of Babylon and see that the area is roughly where Eden was, around the Tigris and Euphrates area, which, you recall, we suggested may have taken up a lot of area. Man built hia false worship center there where their ancestors said Eden had been, purposely worshiping false gods on what had been holy land. God remembered, even if they didn't or didn't understand the insult. Babel may have come down as a reminder that once this was a Holy place.
Now consider again this journey and lay down a transparency of water over it, one of Jesus as the source of Living Water.
The People are freed partly by the changing of the world's water, the Nile, to blood, even as the blood of Christ will purify from sin, the blood of the world destroys the water with sin.
Again, the People flee on dry land FROM the world and the world pursues only to be washed away by water God has touched, making it Holy water as the land was Holy on which Moses stood.
And we come to Paul seeing this same thing:
1Co 10:1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat;
4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. {followed...: or, went with them}
5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
(KJV)
And vs. 4 gives us transition to the next transparency:
Overlay the Rock.
Twice they call for water and twice God has Moses give them water from the rock, the symbol of the Rock which will be rejected but become the capstone:
Ps 118:7 The LORD taketh my part with them that help me: therefore shall I see my desire upon them that hate me.
8 It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.
9 It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.
(It is best to memorize this verse. Really take it to heart. W.)
10 All nations compassed me about: but in the name of the LORD will I destroy them. {destroy...: Heb. cut them off}
11 They compassed me about; yea, they compassed me about: but in the name of the LORD I will destroy them.
12 They compassed me about like bees; they are quenched as the fire of thorns: for in the name of the LORD I will destroy them. {destroy: Heb. cut down}
(Keep this in mind as the years come on which will be very different for America.)
13 Thou hast thrust sore at me that I might fall: but the LORD helped me.
14 The LORD is my strength and song, and is become my salvation.
15 The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly.
16 The right hand of the LORD is exalted: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly.
17 I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD.
18 The LORD hath chastened me sore: but he hath not given me over unto death.
19 Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the LORD:
20 This gate of the LORD, into which the righteous shall enter.
(Lay Claim to Holiness. The gates are there provided by the Lord. Enter it. Know that the Spirit provides the Holiness and awaits obedience.)
21 I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation.
22 The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.
23 This is the LORD'S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes. {the LORD's...: Heb. from the LORD}
24 This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
25 Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech thee, send now prosperity.
26 Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD.
27 God is the LORD, which hath shewed us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.
28 Thou art my God, and I will praise thee: thou art my God, I will exalt thee.
29 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
(KJV)
I include a lot more because it touches on much of what is going on in these transparencies. But first, Jesus' own affirmation:
Mt 21:42 Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
44 And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.
45 And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.
46 But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet.
(KJV)
(Also Mark 12:10-12)
And Pete:
Ac 4:1 And while they were talking to the people, the priests and the captain of the Temple and the Sadducees came up to them,
2 Being greatly troubled because they were teaching the people and preaching Jesus as an example of the coming back from the dead.
3 And they took them and put them in prison till the morning, for it was now evening.
4 But a number of those who gave hearing to the word had faith; and they were now about five thousand.
5 And on the day after, the rulers and those in authority and the scribes came together in Jerusalem;
6 And Annas, the high priest, was there, and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all the relations of the high priest.
7 Then sending for Peter and John, they said, By what power and in whose name have you done this?
8 Then Peter, being full of the Holy Spirit, said to them, O you rulers of the people and men of authority,
9 If we are questioned today about a good work done to a man who was ill, as to how he has been made well,
10 Take note, all of you, and all the people of Israel, that in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you put to death on the cross, whom God gave back from the dead, even through him is this man now before you completely well.
11 He is the stone which you builders had no use for, but which has been made the chief stone of the building.
12 And in no other is there salvation: for there is no other name under heaven, given among men, through which we may have salvation.
13 Now when they saw that Peter and John were without fear, though they were men of no education or learning, they were greatly surprised; and they took note of them that they had been with Jesus.
(BBE)
And in his letters:
1Pe 2:6 Because it is said in the Writings, See, I am placing a keystone in Zion, of great and special value; and the man who has faith in him will not be put to shame.
7 And the value is for you who have faith; but it is said for those without faith, The very stone which the builders put on one side, was made the chief stone of the building;
8 And, A stone of falling, a rock of trouble; the word is the cause of their fall, because they go against it, and this was the purpose of God.
(BBE)
So the stone was Jesus. Over and over again, we are told that. First struck by Moses to release the healing water even as He was struck on the cross that salvation might be unleashed:
Ex 17:6 See, I will take my place before you on the rock in Horeb; and when you give the rock a blow, water will come out of it, and the people will have drink. And Moses did so before the eyes of the chiefs of Israel.
7 And he gave that place the name Massah and Meribah, because the children of Israel were angry, and because they put the Lord to the test, saying, Is the Lord with us or not?
8 Then Amalek came and made war on Israel in Rephidim.
9 And Moses said to Joshua, Get together a band of men for us and go out, make war on Amalek: tomorrow I will take my place on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand.
10 So Joshua did as Moses said to him, and went to war with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.
(BBE)
Overlay a notation: God unleashes his healing water and the people are called to war against giants. First the living water and then Joshua whose name would translate the Jesus in Greek, leads his people to war.
Then the mistake of the Holy man, the one set apart, but still a man, still just a man:
Nu 20:8 Take the rod, you and Aaron, your brother, and make all the people come together, and before their eyes give orders to the rock to give out its water; and so make water come out of the rock for them, and give the people and their cattle drink.
9 And Moses took the rod from before the Lord as he gave him orders.
10 Then Moses and Aaron made the people come together in front of the rock, and he said to them, Give ear now, you people whose hearts are turned from the Lord; are we to get water for you out of the rock?
11 And lifting up his hand, Moses gave the rock two blows with his rod: and water came streaming out, and the people and their cattle had drink enough.
12 Then the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, Because you had not enough faith in me to keep my name holy before the children of Israel, you will not take this people into the land which I have given them.
13 These are the waters of Meribah; because the children of Israel went against the Lord, and they saw that he was holy among them.
(BBE)
This is part of the complaining thing we've used as our structure for this series of posts. But see now why the punishment see the notion of holiness as God sees it.
Spurgeon from his commentary:
Numbers 20:11
Were they not wrong in calling the people rebels, and in saying "must we fetch you water?" Certainly Moses erred in smiting the rock, for he was bidden to speak to it. The best of men are men at the best.
Numbers 20:12
See how jealous the Lord is of those whom he most loves. He will have them obey him in every particular, or else he will chasten them. A whole life of service shall not excuse us for one glaring offence. What manner of persons ought we to be? How careful should we be in thought, and word, and deed; and how doubly anxious lest we transgress by unbelief!
Numbers 20:13
This was one of the most memorable of Israel's sins, because it was a repetition of an old crime, in the face of former mercies and judgments. May the Lord save us from repeating our sins, lest we be made bitterly to smart for them! Keep us, dear Savior, that we rebel not against thee.
When I or anyone speak of Holiness, of separation, keep in mind that we are as human as Moses, that we will fail that Holiness requirement surely as Moses did. When someone reads Wilkinson, for instance, you can Google him and find all manner of references to what are seen as mistakes and miscues. They may be correct criticisms or not, what matters is that he is correct in his interpretation of Holiness here even as Moses was correct in obedience in the first release of water.
Even as Holiness itself is, as Wilkinson said above, and please don't miss that through all these overlays: "The ground became holy because God separated it as the unique place where He would reveal Himself to Moses."
Moses struck the rock, God unleashed the water. Moses found the tree which God blessed to purify to water. Moses came to follow God's edicts on how to set the people free,
Read back through the overlays.
Adam and Eve lost Eden. God didn't take it from them, He gave it to them to keep or lose by following His one instruction.
The folks at Babel lost their worship tower because they didn't worship God They lost what they built by their own hand by disobedience. Building for themselves meant nothing to God.
The Flood came because people chose not to be Enoch and follow God alone. Their own desires led them astray and held their attention, their worship.
Noah was set apart by God. Enoch walked with God and was gone. Set really far apart.
Tibetan and Catholic monks can set themselves apart all they want, but they are not holy by their own actions. Seemingly set apart but they can even have hit recordings of their chants and meditations. American faithful can scream about their churches not being right and follow someone on the media having not real contact with other Christians as they worship, but their "set apart" is not holiness. Governments may force Christians into hiding but it is God who makes the hiding Christians Holy not the act of defying the government. Like Paul, we can be set apart as easily in a city of flaunted worldliness like Corinth as we can in a wilderness with John the Baptist. God sets us apart. Our own actions may actually be striking at the Rock doing more than God asks and, in so doing, acting like the world, in an unholy fashion.
Modern example. First, think of that name Moses. IN an earlier post, our research into newer sources, revealed the name was likely derived from his Pharaoh "father". He came to the Israelites with a foreign name. He was born one of theirs, but had that foreign name. Had he arrived today, would his people have said he was a foreigner because of his name, demanded his birth certificate, and said he couldn't lead them because he didn't meet their idea of the correct co,or of a leader? If you think Obama was not Moses, you are correct but he was like Moses in being chosen by God to lead a nation out of a terrible situation, placed there by God if the Bible is correct in it's assertion that all leaders are placed by God.
Pr 8:14 Wise design and good sense are mine; reason and strength are mine.
15 Through me kings have their power, and rulers give right decisions.
16 Through me chiefs have authority, and the noble ones are judging in righteousness.
17 Those who have given me their love are loved by me, and those who make search for me with care will get me.
18 Wealth and honour are in my hands, even wealth without equal and righteousness.
(!!!!!!!)
19 My fruit is better than gold, even than the best gold; and my increase is more to be desired than silver.
20 I go in the road of righteousness, in the way of right judging:
(BBE)
Pr 24:20 For there will be no future for the evil man; the light of sinners will be put out.
21 My son, go in fear of the Lord and the king: have nothing to do with those who are in high positions:
22 For their downfall will come suddenly; and who has knowledge of the destruction of those in high positions?
23 These are more sayings of the wise: To have respect for a person's position when judging is not good.
(BBE)
"Wait," you say. "Will just wrote we are given the ruler by God and so did Solomon now he's saying be wary of those in high positions?"
Did Solomon not just separate the king and the people he wrote about in "high positions?"
So we are to realize the king is God's placement and those in high positions under him may have less than the king's best interests at heart. Perhaps Solomon thought of his half-brother Absalom who was so loved by David but still turned against his father and tried to take the throne by whatever means possible.
You know like people who will do anything to subvert the vote, tell all manner of lies to turn people's heads and mislead a nation. People in high positions who envy the ruler and think their policies however failed are correct.
Da 2:19 Then the secret was made clear to Daniel in a vision of the night. And Daniel gave blessing to the God of heaven.
20 And Daniel said in answer, May the name of God be praised for ever and ever: for wisdom and strength are his:
21 By him times and years are changed: by him kings are taken away and kings are lifted up: he gives wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to those whose minds are awake:
22 He is the unveiler of deep and secret things: he has knowledge of what is in the dark, and the light has its living-place with him.
23 I give you praise and worship, O God of my fathers, who have given me wisdom and strength, and have now made clear to me what we were requesting from you: for you have given us knowledge of the king's business.
(BBE)
Daniel, a prophet of God, a name of a captive Israelite, "God is my judge". One who points out the king of a foreign land was given by God as much as the king of Israel. And he served loyally until a false god was erected to worship. Then he did not defy the king except when it came to worshiping that false god. He had a discussion over diet that he won by showing his diet was better but that was to show to the Israelites who left the diet that they were wrong. And God corrected Nebuchadnezzar himself.
That corrected king even seems to have taken up the writing in part of Daniel;
Da 4:1 Nebuchadnezzar the king, to all the peoples, nations, and languages living in all the earth: May your peace be increased.
2 It has seemed good to me to make clear the signs and wonders which the Most High God has done with me.
3 How great are his signs! and how full of power are his wonders! his kingdom is an eternal kingdom and his rule goes on from generation to generation.
4 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest in my place, and all things were going well for me in my great house:
5 I saw a dream which was a cause of great fear to me; I was troubled by the images of my mind on my bed, and by the visions of my head.
6 And I gave orders for all the wise men of Babylon to come in before me so that they might make clear to me the sense of my dream.
7 Then the wonder-workers, the users of secret arts, the Chaldaeans, and the readers of signs came in to me: and I put the dream before them but they did not make clear the sense of it to me.
8 But at last Daniel came in before me, he whose name was Belteshazzar, after the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods: and I put the dream before him, saying,
9 O Belteshazzar, master of the wonder-workers, because I am certain that the spirit of the holy gods is in you, and you are troubled by no secret; this is the dream which I saw: make clear to me its sense.
10 On my bed I saw a vision: there was a tree in the middle of the earth, and it was very high.
11 And the tree became tall and strong, stretching up to heaven, and to be seen from the ends of the earth:
12 Its leaves were fair and it had much fruit, and in it was food enough for all: the beasts of the field had shade under it, and the birds of heaven were resting in its branches, and it gave food to all living things.
13 In the visions of my head on my bed I saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven,
14 Crying out with a loud voice; and this is what he said: Let the tree be cut down and its branches broken off; let its leaves be taken off and its fruit sent in every direction: let the beasts get away from under it and the birds from its branches:
15 But keep its broken end and its roots still in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass; let him have the young grass of the field for food, and let him be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his part be with the beasts.
16 Let his heart be changed from that of a man, and the heart of a beast be given to him; and let seven times go by him.
17 This order is fixed by the watchers, and the decision is by the word of the holy ones: so that the living may be certain that the Most High is ruler over the kingdom of men, and gives it to any man at his pleasure, lifting up over it the lowest of men.
18 This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw; and do you, O Belteshazzar, make clear the sense of it, for all the wise men of my kingdom are unable to make the sense of it clear to me; but you are able, for the spirit of the holy gods is in you.
19 Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was at a loss for a time, his thoughts troubling him. The king made answer and said, Belteshazzar, do not be troubled by the dream or by the sense of it. Belteshazzar, answering, said, My lord, may the dream be about your haters, and its sense about those who are against you.
20 The tree which you saw, which became tall and strong, stretching up to heaven and seen from the ends of the earth;
21 Which had fair leaves and much fruit, and had in it food for all; under which the beasts of the field were living, and in the branches of which the birds of heaven had their resting-places:
22 It is you, O King, who have become great and strong: for your power is increased and stretching up to heaven, and your rule to the end of the earth.
23 And as for the vision which the king saw of a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven, saying, Let the tree be cut down and given to destruction;
24 This is the sense of it, O King, and it is the decision of the Most High which has come on my lord the king:
25 That they will send you out from among men, to be with the beasts of the field; they will give you grass for your food like the oxen, and you will be wet with the dew of heaven, and seven times will go by you, till you are certain that the Most High is ruler in the kingdom of men, and gives it to any man at his pleasure.
26 And as they gave orders to let the broken end and the roots of the tree be, so your kingdom will be safe for you after it is clear to you that the heavens are ruling.
27 For this cause, O King, let my suggestion be pleasing to you, and let your sins be covered by righteousness and your evil-doing by mercy to the poor, so that the time of your well-being may be longer.
28 All this came to King Nebuchadnezzar.
29 At the end of twelve months he was walking on the roof of his great house in Babylon.
30 The king made answer and said, Is this not great Babylon, which I have made for the living-place of kings, by the strength of my power and for the glory of my honour?
31 While the word was still in the king's mouth, a voice came down from heaven, saying, O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is said: The kingdom has gone from you:
32 And they will send you out from among men, to be with the beasts of the field; they will give you grass for your food like the oxen, and seven times will go by you, till you are certain that the Most High is ruler in the kingdom of men, and gives it to any man at his pleasure.
33 That very hour the order about Nebuchadnezzar was put into effect: and he was sent out from among men, and had grass for his food like the oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hair became long as eagles' feathers and his nails like those of birds.
34 And at the end of the days, I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifting up my eyes to heaven, got back my reason, and, blessing the Most High, I gave praise and honour to him who is living for ever, whose rule is an eternal rule and whose kingdom goes on from generation to generation.
35 And all the people of the earth are as nothing: he does his pleasure in the army of heaven and among the people of the earth: and no one is able to keep back his hand, or say to him, What are you doing?
36 At the same time my reason came back to me; and for the glory of my kingdom, my honour and my great name came back to me; and my wise men and my lords were turned to me again; and I was made safe in my kingdom and had more power than before.
37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, give worship and praise and honour to the King of heaven; for all his works are true and his ways are right: and those who go in pride he is able to make low.
(BBE)
Jesus:
John19:11 Jesus gave this answer: You would have no power at all over me if it was not given to you by God; so that he who gave me up to you has the greater sin.
(BBE)
Paul:
Romans 13:1 Let everyone put himself under the authority of the higher powers, because there is no power which is not of God, and all powers are ordered by God.
2 For which reason everyone who puts himself against the authority puts himself against the order of God: and those who are against it will get punishment for themselves.
3 For rulers are not a cause of fear to the good work but to the evil. If you would have no fear of the authority, do good and you will have praise;
4 For he is the servant of God to you for good. But if you do evil, have fear; for the sword is not in his hand for nothing: he is God's servant, making God's punishment come on the evil-doer.
(BBE)
It has often been sited that Paul was speaking at the time Nero was ruler. Note that the one thing Paul did not do, that the Christians of that time, led by the Holy Spirit, did not do, was stop worshipping God.
Many brothers in high positions failed God and did everything to subvert every action of Obama even the ones aimed to help the poor and the elderly as best a government of limited resources could.
It speaks volumes that the one action that succeeded in the health care plan was a .9% tax increase on those deemed rich under the tax codes to equalize their payment to the system and it saved the Medicare system which would have been bankrupt by 2017 without it . Now the resources may last to 2028. What speaks loudest is the rush of neo cons to repeal that section and apply something Solomon also mentioned about different weights and measures:
http://www.jeremiahproject.com/culture/just-weights-and-measures.html
It's interesting to note these words follow previous verses that instruct the people of Israel to love the stranger who resides among them as they love themselves. It's as if honest scales and weights are a "practical application" of the golden rule (Lev. 19:18; Lev. 19:34; Matt. 7:12; and Lk 6:31), to do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not do him wrong. The stranger that sojourneth with you shall be unto you as the home-born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were sojourners in the land of Egypt: I am Jehovah your God. - Leviticus 19:33-34
A few verses earlier, they were commanded to not steal or deal falsely with others.
You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another. And you shall not swear by My name falsely, nor shall you profane the name of your God: I am the LORD. ‘You shall not cheat your neighbor, nor rob him. The wages of him who is hired shall not remain with you all night until morning. You shall not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind, but shall fear your God: I am the LORD. - Leviticus 19:11-14
As a universal rule, the Israelites were to do no wrong in social intercourse and trade with weights and measures of length and capacity; but to keep just scales, weights, and measures. It was stressed in the Old Testament that you have ONE ephah, and that it be clean and untainted, so that the measure was the same everywhere anyone traveled. What was commanded was that you never substitute "ephah v'ephah": having one measure for some people, and a different measure for others.
Underlying the three main religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam are these social laws contained here and indeed throughout the Pentateuch. The laws of the Pentateuch restrain the behavior and limit the power of 'rulers', that is of government, of top executives and of the establishment, of those in positions of trust, responsibility or authority, no matter whether secular, religious or military, no matter what the hierarchy or organization. Persons are not to put themselves above others by grasping power or satisfying personal desires at the expense of others. And a nation or ruler (person in position of trust, responsibility or authority) has to follow these laws and abide by them if they wish 'to prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his children'.
Underlying the three main religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam are these social laws contained here and indeed throughout the Pentateuch. The laws of the Pentateuch restrain the behavior and limit the power of 'rulers', that is of government, of top executives and of the establishment, of those in positions of trust, responsibility or authority, no matter whether secular, religious or military, no matter what the hierarchy or organization. Persons are not to put themselves above others by grasping power or satisfying personal desires at the expense of others. And a nation or ruler (person in position of trust, responsibility or authority) has to follow these laws and abide by them if they wish 'to prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his children'.
Divers weights, a great and a small
Not only are we to deal honestly in our transactions with one another as Lev. 19 commands, we are also to deal honestly in both sides of the transaction: buying and selling.
All commodities traded and sold, as well as precious metals used as money, were required to be measured and weighed according to established standards. Their measure in length, capacity, volume, weight, and value all had prescribed units (e.g., shekel, bath, omer, ephah, cubit, gerah, dram, etc.), which no one was allowed to deviate from.
All commodities traded and sold, as well as precious metals used as money, were required to be measured and weighed according to established standards. Their measure in length, capacity, volume, weight, and value all had prescribed units (e.g., shekel, bath, omer, ephah, cubit, gerah, dram, etc.), which no one was allowed to deviate from.
Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights, a great and a small. Thou shalt not have in thine house divers measures, a great and a small. You must have accurate and honest weights and measures, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you. For all that do such things, and all that do unrighteously, are an abomination unto the LORD thy God. - Deut. 25:13-16
Weights, for the most part, were made of stone, and in the renewal of this command in Deuteronomy 25:13-16, it is forbidden to carry "stone and stone" in the bag, i.e., two kinds of stones (namely, for weights), large and small; or to keep two kinds of measures, a large one for buying and a small one for selling. Using different stones for buying and selling would be cheating both seller and buyer.
The principle of this prohibition is clear: It is forbidden to use a short weight/measure when weighing out the produce sold, while using a large weight/measure when weighing out the money received in payment. It is deceitful, unjust, and unfair. Dishonesty in our transactions is an abomination unto the Lord and apparently results in a shortened existence in the land that we live. Dishonest gain always brings a curse on men's property, families, and souls.
Please understand that I see this as an End Times addendum to the study of our Fallen Flesh and where it leads. See that from the very beginning of society. it was like this. The chief took two women for himself instead of one wife, viewing them as property and so as his measure to have more of them than the next man. See that God forbid such action and yet his kings, even David, took more than one women as their own.
I see my brothers making similar mistakes and following the Pharisees route to the destruction of the country. One which was likely meant all along. "That even the elect might be deceived."
Now, understand this: when President-elect Trump takes office, he will be our new "king" and certainly he thinks of himself in that fashion despite the U.S. Constitution. He will have the power of Executive Order even as Obama did and we will see if he is defied when he does something perceived as against this country's good. He can unilaterally declare a war if he wishes, though Congress must rubber stamp it for it to be so, and he can declare martial law if he perceives disorder as a threat to America. He can suspend voting and press coverage and down the internet and all communications can be monitored as the NSA has shown possible and EVERYONE'S emails can be read and...In other words, everything the "Republicans" said Obama would do without them stopping him Trump can now do and we can wonder of they will now stop him.
All that said, we are not to defy Mr. Trump any more than Obama. We are to obey his laws as Paul obeyed Nero's laws until they ask us to worship a god of gold as Trump himself does and then we are to act as Christians.
First and foremost, we have direct orders.
Heb 13:16 But go on doing good and giving to others, because God is well-pleased with such offerings.
17 Give ear to those who are rulers over you, and do as they say: for they keep watch over your souls, ready to give an account of them; let them be able to do this with joy and not with grief, because that would be of no profit to you.
18 Make prayers for us, for we are certain that our hearts are free from the sense of sin, desiring the right way of life in all things.
(BBE)
Ro 13:1 Let everyone put himself under the authority of the higher powers, because there is no power which is not of God, and all powers are ordered by God.
2 For which reason everyone who puts himself against the authority puts himself against the order of God: and those who are against it will get punishment for themselves.
3 For rulers are not a cause of fear to the good work but to the evil. If you would have no fear of the authority, do good and you will have praise;
4 For he is the servant of God to you for good. But if you do evil, have fear; for the sword is not in his hand for nothing: he is God's servant, making God's punishment come on the evil-doer.
5 So put yourselves under the authority, not for fear of wrath, but because you have the knowledge of what is right.
6 For the same reason, make payment of taxes; because the authority is God's servant, to take care of such things at all times.
7 Give to all what is their right: taxes to him whose they are, payment to him whose right it is, fear to whom fear, honour to whom honour is to be given.
8 Be in debt for nothing, but to have love for one another: for he who has love for his neighbour has kept all the law.
(BBE)
Yes, the rules apply to us as well. Or we are not Holy.
To be set apart is to be apart from all the politics and the squabbles and to know that, in this country, there are those saved on each side of an issue, perceiving things differently and the other may be more right than we know or can understand and, even if wrong, the leader is placed by God. The rich are made that way by His allowance, no matter how they claim to be self-made. And they may be placed to crash the ship of state because God wants it crashed. To his glory.
Part of holiness is yielding to God's will. Even if it means being Jeremiah and warning that the country will be destroyed by following a certain course. But then, it may well be that both parties will lead to the end of America and electing either on the assumption that they can bring salvation
may be the real delusion. The real striking of the Rock. To love a country more than Christ.
"Reality doesn't go away." President Obama.
Holiness, the act of being set apart by God, does not change the simplest fact that the world is spinning more toward its End and that God has given signs of it. Holiness is living God's eternal way in our Fallen Flesh reality by learning from His lessons despite the reality of the moment. Following God's plan.
First and foremost, we have direct orders.
Heb 13:16 But go on doing good and giving to others, because God is well-pleased with such offerings.
17 Give ear to those who are rulers over you, and do as they say: for they keep watch over your souls, ready to give an account of them; let them be able to do this with joy and not with grief, because that would be of no profit to you.
18 Make prayers for us, for we are certain that our hearts are free from the sense of sin, desiring the right way of life in all things.
(BBE)
Ro 13:1 Let everyone put himself under the authority of the higher powers, because there is no power which is not of God, and all powers are ordered by God.
2 For which reason everyone who puts himself against the authority puts himself against the order of God: and those who are against it will get punishment for themselves.
3 For rulers are not a cause of fear to the good work but to the evil. If you would have no fear of the authority, do good and you will have praise;
4 For he is the servant of God to you for good. But if you do evil, have fear; for the sword is not in his hand for nothing: he is God's servant, making God's punishment come on the evil-doer.
5 So put yourselves under the authority, not for fear of wrath, but because you have the knowledge of what is right.
6 For the same reason, make payment of taxes; because the authority is God's servant, to take care of such things at all times.
7 Give to all what is their right: taxes to him whose they are, payment to him whose right it is, fear to whom fear, honour to whom honour is to be given.
8 Be in debt for nothing, but to have love for one another: for he who has love for his neighbour has kept all the law.
(BBE)
Yes, the rules apply to us as well. Or we are not Holy.
To be set apart is to be apart from all the politics and the squabbles and to know that, in this country, there are those saved on each side of an issue, perceiving things differently and the other may be more right than we know or can understand and, even if wrong, the leader is placed by God. The rich are made that way by His allowance, no matter how they claim to be self-made. And they may be placed to crash the ship of state because God wants it crashed. To his glory.
Part of holiness is yielding to God's will. Even if it means being Jeremiah and warning that the country will be destroyed by following a certain course. But then, it may well be that both parties will lead to the end of America and electing either on the assumption that they can bring salvation
may be the real delusion. The real striking of the Rock. To love a country more than Christ.
"Reality doesn't go away." President Obama.
Holiness, the act of being set apart by God, does not change the simplest fact that the world is spinning more toward its End and that God has given signs of it. Holiness is living God's eternal way in our Fallen Flesh reality by learning from His lessons despite the reality of the moment. Following God's plan.
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