The Patmos Papers - Sept/Oct 2017

Volu me 1 ~ Issue 3

In this Issue:

The Contributing Congregation

Ezra:

Restoration and Revival

Finding Your Direction in God! The Spirit of Shimei!

The Three Time Eras

The Throne Room Vision

S eptemb er/O c tob e r 2 0 1 7

Editorial

T

he Church, like Israel has often needed to examine itself and check on its condition. The scriptures say: “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves.”

2 Cor. 13:5

Throughout the history of both Israel and the Churches, it has at times drifted from the faith, gotten into error or even departed from that faith. The Lord allows them to go into a sort of spiritual and even physical exile but because of His grace he allows a period of restoration and revival. Such was the case with Ezra and the rebuilding of the second temple after 70 years of captivity in Babylon. Since these things were written for our example, the story has a clear message for the church.

Revivals in the past have been a way of bringing the church back from a fallen or drifted state. Martin Luther saw how far the catholic church had drifted from God’s word. His intent originally was to restore it back to the roots of its faith but resistance to revival caused the Reformation movement instead.

The article on Ezra is a study on Restoration and Revival. -“From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”

Ephesians 4:16

One of the ways we have drifted away is in the function of the church members when we meet.

The early church was an organism with each member participating in the work of the Spirit. Now we have an organization that does all the work for them. It is far too easy now to sneak in a large church and barely be noticed. Christianity is not a spectator sport and yet many of our churches are like movie theaters or sports colosseums and some even include snack bars and concession stands. In the article in The Contributing Congregation we

see there is more God wants for his people when they meet! -One of the key components to our faith is knowing our direction in God. Someone once said everyone is either moving towards God or away from God. In the natural we have many directional tools and devices to help us in our journey, keep us from getting lost along the way and help us arrive at our destination.

Read the article Finding your Direction in God to help you along the way!-“How long, O God, will the adversary revile, And the enemy spurn Your name forever?” Psa: 74:10

Jesus said in the last Days there would be mockers. Christianity is being laughed at more than ever in our generation. Colleges, media, so called science and even the government has lost its respect for the church and Christianity. Jesus is being spurned and His name has become a derision to many. We as Gods people are becoming hated for His names sake. The Spirit of Shimei talks about a man who mocked and made fun of King David when his son drove him from the palace and took the kingdom away.

David’s attitude will help understand how to deal with mockers and how to intrust judgement or mercy to the Lord.--------------These and other articles are for the building up and edifying of the saints. If you enjoy these articles or have any questions or comments please email me and checkout other free past issues of the Patmos papers.“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” Col. 3:16

Jerry Wall

Editor/ Publisher

This e-magazine is self publized and is the sole expression of its author. Any content may be copied and used by permision from the publisher. For any comment, requests or advertising information please contact me at: jerrywalldesigns@gmail.com

If you are interested in publishing an article in this magazine, or advertise in this publication please contact the editor below. Articles must be in context with the theme of this magazine and can be provocative but not divisive. jerrywalldesigns@gmail.com

http://patmospapers.zohosites.com

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Table of Contents

Table of Contents Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 The Contributing Congregation!. . . . . . . . 4 Ezra: Restoration and Revival . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Finding Your Direction in God! . . . . . . . . . 15 The Spirit of Shimei. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 The Three Time Eras . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 The Throne Room Vision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 How to Navigate

How to Navigate

Click on the title in Table of Contents and it will take you directly to the article.

To return anytime to the Table of Contents, click on the “The Patpos Paper� icon on the top of the page and you will return to the Table of Contents.

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The Contributing Congregation!

Spectator Sport It is probably fair to say that part of the problem of the declining church is that it has become a spectator sport. With today’s mega churches, people in large congregations have no room to participate outside of standing and singing a few worship songs. They mainly sit for plays, skits, announcements and long preaching and maybe some alter ministry afterwards. Sadly some prefer it this way. Many Christians have gotten burned and quite often burned out being involved in churches only to see it split, go into error, fall into bankruptcy, see the pastor fall into sin and other church dissolving factors. So now many run to the large church where they can sit and hide and not have to be involved and still feel they are being faithful Christians. But to be honest, Christians are not to be spectators only, but a living vibrant contributing force to the well being and health of the church. Granted there needs to be shepherds and leaders but far too much expectancy is often placed on their contribution and not to the contribution of the sheep. In a flock, the sheep provide the wool, milk and meat. The shepherds simply tend to them to feed them and protect them so that when the time comes the sheep can contribute what they have.

members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.” 1 Cor 12:14-27 Though the body is controlled by the head, the head is Christ not the Pastor, elders or executive board. Each member has different functions and benefits the whole.

If the church operated as a body rather than a head it would find it far more enriched by the contribution of many of its people rather than just a few so called “gifted” ones.

The Pattern of the Early church

The Ministry of the whole Body

The modern church has drifted so far from the pattern of the early church. The early church wanted to spread itself in as many areas as possible. The modern church wants to simply grow bigger in one place. The early church encouraged autonomous and diverse city The analogy of the New Testament likens the church churches. The modern church wants to control its to a body with many parts. The members may be campuses and satellites and produce sameness in all its different but they all have a role in the body and serve affiliates (in some cases the same song lists and same service televised to sister churches) The early church to contribute something different and unique. was unique in that when they all came together they were all at liberty to share. Today’s modern churches hire “For the body does not consist of one member but of seminar trained ministers and professional musicians many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, to lead worship and use the leadership to mainly do all I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it the ministry contribution. any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, Acts 4 gives a unique start of the church: “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If “All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense claimed that any of their possessions was their own, of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would but they shared everything they had. With great power be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the “For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.” 1 Cor. 12:12

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The Contributing Congregation! the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus.

And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.”

Acts 4:32-35 Here we see the perfect collaboration of the people with leadership. The people sold what they had and contributed to the church and the apostle oversaw their gifts and distributed it to those in need.

The word elders means overseer and that is their job. But here the people felt free to contribute their money was shocked to find in this little town of Hiddenite we and in other scriptures it says when they came together had to put our names down to wait on a table. All the they contributed their spiritual gifts: guys working there had long pony tails and beards and the lady’s looked like old hippies with long gray hair and “What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When long dresses. Everything looked so out of place in this old you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an town. While I waited I talked to some of the people who worked there. Having long hair and a beard, they were interpretation. Everything must be done so that the surprised to see me as I was them. church may be built up.” 1 Cor 14:26.

One of the leaders son came over and talked to me and I found out that his parents joined the commune First they contributed the natural, then the spiritual. when he was six. He was now married and he and his Unfortunately some have taken this principle of sharing wife lived in the community and they were Christians to the extreme. Polygamist and cult communities take and so got excited but upon further questioning found having all things in common as an excuse for sin. out they were a part of a group called the Twelve Tribes of Israel and they had houses, farms and restaurants all The Yellow Deli over the country and many parts of the world including Brazil, Germany, France, Spain Australia and other I recently went to go visit my sister in North Carolina. places. They all changed their names to Hebrew names She lives in the foothills of the mountains near a little one and basically thought they were replacing the Jews as stoplight town called Hiddenite. Having lived in the area they worshiped on Saturday, blew the shofar before for awhile I was quite familiar with the town and while meetings and dance to old Israeli folk songs. They all driving through it I noticed a new building that stood out worked in locally factories and in the restaurants and from all the other shanty buildings around. It use to be pooled the money together trying to emulate Acts an old grocery store but now stood this beautiful two- 4. I told the young man that I too had belonged to a story wooden masterpiece with tin roofs and cobblestone Christian commune called Shiloh ranches during the walkways. I asked my sister about it and she said it was a 70’s. They also had houses in Oregon, New York and I new restaurant built by hippies that lived in a commune stayed in one in Augusta, Georgia. I said that I could behind the building. I was quite intrigued, since you not stay long because all though it seemed noble it rarely saw long haired people in this small backwards was unsustainable over the long run. I said the Church town, so my sister and her husband and I went up there started like that but you also see they met daily in to eat. It was called the Yellow Deli and the inside was each others houses and later by the end of acts you fantastic; all wooden hand carved supports with spiral see churches meeting in homes but not everyone sold staircases. Upstairs was a natural Tea Bar and a beautiful their homes and joined a commune. The 7 churches in outside patio. My brother-in-law John said people come revelations no doubt had their buildings for there is no from Charlotte and all over to eat here. Sure enough I mention of it being in someone’s home.

I asked the young man, what is the difference between

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The Contributing Congregation! their communal life and socialism since socialism always fails. His answer was vague but basically he said “Some people are selfish and we can tell when someone is selfish”. I said “Is it selfish if someone wants a car or a house or a college education or to provide better for his family.” He stood silent then was called away. We got our meal and I probed the waiter about their ministry and meetings. When we finished and were about to go pay the bill he said to me “Why don’t you move in with us” I said “Well let me check with my wife first” and my sister and her husband laughed.

Contribution of Money

Contribution of service Let me say that there is a difference between contribution of service to the church and contribution in the service of the church. Let me deal with the former first. One way a believer can contribute to the church is to be involved in serving in the many functions of the church. You can help out with the nursery, mow the church lawn, teach Sunday school, be an usher, work in the sound booth, work in the kitchen during events, getting involved in the children’s ministry, etc.

Now let me say from the start that I believe in the Biblical pattern for leadership. I see only two offices in the church: Elders and Deacons. Elders concern themselves over the spiritual matters of the church and deacons over the physical aspects of the church.

Much of the physical functions should fall under the role of the deacons. They are akin to the Levites who where concerned over the physical aspects of the temple where the priests (like elders) where over the spiritual concerns of the temple.

But we also see room for other means of contributing to the workings of the church.

“As good stewards of the manifold grace of God, each of you should use whatever gift he has received to serve one another.” 1 Peter 4:10 Serving in the church is just that, serving. It is not for elevation, self honor, personal attainment or our own glory. It is for the love of serving the Lord and His people we utilize the gifts he has given us to build up and strengthen the church. We can always contribute to the function of our church by adding our abilities and giftings and should always seek not to just sit and enjoy the Sunday show but to be involved in the daily work of the Lord.

In some ways these people have it right. Their ministry is supported by the proceeds of a restaurant and soon to be bakery and gift store! They don’t give a tithe but 100 percent of their income. To me this is a bit too extreme and though some people may be called to do so I think the Lord requires us to give according to our willingness and ability. Even in the story of Ananias and Sapphira when they held back part of the price Peter said: “Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal?” Acts 5:4 God gives us the right to choose what we do with our money. We should not feel compelled to give any more than what the Lord speaks to our hearts to give. I was part of a church for 10 years and they never asked for money nor demanded tithe. They put an offering box in the back of the church and simply reminded the people to give as the Lord lead them. They trusted God and never suffered lack!

Contribution in the service (When you come together!)

“What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up.” 1 Cor. 14:26.

Here unfortunately is where the church has drifted so woefully apart from the early church. Then it was a come and give community. Now it is a come and watch church. We do not use the gifts of the Spirit anymore because there is not room for that in our liturgy (order of service). We do not open our services to the people Because it is controlled by the pulpit! It says “each of you” has a hymn or song, a revelation, a gift of the spirit. I was in a

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The Contributing Congregation! church. The stipulation of the gentiles when first becoming a part of the Jewish church was that they were to “remember the poor”.

“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone,” Col. 4:5-6 (NIV) We have to interact with unbelievers and both our actions and conversation must be without reproach.

There are many needy outside the church that we can give a hand, be a help and contribute to as an example of the Lord’s servant. Jesus said “freely you have received, freely give”. The church has many outside ministries to be involved in and even in your personal life you always have a ministry to those around you whether it be at the super market, at the doctors office or on the job! We are the salt of the world and a light to their darkness. Jesus said our light is to be as one shining on a hill for all to see but many go to the church and hide it under a bushel basket!

small church where every week the pastor got up after worship and stood off the pulpit and before the people and he asked the same question: “Does anybody have anything to share before I do?” The people had been trained to use that opportunity to stand up and share a scripture that they read that week and talk about what the Lord showed them (word of instruction, revelation) or they would share a testimony of something the Lord did for them or “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they would share a story of someone they were able they may see your good works, and glorify your to lead to the Lord that week. Sometimes someone Father who is in heaven.” Matt. 5:16 would share a particular burden or ask for a needful prayer. I often did his when I pastored and never got Contribution to Kingdom! to my sermon. Sometimes the Holy Spirit took us in a different direction all together be it an intercessory Finally we are called to contribute to the Kingdom. warfare service or a celebratory praise service or a What does that mean? There is something far bigger prayer service for the hurting we would: than the local church. Jesus is building a kingdom.

He said repent for the kingdom is at hand. Indeed it “Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with is here and we are also here to advance His Kingdom! those who weep.” Romans 12:15 What a joy it is to see the saints contributing First we as believers are all called to be a witnesses their heart to the church. To see them pray for one of His grace and His gospel. We must seek to share another, share with each other and encourage one Jesus to all we can so His Kingdom will increase and another with the testimony of the Lord! Sadly now so that we can rescue all we can before it is too late! many Christian are more comfortable to stay home and watch church on TV or slip in the middle of the mega church worshiptainment service and quietly leave at the end. It has become about what they can get and not what they can give. But the lord said: “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Luke 6:38

Contribution to Community Part of our giving goes beyond the walls of the

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Ezra: Restoration and Revival

send Zerubbabel to be Governor: Jeshua (or Joshua) the high priest and a large body of exiles to Jerusalem The Book of Ezra is one of my favorite books in to restore the temple that had been destroyed by King the Bible. It is the story of restoration and revival. Nebuchadnezzar.

I love restoring things. I have taken old chairs and reupholstered them to restore them like new. I have “Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The Lord God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; taken old beat up tables and re-sanded and re-stained and he hath charged me to build him an house at them and coated them with polyurethane to make them Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among look like new. Recently someone asked me to take an old beat up and broken rocking chair and strip, sand you of all his people? His God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and and restore it. It was a daunting task. I had to strip away build the house of the Lord God of Israel, which is in 2 coats of paint and varnish and use a dremmel to get Jerusalem.” Ezra 1:2:3 the old stuff out of the grooves. One of the arms was broken so I had to shape a new one out of wood and Cyrus called for the Jewish people to give gold and attached it with dowels. I had to sand the whole thing silver and free will offering to restore the temple. Cyrus and finally re-stain it. When it was finished it looked brought out the temple vessels that Nebuchadnezzar like it came out of the factory. had taken and gave it back to Ezra for the temple service.

Restoring things often requires three things. Getting God first opens the door for restoration by moving rid of the old stuff (stripping and sanding); fixing the upon the kings heart. Then he begins the restoration by broken stuff (repairing what is broken) and adding the restoring what was taken away. God prophesied many new stuff (stain, paint varnish, etc). It is often the same years before through Moses: in Christ. Sometimes we need to get rid of the old stuff, fix the broken stuff and add the new stuff.

“The LORD your God will restore your fortunes, Ezra was called by God to restore the temple. Israel and have compassion upon you, and he will gather had been in exile in Babylon and just as the prophet you again from all the peoples where the LORD your Jeremiah had predicted seventy years later (c. 457 BCE) God has scattered you. If your outcasts are in the King Cyrus, king of Persia, allowed Ezra the scribe to uttermost parts of heaven, from there the LORD your

Ezra: Restoration and Revival

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Ezra: Restoration and Revival God will gather you, and from there he will fetch you; and the LORD your God will bring you into the land which your fathers possessed, that you may possess it; and he will make you more prosperous and numerous than your fathers.” Deut. 30: 3-5 Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah and 32,000 people returned to Jerusalem from Babylon. It would be a restoration of not only the temple but of the nation of Israel again. Only God could of orchestrated such an event. Sometimes people, marriages and even churches need to be restored. People fall away, drift into sin and some grow cold and distant and when they realize it and call upon the Lord, God can start the restoration process. The children of Israel fell into rebellion, idolatry and apostasy so God allowed them to be conquered by their enemies and sent into exile in Babylon for their sins. No doubt, they prayed for years and repented and in season He enabled them to come back to their land and start over again. Such is the grace of God.

Unity The bible says that when they Got to Jerusalem:

The Altar Even before the foundation was laid again, the first thing they restored was the altar. In the midst of their enemies Jeshua the high priest (as Jesus is our high priest) and Zerubbabel along with the other priests built a new altar that had been torn down. It was there that they began offering sacrifices again day and night, something they had not been able to do for seventy years.

The first thing that has to be restored when we have gone astray is a new altar in our heart. The place of prayer is a place of sacrifice and it must be offered up day and night because our enemy is striving to pull us from our great hope. To be restored, we must be humble and contrite before God for this is the sacrifice the Lord seeks.

“My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.” Psalm 51:17 “Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. “ Heb. 13:15

“...the people gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem.” Ezra 3:1 Feast of TabernacleThe first step in restoration is unity. They gathered together for the same purpose, to restore what had been Restoring Praise and Worship taken away. They came to reunite as a people and to build the temple, a place of unified worship to God! If After building the altar, they sacrificed on the altar there is to be any restoration in a marriage there has the burnt offering and kept the feast of the tabernacle. to be a unified agreement to start over again and build what was torn down or torn apart. If relationships “They kept also the feast of tabernacles, as it is need restoration both parties need to agree to work out written, and offered the daily burnt offerings by their differences. If a church has drifted away from its number, according to the custom, as the duty of every moorings and need to come back to the burning fire day required; And afterward offered the continual it once had and the move of the Spirit it once new it burnt offering, both of the new moons, and of all the must unify in pursuit of repentance and the persistence set feasts of the Lord that were consecrated, and of of seeking God to stir the smoldering coals into to every one that willingly offered a freewill offering a blazing fire again. It wasn't until the disciples spent unto the Lord. From the first day of the seventh 10 days in the upper room after the ascension and fell month began they to offer burnt offerings unto the on their faces in unified prayer that the Holy Spirit fell Lord. But the foundation of the temple of the Lord and set the church ablaze with a fresh anointing. When was not yet laid.” Ezra 3:4-6 they where in one place in one accord a defeated people The Feast of the Tabernacle or feast of the booths, became a victorious church. also called Succoth, was one of the 3 major Feasts that “Then stood up Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his required every Jew to come to Jerusalem to celebrate. brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of These were called pilgrim feasts because all Jews came to Shealtiel, and his brethren, and builded the altar of Jerusalem to celebrate them. It was a means of gathering the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings thereon, as all to the city to show that they were reuniting as a it is written in the law of Moses the man of God. And people and celebrating what God was doing. Succoth they set the altar upon his bases; for fear was upon was a fall festival and called the Season of Joy. It had them because of the people of those countries: and several purposes; to remember the huts they lived in they offered burnt offerings thereon unto the Lord, the wilderness after the Exodus but later it became the even burnt offerings morning and evening.” Ezra festival of the Ingathering of the harvest at the end of the 3:2-3 year. They would decorate booths, sing songs and wave

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Ezra: Restoration and Revival sheaths in celebration. It was a time of thanksgiving and praise. They did this before any foundation was even laid to show spiritual restoration had to come before physical restoration.

Our restoration comes when we return to God with thanksgiving and praise. Years ago a chaplain named Merlin Carothers wrote a book called 'Prison to Praise'.

God told him to get people to praise Him for their circumstances no matter how bad. It seemed against everything he could fathom to tell people to be thankful when they were about to get divorced or were in very bad health, etc. But he was obedient to God and to the scripture: “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” 1 Thess. 5:18 When they began to praise God in their circumstance even before anything changed suddenly God began performing miracles and healings and his books were filled with the testimonies of many who got restored after praising God and worshiping Him despite those circumstances. Praise and thankfulness is a form of worship and gets us to turn our eyes off ourselves and onto Him. Once we do that. He can begin the restoration process!

“And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, they set the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise the Lord, after the ordinance of David king of Israel. And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the Lord; because he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid. Ezra 3:10-,11

through any fault of the congregation but mostly due to the leadership. Many are called into spiritual offices but unfortunately many churches are run by boards, influential people or controlling pastors rather than by men who are called by God to serve the people.

Zerubbabel represented the secular authority of Jerusalem. He was a governor of a Persian Province and the grandson of Jehoiachin, the last king of Judah before he was captured by Nebuchadnezzar and taken to Babylon. Zerubbabel was given the task to rebuild the temple along with Joshua son of Jehozadak. Both Haggai and Zechariah prophesied of Zerubbabel and Jeshua. Perhaps that is why Cyrus chose these two men to rebuild the temple. It is no doubt that when Cyrus saw his own named prophesied 70 earlier in the book of Jeremiah he decided to have Ezra initiate the rebuilding of the temple and restoration of Israel. "'On that day, says the Lord of Hosts, I will take you Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, my servant, and wear you like a signet ring; for it is you whom I have chosen. This is the word of the Lord of Hosts'" (Hag. 2:23).

"This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the Lord of hosts. 'Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone with shouts of "Grace, grace to it!"' (Zech 4:6–7) "The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also complete it. …

(Zech 4:9)

Spiritual leadership

Restoring the Priesthood

Joshua (or Jeshua) was the high Priest and set in order the priesthood and Levites. The prophet Zechariah had a unique vision of the Lord regarding Joshua to be set in After the foundation was set they put in order as high priest of the new temple: the spiritual leadership. They set in the priests and Levites. This is equivalent to the early churches Elders “Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at and Deacons. The Priest dealt with the sacrifices and his right hand to oppose him. And the Lord said to spiritual concerns of the temple and the Levites who Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord who originally set up and set down the movable Tabernacle in the wilderness now were concerned with the physical has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?” Now Joshua was clothed with temple and its duties.

Even though the physical temple had not been rebuilt, filthy garments, and was standing before the Angel.

Then He answered and spoke to those who stood the spiritual temple was being rebuilt by setting in God's before Him, saying, “Take away the filthy garments authority so they could minister to God and the people. from him.” And to him He said, “See, I have removed Many churches will never be restored until they properly deal with the leadership. I sadly have seen in my over 40 your iniquity from you, and I will clothe you with years of ministry more churches split and break up not rich robes.” And I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head,

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Ezra: Restoration and Revival and they put the clothes on him.

And the Angel of the Lord stood by.”

Zechariah 3:1-5 Here we see the prophet looking into the future and seeing Joshua being set in as High priest.

Zechariah also saw in the vision that the high priest was a type of the messiah, the branch or root of Jesse.

“Then the Angel of the Lord admonished Joshua, saying, “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘If you will walk in My ways, and if you will keep My command, then you shall also judge My house, and likewise have charge of My courts; I will give you places to walk among these who stand here. ‘Hear, O Joshua, the high priest, you and your companions who sit before you, for they are a wondrous sign; for behold, I am bringing forth My Servant the BRANCH. For behold, the stone that I have laid before Joshua: upon the stone are seven eyes. Behold, I will engrave its inscription,' says the Lord of hosts,‘And I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day. In that day,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘Everyone will invite his neighbor under his vine and under his fig tree.’”Zechariah 3:6-10 The second temple was not as beautiful and impressive as Solomon's temple but when the older priests saw the foundation laid they were weeping for joy in remembrance of what was taken away and now restored. It meant much more to them then the young men who were shouting with joy but who had not seen the lost because they had grown up in Babylon and did not feel the power of the restoration as the older ones did.

“But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy: So that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people: for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar off.” Ezra 3:12,13

Opposition to Restoration “When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a temple for the Lord, the God of Israel, they came to Zerubbabel and to the heads of the families and said, “Let us help you build because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to him since the time of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here.”

But Zerubbabel, Joshua and the rest of the heads of the families of Israel answered, “You have no part with us in building a temple to our God. We alone will build it for the Lord, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, commanded us.”Then the peoples around them set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to go on building.

They bribed officials to work against them and frustrate their plans during the entire reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia.”Ezra 4:1-5 At first you may have some who want to build with you but in reality they have their own agenda. It may be for power or self glory whatever, but like Simon the sorcerer tried to bribe Paul for the power to cast out demon, he was accursed because his motives were wrong. Men withstood the building of the temple for years and tried to discourage the people. They sought to “frustrate the plans”. It’s sad to see when God raises up godly presidents or politicians how many seek to “frustrate, withstand and oppose rather than try to support the building of the people. It is also true of Churches. I have seen zoning boards go out of their way to prohibit churches from being build or even renting spaces even though they would do much to help the community.

You will always have those who will oppose any rebuilding and restoration. Many leaders rose up against the work of rebuilding the temple and they even wrote to a new king, King Artaxerxes, and laid all kinds of false charges against him (sounds like today's headlines) and the king stopped the work for two years. For two years they could not build. Joseph was sent to prison for two years for something he did not do. In that time God was humbling him and teaching him to trust God in his circumstances. More than that, he was preparing him to be the second in command in all of Egypt. Sometimes in order to reach great heights you must first sink to great depths.

After two years God sent 2 prophets to encourage the people to build again.

“Now Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the prophet, a descendant of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them. Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Joshua son of Jozadak set to work

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Ezra: Restoration and Revival to rebuild the house of God in Jerusalem. And the prophets of God were with them, supporting them.” Ezra 5:1-2 If God is for you who can be against you? In defiance of the king's order they resumed the work of the Temple and trusted the Word of the Lord through the prophets. It is better to obey God than man and when we are restoring even against opposition we persevere and rebuild in obedience to God. Again the opposers wrote a letter to another new king, Darius but fortunately included the builders response: “The king should know that we went to the district of Judah, to the temple of the great God. The people are building it with large stones and placing the timbers in the walls. The work is being carried on with diligence and is making rapid progress under their direction.

We questioned the elders and asked them, “Who authorized you to rebuild this temple and to finish it?” We also asked them their names, so that we could write down the names of their leaders for your information.

This is the answer they gave us: “We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the temple that was built many years ago, one that a great king of Israel built and finished. But because our ancestors angered the God of heaven, he gave them into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar the Chaldean, king of Babylon, who destroyed this temple and deported the people to Babylon. “However, in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, King Cyrus issued a decree to rebuild this house of God. He even removed from the temple of Babylon the gold and silver articles of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in

Jerusalem and brought to the temple in Babylon. Then King Cyrus gave them to a man named Sheshbazzar (another name for Zerubbabel or perhaps his nephew who succeeded him ), whom he had appointed governor, and he told him, ‘Take these articles and go and deposit them in the temple in Jerusalem.

And rebuild the house of God on its site.“So this Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundations of the house of God in Jerusalem. From that day to the present it has been under construction but is not yet finished.” Now if it pleases the king, let a search be made in the royal archives of Babylon to see if King Cyrus did in fact issue a decree to rebuild this house of God in Jerusalem. Then let the king send us his decision in this matter.” Ezra 5:8-17 Darius searched the archive and found the scroll where Cyrus had decreed that they be given permission to rebuild the temple.

He wrote back “Now then, Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, and ShetharBozenai and you other officials of that province, stay away from there. Do not interfere with the work on this temple of God. Let the governor of the Jews and the Jewish elders rebuild this house of God on its site. Moreover, I hereby decree what you are to do for these elders of the Jews in the construction of this house of God: Their expenses are to be fully paid out of the royal treasury, from the revenues of Trans-Euphrates, so that the work will not stop.

Whatever is needed—young bulls, rams, male lambs for burnt offerings to the God of heaven, and wheat, salt, wine and olive oil, as requested by the priests in Jerusalem—must be given them daily without fail, so that they may offer sacrifices pleasing to the God of heaven and pray for the well-being of the king and his

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sons. Furthermore, I decree that if anyone defies this edict, a beam is to be pulled from their house and they are to be impaled on it.

And for this crime their house is to be made a pile of rubble.

May God, who has caused his Name to dwell there, overthrow any king or people who lifts a hand to change this decree or to destroy this temple in Jerusalem.

I Darius have decreed it. Let it be carried out with diligence.” Ezra 6:6-12 Now the tide has been turned against the leaders of the area who opposed Zerubbabel and Joshua.

Not only must they stay away and let them rebuild, but money from their treasuries must be used and they also must supply animals for the burnt offerings. In the end the resisters of the work of God will fail for who can oppose God!

Completion of the Work Now with no hindrances and the encouragement of the prophets they finished the temple in the seventh year of King Darius reign. It had taken nearly 20 years to complete but fulfilled the prophecy of Ezekiel that a second temple would be built.

This would be the same temple that Jesus walked in. Perhaps that is what Haggai was referring to as the later glory (Jesus presence ) being greater than the former glory: “Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory?

How do you see it now? Is it not as nothing in your eyes? Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, declares the Lord. Be strong, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest.

Be strong, all you people of the land, declares the Lord. Work, for I am with you, declares the Lord of hosts, according to the covenant that I made with you when you came out of Egypt. My Spirit remains in your midst.

Fear not. For thus says the Lord of hosts: Yet once more, in a little

Ezra: Restoration and Revival while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land. And I will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of hosts. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the Lord of hosts. The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts. And in this place I will give peace, declares the Lord of hosts.”

Later Herod made additions to it and unfortunately it was destined to be destroyed in 70ad as Jesus prophesied because they would reject their Messiah.

“Ezra came up from Babylon. He his fasting and prayer for traveling was a teacher well versed in the protection: Law of Moses, which the Lord, “There, by the Ahava Canal, I the God of Israel, had given. The proclaimed a fast, so that we king had granted him everything might humble ourselves before he asked, for the hand of the Lord our God and ask him for a safe his God was on him.” Ezra 7:6 journey for us and our children, The new king, Artaxerxes, wrote a with all our possessions. I was letter to Ezra giving him full power ashamed to ask the king for to teach the laws of God, raise all soldiers and horsemen to protect necessary funds for the services of us from enemies on the road, the temple and to set up judges and because we had told the king, magistrates to govern the region.

“The gracious hand of our God Artaxerxes did this for they too is on everyone who looks to him, feared the God of Israel! but his great anger is against all who forsake him. So we “Whatever the God of heaven fasted and petitioned our God has prescribed, let it be done about this, and he answered our with diligence for the temple of prayer.” Ezra 8:21-23 the God of heaven. Why should his wrath fall on the realm of the Restoration of Passover king and of his sons?” Ezra 7:23 Restoration of Revival and Return of Ezra When we seek God first and Up to this point all the physical Once they finished the temple restore our ways back to him he will restoration had been complete; the they celebrated Passover signifying take care of the secular authority. foundation, the Holy Place, the Holy Gods deliverance out of bondage for We must only be concerned with of Holies, the walls and gates and now they had been delivered from God's authority! courts of the temple. The religious exile to Babylon and returned to restoration had been done. The “When a man's ways are pleasing their land. sacrifices, the vessels of the temple, to the LORD, He makes even his Up to this point Zerubbabel the the feasts, etc. Unfortunately this enemies to be at peace with him.” governor and Joshua the priest is as far as many churches go. They had done all the work but once the Proverbs 16:17 restore the outer but neglect the temple was complete it was time for Ezra recounts the gathering of the inner. Restoration had come but Ezra the scribe and priest to return. Levites before he leaves Babylon and not revival. The religious temple

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Ezra: Restoration and Revival had been built but not the heart of the people, the real temple of God. Jesus was always trying to make that distinction. The Jews had the outer religious work going but did not see that the real temple was the heart of the people. That is why Jesus was sacrificed OUTSIDE the temple so he could purify the temple of the hearts of those who would believe on His name.

Ezra saw that all things had been restored according to the law and the temple was complete but one thing was lacking – the obedience of the people to be convicted of sin.

“After these things had been done, the leaders came to me and said, “The people of Israel, including the priests and the Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the neighboring peoples with their detestable practices, like those of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians and Amorites.

They have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, and have mingled the holy race with the peoples around them. And the leaders and officials have led the way in this unfaithfulness.”

When I heard this, I tore my tunic and cloak, pulled hair from my head and beard and sat down appalled. Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel gathered around me because of this unfaithfulness of the exiles. And I sat there appalled until the evening sacrifice. Then, at the evening sacrifice, I rose from my self-abasement, with my tunic and cloak torn, and fell on my knees with my hands spread out to the Lord my God and prayed: “I am too ashamed and disgraced, my God, to lift up my face to you, because our sins are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens.

From the days of our ancestors

until now, our guilt has been great. Because of our sins, we and our kings and our priests have been subjected to the sword and captivity, to pillage and humiliation at the hand of foreign kings, as it is today.”

Ezra 9:1-7 Revival comes only when holiness is achieved and holiness comes when we separate ourselves from our sins. Israel had been told even in the wilderness by Moses that they were a separate and holy people. They were forbidden to intermarry with the inhabitants of the land. During the seventy years of exile many people had disobeyed God and married and bore children with the heathen around them.

This my seen strange to us today, nonetheless it was a command of God for Israel and to Ezra this was a horrid sin. Thus he tore his clothes and fasted and prayed.

“While Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself down before the house of God, a large crowd of Israelites—men, women and children—gathered around him.

They too wept bitterly. Then Shekaniah son of Jehiel, one of the descendants of Elam, said to Ezra, “We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the peoples around us. But in spite of this, there is still hope for Israel. Now let us make a covenant before our God to send away all these women and their children, in accordance with the counsel of my lord and of those who fear the commands of our God. Let it be done according to the Law. Rise up; this matter is in your hands. We will support you, so take courage and do it.” So Ezra rose up and put the leading priests and Levites and all Israel under oath to do what had been suggested. And they took the oath. Then Ezra withdrew from before the house of God and went

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to the room of Jehohanan son of Eliashib. While he was there, he ate no food and drank no water, because he continued to mourn over the unfaithfulness of the exiles.” Ezra 10 1-6 Even as Ezra fasted and prayed, revival broke out. Even at the time that he prayed weeping, the people came under conviction and came to him also weeping. God had moved upon their hearts and they fell under conviction. They said that they had been unfaithful to the Lord by marrying foreign women and promised to send away the women and children. Ezra rises and makes a proclamation: “A proclamation was then issued throughout Judah and Jerusalem for all the exiles to assemble in Jerusalem. Anyone who failed to appear within three days would forfeit all his property, in accordance with the decision of the officials and elders, and would himself be expelled from the assembly of the exiles.” Ezra 10:7,8 After three days all the Jews of the tribe of Judah and Benjamin gather in Jerusalem and Ezra stood up and told them of their unfaithfulness to God by intermarrying with foreigners and calls for separation. The people's hearts were pricked and they said: “You are right!” and in the pouring rain agreed to gather in a few days and separated themselves from the foreign wives and children.

We are a holy people and must be separate from the world and its ways. We can restore church but to bring revival requires owning up to our sin, confessing and putting it away. We must be holy because God is Holy. The story of Ezra is a reminder that God can restore what the enemy has taken away but if we cry out in true conviction his presence can also be restored by holiness.

Finding Your Direction in God!

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ne of the things that confuses Christians allot is direction. What is their churches direction what is their personal direction. We often have a general idea of what we are called to do and perhaps how to do it but where are we to go next in life. When we have no sense of direction, we often feel lost. How many have ever been lost before in woods or driving somewhere where our GPS wasn’t working? Navigation was so important in the ancient world on both land and sea and certain devices enabled them to keep the course.

As it is in the natural, often it is in the spiritual. We need to know where we are going spiritually. Some of the natural means of navigation also have a spiritual implication to our spiritual direction.

LandmarksFinding places you are familiar with requires looking for landmarks. Sailors taking coastal routes would familiarize themselves with certain landmarks and celestial bodies. I laugh because when a man tells another man how to get somewhere, he usually tells him to go west to this street and then right or north to this street, etc.. But a woman tells another woman “Go straight to you hit a Kohls on the right. Turn left till you come to a Walmart, go right till you see a Ross...

Either will work because you are looking for landmarks to guide you to your destination.

Are you in the right direction because you are familiar with your surroundings. There are spiritual landmarks that tell us if we are on the right path. The Bible says: “For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.

But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it”. (Matthew 7:13,14).

It is not the path of the multitude but the road that few travel on that we follow. The wide road is filled with neon signs of pleasure and selfish pursuits. Its landmarks

like the carnival of Pinocchio or the deceiving city of Vanity Fair in Bunyan’s “The Pilgrims Progress” only lead its travelers astray. On the Narrow path the landmarks are Biblical Billboards and Christian oasis rest stops through troubling desserts and mountainous terrain. As we become familiar with His word we see his landmarks of sacrifice, faith encouragement and love.

We can navigate a dark world by following the light that is set before us.

Directional and Warning Signs.

I remember having to familiarize myself with road signs when I first got my drivers license. Two of the categories were Warning Signs and Directional Signs.

Warnings signs are like Stop; Yield, Do Not Enter, No Uturn, One Way, etc. On our spiritual journey the Lord often gives us warnings concerning the direction we are headed. Many are clearly stated in his word. Part of the Ten Commandments are warnings. Jesus often gave parables as signs of warnings. Many of the epistles warn us of present and end-time conditions to avoid.

I remember years ago I was hiking on the Appalachian Trail in North Georgia and I got off the path somehow and got lost and started panicking. Suddenly a saw a white marking on a tree and recognized it as a trail blazer. When I was a boy scout in California I learned that a trail blaze or mark was a sign on a tree to bring you back to the main path. It could be an arrow or triangles laid out in such a way as to tell you to turn left or right or keep straight. I followed the trail blaze signs and got back safely onto the main path. If we know what to look for when we get off the right path the Lord will send us

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Finding Your Direction in God! signs to lead us safely back to the right road.

The other type of road signs in the driver’s handbook is Directional signs. These are usually the big green signs on the interstate that point to destination options.

We have one on the outskirts of Atlanta that tells you that if you stay in the right lane you will head towards Augusta, Georgia or Alabama when you get on I-20. I live off of I-85 and each exit has destination signs telling you where you are and how to get from one small city to another. A destination signs tells you where you are or what road to get on to get to where your going. If these signs weren’t there you would just see a bunch of exits and not know where they go. To navigate Gods direction for our lives we need to keep looking at the signs he is showing us to get to where he wants us to be.

Maybe the destination is ministry or a good Christian church or a spouse or job situation. When we pray, God will show us the direction and allow circumstances to help guide us to that destination. Isaiah says: “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” Isa. 30:21

Navigational tools: The Compass

1803, Meriwether Lewis bought 3 pocket compasses for the Lewis and Clark expedition to find a passage west and across the Rockies. For 2 years the compass helped them stay on course both west to the pacific and East to return home.

When I was younger as a boy scout a compass was indispensable when hiking and camping in the woods.

A compass requires three things, a magnet and a fixed point and bearings

He created a magnetic field around the earth. This is referred to in Psalms 89:12 “The North and the South, Thou hath created.”

Certain minerals like lodestones and magnetized iron ore align itself with that magnetic field. Thus pointing us to the fixed point North. Magnetism is an invisible attraction. The 1st principle involves developing an attraction to a fixed point. By allowing the needle to point north we now know points east west and south.

The Fixed Point: The North (God)

Interestingly the Bible refers to God as the one who: “sits on the side of the North” Isaiah 14:13 (the far reaches of the North).

Psalms 48:2 uses the same term in KJV “Sides of the north” relating to Jerusalem perhaps giving us a hint of the direction of the New Jerusalem.

Job 26:7 -”He spreads out the north over empty space, suspending the earth over nothing.”

We must have an attraction to God. We must be pulled to His direction. Many when they hear the gospel are pulled to the direction of God. When we worship we are pulling ourselves to Him and directing our attention to the one who sits on the sides of the North. We must be magnetized by Jesus and then pulled into the only true fixed point to find out bearings.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. “ Heb. 12:1 Gods word is a fixed point. It is absolute truth and unalterable. To navigate through a world of speculation, supposition, myth, theories and lies we need to anchor ourselves to the Word of God and not steer of course.

Bearings

Bearings are our relationship to that fixed point.

A magnetic needle floats on a circle of 360 degrees. 0 degrees is north. 45 degrees is Northeast, 90 ° is East, 180° is South, 170° is West and 360 Or 0° returns you back to North. Latitudes and longitudes are degrees of a circular globe. A captain will use a sextant to fix itself on the north star and set its bearings. The sextant can focus on two things. At night it points to Polaris or the North star The Magnet for navigation. During the day it will focus on the noon Attraction. A magnetic needle floats on a circle of sun to get its Direction. In other words it will determine 360 degrees. The magnet draws the needle to point to where they are in an ocean in relationship to the fixed the North. God gave us in creation a means of always point. Christians often need to find their bearings. They finding direction in the natural. The earth is a magnet. need to look at the Lord and see if they have drifted off

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Finding Your Direction in God! course. They need to look at the Word and see where they stand and perhaps make course corrections to make sure GPS. Global they are following the right course for Gods direction in Positioning System their life.

In the 1970’s- America When we are lost we have to look to God to find our came out with a spacebearings. based satellite navigation system that provided Get directions from someone position, range and time information. Initially it was who has been there! a military project for ICBM missiles but later Ronald Reagan authorized it’s civilian use and now 24 missiles orbit the earth translate position coordinates for receivers on earth including mobile phones, tables and car GPS devices. Using Trilateration (similar to triangulation but an all three dimensions plus time) they can accurately track the position of any receiver. It not only uses positioning but by use of atomic clocks in the satellites and quartz crystal clocks on the devices can monitor your position in real time. Now everyone by use of their cell phone can navigate using GPS and pull up maps that will find stores, restaurants, companies and even people.

Lewis and Clark not only used a compass but when Christians have a GPS: God’s positioning System. they got to the Rockies they got an Shoshone Indian From above he sees everything and knows where woman named Sacajawea to guide the party across everything and everyone is. The prophet Elisha knew the mountain pass. Spiritually we are all on the same what the kings enemy was planning and it simply journey but others have gone before us and can help us because when he prayed God revealed the plans of men. take the same course. The Bible is replete with examples Now we can navigate and locate by prayer and the Holy of those who have gone before us and those examples Spirit can lead us and provide for us: can speak to us today and help guide us in our walk in god. Draw from the wisdom and experience of others. “But the natural man receiveth not the things of Don’t be afraid to “ask for directions” when your lost. I the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto have to admit, I hate asking for directions (or even for him: neither can he know them, because they are help at Home Depot) but thanks to the nagging wisdom spiritually discerned.” 1 Cor. 2:14 of my wife I am finding it much faster to stop and ask someone more familiar with the area then driving “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will around all day trying to find my destination on my own. guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.” John 16:13 Road Maps The Holy Spirit is God’s GPS. The Holy Spirit leads I love maps. I have a file cabinet of maps of many of my travels in my youth. I confess its one of my obsessions. us, guides us and helps provide for us. He helps us get I use to pull out country maps from old National from one place to another in our spiritual growth and Geographic magazines just to peruse and hoard them. helps us to find what we need. It often points us to the Something about looking down at a map whether a street Word for direction or sends someone our way to point map, typographical, national map or globe it gives me the us in the right way.

The great thing about being a Christian is that we don’t feeling that I am flying over an area and seeing it from above. The great thing about maps is that you get an have to walk the walk alone and that God is always there overall picture and therefore you can often see where you to help us along the way. Life is a journey but through are and where you want to go along with the easiest route the Word and His Spirit we can be guided through there (I guess you can see how I went nuts when Google life and through spiritual maturity until we find our earth came out!). The Bible is a road map that tells us final destination in the heavenly kingdom where we are, where we need to be and how to get there. where we will hear; “Enter in thou good It helps us when we are lost and gives us an overview of and faithful servant!” everything and yet the specifics of what we need.

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The Spirit of Shimei- Dealing with Derision

The Spirit of ShimeiDealing with Derision Mockers in the Last days “Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.” For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water. But the present heavens and earth by His word are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. —2 Peter 3:3–7 2 Tim. 3:12 says “Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”

Persecution starts with mocking. The greek word “mock” here means– “To deride, make fun of, lit to turn up ones nose or sneer, or ridicule.”

The movie “Noah was a terrible movie but Bill Maher mocking the biblical concept said: “It’s about a psychotic mass murderer who gets away with it, and his name is God,” He basically says God is a “Blank” with anger issues set out to kill men women and children.” It’s because you worship a guy who drowns babies.”

His concept of God is a psychotic baby killer.

Gal. 6: 7 “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.”

John 15:18,19 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”

Christians more and more are being scoffed at for: • Believing in creation rather than evolution • Believing in marital relations not premarital relations.

• Not being tolerant of the homosexual lifestyle and gay marriage.

• Not believing in a woman’s right to kill her own baby.

• Adhering to the old morality of the bible rather than the loose morality of today • Taking a biblical stand in school rather than the secular humanism taught in academia.

Organizations like, the ACLU, Freedom from Religion, and atheist groups continue to sue and press to remove the ten commandment, the cross, bible scriptures, and Christian expression from the public forum. This is done regularly by our government, our educational system and the media.

We have seen attacks in the past on Christian groups and companies by gay activists on the Boy Scouts, Duck Dynasty and Chick Fil-A, Christian bakers, florists and other Christian groups.

During a debate with Bill Nye the science (?) guy and Christian Ken Ham on evolution Bill Nye mocked Ken Ham and said ““... the idea that there is a plan for everybody, that this deity has it all worked out, and is really directing things is an extraordinary claim that I find troublesome,” As we see more and more attacks on Christianity we must remember that as we are nearing the end of the age of grace we are also nearing the time of judgement. For both man and Christians.

There is a two-sided coin that God flips but you determine the outcome. On one side it says forgiveness and another side it says judgment. This perfectly describes a loving yet righteous God that balances grace with truth in Jesus Christ.

“And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.”— Exodus 34:6, 7

Even mockers may repent if it is not too late. But if not, then they will be the one mocked by God.

The Judgment Of Shimei The Biblical account of Shimei, son of Gera, is a brief one. Only four passages of Scripture refer to him. They show a contrast between forgiveness and judgment.

Shimei was of the same family as King Saul and evidently opposed the accession of David to the throne of Israel. We first meet him on one of the darkest days in King David’s life. David’s son, Absalom, has gained the upper hand in his bid to replace his father on the

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The Spirit of Shimei- Dealing with Derision hath bidden him.” It is one thing for any of us to accept criticism when offered graciously, but quite another not to react when attacked publicly and in an unkind manner, let alone accompanied by curses and violence.

David’s flight took him to the mountain retreat of Mahanaim where he regrouped his forces and went forth to defend his kingdom against the usurpation of his son. The battle went successfully for the king. His son Absalom was killed to the deep grief of his father. David returned to Jerusalem in triumph to continue his reign.

Shimei Pardoned Absalom eventually died and David came back to be set in as King of all Israel. As he recrossed the Jordan throne. David and his entourage flee Jerusalem in river we again meet Shimei, this time in a far different disarray. Adding to the humiliation of the hour is a attitude. No longer cursing David with bold braggadocio, young Benjamite running parallel to the road, cursing he assumes the position of the humble penitent.

David and pelting him with dirt and stones.

Shimei throws stones at David!

2 Samuel 6:5-13 -”And when king David came to Bahurim, behold, thence came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera: he came forth, and cursed still as he came. And he cast stones at David, and at all the servants of king David: and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou man of Belial: The Lord hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the Lord hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and, behold, thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man. Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head.

And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? so let him curse, because the Lord hath said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so? And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now may this Benjamite do it? let him alone, and let him curse; for the Lord hath bidden him. It may be that the Lord will look on mine affliction, and that the Lord will requite me good for his cursing this day. And as David and his men went by the way, Shimei went along on the hill’s side over against him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him, and cast dust.”—

2 Sam. 19:16, 18-23 “And Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite, which was of Bahurim, hasted and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David. . . . And there went over a ferry boat to carry over the king’s household, and to do what he thought good. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, as he was come over Jordan; And said unto the king, Let not my lord impute iniquity unto me, neither do thou remember that which thy servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart. For thy servant doth know that I have sinned: therefore, behold, I am come the first this day of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king. But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the Lord‘s anointed? And David said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah, that ye should this day be adversaries unto me? shall there any man be put to death this day in Israel? for do not I know that I am this day king over Israel? Therefore the king said unto Shimei, Thou shalt not die. And the king sware unto him.”—

David showed mercy, spared his life.

Luke 6:27-28 “But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you, bless them that curse you, pray for them that despitefully use you.”

Judgment Deferred

Forgiveness requires true repentance and only God knows the heart, Shemei went through the motions but his motivation was not by conviction but by self David’s Humility preservation. When David came back and was set in as The humility of David in this instance shines out. king, Shimei repented out of fear and not out of real Not only did he take Shimei’s critical words kindly, but sorrow. he attributed them to the Lord, saying, “for the Lord “For godly sorrow works repentance to salvation not to be regretted: but the sorrow of the world works death.” 1 Cor. 7:10

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The Spirit of Shimei- Dealing with Derision Over time David saw that in Shimei. And near the end of his days he required judgment. On his deathbed he said to Solomon: 1 Kings 2:8, 9 “And, behold, thou hast with thee Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite of Bahurim, which cursed me with a grievous curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim: but he came down to meet me at Jordan, and I sware to him by the Lord, saying, I will not put thee to death with the sword.

Now therefore hold him not guiltless: for thou art a wise man, and knowest what thou oughtest to do unto him; but his hoar head bring thou down to the grave with blood.”—

Solomon does not proceed to act quickly on his father’s orders, but gives Shimei space to prove that he has truly repented. King Solomon restricts Shimei to the confines of Jerusalem, offering it to him for a city of refuge.

The Death Of Shimei 2 Kings 2:36-46” -And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said unto him, Build thee an house in Jerusalem, and dwell there, and go not forth thence any whither. For it shall be, that on the day thou goest out, and passest over the brook Kidron, thou shalt know for certain that thou shalt surely die: thy blood shall be upon thine own head. And Shimei said unto the king, The saying is good: as my lord the king hath said, so will thy servant do. And Shimei dwelt in Jerusalem many days. And it came to pass at the end of three years, that two of the servants of Shimei ran away unto Achish son of Maachah king of Gath. And they told Shimei, saying, Behold, thy servants be in Gath. And Shimei arose, and saddled his ass, and went to Gath to Achish to seek his servants: and Shimei went, and brought his servants from Gath. And it was told Solomon that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath, and was come again. And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said unto him, Did I not make thee to swear by the Lord, and protested unto thee, saying, Know for a certain, on the day thou goest out, and walkest abroad any whither, that thou shalt surely die? and thou saidst unto me, The word that I have heard is good.

Why then hast thou not kept the oath of the Lord, and the commandment that I have charged thee with? The king said moreover to Shimei, Thou knowest all the wickedness which thine heart is privy to, that thou didst to David my father: therefore the Lord shall return thy wickedness upon thine own head; And king Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the Lord for ever.

So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; which went out, and fell upon him, that he died. And the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.”—

The Allegory In addition to the moral lessons this account teaches, we find, additionally, an allegory. The first three reigns of Israel’s monarchy—those of Saul, David and Solomon— were each of 40 years duration. Various commentators have noted this and suggested that they contain pictorial lessons of three great ages in God’s plan—the Jewish, Gospel and Kingdom ages respectively. The Prophet, The Priest and the King. (3 fold ministry of Jesus) The three ages are also age of the Law, age of Grace and age of restitution If this indeed be account a case of deferred to Christ’s This accords well

the case, we find in the Shimei sins during the Gospel age being Millennial Kingdom for judgment. with the Apostle Paul’s words

1 Timothy 5:24, “Some men’s sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after.”

The present is not the time for the judgment of men’s sins. In fact we are warned not to judge before the time.

“Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God” (1 Cor. 5:4).

It is for this reason that the Kingdom is called “The Day of Judgment”.

“Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead” (Acts 17:31).

Shimei left the city to reclaim two slaves which had escaped. They were his property, they owed him their lives. But he was in the same position to Solomon.

He was Solomon’s prisoner, indebted to him for the continuation of his life. Freely taking Solomon’s pardon, he was unwilling to grant the same to his servants.

How similar with one of the parables of Jesus where a servant is forgiven a debt of ten thousand talents, but refuses to forgive one who owes him a few pence.

The basis for man’s judgment will be based in large part upon the basis of judgment he uses for others.

“Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” (Matt.

6:12).

Jerusalem has become a city of refuge for Shimei. It was Summary a safe haven as long as he stayed therein, but afforded no The lesson of Shimei, then, teaches us three important protection beyond their borders. The wisdom of Solomon points: is also evidenced. By restricting him to Jerusalem, he could execute him for a different sin than that for which 1. To graciously deal with those who despitefully use his father, David, had granted pardon. us and persecute us. “But I say unto you, Love your

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The Spirit of Shimei- Dealing with Derision enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” (Matt. 5:42).

2. To not expect sins to go unrequited, though the judgment may be deferred.

“But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment” (Matt. 12:36).

3. The Millennial Kingdom is the time for the judgment of men’s sins, not the present.

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“And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works” (Rev. 20:11-13).

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The House Of Shimei The name of Shimei comes up one more time in the Old Testament. In the twelfth chapter of Zechariah. ”And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart; The family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of Shimei apart, and their wives apart; All the families that remain, every family apart, and their wives apart” (Zech. 12:12-14).

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The four families mentioned—David, Nathan, Levi and Shimei—may well indicate four categories of people.

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1. David represented the royal family the kings or rulers 2. Nathan the prophets – 3. Levi the priesthood-Judgment begins in the house of the Lord.

4. Shimei- mankind

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All the families that remain - everyone else.- We will all stand before the judgement seat and give an account.

Romans 2:16 “In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ” also PSALMS 2 (READ ALL)

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The Three Time Eras The Three Time Eras Spiritual time relating to God and Israel can be broken into three eras or epochs. These three time frames can be related to the ministries of the Three major King of Israel: King Saul, King David and King Solomon.

King Saul.

King Saul was the first King of Israel. This relates to the Jewish Age. He ruled strictly over Israel. He was set in and guided by mainly one prophet and that was the Samuel the prophet. So this was a prophetic era.

This era pointed to Jesus as the Hidden one. The King was not the messiah but David was a type of Messiah.

David was hidden for the most part and though he was secretly anointed as king by Samuel he did not come into power for many years. For the first 30 years Jesus was hidden. He even went to Egypt and spent his life hidden from Israel. He was the promised Messiah but his time had not het come.

King Saul was a flawed man. He disobeyed God when he did not wait for Samuel to offer up the sacrifice and took on a priestly role when it was not his to do. Because of that act of disobedience he lost his Kingship. This was the era of sacrifice offered up wrongly. The Jewish age was religious but as Saul said “Obedience is better than sacrifice.”

King David The second age is the Age of King David. This represents

the Church age. David was a type of Jesus, both being the Root of Jesse and of the tribe of Judah. The Church is never to replace Israel but is parenthetic to the separated and different work of Israel. The church started out with Jewish believers but quickly became mostly gentiles and thus is called the “times of the gentiles” (Luke 21:24). The age of the gentiles or church age will end with the rapture and then Israel shall take up the scene again. Where as the Jewish age was about Law and Works, the church age is about Grace and truth. “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” John 1:17 This is the age of the priesthood. Jesus is the high priest who ever maketh intercession for us and offered himself as the lamb of God. He is the promised one because he was the prophesied Messiah’.

King Solomon The third era is the millennial reign of Jesus. This coincides with the reign of King Solomon. Solomon’s rule was an era of peace with no war. It is the Kingdom age because Jesus will return and rule over all the earth as King of kings. It will also be the time of Jesus as the Lion of Judah. He will rule with a rod of iron and it will be the time of righteous judgement. He will now fulfill his true Messianic rule as the coming one who will set up his throne on earth for 1000 years. Solomon fulfilled the desire of David and built the first temple for Israel. A new temple will be built and we shall all be gathered to King Jesus yearly to praise and worship Him! Hallelujah.

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The Throne Room Vision We also see in the Throne Room Four living Creatures or special Angels called Seraphim. They praise Jesus continually saying :

The Throne Room Vision “After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. “ Rev. 4:1-2 Up to Chapter 3 we read of Jesus in the midst of the church. And chapter 6 and on deal with the judgment of God. So Chapters 4 and 5 are parenthetic and sandwiched between the church era and the 7 year tribulation era of judgment upon the earth. These two chapters are called the throne room visions and are a type of the rapture. It even begins after the warnings to the Seven churches with John being caught up (raptured) when the Lord says “come up hither!” The Lord says he will show John what will appen after this. After what?

After the church era or “times of the gentiles” is over. He will begin to show John the horrors of the tribulation but also the glories of the millennial reign of Christ. But first we have these 2 chapters full of symbolism of the church in heaven during the 7 year tribulation.

First we see the focus here is strictly on heaven and not the earth. He is taken to the throne room, the very presence of God. Jesus will gather the saints unto Himself where we will come boldly before His throne after times of trouble. In the Throne Room we see several things.

We see Jesus on a throne with a rainbow encircling it; His emblem of promised protection from destruction.

We see His delegated representatives over God's people in the form of 24 elders on 24 thrones. Some believe 12 represent the twelve tribes of Israel and 12 are the twelve apostles thus representing both Jew and Gentile. Before Him are 7 blazing lamps representing the sevenfold Spirit of God. In front of the throne is a sea of glass. This phrase is used several times in scripture. Some believe it is the viewing port to behold what is taken place on earth.

One scripture says:

“‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’who was, and is, and is to come.”

Heaven after the rapture will be a place filled with praise. When the seraphim praise Him the bible says that the 24 elders cast down their crowns and cry : “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”

Rev 4:11 Judgment begins with the opening of seven seals. No one on earth or in heaven is worthy to open that sealed scroll except Jesus. In roman times, Only the author or recipient could open a sealed scroll. It is interesting that Rev 5:1 says: “..the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, ... is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”

Yet when John turns around he sees a Lamb take the seal not a Lion? Jesus is both the Lamb of Salvation and Lion of Judgment.

Before he opens it, heaven is filled with praise for the justice that is about to come. The four Creatures worship and it says of the 24 Elders: “Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.” Rev. 5:9-10 The angels in heaven said: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” Rev 5:12 Every creature in heaven, earth and under the earth said: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!” Rev 5:13 Chapter 5 concludes by saying:

“And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having “The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the the harps of God. Revelation 15:2. elders fell down and worshiped.”

Perhaps it is how those in heaven behold what is In heaven the church wont have preaching; just prayer happening on the earth. Interesting that this is before the throne. Jesus walked on the sea of Galilee, perhaps a and worship! Maybe that's what we should type of him walking on the crystal sea in throne room. have more of down here.

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