

### DEAD MEN'S BONES

A Case against Eternal Torment

### Jack Marshall

### DEAD MEN'S BONES

A Case against Eternal Torment

### Jack Marshall

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2018 Grain of Wheat Publishing

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

Thank you for downloading this ebook. This book remains the copyrighted property of the author. This free ebook may be copied, distributed, reposted, reprinted and shared, provided it appears in its entirety without alteration, and the reader is not charged to access it.

This study is dedicated to my wonderful wife, Sandi, whose love and kindness is a daily inspiration in my life, and to Michael, my brother in Christ who is a constant source of encouragement.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter One: Eternal Torment

Chapter Two: Behold the Lamb

Chapter Three: Eternity

Chapter Four: Eternal Judgment

Chapter Five: Judgment

Chapter Six: The Fire of God

Chapter Seven: Why Then the Law?

Chapter Eight: Sheol and Hades

Chapter Nine: Old Things

Chapter Ten: Condemnation

Chapter Eleven: Perfect Love

Chapter Twelve: Dead Men's Bones

Chapter Thirteen: The Fear of Death

Chapter Fourteen: The Power of Death

Chapter Fifteen: Imagination

Chapter Sixteen: The Endtime Pattern

Chapter Seventeen: Forgiveness

Bibliography

Introduction

This study follows the last one I wrote called, "Death, Burial, Resurrection – The Divine Process of God in Humankind." In fact, it was inspired by it, for it was during the course of this study that I discovered more depth about the meaning of "hell" in scripture and the fact that it does not agree with the idea of "eternal torment."

At first, I was going to revise my book, "Hell, No! An Alternative View of Hell," and add this new understanding. However, when I shared it with my wife, Sandi, and my brother in Christ, Michael, both encouraged me to write a new study about these findings. And so I have.

I have presented this as simply as I know how and hope that it will enlighten you and help you to see that our precious heavenly Father has no intention whatsoever of tormenting anyone throughout eternity. He never has or ever will.

There are mistakes in this presentation, not by intention, but out of ignorance. I am still and always will be learning. It has been difficult to put aside what I have inherited in order to see from a fresh perspective.

In His Grace,

Jack Marshall

Please note: All Hebrew and Greek definitions are taken from the Strong's Greek and Hebrew Dictionary unless otherwise noted. All Bible passages are taken from the New King James Bible unless otherwise noted.

### Matthew 23:27 (NKJV)  
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of

dead men's bones and all uncleanness.

# Chapter One

# ETERNAL TORMENT

Let me ask you a question. Have you ever given much thought to the idea of hell as being a place of "eternal torment" after we die? We've all heard it, haven't we, whether through a particular denomination and preacher that we've listened to or on some radio program or movie somewhere? There's very few of us who haven't heard about it. So again, have you ever given much thought to this, or, have you, like so many others, simply accepted that it must be true. After all, doesn't the Bible teach this? Would it surprise you to hear me say that, no, the Bible does not teach this? Yes, that's what I said, the Bible _does not_ teach this.

Now, let me also share another misunderstanding which has plagued many for a very long time. The King James Bible? It has errors in it. Yes, errors! And they are enough to create misunderstanding if we are adamant about it being the only Bible we should embrace, for much of what we believe so strongly today is due in part to these errors.

When I study scripture, I use software which makes available to me the King James Version, but also _nine_ other versions that I like to consider. I also look into a couple of Interlinear Bibles from time to time and consider the Hebrew or Greek definitions on a regular basis. Finally, and most importantly, when it comes to seeking a true understanding of the Word of God, _I keep an open mind_. In other words, I am not afraid to challenge any teaching regardless of how long or how many may embrace it.

So why do so many of us actually believe that hell is a place of eternal torment where many will go to after they die? May I speak candidly? Well, for the same reason that we believe other things like Christmas and Easter, despite the fact that they too are in error; _because we want to_. And for many, we simply don't wish to go against the majority, because that's never a comfortable position to take, is it?

So why would we wish to believe in eternal torment? Perhaps it's due to the fact that eventually, in light of those we care nothing for, we can say, "Ah hah! You got yours!" Have you ever told someone, "Go to hell"? Hmmm... food for thought.

Let's face it, friend. We're all guilty, every single one of us. Maybe we never said it, but we wished it, didn't we? And why would we wish something as horrible as eternal torment on anyone for any reason? Because they didn't accept Christ as their personal Savior? Really? Is that it? Or is it usually much more personal?

So let me share some logic with you. For example's sake, let's say that hell _is_ a place of eternal torment where all unbelievers (non-Christians) go after they die. Now, ponder this for a moment. All unbelievers go there, and once they arrive, they are put through a suffering that is so unimaginable that we cannot even begin to comprehend it. It doesn't matter if this unbeliever is your mother, father, son, daughter, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, nephew, niece, or your best friend. If they have not "accepted" Christ at the time of their death, they are destined for this place of torment that lasts, not for just a few moments, hours, days, months, or years, but forever! That being said, then why am I writing this study and why are you reading it? Do we have time for this in light of what I just said? Do we even allow ourselves the privilege to rest considering how many thousands, no, millions, are descending even now into this dark and horrid place of suffering? Do we even have a right to be happy and at peace knowing that someone, at this moment, just now passed away, and they didn't know Jesus as their personal Savior?

Ah, but someone might say, "You can't save everyone." You're right, we can't. In fact, I will go as far as to say that we can't save anyone. After all, who do we think we are? You and I didn't die for the world, Christ did. God didn't send you and me into the world to die for the sin of mankind, He sent Christ. So, this being true, wouldn't it be appropriate to say that if anyone goes to hell, then the fault lies on God? Blasphemy! Blasphemy, you say! No, I'm just repeating what millions have believed and said for a very long time. Furthermore, if He is holding us accountable, then we have failed in the worst sort of way, and this despite the fact of how far our technology has brought us.

Here's the bottom line, my friend. Eternal torment is a product of religious arrogance and self-righteousness, of thinking _we are better than someone else_ because we are a Christian and they are not. Ah, but Christ didn't die for Christians, _He died for the world_. He did not die so that we could erect great denominational and organizational structures and seek to convince everyone else that we are right and everyone else is wrong; that we are "going to heaven" and everyone else is "going to hell." This was the mindset of the Pharisees, of the religious leaders of Jesus' day and He condemned it (Matt. 23:15).

Beloved, God hates pride (Prov. 6:16-19; 8:13), and everything that proceeds from it (Prov. 11:2). "The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God; God is in none of his thoughts. His ways are always prospering; _your judgments are far above_ , out of his sight" (Psalms 10:4-5).

Friend, we are not automatically exempt from pride because we are believers, so it's no wonder that so many of us cannot make sense of our lives and of the suffering that we experience once we begin to follow the Lord. Far too long, false teachers have led us to believe that we are exempt from all of this the moment we have accepted Him. Few truly understand that God's salvation is a _divine process_ through which we must pass in order to be delivered from our own worst enemy; _ourselves_.

Undoubtedly, the question will be asked. If no one goes to eternal torment, then what's the point of salvation? The answer? His divine love, which incorporates all that is needed for the suffering that we see now, _at this present time_. Think about it! People are not looking for answers _after_ this life. They need answers now! People are not searching for answers for their immortal being, they're searching for someone, anyone, to love them and help them through the confusion and suffering that they are presently experiencing. Isn't that the point of having hospitals, counseling, and outreach programs? When you feel down and hopeless, are you really thinking about what will happen _after_ you die, or are you actually thinking about how you might find a way out of your _present_ circumstances?

# Chapter Two

# BEHOLD THE LAMB

John 1:29 (NKJV)  
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the **sin** of the world!

Though our word "sin" in this passage is singular, it is given in a collective sense, incorporating _all_ sin, regardless of degree. So, whether we're speaking of one who is guilty of the most heinous crime one can imagine, or of cheating on their taxes, it doesn't matter. Christ died for both and Christ died for all. Whether we wish to admit it or not, there are no degrees of sin (James 2:10).

2 Corinthians 5:14-15 (ESV)  
14 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: **that one has died for all, therefore all have died** ; 15 **and he died for all** , that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

Friend, if I understand this passage correctly, Paul makes it clear that "all have died," every single one of us, therefore, "He died for all." Paul confirms this in I Corinthians, Chapter 15, verse 22, where we read, "For as in Adam _all_ die, so also in Christ shall _all_ be made alive."

The playing field is level. All have died and He died for all. "As in" or _just like_ Adam, all of us die. Ah, but "also in Christ shall _all_ be made alive." No, we are not talking about the passing away of this physical form, but of a present state of being in "trespasses and sins" (Eph. 2:1-3). "As it is written: 'There is _none righteous_ , no, not one; There is _none_ who understands; There is _none_ who seeks after God'" (Rom. 3:10-11). "For _all_ have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23). There are no exceptions. This being true, then there are also no exceptions in His death on the cross. From the least offender to the worst, He became our judgment, the "propitiation (atonement) for our sins: and not for ours only (the church; His body), _but also for the sins of the whole world_ " (I John 2:2; KJV).

1 Timothy 4:7-11 (ESV)  
7 Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather **train yourself for godliness** ; 8 for while bodily training is of some value, **godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come**. 9 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. 10 For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, **who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe**. 11 **Command and teach these things**.

What did Paul tell Timothy? God "is the Savior of _all_ people, _especially of those who believe_." So it is that "godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the _present life_ and also _for the life to come_." "Command and teach these things."

So is this what we are teaching? Are we exhibiting to others that God is their Savior, regardless of their position of faith (or lack thereof), or are we exhibiting self-righteousness, thinking we are better off than they and so condemn them in our smugness? Now, consider the following.

Romans 2:12-16 (NKJV)  
12 For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law 13 (for not the hearers of the law _are_ just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified; 14 **for when Gentiles** (nations other than Israel), **who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves** , 15 **who show the work of the law written in their hearts** , their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves _their_ thoughts accusing or else excusing _them_ ) 16 in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.

Acts 10:34-35 (NKJV)  
34 Then Peter opened _his_ mouth and said: "In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. 35 **But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him**.

When we bring these passages together, it should be evident that anyone who "fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him." It doesn't matter if they've heard the gospel or "accepted" the Lord, they are "accepted by Him." It doesn't matter what "faith" they embrace, what race they are or what country they are born in; if they do those things which God deems as right, they are accepted, _end of story_. You see, my friend, God is not bound by our so-called preaching of the gospel. If so, then He is in deep trouble, for which gospel must people accept? Is it the message of the Catholic Church, the Baptist Church, or the Pentecostal Church? Must they follow our predetermined rituals and beliefs we've decided on, without which, they cannot enter His kingdom?

Friend, God is Spirit (John 4:24), therefore, _He is limitless_. He is not bound by rote and ritual or by anything we have devised as a means to "get to heaven." In Him, all of us "live, and move, and have our being," for "we are also His offspring" (Acts 17:28). "He is not far from each one of us" (Acts 17:27). Know that the gospel or "good message" of His kingdom is _His_ message, not ours, birthed by the Father through Jesus Christ and foreordained before the foundation of the world (I Peter 1:20). Inasmuch as it was divinely ordained, _it is divinely wrought_ , and it is His will and purpose, not ours, which will ultimately prevail, and this despite our ignorance or rejection thereof.

# Chapter Three

# ETERNITY

Isaiah 57:15 (ESV)  
15 For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, **who inhabits eternity** , whose name is Holy: "I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.

What a precious word from Isaiah!

Eternity. The Strong's Concordance defines this as, " _Duration_ , in the sense of _advance_ or _perpetuity_." It is taken from the root word which means, "To _advance_ , i.e. _pass_ on or _continue_."

Our first definition is used 53 times in the King James Old Testament, most often translated as "for ever" (forever). The word "eternity" is not found at all in the King James New Testament and only once in the New King James Version.

Now, let me mess with your mind a little bit. What is eternity? The answer? Now. Yes, I said "now," for it is _always_ the present moment. It is never past or future, but always _now_. We don't live in the past or future, but _always in the present moment_. Kind of boggles the mind a little, doesn't it?

_Eternity is now and now is_ eternity.

When we realize that this is true, then it should give us pause when we think of anything as "eternal."

Acts 15:18 (KJV)  
18 Known unto God are all his works from **the beginning of the world**.

Our phrase "the beginning of the world"? It is the transliteration aiōn which Strong's defines as, "An age; by extension perpetuity." "Perpetuity" essentially means "forever," however, an age is NOT forever, for it has a beginning and an end, so we should drop the phrase, "By extension perpetuity." It is not relevant to the definition unless we wish to think in terms of all the ages.

Matthew 19:16 (KJV)  
16 And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have **eternal** life?

This is the first use of the word "eternal" in the King James New Testament. The transliteration is aiōnios, defined as, "From aion; perpetual (also used of past time, or past and future as well)." As we see, the root word of aionios is aion, again meaning, "An age." For this reason, the Weymouth New Testament renders "eternal life" as the "Life of the Ages."

In the King James New Testament, our word aionios is translated as "eternal" 42 times, "everlasting" 25 times, "the world began" two times, "since the world began" one time, and "for ever" once. Now, let me share the following with you from Seth Tipton at the website, www.mercifultruth.com.

The hasty assumption that Christians fall under when discovering the word _aionios_ in the Scripture follows in this way: if the word does not mean "eternal," then it MUST mean "temporary"...right? According to them, this would mean that "aionios life" would be temporary, and the "aionios God" would be temporary since the word is applied to God, the life promised to believers and judgment for unbelievers. Here is the truth: **aionios does not mean "eternal" AND it also does not mean "temporary."** _Both are wrong!_

Rather than using such subjective, impulsive reasoning, let's look objectively at the word:

_Aionios_ is "aion" + "ios." _Aion_ means age. The suffix _-ios_ means _pertaining to_ or _relating to_. So, _aion-ios_ properly means "pertaining to aion" or more simply "relating to an age."

Example: In ancient Greek texts - and evident in Homer - a man's hometown would be part of his name. The suffix _-ios_ would signify which town by modifying it into an adjective. Thus, "Ajax son of Telamon" translates to "Aias Telamwvios." The English works similarly with the suffix _-ian_ : If a man is from Italy, he is an Italian.

So, for _aionios_ to mean eternity, in its own construct, _aion_ must mean _eternity_ so that _aion-ios_ can mean " _pertaining_ _to_ eternity" or " _of_ eternity." However, since we know that _aion_ means "age," we then know that _aionios_ actually means "pertaining to ages" or "of ages."

Consider this: Does an apple tree _pertain_ to an apple? Yes. Does an apple tree share ALL characteristics of the apple? No. Likewise, does God pertain to the ages? Of course! Does He, therefore, end with the ages? Of course not! He simply _pertains_ to the ages, without sharing their temporary nature, just like an apple tree pertains to an apple without BEING an apple. Therefore, that God is _aionios_ does not limit Him to a temporary status. It just speaks to His presence within time, even as he is transcendent above it.

This is why _aionios_ does not mean "eternal" or "temporary." Rather, it speaks to things which pertain to the ages of time, whether or not they are infinite or passing.

**Aionios God:** God created the ages, and He pertains to what He creates.  
**Aionios Life:** Life is the Holy Spirit within the saints, so they receive "the Life of the ages" now, and will receive immortality later.   
**Aionios Judgment:** God has appointed an age for judgment, so judgment pertains to that appointed age.

What an excellent understanding of our words aion and aionios, wouldn't you agree? We could spend more time on this, but I believe the point has been made. Aion means "age" and aionios means "pertaining to an age," and an age has a beginning and an end.

So what makes life "eternal"? The fact that it is the same in every age, hence the reason we find our word "perpetuity" (Heb. 13:8). Ah, but let me remind you that eternity is now, for it is always the present moment. For this reason, to seek eternal life is to seek for what we need now, and since Christ is ever present, He is with us now.

# Chapter Four

# ETERNAL JUDGMENT

Hebrews 6:1-3 (KJV)  
1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, 2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of **eternal judgment**. 3 And this will we do, if God permit.

Since this study is a case against the idea of eternal torment, let's turn our attention now to "eternal judgment."

Our word "eternal" in our phrase "eternal judgment" is our word aionios. This being the case, then "eternal" judgment is like "eternal" life and applies to an age or ages, does it not? And again, like eternal life, eternal judgment would be the same in every age. And since eternity is always the present moment, then eternal life and eternal judgment always pertain to "now." So, that being said, does our Creator render judgment now? He most certainly does. Please consider.

Galatians 6:7-9 (NKJV)  
7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; **for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap**. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. 9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

Here we find the principle of sowing and reaping or seedtime and harvest (Gen. 8:22). Within this natural principle is a spiritual precedent, one which indicates that there are consequences to how we conduct ourselves. Furthermore, it is important to understand that this principle is universal in its scope, relevant to everyone and everything on this planet, and relevant to every age; past, present, and future. This is confirmed by nature itself and by the Lord's teaching of the Parable of the Sower in Matthew, Chapter 13, Mark, Chapter 4, and Luke, Chapter 8.

"Do not be deceived," beloved, "God is not mocked; for whatever a man," any man, "sows, that he will also reap." Would this principle be typified by the "garden" of Eden in Genesis 2:8? I believe it would since a garden is for the express purpose of planting and nurturing seed in expectation of the harvest that comes from it.

Following Genesis 2:8, we read in Genesis 2:9, "And out of the ground the LORD God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil." As we should realize, these are not literal trees, but symbolisms, figurative of our spiritual principle of sowing and reaping. After all, don't we first have to have "fruit" before we have "seed"? Of course. This being true, we can derive from this the following understanding.

1. Tree of the knowledge of good and evil = He who sows to the flesh

2. Tree of life = He who sows to the Spirit

With this in mind, know that Jesus taught in the Parable of the Sower that the "seed is the Word of God" (Luke 8:11). This being true, then the presence of these two "fruitful" trees signifies the existence of God's Word in our beginning. John confirms this, stating, "In the beginning was the Word (seed), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1). Now, consider the following in regard to His Word.

Hebrews 4:12 (NKJV)  
12 For the word of God _is_ **living** and **powerful** , and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of **soul** and **spirit** , and of **joints** and **marrow** , and is a discerner of the **thoughts** and **intents** of the heart.

Using our twofold descriptions of the "Word of God" in Hebrews 4:12, let's add to our list.

1. Tree of the knowledge of good and evil = He who sows to the flesh = Living = soul = joints = thoughts

2. Tree of life = He who sows to the Spirit = Powerful (active) = spirit = marrow = intents

Do the descriptions on our list agree and define our understanding? They most certainly do! Think about it. In Genesis 2:7, we find that "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 soul." Then God immediately "planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed" (Gen. 2:9). In other words, once He created humankind (as typified by Adam and Eve), He placed us into this universal principle of sowing and reaping which Paul defined in Galatians, Chapter 6, verses 7 through 9.

Our word "living" in "living soul" is simply defined as, "Alive." Our word "living" in regard to the "Word of God" in Hebrews 4:12 means, "To live." This tells us that when we were formed as a "soul," that our "living" or life was derived from the "Word of God" from the moment of our formation. In other words, the divine essence of His Word was present within and around us at our creation and has been ever since! Proof? Again consider the Parable of the Sower. What does Jesus define as the "ground" in which the "seed" is planted? Our heart! You see, my friend, the "garden of Eden" and the "trees" therein are not literal by any means, but indicative of the "living and powerful (active)" Word of our Maker as exemplified in the principle of sowing and reaping. No wonder Paul said, "For in Him we live and move and have our being," for "we are also His offspring" (Acts 17:28), and Jesus said, "Man," all-inclusive, "shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God" (Matt. 4:4). Know that absolutely no one moves outside the dictates of this divine principle which is relevant to every person and every age!

So, someone may ask why there are two particular trees specified in the garden. As our list shows, the "tree of the knowledge of good and evil" pertains to our "flesh" or human form, while the "tree of life" pertains to our "spirit" or inward essence (Rom. 7:22; II Cor. 4:16). The tree of knowledge therefore defines and incorporates all that pertains to our soulish life while the tree of life defines and incorporates all that pertains to our spiritual life. Paul clarifies our soul as the "outward man" and our spirit as the "inward man" (II Cor. 4:16). Putting it simply, our soul speaks of the realm of thought or thinking, but the depth of God's living and active Word reaches beyond this to discern our intentions, i.e. what proceeds from our "heart" or spirit. As Hebrews shows, the Word of God is "sharper than any two-edged sword," so it is "one" sword with "two" edges, one principle with two possible outcomes. So, in the beginning, we have "two" trees which define the twofold principle of sowing and reaping.

Mark 7:21-23 (NKJV)  
21 **For from within** , **out of the heart of men** , proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things **come from within** and defile a man."

Do you see it? "Out of the heart" or spirit of man proceeds "evil thoughts" which relate to our soul or expression if you will, which are ultimately a result of evil intentions. So it is that God's judgment via His living and active Word continually addresses both. For further study, let me share the following illustration with you.

# Chapter Five

# JUDGMENT

Hebrews 6:1-2 (KJV)  
1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, 2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of **eternal judgment**.

Let's examine our word "judgment" in Hebrews 6:2. It is the word krima which means, "A decision." The root of this word is _krinō_ , which means, "To _distinguish_ , i.e. _decide_ (mentally or judicially)."

Since "eternal" means "now" and "judgment" means "decision," wouldn't "eternal judgment" basically mean "a decision now"? Of course! So how does God reckon with the thoughts and intents of our heart? _In the present moment_ , my friend, and by the principle of sowing and reaping which is a divine attribute straight from the throne of our Maker. This being true, then this principle is "eternal" in its own right, sufficient unto _every age_ , for man has been suffering the consequences of his actions since his creation.

I found it interesting that our word _krima_ is used a total of 27 times in the King James New Testament. Here's Ed Vallowe's explanation of its spiritual meaning from his book, _Biblical Mathematics_.

This number is found very few times in the Bible. The author has searched the Scriptures and it seems that this number is made up of a combination of numbers that reveals the PREACHING OF THE GOSPEL.

In I Timothy 3:1-7 there is listed SEVENTEEN qualifications for the Preacher of the Gospel. Number SEVENTEEN is the number for VICTORY. Number TEN is the number for the LAW. Together they give us the number TWENTY-SEVEN which attest to the fact that the Preacher is one who gives his testimony of VICTORY that the good news, the GOSPEL overcomes and frees from the LAW and gives VICTORY to the life of the believer.

In agreement with Vallowe's explanation, we find at the website, biblenumbersforlife.com, that Mark Lane cites 27 as "Holy Truth," and in complete agreement with both, we find Paul stating the following.

Romans 2:16 (KJV)  
16 In the day when God shall **judge** the secrets of men by Jesus Christ **according to my gospel**.

Strong words, wouldn't you say? But who was more qualified than Paul to make such a statement? Having been "caught up" to the "third heaven" into "Paradise," Paul heard "unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter" (II Cor. 12:1-4; KJV). No doubt, Paul's relationship with Christ was deeply spiritual. For this reason, he was chosen to pen so many of the letters of the New Testament that are still with us today.

As for our word "judge" in Romans 2:16? It is our word _krinō_ , and considering that our heavenly Father is judging the world according to Paul's gospel, what better precedent could there be?

So let's break judgment down in a very simplistic fashion and answer some difficult questions. If Christ died for us as our judgment, then are we still judged, and if so, why are we judged?

What did the Lord's death on the cross signify? Was it not an act of ultimate self-sacrifice? Jesus, who knew no sin, became sin for us (II Cor. 5:21), laying His life down willingly and becoming our propitiation (atonement) for sin (I John 2:2). This is the message and hope of the gospel or "good message" of His kingdom.

So are we still judged? Yes, we are, for when we act contrary to this selfless act of His death on the cross, we resist the very nature of His sacrificial love which results in condemnation. Google defines "condemnation" as, "The expression of very strong disapproval; censure" and, "The action of condemning someone to a punishment; sentencing." When we act in resistance to His kingdom principles, we do, in fact, judge ourselves (I Cor. 11:31) and therefore must "reap" what we have "sown."

Understand that the Lord's death on the cross exemplifies the unconditional love of the Father and the Son, and when we conduct ourselves by anything other than this, we introduce suffering into our lives. After all, if we act in animosity toward others, what should we expect? The Lord's death satisfied the ultimate penalty for our sins, but it doesn't do away with the repercussions of our own selfish actions. Remember, the principle of sowing and reaping is universal as well as eternal, present in every age. "Do not be deceived. God is not mocked; for whatever a man," any person, "sows, that he will also reap" (Gal. 6:7). Sowing and reaping is a law of nature, both natural and spiritual, and the Lord's death on the cross did not supersede this law, it personified it! "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends" (John 15:13). And He did lay down His life. Jesus told His disciples, "Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father" (John 10:17-18). This, my friend, is the "Spirit" of the truth, and without it, truth is null and void.

Christ's death set the standard by which God judges the world, for "God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him" (I John 4:16). Furthermore, this standard was first seen in the "garden" with Adam and Eve and again in the Law which God delivered to Moses and Israel so long ago. And what was the ultimate penalty stipulated by the law for certain heinous crimes? Death (Exod. 21:12-17; 22:19; Lev. 20:2, 9-16, 27). Ah, but Jesus suffered this too, did He not? You see, my friend, the Lord's death on the cross supplied the answer and the atonement for the most grievous of our sins, but it did not do away with the suffering sin causes when we act in complete disregard of what He embodied. For this reason, we are told that "the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom. 6:23; KJV). What is "eternal life"? A gift! And do we not have the capacity to accept it or reject it?

A study of the Greek words which define the word "gift" shows that it means, "A gratuity," to "grant as a favor," and "a present; especially a sacrifice." The Merriam-Webster Dictionary online defines "gratuitous" as, "1) a: given unearned or without recompense, b: not involving a return benefit, compensation, or consideration, c: costing nothing." With this in mind, consider the following passages.

Romans 5:15-21 (ESV)  
15 But the **free gift** is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the **free gift** by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. 16 And the **free gift** is not like the result of that one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the **free gift** following many trespasses brought justification. 17 If, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the **free gift** of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. 18 **Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men**. 19 For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. 20 Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

What does Paul conclude in these passages? "Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for _all_ men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for _all_ men." Did Paul say "all"? Yes, he did, and Paul confirms this same thing to Timothy.

1 Timothy 4:10 (NKJV)  
10 For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, **who is** **the** **Savior of all men, especially of those who believe**.

Now, look once more at our passages from Romans, Chapter 5. No doubt, Paul is speaking of Adam in contrast to Christ. This is confirmed by Romans 5:14 which reads, "Yet death reigned from _Adam_ to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of _Adam_ , who was a type of the one who was to come" (ESV).

Understand, beloved, that the death of Christ was ordained by the Father. This being true, the Lord's death was between Christ Jesus and the Father alone; we had nothing to do with it. This also being true, know that His death satisfied the Father utterly and completely, end of story, and exemplified the Father's unconditional love for His creation. When Christ died, the first "Adam" ended, so too all that were in him. This would be everyone, past, present, and future. His atonement for us brought redemption for all, for if even one is not redeemed, then Christ failed.

1 Corinthians 15:21-26 (NKJV)  
21 For **since by man** _came_ **death** , **by Man also** _came_ **the resurrection of the dead**. 22 For **as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive**. 23 But **each one in his own order** : Christ the firstfruits, afterward those _who are_ Christ's at His coming. 24 **Then** _comes_ **the end** , when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when **He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power**. 25 For He must reign till He has put **all enemies** under His feet. 26 **The last enemy** _that_ **will be destroyed** _is_ **death**.

Again, Paul is contrasting Adam with Christ, and he echoes the same understanding. "For as in Adam _all_ die, even so in Christ _all_ shall be made alive." Ah, but there is an "order" isn't there? This word "order" means, "Something orderly in _arrangement_ (a _troop_ ), i.e. (figurative) a _series_ or _succession_." And what is this "order"? "Christ the firstfruits," followed by "those who are Christ's at His coming." Finally, "Then comes the end." The "end" of the world? No, my friend, _the end of this age_. So what takes place at the end of this age? Jesus tells us.

Matthew 13:36-43 (NKJV)  
36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, "Explain to us the **parable of the tares of the field**." (see Matthew 13:24-30) 37 He answered and said to them: "He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked _one._ 39 The enemy who sowed them is the devil, **the harvest is the end of the age** (aion), and the reapers are the angels. 40 Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, **so it will be at the end of this age** (aion). 41 The Son of Man will send out His angels, and **they will gather out of His kingdom** all things that **offend** , and those who practice **lawlessness** , 42 **and will cast them into the furnace of fire**. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

The Parable of the Tares is found in Matthew 13, verses 24 through 30. Following the Lord's teaching of this parable, His disciples came and asked Him to explain it. Clearly, it addresses the "end of the age" (see our word "aion"?). Furthermore, notice that Jesus said that "the Son of Man will send out His angels, and _they will gather out of His kingdom_ all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness." He will "gather out" of where? "His kingdom"! So apparently, the problem is in and among His people, is it not? And clearly, the "tares" are the "sons of the wicked" ("one" has been added by the translators).

In perfect agreement with this understanding, we find in the _seventh_ and _final_ prophecy in the prophecies of Christ to the churches (Revelation, Chapters 2 and 3), the church of _Laodicea_ , which is a _mixture_ of _cold_ and _hot_ , which creates a "lukewarm" condition overall (cold + hot = lukewarm). And what does He tell them in regard to this "lukewarm" condition? "I counsel you to buy from Me _gold refined in the fire_ , that you may be _rich_ " (Rev. 3:18). "Gold refined in the fire"? Yes. So how does this correlate with our Parable of the Tares? I am inclined to think that the "fire" which Jesus speaks of to Laodicea is the "furnace of fire" He speaks of in the Parable of the Tares.

What does "fire" do? It purifies "gold" and "gold" is indicative of God's _divine nature_ as exemplified by His Spirit and Word! And the riches? They are the "true riches" of His kingdom (Luke 16:11). And what is the point of His divine nature and His kingdom? Jesus told us.

Matthew 5:14 (KJV)  
14 **Ye are the light of the world**. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

John 8:12 (KJV)  
12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, **I am the light of the world** : he that followeth me **shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life**.

What is the purpose of "fire" or light? Life, which eradicates the darkness within. And what is God's purpose for the "fire"? _To make us that light_.

# Chapter Six

# THE FIRE OF GOD

Did you know that fire is not a substance, but a process? That's right, it's a process. Wikipedia tells us, "Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products." OK, so much for scientific jargon.

For those of us who like it simple, fire is light. In fact, all light is fire in one form or another. Our incandescent light bulbs produce light when the filament is heated to a high temperature. And our sun is light, without which, all things on this planet would eventually die. We could say then that light is also life. The scriptures agree.

1 John 1:5 (KJV)  
5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that **God is light** , and in him is no darkness at all.

Hebrews 12:29 (KJV)  
29 For our **God** _is_ **a consuming fire**.

John 1:4 (KJV)  
4 In him was **life** ; and the **life** was the **light** of men.

John 8:12 (NKJV)  
12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the **light** of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the **light** of **life**."

Fire, light, life. They are synonymous. So when the "tares" are cast into the "furnace of fire," they are cast into a "fire" of "life," are they not? Yes, they are. You see, my friend, our Creator is not in the business of "eternal torment," but of reconciliation, first to Him, then to each other (II Cor. 5:18). Google defines "reconcile" as, "Restore friendly relations between" and, "Cause to coexist in harmony; make or show to be compatible."

Beloved, the "fire" of God illustrates the righteous nature of our heavenly Father, which is exemplified by the law and the prophets (Matt. 5:17-20; 7:12), and it is this which truly "torments" us. This is why John, as well as others, "fell at his feet as dead" when they saw the Lord (Rev. 1:17; KJV). Don't all of us feel quite uncomfortable when we find ourselves in the presence of someone who is truly devout? Would this be why so many hated Jesus? Was it due to the fact that His righteous nature exposed their own unrighteousness? I believe so.

How judgment is reckoned is determined by our response to the fire. Is there "offense" and "lawlessness" in us? Then the "fire" of God's holy nature addresses it in order to "consume" it. If we resist, then His "fire" will "burn" or "torment" us, for that is the nature of it. Like the natural sun which never ceases to give light, so too the same is true of the Spirit and Word (nature) of our Creator. Remember, it is eternal, i.e. present at all times.

As for our word "torment"? It is first used in Matthew 8, verse 29, then in Mark 5, verse 7, then in Luke 8, verse 28, and finally, in Luke 16:28, in the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus.

In the first three passages, it is the transliteration basanizō and is defined as, "To torture." In the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, it is the root word of basanizō which is basanos which means, "A touch-stone." Wikipedia tells us, "As a metaphor, a touchstone refers to any physical or intellectual measure by which the validity or merit of a concept can be tested." Dictionary.com is a bit simpler, defining touchstone as, "A test or criterion for the qualities of a thing." No doubt, this should give us pause with our idea of "torture." Please consider.

1 Corinthians 3:12-15 (NKJV)  
12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with _gold_ , _silver_ , _precious stones_ , wood, hay, straw, 13 **each one's work will become clear** ; for the **Day** will declare it, **because it will be revealed by fire;** and **the fire will test each one's work,** of what sort it is. 14 **If anyone's work** which he has built on _it_ endures, he will receive a reward. 15 **If anyone's work** is burned, he will suffer loss; **but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire**.

"Day" is light, and Jesus said, "Are there not twelve hours in the day?" (John 11:9) In his book, The Spiritual Meaning of Numbers from One to Forty, Stephen Jones tell us, "To write twelve in Hebrew, they wrote two letters: yod-beth. These signify the hand (outworking) of the household in harmony under divine authority. Twelve is the number of governmental perfection and divine authority." So in the "Day" or light of Christ (His Spirit and Word) is seen the governmental perfection and divine authority of our Lord which addresses our works (deeds). So Paul tells us that the "Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is." This agrees with our touchstone. And what did Paul conclude about those whose "work is burned"? "He will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire (by fire; KJV). Here's Vincent's treatment of "by fire."

By fire (διὰ πυρός)

Better, Rev., through fire. He will escape as through the fire that consumes his work, as one does through the flames which destroy his house.

Friend, the fire of God is the light of God and the light of God is the life of God. Yes, it torments us! Yes, it brings suffering, for it is always present to challenge every act of selfishness and carnality that we might consider or commit.

Is it just coincidence that Paul used "gold, silver, precious stones" in contrast to "wood, hay, straw"? I don't think so, for the idea of "test" again points to our touchstone. The gold, silver, and precious stones illustrate our works of faith while the wood, hay, and straw exemplify our works of the flesh or self. As previously mentioned, gold, silver, and precious stones are purified by the fire, but the wood, hay, and straw are consumed or destroyed (see also John 15:1-2).

Before I close this chapter, let's take a look at one more set of passages.

Matthew 5:21-22 (KJV)  
21 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: 22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca (worthless), shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of **hell fire**.

These passages are from the King James New Testament. Here's Vincent's treatment of the phrase, "Hell fire" (bolding mine).

Hell-fire (τήν γέενναν τοῦ πυρός)

Rev., more accurately, _the_ _hell of fire_ _._ The word Gehenna _,_ rendered _hell,_ occurs outside of the Gospels only at James 3:6. It is the Greek representative of the Hebrew Ge-Hinnom _,_ or Valley of Hinnom, a deep, narrow glen to the south of Jerusalem, where, after the introduction of the worship of the fire-gods by Ahaz, the idolatrous Jews sacrificed their children to Molech. Josiah formally desecrated it, "that no man might make his son or his daughter pass through the fire to Molech" (2 Kings 23:10). After this it became the common refuse-place of the city, into which the bodies of criminals, carcasses of animals, and all sorts of filth were cast. From its depth and narrowness, and its fire and ascending smoke, it became the symbol of the place of the future punishment of the wicked.

Now, let's consider our passages again from the English Standard Version.

Matthew 5:21-22 (ESV)  
21 "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.' 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, 'You fool!' will be liable to the **hell of fire**.

As shown, the ESV renders "hell fire" correctly as "the hell of fire." "Hell" is the word that is "representative of the Hebrew Ge-Hinnom, or Valley of Hinnom," which later became "the common refuse-place of the city, into which the bodies of criminals, carcasses of animals, and all sorts of filth were cast." To put it simply, Ge-Hinnom (Gehenna) by all accounts, refers to "corruption." After all, that's what a "refuse-place" is, isn't it, a place of corruption? This being the case, it gives strength to our understanding of sowing to our own flesh and reaping "corruption," does it not? So wouldn't this be our "Gehenna" of "fire," since the light of God's living and active Word stands squarely against every corruptible act?

Finally, Vincent's tells us, "The word Gehenna, rendered hell, occurs outside of the Gospels only at James 3:6. Let's look at this.

James 3:6 (NIV)  
6 The tongue also **is a fire** , a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, **sets the whole course of his life on fire** , and **is itself set on fire by hell**.

As James shows, it is our "tongue" which "sets the whole course" of our "life on fire," and the tongue "is itself set on fire by hell" (Gehenna). In other words, the "fire" of our tongue are the words we speak out of our "corruptible" nature, from our love of the self, so no wonder that James went on to write, "But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth" (James 3:14; KJV). And no wonder Paul wrote the following.

1 Corinthians 15:50-54 (NKJV)  
50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; **nor does corruption inherit incorruption**. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed-- 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and **the dead will be raised incorruptible** , and **we shall be changed**. 53 **For this corruptible must put on incorruption** , and this mortal _must_ put on immortality. 54 **So when this corruptible has put on incorruption** , and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: _"Death is swallowed up in_ victory _."_

There is much that we could get into about these passages, but let me just point out the fact that Paul is emphasizing a change from "corruption" to "incorruption," which is synonymous with "mortal" and "immortality." Our word "immortality" means, "Deathlessness." Would this not agree with "eternal life"? Yes, it would, and "eternal life" is never more needful than it is in our present moment.

Beloved, the fire of God always denotes the divine process of His living and active Word which reflects His own nature, which is love (I John 4:8, 16). For this reason, the first words our Creator spoke were, "Let there be light" (Gen. 1:3). He did not create it, He just said, "Let there be," for "God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all" (I John 1:5). "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1).

# Chapter Seven

# WHY THEN THE LAW?

Romans 5:18-21 (ESV)  
18 Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. 19 For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. 20 **Now the law came in to increase the trespass** , but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

We considered these passages in Chapter Five, however, I wanted to share something significant with you about what Paul wrote. Consider the bolded words, "Now the law came in to increase the trespass." Think about this for a moment. Is Paul saying that when the law came in that it actually caused sin to increase? That's exactly what Paul is saying. Let me give you clarification.

Romans 7:7-13 (ESV)  
7 What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! **Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin**. I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, "You shall not covet." 8 **But** sin **, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness**. Apart from the law, sin lies dead. 9 **I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came,** sin **came alive and I died**. 10 **The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me**. 11 **For** sin **, seizing an opportunity through the** commandment, **deceived me and through it killed me**. 12 So the **law** is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good. 13 Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! **It was** sin **, producing death in me through what is good** , **in order that sin might be shown to be** sin **, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure**.

What was the purpose of the law which God gave Moses and Israel? According to Paul, it was given to clarify what "sin" is. Though the law essentially abides in our conscience, our Creator determined to write it on "stones" as well (II Cor. 3:7), indicative of our hearts when "tribulation or persecution arises because of the Word" (Ezek. 11:19; II Cor. 3:3; Matt. 13:5, 20-21).

And our word "sin"? It means, "To miss the mark." Our word "mark" is defined by Merriam-Webster online as, "1) a conspicuous object serving as a guide for travelers" and "2) something (such as a line, notch, or fixed object) designed to record position." So what is this "mark"? It is His holy nature as exemplified by His law, the standard by which God judges all of us. (Author's Note: I believe this also defines the "mark" which God placed on Cain; see Genesis 4:15). For this reason, Jesus said, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect" (Matt. 5:48; KJV).

Ah, but as all of us know, it is not quite as simple as a certain set of rules, my friend, for Paul tells us in the very next passage, "The law is spiritual" (Rom. 7:14). This is why the Lord Jesus said, "You have heard that it was said to those of old" and then followed with, "But I say to you" (Matt. 5:21-22). Who more than Jesus exemplified the spiritual nature of the law? No one.

If it had not been for the law, we would not know sin. So, "when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died," for "sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me." Not surprisingly, this is reflected in the parable of Adam and Eve.

Genesis 2:16-17 (NKJV)  
16 **And the Lord God** commanded **the man** , saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."

Genesis 3:1 (NKJV)  
1 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, "Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden'?"

Most everyone is familiar with the story of Adam and Eve. It is in Genesis 2:16 where we find the Lord God commanding the man, Adam, not to eat of the "tree of the knowledge of good and evil." We then see in Genesis 3:1 that the "serpent" questions Eve, stating, "Has God indeed said?" In light of Romans 7, this shows the nature of our own deceptive heart and how God searches it and tests the mind (Jer. 17:9-10).

What did Paul say? "But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment." Also, "When the commandment came, sin came alive and I died," and again, "For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me." What deceived and killed Adam? Sin did! But don't we see the "serpent" deceiving Eve? Yes, we do, however, as stated, this is a parable and as such, should be treated as one.

So think carefully about this. According to Romans, once the commandment came (Gen. 2:16-17), then "sin came alive." This being true, what do we find in Genesis 3:1? We find the sudden appearance of the "serpent" who then seizes the opportunity to deceive Eve. Would the "serpent" then define what Paul meant when he said, "Sin came alive"? I believe so, and in confirmation, we read in Jeremiah 17, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?" (Jer. 17:9) What does Genesis 3:14 state in regard to the serpent? "Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field" (KJV; see Ecclesiastes 3:18). Would this agree with what Jeremiah said about our "heart" being "deceitful above all things"? Furthermore, "I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings" (Jer. 17:10). According to the "fruit" of his doings? What did Eve and Adam eat? The "fruit" of the tree of knowledge. Would eating "fruit" symbolize our "doings," i.e. our deeds or actions? It would! And who placed the two trees in the garden? God did! So wouldn't these two "trees" define the essence and nature of God Himself? Of course! (Author's note: Just as our two trees define the principle of sowing and reaping, they also define His Two Covenants, Old and New; see our previous illustration in Chapter 4).

This is why I believe that the story of Adam and Eve is a parable, for the tree of knowledge and its "fruit" is by no means literal, but figurative of the "works of the law" which would later become further clarified through Moses and Israel. The idea of "works" is also confirmed by Genesis 3:7 where we read, "And _they sewed_ fig leaves together, and _made themselves_ aprons." Clearly, "work" is implied, so too Adam and Eve's desire to "cover" their sin. In Galatians 2:16, Paul tells us, "Knowing that a man is not justified by the _works of the law_ but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be _justified by faith_ in Christ and _not by the works of the law_ ; for by the _works of the law_ no flesh shall be justified." Paul also states the following.

Galatians 3:11-12 (NIV)  
11 Clearly **no one is justified before God by the law** , because, "The righteous will live by faith." 12 **The law is not based on faith** ; on the contrary, "The man who does these things will live by them."

So what does Paul tell us in Galatians 3? "The law is not based on faith" and "no one is justified before God by the law." In verse 11, Paul is quoting from the book of Habakkuk.

So why is no one justified or made innocent by the works of the law? The writer of Hebrews tells us.

Hebrews 9:6-10 (ESV)  
6 These preparations (in the Tabernacle of Moses) having thus been made, the priests go regularly into the first section, **performing their ritual duties** , 7 but into the second only the high priest goes, and he but once a year, and not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people. 8 By this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the holy places is not yet opened as long as the first section is still standing 9 (which is symbolic for the present age). **According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offered** that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper, 10 but **deal only with food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation**.

Beloved, the "works of the law" introduced to Moses and Israel so long ago were ritualistic, i.e. specific ordinances which involved specific sacrifices, and "according to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices" were offered "that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper." They "deal only with food and drink and various washings." Though these ordinances were very serious in their own right, the priests who performed them, and the people for whom they were performed, were not necessarily moved by any of this. And the same is true today. Rituals have no real effect on us due to the fact that they are rituals. Know that repentance then (which was reflected in these rituals) and repentance now, is a matter of conscience and must come from a sincere and deep-seated regret for the offenses we have caused.

Habakkuk 2:4 (NKJV)  
4 " **Behold the proud** , his soul is not upright in him; **But the just shall live by his faith**.

Romans 14:23 (NKJV)  
23 But **he who doubts** is **condemned** if he eats, **because** **he does** **not** **eat** **from faith** ; **for whatever** _is_ **not from faith is** sin.

Our word "condemned" in this passage is katakrinō, which means, "To judge against, i.e. sentence." Did Adam and Eve doubt what God said about "eating" from the tree of knowledge? They did, so they did "not eat from faith" and "whatever is not from faith is sin." To put it simply, they didn't believe God or the Word which He had commanded. True faith means to believe without question, but as our story shows, the question arose, "Has God indeed said?" Their "judgment" and "condemnation" which followed is recorded in Genesis, Chapter 3, verses 14 through 19.

So allow me to say this. Not only did Adam and Eve not believe God, they couldn't believe Him. And why is this? Because they were "natural," unable to receive the things of the Spirit of God. It seemed foolishness to them and they were unable to know these things because they must be spiritually discerned (I Cor. 2:14). Understand that this is true of each and every one of us when we are but children, devoid of His knowledge. This has been ordained by our Creator as a necessary part of the process through which all of us must pass.

Galatians 3:19-26 (ESV)  
19 **Why then the law?** **It was added because of transgressions** , _until the offspring_ (seed; KJV) _should come to whom the promise had been made_ , and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary. 20 Now an intermediary implies more than one, but God is one. 21 **Is the law then contrary to the promises of God?** **Certainly not!** For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. 22 **But the Scripture imprisoned everything under** sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. 23 Now **before faith came** , **we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed**. 24 So then, **the law was our guardian** (tutor; NKJV) **until Christ came** , in order that we might be **justified by faith**. 25 But now that faith has come, **we are no longer under a guardian** (tutor; NKJV), 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, **through faith**.

Take a moment to think about what Paul said in regard to the "Scripture." "But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin." What did? The "Scripture." This word is graphē, meaning, "A document, i.e. holy Writ (or its contents or a statement in it)." The root is _graphō_ , which means, "To ' _grave_ ,' especially to _write_ ; figurative to _describe_." No wonder Paul told Timothy, " _All scripture_ is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (II Tim. 3:16; KJV). This being the case, should we doubt the efficacy of the Bible? I think not. Is it hard to believe that our Maker would subject us to something written by us? Not when we realize that His kingdom has to do _with_ us, for it is within us (Luke 17:20-21). Didn't all of this begin with "the first man Adam"? (I Cor. 15:45) It certainly did. And who was Christ Jesus? "The last Adam" (I Cor. 15:45).

"Why then the law?" Paul asks. "It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made." Friend, understand that the giving of the law which included the instructions for the Tabernacle of Witness (Moses), though ritualistic, was given as a "type," which means that it is symbolic of the spiritual realities that would later become manifest through Christ and His church.

Our word "offspring" is "seed" in the King James Version and is defined as, "Something sown, i.e. seed (including the male "sperm"); by implication offspring; specially a remnant (figurative as if kept over for planting)." No doubt, this is a reference to our Lord, however, there is more to understand, so I was not surprised by this definition to see "a remnant." Consider.

Romans 4:13-16 (NKJV)  
13 For the promise that he would be **the heir of the world** _was_ not to **Abraham or to his seed** through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if those who are of the law _are_ heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect, 15 because the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law _there is_ no transgression. 16 Therefore _it is_ of faith that _it might be_ according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to **all the seed** , **not only to those who are of the** law, **but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham** , who is the father of us all...

Galatians 3:16 (NKJV)  
16 Now to **Abraham and his Seed** were the promises made. He does not say, "And to seeds," as of many, **but as of one** , _"And to your Seed,"_ **who is Christ**.

As Romans 4 shows, God promised Abraham and his "seed" that they would be "the heir of the world." So the "seed" is "Christ," but again, there is more to consider. I immediately think of Matthew 5:5, where Jesus said, "Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth" (KJV).

So who is the "seed" of Abraham? "Those who are of the faith of Abraham." "For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ" (I Cor. 12:12; KJV). Just as Adam and Eve became one "flesh," so those who are "joined to the Lord" are "one spirit with Him" (I Cor. 6:17). Beloved, when you see the word "Christ," it means "Anointed," and therefore speaks of His Spirit and His Word, for it is never man He anoints, but His Word in man. As for our word "remnant"? Please consider.

Romans 9:27-28 (NKJV)  
27 Isaiah also cries out concerning Israel: "Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, **the remnant will be saved**. 28 For He will **finish** the work and cut it short in righteousness, because the Lord will make a short work upon the earth."

Romans 11:4-5 (NIV)  
4 And what was God's answer to him? "I have reserved for myself **seven thousand** who have not bowed the knee to Baal." 5 So too, **at the present** time **there is a remnant** chosen by grace.

These passages show that the "remnant" is illustrated by the "seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal." This being the case, consider the spiritual meaning of the number seven from Stephen E. Jones.

Seven (zayin)

Completion, Spiritual Perfection

**Zayin** is a weapon in Hebrew. The perfect weapon is the Sword of the Spirit, by which spiritual warfare is accomplished, for " _the weapons of our warfare are not carnal_ " (2 Cor. 10:4).

Seven is the biblical number of _completion_ and _spiritual perfection_. As such, Psalm 7 speaks of the two floods by which the earth is cleansed and brought to the perfect order of the Kingdom.

Seven days completes a Sabbath cycle. In Rev. 10:7 the mystery of God is finished when the seventh angel blows his trumpet. In Rev. 16:7 "it is done" when the seventh angel pours out the seventh vial into the air. It took seven days to consecrate Aaron and his sons to the priesthood (Lev. 8:31-35) before emerging from the tabernacle on the eighth day. Joshua and the Israelite army had to march around Jericho seven days (Joshua 6:15) before the city fell.

_Seven_ is "the biblical number of _completion_ and _spiritual perfection_ ," so our word "finish" in Romans 9:28 can certainly be illustrated by a "seven." As for the number "thousand" in Romans 11:4? In his book, _Biblical Mathematics_ , Ed Vallowe wrote, "This number is connected with _divine completeness and the glory of God_." When brought together with our _seven_ , we have the _spiritual perfection_ and _glory_ of the _remnant_ , of those whose commitment to Christ is truly faithful until the end (Matt. 24:13; Rev. 17:14).

Know that "the head of every man is Christ" (I Cor. 11:3), therefore the "offspring" or "seed" of Christ refers to the "head," which is never more exemplified than by those who overcome in the messages to the seven churches in Revelation, Chapters 2 and 3, and are seen with Him on "Mount Zion" in Revelation, Chapter 14. They are called the "firstfruits" (Rev. 14:4). This being the case, consider the following.

1 Corinthians 15:22-23 (KJV)  
22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But **every man in his own order** : Christ the **firstfruits** ; afterward **they that are Christ's at his coming**.

Beloved, there is a divine order in place which is "Christ the firstfruits" or "head," followed by "they that are Christ's at his coming," which would be the "body" of Christ (Eph. 5:23). Finally, we have "the nations of them which are saved," the inheritance of His people, who "walk in the light" of both, Christ and the body of Christ (Rev. 21:24). Furthermore, we find the "tree of life," and "the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations" (Rev. 22:2). You see, my friend, God has no intention of subjecting anyone to eternal torment and every intention of healing the world.

"Not surprisingly, our word "firstfruits" speaks of the first ripe fruit of the impending harvest which clearly relates to our divine principle of sowing and reaping. Ah, but I digress. Let's return to our passages from Galatians, Chapter 3.

Galatians 3:19-26 (ESV)  
19 Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary. 20 Now an intermediary implies more than one, but God is one. 21 Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. 22 But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. 23 Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. 24 So then, the law was our guardian (tutor; NKJV) until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian (tutor; NKJV), 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.

Brother and sister, the law of God is just that; the law of God. It was divinely ordained, divinely wrought, foreshadowed in Genesis, and divinely delivered to Moses and Israel long ago. It did not come from man but from our Maker. Proof? Consider the fact of why we have societal laws in every country. Did they just appear out of nowhere? No, they did not. They are a product of our own conscience, of an inward knowing that was placed there by our Creator, illustrated by the garden of Eden and our two trees. The fact that they are "trees" demonstrates the deeply rooted essence of His Word which abides in everyone. Regardless of whether we believe in Christ or not, all of us understand that we must reap the consequences of our actions, all of us know good and evil, love and hate, light and darkness.

So think about this. The law was not delivered to anyone but Israel, and it remained with them until Christ came almost two thousand years ago, for He was the "seed" "to whom the promise was made" (Gal. 3:19). "For when God made a promise to Abraham, since He had no one greater by whom to swear, He swore by Himself" (Heb. 6:13; ESV). Do you see it brother and sister? God swore by Himself and to Himself, assuring us of His divine purpose in everyone. "So shall My Word be that goes out from My mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it" (Isa. 55:11; ESV). "Indeed, let God be true, but every man a liar" (Rom. 3:4). "Has God indeed said?" (Gen. 3:1)

A serious study of the law shows not only the well-known Ten Commandments but instructions about many things, including the Tabernacle of Witness and the Three Great Feasts of Israel.

And what did Jesus say about the law? "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle (smallest detail) will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 5:17-19).

Wait a minute! What do we read? "Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven"? So where do we find "eternal torment" in this? We don't. Differences of reward? Yes! Torment? No!

Ah, but there is torment, right? Yes, there is, but as previously defined, it is the inward "torture" we feel when we resist His kingdom principles which are the touchstone of His nature. For this reason, as Jesus continued in Matthew 5, He spoke of the "hell of fire."

So why is no one justified (made innocent) by the law and why did Paul state that the law is not based on faith? If Christ Himself came to fulfill it, would it not be a necessary part of our spiritual journey? Paul answers. It was added, "Because of transgressions." In other words, the law sets the standard by which we are judged until we are brought to Christ, who is the "Spirit" of the law, for "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes" (Rom. 10:4). Once we are changed by His divine process, there is no longer a need for law (I Tim. 1:9), for "whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God" (I John 3:9). How can this be? Because it becomes our nature not to sin, which equates to the two greatest commandments to love God with all of our being and our neighbor as ourselves (Matt. 22:36-40). For this reason, Paul called it our "tutor" (Gal. 3:24). And it is for this reason that the New Covenant states, "Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah\-- not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more."

What did Jesus say about the "least" and the "great" in the kingdom of heaven? And what does Hebrews tell us in this regard? "For all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more."

How is this accomplished? By putting His laws in our mind and writing them on our hearts, clearly an inward work, a divine process, accomplished by the Spirit and Word of our Maker (Luke 17:20-21). The outward representation of the law is now becoming manifest in our being.

Beloved, it is not you and me who are fulfilling every "jot" and "tittle," but Christ. It is His work, not ours that is advancing in the earth. And it will continue to progress until "all is fulfilled." This is why our Lord tells us in Revelation 2:26, "And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him will I give power over the nations." Wouldn't "power over the nations" suggest that we have inherited the earth? Ah, but we must first inherit our own "earth" before we are qualified to inherit "the" earth. His people must first be filled with the unconditional love of the Father and Son before they can bring it to the world at large.

# Chapter Eight

# SHEOL AND HADES

OK, so let's get serious about the case against eternal torment and address the words "Sheol" and "Hades." _Sheol_ is the Hebrew transliteration found in the Old Testament whereas _Hades_ is the Greek equivalent found in the New Testament. So Sheol _is_ Hades and Hades _is_ Sheol. The first time Sheol is translated as "hell" is found in the following passage.

Deuteronomy 32:22 (KJV)  
22 For **a fire is kindled** in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest **hell** , and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains.

What is fire? A process of light and life. So when we read, "A _fire_ is kindled in mine anger," we are seeing that God's "anger" or "ire" results in the life of His Word going forth. Man's anger often ends in random and unnecessary violence, but God's anger always ends with _life_ (see Ezekiel, Chapter 14, especially verses 22 and 23).

Sheol is used a total of 66 times in the Old Testament, translated as "hell," "pit," and "grave." Ed Vallowe and Mark Lane both cite the spiritual meaning of this number as "idol worship." Seems appropriate, as we will later find.

The Strong's definition of _Sheol_ reads, "Hades," taken from the root which means, "To _inquire_ ; by implication to _request_ ; by extension to _demand_." This being the case, consider the following.

Matthew 7:7-8 (KJV)  
7 **Ask** , and it shall be given you; **seek** , and ye shall find; **knock** , and it shall be opened unto you: 8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

Ask, seek, knock, Jesus said, all three suggesting that we "inquire" or "request," or even "demand" (Isa. 45:11). For those who seek the Lord, this is a given. Ah, but for those who have no desire for God and His kingdom, we find the following.

Psalms 9:16-17 (NKJV)  
16 The Lord is known _by_ the judgment He executes; The wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Meditation. Selah 17 **The wicked shall be turned into hell** , _and_ all the nations that forget God.

It should come as no surprise to us that there are so many who have no inclination or desire to know the Lord. After all, we have sown chaos, confusion, self-absorption, and carnality for a very long time. It is clearly evident by what we see in the news every single day. And as for those who have no heart toward God, it goes without saying that they certainly won't ask, seek, or knock. So it is that eternity being "now," then to be "turned into hell" _applies to a present reality_ , "For when thy _judgments_ are in the earth, _the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness_ " (Isa. 26:9; KJV). How is God "known"? "By the judgment He executes!" Is all this tribulation around us simply a matter of coincidence? It is not. Friend, His "judgments" are given to lead us to "righteousness," not torment. The torment only remains because we will not surrender.

Why is it so difficult for us to perceive this? Is it due to the fact that we have heard the idea of eternal torment for so long that we are afraid to challenge it, or believe that there is certainly much more to Sheol/Hades than what first meets the eye? Think about it, beloved. Paul tells us, "And you He made alive, _who were dead in trespasses and sins_ " (Eph. 2:1). Does this not indicate a _present state of being_? It does, and _what is the place of the dead_ if not the "grave" or "pit" as typified by our word Sheol? This being true, consider the following.

Revelation 1:17-18 (ESV)  
17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, "Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of **Death** and **Hades**.

Revelation 6:7-8 (ESV)  
7 When he opened the **fourth** seal, I heard the voice of the **fourth** living creature say, "Come!" 8 And I looked, and behold, a pale horse! And its rider's name was **Death** , and **Hades followed him**. And they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by wild beasts of the earth.

Note that there is an order in our passages above; first Death, followed by Hades, and one is not without the other.

1 Corinthians 15:54-55 (KJV)  
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O **death** , where _is_ thy sting? O **grave** , where _is_ thy victory?

Hosea 13:14 (ESV)  
14 Shall I ransom them from the power of **Sheol**? Shall I redeem them from **Death**? O **Death** , where are your plagues? O **Sheol** , where is your sting?

Verse 55 of I Corinthians 15 is a quote from Hosea 13:14. Note that "death" and "grave" correspond to "death" and "Sheol," or _Hades_. Hosea 13:14 agrees with our order found in both of our passages from Revelation. With this order in mind, consider the following.

2 Corinthians 3:5-11 (NKJV)  
5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as _being_ from ourselves, but our sufficiency _is_ from God, 6 who also made us sufficient as **ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life**. 7 But if **the** **ministry of death** , written _and_ engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which _glory_ was passing away, 8 how will **the** **ministry of the Spirit** not be more glorious? 9 For if **the** **ministry of condemnation** _had_ glory, **the** **ministry of righteousness** exceeds much more in glory. 10 For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels. 11 For if **what is passing away** _was_ **glorious** , **what remains** _is_ **much more glorious**.

Most everyone is familiar with the word "ministry." The King James renders this as "ministration," taken from the root word which essentially means "service" or "to serve." As Paul makes clear, the law or Old Covenant (II Cor. 3:14) is "the ministry" or "service" of death. Paul again confirms this understanding, stating in Romans 7:5, "For when we were in the flesh, _the sinful passions which were aroused by the law_ were at work in our members _to bear fruit to death_." We should realize then that this "ministry of death" is a necessary component in the plan and purpose of God. And it is, for remember, the law defines what is needed first in our _twofold_ principle of sowing and reaping, i.e. the necessary consequences when we choose to sow to our own flesh (Gal. 6:8). When we take a deeper look into the concept of sowing and reaping, we will find that it denotes a _fourfold_ process; life, death, burial, and life again (see Mark 4:26-29). So it is that the "ministry of death" precedes the "ministry of the Spirit" or life. Furthermore, _four_ just happens to be the number of "material creation" and a "foundation" (Bullinger; Jones).

Now, note that Paul follows with "the ministry of _condemnation_ " as opposed to "the ministry of _righteousness_." Would I be remiss in thinking there's a pattern here which could be defined in this way?

The Ministry of _Death_ (1) and _Condemnation_ (2) = _Death_ (1) and _Hades_ (2)

If I am correct in my thinking, then Sheol or Hades, also rendered "grave" or "pit," refers to _condemnation_ , and this word means, " _Sentencing adversely_ (the act)." The root word, which we considered earlier, is katakrinō, meaning, "To _judge against_ , i.e. _sentence_." With this in mind, consider this passage from Hebrews.

Hebrews 9:27 (ESV)  
27 And just as it is appointed for man to **die** once, and after that comes **judgment**...

What does "judgment" mean? A " _decision_ " (Strong's). What does this decision lead to? Consequences, which is our _condemnation_ or _hell_. So in Hebrews, our order is maintained; death first, followed by the condemnation, which is a result of our judgment. His "living" Word _sets the standard_ by which we are judged, while His "active" Word _executes the consequences of it_. Like our one sword with two edges and our two trees in the garden, the process is _twofold_. Like a well-oiled machine, God need not judge us. His Word does that. No wonder Jesus said, "Heaven and earth shall pass away, _but my words shall not pass away_ " (Matt. 24:35; KJV). Also, "He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, _has that which judges him_ — _the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day_ " (John 12:48). Beloved, the "Word" _is_ God, and proof of this is around us at all times, evident in the affairs of everyone across this planet.

The words of Christ remain because they are the words of our Father which define His truth and nature. Since His words are always present, so too the judgment in those words, the "fire" of His righteous and holy nature. The standard set by His Word does not pass simply because we seek to ignore or disregard it. Like one of our laws which remains "on the books," so the law which God gave us is the same, spoken first to Moses and written on tablets of stone (II Cor. 3:7). Once spoken and written, it remains "on the books" as a testimony against us. As long as we resist His law, we remain under the condemnation of it. We remain in "torment," thus _hell_ or _Hades_.

As we see, Hebrews agrees with our order from Revelation, Chapters 1 and 6, as well as Hosea 13:14, and II Corinthians, Chapter 3. First "death," followed by "judgment" and "condemnation" (Hades), not judgment in the afterlife, _but judgment now_. After all, where is it that righteousness is needed?

Allow me to reiterate. Condemnation or _sentencing_ follows judgment, the decision made according to God's holy standard. So it is that "Hades" _follows_ "death" (Rev. 6:8). This is the "hell _of_ fire," the _condemnation_ (Hades; hell) we experience from the "fire" or _judgment_ of His holy nature which is reflected in His Word (fire). Our resistance to His light prevents the darkness from being eradicated from our lives (John 3:19).

If you will, allow me to emphasize this point. Our suffering is due to our resistance to _what is good_ , for Paul made it clear that "the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good." "Sin is the transgression of the law" (I John 3:4; KJV), therefore sin is _the manifestation of our resistance to what is good_. The Ten Commandments were not written to arbitrarily say, "Don't do this," but to say, " _If_ you do this, _it is bad for you and others_. It will produce suffering." To reject His commandments is to reject the life that is in them and thereby propagate the suffering that follows. This, my friend, is the real _torment_ of Hades. When we take a raw and honest look at the suffering that surrounds us, this is clearly evident _now_.

Now, I mentioned the Ten Commandments, so let me close this chapter with Stephen Jones' explanation of the spiritual meaning of ten.

Ten (yod)

Divine Order, Law

Yod is a closed hand. Because ten is also the number of the law, which brings divine order, it signifies "the works of the law."

As we wrote earlier, the number eight indicates a new beginning, a new birth in a believer. Nine is visitation and manifests the Holy Spirit's leading, training, and judgment (learning to discern right and wrong) in the life of the believer, and acts as a witness against the unbeliever to expose the secrets of his heart.

Ten is the number of divine order being reestablished one way or another through the judgment of the law (as pictured by the Ten Commandments). In other words, it manifests the actual sentence of the law which follows the gathering and presentation of the evidence. After the Holy Spirit has revealed the evidence to expose men's hearts (i.e., number nine), the Judge reveals the law. That is, he pronounces the sentence (i.e., number ten) according to the law.

Ten is the number that portrays that time of judgment when men either receive reward or come under divine judgment. One way or another, the law must be fulfilled and the divine order reestablished.

The tenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet is the yod, which means a deed or work. Because ten is also the number of the law, as seen in the Ten Commandments, the yod became a symbol of "the works of the law" (Rom. 3:20). The meaning of the number ten is based upon the divine law, because as Revelation 20:12 and 13 say, all will be judged "according to their deeds."

The tenth time Noah's name is mentioned is in Gen. 6:13, where God said,

13Then God said to Noah, "The end of all flesh has come before Me; for the earth is filled with violence because of them; and behold, I am about to destroy them with the earth."

This speaks of judgment by the divine law in Noah's day, because the people had rejected Noah's message—that is, the message of the Comforter (Menachem).

The tenth time Isaac is mentioned is in Gen. 22:3, where we see his father taking him to Mount Moriah. This pictures the great sacrifice of Christ on the cross, where the law's judgment fell upon the only-begotten Son of God, who paid the penalty for our sin and rebellion.

# Chapter Nine

# OLD THINGS

2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV)  
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, **he is** **a new creature** : **old things are passed away** ; behold, all things are become new.

Now here's something interesting for you to consider. Our phrase "old things" is archaios, defined by the Strong's Concordance as, "Original or primeval." The root of this word is _archē_ , meaning, "A _commencement_ " or " _chief_ (in various applications of order, time, place, or rank)." Our word "chief" essentially means "first," so _archē_ is translated many times as "beginning."

_Archaios_ is used a total of just eleven times in the King James Version. Where it is used is quite interesting.

Matthew 5:21 (KJV)  
21 Ye have heard that it was said **by them of old time** (archaios), Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment...

Matthew 5:33 (KJV)  
33 Again, ye have heard that it hath been said **by them of old time** (archaios), Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths...

Acts 15:21 (KJV)  
21 For Moses of **old** (archaios) **time** hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.

As we see, archaios refers to "them of old time," i.e. Moses and Israel during their sojourn in the wilderness.

2 Peter 2:5 (KJV)  
5 And spared not **the old** (archaios) **world** , but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the **world of the ungodly**...

Stepping back from Moses and Israel, we have "the old world," involving Noah and his family in the days before and during the flood. This "old world" was "the world of the ungodly."

Revelation 12:9 (KJV)  
9 And the great dragon was cast out, **that old** (archaios) **serpent** , called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

Revelation 20:2 (KJV)  
2 And he laid hold on the dragon, **that old** (archaios) **serpent** , which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years...

Finally, we step back even further to "that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan." It is here that our notion of "original" or "primeval" makes even more sense where we see that the idea of "old things" incorporates Moses and the law, Noah and the "world of the ungodly," and finally, the serpent, "which deceiveth the whole world," whose first appearance is in the garden of Eden with Adam and Eve, i.e. in the beginning. When brought together, we have the time period from Adam all the way to Christ (Adam to Noah, Noah to Moses, Moses to Christ).

Romans 6:6 (KJV)  
6 Knowing this, that our **old man** is crucified with _him_ , that the **body of sin** might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

Ephesians 4:22 (NKJV)  
22... that you put off, concerning your **former conduct** , the **old man** which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts...

Our word "old" in Romans 6:6 and Ephesians 4:22 means, "Antique, i.e. not recent, worn out," taken from the root which means, " _Formerly,_ " " _sometime since,_ " and " _ancient_." Our definitions of the "old man" appear to agree with our words archaios and _archē_.

1 Corinthians 15:44-45 (KJV)  
44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. 45 And so it is written, The **first** man Adam was made a living soul; the **last** Adam was made a quickening spirit.

Our word "first"? It means, "Foremost (in time, place, order or importance)." Who was the "first man"? Adam. So in Adam we see our beginning which includes the commandment (Gen. 2:16-17), the formation of Eve (Gen. 2:21-25), and the rising up of that "old serpent" (Gen. 3:1-5), indicative of when "sin came alive" and we "died" (Rom. 7:9; ESV).

And who is Christ? The "last Adam," having become the judgment for all of us, "For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the (world of the) ungodly" (Rom. 5:6). So it is that Romans 6:6 declares our " _old man_ is crucified with him," i.e. _presently_ , "that the _body of sin_ might be destroyed," i.e. _future_. So Paul calls our "old man" the "body of sin" which refers to our "former conduct" or _behavior_ , which is typified by the "first man Adam." And where is this "first man Adam" in respect to the kingdom of God? Dead _and_ buried, for God " _gives life to the dead_ and _calls those things which do not exist as though they did_ " (Rom. 4:17). How is it that God can do such a thing? Because once spoken, His Word "is" God (John 1:1); it is simply a matter of time before it will be completely fulfilled.

"Old time," "Moses of old," that "old serpent." Friend, the "old man" and our "former conduct" fall under the past ages, under that which is "old," and that which is "old" correlates with the _Old_ Covenant, which Hebrews 8:13 tells us, "In that He says, 'A New Covenant,' He has made the _first_ obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and _growing old_ is ready to vanish away." So why hasn't it vanished? Because Christ is still fulfilling every "jot" and "tittle" until " _all_ is fulfilled." The prophetic components of the Old Covenant or law are still unfolding before us, moving us forward to the end of this age, where at that time, He will "gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in Him" (Eph. 1:10; KJV).

The "first man Adam was made a living soul," ordained to die in order that he might become "a quickening (life-giving) spirit." And he cannot be so until he has been _thoroughly and completely judged_ by the living and active Word of his Maker. This, my friend, is the purpose of our spiritual journey. The "old things" are passing away in order for "all things" to "become new." And again, it shall end as God has determined, for we read in Revelation 21:1 that John "saw a _new heaven_ and a _new earth_ , for the _first heaven_ and the _first earth_ had _passed away_ ," and again in Revelation 21:5 where Jesus said, "'Behold, I make _all things new_.' And He said to me, 'Write, for these words are _true_ and _faithful_.'"

1 Peter 4:1-2 (NKJV)  
1 Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 that he no longer should live the rest of _his_ time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.

# Chapter Ten

# CONDEMNATION

Hebrews 11:8-10 (NIV)  
8 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9 By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

The human struggle. So much of what we deal with today is a product of our past, of the "old things" which were established long before we were even born. Though the "first man Adam" of our being was thoroughly judged and put to death in Christ, we have not yet seen this reality in its fullness.

Christ was the "last Adam" (I Cor. 15:45). Think about this. He was the last. This word is eschatos, meaning, "Farthest, final (of place and time)." His selfless life and death on the cross was the consummation of the previous ages, assuring us that "all things" are becoming "new" as He fulfills every "jot" and "tittle" of the law. I remind you that it is God's purpose and process, not ours. So it is that it will end as He has determined.

We have found that our words Sheol and Hades refer to condemnation. Sheol is also translated as "grave" in the Old Testament. In fact, the first four times we encounter this word, it is translated as "grave" (Gen. 37:35; 42:38; 44:29; 44:31).

So what is a grave? Simply put, it's a pit, dug into the earth where we place our deceased loved ones. In the New Testament, this word is mnēmeion, defined as, "A remembrance, i.e. cenotaph (place of interment)." This word is taken from _mnēmē_ which means, " _Memory_."

According to the Englishman's Concordance, the word mnēmeion is used forty times, translated as "grave," "graves," "sepulchre," "sepulchres," "tomb," and "tombs." Let's consider the spiritual meaning of the number forty from Stephen E. Jones.

Forty (mem)

Trial, Probation

The number forty in Hebrew was written with the letter mem (water, flowing or coming from). Forty is the number of trial or probation. When viewed as a time cycle, we find that Israel spent 40 years being tested and tried in the wilderness. Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness being tested by the devil. The number 40 can be viewed negatively in terms of the full 40 days/years of trial, but it can also be viewed positively in that it is the END of the time of trial or testing. In the positive sense, then, forty (i.e., mem) speaks of Israel crossing the Jordan River (water) after 40 years in the wilderness. In that sense also, Israel came from the wilderness and flowed into the Promised Land.

Forty is the product of eight and five. Eight is the number of New Beginnings, while five is grace. Thus, forty can be seen as entering grace after a period of trial, as well as the beginning of something new. Obviously, these are both factors in the cases of Israel and Jesus.

Likewise, Dr. Bullinger's Number in Scripture, p. 267, points out the fact that there are eight forty-day periods mentioned in the Bible. They are:

1. Forty days Moses in the mount (Ex. 24:18) to receive the law.

2. Forty days Moses in the mount after the Golden Calf incident (Deut. 9:18, 25).

3. Forty days of the spies (Num. 13:26; 14:34).

4. Forty days of Elijah in Horeb (1 Kings 19:8).

5. Forty days of Nineveh's probation (Jonah 3:4).

6. Forty days Ezekiel lay on his right side for Judah (Ez. 4:5).

7. Forty days Jesus was tempted of the devil (Matt. 4:2).

8. Forty days from Jesus' resurrection to His ascension (Acts 1:2).

The total of these eight forty-day periods is 320 days. Since 32 is the number of Covenant, we see a special connection with the idea of covenant. In fact, God made a covenant with Israel twice while they were in the wilderness. The Exodus covenant (Ex. 20) came at the beginning of their 40 years at Mount Horeb, and the second covenant (Deut. 29:1) came at the end of their 40 years in the wilderness of Moab, just before they entered the Promised Land.

These two covenants provided a double witness to the Old Covenant that God made with "the church in the wilderness" (Acts 7:38). Yet they prophesied of the two-fold aspect of the New Covenant while the New Testament Church spent 40 Jubilees in a wilderness of its own (33-1993 A.D.). The "Exodus" covenant was made at the cross through the feast of Passover, while the Deuteronomy covenant is made as we enter the Promised Land in the Age of the feast of Tabernacles.

The 40th time Noah's name is mentioned is in Gen. 10:1, "These are the generations of Noah." It speaks of a new beginning (eight), a new generation, as if Noah's time of trial on earth had been completed.

The 40th time that Abram's name is mentioned is in Gen. 15:11, where he made a covenant with God, cutting three animals in half, but leaving the turtledove and the pigeon. When the fowls came to consume the carcasses, "Abram drove them away." Here we see the covenant theme associated with this example of forty. Abram's driving away the fowls also speaks spiritually of driving away "the evil one," for Jesus identified the fowls as such in the parable of the sower (Matt. 13:4, 19). And so we see that a primary purpose of a forty-day or forty-year testing period is to learn to drive away the evil one, that is, to overcome temptation.

The 40th time that Abraham's name is mentioned is in Gen. 21:9, where we see Hagar "mocking" Isaac. The Apostle Paul says in Gal. 4:29 that son of the bondwoman "persecuted" Isaac, and he makes the point that this is a pattern of Old Covenant behavior. Hagar represents the Old Covenant, Paul says (Gal. 4:24), and her son the children (i.e., adherents) of Old Covenant religion.

This pattern is set forth not only in Hagar and Ishmael, but also in Israel under the Old Covenant, who desired to stone both Moses and Joshua at times. Likewise, we see King Saul persecuting David, and later, Saul (Acts 8:1) persecuting the New Testament Church.

It is with good reason, then, that the 40th time Abraham's name is mentioned has to do with Hagar and Ishmael's defective spiritual condition. This was the same spiritual condition found during Israel's forty-year testing, as well as King Saul's forty-year rule. It makes us wonder if perhaps the New Testament Saul was converted at the age of forty, or perhaps came to be renamed "Paul" when he was forty.

The 40th time Joshua's name is mentioned is in Joshua 4:1. Israel had just crossed the Jordan into the Promised Land.

The 40th time David's name is mentioned is in 1 Sam. 17:51, which says that he cut off Goliath's head with his own sword. The purpose of a time of trial or testing is to overcome the flesh and subject it to the rule of the spirit. Goliath, as a Philistine, depicts the flesh prophetically, and David subdued this "giant" in a great type and shadow.

In the New Testament we find that Jesus ascended after appearing to His disciples (and to about 500 people) over a period of forty days (Acts 1:3). When He ascended, He said He would return in like manner. Perhaps this forty-day period is prophetic of a forty-Jubilee period, wherein He has continually taught us since His resurrection. Perhaps He will return some time after forty Jubilees of the Church's time of trial and testing. If so, we are in that season now, for 1993 was the 40th Jubilee of the Church's wilderness time.

It cannot be coincidence that our word mnēmeion is used forty times, can it? Does the idea of a "wilderness" correlate with our idea of a grave? I'm inclined to think so, for the world is a wilderness to those of us who are "strangers and pilgrims" on this earth (Isa. 14:17; Heb. 11:13; KJV).

So what is the purpose of a grave? Remembrance. That being said, when we are "dead in trespasses and sins," are we also in our "graves" (I speak figuratively)? Consider.

John 5:28 (KJV)  
28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which **all that are in the graves** (mnēmeion) shall hear his voice...

Was our Lord being literal here? What about the following?

Daniel 12:2 (KJV)  
2 And **many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth** shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame _and_ everlasting contempt.

Again, when we read, "And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth," is this literal?

1 Thessalonians 5:5-7 (KJV)  
5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. 6 **Therefore let us not sleep,** as do others; but let us watch and be sober. 7 For **they that sleep sleep in the night** ; and **they that be drunken are drunken in the night**.

If Paul is any judge of the matter, then "sleep in the dust of the earth" is not necessarily literal, but speaks of a spiritual lethargy, a complete lack of self-awareness and consciousness. After all, when we're asleep, we are not really conscious of what is going on around us.

1 John 5:19 (KJV)  
19 And we know that we are of God, and the whole world **lieth** in wickedness.

Our word "lieth"? It means, "To lie outstretched (literal or figurative)." So to speak of "death" is to speak of "sleep," and to speak of "sleep" means we "lie outstretched" like someone in a "pit" or "grave." Also know that Jesus referred to death as "sleep" in regard to His friend, Lazarus (John 11:11). Finally, consider the following.

Isaiah 65:25 (KJV)  
25... and **dust** _shall be_ **the serpent's meat**.

Ah, we made it all the way back to the serpent again, didn't we? "Dust shall be the serpent's meat," Isaiah said. From what was "the first man Adam" formed? From the "dust of the ground" (Gen. 2:7; KJV). So "dust" doesn't just speak of the ground we walk on but of this "first man" and His attachments to this world of form. And therein lies the problem. This world and all that's in it is not our destiny, for again, we are "strangers and pilgrims on the earth" (Heb. 11:13; KJV). Jesus told the Jews, "You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world" (John 8:23).

Think about it, beloved. Though our human form originates from the "dust," what's in it does not. What's in it originated from the realm of Spirit, from our Maker Himself, for "we are also His offspring" (Acts 17:28). Our God is the "father of spirits," our spirits, and they abide within this human body which was formed from the dust of the earth. No wonder Solomon stated, "Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it" (Ecc. 12:7).

"Dust" is the food of the "serpent." And the "serpent" is the sinful and deceitful nature attached to the "first man" but not the "second." And the "first man" is the "old man" for which Christ became the judgment and whom He ended in Himself. So why is he still around? Because of remembrance. In the same way that so many visit graves to remember their loved ones, so too we mimic this same behavior on a daily basis. We bury our dead and place headstones. We erect memorials to the past. We have holidays to remember our dead presidents and leaders, our roots and our cultures. We are constantly and incessantly dwelling on the past as though it contains the answers for our present state of being.

Am I saying it's wrong to consider the past? Of course not! Ah, but it can be when we let the past dictate our present and determine our future. Think about it. Much of what we hold to today didn't work then, so no surprise, it won't work now. Much of what we are convinced about as the way it should be is based on "old things," on a way of thinking that, up to this present time, is as corrupt as it when it first originated. This, my friend, is the danger of tradition, of those things which are evidently wrong but handed down with those things which are not. This is what Jesus condemned in the Pharisees (Matt. 15:3, 6; Mark 7:8-9, 13).

Think long and hard about all of the things we take for granted in our society which we simply accept as "the way it is." Our government and politics, our military and defense, our science and technology, and our many religious denominations and ideologies. Is it working for us? Can we honestly view our society today and say that we have managed to accomplish real peace and well-being for everyone? No, we cannot. Rather, we are looping, doing the same things over and over again but expecting different results. Why are we doing this? Is it because we are afraid to question or challenge the status quo, or is it because that, as long as we are comfortable, we don't see a need for change?

One of the definitions of condemnation from the Merriam-Webster Dictionary online states, "To cause (someone) to suffer or live in difficult or unpleasant conditions." How fitting a description this is of our present day. Despite the relative comfort that many of us presently experience, many, many others still abide under "difficult" and "unpleasant conditions" due to the darkness we refuse to let go of. And where does this darkness come from? Our past, from that which has been sown by the generations before us. Instead of moving forward with the Spirit and work of Christ, we have stagnated and held on to those things of the past which have absolutely no value in our present. We continue to focus on those things which are behind us, which should be dead and buried in light of the present reality of the kingdom of God. And yes, my friend, our religions are no exception. Much of what we believe today, especially about each other, is laced with the arrogance and self-righteousness of ungodly men who have no true revelation of His Spirit. Out of this flows such distorted concepts such as eternal torment, the rapture, prosperity, and even "born again." We have "missed the mark," beloved, choosing to cling to various men and their doctrines which were in error then and are in error now. We have been bound by our traditions, succeeding in making His Word of "no effect" (Mark 7:13).

John 3:18-19 (ESV)  
18 **Whoever believes** in him is **not condemned** , but **whoever does not believe** is **condemned already** , because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and **people loved the darkness** rather than the light because their deeds were evil.

Why do we continue to cling to the darkness when "the light has come into the world"? Is it fear of what lies ahead, fear of the unknown? "Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already." "Condemned already," as in right now. I am reminded of Israel in the wilderness who, due to their unbelief in the promise of God, failed to enter the land of Promise. How many times did they wish to go back to Egypt; back to that which they had known, and this despite the fact that it was hard bondage (Exod. 1:14; Deut. 26:6)? They could've left the wilderness but their own fear prevented them from doing so. No wonder John wrote, "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love" (I John 4:18; KJV). Here, my friend is what "eternal torment" is truly about, and it is fear.

# Chapter Eleven

# PERFECT LOVE

In I John 4:8 we read:

He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

Such a simple passage, but there is so much meaning in it. It bears repeating. "He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love." It doesn't say that God does love (although He does), but rather, that He "is" love, the very essence of it. John also wrote:

_There is no fear in love_ (I John 4:18; KJV).

No fear, beloved, none whatsoever. And yet, most today live their lives in fear, especially in the fear of the loss of many things, mostly our "old" identity and our loved ones. John continues:

_But perfect love casteth out fear_.

Perfect love, meaning "complete" in every sense of the word. This is the love of our Creator. This is the essence of our Maker. And yes, it is hard to imagine this perfect love and that is why we live in fear of what's to come.

May I say it? What's to come is good, very good, beyond our comprehension, because "God is love." John also wrote:

God is light, and in him is no darkness at all (I John 1:5; KJV).

No darkness at all, none whatsoever. And what is the traditional view of eternal torment if not darkness in its worse degree? Eternal torment is unimaginable, a product of our own imagination and not the heart or mind of our Maker (Lev. 18:21; Deut. 18:10; II Kings 16:3; 21:6; see especially Jeremiah 7:31 and 32:35). Though we may think we get it, we don't, for our pride is blinding us, making us unable to see how our Creator's thoughts and ways are so far above our own (Isa. 55:8-13). We believe in eternal torment because we fail to comprehend the love of our Creator, and we don't comprehend the love of our Creator because we measure it by human standards. But we must not do this. God's love is far, far beyond that.

_There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear_ (I John 4:19; KJV).

The Psalmist wrote, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Psalms 111:10). If this is true, then what is the "end" of wisdom? It is the "perfect love" that casts out fear. How do I know? Because "God is love," perfect love, love in all its essence, and, "There is no fear in love."

All that God is and all that God does issues from this perfect love. "Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him" (I John 3:1). Those who discover this perfect love will certainly be misunderstood by the world at large. Jesus proved this. This is why so many resist the idea that God has determined to reconcile everyone. We simply will not let go of our individual and collective grudges, our arrogant desire to be vindicated in the wrong way due to our pride. We too often forget that we are all on level ground, that all men are truly "created equal."

... because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love (I John 4:18; KJV).

Beloved, we are "lost" when we dwell in fear. And when we are in fear, we are in torment, because fear has torment. Hell is torment and our torment is real, not because it exists "out there" somewhere, but because it exists within, in the form of fear, and fear is the root of our torment. And torment? It is the hidden root of condemnation.

We are also afraid for each other, are we not? And so it is that we cannot understand that infants and children die, that death does not discriminate. Ah, but what is death? It is the path to life, the divine pattern which our Maker instituted from the beginning, confirmed by the principle of sowing and reaping. It is here because God intended it to be here, and it works in a way that none of us truly understand.

We are afraid, my friend, but what is it that we are afraid of? If God is love and light and there is no darkness at all within Him, then why do we fear? As I mentioned earlier, it is because we have corrupted the love of God by our arrogance, by thinking that we are just a little bit better than those around us. Ah, but it is not true; it is NOT true, and those whose love is perfect, get this.

Perfect love casts out fear, not just some, but all of it. "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in Him" (Job 13:15; KJV). This is perfect love, therefore "we know that all things work together for good to them that love God" (Rom. 8:28; KJV). "All things," beloved, even death, for remember, the ministration of death and condemnation came from our Maker, divinely ordained for His purpose. Death is not the end but merely the first stage of the spiritual process through which all of us pass. Jesus did not tell us to fear it but to embrace it, for He understood perfectly that to die before we die ushers us into His kingdom. "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends" (John 15:13). This is the Father's love, the Son's love, and He desires us to know this love as well. To "lay down one's life" is a voluntary action, requiring commitment. It should be the goal of every believer.

What does it mean to lay down our life? It means to cast aside all that stands in the way of a perfect or complete love. It means we must be willing to rid ourselves of the countless "labels" of the past which were placed on us when we were too young to know better.

What do I mean by "labels"? Conceptualization, which Google defines as, "The action or process of forming a concept or idea of something." The root of this word is "concept," which means, "An abstract idea; a general notion" (Google). This being the case, the "idea" of who we think we are is first framed by our caretakers when we are but children.

1 Corinthians 3:1-7 (NKJV)  
1 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual _people_ **but as to carnal** , **as to babes in Christ**. 2 I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able _to receive it,_ and even now you are still not able; 3 **for you are still carnal**. For where _there are_ **envy** , **strife** , and **divisions** among you, are you not carnal and behaving like _mere_ men? 4 For when one says, "I am of Paul," and another, "I _am_ of Apollos," are you not carnal? 5 Who then is Paul, and who _is_ Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.

Our word "babes" in verse 1 means, "Not speaking, i.e. an infant (minor)." As the context of our passages show, we are but "babes in Christ" when we hold to our labels, mere "infants" in spiritual growth. And this is not just true of our religious concepts and collectives but of any concept and collective in which we find our identity. Know that in Christ, there is no need for labels for we are all one in Him. Christ is Spirit and a Spirit has no need for labels. Labels define our human form, our fleshly identity, and in a word, they are most often vain and unnecessary.

Where there is perfect love, there are no labels, none of our former identity which defines our former conduct. That is the "old man" which is dead and buried.

Fear has torment, and that torment is a result of what lies in our mind and heart. It is not outside of us, but inside of us, propped up by the carnal reasonings of those who do not know God and even many of those who claim they do. This is why the battle continues; we are clinging to the past ages which ended in Christ.

Fear has torment because we are afraid of our Maker, our future, of each other because of our differences, the differences which were cultured into us as children and form the identity we think ourselves to be. And our fear of death or loss of identity breeds prejudice in all of its forms and separates us from one another. Fear breeds war and contention because of the prejudice.

2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV)  
7 For God hath not given us **the spirit of** fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Beloved, God has not given us the spirit of fear. Yes, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and so it is that we start this spiritual journey with uncertainty because we are ignorant of His ways, devoid of His knowledge. But as we move forward by His grace, we come to understand more and more that our fear is not of Him, but of each other. And yet, despite our differences, we are so very much the same.

Matthew 10:28-31 (NKJV)  
28 And **do not fear those who kill the body** but **cannot kill the soul**. But rather **fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell**. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will. 30 **But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.** 31 **Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.**

"Do not fear those who kill the body," Jesus said, i.e. do not fear man. He then follows with the fear of the Lord, the understanding that He alone is "able to destroy both soul and body in hell." Yet, Jesus immediately followed this with the understanding that not even a sparrow doesn't fall to the ground apart from His will. So it is that the very hairs of our head are numbered, but "do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows." Even when our soul and body are subjected to hell, to the condemnation of the ministration of death, His purpose in it is remedial. We do not suffer randomly or without purpose at God's hand. Undue suffering is man's doing out of man's arrogance and man's arrogance merely cloaks the inward fear that he seeks to hide from others.

# Chapter Twelve

# DEAD MEN'S BONES

Matthew 23:27-28 (NKJV)  
27 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like **whitewashed tombs** which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are **full of dead** _men's_ **bones** and all uncleanness. 28 Even so you also **outwardly** appear righteous to men, but **inside** you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

The scribes (teachers of the law) and Pharisees were the religious leaders of Jesus' time. Jesus Himself said the following.

Matthew 23:2-3 (NKJV)  
2... " **The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat**. 3 Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do."

"Whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do," Jesus said. So apparently, the scribes and Pharisees said many good things. Isn't that the nature of religion? Isn't it true that many religions exist that do speak good things? Isn't it also true that many of the thousands of Christian denominations in this country and across the world also speak good things? So if this is true, then why did Jesus call the Pharisees hypocrites? The surface answer is, "For they say, and do not do." But what lies beneath this answer? That is found in what Jesus followed with in Matthew, Chapter 23.

Matthew 23:4-12 (ESV)  
4 They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. 5 **They do all their deeds to be seen by others**. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, 6 and they love **the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues** 7 **and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others.** 8 But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. 9 And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. 10 Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ. 11 The greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 **Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.**

What is beneath the surface answer? "They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger." Would this describe condemnation? Yes, it would. And again, of whom is Jesus speaking? The religious leaders of His time. Is it any different today when we preach to our congregations out of the pride of self, out of our misconception that we are better than others? I think not.

"They do all their deeds to be seen by others." They "love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others." Pride, arrogance, conceit, self-importance, exaltation. In a word, they loved their religious "labels," their positions of importance and authority. But they missed the whole point of what they embraced. "Outwardly," they appeared "righteous to men," but "inside," they were "full of dead men's bones." They clung so tightly to the identities of their past that they had stagnated and were unable to move forward into a new and living way (Heb. 10:20).

"Full of dead men's bones," my friend, FULL. This, beloved, is the plight of many today. Out of fear, we refuse to move forward from what's been established as though we have found and possess the answer. Ah, but we don't. It is evident. The world is in more darkness now than ever before. The moral boundaries of our society are being pushed to the breaking point.

Galatians 4:4-5 (NKJV)  
4 But **when the fullness of the time had come** , God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

What did Paul mean when he spoke of the "fullness of the time"? The context of our passages show that he is speaking of the coming of Christ to his people, so when Christ came, it had reached a "fullness." This word means, "Repletion or completion, i.e. (subject) what fills." In agreement with this "fullness," Jesus told the religious leaders, you are "full of dead men's bones." In Matthew 23:25, He also told them that "within," they were "full of extortion (pillage) and excess (want of self-restraint)." Though they still remained in "Moses' seat," they had succeeded in corrupting the law of Moses with opinions, speculations, and traditions which had no real value in spiritual matters and led to them rejecting the very One their scriptures proclaimed.

Has the same thing happened today? I believe so, for much of Christianity is structured on "dead men's bones," on the opinions and speculations of those before us. Though it may be true that some may have received a true revelation of His Spirit and Word in their time, it was never intended for His people to stop at that point. A partial answer is not an answer. Remember, God's Word is progressive, never stagnant, always evolving, accomplishing His predetermined purpose in every age.

Matthew 15:1-9 (NKJV)  
1 Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, 2 " **Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders?** For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread." 3 He answered and said to them, " **Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?** 4 For God commanded, saying, _'Honor your father and your mother';_ and, _'He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.'_ 5 But you say, 'Whoever says to his father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God _"--_ 6 then he need not honor his father or mother.' Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition. 7 Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: 8 _'These people draw near to Me with their_ mouth, _and honor Me with their lips,_ _but their heart is far from Me._ 9 _And in vain they worship Me,_ _teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.' "_

Consider the question which the Pharisees asked Jesus. "Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread." Wash their hands? In light of spiritual matters, is this at all important? I think not. No wonder Jesus went on to say, "Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel" (Matt. 23:24; KJV). We too are guilty when we attack others for refusing to believe or embrace our ritual or rote.

Take another moment to really consider the question which the Pharisees asked Jesus. "Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders?" In contemporary terms, we might ask, "Why do you not do as we do and follow the prescribed rituals which we have approved and established? Our church is the right church. We preach the Bible and our foundation is that of Christ and the apostles." Ah, but once we start examining this fact, what do we find? Labels, and lots of them. Self-made religious authority and lots of it. Hierarchies, top to bottom. Clergy and laymen, traditions and commandments of men. Ah, and money. Lots and lots of money (extortion).

Friend, when did Jesus or the apostles ever prescribe colleges and seminaries as a path to spiritual authority? When did Jesus or His apostles ever command that we celebrate His birthday or His resurrection? When did Jesus command His apostles to amass great wealth for the sake of His kingdom? He didn't. And so goes our labels and our traditions.

Ah, but aren't we much more advanced and modern now? Didn't you say that God is progressive? Doesn't that mean that God would have us establish these things in order to accomplish what is needed? Really? Is God a corporate executive who expects us to structure His kingdom in the same fashion as the world? Is Christ the CEO who is orchestrating all of this according to prescribed rituals and our preconceived ideas of education and degrees? Is His spiritual work limited by the washing of our hands? No, my friend, He is a life-giving Spirit who works in the minds and hearts of men and women across the world whose desire for righteousness and love for the truth supersedes all the religious idiosyncrasies which we have devised over the past two thousand years.

When Jesus came to His people, He bypassed all of this, calling His own from among fishermen, tax collectors, laborers and common men. He presented them with the knowledge of our heavenly Father, then endued them with the power of the Holy Spirit, and only when the time was right.

Jesus opened their understanding to a new and living way, to a progressive and active kingdom which is still unfolding and bringing His purpose to pass as He has declared it shall be. His Word has never stagnated or become idle, and it is always working according to His will in heaven. And it will do so until it has fulfilled His original intent to make man in His image (Gen. 1:26).

"Dead men's bones" speak of that which is dead and buried, so too "whitewashed tombs" and our heavenly Father does not wish for us to hold to the past but to live and thrive in the present, to hold to Christ Jesus who is not dead, but "alive forevermore" (Rev. 1:18). "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Heb. 4:16).

He is the "God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." He "is not the God of the dead, but of the living" (Matt. 22:32). For this reason, we find these souls "under the altar," along with many others crying in unity, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge (vindicate) our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" (Rev. 6:10) They cry with a heart of mercy, with an understanding that His judgment and vengeance is tempered by His perfect love. They are the "spirits of just men made perfect" (Heb. 12:23).

They, along with us, do not wish for eternal torment, but for reconciliation (II Cor. 5:19), for peace and harmony, for "the restoration of all things" (Acts 3:21) in order that all, from the least to the greatest, might know Him (Heb. 8:11). This, my friend, is the New Covenant which Jesus exemplified, and it is this covenant which should abide in our hearts.

# Chapter Thirteen

# THE FEAR OF DEATH

Hebrews 2:14-15 (KJV)  
14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15 And deliver them **who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage**.

It was "through death" that Jesus destroyed death. As believers, this same principle applies to you and me.

Matthew 16:24-25 (KJV)  
24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any _man_ will come after me, let him deny himself, and **take up his cross** , and follow me. 25 For **whosoever will save his life shall lose it** : and **whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it**.

If we are to follow Him, we must take up our cross. Does this not imply that we must die? Die to what? Our self-made identity established on the past. And should there be any doubt, Jesus went on to say that "whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it." Note that whether we seek to save our lives or not, we lose it, because the divine process of God is working this in everyone.

The famous author, Louis L'Amour, said, "Few of us ever live in the present. We are forever anticipating what is to come or remembering what has gone." Mother Teresa said, "Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin." The Country Music legend, Johnny Cash, said, "You build on failure. You use it as a stepping stone. Close the door on the past. You don't try to forget the mistakes, but you don't dwell on it. You don't let it have any of your energy, or any of your time, or any of your space."

One of the definitions of "death" is the temporary nature of all form. For this reason, everything we know ages; it shifts and changes until it passes away. And just as our human forms age, so too have we passed and are passing through the "ages" of His divine purpose. And the truth of it is, nothing in this form-based world ever really goes away; rather, it simply changes form. So it is that even in our natural creation, eternity is written, and so it is that at the end of our spiritual process, the dust returns to the ground from which it came and our spirit returns to our Creator (Ecc. 12:7).

Another definition of "death" is loss, confirmed by the words of our Lord above. Our word "lose" in verse 25 is the transliteration apollymi, which Strong's defines as, "To destroy fully (reflexive to perish, or lose), literal or figurative." And what is it that we lose or is destroyed? Our "life," or better yet, our supposed "life," which was formed by our attachments to this world and everything in it (I John 2:16). Is it not the countless labels that were given us when we were children? Think about it. Do we not cling tightly to the identities that were ingrained within us? Has it not been taught and reinforced over and over again how important it is to be white, black, Hispanic, Asian, male, female, Christian, Jew, Muslim, Atheist, Republican, Democrat, Conservative, Liberal, and so on? As a result, do we not seek out the countless collectives which reinforce our identities and thus define for us who we think we are? And when these identities are threatened, how do we react? Not good, my friend, not good, for we are fully convinced that any loss thereof cannot be tolerated. This is our fear of death.

The temporary nature of all form not only encompasses the physical but so too its corresponding mindset. After all, it is only in our minds where all of this exists. For this reason, it is quite difficult for us to change and that is why we suffer. And we will continue to suffer until we surrender to the truth that we are all children of our heavenly Father and that the "old man" and his ways have been dealt with through Christ.

We are the ones who have devised these identities which create these boundaries and these boundaries are what destroy us. That is what Jesus meant when He said, "Whoever seeks to save his life shall lose it." When we are willing to admit it, it is clearly evident that our labels and boundaries are creating the fear and contention that remains among us.

The reality of Hell or Hades is to abide in the fear of death or loss, thus the reason we see it follow (Rev. 6:8). It is the fear of death which brings condemnation, our reluctance to let go of the past that continues to torment us. Hell is a present state of being where we battle with the memory of our former identity. We struggle to believe that God through Christ has truly accepted us "in the Beloved" (Eph. 1:6). After all, there are plenty around us who would remind us of our former selves and condemn us for not holding to the labels which they themselves embrace.

Brother and sister, understand that the divine process of God is such that it challenges us daily in order to show us the futility of our thinking. This is the principle of sowing and reaping at work, for as we sow to our own "flesh" or "self," we "reap" corruption, a temporary respite which has no lasting value. This is God's judgment, and as I said previously, God's judgment is neither random nor without purpose, for His divine purpose is to destroy this "outward man" who in actuality is already perishing by his own hand (II Cor. 4:16). Think about it. Isn't destruction the "norm" of our society? Isn't death and mayhem everywhere we turn? And despite how many laws we enact and how many we elect into office, we cannot get a grip on it. Ah, but that is because we cannot solve the problem with the same mind that created it. There must come a new way of thinking and therefore a new way of doing.

Romans 13:10-14 (NKJV)  
10 **Love does no harm to a neighbor** ; therefore **love** _is_ **the fulfillment of the law**. 11 And _do_ this, knowing the time, that now _it is_ high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation _is_ nearer than when we _first_ believed. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to _fulfill its_ lusts.

Consider what Paul wrote in these passages. "Love does no harm to a neighbor." Our word "neighbor" is the perfect word, simply meaning, "Close by." So, our neighbor can be black or white, Hispanic or Asian, male or female, young or old. It doesn't matter, "love does no harm."

"The night is far spent, the day is at hand," beloved, therefore, let us labor to "cast off the works of darkness" by putting this "old man" behind us once and for all. Let the former identity and its labels fall away, for they are only important to those who have yet to discover the vanity of their own.

# Chapter Fourteen

# THE POWER OF DEATH

Hebrews 2:14-15 (RSV)  
14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same nature, that through death he might destroy **him who has the power of death, that is, the devil** , 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong bondage.

I believe the scripture, and it tells us that the "devil" has "the power of death." So what does this actually mean?

Many think of the devil as a fallen angel, Lucifer, who rebelled against God sometime in the beginning and took a third of the angels with him. So then God, whose omnipotence is now in question, has had to deal with this fallen angel for thousands of years as he wrecks havoc in the earth. This pretty much sums it up, doesn't it?

Welcome to the power of tradition built on the carnal reasonings of the world, and thanks to Hollywood for reinforcing this foolish idea of Lucifer and his minions. For those of you who might be willing to reconsider this idea, I would encourage you to read my study, "The Serpent – An Alternative View of the Devil."

We have already visited the idea in Romans, Chapter 7, about how "sin," not the devil, took "occasion by the commandment," then " _deceived_ me, and by it _killed_ me." Sin did this. And remember, in the parable of Adam and Eve, the serpent just shows up suddenly, without any description other than that he "was more _cunning_ than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made" (Gen. 3:1).

Our word "cunning" is "subtil" in the King James. It is the transliteration _ʿārûm_ and defined as, " _Cunning_ (usually in a bad sense)." Ah, but the word from which this is derived is quite revealing. The Strong's Concordance goes on to say that this word "subtil" is the "passive participle" of the word ʿāram which means, "To be (or make) bare." Bare? As in naked? Yes. Please consider the last verse of Genesis, Chapter Two, the one just before Genesis 3:1 and our sudden appearance of the serpent. Keep in mind that we put the chapters in the Bible.

Genesis 2:25 (KJV)  
25 And they were both **naked** , the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

Our word "naked"? It's _ʿārōm_ , meaning, " _Nude_ ," also derived from the root word ʿāram.

As for our phrase "beast of the field"? We need only consider Solomon's words from the book of Ecclesiastes (See also Psalms 49:12, 20; 73:22; Revelation, Chapter 13).

Ecclesiastes 3:18 (ESV)  
18 I said in my heart with regard to the children of man that God is testing them that they may see that they themselves are but **beasts**.

As for the "field"? Jesus said, "The field is the world" (Matt. 13:38). When we bring "beast" and "field" together, our parable shows that a "beast of the field" refers to any person of the world, i.e. humankind itself. Our name "Adam" agrees, rendered as "man," collectively speaking, in Genesis 1:26, 27; 2:5, 7, 8, 15, 16, and 18. It isn't switched to "Adam" until we reach Genesis 2:19, but it is the same Hebrew word translated as "man." Strong's defines it as, "Ruddy, i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.)."

Now, here's the kicker. The "serpent" doesn't define an entity of any sort. Rather, it defines a nature (so too our words "devil" and "Satan"). What do I mean by "nature"? Google defines it as, "The basic or inherent features of something, especially when seen as characteristic of it." What is the "something"? It is Adam and Eve, i.e. humankind, both male and female, who are the examples of all humankind.

Who was "naked" and "not ashamed"? Adam and Eve. What does this suggest? That man and woman, any man or woman, is a very cunning creature, fashioned by a Supreme Intelligence which is in part reflected in us. Take an honest look at where we have evolved to and you will realize this is true.

Google defines "cunning" as, "Having or showing skill in achieving one's ends by deceit or evasion." It's synonyms are "crafty, wily, artful, guileful, devious, sly, scheming, designing, calculating, Machiavellian, trickery, duplicity." Need I say more?

Again, the "serpent" defines a nature, and that nature is the "cunning" of humankind. Our word "devil" also defines a nature, defined by Strong's as, "A traducer," taken from the word which means, "To traduce." Traduce means, "Speak badly of or tell lies about (someone) so as to damage their reputation." The Merriam-Webster Dictionary online states, "Choose 'traduce' when you want to stress the deep personal humiliation, disgrace, and distress felt by the victim." Would this not be an apt description of condemnation? I believe so.

Finally, our word "Satan" also defines a nature. It comes from a Hebrew word which simply means, "An opponent." When we bring these three characteristics together, we see that a "cunning" or devious person often traduces others and in doing so, shows themselves as their opponent. And who among us has not done this? This often leads to "deep personal humiliation, disgrace, and distress felt by the victim," agreeing with our word "condemnation" of which one definition is "strong disapproval."

Matthew 25:41 (KJV)  
41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into **everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels**...

Jesus made it clear. The "everlasting fire" was "prepared for the devil and his angels." When we understand that the "fire" speaks of God's "light" and "life," then contrast it with the characteristics illustrated by the serpent, devil, and Satan, we see that they are diametrically opposed. God's nature is never devious, nor would He ever traduce. As for opposing us? Yes, He does, but only because His righteous nature stands squarely opposite to our own duplicitous ways.

The writer of Hebrews made it clear. The "devil" has the "power of death." That being said, please consider.

Proverbs 18:19-21 (ESV)  
19 A brother offended is more unyielding than a strong city, and quarreling is like the bars of a castle. 20 **From the fruit of a man's** mouth **his stomach is satisfied** ; **he is satisfied by the yield of his lips.** 21 **Death and life are in the power of the tongue** , and those who love it will eat its fruits.

Here we have it, brother and sister. "From the fruit of a man's mouth his stomach is satisfied." What is the serpent's "meat"? Dust, the material form and all of its attachments, and for the sake of these attachments, we sow death to ourselves and others.

"Death and life are in the power of the tongue." Jesus confirmed this, stating, "For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks" (Matt. 12:34). When we dwell in the "carnal" or fleshly mind, we abide in death (Rom. 8:6), _a state of being_ where we remain an opponent to God and each other and exhibit the sly and scheming attributes of an accuser. For this reason, death continues to be propagated by humankind on a regular basis.

Jesus said, "God is spirit" (John 4:24; ESV). He is not flesh like you and me. As we have also considered, "God is love" (I John 4:8, 16). This being true, then "nature" is found in "spirit," so our God, who is the "Father of spirits" (Heb. 12:9), is changing our nature or spirit within to be like His holy and righteous nature.

Hebrews 8:10 (ESV)  
10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: **I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts** , and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

The New Covenant begins with our minds, with the _knowledge_ of God; not knowledge _about_ God, but _knowing what God knows_ (I Cor. 15:34). Ah, but it must be written in our hearts. To "write" denotes an _ongoing process_ , the "work" if you will that is required for it to change our spirit or heart. This is why we read that His Word is "living and active" (Heb. 4:12; ESV). Written down, it is indeed _living_ (think of how you feel when you read a book), but it is not _active_ until we speak it. Such is the power of our tongue and the Spirit of the truth. For this reason, the first appearance of the serpent is with Eve, not Adam, for Eve represents Adam's "bosom" or heart (Deut. 13:6), reflecting his spirit or nature. Friend, "Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression" (I Tim. 2:14). Adam knew in his mind what God had said, but in his heart he doubted, therefore he sinned, for "whatsoever is _not of faith_ is sin" (Rom. 14:23; KJV).

Hebrews 4:12 (ESV)  
12 For the **word** of God is **living** and **active**...

Let's do a quick word study to finish this chapter. "Word" in our phrase " _word_ of God" is _logos_ , meaning, "Something _said_ (including the thought)." Our word "living" is _zaō_ , meaning, "To _live_." Finally, our word "alive" (quick; KJV) is _energēs_ , which means, " _Active_ , _operative_." Do you see the twofold implications? The _logos_ of God is the divine _energy_ of God which issues from the divine _nature_ of God, _which is love_. The written Word is alive but the spoken Word is much more powerful. No wonder He has purposed for this Word to be spoken through us that we might see and know its efficacy. "Love never fails" (I Cor. 13:8).

# Chapter Fifteen

# IMAGINATION

Romans 1:20-21 (ESV)  
20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became **futile in their thinking** , and their foolish hearts were darkened.

Our phrase "futile in their thinking" is rendered "vain in their imaginations" in the King James Version of scripture. Our word "imaginations" is _dialogismos_ which Strong's defines as, " _Discussion_ , i.e. (internal) _consideration_ (by implication _purpose_ ), or (external) _debate_." The root of this word is _dialogizomai_ , which means, "To _reckon thoroughly_ , i.e. (genitive) to _deliberate_ (by reflection or discussion)."

Our second definition is a compound word, made up of _dia_ and _logizomai_. And _logizomai_? It is the "middle voice" of our word "logos" (something _said_ , including the thought; see John 1:1). Google states, "Middle voice is a voice that indicates that the subject is the actor and acts: upon himself or herself reflexively, for his or her own benefit."

Imagination is the most powerful component we possess. It arises quickly in us as children, manifested as discussion, consideration, debate, and deliberation. After all, how else do we figure things out, right?

Imagination is "the ability of the mind to be creative or resourceful" (Google). So it is that we are "fearfully and wonderfully made" (Psalms 139:14), for the same imagination that has conceived and birthed all the wondrous conveniences we now possess is the same imagination that continues to birth and create the destruction that runs parallel with it.

Much of what we believe about our God or gods is derived from our imagination. However, Paul tells us that "His invisible attributes, namely, His eternal power and divine nature, _have been clearly perceived_ , ever since the creation of the world, _in the things that have been made_." So it is that we are "without excuse" (Rom. 1:20; ESV).

As I mentioned early in this study, the most powerful understanding of our Maker is seen in the divine principle of sowing and reaping. No one can argue this, for it is a reality and reality is the antithesis of imagination. Don't be deceived, dear children, God is not mocked. Sowing and reaping underlies all that we say and do, and all that we say and do propagates either death or life. Our previous generations have sown so much before us, both good and bad, and we are clearly reaping both.

The nature of sowing and reaping dictates that there must come a "fullness;" that the "fruit" will reach maturity. This fullness was reached in the days of Noah and again, in the days of Moses and Israel. The _third_ time was when Christ came to the Jews. No surprise there, for _three_ is the number of "divine completeness or perfection" (E.W. Bullinger's _Number in Scripture_ ). It means, "God is in it" (Vallowe). It is, therefore, _the number of resurrection_ , and resurrection is the life that arises out of death.

I am inclined to believe that this age is fast approaching its end. It is nearing its fullness. Many others feel the same way. The insanity of our time has reached a shocking level where parents are no longer afraid to stand before their children and unashamedly proclaim their lawless behavior as the "right" way to be. Ah, but God is not mocked, my friend, God is not mocked. Our reaping has become evident in our children in the form of intense self-absorption which has led to the murdering of parents and siblings, school shootings, suicide, depression, anxiety, obesity, and childhood diseases which are appearing now more than ever at younger ages. We are a very sick country and a very sick world.

Let me ask you this. What parent wishes for their child to grow up as a liar, thief, or murderer? What parent would rejoice in this? It goes without saying that very few, and those who do so are evidently lost in the deepest sense of the word.

In the days of Noah, we read the following:

Genesis 6:5 (KJV)  
5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man _was_ great in the earth, and _that_ **every imagination of the thoughts of his heart** _was_ only evil continually.

Our word "imagination" is defined as, "A _form_ ; figurative _conception_ (i.e. purpose)." This strengthens our understanding of _conceptualization_ , of the "labels" with which we identify. And never has this been more evident than it is today. We are obsessed with our human forms, with our identity and its collectives to the point of insanity. We have sacrificed love, logic, and reason at the altar of our egos, committing shameful and unspeakable acts for the love of self and money.

Luke 17:26 (NKJV)  
26 And as it was in the **days of Noah** , so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man...

"As it was in the days of Noah," Jesus said, "so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man," and Genesis 6:5 makes it clear what is meant. "Every imagination of the thoughts" of our hearts is only evil continually. We have turned our backs on one another, corrupting everything for the sake of instant gratification. We simply don't know how to be at peace, to be content with little, and to love our neighbors as ourselves.

Jesus was not a political or religious figure. He did not form collectives to march against or oppose the systems of Roman government or preach against the various religions of His time. Rather, He embraced the will of His Father and went straight to the root of all of humanity's problems which is the _love of self_ , the _love of form_ that lies beneath all of our sufferings (Matt. 16:24-26; Mark 8:34-38; Luke 9:23-26). And He did so in the power and demonstration of God's Spirit. Nothing less than this will achieve the same purpose in our day. Rest assured that God has determined to have a people, a holy and righteous people, who will be filled with His Spirit and love and manifest His kingdom on earth once more as we move to the end of the age. "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven" (Matt. 6:10; KJV).

# Chapter Sixteen

# THE ENDTIME PATTERN

If there is anything such as an "endtime pattern," then perhaps it is this. Once man has gone as far as he can go in his lawlessness and reached the end of himself, God raises up a witness as He did with Noah, Moses, and Christ. And why does our Creator wait? Perhaps Paul explains this for us, stating, "This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. However, for this reason I obtained mercy, _that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life_ " (I Tim. 1:16-17).

Our word "longsuffering" means, " _Longanimity_ , i.e. (objective) _forbearance_ or (subjective) _fortitude_." Google defines it as, "Having or showing patience in spite of troubles, especially those caused by other people." No wonder Jesus said that those who endure to the end will be saved (Matt. 24:13).

1 Peter 3:20 (ESV)  
20... because they formerly did not obey, **when God's patience** (longsuffering) **waited in the days of Noah** , while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water.

Hebrews 11:7 (KJV)  
7 **By faith Noah** , being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; **by the which he condemned the world** , and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

2 Peter 2:5 (NKJV)  
5... and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, _one of_ eight _people,_ **a preacher of righteousness** , **bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly**...

As these passages indicate, Noah's faith led him to build the ark and to preach righteousness. By this, "he condemned the world," " _bringing in the flood_ on the world of the ungodly."

Exodus 3:1-10 (NKJV)  
1 Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. And he led the flock to the back of the desert, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush _was_ not consumed. 3 Then Moses said, "I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn." 4 So when the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am." 5 Then He said, "Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand _is_ holy ground." 6 Moreover He said, "I _am_ the God of your father--the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God. 7 **And the Lord said: "I have surely seen the oppression of My people who** _are_ **in** Egypt, **and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows.** 8 **So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians** , and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites. 9 **Now** therefore **, behold, the cry of the children of Israel has come to Me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them.** 10 **Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.** "

Like Noah, Moses became a preacher of righteousness to Egypt and the children of Israel. And again like Noah, Egypt's judgment came in the form of a "flood" when Pharaoh and his armies were destroyed during Israel's crossing through the Red Sea (Exod. 14:21-31).

John 1:29-34 (NKJV)  
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, " **Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world**! 30 This is He of whom I said, 'After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.' 31 I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, **therefore I came baptizing with water**." 32 And John bore witness, saying, "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. 33 I did not know Him, **but He who sent me to baptize with water** said to me, 'Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' 34 And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God."

In keeping with our pattern seen with Noah and Moses, John "came baptizing with water," sent by the Father "to baptize with water," indicative once more of a "flood." Ah, but Jesus was "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." So it was that when He came to John to be baptized, He told him, "Let it be so now, _for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness_ " (Matt. 3:15; ESV). He went down _into the water_ (flood) for our sake, _becoming our substitute_ , and rose from this watery grave in the power of resurrection life. And so shall it be again at the end of this age.

Revelation 12:1-17 (KJV)  
1 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; **a woman clothed with the sun** , and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: 2 And **she being with child cried** , travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. 3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. 4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before **the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born**. 5 And **she brought forth a man child** (male son), **who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and** _to_ **his throne**. 6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred _and_ threescore days. 7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, 8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. 10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. 11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. 12 Therefore rejoice, _ye_ heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. 13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man _child_. 14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. 15 **And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood**. 16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, **and swallowed up the flood** which the dragon cast out of his mouth. 17 **And the dragon was wroth with the** woman, **and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which** keep **the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.**

It is not my intention to get into too much detail in these passages, but to simply point out the highlights in order to show their correlation with Noah, Moses, Christ, and the "flood."

The "woman clothed with the sun" speaks of the New Covenant people of God, i.e. "Jerusalem which is above" (Gal. 4:21-31).

The "male son" is symbolic of those who overcome the conditions found in the seven messages to the seven churches in Revelation, Chapters 2 and 3. They are those who are "caught up unto God, and to His throne" (Rev. 2:26-28; 3:21), who experience the same resurrection life as Jesus did, bringing a true witness of God's kingdom in the earth (Luke 20:34-38). As our passages show, they are more than able by the power of His Spirit to "cast out" "that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan," delivered from sin and its accusatory nature by the grace of their God (Rev. 12:10). In doing so, and like Noah, Moses, and Christ, they will precede the "flood" that will come upon the "world of the ungodly" (Rev. 12:15). In fact, _they will be the reason for it_ , for as we have learned, when a true testimony is given, lawlessness increases as a result of it. So it is that we see the "serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman." This is not literal by any means but speaks of the "flood" of carnality which correlates with the "days of Noah" (Gen. 6:5). Man in his pride will not submit easily. Ah, but where sin abounds, _grace does much more abound_ (Rom. 5:20).

Beloved, the pattern is simple. God in His mercy always brings a true testimony when fullness is reached (Gal. 4:4). This is why Jesus likened the "coming of the Son of Man" to the "days of Noah" (Matt. 24:37). Once a true testimony arises, we have a clear contrast between those who "keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony (witness) of Jesus Christ" and those who "suppress the truth in unrighteousness" (Rom. 1:18).

Does the Lord confirm our pattern? Yes, He does, in both the Parable of the Sheep and Goats and the Parable of the Tares and again in the seventh and final message to the church of Laodicea (Rev. 3:14-22; see also the Parable of the Ten Virgins and the Parable of the Talents). Christ made it clear in Matthew 24:14.

Matthew 24:14 (NKJV)  
14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world **as a witness** to all the nations, **and then the end will come**.

Perhaps you might think I'm a "romantic," lost in a fantasy of an idyllic end. Ah, but Jesus made it clear. " _This gospel_ ," i.e. His gospel, "of the kingdom," His good and faithful and true message, " _will_ be preached," not maybe, " _as a witness_ to all the nations," not just some nations and in a witness of true resurrection power, "and then the end" of the age "will come." The end of the world is not coming but the end of the age is and I know with certainty that my own desire for righteousness and truth is being echoed across this planet in the hearts and minds of many more, "for the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God" (Rom. 8:19; ESV).

John 1:11-13 (KJV)  
11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 **But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God,** _even_ **to them that believe on his name** : 13 **Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God**.

Luke 20:34-38 (NKJV)  
34 And Jesus answered and said to them, "The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage. 35 **But those who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead** , **neither marry nor are given in marriage;** 36 **nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection**. 37 But even Moses showed in the _burning_ bush _passage_ that the dead are raised, when he called the Lord _'the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.'_ 38 For He is not the God of the dead but of the living, **for all live to Him**."

# Chapter Seventeen

# FORGIVENESS

There are basically three different Greek words translated as "forgive" in the New Testament. The first is aphiēmi, defined as, "To send forth," used 143 times in the King James. The second is _apolyō_ , defined as, "To _free_ fully, i.e. (literal) _relieve, release, dismiss_ (reflexive _depart_ ), or (figurative) _let die, pardon_ , or (specifically) _divorce_ ," used 66 times. The third word is _charizomai_ , meaning, "To grant as a _favor_ , i.e. gratuitously, in kindness, pardon or rescue," used 23 times. Finally, the word "forgiveness" is used only 17 times in the King James. It is the word _aphesis_ which means, " _Freedom_ ; (figurative) _pardon_." Seventeen is the number of "victory" (Jones).

Hebrews 2:14 (NKJV)  
14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had **the power of death** , that is, the **devil**...

Proverbs 18:21 (NKJV)  
21 Death and life _are_ in the **power** of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

It should be clear to us that the "power of death" belongs to the "devil," who is also called the "serpent," "Satan," and "dragon" (Rev. 12:9). Here in Hebrews 2:14, the writer was specific, using "devil" and not the other words which describe this entity's nature.

As this study suggests, I don't believe that any of these words speak of an entity unless we are inclined to label it as the "self." Rather, they define the various "natures" or characteristics if you will of the manifestation of our own deceptive hearts. This being the case, we find that the "power of death" is the death found "in the power of" our "tongue." Why is this? Because the tongue, representative of the spoken word, is what is used to "sow" knowledge and understanding to each other. And so it ties into our universal principle of sowing and reaping.

As Genesis shows, our beginning is linked to the "tree of the knowledge of good and evil" (Gen. 2:9). As we have learned, this "tree" is indicative of the law of God which reflects His divine nature. It is "good" when we acknowledge and embrace it, but "evil" when we resist. Ah, but "good" is not good enough, for it is still not "life." Life is achieved once His law has been written in our heart, i.e. inscribed within our being and so becoming a part of our nature.

So it is that the "tree of life" is seen as a separate "tree," but the truth of it is, it really isn't. The "tree of life" represents the spiritual nature of the tree of knowledge which manifests as His divine love in and through us (Rom. 7:14). Remember, God's Word is one sword with two edges, discerning our thoughts (mind) and intents (heart; Heb. 8:10). So it is that we have two trees to define one Word, God's Word, the "living" (tree of knowledge; Old Covenant) and the "active" (tree of life; New Covenant). And two? It just happens to be the number of "witness" (Bullinger, Vallowe, Jones).

John 4:23-24 (NKJV)  
23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in **spirit** and **truth** ; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 God _is_ Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in **spirit** and **truth**."

Not once, but twice, Jesus defined true worship as "spirit" and "truth." First "spirit," then "truth." This tells me that even when we walk in ignorance of His Word, we can still walk in the Spirit of His love. For this reason, Jesus spoke of the "Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father" and which testifies of Christ (John 15:26). Though I believe truth is essential, the Spirit of God is much more so.

So what is this Spirit? It is the spirit of forgiveness, and forgiveness is much more easily attained when we are free of our labels. Why do I say this? Because it is our belief in our labels which causes us to be offended and to offend others. The labels or concepts which frame the self are the root of the problem, that which Jesus said to "deny" (Matt. 16:24).

Think long and hard about this. Remember that our word "devil" simply means, "To traduce," i.e. to "speak badly of or tell lies about (someone) so as to damage their reputation" (Google). Its synonyms are defame, slander, speak ill of, misrepresent, malign, vilify, denigrate, disparage, slur, impugn, smear, besmirch, run down, blacken the name of, cast aspersions on. You get the point.

Now, think about this. Did you ask to be born? Did you choose your parents, culture, language, color, or gender? Of course not. Neither did I. Yet, just in these five categories alone lies so much of why we become who we think we are. Ah, but it doesn't end there. As we continue to mature, we soon become faced with a multitude of choices from our society and culture around us which lends to the identity we embrace. And the result? A lot more labels. Like layers of an onion, we succeed in covering up the core of our true self which is our spirit breathed in us by the Father (Gen. 2:7). So it's been said that we are spiritual beings going through a human experience, not human beings going through a spiritual one. This makes perfect sense to me since the kingdom of God is 180 degrees opposite that of this world.

Who is the self? Again, the labels we have given this human form and the attachments we have made because of it. It is the "old man." Think about it. Our offenses usually come because we see ourselves as white or black, male or female, liberal or conservative, patriotic or unpatriotic, and so on and so on. Ah, but in light of the kingdom of God, we are none of these things, for we are first and foremost spirit, and spirit cannot be labeled. Natured? Yes. Labeled? No. For this reason, when Moses asked God, "Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they say to me, 'What is His name?' what shall I say to them? And God said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM.' And He said, 'Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you'" (Exod. 3:13-14). Do a study on all the names of God in the Old Testament and you will find that all of them define a particular nature of our Creator.

In scripture, spirit is symbolized by water (John 4:10; 7:38; see also Gen. 1:20-23). This is very appropriate, for water remains fresh as long as it flows, but once it stagnates, it leads to all manner of corruption and disease. And so goes our spirit within. Remember, God's Word is living and active, always evolving and bringing His divine purposes to pass.

For those who understand the work of His Spirit and Word, they are moving forward with Him, letting the personal and collective labels fall away through the divine process of their Maker. In doing so, they are finding the truth that makes them free.

Matthew 6:12-15 (KJV)  
12 And **forgive** us our debts, as we **forgive** our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. 14 For if ye **forgive** men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also **forgive** you: 15 But if ye **forgive** not men their trespasses, neither will your Father **forgive** your trespasses.

When teaching on forgiveness, Jesus first said "debts," which means, "Something owed, i.e. (figurative) a due; morally a fault." He then followed with "trespasses," defined as, "A side-slip (lapse or deviation), i.e. (unintentional) error or (willful) transgression." So our "trespasses" or "errors" often become "debts," which translates to a feeling that we "owe" someone or that someone "owes" us. Would this be a grudge? Very much so, and I also believe that if we carefully consider them, we will find that they exist due to the internal labels which define our "self." Not surprisingly, Google defines "grudge" as, "A persistent feeling of ill will or resentment resulting from a past insult or injury."

Our failure to forgive unintentional or willful sin often leads to a "victim mentality," of an expectation of others which is, more often than not, completely unreasonable. As suggested, this forms a long-standing grudge against other individuals or collectives and leads to accusation. For many, this "grudge" stays close at hand in their heart and mind and manifests as how quickly they are offended. Sadly, we see far too much of this on our television news and especially on our Social Media. Sadder still, we are seeing this daily in the highest form of our government in Washington, D.C. This shows just how immature and inept our leaders have become. The same is true of many of our religious leaders, for we read, "As for My people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O My people! Those who lead you cause you to err, and destroy the way of your paths" (Isa. 3:12). Is this not another reason to drop our labels?

Luke 23:34 (ESV)  
34 And Jesus said, "Father, **forgive them, for they know not what they do**." And they cast lots to **divide his garments**.

John 19:23-24 (ESV)  
23 When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, **they took his garments and divided them into four parts** , one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom, 24 so they said to one another, "Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be." This was to fulfill the Scripture which says, "They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots." So the soldiers did these things...

The Lord's love for us is unconditional. For this reason, and after He was crucified, He said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." This, beloved, is the state of so many today who are lost in the recesses of their "old man" and the "dead men's bones" of their identity.

We are called to forgive, and it is much easier to do when we realize how difficult the path is for ourselves. Denying the self is not just a good idea that Jesus wished to convey, but an ongoing reality in every life, a process which we have learned is divine in origin. Understand that the self is the cause of our suffering.

I found it quite interesting that the soldiers divided the Lord's garments "into four parts." At his website, biblenumbersforlife.com, Mark Lane cites the spiritual meaning of this number as, "Message: Tongue, Ear." Coincidence? Or do we find that the true message of Christ is the testimony of a crucified life? As we finish this study, let me share the following with you about the spiritual meaning of four from Stephen E. Jones and his book, The Biblical Meaning of Numbers from One to Forty."

Four (daleth)

The Earth, Material Creation

Daleth is a door in Hebrew.

In biblical numerology, four is the number of the earth, or the material creation of God. On the fourth day of creation the material world was finished (Gen. 1:14-19), thereby allowing God to furnish it with living creatures. The gematria of the Hebrew phrase, h'eretz, "the earth," is 296, which is 4 x 74.

There were also four great divisions of mankind represented by the cherubim (Ez. 1:5), or the four "beasts" around the throne (Rev. 4:6). These represent all creation.

Likewise, there are four gospels, each corresponding to a different "beast" around the throne. Matthew presents the Lion, saying, "Behold the King." Mark presents the Ox, saying, "Behold the Servant." Luke presents the Man, saying, "Behold the Son of Man." John presents the Eagle, saying, "Behold the Son of God."

In accordance with this also were four colors in the curtains of the Tabernacle of Moses. The purple proclaimed, "Behold your King." The scarlet proclaimed, "Behold the Servant." The white proclaimed, "Behold the Son of Man." The blue proclaimed, "Behold the Son of God."

In geometry, a four-sided square represents the earth, while a circle represents heaven, eternity, and the realm of spirit.

The fourth book of the Bible is the book of Numbers, whose Hebrew title is B'Midbar, "The Wilderness." The wilderness symbolically represents the earth. On the Day of Atonement the second goat (Christ) was led into the wilderness by a "fit man" to remove sin from all the people (Lev. 16:10, 21). Thus, after His baptism on the Day of Atonement, Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tested by the devil. This was to fulfill the law of the second goat.

At the end of Psalm 4, we find that it is "to the chief Musician upon Nehiloth," which means inheritances. It has to do with inheriting the earth (Matt. 5:5), beginning with our own "earth," our own "Canaan," our Promised Land, the glorified body. Yet before the righteous can inherit the earth, they must be trained and disciplined in the earth, often suffering to test their faith. Thus, Israel had to be tested in the wilderness (Ps. 95:8; Heb. 3:8) before they could inherit the land of Canaan.

Our brother, Stephen Jones, gives an excellent explanation and understanding of the spiritual meaning of four. And our divine process? Remember, it is fourfold; life, death, burial, and resurrection (life). So it is and so shall it be. Forgiveness looms on the horizon, in a fashion unlike anything we have ever seen before.

Luke 6:37-38 (ESV)  
37 "Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; 38 give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you."

Thank you for reading my book. It is my sincere hope that it encouraged and enlightened you in your walk with Christ. If so, won't you please take a moment to leave me a review at your favorite retailer? Thank you!

Jack Marshall

**About the Author** :

I was born in California in 1957 but raised in Oklahoma, where my experience with Christianity began at the age of 19. After several years of attending various denominational and non-denominational churches, my love for the Bible and desire to understand the scriptures became a vital part of my life. Ordained in my twenties, I spent several years ministering in homes, jails, and churches. Through in-depth study for the past 40 years, I have discovered that the message of scripture is truly one of hope, love, and encouragement for the entire world.

Connect With Me:

**Friend me on Facebook** : <https://www.facebook.com/GrainOfWheatPublishing>

**Grain of Wheat Publishing Website** : <http://www.grainofwheatpublishing.org/>

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Other books by Jack Marshall

The Dream – Through the Eyes of Sowing and Reaping

Times and Seasons – An Alternative View of the Day of the Lord

Hell, No! An Alternative View of Hell

The Rapture – Yes or No?

Studies in Revelation – The Beasts of Revelation

The Parable of the Sower

Studies in Revelation – The Second Death

The Unpardonable Sin

Studies in Revelation – The Beast of the Earth

Eastward in Eden

Deep Sleep

The Serpent – An Alternative View of the Devil

Studies in Revelation – The Fullness of the Times

Studies in Revelation – Babylon the Great

Death, Burial, Resurrection – The Divine Process of God in Humankind

**Bibliography**

Reference:

E.W. Bullinger (1837-1913), Number in Scripture: Its Supernatural Design and Spiritual Significance, Public Domain, 1921

Biblical Mathematics, Keys to Scripture Numerics, Evangelist Ed F. Vallowe, 1998

The Biblical Meaning of Numbers from One to Forty, Dr. Stephen E. Jones, Copyright 2008, God's Kingdom Ministries, www.gods-kingdom-ministries.net

Bible Numbers for Life, Mark H. Lane, biblenumbersforlife.com

Dr. James Strong (1822-1894), Strong's Concordance, First Published 1890

Marvin R. Vincent (1834-1922), Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament, First Published 1887

Google, www.google.com

Merriam-Webster Dictionary, www.merriam-webster.com

Dictionary.com, www.dictionary.com

Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/

Merciful Truth, www.mercifultruth.com, Seth Tipton

Bible Translations Used:

KJV, King James Version, Public Domain, 1611

NKJV, New King James Version, Published by Thomas Nelson, Inc., Complete Bible 1982

NIV, New International Version, Biblica, Zondervan and Hodder & Stoughton (UK) (licensed commercial rights), 1973 (NT), 1978 (OT)

ESV, English Standard Version, 2001: Crossway Bibles, a ministry of the Good News Publishers of Wheaton, Illinois, U.S.; Apocrypha 2009 by Oxford University Press

WEY, Weymouth New Testament in Modern Speech, Richard Francis Weymouth, Third Edition 1913 (Kregal reprint of the Ernest Hampden-Cook (1912) Third Edition, of the edition first published in 1909 by J. Clarke, London

Quotes:

Louis L'Amour, American novelist and short-story writer, 1908-1988

Mother Teresa, Roman Catholic nun and missionary, 1910-1997

Johnny Cash, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, actor, author, 1932-2003

