Peace and grace in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Revelation 18:21
18:21. Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstoneand threw it into the sea, saying, "Thus with violence the great city Babylonshall be thrown down, and shall not be found anymore.
The great city Babylon is the same as a millstone.
Matthew 18:6
18:6. "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstonewere hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
'causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin' means stumbling.
Here, a millstone is the same as stumbling-block.
So, the sin of Babylon or the one of eating-drinking and marrying-giving in marriage is the same as a stumbling-block, namely one stumbles and becomes stumbling-block. Consequently, he will be used in the building of Babylon or Satan's bride who is perfect in evil and uncleanness. He will be burnt in the lake of fire and brimstone up to perdition forever.
We have learned that Herod became a stumbling-block when Jesus was born, namely he wanted to kill Him. It means hindering the salvation and perfection of the sinners, so they are used to build Babylon. They become the same as Babylon to be destroyed in the hell.
One of Herod's characteristics is arrogance.
Acts 12:21-23
12:21. So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throneand gave an oration to them.
12:22. And the people kept shouting, "The voice of a god and not of a man!"
12:23. Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died.
Herod wanted to kill Jesus because he was arrogant. He did not want to receive the other king.
Herod wants to be the same as God, but by his own way--'The voice of a god and not of a man!'
Herod equalized himself with God who sits at the throne of heaven.
Consequently, he was struck by an angel. He was eaten by worms and died.
It means becoming a rebel, so he was degraded as low as possible up to perdition in the hell forever.
Isaiah 66:24
66:24. "And they shall go forth and look Upon the corpses of the men Who have transgressed against Me. For their worm does not die, And their fire is not quenched. They shall be an abhorrence to all flesh."
God's plan is making us as Him but not by the arrogance.
Romans 8:29-30
8:29. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son,that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
8:30. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
Those who are called and chosen by God according to His plan are predestined to be justified and glorified up to perfection like Him. It happens by His way, namely we must be struck by an angel.
It means being purified and changed by the shepherding Word. The angel is the image of a shepherd.
What is struck? The face is. There are senses on the face.
Lot is the example of the man who is struck positively, so he can reach the Mount New Jerusalem.
Genesis 19:15-17
19:15. When the morning dawned, the angels urged Lot to hurry, saying, "Arise, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the punishment of the city."
19:16. And while he lingered, the men took hold of his hand, his wife's hand, and the hands of his two daughters, the LORD being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city.
19:17. So it came to pass, when they had brought them outside, that he said, "Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed."
'the morning dawned' means God's second coming.
'the men took hold of his hand' means being dragged by the angels because of lingering.
Being dragged is the same as being struck, namely it is not comfortable for the flesh.
Lot was struck by the angels or the shepherding Word, so he could go out of Sodom and Gomorrah. He was saved up to the mountains, namely he became perfect like Jesus or the New Jerusalem.
Revelation 21:9-10
21:9. Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, "Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb's wife."
21:10. And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
It happens when the morning dawned. It means that we must be struck by the angel before God's second coming.
The processes of the purification of the senses are as follows:
God blesses us.
Revelation 18:21
18:21. Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstoneand threw it into the sea, saying, "Thus with violence the great city Babylonshall be thrown down, and shall not be found anymore.
The great city Babylon is the same as a millstone.
Matthew 18:6
18:6. "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstonewere hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
'causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin' means stumbling.
Here, a millstone is the same as stumbling-block.
So, the sin of Babylon or the one of eating-drinking and marrying-giving in marriage is the same as a stumbling-block, namely one stumbles and becomes stumbling-block. Consequently, he will be used in the building of Babylon or Satan's bride who is perfect in evil and uncleanness. He will be burnt in the lake of fire and brimstone up to perdition forever.
We have learned that Herod became a stumbling-block when Jesus was born, namely he wanted to kill Him. It means hindering the salvation and perfection of the sinners, so they are used to build Babylon. They become the same as Babylon to be destroyed in the hell.
One of Herod's characteristics is arrogance.
Acts 12:21-23
12:21. So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throneand gave an oration to them.
12:22. And the people kept shouting, "The voice of a god and not of a man!"
12:23. Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died.
Herod wanted to kill Jesus because he was arrogant. He did not want to receive the other king.
Herod wants to be the same as God, but by his own way--'The voice of a god and not of a man!'
Herod equalized himself with God who sits at the throne of heaven.
Consequently, he was struck by an angel. He was eaten by worms and died.
It means becoming a rebel, so he was degraded as low as possible up to perdition in the hell forever.
Isaiah 66:24
66:24. "And they shall go forth and look Upon the corpses of the men Who have transgressed against Me. For their worm does not die, And their fire is not quenched. They shall be an abhorrence to all flesh."
God's plan is making us as Him but not by the arrogance.
Romans 8:29-30
8:29. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son,that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
8:30. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
Those who are called and chosen by God according to His plan are predestined to be justified and glorified up to perfection like Him. It happens by His way, namely we must be struck by an angel.
It means being purified and changed by the shepherding Word. The angel is the image of a shepherd.
What is struck? The face is. There are senses on the face.
Lot is the example of the man who is struck positively, so he can reach the Mount New Jerusalem.
Genesis 19:15-17
19:15. When the morning dawned, the angels urged Lot to hurry, saying, "Arise, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the punishment of the city."
19:16. And while he lingered, the men took hold of his hand, his wife's hand, and the hands of his two daughters, the LORD being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city.
19:17. So it came to pass, when they had brought them outside, that he said, "Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed."
'the morning dawned' means God's second coming.
'the men took hold of his hand' means being dragged by the angels because of lingering.
Being dragged is the same as being struck, namely it is not comfortable for the flesh.
Lot was struck by the angels or the shepherding Word, so he could go out of Sodom and Gomorrah. He was saved up to the mountains, namely he became perfect like Jesus or the New Jerusalem.
Revelation 21:9-10
21:9. Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, "Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb's wife."
21:10. And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
It happens when the morning dawned. It means that we must be struck by the angel before God's second coming.
The processes of the purification of the senses are as follows:
- 'Arise' means the purification and renewal of the ears.
Genesis 19:15
19:15. When the morning dawned, the angels urged Lot to hurry, saying, "Arise, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the punishment of the city."
The results are as follows:- The ears just hear and obey the shepherding Word.
- Not lingering, but running. It means being faithful and fervent.
Genesis 19:16
19:16. And while he lingered, the men took hold of his hand, his wife's hand, and the hands of his two daughters, the LORD being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city.
Do not linger! One who lingers is the one who is unfaithful and disobedient, so he is left when Jesus comes a second time.
The ears determine not only our own salvation, but also our family.
Do not influence the family! It the ears are not good, the whole family will be destroyed. - The ears just hear and obey the shepherding Word.
- 'Do not look behind you' means the purification of the eyes.
Genesis 19:17
19:17. So it came to pass, when they had brought them outside, that he said, "Escape for your life! Do not look behind younor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed."
If the eyes are purified, we will never look at Sodom and Gomorrah with all of its sins up to the peak.
In the past time, Satan also aimed Eve's eyes at the forbidden fruit.
Not hearing the shepherding Word means arrogance. God forbade Lot to look behind, but his wife looked behind, so she became the salt pillar. She became the same as the Antichrist to be destroyed forever.
If the eyes are purified, it will only look unto Jesus who keeps us, so we do not stumble but become perfect. - 'nor stay anywhere in the plain' means the purification of skin or feeling.
If the sight is false, the feeling will be false too.
Genesis 13:10
13:10. And Lot lifted his eyesand saw all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere (before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah) like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt as you go toward Zoar.
Lot had the false sight, so his feeling was also false. The fire and brimstone were considered the garden of the LORD.
The false feeling is influenced by the world with its riches, joy, and business, so one loves the world, not God.
The consequence is being cursed. - 'Escape to the mountains' means the purification of the nose or worship.
We must increase in the worship, starting from an hour prayer, fasting prayer, and all night-long prayer, so we experience the renewal from the fleshly men to the spiritual ones like Jesus.
The renewal is started from arrogance to humility, so we are exalted by God up to the New Jerusalem. - 'Lot said' means the purification of the mouth.
Genesis 19:18-22
19:18. Then Lot saidto them, "Please, no, my lords!
19:19. "Indeed now, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have increased your mercy which you have shown me by saving my life; but I cannot escape to the mountains, lest some evil overtake meand I die.
19:20. "See now, this city is near enough to flee to, and it is a little one; please let me escape there (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live."
19:21. And he said to him, "See, I have favored you concerning this thing also, in that I will not overthrow this city for which you have spoken.
19:22. "Hurry, escape there. For I cannot do anything until you arrive there." Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.
The mouth is purified, so we can confess our weaknesses--'I cannot escape to the mountains'.
We confess that we just need Zoar, a little city.
Zoar refers to the Altar of Burnt Offering, the nearest tool in the Tabernacle. It refers to the cross of God. The cross is often considered small and fool.
1 Corinthians 1:18
1:18. For the message of the cross is foolishnessto those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
The cross is the place to do the things as follows:- Confessing our weaknesses, so we are not punished, but forgiven.
- Finishing the sin.
1 Peter 4:12-14
4:12. Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you;
4:13. but rejoiceto the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.
4:14. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.
The results are as follows:- Holy Spirit is able to change us from the fleshly men to the spiritual ones like Jesus, namely being strong and of good courage.
It means that we do not get disappointed and desperate as well as leave God, but we keep trusting and hoping God.
We keep worshipping Him. We hope that Holy Spirit works in us. - 'rejoice' means that Holy Spirit is able to give the happiness in the midst of sufferings. All things become easy and light.
- Holy Spirit does the physical miracle.
God told Moses to lift up his rod when the Israelites faced the Red Sea.
The rod refers to the cross.
Exodus 14:16,21
14:16. "But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.
14:21. Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east windall that night, and made the sea into dry land, and the waters were divided.
'a strong east wind' refers to Holy Spirit.
Holy Spirit is able to divide the Red Sea.
It means that the dead things may become alive. Holy Spirit protects and takes care of our life in the midst of the difficulties in the world until the Antichrist reigns over the world. Holy Spirit is able to finish all of impossible problems.
We are used in the revival of Holy Spirit in the last rain.
When Jesus comes a second time, we will be changed to become as perfect as He is, so we are worthy to greet His second coming on the glorious clouds. We say 'Alleluia'. We enter the One-Thousand-Year Kingdom of Peace (the upcoming Paradise) and the New Jerusalem forever.
- Confessing our weaknesses, so we are not punished, but forgiven.
God blesses us.