Peace and grace in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Revelation 11:6
11:6. These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain fallsin the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.
The power of the two witnesses is as follows:
ad. 2. The power of Moses.
The water's turning into blood was the first plague of God to Pharaoh and Egypt.
Exodus 7:16-17
7:16. "And you shall say to him, 'The LORD God of the Hebrews has sent me to you, saying, "Let My people go, that they may serve Me in the wilderness"; but indeed, until now you would not hear!
7:17 'Thus says the LORD: "By this you shall know that I am the LORD. Behold, I will strike the waters which are in the river with the rod that is in my hand, and they shall be turned to blood.
The first plague happened because of two reasons as follows:
Thus, the first plague happened because Pharaoh and Egypt did not love God and others. They had no two tablets of stone, so they became the hard stone, the stumbling-block, and the millstone. Not having the love, we will become the stumbling-block for the work of God and others although we have become the priest.
The consequences are as follows:
Thus, we must be the witness of God for facing the difficulties and darkness on the last days until the time when the Antichrist reigns over the world. This is the important thing. Do not become the stumbling-block! The darkness must be fought by the light.
In the New Testament, Peter was praised as the rock by the Lord, but sooner he became the stumbling-block.
Matthew 16:13-19
16:13. When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?"
16:14 So they said, "Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
16:15 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"
16:16 Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
16:17 Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.
16:18 "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rockI will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
16:19 "And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."
The Christ means one who is anointed.
Peter testified that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God, or the High Priest, so he was admitted as the rock or God's witness who was strong in facing all things up to the time when the Antichrist reigns over the wolrd, so he was not ruled over by the death, but had eternal life.
Nevertheless, suddenly he became the stumbling-block.
Matthew 16:21-23
16:21. From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.
16:22 Then Peter took Him asideand began to rebuke Him, saying, "Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!"
16:23 But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."
Be watchful! Peter, who had been admitted as the the rock or the great and true witness of God, could be the stumbling-block so fast.
Why? Peter used the human logic or mind, not God's or faith --'you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men'.
The fleshly mind is true according to human logic, but often not in line to the Word, so there is no spiritual value anymore; even there is no salvation. One may get the physical things, but he goes toward the perdition. The rock is changed into the stumbling-block.
Do not resist against God in your job although it is in line with the logic. Use faith in working and studying.
Although something looks great according to the flesh, it may be the stumbling-block which will sink and perish. May God help all of us.
The facts found in the fleshly mind of Peter until being the stumbling-block are as follows:
God blesses you.
Revelation 11:6
11:6. These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain fallsin the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.
The power of the two witnesses is as follows:
- The power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls or Elijah's (it has been explained).
- The power over waters to turn them to blood or Moses' (it has been explained).
ad. 2. The power of Moses.
The water's turning into blood was the first plague of God to Pharaoh and Egypt.
Exodus 7:16-17
7:16. "And you shall say to him, 'The LORD God of the Hebrews has sent me to you, saying, "Let My people go, that they may serve Me in the wilderness"; but indeed, until now you would not hear!
7:17 'Thus says the LORD: "By this you shall know that I am the LORD. Behold, I will strike the waters which are in the river with the rod that is in my hand, and they shall be turned to blood.
The first plague happened because of two reasons as follows:
- Pharaoh did not want to hear and obey the Word. He did not want to serve to God. It means resisting against the truth or not loving God. It also means not having the first tablet of the two tablets of stone.
- Pharaoh enslaved Israel. It means tormenting, hurting, or not loving others as well as not having the second tablet of the two tablets of stone.
Be careful! Do not ever hurt other people who have the faith in Jesus. Moreover, do not ever hurt our fellow servants of God. Hurting others, there will be the plague for sure.
Thus, the first plague happened because Pharaoh and Egypt did not love God and others. They had no two tablets of stone, so they became the hard stone, the stumbling-block, and the millstone. Not having the love, we will become the stumbling-block for the work of God and others although we have become the priest.
The consequences are as follows:
- The water turned into blood. it means as follows:
- Thirst and dissatisfaction or there is no joy forever.
- Suffering and tears. Finally, one lives in sins up to the peak and looks for the satisfaction in the world.
- Thirst and dissatisfaction or there is no joy forever.
- The stumbling-block is thrown to the sea, drowned, or failed to the sea of fire and brimstone or the second death.
Exodus 15:4-5
15:4. Pharaoh's chariots and his army He has cast into the sea; His chosen captains also are drowned in the Red Sea.
15:5 The depths have covered them; They sank to the bottom like a stone.
Thus, we must be the witness of God for facing the difficulties and darkness on the last days until the time when the Antichrist reigns over the world. This is the important thing. Do not become the stumbling-block! The darkness must be fought by the light.
In the New Testament, Peter was praised as the rock by the Lord, but sooner he became the stumbling-block.
Matthew 16:13-19
16:13. When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?"
16:14 So they said, "Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
16:15 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"
16:16 Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
16:17 Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.
16:18 "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rockI will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
16:19 "And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."
The Christ means one who is anointed.
Peter testified that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God, or the High Priest, so he was admitted as the rock or God's witness who was strong in facing all things up to the time when the Antichrist reigns over the wolrd, so he was not ruled over by the death, but had eternal life.
Nevertheless, suddenly he became the stumbling-block.
Matthew 16:21-23
16:21. From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.
16:22 Then Peter took Him asideand began to rebuke Him, saying, "Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!"
16:23 But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."
Be watchful! Peter, who had been admitted as the the rock or the great and true witness of God, could be the stumbling-block so fast.
Why? Peter used the human logic or mind, not God's or faith --'you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men'.
The fleshly mind is true according to human logic, but often not in line to the Word, so there is no spiritual value anymore; even there is no salvation. One may get the physical things, but he goes toward the perdition. The rock is changed into the stumbling-block.
Do not resist against God in your job although it is in line with the logic. Use faith in working and studying.
Although something looks great according to the flesh, it may be the stumbling-block which will sink and perish. May God help all of us.
The facts found in the fleshly mind of Peter until being the stumbling-block are as follows:
- Rejecting the cross.
Matthew 16:22-23
16:22. Then Peter took Him asideand began to rebuke Him, saying, "Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!"
16:23 But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."
It is the same as rejecting the sufferings in the flesh with Jesus.
The consequences are as follows:- Not being able to repent.
1 Peter 4:1-2
4:1. Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,
4:2 that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.
'Christ suffered for us in the flesh'= Jesus willingly suffers in the flesh until He dies on the cross to justify and save the sinners.
As for us, the cross means that we willingly suffer in the flesh for stopping sinning and living in the will of God or repenting and returning to the Word.
Thus, rejecting the cross means not repenting until someday one cannot repent like Satan.
We are often unwise by following the logic only which brings to perdition. It is better to repent (we only suffer for a while, but rejoice forever) than to suffer forever.
Peter rejected the cross until he denied Jesus. He lied.
Lying is the same as not being willing to repent until not being able to repent.
Jeremiah 9:5
9:5. Everyone will deceive his neighbor, And will not speak the truth; They have taught their tongue to speak lies; They weary themselves to commit iniquity. - Not being able until not being able to change.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18
4:16. Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.
4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,
4:18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
The mind of faith is towards the everlasting thing.
The cross means willingly suffering in the flesh for undergoing the life renewal from the fleshly man, sight, and mind to the spiritual man, sight, and mind like Jesus.
The renewal starts from the water and Holy Spirit baptism or being renewed by water and Holy Spirit.
Thus, the lightest suffering in the flesh is being baptized in the true water baptism.
The true water baptism means that one who has believed Jesus and repented or died to sin must be buried in the water with Jesus and raised with Him to get the new or heavenly life, namely the baptism of Holy Spirit.
The beginning of the new man is not lying.
Ephesians 4:23-25
4:23. and be renewedin the spirit of your mind,
4:24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
4:25 Therefore, putting away lying, "Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor," for we are members of one another.
'members of one another'= one faith and the fellow servants of God, starting from the marriage. We must say righteously in our job, and so on. Do not lie because lying is the sign of the old man.
Saying righteously means living in righteousness. We are saved and blessed by God.
Be careful! There is test in the suffering, whether we repent or not.
Thus, rejecting the cross is the same as lying. One can neither repent nor change. It means not being saved, but condemned by the water that is changed into blood until being drowned in the lake of fire and brimstone.
- Not being able to repent.
- Serving and ministering to God, but not according to His will or the true ordination. The ordination is wrong.
John 21:3
21:3. Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "We are going with you also." They went out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing.
'I am going fishing'= the Lord had commanded Peter to be the fisher of men, but he became the fisherman.
It was in line to the logic because Jesus had died.
The facts found in the false ordination are as follows:- Serving and ministering to God for the fleshly things, namely prosperity and fleshly entertainment; even the life of man is sold. Such things are looked for by the men on the last days and it is towards the Babylon. The prosperity and entertainment are the two pillars which seem great, but will made fall for sure by the power of Holy Spirit.
Judges 16:23-25,27,29-30
16:23. Now the lords of the Philistines gathered together to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god, and to rejoice. And they said: "Our god has delivered into our hands Samson our enemy!"
16:24 When the people saw him, they praised their god; for they said: "Our god has delivered into our hands our enemy, The destroyer of our land, And the one who multiplied our dead."
16:25 So it happened, when their hearts were merry, that they said, "Call for Samson, that he may perform for us." So they called for Samson from the prison, and he performed for them. And they stationed him between the pillars.
16:27 Now the temple was full of men and women. All the lords of the Philistines were there -- about three thousand men and women on the roof watching while Samson performed.
16:29 And Samson took hold of the two middle pillarswhich supported the temple, and he braced himself against them, one on his right and the other on his left.
16:30 Then Samson said, "Let me die with the Philistines!" And he pushed with all his might, and the temple fellon the lords and all the people who were in it. So the dead that he killed at his death were more than he had killed in his life.
The false ordination uses the pillar of the temple of Dagon, namely the prosperity and entertainment of the world.
Three thousand people died. It means that using the prosperity and entertainment will kill the spirituality of the congregation. They cannot reach the holiness and perfection; even they are left when Jesus comes a second time. They become the same as the Antichrist and perish forever.
The number three thousand refers to the volume of the Holy Place (2000) and the Most Holy Place (1000). - Unfaithfulness until leaving the service and ministry to God. The fisher of men becomes the fisherman.
The consequences are as follows:- Not catching anything all night-long. It means cannot do anything or not yielding any fruits.
John 15:5
15:5. "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
There is no fruit of repentance, righteousness, holiness, and perfection. - Not knowing Jesus as the High priest and Great Shepherd. It means never being touched by God.
John 21:4
21:4. But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.
It is the same as being the dry branch. The spiritual and physical life is dry.
The dry spirituality starts from the dry words, slandering, murmuring, quarelling, and so on. The marriage, service to God, and physical life are dry too. - Not being clothed. It means nakedness.
John 21:7
21:7. Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he had removed it), and plunged into the sea.
It is the same as the total failure, committing sins up to the peak, and living or enjoying the sins up to the peak. One serves and ministers to God while committing sins.
Consequently, the dry branch is burnt. Be careful in the fellowship, starting from the marriage! Do not become the dry branch!
- Not catching anything all night-long. It means cannot do anything or not yielding any fruits.
- Serving and ministering to God for the fleshly things, namely prosperity and fleshly entertainment; even the life of man is sold. Such things are looked for by the men on the last days and it is towards the Babylon. The prosperity and entertainment are the two pillars which seem great, but will made fall for sure by the power of Holy Spirit.
- Not being shepherded.
John 21:15-17
21:15. So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Feed My lambs."
21:16 He said to him again a second time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Tend My sheep."
21:17 He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You." Jesus said to him, "Feed My sheep.
'Peter was grieved' = the shepherding is all about the conscience, not the fleshly mind. Peter used the logic, so he was not shepherded.
Thus, one cannot be shepherded because his heart is arrogant or he feels able. His heart is empty without the love to God and others. He has no two tablets of stone, so he becomes the stumbling-block. He easly stumbles and becomes the stumbling-block.
The Lord asked Peter three times. It means that through the shepherding system or perseverance in doing the three main services to God, Jesus, the Great Shepherd is giving His love in our heart.
The perseverance in doing the three main services to God is as follows:- The Golden Candlestick = perseverance in doing the General Service to get the fellowship with Holy Spirit God in His anointing and gifts.
- The Table of Showbread = perseverance in doing the Bible Study Service with Holy Communion to get fellowship with the Son of God in the teaching Word and sacrifice of Christ.
- The Golden Altar of Incense = perseverance in doing the Prayer Service to get the fellowship with Father God in His love.
- Being able to confess and forgive one another, not dividing.
Not being willing to confess and forgive one another means being outside God. - Being able to stretch out the hands to God.
John 21:18-19
21:18. "Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish."
21:19 This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, "Follow Me."
Peter stretched out his hands to God twice as follows:- When he was almost drowned because of doubting when he saw the waves and wind.
Being doubtful is the same as not having love.
He could stretch out his hands because of his self-interest or being pressed, not because of love.
Nevertheless, God is good. He keeps on stretching His hands for helping us. Peter was lifted up from drowning.
Nevertheless, there will be dangerous if one only stops at this point because he may not love God. The test comes when there is the cross or suffering in the flesh because of Jesus. Is there any love of God? Peter failed. He took Jesus aside. He was too egoistic!
He also hurt man by cutting his ear. - Peter stretched out his hands until he willingly died for God. This is what the Lord waits for.
We may stretch out our hands to God when we need something, but let us increase, or else we will deny Him.
Peter stretched out his hands. It means as follows:- Willingly receiving the will of God although it is painful for the flesh because there is beautiful plan of God behind it, namely the plan of peace, success, and joy. Do not do anything which is not in line to the will of God!
- Willingly sacrificing anything for glorifying God. We must sacrifice ourselves for glorifying God and being the witnesss or blessing for others.
- 'Follow Me' = following Jesus wherever He goes. It is the same as following the Bridegroom like the body follows the Head.
It means that we are used in the edification of the perfect body of Christ.
Formerly, Peter stretched out his hands to cut the ear of other, but in the Acts, he stretched out his hands to lift up the lame man.
We must be used by God, starting from the marriage.
We must also fully surrender to God like a crying baby. We stretch out our hands to God and He will stretch out His hands to us.
Isaiah 54:5
54:5. For your Maker is your husband, The LORD of hosts is His name; And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; He is called the God of the whole earth.
He creates from nothing to something until He makes us His bride. We are with Him forever.
Revelation 3:7-8,10
3:7. "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, 'These things says He who is holy, He who is true, "He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens":
3:8 "I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.
3:10 "Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.
Let us stretch out our hands to God because we love Him. We live in His hands untl we are lifted up on the glorious clouds.
- Willingly receiving the will of God although it is painful for the flesh because there is beautiful plan of God behind it, namely the plan of peace, success, and joy. Do not do anything which is not in line to the will of God!
- When he was almost drowned because of doubting when he saw the waves and wind.
- The Golden Candlestick = perseverance in doing the General Service to get the fellowship with Holy Spirit God in His anointing and gifts.
God blesses you.