Peace and grace in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Job 33:14-18
33:14. For God may speak in one way, or in another, Yet man does not perceive it.
33:15. In a dream, in a vision of the night, When deep sleep falls upon men, While slumbering on their beds,
33:16. Then He opens the ears of men, And seals their instruction.
33:17. In order to turn man from his deed, And conceal pride from man,
33:18 He keeps back his soul from the Pit, And his life from perishing by the sword.
God speaks His Word to save all of us. In a dream, God even wants to block us from the sinful deed and perdition. It is God's love for us.
2 Peter 3:9,15
3:9. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
3:15. and consider that the longsuffering of our Lordis salvation--as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you,
The longsuffering of our Lord is a chance for us to repent, so we are saved. We run from Babylon or the great harlot up to eternal life.
We have learned the growth of Babylon as follows:
ad. 2.
Revelation 17:1-2
17:1. Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, "Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlotwho sits on many waters,
17:2. "with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication."
'the kings of the earth committed fornication' refers to Babylon in the age of Daniel the prophet who was controlled by the three kings with their characteristics as follows:
Let us use the revelation of the Word and God's longsuffering until we can become humble and obedient. Let us depend on Holy Spirit. God's hand does the miracle in the midst of us. Let Holy Spirit works in the midst of us.
God blesses us.
Job 33:14-18
33:14. For God may speak in one way, or in another, Yet man does not perceive it.
33:15. In a dream, in a vision of the night, When deep sleep falls upon men, While slumbering on their beds,
33:16. Then He opens the ears of men, And seals their instruction.
33:17. In order to turn man from his deed, And conceal pride from man,
33:18 He keeps back his soul from the Pit, And his life from perishing by the sword.
God speaks His Word to save all of us. In a dream, God even wants to block us from the sinful deed and perdition. It is God's love for us.
2 Peter 3:9,15
3:9. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
3:15. and consider that the longsuffering of our Lordis salvation--as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you,
The longsuffering of our Lord is a chance for us to repent, so we are saved. We run from Babylon or the great harlot up to eternal life.
We have learned the growth of Babylon as follows:
- The tower of Babylon.
- Babylon in the age of Daniel the prophet.
- The great Babylon.
ad. 2.
Revelation 17:1-2
17:1. Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, "Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlotwho sits on many waters,
17:2. "with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication."
'the kings of the earth committed fornication' refers to Babylon in the age of Daniel the prophet who was controlled by the three kings with their characteristics as follows:
- King Nebuchadnezzar.
Daniel 4:19-27
4:19. Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonished for a time, and his thoughts troubled him. So the king spoke, and said, "Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its interpretation trouble you." Belteshazzar answered and said, "My lord, may the dream concern those who hate you, and its interpretation concern your enemies!
4:20. The tree that you saw, which grew and became strong, whose height reached to the heavens and which could be seen by all the earth,
4:21. whose leaves were lovely and its fruit abundant, in which was food for all, under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and in whose branches the birds of the heaven had their home--
4:22. it is you, O king, who have grown and become strong; for your greatness has grown and reaches to the heavens, and your dominion to the end of the earth.
4:23. And inasmuch as the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, 'Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave its stump and roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze in the tender grass of the field; let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let him graze with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him';
4:24. this is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king:
4:25. They shall drive you from men, your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make you eat grass like oxen. They shall wet you with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses.
4:26. And inasmuch as they gave the command to leave the stump and roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be assured to you, after you come to know that Heaven rules.
4:27. Therefore, O king, let my advice be acceptable to you; break off your sins by being righteous, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps there may be a lengthening of your prosperity."
God wanted to save Nebuchadnezzar through the dream that was revealed by Daniel, but the dream was ignored by Nebuchadnezzar, so his arrogance was increased and he was against God.
Daniel 4:28-33
4:28. All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar.
4:29. At the end of the twelve months he was walking about the royal palace of Babylon.
4:30. The king spoke, saying, "Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?"
4:31. While the word was still in the king's mouth, a voice fell from heaven: "King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: the kingdom has departed from you!
4:32. And they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you eat grass like oxen; and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses."
4:33. That very hour the word was fulfilled concerning Nebuchadnezzar; he was driven from men and ate grass like oxen; his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair had grown like eagles' feathers and his nails like birds' claws.
Consequently, Nebuchadnezzar lived like mindless animal.
Genesis 2:7
2:7. And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.
Job 32:8
32:8. But there is a spiritin man, And the breath of the Almightygives him understanding.
God's breath of life is Holy Spirit that is breathed into men to give understanding.
At that time Nebuchadnezzar lost the understanding. It means that he lost Holy Spirit.
So, Nebuchadnezzar is the image of the church of God who is controlled by Babylon and without Holy Spirit or mind, so he becomes the same as an animal that lives by instinct and the lust of the flesh that tend to commit sins up to the peak, namely sin of eating-drinking and marrying-giving in marriage.
There is still God's longsuffering if the dream does not work for us.
Daniel 4:34-37
4:34. And at the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever: For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, And His kingdom is from generation to generation.
4:35. All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven And among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand Or say to Him, "What have You done?"
4:36. At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my honor and splendor returned to me. My counselors and nobles resorted to me, I was restored to my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added to me.
4:37. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down.
King Nebuchadnezzar used God's longsuffering, so he realized his sin and confessed it. As a result, he received the mind or Holy Spirit. He glorified God as the King of heaven.
That is why, the church of God must use the dream--the revelation of the Word of God--and God's longsuffering to realize our sin soon and repent. We live in righteousness or in the anointing of Holy Spirit, so we praise and worship God as the King of kings and the Heavenly Bridegroom. - King Belshazzar.
Daniel 5:1,20-23
5:1. Belshazzar the king made a great feast for a thousand of his lords, and drank winein the presence of the thousand.
5:20. "But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him.
5:21. "Then he was driven from the sons of men, his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. They fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till he knew that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and appoints over it whomever He chooses.
5:22. "But you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, although you knew all this.
5:23. "And you have lifted yourself up against the Lord of heaven. They have brought the vessels of His housebefore you, and you and your lords, your wives and your concubines, have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone, which do not see or hear or know; and the God who holds your breath in His hand and owns all your ways, you have not glorified.
Verse 20-21 is the condition of Nebuchadnezzar that was known by Belshazzar, his son. But Belshazzar was more arrogant than his father.
He already knew God's punishment to his father who had been arrogant, so he also knew God's exhortation through the revelation of the Word and His longsuffering. But he ignored all, so he kept lifting himself up to doing the thing that hurt Jesus' heart, namely insulting the vessels of God's house or the Tabernacle.
The vessels of God's house were used to drink wine or have party.
It means as follows:- The servant of God who ministers to God without the pattern of the Tabernacle or the heavenly kingdom. It is the same as being without the guiding of the teaching Word of the Tabernacle.
Isaiah 52:11
52:11. Depart! Depart! Go out from there, Touch no unclean thing; Go out from the midst of her, Be clean, You who bear the vessels of the LORD.
It is the same as ministering to God without holiness. - Leaving the ministry because of the sin. It looks humble, but actually he is very arrogant. Why? The sin should be put away, and he keeps ministering. Putting away the sin means that he is very humble.
- Destroying the vessels of God's house physically.
The church is built, but it is broken a short time later.
Out attitude in the physical tool reflects our attitude in the ministry and congregation.
The spiritual death means that one has no relationship with the spiritual thing, but only the sin.
That is why we use the dream--the revelation of the Word--, so we can minister to God in the pattern of the Tabernacle or the true teaching Word. We can minister to God in holiness, faithfulness, and responsibility.
Isaiah 52:11
52:11. Depart! Depart! Go out from there, Touch no unclean thing; Go out from the midst of her, Be clean, You who bear the vessels of the LORD.
As a result, God is responsible to protect and take care of us, so we do not run helter-skelter in the world, but all things are easy and light.
Isaiah 52:12
52:12. For you shall not go out with haste, Nor go by flight; For the LORD will go before you, And the God of Israel will be your rear guard.
Hebrews 12:14
12:14. Pursue peacewith all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:
If we are holy and peaceful, we will see God. The ministry culminates to the worship. We can see God as the King of kings and the Heavenly Bridegroom.
Zechariah 14:17
14:17. And it shall be that whichever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, on them there will be no rain.
If we worship God, we will experience the rain of Holy Spirit. It is our need.
Titus 3:5
3:5. not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,
As a result, Holy Spirit is able to renew us from the fleshly men to the spiritual ones like Jesus, starting from being humble and obedient. It is the same as being strong and of good courage.
Being humble means that we can receive the Word, no matter how hard it is, and confess our sin.
The physical miracle also happens.
Matthew 14:17-18
14:17. And they said to Him, "We have here only five loaves and two fish."
14:18. He said, "Bring them here to Me."
The power of Holy Spirit is able to protect and take care of our life that is small and powerless in the midst of the difficulties of the world--five loaves and two fish for five thousand men--until the Antichrist reigns over the world.
Holy Spirit also opens the doors for us. We have beautiful and successful future life. The impossible problem becomes possible.
Mark 3:5
3:5. And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other.
Holy Spirit is able to heal the impossible disease.
It continues until Jesus comes a second time that we are changed to become as perfect as He is, so we are worthy to greet His 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. - The servant of God who ministers to God without the pattern of the Tabernacle or the heavenly kingdom. It is the same as being without the guiding of the teaching Word of the Tabernacle.
Let us use the revelation of the Word and God's longsuffering until we can become humble and obedient. Let us depend on Holy Spirit. God's hand does the miracle in the midst of us. Let Holy Spirit works in the midst of us.
God blesses us.