

### THE SERPENT

### An Alternative View of the Devil

### Jack Marshall

### THE SERPENT

An Alternative View of the Devil

### Jack Marshall

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2017, 2019 Grain of Wheat Publishing

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

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.

To the body of Christ.
Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter One: Unanswered Questions

Chapter Two: Parables

Chapter Three: The Foundation

Chapter Four: The First Day

Chapter Five: The Second Day

Chapter Six: The Third Day

Chapter Seven: The Fourth Day

Chapter Eight: The Fifth Day

Chapter Nine: The Beast of the Field

Chapter Ten: The Fowl of the Air

Chapter Eleven: Great Whales

Chapter Twelve: First, That Which is Natural

Chapter Thirteen: Deep Sleep

Chapter Fourteen: Fallen Angels

Chapter Fifteen: Lucifer

Chapter Sixteen: Kings of the Earth

Chapter Seventeen: Babylon

Chapter Eighteen: The Great Red Dragon

Chapter Nineteen: Babel

Chapter Twenty: The Temptation of Christ

Chapter Twenty-One: The Spirit of Error

Chapter Twenty-Two: My Words are Spirit

Chapter Twenty-Three: The Unclean Spirit

Chapter Twenty-Four: The Rest of God

Chapter Twenty-Five: To and Fro and Up and Down

Chapter Twenty-Six: More on Job

Chapter Twenty-Seven: A Divided Kingdom

Chapter Twenty-Eight: A Roaring Lion

Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Heart

Bibliography

Introduction

I passed on finishing this study twice due to my own skepticism and lack of understanding about its subject. There were questions I couldn't answer, so I felt that I should wait until I could. I also knew that I was challenging one of the strongest and most accepted doctrines embraced by the majority of Christianity, the understanding of Satan as a "fallen angel." It wasn't until I realized that the Bible, from beginning to end, is basically a parable. I don't mean a parable here and there but rather, that the Bible itself is in parabolic form throughout, concealing spiritual realities beneath the surface of its natural and literal interpretations. From the many stories and prophecies of the Old Testament to the four gospels and letters of the New, we shouldn't be surprised by this fact. Once we enter into the Spirit of the Word, it becomes apparent to the humble reader that there is a hidden wisdom, a divine essence, an understanding cloaked in symbols, numbers, and patterns that rises above the pages of the written Word itself.

It has always been my most sincere desire to understand the truth regardless of its reflection on myself and others. For this reason, I have challenged and continue to challenge all of the accepted teachings of Christianity, knowing that since the days of Christ and the apostles, we have drifted far from its original foundation, and as a result, become so greatly divided in our ranks that the world simply scoffs at our endeavors. No wonder, for we are full of ritual and rote, but not of His Spirit. But that's to be accepted too, for the scriptures themselves, when viewed openly and honestly, testify of this very thing.

Brothers and sisters, we are in great need of the Lord's intervention, and I believe He will intervene. Know that each and every spiritual phenomenon in the Bible is marked by our Creator coming to us and not us to Him. This has always been the case, for it His divine purpose that is being reckoned in this universe and we are simply participants in it. The wisdom of the mind of the Spirit far exceeds our ability to comprehend it. He alone can give us eyes to see and ears to hear what the Spirit is saying in this hour.

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 scripture quotations are from the New King James version of the Bible unless otherwise noted.

Genesis 3:1 (NKJV)  
Now the serpent was more cunning than any

### beast of the field which the Lord God had made.

# Chapter One

# UNANSWERED QUESTIONS

Who or what is "that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan"? (Rev. 12:9) For most of society at large it speaks of an evil entity, a "being" if you will, a "fallen angel," capable of great power as the ruler of the darkness of this world (Eph. 6:12).

He has been portrayed as many things, not the least of which is a hideous looking creature with horns and a pitchfork. No doubt, he is considered the epitome of evil, an adversary to both God and man. But is he really a fallen angel? If so, when, where, and how did he fall? If he is not a fallen angel, then who or what is he? And what about his "angels" or demons? (Rev. 12:7-9) If Satan is not a fallen angel, then the demons are not fallen angels either. If this is true, then what are demons?

Finally, one must consider the power of Satan. If he is a fallen angel, how much power does he truly have? Is he omnipotent? Is he omniscient? Is he omnipresent? If he is none of these, then how does he manage to have such control over the world?

Most everyone has accepted the traditional view, almost without question, and in this day and age, the major denominations of our time, along with the world, have helped to propagate this idea of the devil as a fallen angel and adversary of man and God. But do we not realize that just because the majority accept this as true, it may not be? Do the scriptures support this perspective?

In June of 2015, I released my free ebook and study called, "Hell, No! An Alternative View of Hell," which I revised in December of 2016. In it, I discuss that hell is not a place of eternal torment as so many of us have been led to believe. Once I realized this, I was then challenged to reconsider my understanding of the serpent.

I haven't believed in the "fallen angel" theory for quite some time, but like everything I have considered in the Bible, I learn more as I continue to study and revisit those things which I have deliberated in the past. I've also found that it's not unusual for me to find answers about one topic while studying and writing on another.

As we move forward in this study, I hope to address all of these questions, so I ask you to keep an open mind. We have a lot of territory to cover.

# Chapter Two

# PARABLES

Matthew 13:1-3 (NKJV)  
1 On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. 2 And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. 3 Then He spoke many things to them in parables...

Matthew 13:34-35 (NKJV)  
34 All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them, 35 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: "I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world."

The first mention of the word "parable" in the Old Testament is found in Numbers 23:7 while the first mention of this word in the New Testament is found in plural form in our passages above. The Hebrew word for parable in the King James Old Testament is found 38 times, but is translated, not only as "parable," but also "proverb" and once as "byword" (Psalms 44:14). In the King James New Testament, the Greek word for parable is found 50 times, translated as "parable" or "parables," but also once as "comparison" (Mark 4:30), once as "proverb" (Luke 4:23), and twice as "figure" (Heb. 9:9; 11:19).

The definition of this word in the Old Testament reads, "A pithy _maxim_ , usually of a metaphorical nature; hence a _simile_ (as an adage, poem, discourse)."

The definition of this word in the New Testament reads, "A _similitude_ (" _parable_ "), i.e. (symbolic) _fictitious narrative_ (of common life conveying a moral), _apothegm_ or _adage_." The definition of the word from which it is derived reads, "To _throw alongside_ , i.e. (reflexive) to _reach_ a place, or (figurative) to _liken_."

Google defines "maxim" as, "A short, pithy statement expressing a general truth or rule of conduct." It defines "simile" as, "A figure of speech involving the comparison of one thing with another thing of a different kind, used to make a description more emphatic or vivid (e.g., as brave as a lion, crazy like a fox)." "Apothegm" is, "A concise saying or maxim; an aphorism," while "adage" means, "A proverb or short statement expressing a general truth."

Look again at the definition from which the word parable is taken, meaning, "To throw alongside." Consider the following from Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament.

Parables (παραβολαῖς)

From παρά, beside, and βάλλω, to throw. A parable is a form of teaching in which one thing is thrown beside another. Hence its radical idea is comparison. Sir John Cheke renders biword, and the same idea is conveyed by the German Beispiel, a pattern or example ; bei, beside, and the old high German spel, discourse or narration.

The word is used with a wide range in scripture, but always involves the idea of comparison...

Let me share with you an excerpt from J. Preston Eby's "Echoes from Eden" and his explanation of parables.

"And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there He put the man whom He had formed. And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil" (Gen 2:8-9).

The story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden is the greatest parable in the Bible. It is supremely important because it explains the real nature of our life here on earth. It tells us about ourselves, about our state of being, and how we bring about the conditions in which we live. It is the blueprint of man's experience on earth and his destiny in God. When you thoroughly understand the Garden of Eden you will understand the nature of God, the nature of man, and the nature of Satan. This parable is placed at the beginning of human history, because it is the foundation upon which the whole plan of purpose of God is built. The entire revelation of the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, assumes an understanding of the great principles and characteristics in the Garden of Eden.

Don't let it disturb you that I call the Garden of Eden a parable. What is a parable? Your dictionary or Bible Concordance will tell you that a parable places one thing alongside another for a variety of reasons. There are quite a number of English words which sound a little like parable; in fact they all start with the same four letters, P-A-R-A. This prefix "para" means "by the side of." One word I would like you to think of is the very common word parallel. It's a word they use a great many times in school. In the Art Department, in the Geography Department, in the Mathematics Department, even in the Music Department, as music is written on five parallel lines, and, of course, in the English Department. If you look at the edges of this paper you'll find they are parallel with each other. If you are sitting at a table it is most likely to have parallel sides. The edges to the door of your room should be parallel; the floor and ceiling ought to be parallel; the edges of the window frames should be parallel, too! So now I've got you thinking about this word parallel perhaps it would help if we wrote the two words down like this:

P A R A B L E

P A R A L L E L

Now we can ask another question: If a parable is only a story, why not call it a story? Why use an unusual word like parable, if an ordinary word like story will do? The answer is simple: A parable is more than a story. It is a story plus, it has a bonus added to the story. It has two things that run side by side – the lesson and the reality!

So that's where a parable is different; it's more than a story – it has a story line and then a parallel line – a new idea, concept, or meaning to comprehend! Also – parables may be based upon actual events. For instance, when Jesus begins His parable by saying, "A sower went forth to sow..." if there were no such things as actual farmers, soil, and seed we would miss His point altogether. The natural and outward corresponds in principle to the spiritual and inward – the one is set along side the other. That's just what makes it a parable! So do not be distressed by the representation of Adam and Eve and the Garden of Eden as a parable!

There is one thing about which God's people must be perfectly clear. The Bible is not primarily intended to teach history or biography. It is intended to teach THE PURPOSES OF GOD and SPIRITUAL REALITIES. It deals primarily with states of being and the laws of spiritual activity; and anything else is only incidental. Each of the principal characters in the Bible represents a kind of nature, character, or state of being that any of us may experience and walk in; and the events that happen to the various characters illustrate the consequences to us of walking in such realms of nature and character, either good or bad. Some of the Bible characters, such as Adam and Eve, Moses, Elijah, and Paul, are indeed historical figures. They were real people who lived on earth and did the deeds attributed to them; nonetheless they represent kinds of natures and states of being revealed in their varying hues as their lives unfolded. Other Bible characters, such as the Prodigal Son, the Good Samaritan, or the Great Harlot in Revelation are, of course, fictional and never lived on earth as actual persons; but as parables and allegories they express inner conditions and states of being too, and always in a most effective and graphic manner.

You cannot with brush and canvas paint a picture of fear for instance; but you can paint a picture of a human being, and create terror on his countenance. You cannot take a pencil and draw sensuality, rebellion, hatred, or spiritual bondage as such; but you can take a pen and write about great crises in men's lives, about the emotional trauma, inner torment, and excruciating pain caused by tyranny, brutality, hatred, bigotry, immoral conduct, hopelessness, despair, darkness, and death men execute and perpetrate upon one another. You can describe the righteous judgments of God brought into men's lives by all these evils, as does the Bible, with the symbolic term "hell fire." And the carnal mind and natural understanding is certain to think that you mean a literal human body being tortured in a physical flame! On the other hand, you cannot picture a soul abiding in the perfect peace, joy and harmony of the glorious presence of God, adoring and worshipful; but you can speak of a great choir of rapturous beings playing music upon perfectly tuned harps, and again the carnally minded people will think that redeemed souls are to spend eternity literally playing harps! The Spirit of God uses this method to impart understanding to our minds and hearts. The Spirit uses outer concrete things to express inner spiritual realities. As Paul says, "These things are an allegory" (Gal 4:24).

In the Garden of Eden many people seem to think that Eve symbolizes woman as a sex and that Adam somehow stands for man as a sex. The truth goes far beyond this! Adam and Eve in the Garden represent the whole of humanity in the first Adam. They represent you and me and every man and woman who has ever lived or shall live. What happened to him happens to us. What he was we are. His experience is our experience. His destiny is our destiny. May the mighty spirit of wisdom and revelation from God give enlightenment to the eyes of your understanding that you may see and know of a truth that what was happening to Adam in the Garden speaks of spiritual realities even in the beginning of history, before history, beyond history and yet in history; it is we ourselves of whom the Garden speaks, it is we ourselves who are confronted, intended, addressed, accused, expelled, instructed, and redeemed.

What an excellent explanation of parables from J. Preston Eby!

When we continue in Matthew 13, we find the Parable of the Sower. After the Lord shared this with the "great multitudes," His disciples came to Him and asked Him, "Why do You speak to them in parables?" (Matt. 13:10) Valid question. Here's the Lord's response.

Matthew 13:11-17 (NKJV)  
11 He answered and said to them, "Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 13 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: 'Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, and seeing you will see and not perceive; 15 for the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them.' 16 "But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; 17 for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

Why did the Lord speak to them in parables? "Because it has been given to you," His disciples, "to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given." Furthermore, "I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand." Jesus went on to say that the hearts of the people had "grown dull," and due to this fact, their "eyes" and "ears," spiritually speaking, were incapable of receiving what He taught.

So think about this. According to Matthew 12, verses 39 through 45, Jesus declared that His wisdom was greater than that of Jonah and Solomon. This being true, He expressed this wisdom in parables. As we read earlier, "All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: "I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world" (Matt. 13:34-35; Psalms 78:2).

John 6:63 (NKJV)  
63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.

John 8:26 (NKJV)  
26 I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him."

John 12:49-50 (NKJV)  
49 For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. 50 And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak."

These passages leave no doubt. Jesus spoke the words of our heavenly Father, words of wisdom that proceeded from the Creator Himself. And I don't believe anyone would argue with me when I say that there can be no greater wisdom. So again, in regard to the multitudes, Jesus spoke in parables in order to conceal this wisdom, or in the case of His disciples, reveal it.

It should come as no surprise that Jesus used parables to illustrate the mysteries of the kingdom of God, for the Old Testament itself is written in the same fashion. From Genesis to Malachi, the Word of God uses parables, analogies, metaphors, types and shadows.

That being said, and in agreement with Eby, it is my opinion that the story of creation and Adam and Eve is presented as a parable; symbolisms mixed with reality. One thing has been "thrown beside another" for the sake of comparison, "not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual" (I Cor. 2:13). The Garden of Eden, along with the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and the tree of life, are not literal, so by no means would the serpent be. When we recognize this fact, then we should also realize that those things presented to us in Genesis require diligent research, consideration, and a humble heart to arrive at an understanding of what these things truly mean.

As this study will suggest, Adam and Eve illustrate the formation and creation of what Paul called "the natural man" (I Cor. 2:14). The Garden of Eden speaks of the principle of sowing and reaping whereas the tree of knowledge and tree of life define its two components (flesh and Spirit). The Two Covenants, Old and New, also reflect and enhance this divine and universal principle (Gal. 4:21-31; 6:7-10).

As this study will also suggest, the serpent is not speaking of a fallen angel but of the deceptive workings of the heart and mind of the natural man, his nature and behavior, and the corresponding actions which lead to carnality.

If we view the serpent as simply another element of a parable, and we are willing to lay aside the long-standing traditional view that all of us have heard, then it allows for us to see beyond the surface and consider a depth we would not otherwise see.

The first appearance of the serpent is in the Garden of Eden where he is called "more cunning than any beast of the field." As we will also find, the phrase, "beast of the field" is not referring to animals, but to humans. Proof of this is found in many scriptures.

Understand that the serpent, devil, Satan, and dragon, is spoken of in an individual as well as a collective perspective (Rev. 12:3, 9). No surprise, for Adam is too. When Paul wrote about the "natural man" (I Cor. 2:14), the "old man" (Rom. 6:6; Eph. 4:22; Col. 3:9), the "outward man" (II Cor. 4:16), or the "man of sin" (II Thess. 2:3-4), was he speaking of just one person who exists somewhere on this planet? Of course not. All of these phrases speak of something that is part of every human being on this earth. And the reality of this is evident. Every wicked act of humankind can be attributed to the "natural man" who is unable to receive the things of the Spirit of God (I Cor. 2:14) and thus becomes "carnal" (Rom. 8:5-8). For this reason, Paul made it clear that our "old man" must be "crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin" (Rom. 6:6). We should understand that this is not speaking literally but correlates with what Jesus said in Matthew 16:24 about a man denying his "self" and taking up his cross in order to follow Him.

Revelation 1:1 (KJV)  
1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John...

We will get into the book of the Revelation, so it's important to understand that this book is the most symbolic book of the Bible. In agreement with this, consider our passage above and the word "signified." Here's the definition of this word from Vine's Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (bolding mine).

**Usage Number:** 1

**Strong's Number:** <G4591>

**Original Word:** σημαίνω, sēmainō

**Usage Notes:** "to give a sign, indicate" (sema, "a sign:" cp.  SIGN, No. 1), "to signify," is so translated in John 12:33; John 18:32; John 21:19; Acts 11:28; Acts 25:27; Rev. 1:1, where perhaps the suggestion is that of expressing by signs.

Vine's tells us in regard to Revelation 1:1, "where perhaps the suggestion is that of expressing by signs." In other words, the revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave to John was in keeping with the rest of scripture, presented in parable form. That being said, some of the symbols are interpreted within this book itself as in Revelation 1:20 and 19:8, however, much of it is not. So how do we come to understand it? By seeking out the meaning in other areas of scripture, for rest assured that the understanding can be found in either the Old or New Testament when we are willing to study and search it out.

So why parables? Because they are like a wheel with spokes in that many things can be connected in scripture to give a greater understanding of the subject at hand. Think about it. When Jesus said, "The seed is the Word of God" (Luke 8:11), doesn't that open up to us something about the Word of our Maker which can be better explained and understood by comparing it to a natural seed? And when we do so, we get a better grasp of the intricacies of His divine truth.

# Chapter Three

# THE FOUNDATION

Romans 1:18-20 (GW)  
18 God's anger is revealed from heaven against every ungodly and immoral thing people do as they try to suppress the truth by their immoral living. 19 What can be known about God is clear to them because he has made it clear to them. 20 From the creation of the world, God's invisible qualities, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly observed in what he made. As a result, people have no excuse.

Look closely at verse 20 above. "From the creation of the world, God's invisible qualities, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly observed in what He made."

Our word "creation" is defined by Strong's as, "Original formation (properly the act; by implication the thing, literal or figurative)," and our phrase, "From the creation of the world" makes it clear. In the creation story in Genesis, we will not only find understanding of the physical things which God created, but also spiritual parallels which reveal "His eternal power and divine nature."

If we didn't have the Bible, we would still have nature itself which unmistakably testifies of the One who made it. No wonder Jesus used these things to present the Word of the kingdom. One of the best examples in scripture which we have touched on is the Parable of the Sower, where Jesus said, "The seed is the Word of God" (Luke 8:4-15). Knowing this, we can better understand what John wrote in the following.

John 1:1 (NKJV)  
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

"In the beginning was the Word," which Jesus said was the "seed" (Luke 8:11). He didn't say it was "like" a seed, but was the seed, thus the dynamic Word of God is the origin of all that we know and ever will know as sentient beings (Col. 1:16). No doubt He is the Source of all things visible and invisible, seen and unseen, form and formless, temporary and eternal. And incorporated into all that is visible are the invisible laws by which they function, immutable and unchangeable. From the awesome power of the universe beyond to the infinitesimal workings of the atoms and molecules which exist in all things is evidence of a Supreme Intelligence that is truly beyond our comprehension. All that we have discovered, all that we have learned, and all that we will ever come to know, has been there all along, placed into our existence by the incredible power of a Source that defies human understanding. And every discovery of truth is merely another glimpse into the Superior Mind of the One who designed it.

The creation story begins in the first book of the Bible, Genesis, which means "origin" or "beginning." If we carefully consider what is known as the six days of creation, we will find, not only a natural understanding, but a spiritual one as well. I say six because on the seventh day, "God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done" (Gen. 2:1).

When viewing the six days of creation, we will find that the first four days are different from the last two. Consider E.W. Bullinger's explanation of the spiritual meaning of four from his book, Number in Scripture – Its Supernatural Design and Spiritual Significance.

We have seen that three signifies Divine perfection.

Now the number four is made up of three and one (3+1=4), and it denotes, therefore, and marks that which follows the revelation of God, namely, His creative works. He is known by the things that are seen. Hence the written revelation commences with the words, "In-the-beginning God CREATED." Creation is therefore the next thing—the fourth thing, and the number four always has reference to all that is created. It is emphatically the number of Creation; of man in his relation to the world as created; while six is the number of man in his opposition to and independence of God. It is the number of things that have a beginning, of things that are made, of material things, and matter itself. It is the number of material completeness. Hence it is the world number, and especially the "city" number.

The fourth day saw the material creation finished (for on the fifth and sixth days it was only the furnishing and peopling of the earth with living creatures). The sun, moon, and stars completed the work, and they were to give light upon the earth which had been created, and to rule over the day and over the night (Gen 1:14-19).

Four is the number of the great elements—earth, air, fire, and water.

Four are the regions of the earth—north, south, east, and west.

Four are the divisions of the day—morning, noon, evening, and midnight. Or in our Lord's words, when He speaks of His coming at evening, midnight, cock-crowing, or in the morning (Mark 13:35). We are never to put off His coming in our minds beyond tomorrow morning.

Four are the seasons of the year—spring, summer, autumn, and winter.

Four are the great variations of the lunar phases.

In Genesis 2:10, 11, the one river of Paradise was parted, and became into four heads, and "the fourth river is Euphrates." Here, as so often elsewhere, the four is made up of 3 + 1. For three of these rivers are now unnamed, while one is still known by its original name "Euphrates."

Four marks division also. For the river was "parted." It is the first number which is not a "prime," the first which can be divided. It is the first square number also, and therefore it marks a kind of completeness as well, which we have called material completeness.

As shown, four speaks of "His creative works" and "has reference to all that is created." It is "the number of Creation; of man in his relation to all that is created." "It is the number of things that have a beginning, of things that are made, of material things, and matter itself. It is the number of material completeness. Hence it is the world number, and especially the 'city' number."

And why the "city" number? Because a city consists of many buildings, most of which are constructed on a four-sided foundation (Rev. 21:16). For this reason, four also denotes a foundation. So it is that Bullinger wrote, "The fourth day saw the material creation finished (for on the fifth and sixth days it was only the furnishing and peopling of the earth with living creatures)." First, a foundation, then living creatures.

Now, let me share with you the following explanation of the spiritual meaning of four from the book, The Biblical Meaning of Numbers from One to Forty by Dr. Stephen E. Jones.

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.

Bullinger writes that four is the number of "matter itself." If you do a search with Google about the "four great elements" or "states of matter," you will find information that I believe is relevant to the first four days of creation. The following is from "Home Science Tools – Inspired Learning," at www.hometrainingtools.com/a/four-elements.

**Earth, Water, Air, and Fire: The Four States of Matter**

The ancient Greeks believed that there were four elements that everything was made up of: _earth_ , _water, air_ , and _fire_. This theory was suggested around 450 BC, and it was later supported and added to by Aristotle. (Aristotle also suggested that there was a fifth element, _aether_ , because it seemed strange that the stars would be made out of earthly elements. He would be surprised to learn that they are in fact made up of many elements found on earth, and are so hot they could be said to be on fire all the time!)

The idea that these four elements \- earth, water, air, and fire - made up all matter was the cornerstone of philosophy, science, and medicine for two thousand years. The elements were "pure" but could not be found in that state on earth. Every visible thing was made up of some combination of earth, water, air, and fire. The four elements were even used to describe the four temperaments a person could have, and Hippocrates used the four elements to describe the four "humors" found in the body. These theories stated that the temperaments and humors needed to be in balance with each other in order for a person to be well both mentally and physically. While we do know now that these previous theories are false, in a way the four elements do align with the four states of matter that modern science has agreed on: solid (earth), liquid (water), gas (air), and plasma (fire).

Although the Greeks believed that the four elements were unchanging in nature, everything was made up of different elements, which were held together or pushed apart by forces of attraction and repulsion, causing substances to appear to change. This is similar to what really happens with elements and all molecules at an atomic level.

Matter is anything that has mass and volume and is made up of _atoms_ , which are the smallest particles of matter. Bonding occurs among atoms to make larger molecules. _Mass_ is how much matter is in an object whereas _volume_ is how much space the object takes up. How atoms are arranged in an object determines whether it is a solid, liquid, gas, or plasma.

In a solid, the atoms are packed closely together in an ordered pattern and cannot move, giving a solid a definite volume and shape. Examples of solids include rocks, wood, metal, and ice.

In a liquid, the atoms are close together but can move around each other. This allows a liquid to take the shape of whatever container it is placed in. Examples of liquids include room temperature water, room temperature mercury, and hot lava (molten rock).

In a gas, there is more space between atoms. The atoms can move so freely that if the gas is not trapped in a container, the atoms will diffuse and spread throughout the atmosphere. Examples of gases are oxygen and nitrogen (in the air we breathe), helium, and steam (water vapor).

In a plasma, the atoms are spaced similarly to gas except there is so much energy in a plasma, the atoms actually split into smaller pieces. Plasmas are able to carry an electrical current and generate magnetic fields. Examples of plasmas include lightning, solar wind, the sun, fluorescent lights, and neon signs.

Temperature plays an important role in how the atoms are aligned in a substance. As a general rule of thumb, the colder the matter is, the closer the atoms are to each other, and the warmer the matter is, the farther the atoms are apart. Of course, the temperature at which a matter is a solid or a liquid depends on what substance the matter is made of. For example, water at room temperature is a liquid whereas a rock at room temperature is solid.

As shown, earth (solid), water (liquid), air (gas), and fire (plasma) are the four great elements which define the four states of matter. With this in mind, consider the following from the University of Illinois Extension and their website, "The Great Plant Escape" (bolding mine).

Germination

Seeds remain dormant or inactive until conditions are right for germination. All seeds need water, oxygen, and proper temperature in order to germinate. Some seeds require proper light also. Some germinate better in full light while others require darkness to germinate.

When a seed is exposed to the proper conditions, water and oxygen are taken in through the seed coat. The embryo's cells start to enlarge. Then the seed coat breaks open and a root or radicle emerges first, followed by the shoot or plumule that contains the leaves and stem.

Do you see it? "All seeds need water (liquid), oxygen (air), and proper temperature (plasma [the sun]) to germinate." And where are seeds usually planted? In the earth (solid). Consider.

Genesis 1:1-5 (NKJV)  
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 3 Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. 4 And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day.

On the first day of creation, we find the "earth" (solid), followed by "the face of the deep" or "waters" (liquid). "Then God said, 'Let there be light'" or fire (plasma). Our word "Spirit" is defined as, "Wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or even violent) exhalation." So here we have "air" (gas). Last, but certainly not least, we have the "seed" of the living Word itself in the fact that "God said" (Luke 8:11). Our four states of matter are present on the first day of creation, all of which are needed in order for the "seed" of His living Word to be sown, germinate, and produce all that we know. Amazing, isn't it?

Sadly, much of Christianity rejects science for various reasons, believing that it contradicts scripture. However, I don't agree with this. When seen through the lens of humility, we should realize that science, when properly applied, actually supports scripture. And as is true of anything we consider, we must realize that there is error in science, just as there is in our interpretation of scripture. Still, this does not negate the fact that both, when perceived correctly, will support and confirm each other.

# Chapter Four

# THE FIRST DAY

Genesis 1:1-5 (NKJV)  
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 3 Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. 4 And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day.

On the first day of creation "God created the heavens and the earth," the invisible (heavens) and the visible (earth). We then see that "the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters."

So was the earth a great ball of water in the beginning? It appears so (and the third day of creation confirms this).

And what was the first thing which God said? "Let there be light," and "God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness." Note that God "saw the light, that it was good," but not the darkness. Ah, but know that darkness, being the absence of light, exists because of light. Here again is our information about plasma.

Plasmas are able to carry an electrical current and generate magnetic fields. Examples of plasmas include lightning, solar wind, the sun, fluorescent lights, and neon signs.

1 John 1:5 (NKJV)  
5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.

All light is some form of fire. Our incandescent light bulbs consist of a wire filament heated to such high temperature that it glows with visible light (incandescence).

Hebrews 12:29 (NKJV)  
29 For our God is a consuming fire.

Deuteronomy 33:2 (NKJV)  
2 And he said: "The Lord came from Sinai, and dawned on them from Seir; He shone forth from Mount Paran, and He came with ten thousands of saints; from His right hand came a fiery law for them.

What does Genesis record as the first words our Creator said? "Let there be light." Notice that He did not create it, but simply said, "Let there be," for "God is light," a "consuming fire," and there is but "one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all" (Eph. 4:6; KJV). James called our heavenly Father the "father of lights" (James 1:17). Consider the following from the National Fire Protection Association website at www.nfpa.org (bolding mine).

**What is fire?  
**

The ancient Greeks believed that fire was one the four basic elements that composed all things in the universe. In the mythology of virtually every culture, fire is a sacred substance that gives life or power. Fire is not, in fact, a substance. When you gaze at the leaping flames of a campfire, you're observing not an object, but a process – a chemical reaction. It's the same chemical reaction that occurs when a cut apple left on the counter turns brown, when silver tarnishes or when an iron nail rusts.

That process is oxidation: combining oxygen with another substance. The defining difference between a fire and your half-eaten apple is speed: fire is an oxidation process that happens very fast, so that light, heat and sound are released — often with enough force and majesty to justify the ancients' reverence. The sudden release of energy causes temperatures to rise, sometimes by thousands of degrees. And it also results in smoke, the toxic waste of fire's leftovers.

Now, consider the following about oxidation from the website "wiseGEEK" at www.wisegeek.com (bolding mine).

What is Oxidation?

A freshly-cut apple turns brown, a bicycle fender becomes rusty and a copper penny suddenly turns green. What do all of these events have in common? They are all examples of a process called oxidation.

Oxidation is defined as the interaction between oxygen molecules and all the different substances they may contact, from metal to living tissue. Technically, however, with the discovery of electrons, oxidation came to be more precisely defined as the loss of at least one electron when two or more substances interact. Those substances may or may not include oxygen. (Incidentally, the opposite of oxidation is reduction — the addition of at least one electron when substances come into contact with each other.) Sometimes oxidation is not such a bad thing, as in the formation of super-durable anodized aluminum. Other times, oxidation can be destructive, such as the rusting of an automobile or the spoiling of fresh fruit.

We often use the words oxidation and rust interchangeably, but not all materials which interact with oxygen molecules actually disintegrate into rust. In the case of iron, the oxygen creates a slow burning process, which results in the brittle brown substance we call rust. When oxidation occurs in copper, on the other hand, the result is a greenish coating called copper oxide. The metal itself is not weakened by oxidation, but the surface develops a patina after years of exposure to air and water.

When it involves oxygen, the process of oxidation depends on the amount of oxygen present in the air and the nature of the material it touches. True oxidation happens on a molecular level — we only see the large-scale effects as the oxygen causes free radicals on the surface to break away. In the case of fresh fruit, the skin usually provides a barrier against oxidation. This is why most fruits and vegetables arrive in good condition at the grocery store. Once the skin has been broken, however, the individual cells come in direct contact with air and the oxygen molecules start burning them. The result is a form of rust we see as brownish spots or blemishes.

As shown, fire is not a substance "but a process" and that process is "oxidation." As our information shows, "oxygen creates a slow burning process" where iron is concerned and creates rust as a consequence (I cannot help but think of the "legs of iron" in Nebuchadnezzar's dream in Daniel, Chapter 2). The same is true for fresh fruit and vegetables when the skin is broken (and again, I cannot help but think of the Lord's teaching concerning trees and fruit in Matthew, Chapter 7).

Acts 17:22-31 (NKJV)  
22 Then Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, "Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious; 23 for as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you: 24 God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. 25 Nor is He worshiped with men's hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. 26 And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, 27 so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; 28 for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, 'For we are also His offspring.' 29 Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man's devising. 30 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, 31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead."

In the same way that we conduct our lives every day, seldom thinking about the fact that we cannot exist without air, so too do "we live and move and have our being" in Him, "He is not far from each one of us." Remember, our word "Spirit" means, "Wind; by resemblance breath," so "air" represents the invisible realm of spirit or heaven. Oxygen is found in the air, which is the necessary component for oxidation or "burning." No wonder Jesus said, "God is Spirit" (wind; air; John 4:24) and Hebrews 12:29 states, "Our God is a consuming fire."

Consider the following about air and oxygen from the website, "wiseGEEK" at www.wisegeek.org (bolding mine).

What is the Difference Between Air and Oxygen?

Air and oxygen are sometimes used interchangeably, but the two things are actually different. Oxygen is a pure element, while the air people breathe is a mixture of elements. Although oxygen is necessary for survival, repeated exposure to the pure form could be harmful. The air that makes up Earth's atmosphere has a healthy balance of elements to sustain human life.

Oxygen is a pure gaseous element. Prolonged exposure to it can actually cause brain damage, although the element is sometimes used therapeutically. Most animals require a certain concentration of oxygen in their blood in order to thrive, and for this reason, the gas is used in emergency situations in which access to air is restricted. When used therapeutically, oxygen is usually mixed with other elements.

Oxygen is number eight on the periodic table, which means that it has eight electrons and eight protons. Only a handful of elements, including helium and hydrogen, are lighter. It has a cubic structure and is a totally colorless element.

The air that people breathe is a mixture that contains primarily oxygen and nitrogen. The nitrogen generally makes up approximately 78%, while oxygen makes up 21%. Other gases, including carbon dioxide, hydrogen, helium, argon, and neon, make up the remainder. These gases dissolve and are carried in the blood.

"Oxygen is number eight on the periodic table," having "eight electrons and eight protons." Coincidence, or does this reflect something about the burning process of God's "fiery law"? In his book, The Biblical Meaning of Numbers from One to Forty, Dr. Jones tells us that eight is "Chet," which "is a fence in Hebrew. It can also signify an inner room, even the heart itself. Eight is the number of new beginning."

Now think about this. "God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night." Do you realize that this was done before natural time was instituted? The creation of the sun, moon, and stars was not done until the fourth day of creation, so there was not yet "signs" and "seasons," "days" and "years" (Gen. 1:14). What does this mean to you and me? It means that in regard to scripture, "Day" and "Night" is not so much about time as it is about "light" and "darkness." Consider Peter's words.

2 Peter 3:8 (KJV)  
8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

Is one "day" a "thousand years"? Not necessarily, but in the realm of eternity, it could be, because again, it is not so much about time as it is about "light," which gives life to all things. Isn't it true that everything on this planet needs the light of the sun to survive? Wouldn't it also be true that all things on this planet require the life (light) of its Creator as well since He is the Maker and essence of all things that exist?

1 Thessalonians 5:1-5 (NKJV)  
1 But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. 2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 3 For when they say, "Peace and safety!" then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. 4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. 5 You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.

Do you see the spiritual parallel in these passages? While the traditional view of the "day" of the Lord is seen as a sudden appearing of Christ in the clouds, the spiritual view is about the "light" of life which emanates from the "anointed" (Christ) or living Word of God, for "in Him," Christ, "was life, and the life was the light of men" (John 1:4, 14).

Incorporated in the "seed" of what God "said" is found the instructions for life, the true and divine life, immutable and unchangeable. And what happens when a seed is planted? Doesn't it first undergo a process beneath the ground in order for it to break out of the ground and reach up to the sunlight (which is vital to its continued growth)? So it is that once the "seed" of His Word is sown in our hearts, the instructions of life within it prompts us to reach upward for the light of life which He is.

John 11:9-10 (NKJV)  
9 Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him."

Our spiritual parallel is obvious. "If anyone walks in the day," in the light of the life of Christ, "he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world."

How many hours did Jesus say were "in the day"? Twelve. Consider the following from Bullinger.

Twelve is a perfect number, signifying perfection of government, or of governmental perfection. It is found as a multiple in all that has to do with rule. The sun which "rules" the day, and the moon and stars which "govern" the night, do so by their passage through the twelve signs of the Zodiac which completes the great circle of the heavens of 360 (12 x 30) degrees or divisions, and thus govern the year.

Twelve is the product of 3 (the perfectly Divine and heavenly number) and 4 (the earthly, the number of what is material and organic).

While seven is composed of 3 added to 4, twelve is 3 multiplied by 4, and hence denotes that which can scarcely be explained in words, but which the spiritual perception can at once appreciate, viz., organization, the products denoting production and multiplication and increase of all that is contained in the two numbers separately. The 4 is generally prominently seen in the twelve.

As Bullinger shows, twelve signifies "perfection of government" or "governmental perfection." In his book, Biblical Mathematics, Ed Vallowe writes, "This number symbolizes God's perfect, divine accomplishment actively manifested. It shows a completeness of a growth," as in a seed, "or administration. Twelve marks governmental perfection and is used as the signature of Israel." Here is Dr. Jones explanation.

Twelve (yod-beth)

Governmental Perfection/Authority

To write twelve in Hebrew, they wrote two Hebrew 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. It follows 11, which is the disorder preceding this perfection. There were 12 sons of Jacob in the Old Testament and 12 apostles in the New Testament. There are 12 foundations in the New Jerusalem (Rev. 21:14). It also has 12 gates and 12 angels at the gates (Rev. 21:12) and 12 pearls at the gates (Rev. 21:21). The city is foursquare at 12,000 furlongs (Rev. 21:16). The wall is 144 cubits high (Rev. 21:17), which is 12 x 12. All of this is to portray the concept of divine government and order.

Though all priests and kings were anointed, the Old Testament specifically records 12 anointed men. The first five are priests; the last seven are kings:

1. Aaron (Lev. 8:12)

2. Nadab (Lev. 8:30; 10:1)

3. Abihu (Lev. 8:30; 10:1)

4. Eleazar (Lev. 8:30; 10:12)

5. Ithamar (Lev. 8:30; 10:12)

6. Saul (1 Sam. 10:1); the sixth being man's choice (1 Sam. 8:18)

7. David (1 Sam. 16:13); the seventh being God's choice (1 Sam. 13:14)

8. Absalom (2 Sam. 19:10)

9. Solomon (1 Kings 1:39)

10. Jehu (2 Kings 9:6)

11. Joash (2 Kings 11:12)

12. Jehoahaz (2 Kings 23:30)

Jesus spoke of 12 thrones on which the 12 apostles would sit to judge the 12 tribes of Israel (Matt. 19:28). Solomon had 12 officers, or deputies, ruling with responsibility in his household (1 Kings 4:7).

The twelfth time Jesus is mentioned is in Matt. 4:10, where He establishes the truth of divine government:

10 Then Jesus said to him, "Begone, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only'."

Psalms 119:89 (NKJV)  
89 Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven.

Psalms 119:105 (NKJV)  
105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

Psalms 138:2 (NKJV)  
2... You have magnified Your word above all Your name.

Jeremiah 23:29 (NKJV)  
29 "Is not My word like a fire?" says the Lord, "And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?

Heavens and earth, light and darkness. On the first day of creation our Maker established Himself as the "light" or life of all creation, which is communicated and propagated by the "seed" of His living Word (John 1:1; Col. 1:16). "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD (Deut. 6:4; KJV). Ah, but the life of the "seed" is also brought forth by means of water (liquid), air (gas), and fire (plasma), is it not? This shows that our four states of matter reflect the Spirit and work of our Creator among and within His creation at all times. Beneath the complexity of all that transpires in this visible realm is a divine purpose that is reckoned through the administration and growth of His dynamic and unfolding Word (Isa. 9:7). Though things may often appear random and chaotic on the surface, rest assured that God's divine purpose is working within our midst on a continual basis.

Let's consider the spiritual meaning of the number one from Dr. Jones, for we are considering the first day of creation.

One (aleph)

Unity

Aleph is an ox in Hebrew. It signifies strength or being first or "Number One."

The number one signifies unity or that which is first. Bullinger says that "in all languages it is the symbol of unity."

Genesis, the first book, is entitled, "In a Beginning." There can only be one beginning.

The first Commandment is, "Thou shalt have no other gods before Me." It expresses the unity of God and the fact that this one God is the Creator of all.

In the Hebrew language, there are two words for the number "one." Yacheed means an absolute unity, or an only one (Gen. 22:2); echad is a compound unity (Gen. 2:24; Deut. 6:4).

Our first day of creation, marked by the spiritual meaning of the number one, signifies that God is truly the beginning of all things. Bullinger wrote, "Unity being indivisible, and not made up of other numbers, is therefore independent of all others, and is the source of all others. So with the Deity. The great First Cause is independent of all. All stand in need of Him, and He needs no assistance from any."

As we have learned, our four great elements were present on the first day of creation, but the prominent feature is "light," no doubt the greatest of the elements, for without it, the world as we know it would not survive. Remember this description of plasma?

In a plasma, the atoms are spaced similarly to gas except there is so much energy in a plasma, the atoms actually split into smaller pieces. Plasmas are able to carry an electrical current and generate magnetic fields. Examples of plasmas include lightning, solar wind, the sun, fluorescent lights, and neon signs.

Also note the following from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois and their website at www.qrg.northwestern.edu (bolding mine).

What is plasma?

Plasma is considered the fourth state of matter. The three other states are solid, liquid, and gas. Plasma is a cloud of protons, neutrons and electrons where all the electrons have come loose from their respective molecules and atoms, giving the plasma the ability to act as a whole rather than as a bunch of atoms. A plasma is more like a gas than any of the other states of matter because the atoms are not in constant contact with each other, but it behaves differently from a gas. It has what scientists call collective behavior. This means that the plasma can flow like a liquid or it can contain areas that are like clumps of atoms sticking together.

Plasma has "the ability to act as a whole rather than as a bunch of atoms," i.e. "collective behavior." So it is that God and His Word, His Spirit and light (plasma), exists in all places at all times, and He is the same in all places and at all times (Mal. 3:6).

Here's more about plasma from the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility - Office of Science Education. This information is found at education.jlab.org/qa/plasma_01.html, author Brian Kross, Chief Detector Engineer (bolding mine).

What is plasma?

Plasma is the fourth state of matter. Many places teach that there are three states of matter; solid, liquid and gas, but there are actually four. The fourth is plasma. To put it very simply, a plasma is an ionized gas, a gas into which sufficient energy is provided to free electrons from atoms or molecules and to allow both species, ions and electrons, to coexist. The funny thing about that is, that as far as we know, plasmas are the most common state of matter in the universe. They are even common here on earth. A plasma is a gas that has been energized to the point that some of the electrons break free from, but travel with, their nucleus. Gases can become plasmas in several ways, but all include pumping the gas with energy. A spark in a gas will create a plasma. A hot gas passing through a big spark will turn the gas stream into a plasma that can be useful. Plasma torches like that are used in industry to cut metals. The biggest chunk of plasma you will see is that dear friend to all of us, the sun. The sun's enormous heat rips electrons off the hydrogen and helium molecules that make up the sun. Essentially, the sun, like most stars, is a great big ball of plasma.

Does the natural phenomenon of the sun exemplify the light of our Creator in all things? (Acts 17:24-30) I am inclined to think so. "Our God is a consuming fire" (Heb. 12:29).

To close this chapter, consider the following from Proverbs, Chapter 8, about the wisdom of our heavenly Father.

Proverbs 8:22-36 (NIV)  
22 "The LORD brought me forth as the first of his works, before his deeds of old; 23 I was appointed from eternity, from the beginning, before the world began. 24 When there were no oceans, I was given birth, when there were no springs abounding with water; 25 before the mountains were settled in place, before the hills, I was given birth, 26 before he made the earth or its fields or any of the dust of the world. 27 I was there when he set the heavens in place, when he marked out the horizon on the face of the deep, 28 when he established the clouds above and fixed securely the fountains of the deep, 29 when he gave the sea its boundary so the waters would not overstep his command, and when he marked out the foundations of the earth. 30 Then I was the craftsman at his side. I was filled with delight day after day, rejoicing always in his presence, 31 rejoicing in his whole world and delighting in mankind. 32 "Now then, my sons, listen to me; blessed are those who keep my ways. 33 Listen to my instruction and be wise; do not ignore it. 34 Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway. 35 For whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the LORD. 36 But whoever fails to find me harms himself; all who hate me love death."

Friend, God's Word is the framework of God's wisdom, and there is no greater wisdom that we can attain in this world. There should be no doubt; His wisdom abounds and is manifested in all that is visible and invisible. In our brief sojourn on this planet, we are surrounded on every side by the evidence of a Supreme Intelligence in all that exists. He is truly a magnificent Creator!

James 1:5 (NIV)  
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

Exodus 24:17 (NKJV)  
17 The sight of the glory of the Lord was like a consuming fire on the top of the mountain in the eyes of the children of Israel.

Deuteronomy 4:11-12 (NKJV)  
11 Then you came near and stood at the foot of the mountain, and the mountain burned with fire to the midst of heaven, with darkness, cloud, and thick darkness. 12 And the Lord spoke to you out of the midst of the fire. You heard the sound of the words, but saw no form; you only heard a voice.

# Chapter Five

# THE SECOND DAY

Genesis 1:6-8 (NKJV)  
6 Then God said, "Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters." 7 Thus God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament; and it was so. 8 And God called the firmament Heaven. So the evening and the morning were the second day.

The second day of creation is the placing of a "firmament in the midst of the waters," and a separation of "the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament," and "God called the firmament heaven." Once again, we have one of our four states of matter; water (liquid). But there is more to be considered.

Our word "firmament" means, "An expanse," taken from the word which means, "To pound the earth (as a sign of passion); by analogy to expand (by hammering)." So think of it this way. In the same way that we would expand a sheet of metal by pounding it with a hammer and gradually thinning it out, our Creator "expanded" the "waters" which existed, creating a difference, if you will, from the "waters below" and the "waters above." The "waters" are symbolized by the sheet of metal and the "firmament" is the hammer, the air (gas) or energy by which the waters were expanded or spread out. Since the air is the energy in which the water also exists, "God called the firmament Heaven," the Hebrew word meaning, "To be lofty; the sky" (Strong's Concordance). So the natural heaven encompasses the air and water in which we live and breathe (Gen. 1:14-19).

And what is water? It is H2O; two parts hydrogen, one part oxygen, so within water is the component of oxygen which is found in the air. Consider the following from Met Office (www.metoffice.gov.uk) (bolding mine).

Clouds are made of tiny drops of water or ice crystals that settle on dust particles in the atmosphere. The droplets are so small - a diameter of about a hundredth of a millimetre - that each cubic metre of air will contain 100 million droplets.

Clouds will either be composed of ice or water droplets depending on the height of the cloud and the temperature of the atmosphere. Because the droplets are so small, they can remain in liquid form in temperatures as low as -30 °C. Extremely high clouds at temperatures below -30 °C are composed of ice crystals.

Clouds form when the invisible water vapour in the air condenses into visible water droplets or ice crystals. There is water around us all the time in the form of tiny gas particles, also known as water vapour. There are also tiny particles floating around in the air - such as salt and dust - these are called aerosols.

The water vapour and the aerosols are constantly bumping into each other. When the air is cooled, some of the water vapour sticks to the aerosols when they collide - this is condensation. Eventually, bigger water droplets form around the aerosol particles, and these water droplets start sticking together with other droplets, forming clouds.

Clouds form when the air is saturated and cannot hold any more water vapour.

As our explanation shows, "There is water around us all the time in the form of tiny gas particles, also known as water vapour." In other words, we exist and move through air, which includes water vapor. Now, consider the following from Windows to the Universe (www.windows2universe.org) (bolding mine).

**Weather** is the state of the atmosphere at a given time and place. Most weather takes place in the troposphere, the lowest layer of the atmosphere.

Weather is described in a variety of ways by meteorologists, scientists who study and predict weather. Air temperature and pressure, the amount and type of precipitation, the strength and direction of wind, and the types of clouds are all described in a weather report.

Weather changes each day because the air in our atmosphere is always moving, redistributing energy from the Sun. In most places in the world, the type of weather events expected vary through the year as seasons change. While weather can change rapidly, climate changes slowly, over decades or more, in response to changes in the factors that determine our climate.

The "air in our atmosphere is always moving, redistributing energy from the sun." Air and water vapor are essentially invisible, so again I believe it symbolizes the realm of "spirit," both human and divine. The fact that it redistributes "energy from the sun" shows that all three work together as one (liquid, gas, plasma), sustaining the natural life (solid) of everything on this planet. And in the realm of spiritual things, the same is true.

The expanding of the waters took place on the second day of creation. Concerning the spiritual meaning of two, Bullinger wrote, "It is the first number by which we can divide another, and therefore in all its uses we may trace this fundamental idea of division or difference. The two may be, though different in character, yet one as to testimony and friendship. The Second that comes in may be for help and deliverance. But, alas! where man is concerned, this number testifies of his fall, for it more often denotes that difference which implies opposition, enmity, and oppression." Here is Stephen Jones' explanation.

Two (beth)

Division, Double Witness

Beth is a house or household in Hebrew. God established the household with Adam and Eve, two people in a marriage. This provided direction, a double witness in the family to know the will of God. It takes two points to make a line and establish direction.

The number two signifies either division or a double witness. God established two covenants in the Bible, first as a double witness of truth, but also to establish direction. Going from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant shows a progression of revelation from the lesser to the greater.

This same principle is found with Hagar and Sarah, Ishmael and Isaac, with Jacob and Israel, with David and Saul, and (in the New Testament) in the contrast between Saul and Paul. In each case, there is division with a resulting conflict between the two characters, yet also God establishes the pattern of moving from one point to another.

Clearly the spiritual meaning of two shows our difference between the "waters above" and the "waters below." Is it just coincidence that on the second day of creation, we have both air and water together, coexisting in our atmosphere? Consider the following from "Home Science Tools – Inspired Learning," at www.hometrainingtools.com/a/four-elements (bolding mind).

The chemical formula of **water** is H20, meaning it is made of two hydrogen atoms bonded to one oxygen atom. The hydrogen atoms each attach to one side of the oxygen atom and have a positive charge whereas the oxygen atom has a negative charge. This polarizes the water molecule, much like a magnet, giving a water molecule positive and negative ends. Since opposite charges attract, water molecules tend to "stick" together. This gives water surface tension and allows objects, such as paperclips, to float on it.

While it can't dissolve everything, water is known as the universal solvent because it can dissolve more substances than any other liquid. It can dissolve salt, sugar, acids, alkalis, some gases, and organic material. Water traveling through your body or through the ground takes chemicals, minerals, and nutrients with it. Water's ability to dissolve substances helps keep the planet healthy. For more than a century, the burning of fossil fuels has pumped large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere. The water in oceans have absorbed about half of this CO2 by dissolving the gas from the air and processing it by sea vegetation.

Water has a high specific heat index, meaning that it takes a lot of energy to change its temperature. This is essential for life to survive on a planet. The abundance of water on the earth keeps the planet in a very short but comfortable temperature range. The average surface temperature of the earth is 59 ° F with the highest recorded temperature 135.9 ° F and the lowest recorded temperature -128.6 ° F. To compare, it would seem logical that Mercury, the closest planet to the sun, would stay really warm on all surfaces of the planet, regardless if it was facing the sun or not. However, while the surface facing the sun does reach very warm temperatures (up to 800 ° F), the surfacing facing away from the sun drops to a chilly -280 ° F. Mercury's lack of water is responsible for this drastic temperature change because the dry material that makes up its surface cannot hold heat like water does. To experience for yourself how well water does keep temperature from drastic fluctuations, pay attention to the change between daytime and nighttime temperatures the next time you visit a maritime (near the ocean) or desert climate. You'll probably notice there is little to no temperature change near the ocean, whereas in the desert there is a significant change in daytime and nighttime temperatures.

This high specific heat index also helps water put out fire by cooling the fuel surfaces that the fire is burning, removing the heat needed for the fire to burn. Water also smothers a fire by preventing it from getting the oxygen it needs to burn.

Like air, water is a substance that is vital to our existence. Everyone is familiar with the seas, rivers, lakes, and ponds that are found throughout the world, but remember, water also exists within the air we breathe. We have said then that water, like air, is everywhere at all times.

So what does the water represent to you and me? Consider the following.

Proverbs 23:26 (NKJV)  
My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways.

Isaiah 55:6-11 (NKJV)  
Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon. "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," says the Lord. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts." For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it."

Our word "ways" means, "A _road_ (as _trodden_ ); figurative a _course_ of life or _mode_ of action." So "ways" defines one's behavior which would also express one's nature. As our passages show, our Father's "thoughts" and "ways" are typified by the "heavens" (more than one) which are "higher than the earth," higher than our thoughts and ways. Note that Isaiah speaks of the rain and snow (waters above), the necessary elements needed to "water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower (sowing) and bread to the eater (reaping)." "So shall My Word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it."

John 1:1 (KJV)  
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

The transliteration of "Word" in this passage is logos, meaning, "Something said (including the thought)." (Author's Note: Transliteration means to transcribe a word, etc., in one alphabet into corresponding letters of another alphabet; Dictionary.com). So, could we not say that God's Word or wisdom would incorporate His "thoughts and ways"? After all, isn't "something said" the manifestation of thought and thought the manifestation of one's nature and behavior? Isn't thought invisible until it is expressed as words or actions (words would actually be action as well)? Isn't water vapor invisible in the air until certain conditions make it visible? So within "air" or Spirit is the realm of thought and the "water" which coexists with it denotes the nature and behavior of thought. Together, this defines our "ways" or "mode of action" becoming visible when expressed as words or deeds. Air and water in our atmosphere typifies the realm of thought and behavior proceeding from the nature of one's being. The definition of "nature" from Dictionary.com online reads, "1) The particular combination of qualities belonging to a person, animal, thing, or class by birth, origin, or constitution; native or inherent character," and "2) The instincts or inherent tendencies directing conduct."

Now, isn't the Word of God also the "seed" of God? Yes it is, for it is the container of His divine life and the channel by which His thoughts and ways are continually communicated and propagated in the earth, "sown" within the minds and hearts of all humankind (Matt. 13:1-23). Consider the following from "Biology Teaching and Learning Resources – Educational Materials by D. G. Mackean" at www.biology-resources.com/plants-seeds-01.html.

Conditions for Germination

Water

Before they can begin germination, seeds need a supply of water. This softens the testa or fruit wall and allows the radicle to grow and push its way out. Water activates the enzymes which convert the starch stored in the cotyledons or endosperm into soluble sugars which are then transported in solution to the growing regions.

Oxygen

At this stage seeds also need a supply of oxygen. This gas is necessary for aerobic respiration, from which the seed derives its energy for all the chemical processes which contribute to growth.

Warmth

Seeds will not start to germinate if the temperature is too low. The minimum temperature needed varies with the species of seed.

Light

Only a small number of species of plants have seeds which need light to begin germination. Once the cotyledons or plumule are above ground light is needed for photosynthesis.

Dormancy

Most seeds when shed from the parent plant are very dry; only about 10 per cent of their weight is water. In this condition all the chemical processes of living are very slow and little food is used. In this dry condition the seed may remain alive but dormant for long periods without germinating but still retaining the power to do so. With a large enough number of seeds it could be shown that they are consuming oxygen and releasing carbon dioxide while dormant. If properly stored, wheat can still be germinated after about 15 years. Of any quantity of seeds, the percentage which will germinate decreases with the length of time they are kept dormant.

Our four states of matter were present on the first day of creation. However, light or fire (plasma) is emphasized on the first day while air (gas) and water (liquid) are emphasized on the second day. No wonder Jesus spoke of "living water" (John 4:10, 11; 7:38).

So again, what is light? It is indicative of our Maker's divine life, the highest form of manifestation, integrated into the air and water. Air (gas) and water (liquid) define the thoughts and ways of our Creator and His creation and the light or fire (plasma) is the highest and most glorious aspect of His thoughts and ways, denoting the purest essence of the divine wisdom that issues from our Creator, a wisdom that is free of any and all darkness of man's ignorance or tampering. It was this wisdom which Jesus knew and spoke (John 6:63; 8:26, 28, 38; 14:10).

2 Corinthians 4:5-7 (NIV)  
5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. 6 For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.

1 John 1:5-7 (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. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

# Chapter Six

# THE THIRD DAY

Genesis 1:9-13 (NKJV)  
9 Then God said, "Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear"; and it was so. 10 And God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters He called Seas. And God saw that it was good. 11 Then God said, "Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth"; and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 13 So the evening and the morning were the third day.

The third day is marked by the gathering together of the waters into seas in order for the "dry land" to appear. "And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas."

On the first two days of creation, we have light (plasma), air (gas), and water (liquid), the three elements necessary for the germination of the seed. Now we have "earth" (solid), the "dry land," our fourth element or state of matter which is needed in order for seed to be sown.

Being the third day, the spiritual meaning of three most certainly comes to mind. Consider the following from Bullinger.

In this number we have quite a new set of phenomena. We come to the first geometrical figure. Two straight lines cannot possibly enclose any space, or form a plane figure; neither can two plan surfaces form a solid. Three lines are necessary to form a plan figure; and three dimensions of length, breadth, and height, are necessary to form a solid. Hence three is the symbol of the cube\--the simplest form of solid figure. As two is the symbol of the square, or plane contents (x2), so three is the symbol of the cube, or solid contents (x3).

Three, therefore, stands for that which is solid, real, substantial, complete, and entire.

All things that are specially complete are stamped with this number three.

God's attributes are three: omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence.

There are three great divisions completing time--past, present, and future.

Three persons, in grammar, express and include all the relationships of mankind.

Thought, word, and deed, complete the sum of human capability.

Three degrees of comparison complete our knowledge of qualities.

The simplest proposition requires three things to complete it; viz., the subject, the predicate, and the copula.

Three propositions are necessary to complete the simplest form of argument--the major premiss, the minor, and the conclusion.

Three kingdoms embrace our ideas of matter--mineral, vegetable, and animal.

When we turn to the Scriptures, this completion becomes Divine, and marks Divine completeness or perfection.

Three is the first of four perfect numbers (see p. 23).

Three denotes divine perfection;

Seven denotes spiritual perfection;

Ten denotes ordinal perfection; and

Twelve denotes governmental perfection.

Hence the number three points us to what is real, essential, perfect, substantial, complete, and Divine. There is nothing real in man or of man. Everything "under the sun" and apart from God is "vanity." "Every man at his best estate is altogether vanity" (Psa 139:5, 11; 62:9; 144:4; Eccl 1:2, 4; 2:11, 17, 26; 3:19; 4:4; 11:8; 12:8; Rom 8:20).

Also from Bullinger.

The number three, therefore, must be taken as the number of Divine fulness. It signifies and represents the Holy Spirit as taking of the things of Christ and making them real and solid in our experience. It is only by the Spirit that we realise spiritual things. Without Him and His gracious operation, all is surface work: all is what a plane figure is to a solid (John 3:6). He it is who has wrought all our works in us, and by whom alone we can serve or worship (John 4:24).

Also consider what Ed Vallowe wrote concerning the spiritual meaning of three.

When a man found in his primitive home the divinest thing that life had to offer—a father's love, a mother's love, and a child's love—he found God reflected in the interplay of love and kindness and affection in his own household and began to think of the number three as a symbol of the Divine. The divinest thing in life was "three" and the divine origin of life was three. Here in the ultimate world were father's love, mother's love, and child's love. Here, too, were the glimpses of the great mysteries which we express in the terms "Father," "Son," and "Holy Spirit." Three came to carry the thought of the Divine. It means, "GOD IS IN IT." It is the number of divine completeness and perfection."

Finally, here is Stephen Jone's explanation.

Three (gimel)

Divine Fullness, Perfection

Gimel is a camel in Hebrew. It signifies to be lifted up. Pride is its negative side; being glorified or elevated to a position of authority is its positive side.

The number three is the number of divine fullness, completeness, or perfection. Whereas it takes two lines to fix a position by an x-y axis, it takes three to give shape and to enclose a geometric area—in this case, a triangle.

Because the law establishes truth on the basis of two or three witnesses (Deut. 19:15), the number three may be considered to be a complete witness. Two witnesses are enough to establish truth, but three brings completeness, clarity, and shape to it.

For this reason, there are three primary feast days in Israel: Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. It takes all three feasts to perfect a man with the fullness of the Spirit. Each feast is an aspect of salvation for man's three-fold nature: spirit, soul, and body (1 Thess. 5:23).

In Luke 13:32 Jesus said, "Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected."

Jesus was the Good Shepherd in death, for John 10:14, 15 says, "I am the good Shepherd... and I lay down My life for the sheep." Jesus was the Great Shepherd in resurrection, for we read in Heb. 13:20,

20Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the Great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord.

Finally, Jesus is the Chief Shepherd in glory, for 1 Peter 5:4 says,

4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

So we see that three is the number indicating completeness and perfection.

Three saturates the scriptures and rightfully so. First, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. When describing Christ in Revelation, John declares, "Who is and who was and who is to come" (Rev. 1:4), and "the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth" (Rev. 1:5). "Those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful" (Rev. 17:14). There are three woes in Revelation 8:13. In the Parable of the Vine and Branches, Jesus spoke of "fruit," "more fruit," and "much fruit" (John 15:2, 5). In regard to the "good ground" in the Parable of the Sower, Jesus spoke of those who hear the Word and understand it, "who indeed bear fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty" (Matt. 13:23). And Paul made it clear in I Corinthians, Chapter 3, verse 7, "So then neither he who plants (1) is anything, nor he who waters (2), but God who gives the increase (3)."

All of our examples in regard to the "seed" of the Word of God correlate with our passages concerning the third day, for it was then that God said, "'Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear'; and it was so. And God called the dry land Earth." Once the earth was available for the seed to be sown we read, "Let the earth bring forth grass (1), the herb that yields seed (2), and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind (3), whose seed is in itself, on the earth." Clearly this natural illustration reflects the spiritual principle of sowing and reaping found in Galatians, Chapter 6, verses 7 through 10. And the establishment of this principle on the third day signifies its essence in all of the "threes" which we consider in scripture. As Vallowe wrote concerning the spiritual meaning of three, "It means God is in it," and as Jones states, "Two witnesses are enough to establish truth, but three brings completeness, clarity, and shape to it."

Mark 4:26-29 (NKJV)  
26 And He said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, 27 and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how. 28 For the earth yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head. 29 But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come."

In this brief parable, Jesus gives us a pattern which incorporates the spiritual meaning of three, four, and five. First of all, the three of "divine completeness" is seen in "the blade" (1), "the head" (2), and "the full grain in the head" (3), revealing the "work" or manifestation (evidence) of the "seed" above the ground. When added with the "seed," we have four, typifying the "work" and manifestation (evidence) of creation itself. Finally, when the "full grain in the head" ripens, we have five, the "work" and manifestation (evidence) of grace (reaping; Bullinger) in all creation.

Seven is the number which denotes "fullness" representing "maturity," so in the ripening of the grain, we also have seven, which when added to five, gives us twelve, again the number of "a completeness of a growth or administration" (Vallowe). Note too the phrases "sleep by night and rise by day," correlating with the "evening and the morning" of the first six days of creation (Gen. 1:13). Our spiritual parallel is found in Galatians.

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.

Friend, as demonstrated by the third day of creation, sowing and reaping is a universal principle instilled in the created things, bearing testimony of His living Word in all that He has made. On the third day we are presented with the three natural elements of grass, herbs (plants), and fruit trees, confirming this principle by the spiritual meaning of its number. In comparison, we see this principle working in all "kingdoms" if you will, the male (1) sowing seed into the female (2) and bringing forth offspring (3), the result of the union of male and female. This same principle illustrates what happens within our being. Consider the following illustration.

The sum total of our existence is found in our four states of matter which reflect the spiritual counterparts we have considered. Like our Creator, we are creatures of thought and all that we say and do is a result of thought. As our illustration shows, thought becomes knowledge which then forms as understanding. Once we experience what we know and understand, we establish a foundation (4) of wisdom out of which we continually operate and receive from (harvest) in a variety of ways. "Do not be deceived," dear friend, "God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap (5)."

# Chapter Seven

# THE FOURTH DAY

Before we consider the spiritual aspects of the fourth day of creation, let's sum up what we have considered so far.

On the first day, we have "light," fire, plasma, representing the highest and most glorious form of the manifestation of Spirit; the purest essence of the living and vital Word of wisdom which proceeds from our heavenly Father above (Heb. 12:29; I John 1:5).

On the second day, we have the "waters above" separated from the "waters below" by the "firmament" or expanse called "Heaven" (air). Air (gas) and water (liquid) are both present, illustrating the spirit (air; gas) and behavior (water; liquid) of our Creator, the nature or "thoughts" (air; gas) and "ways" (water; liquid) of our Maker as well as that of His creation (Isa. 55:6-11).

On the third day, the Lord gathers the waters into "Seas" and the "dry land" or earth appears, allowing for the reproductive aspects of the "seed" of His living Word to be sown into the heart or "ground" of His creation (Matt. 13:1-23; Mark 4:26-29). The universal principle of sowing and reaping is brought forth in all of creation. Ah, but we are not quite finished. There is one more step before the "foundation" of the world is fully established as signified by the spiritual meaning of four.

Genesis 1:14-19 (NKJV)  
14 Then God said, "Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years; 15 and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth"; and it was so. 16 Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also. 17 God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth, 18 and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19 So the evening and the morning were the fourth day.

Note the word "heavens," plural. According to scripture, there are three (II Cor. 12:2), and when we consider and understand the spiritual implications of the second day of creation, I believe we are given all of them; "waters above," "waters below," and the "firmament." Remember our understanding of the "firmament"? It speaks of gas, the "air," energy, "Spirit," wherein thought is found or originates, while the liquid or "waters" illustrate the behavior or manifestation of thought, proceeding from the nature of the human or divine. So we have three heavens reflected on the second day of creation. Please consider.

2 Corinthians 12:1-5 (NIV)  
1 I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. 2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know--God knows. 3 And I know that this man--whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows-- 4 was caught up to paradise. He heard inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell. 5 I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses.

This passage is the only scripture which speaks plainly of a "third heaven," and it is clear that the "third heaven" denotes the realm of "paradise," of the throne of God itself (compare with Revelation, Chapter 4; see also Luke 23:43 and Revelation 2:7). Is it just coincidence that our word "paradise" is used only three times in the New Testament?

No doubt, our "third heaven" or "paradise" represents the highest realm of the Spirit, the realm of the pure light of our Creator, so our "second" and "first" heaven would be found below this as the "firmament" and the "waters below" indicate. To illustrate, our three heavens would be as follows:

1. Third Heaven – Waters Above – Father – Light [Plasma]

2. Second Heaven – Firmament – Son – Air (& Water) [Gas; Liquid]

3. First Heaven – Waters Below – Holy Spirit – Air (& Water) [Gas; Liquid]

Friend, "God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all" (I John 1:5). And what does the air (and water) in our atmosphere do? It is "always moving" and "redistributing the energy from the sun." So it is that the work of God's Spirit and Wisdom among us as governed by the Lord Jesus Christ brings to us the "light" of the glory of God (Rom. 5:2; 15:7; II Cor. 1:20; 4:6).

Romans 1:20 (NIV)  
20 For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature\--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

Remember our passage from Romans? God's "eternal power" and "divine nature" are reflected in our three elements or states of matter, for all of them are present at all times throughout the earth. We, as well as all creation, are never apart from these elements. In fact, according to Science Notes at sciencenotes.org, "Nearly 99% of the mass of your human body consists of just 6 chemical elements: oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, calcium, and phosphorus. Another 5 elements make up most of the last percentage point: potassium, sulfur, sodium, chlorine, and magnesium... Hydration level (how much water you drink) makes a big impact on the amount of oxygen and hydrogen in your body and affects the relative composition of the rest of the elements in your body."

Oxygen is the most abundant element in our human form with carbon being the second most abundant. Again, according to Science Notes, carbon "is considered the basis of organic chemistry. Every single organic molecule in your body contains carbon. The element bonds to itself to form chains and ring structures that serve as the basis for all metabolic reactions in your body."

Genesis 1:14-19 (NKJV)  
14 Then God said, "Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night...

Returning to our fourth day of creation, we read, "Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens." Where did our Creator place the "lights"? In the "firmament of the heavens," within the second heaven as seen in our list above (I Cor. 2:16). This would be the realm of Christ (which means "anointed," indicative of the dynamic working of the Spirit of God). Knowing this gives clarity to the following.

Matthew 11:27 (NKJV)  
27 All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.

John 6:44, 65 (NKJV)  
44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day... 65 And He said, "Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father."

Romans 5:1-2 (NKJV)  
1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Friend, it is through Christ alone that we have access to the Father, and in agreement with our passages above, Jesus said, "But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me" (John 15:26). The work of the Spirit of truth in the first heaven is joined to the second, for "He," Christ the Lord, "is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross" (Col. 1:15-20).

Genesis 1:16-18 (NKJV)  
16 Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also. 17 God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth, 18 and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good.

"Two great lights." We know them as the sun and the moon. The "greater light" rules over the "day" while the "lesser light" rules over the night. So what do these "two great lights" signify? Please consider.

Psalms 119:105 (KJV)  
105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

Psalms 119:130-131 (NIV)  
130 The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple. 131 I open my mouth and pant, longing for your commands.

Proverbs 4:18-19 (KJV)  
18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. 19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.

Proverbs 6:23 (KJV)  
23 For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life...

1 Thessalonians 5:5, 8 (NKJV)  
5 You are all sons of light and sons of the day... 8 But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.

Remember, light represents the purest form of the Word and wisdom of our Creator. And what do we find? His living Word "is a lamp" and "a light," the "unfolding" of His "words gives light." His "commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life."

What were the first words recorded concerning our God? "Let there be light," signifying that what God has said is the only true light. When His Word is free from the opinions of men and from the obvious corruption of our pride and ego, then it can truly make us free (John 8:32). "The words of the LORD are pure words; as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times" (Psalms 12:6; KJV). Are we not the "earth" in which His Word is placed? Do you see in the phrase "purified seven times" the need for His spiritual "fire" in our lives to purge away any and all corruption of that Word until His "fullness" is known?

Galatians 4:21-26 (ESV)  
21 Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not listen to the law? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman and one by a free woman. 23 But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, while the son of the free woman was born through promise. 24 Now this may be interpreted allegorically: these women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar. 25 Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.

The greatest aspect of God's Word is found in His covenants, for a covenant is a sacred bond which defines the will of the One who makes it, involving promise, commitment, faithfulness, and loyalty, even unto death. In Bible times, it was never entered into lightly by the parties involved. Ah, but such is not the case today, for the most important covenant, the covenant of marriage, has become a shadow of what it once was.

The covenant of marriage was instituted in Genesis, Chapter 2, verses 21 through 25. No surprise here, for this covenant reflects the universal principle of sowing and reaping, of all reproduction on this planet. In keeping with this, Paul wrote, "Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh" (Gen. 2:24). This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband."

As these passages show, marriage is a sacred bond and reflects the Lord's covenant with His people, the church. And what is the primary purpose of marriage? Union and reproduction, the purpose of sowing and reaping.

1 Corinthians 6:17 (KJV)  
17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.

Inasmuch as a husband and wife become "one flesh," so too those who are joined to the Lord are one spirit with Him. And I emphasize that the covenant of marriage requires commitment, faithfulness, and loyalty, even unto death (Matt. 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23).

For the serious Bible student, understand that there are nine covenants found in the Bible, all of which are connected (see the book, "The Covenants – The Key to God's Relationship with Mankind" by Kevin J. Conner and Ken Malmin). But as Paul records in Galatians, they are summed up in the two covenants which are symbolized by Abraham's wives, Hagar and Sarah. Remember, two is our number of "witness" (Bullinger), signifying that the "witness" of God on this earth are realized in these two covenants.

In our passages from Galatians, Paul tells us that Hagar "is Mount Sinai in Arabia; she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children." This does of course refer to Moses and Israel and their receiving of the law at Mount Sinai (see Exodus, Chapters 19 and 20). And what is the purpose of the law? "By the law is the knowledge of sin" (Rom. 3:20). The law, delivered by God to Moses and Israel, reflects His divine nature which exposes and addresses the lack found in our own human nature. Since there is but "one Lawgiver," (James 4:12), the Almighty Himself, it follows that His law would be indicative of His righteous nature. Take time to think about this.

Sadly, much of Christendom today gives little thought to the law, justifying themselves by saying that Jesus came and did away with it. But this, my friend, is incorrect. Consider.

Matthew 5:17-20 (KJV)  
17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. 19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Clearly, Jesus did not "come to destroy the law, or the prophets," "but to fulfill" (seven). And until "heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle (smallest detail) shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled" (Rev. 21:1). Understand that the New Testament or covenant is not the doing away of the law but the placing of it into our minds and hearts, the spiritual fulfillment of it within our being which transforms us from our human nature to walk in the divine nature of the life-giving Spirit of Christ (Heb. 8:6-13; Jer. 31:31-37).

What the Lord God did for Moses and Israel at Mount Sinai was the greatest spiritual phenomenon recorded in the Old Testament, equaled only by the birth, life, death, and resurrection of our Lord as recorded in the New Testament. In fact, the two are intimately connected, for as we see, Christ came to fulfill the law, bringing to light the spiritual essence of the external written code which Moses and Israel received at Mount Sinai. The giving of the law at Mount Sinai and the giving of God's Son at the cross are forever linked. Please consider.

2 Corinthians 3:5-11 (NIV)  
5 Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. 6 He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant\--not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. 7 Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, fading though it was, 8 will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? 9 If the ministry that condemns men is glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! 10 For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. 11 And if what was fading away came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!

As Paul makes clear, the law was the "letter," "engraved in letters on stone" and "came with glory." Ah, but just as the "lesser light" of the moon is merely a reflection of the "greater light" of the sun, the "lesser light" or glory of the law was given to "rule" over the "night" of our being, but incapable of imparting life (Gal. 3:21). The law is undoubtedly the "ministry" that brings "death" and "condemns men" (as illustrated by Adam and Eve in the garden). But the "greater light" and glory of "the ministry of the Spirit" is the "ministry that brings righteousness," effecting a change of nature, wrought within our being by the New Covenant promise to put His laws within our minds and write them on our hearts (Heb. 8:6-13).

Do we understand that the essence of our two covenants reflect the principle of sowing and reaping? The ministry of death and condemnation (His law) resides over our "sinful nature," which consequences lead to "destruction" (Gal. 6:8; NIV) whereas the ministry of the Spirit leads to "eternal life," the state of righteousness by faith (Gal. 5:5). The law is a necessary component in everyone's life, given as a "tutor" to bring us to Christ (Gal. 3:24-25), for "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one who believes" (Rom. 10:4). "Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law" (Rom. 3:31).

Hebrews 4:12-13 (NIV)  
12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

The "word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword," the Old Covenant on one side and the New Covenant on the other, both joined together by the precious sacrifice of Christ on the cross. Consider the following illustration.

On the first day of creation God said, "'Let there be light'"; and there was light," and "God divided the light from the darkness," calling the "light Day, and the darkness He called Night" (Gen. 1:3-5). On the first day we have the components needed for time, but it is not until the fourth day that He gives us the "two great lights," to "divide the day from the night" and necessary for "signs and seasons, and for days and years" (Gen. 1:14). Incorporated into the essence of time itself is the "Day" and "Night" of God's eternal purpose, exemplified by His covenants unfolding in humankind through each generation. By means of His two covenants we have and are moving through the signs, seasons, days, and years of His divine principle of sowing and reaping. Confirmation is found in the fact that the three great Feasts of Israel were agricultural feasts, centered upon the planting and harvesting of their crops.

Jeremiah 33:19-22 (NKJV)  
19 And the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying, 20 "Thus says the Lord: 'If you can break My covenant with the day and My covenant with the night, so that there will not be day and night in their season, 21 then My covenant may also be broken with David My servant, so that he shall not have a son to reign on his throne, and with the Levites, the priests, My ministers. 22 As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, nor the sand of the sea measured, so will I multiply the descendants of David My servant and the Levites who minister to Me.' "

Jeremiah 31:31-36 (NKJV)  
31 "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-- 32 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the Lord. 33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 34 No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more." 35 Thus says the Lord, Who gives the sun for a light by day, the ordinances of the moon and the stars for a light by night, Who disturbs the sea, and its waves roar (The Lord of hosts is His name): 36 "If those ordinances depart from before Me, says the Lord, then the seed of Israel shall also cease from being a nation before Me forever."

Hebrews 8:6-13 (NKJV)  
6 But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises. 7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. 8 Because finding fault with them, He says: "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-- 9 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. 10 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. 11 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. 12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more." 13 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.

# Chapter Eight

# THE FIFTH DAY

Genesis 1:20-23 (KJV)  
20 And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. 21 And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good. 22 And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth. 23 And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.

If we pay close attention to our passages above, we will find an interesting puzzle. Following the establishment of the foundation of the world, we read, "Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven."

If I'm reading this correctly, are we not seeing the creation of "fowl" from the "waters"? It appears that way, does it not? Quite interesting, wouldn't you say?

Now, note verse 21, "And God created... every living creature." The transliteration of this phrase is hay nepesh. It is the same phrase translated as "living soul" in Genesis 2:7. Does this correlate with the creation of humankind as well?

Genesis 2:18-19 (KJV)  
18 And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. 19 And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.

Once again, our phrase "living creature" is hay nepesh. So first we read, "God created... every living creature" in Genesis 1:21, then in Genesis 2:19 we read, "Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof." Wouldn't "every living creature" or hay nepesh include man as well?

Now, based on what we read, "every living creature" can be summed up as "every beast of the field" and "every fowl of the air." Also notice the difference between God "created" on the fifth day but God "formed" on the sixth day. Our word "created" is defined by the Strong's Concordance as, "To _create_ ; (qualified) to _cut_ down (a wood), _select, feed_ (as formative processes)." Our word "formed" on the other hand is defined as, "To _mould_ into a form; especially as a _potter_ ; figurative to _determine_ (i.e. form a resolution)."

Now, if you will, consider the following information about carbon from Study.com, instructor David Wood (bolding mine).

What Is Carbon? – Definition and Role in Living Organisms

The entire world is made out of atoms. The table your computer screen is sitting on, the clothes you're wearing, the air you breathe... even your body is made out of atoms. And those atoms come in many different types. We call those different types of atoms elements.

Carbon is one of the elements; one type of atom. It contains six protons and six neutrons in its nucleus, with six electrons orbiting around the outside. The number of protons and electrons is what determines its properties, and those properties are incredibly important. Without carbon, we humans would not exist.

Carbon looks very different in its many shapes and forms. Diamond is made of carbon. But so is the graphite in your pencil, the charcoal in a fire and the coal in a power plant. Carbon dioxide, a molecule made out of carbon and oxygen and is something you breathe out, is also the gas most responsible for climate change. So, carbon is totally different in its many different forms.

But, from our perspective as humans, the important thing is that carbon is the basis for life on Earth. We, as humans, are considered to be carbon-based life.

Carbon-Based Life

Carbon is the most important component of all life found on Earth. Even the most complex molecules that make us up contain carbon bonded to other elements: carbon bonded to oxygen, carbon bonded to hydrogen, carbon bonded to nitrogen. You name it - it has carbon.

There are certain key molecules that are a big part of our bodies and the bodies of other living organisms. Proteins, for example, form almost our entire bodies, and proteins on Earth are based on carbon. Nucleic acids are vitally important to animal life, and indeed also contain carbon. Carbohydrates and lipids (fats) are also major parts of the bodies of animals like us. All of these things are reliant on carbon. For this reason, life on Earth is known as carbon-based life, or life that contains building blocks that are made up of combinations of carbon and other elements.

We often assume, therefore, that if we were to find life on other planets, in other parts of the universe, that it would also be carbon based. But some say that we are foolish to make that assumption. There are other elements, like silicon, for example, that contain many of the properties of carbon. Perhaps if we ever meet aliens, their bodies will be made of silicon, not carbon! There's a famous episode of Star Trek where they did just that. I guess there's only one way to find out!

Also from Simple English Wikipedia at simple.wikipedia.org (bolding mine).

Carbon is a very important chemical element, with a chemical symbol of C. All known life on Earth is made from it. Carbon has atomic mass 12 and atomic number 6. It is a nonmetal, meaning that it is not a metal.

Carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, and some other elements like sulfur and phosphorus together form most life on earth (see Organic chemistry and List of biologically important elements). Carbon forms a very large number of organic compounds because it can form strong bonds with itself and with other elements. Because of the amounts of carbon living things have, all organic things are considered "carbon-based". Also, each carbon atom can form 4 single covalent bonds. Many carbon atoms linked together with hydrogen atoms form plastic. Carbon is the only element that can form long chain-shaped molecules. When iron is heated up with carbon, hard steel is formed.

The name of carbon comes from Latin carbo, meaning charcoal. In many foreign languages the words for carbon, coal and charcoal are synonyms.

Carbon is in many places in the universe. It was first made in old stars. Carbon is the fourth most common element in the sun. The atmospheres of Venus and Mars are mostly Carbon dioxide.

Carbon is important to the human body and other living things, and it is the second most common element in the human body, at 23% of all body weight. It is also a key part of many biological molecules (molecules used in life).

Most of the carbon on Earth is coal. Graphite is in many (typically desert) areas, including Sri Lanka, Madagascar, and Russia. Diamonds are rare and are found largely in Africa. Carbon is also in some meteorites.

Let me point out that carbon "contains six protons and six neutrons in its nucleus, with six electrons orbiting around the outside." How many sixes do you see? Three.

Revelation 13:18 (NIV)  
18 This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man's number. His number is 666.

Who hasn't heard about the mark of the beast? Is it just coincidence that we read, "It is man's number. His number is 666"? Something to think about.

So what is it that I am trying to suggest? Consider the difference between "created" and "formed." It was on the fifth day when God "created," but it was on the sixth day when God "formed." Further confirmation is found in the following.

Genesis 2:6-7 (KJV)  
6 But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground. 7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

My theory here is simple. On the fifth day of creation, God "created" the nature and behavior of all that we know, embodied in the spirit of every living creature that exists and signified by the water out of which it came. Then, on the sixth day, God "formed" the organic "container," the "carbon-based" life form in which this nature and behavior would be placed and made evident, signified by the ground out of which it was formed. We find confirmation in the creation of man, seeing that "there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground," this in conjunction with the fact 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 (hay nepesh)." The Bible says "dust," but science says carbon, and it's now a well known fact that carbon abundantly exists within us and in all "organic things." Google defines "organic" as "relating to or derived from living matter." Is there a contradiction? Not at all; I believe they agree. The "dust" out of which we are formed comprises the carbon along with all the other elements that make up our human forms.

Ecclesiastes 3:18-21 (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. 19 For what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and man has no advantage over the beasts, for all is vanity. 20 All go to one place. All are from the dust, and to dust all return. 21 Who knows whether the spirit of man goes upward and the spirit of the beast goes down into the earth?

According to these passages, man and beast "all have the same breath," and this is confirmed in Genesis 2:7, 6:17, 7:15, and 7:22. There is a spirit in man (Job 32:8) and there is a spirit in animals. "Who knows whether the spirit of man goes upward and the spirit of the beast goes down to the earth?"

In regard to our form, it is also apparent that both man and beast "go to one place. All are from the dust, and to dust all return." All carbon-based and organic life returns to the ground from which it was formed.

According to research, carbon is the sixth most abundant element in the universe. Six? Yes. Coincidence, or does it support our understanding of the sixth day of creation? Concerning the spiritual meaning of this number Bullinger wrote, "In any case, therefore, it has to do with man; it is the number of imperfection; the human number."

Again, according to research, carbon is called "fossil fuels"? Why? Because even the fuel in our gas tanks come from the carbon remains of prehistoric plants and animals. All living things on earth contain carbon, and when they die, this material remains beneath the surface of the earth where it is crushed and cooked by pressure and heat which turns it back into fossil fuels: coal (solid), oil (liquid), and natural gas (gas).

For a long time, the traditional view has overlooked what is right before us. Yes, in essence man and every organic creature was created on the sixth day, but it was in conjunction with that which God did on the fifth day. First, the nature of all living things, then that nature infused in all living things. Just like the "seas" which make up so much of our planet but are contained and bound by the "earth" which surrounds it (Psalms 24:1-2; 77:19; 135:6; Prov. 8:29), so too our carbon-based life forms contain all the characteristics within of who and what we are.

# Chapter Nine

# THE BEAST OF THE FIELD

Genesis 1:20-23 (KJV)  
20 And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. 21 And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good. 22 And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth. 23 And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.

Genesis 2:18-20 (KJV)  
18 And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. 19 And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. 20 And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.

Our phrase "help meet" means, "Aid," taken from the word which means, "To surround, i.e. protect or aid." Now, throughout history, it is apparent that animals as well as birds have been a source of aid to humankind in various ways, but just like our four great elements, there is a spiritual parallel to consider.

When we continue to read in Genesis, we find that God created the woman as man's "help meet." This tells me that our phrases, "beast of the field," "cattle," and "fowl of the air" is not just speaking literally, for I don't believe for even a moment that a Superior Intelligence such as our heavenly Father would expect man's "help meet" to be an animal. He already had a female in mind for the male in order to propagate the human species (Gen. 1:27).

Our word for "beast" in Genesis 2:19 is hay, the same word found in hay nepesh or "living soul" (Gen. 2:7). Our word "field" is defined as, "From an unused root meaning to _spread_ out; a _field_ (as _flat_ )." Please consider the Lord's words.

Matthew 13:36-38 (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." 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.

As we see in the Parable of the Tares, Jesus tells us, "The field is the world," stating that "the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked (one is added by the translators)." Again, consider.

Ezekiel 34:1-10 (NKJV)  
1 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 "Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord God to the shepherds: "Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks? 3 You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool; you slaughter the fatlings, but you do not feed the flock. 4 The weak you have not strengthened, nor have you healed those who were sick, nor bound up the broken, nor brought back what was driven away, nor sought what was lost; but with force and cruelty you have ruled them. 5 So they were scattered because there was no shepherd; and they became food for all the beasts of the field when they were scattered. 6 My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and on every high hill; yes, My flock was scattered over the whole face of the earth, and no one was seeking or searching for them." 7 'Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: 8 "as I live," says the Lord God, "surely because My flock became a prey, and My flock became food for every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, nor did My shepherds search for My flock, but the shepherds fed themselves and did not feed My flock"-- 9 therefore, O shepherds, hear the word of the Lord! 10 Thus says the Lord God: "Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require My flock at their hand; I will cause them to cease feeding the sheep, and the shepherds shall feed themselves no more; for I will deliver My flock from their mouths, that they may no longer be food for them."

It should be apparent in these passages that our terms "shepherds," "flocks," "flock," "food," "sheep," and "prey," are metaphors regarding the leaders of God's people and God's people themselves. In direct contrast, the phrase "beast of the field" clearly refers to ungodly people and verse 10 groups those "shepherds" which take advantage of the "flock" or "sheep" of God with them. And what was the serpent? "More cunning than any beast of the field" (Gen. 3:1). The following passages from Jude confirms our perspective.

Jude 1:3-4 (NKJV)  
3 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. 4 For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

When we read that God's "flock" became a "prey" and "food" for "every beast of the field," this is not speaking literally. We should also realize that these passages are most certainly relevant in this time in which we live, for there are many such "shepherds" today who are guilty of the very things which Ezekiel prophesied in these passages. Look at what Jude followed with in our passages above.

Jude 1:10-16 (NKJV)  
10 But these (certain men) speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves. 11 Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah. 12 These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; 13 raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. 14 Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, "Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, 15 to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him." 16 These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage.

If we had no other examples in scripture, this should be enough to understand that a "beast" or "beast of the field" is not referring to literal animals but to man himself. Our phrase, "And whatever they know naturally" corresponds with I Corinthians 2:14. Here's further proof.

Job 5:22-23 (KJV)  
22 At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh: neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts (hay) of the earth. 23 For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field: and the beasts (hay) of the field shall be at peace with thee.

Job 12:7-10 (KJV)  
7 But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee: 8 Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee. 9 Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this? 10 In whose hand is the soul (nepesh) of every living thing (hay), and the breath (ruah) of all mankind.

Job 18:3 (KJV)  
3 Wherefore are we counted as beasts, and reputed vile in your sight?

Psalms 49:12 (NKJV)  
12 Nevertheless man, though in honor, does not remain; He is like the beasts that perish.

Psalms 79:1-5 (KJV)  
1 O God, the heathen are come into thine inheritance; thy holy temple have they defiled; they have laid Jerusalem on heaps. 2 The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat unto the fowls of the heaven, the flesh of thy saints unto the beasts (hay) of the earth. 3 Their blood have they shed like water round about Jerusalem; and there was none to bury them. 4 We are become a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and derision to them that are round about us. 5 How long, Lord? wilt thou be angry for ever? shall thy jealousy burn like fire?

Psalms 104:25 (KJV)  
25 So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts (hay).

Ecclesiastes 3:17-19 (KJV)  
17 I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work. 18 I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts. 19 For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.

All of these Old Testament passages confirm our perspective, but further light is shed by some of the most popular passages found in the book of the Revelation in the New Testament.

Revelation 13:1-2 (KJV)  
1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. 2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.

Most of us are familiar with this "beast" from Revelation, Chapter 13, which is presented as a simile (which is just another form of metaphor evidenced by the words "like unto"). The word "beast" in this passage is defined by the Strong's Concordance as, "Diminutive... a dangerous animal." "Diminutive" means "extremely or unusually small" (Google), so our definition speaks of a small but wild and dangerous animal rising out of the sea. This correlates with our previous understanding of the nature and behavior of said beast as signified by the waters or "sea." And what is the nature of this beast? It is the "name" or nature "of blasphemy." And what is blasphemy? In its simplest form, it is man placing himself as "god" in the place of God (John 10:33; II Thess. 2:3-4). And what would cause any of us to do such a thing? Pride. For this reason, I define the "seven heads" of this beast by the following.

Proverbs 6:16-19 (KJV)  
16 These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: 17 A proud look (1), a lying tongue (2), and hands that shed innocent blood (3), 18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations (4), feet that be swift in running to mischief (5), 19 A false witness that speaketh lies (6), and he that soweth discord among brethren (7).

There are many today who see the "seven heads" of the beast of the sea as indicative of certain nations or organizations, but consider the fact that the wisdom of God is such that it need not speak of these but rather of the nature of such which relates to all humankind. When we understand that the "waters" out of which the beast ascends refers to "peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues" (Rev. 17:15), then we should realize that this symbolic presentation of the beast of the sea denotes a collective spirit, nature, and behavior which is unquestionably dangerous and easily evidenced in the world at large. There should be no doubt; man is the most dangerous "beast" or "animal" on this planet. Even a casual glance at the news proves this beyond any doubt.

Friend, the phrase "beast" or "beast(s) of the field," more often than not, refers to mankind in his obvious resistance to the righteous principles of God's kingdom. So it doesn't matter if you're speaking of a corrupt leader, secular or religious, or those who follow them, it is the individual as well as the collective nature which is addressed and revealed by scripture.

# Chapter Ten

# THE FOWL OF THE AIR

Genesis 1:20-23 (KJV)  
20 And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. 21 And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good. 22 And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth. 23 And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.

Genesis 2:18-20 (KJV)  
18 And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. 19 And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. 20 And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.

I have learned that there is a specificity in scripture which continually challenges my understanding. Oftentimes, I have found that just one word or statement in a set of passages brings a necessary clarity that is needed. Such is the case in our passages from Genesis 2 above. As mentioned before, the context of our passages are in regard to a "help meet" or "aid" for Adam (symbolic of all humankind). So we read, "And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air, and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof." What follows? "And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him."

In regard to "cattle," the word is behēmâ which the Strong's Concordance defines as, "From an unused root (probably meaning to be _mute_ ); properly a _dumb_ beast; especially any large quadruped or _animal_ (often collective)." This same Hebrew word is used a total of 190 times in the Old Testament and is translated, not only as "cattle," but also "beast" and "beasts" (see our passages in Ecclesiastes 3, verses 18 through 21).

Our word "beast" in "beast of the field" is again our word hay, which Strong's defines as, "Alive," taken from the word which means, "To live." This word is used a total of 504 times in the Old Testament and translated many ways, not the least of which is "live," "life," "alive," "creature," and "living thing."

Now, notice that we read, "And whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof." Our phrase, "name thereof," is transliterated as shēm, defined as, "A primitive word... through the idea of definite and conspicuous _position_... an _appellation_ , as a mark or memorial of individuality; by implication _honor, authority, character_."

In scripture, more often than not, names denote the "nature" or "character" of the one to whom it is given. As an example consider Abram which means, "High father." After God established His covenant with him He changed His name to Abraham which means, "To be populous; father of a multitude," this in regard to the fact that He promised to make him a "father of many nations" (Gen. 17:5).

Abraham's son by Sarah was named Isaac, meaning "laughter," for "Sarah said, 'God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.' And she said, 'Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? For I have born him a son in his old age'" (Gen. 21:6-7).

As a final example, consider Jacob, Abraham's grandson. His name means, "Heel-catcher (i.e. supplanter)," because he took hold of his twin brother's heel at birth (Gen. 25:26). After wrestling with an angel at Peniel, his name was then changed to Israel, meaning, "He will rule as God," because as the angel declared to him, "As a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed" (Gen. 32:28; KJV).

As our phrase "name thereof" indicates, it speaks of "the idea of definite and conspicuous position," an "appellation, as a mark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority, character." In other words, the names which we give to the created things reflects the nature and character of such. In confirmation, our phrase "after their kind" and "after his kind" means, "To portion out; a sort, i.e. species." This being true, haven't we also given names to the various "natures" which are exhibited through humankind? Yes we have; in statements such as, "He's a jealous type" or "they're an arrogant person" or "she's a cheerful lady."

If you will indulge me, here's some interesting information about birds from Mike Baird, Wikimedia Commons, at "eol – Encyclopedia of Life" (eol.org/info/439).

What is a Bird?

Defining Birds

Birds form a class of animals that includes over 10,000 species worldwide (Clements 2007). These species were traditionally divided into 30 orders (Peters et al. 1931–1987) but more recent lists (in part based on molecular studies) group birds into 23 to 40 orders (Clement 2007, Gill and Donsker 2012). Passeriformes, commonly called perching birds or songbirds, are the most diverse order.

Birds range in size from the Small Bee Hummingbird ( _Mellisuga helenae_ ) to the large flightless Ostrich ( _Struthio camelus_ ). Compared to mammals, which range in size from shrews to the blue whale, birds that fly have a restricted size range. This restriction is imposed by the mechanical constraints of flight: the larger the bird the more muscular energy needed to stay airborne. Flightless birds have no such limit. Some extinct flightless birds, such as _Diatrymia gigantean_ , were 7 feet tall, and the giant carnivorous ground birds of South America, the phororhacids, were also large.

**Habitat, Physiological Characteristics, and Behavior**

Birds live in a wide range of environments, from tropical rainforests to the polar regions, though no one species is as widespread as _Homo sapiens_. The Barn Owl ( _Tyto alba_ ) is one of the more widespread species, found on every continent except Australia and Antarctica. In the tropics, there are a large number of species that have a restricted range.

Birds are ovivaporous—they reproduce by laying eggs rather than giving birth to live young. These eggs are adapted to survive in a terrestrial environment, and have a porous shell made of calcium carbonate. Birds are also homoeothermic (warm-blooded)—a trait they share with mammals—but that evolved independently. They all have bills (beaks) and are toothless, and swallow food without chewing. They have two-part stomachs: a glandular stomach and a gizzard. Many species swallow rocks or shells that collect in the gizzard and pulverize food. Bird forelimbs have evolved into wings for flight. Their bones are hollow, decreasing their body weight. All birds also have feathers, something that makes them unique among living animals.

**Feathers**

Feathers are made of keratin, just like human fingernails and hair. They may have evolved for thermoregulation and/or to trap prey, but later were adapted for flight. Wings made of feathers are adjustable, and their lack of blood supply means that birds don't lose a lot of heat through their wings. The rigidity of feathers gives wings the necessary stiffness to fly. A damaged feather is also easy to repair as it is renewed in the next molt. Different types of feathers serve different purposes. Rigid, long, contoured feathers help birds fly. Fluffy down feathers keep them warm. Colorful plumes attract mates. Feathers provide a windproof and waterproof covering.

**Flight**

Birds, like insects, reptiles (pterosaurs), and mammals (bats) have evolved the capability for flight. Most species fly, though a few, mostly island species, are flightless. Most small birds are flappers. Unlike aircraft that have fixed wings, these birds have moveable wings powered by muscles. Some birds, soaring birds like the albatross, can fly using fixed wings and air currents as a source of power (though they still have to flap their wings to get airborne). Many birds migrate. Because of low winter temperatures over large areas of Asia, northern Europe, and North America, there are relatively few birds that are permanent inhabitants. But during the summer months, hundreds of millions of birds from southern temperate and tropical areas migrate north. These travelers typically breed in one place and spend the winter in another, sometimes traveling thousands of kilometers to get back and forth. The Arctic Tern ( _Sterna paradisaea_ ) spends its summers in the arctic and winters in the Antarctic.

No doubt, birds are an amazing creation. As our information shows, they are unlike any other creature on this planet, unique to themselves. It should also be noted that there are many species of birds considered as sea or ocean birds. Most of these are carnivorous fish eaters whose feeding techniques include plunge diving or diving and swimming to pursue prey. Some of these species include the penguin, auks, murres, razorbills, puffin, albatross, and pelican.

1 Corinthians 15:38-39 (KJV)  
38 But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body. 39 All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.

As noted, "All flesh is not the same flesh." There is a distinct difference between the "flesh" of a human being and that of "beasts," "fishes," and "birds." Yet, all four creations are "flesh," varied carbon-based life forms who were created and formed on the fifth and sixth days of creation.

And why do we see "fowl" rising out of the "waters"? Because "waters" (as also evidenced by water vapor in the air), is indicative of the "thoughts" or nature and "ways" or behavior of all species, human or otherwise. Please consider.

Matthew 15:18-20 (NIV)  
18 But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man 'unclean.' 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. 20 These are what make a man 'unclean'; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him 'unclean.'"

Mark 7:21-23 (NIV)  
21 For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22 greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. 23 All these evils come from inside and make a man 'unclean.'"

Do these passages not describe "evil thoughts" which manifest as murder, adultery, and so on? And isn't every evil act a result of "evil thoughts"? And wouldn't it be appropriate to say that "evil thoughts" are the result of one's nature and behavior? Ah, but there are good thoughts as well, are there not?

Consider the following definition of the word "heart" from Vine's (bolding mine).

Heart

**Usage Number:** 1

**Strong's Number:** <G2588>

**Original Word:** καρδία, kardia

**Usage Notes:** "the heart" (Eng., "cardiac," etc.), the chief organ of physical life ("for the life of the flesh is in the blood," Lev. 17:11), occupies the most important place in the human system. By an easy transition the word came to stand for man's entire mental and moral activity, both the rational and the emotional elements. In other words, the heart is used figuratively for the hidden springs of the personal life. "The Bible describes human depravity as in the 'heart', because sin is a principle which has its seat in the center of man's inward life, and then 'defiles' the whole circuit of his action, Matt. 15:19, 20. On the other hand, Scripture regards the heart as the sphere of Divine influence, Rom. 2:15; Acts 15:9... The heart, as lying deep within, contains 'the hidden man,' 1 Pet. 3:4, the real man. It represents the true character but conceals it" (J. Laidlaw, in Hastings' Bible Dic.).

As to its usage in the NT it denotes (a) the seat of physical life, Acts 14:17; Jas. 5:5; (b) the seat of moral nature and spiritual life, the seat of grief, John 14:1; Rom. 9:2; 2 Cor. 2:4; joy, John 16:22; Eph. 5:19; the desires, Matt. 5:28; 2 Pet. 2:14; the affections, Luke 24:32; Acts 21:13; the perceptions, John 12:40; Eph. 4:18; the thoughts, Matt. 9:4; Heb. 4:12; the understanding, Matt. 13:15; Rom. 1:21; the reasoning powers, Mark 2:6; Luke 24:38; the imagination, Luke 1:51; conscience, Acts 2:37; 1 John 3:20; the intentions, Heb. 4:12, cp. 1 Pet. 4:1; purpose, Acts 11:23; 2 Cor. 9:7; the will, Rom. 6:17; Col. 3:15; faith, Mark 11:23; Rom. 10:10; Heb. 3:12.

The heart, in its moral significance in the OT, includes the emotions, the reason and the will.

Job 32:8 (NKJV)  
8 But there is a spirit in man, and the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding.

John 7:38-39 (NKJV)  
38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." 39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

According to Vine's, the heart of man encompasses "man's entire mental and moral activity," the "hidden springs of the personal life," both natural and spiritual, human and divine. For this reason, Jesus said that "out of the heart come evil thoughts." When we consider the heart in light of what Jesus said in John, Chapter 7, it appears that spirit is essentially the heart of man. And this makes perfect sense. After all, if God is Spirit (and Jesus said He is), capable of thought and emotion, of power and presence, then it is the spirit of man where all that we are originates from (Job 32:8; I Cor. 2:11). Once spirit is breathed into this carbon-based life form, then all the aspects of the soul and mind are derived from it. As we physically mature, so too the aspects of the mind and soul take form. The knowledge, understanding, wisdom, emotions, and will take root to eventually manifest as "fruit" out of our being (Matt. 7:1720). Remember, air and water coexist in us.

Revelation 13:1 (NKJV)  
1 Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name.

Revelation 17:1-3, 15 (NKJV)  
1 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, "Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, 2 with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication." 3 So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns... 15 Then he said to me, "The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues."

Isaiah 57:20-21 (KJV)  
20 But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. 21 There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.

In keeping with the idea of the "seas" or "waters below," we find in Revelation our "beast rising up out of the sea." A little further in Revelation, we read of "the great harlot who sits on many waters," seated on this "scarlet beast" which has risen from the sea. Then we are told, "The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues." In other words, the "waters" are the great sea of humanity of which all of us are part and denotes the immeasurable manifestation of those things which proceed from the hearts of people everywhere at all times.

So what do birds or fowl signify? They represent the manifestation and movement of our thoughts and ways among us. As Jesus taught, thoughts arise from the heart. So, from the "waters" of our nature and behavior rise the "birds" or fowl who carry and manifest the thoughts (seed) of our mind. Think about it. How and where do thoughts travel? Do they not move through our mind where eventually some become actions (including speech) which then reveal our nature? And in the same way that birds often fly from one "tree" to another, so too our thoughts and ways move from one mind to another through the various forms of communication with which we are all familiar.

Matthew 13:3-4, 18-19 (NKJV)  
3 Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: "Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them... 18 "Therefore hear the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside.

Do you see it? Our phrase "the birds came and devoured them" denotes the "wicked" coming and snatching away the "seed" that was meant to be "sown" in the heart. How does this happen if not through the actions of the mind or thought?

Revelation 18:2 (ESV)  
2 And he called out with a mighty voice, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place for demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable beast.

Revelation 19:17-18 (NKJV)  
17 Then I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, "Come and gather together for the supper of the great God, 18 that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, both small and great."

In confirmation of our perspective, we find that Babylon the great is "fallen," becoming "a haunt for every unclean bird." The fact that "all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven" are gathered to "the supper of the great God" to "eat the flesh" of "kings," "captains," "mighty men," "horses and of those who sit on them," and "all people, free and slave, both small and great," is by no means literal but speaks of the manifestation and movement of the carnal and fleshly wisdom of this world among us (I Cor. 1:20; 2:6; 3:19). These are the "seeds" of knowledge and understanding which we carry to one another and consume within our hearts and minds, all of which proceed from the mind of the flesh which is death (Rom. 8:6-7). These are the "unclean" birds of Babylon.

Jeremiah 5:26-31 (NKJV)  
26 'For among My people are found wicked men; they lie in wait as one who sets snares; they set a trap; they catch men. 27 As a cage is full of birds, so their houses are full of deceit. Therefore they have become great and grown rich. 28 They have grown fat, they are sleek; yes, they surpass the deeds of the wicked; they do not plead the cause, the cause of the fatherless; yet they prosper, and the right of the needy they do not defend. 29 Shall I not punish them for these things?' says the Lord. 'Shall I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this?' 30 "An astonishing and horrible thing has been committed in the land: 31 The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own power; and My people love to have it so. But what will you do in the end?

"As a cage is full of birds, so their houses are full of deceit," declares Jeremiah. "For as he," man, "thinks in his heart, so is he" (Prov. 23:7). And to whom is he referring? To "wicked men" found among His people, men who "become great" and grow "rich," becoming "fat" and "sleek." Sound familiar? It should, for there are many such today among the people of God.

Now, consider the following from Deuteronomy.

Deuteronomy 28:25-26 (ESV)  
25 "The Lord will cause you (Israel) to be defeated before your enemies. You shall go out one way against them and flee seven ways before them. And you shall be a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth. 26 And your dead body shall be food for all birds of the air and for the beasts of the earth, and there shall be no one to frighten them away.

Notice how our passages speak of Israel in a singular fashion, stating, "And your dead body shall be food for all birds of the air (fowls of the air; KJV) and for the beasts of the earth, and there shall be no one to frighten them away" (in regard to the "beasts of the earth," see Revelation, Chapter 13, verses 11 through 18). So, the "dead body" speaks of the spiritual condition and collective whole of Israel as a nation. And what set the precedent for this prophecy?

Deuteronomy 28:15 (NKJV)  
15 "But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you...

No doubt, it is disobedience to the "commandments" and "statutes" of the Lord which leads to the "curses" which follow. When we rebel against the Word of the Lord, we resist the "life" of that Word, bringing death into our midst. And when we become "dead" spiritually, our thinking follows suit, our minds considered "carnal," and "the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be" (Rom. 8:7).

Ecclesiastes 10:20 (NKJV)  
20 Do not curse the king, even in your thought; do not curse the rich, even in your bedroom; for a bird of the air may carry your voice, and a bird in flight may tell the matter.

# Chapter Eleven

# GREAT WHALES

Genesis 1:20-23 (KJV)  
20 And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. 21 And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good. 22 And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth. 23 And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.

Specificity. Dictionary.com defines this word as, "The quality or state of being specific." Given the fact that our world and the universe is so large and complex, the story of creation is really quite brief. However, what is recorded is all that is needed, for there is a specificity in this account that could only be given by a Superior Intelligence. As we have discovered throughout this study, there is much which lies beneath the surface of those things which God specified concerning the creation of the heavens and the earth.

So let me be honest. The phrase "great whales" is what led me to write this study. Once I realized what this suggested, I found myself excited about what it pointed to.

First of all, the word "great" is gādôl, defined as, "From <H1431> (gadal); _great_ (in any sense); hence _older_ ; also _insolent_." H1431 reads, "A primitive root; properly to _twist_ [compare <H1434> (gedil)], i.e. to _be_ (causative _make_ ) _large_ (in various senses, as in body, mind, estate or honor, also in pride)."

Great, older, insolent, twisted, large, pride. All of this within the meaning of "great." Now, here's where it gets even more interesting.

Our word "whales" is tannîn, meaning, "Or **tanniym** , tan-neem'; (Ezek. 29:3), intensive from the same as <H8565> (tan); a marine or land _monster_ , i.e. _sea-serpent_ or _jackal_ ," taken from tan, meaning, "From an unused root probably meaning to _elongate_ ; a _monster_ (as preternaturally formed), i.e. a _sea-serpent_ (or other huge marine animal); also a _jackal_ (or other hideous land animal)." Notice that our definition refers to Ezekiel 29:3. Let's look at this.

Ezekiel 29:3 (KJV)  
3 Speak, and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great dragon that lieth in the midst of his rivers, which hath said, My river is mine own, and I have made it for myself.

Ezekiel 32:1-2 (KJV)  
1 And it came to pass in the twelfth year, in the twelfth month, in the first day of the month, that the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, 2 Son of man, take up a lamentation for Pharaoh king of Egypt, and say unto him, Thou art like a young lion of the nations, and thou art as a whale in the seas: and thou camest forth with thy rivers, and troubledst the waters with thy feet, and fouledst their rivers.

Would it surprise you to know that our phrase "great dragon" in Ezekiel 29: 3 is the same two Hebrew words, gādôl and tannîn, translated as "great whales" in Genesis 1:21? Can you see the pride of "Pharaoh king of Egypt" who said, "My river is mine own, and I have made it for myself"?

Our phrase, "and thou art as a whale" in Ezekiel 32:2 is tannîn. It gets even more interesting.

Exodus 7:8-12 (KJV)  
8 And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 9 When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying, Shew a miracle for you: then thou shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh, and it shall become a serpent. 10 And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as the Lord had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became a serpent. 11 Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments. 12 For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods.

Our phrases "it shall become a serpent," "it became a serpent," and "they became serpents," are all the same word, tannîn.

Psalms 91:9-13 (KJV)  
9 Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; 10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. 11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. 12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. 13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.

Our word "dragon"? It's tannîn. Do the bolded phrases sound familiar? They should.

Matthew 4:5-7 (KJV)  
5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, 6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. 7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

Now, let's go to the book of Isaiah.

Isaiah 27:1 (KJV)  
1 In that day the Lord with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea.

Our word "leviathan" is defined by Strong's as, "A _wreathed_ animal, i.e. a _serpent_ (especially the _crocodile_ or some other large sea-monster); figurative the constellation of the _dragon_ ; also as a symbol of _Babylon_."

Our word "serpent" (both times) is nāḥāsh, defined as, "A _snake_ (from its _hiss_ )." And where does this word first appear?

Genesis 3:1 (KJV)  
1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

Finally, our word "dragon" in Isaiah 27:1 is again tannîn.

Jeremiah 51:34-37 (KJV)  
34 Nebuchadrezzar (Nebuchadnezzar) the king of Babylon hath devoured me, he hath crushed me, he hath made me an empty vessel, he hath swallowed me up like a dragon, he hath filled his belly with my delicates, he hath cast me out. 35 The violence done to me and to my flesh be upon Babylon, shall the inhabitant of Zion say; and my blood upon the inhabitants of Chaldea, shall Jerusalem say. 36 Therefore thus saith the Lord; Behold, I will plead thy cause, and take vengeance for thee; and I will dry up her sea, and make her springs dry. 37 And Babylon shall become heaps, a dwellingplace for dragons, an astonishment, and an hissing, without an inhabitant.

Our phrase "like a dragon" and "for dragons" is tannîn. For the purpose of study, know that our word tannîn is used just 28 times in the Old Testament, but as we see, how it is used is quite revealing. Look once more at Isaiah, Chapter 27.

Isaiah 27:1 (KJV)  
1 In that day the Lord with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea.

If I'm seeing this correctly, leviathan is the "piercing" (a fugitive, i.e. the serpent (as fleeing)) and "crooked" (tortuous) serpent (nāḥāsh), the "dragon that is in the sea." They are all synonymous. And what is the "sea"? As we have learned, it signifies the collective behavior of those things which issue from the heart of humankind.

Jeremiah 17:9-10 (KJV)  
9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? 10 I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

The transliteration of our word "deceitful" isʿāqōb and means, "A _knoll_ (as _swelling_ up); in the denominative sense (transitive) _fraudulent_ or (intransitive) _tracked_." It's only used three times in the Old Testament, once in our passage above, once in Isaiah 40:4 as "crooked" and Hosea 6:8 as "polluted."

Our word ʿāqōb is taken from the word ʿāqab which means, "To _swell_ out or up; used only as denominative from <H6119> (`aqeb), to _seize by the heel_ ; figurative to _circumvent_ (as if _tripping_ up the heels); also to _restrain_ (as if holding by the heel)." This word is used only five times in the Old Testament, but as specificity will show, it is quite enlightening.

Genesis 27:34-36 (KJV)  
34 And when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, even me also, O my father. 35 And he said, Thy brother came with subtilty, and hath taken away thy blessing. 36 And he said, Is not he rightly named Jacob? for he hath supplanted me these two times: he took away my birthright; and, behold, now he hath taken away my blessing. And he said, Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me?

Remember the story of Isaac's twins, Jacob and Esau? These passages follow Jacob's deception of his father Isaac in taking his brother's blessing after he had taken his birthright (Gen. 25:29-34). Our phrase "he hath supplanted me" is ʿāqab. Not surprisingly, Jacob's name is yaʿaqōb which means, "Heel-catcher (i.e. supplanter)," and yes, it is taken from our word ʿāqab. With this in mind, consider the following.

Genesis 3:14-15 (KJV)  
14 And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: 15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Our word "heel"? The transliteration is ʿāqēb and reads, "Or (feminine) **iqqebah** , ik-keb-aw'; from <H6117> (`aqab); a _heel_ (as _protuberant_ ); hence a _track_ ; figurative the _rear_ (of an army)." As shown, the root of this word is ʿāqab. By all indications, I see this as relating to the subtle and deceptive nature of the human heart in all of us. Jacob, who became Israel (Gen. 32:24-32) out of which the twelve tribes of Israel sprang, had to undergo a change of nature in order for the purpose of God to be accomplished.

Isaiah 65:25 (KJV)  
25... and dust shall be the serpent's meat...

What did the Lord say in regard to the serpent? "Upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life." In agreement, Isaiah states, "And dust shall be the serpent's meat (food)." The "belly" signifies the carnal appetites whereas "dust" denotes those things we wish to consume in regard to such, i.e. those things which relate to our form (dust; carbon) and the world of form (dust; carbon) in which we live (Gen. 2:16-17).

1 Corinthians 15:47-50 (KJV)  
47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. 48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. 49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. 50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

In agreement with Isaiah, we find Paul stating, "The first man is of the earth, earthy." Consider these same passages from the New King James version.

1 Corinthians 15:47-50 (NKJV)  
47 The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven. 48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly. 49 And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man. 50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption.

These passages are more accurate, describing the "first man" as "of the earth" and "made of dust." And who is this "first man"? It is "Adam" (I Cor. 15:45). And Paul makes it clear that all of us have "borne the image of the man of dust." And what is this image? Would it be one of deceitfulness and cunning which the term "serpent" defines? You see my friend, I don't believe the serpent was a fallen angel, nor was it a talking snake, rather, our word "serpent" speaks of a nature and behavior that becomes quite evident in our lives, even when we are but small children.

1 John 2:15-17 (NKJV)  
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life\--is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

Our word "lust" in these passages is epithymia, defined as, "A _longing_ (especially for what is forbidden)." It's taken from the word which means, "To set the _heart upon_ , i.e. _long_ for (rightfully or otherwise)." You see my friend, the "appetites" of our heart are the desires for the things of the "flesh" or "dust," the "things of men."

Matthew 16:21-23 (NKJV)  
21 From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. 22 Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!" 23 But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."

# Chapter Twelve

# FIRST, THAT WHICH IS NATURAL

1 Corinthians 15:39-50 (NKJV)  
39 All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of animals, another of fish, and another of birds. 40 There are also celestial bodies and terrestrial bodies; but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. 41 There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory. 42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. 43 It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. 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 became a living being (living soul)." The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual. 47 The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven. 48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly. 49 And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man. 50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption.

I cannot help but believe that tradition, along with our religious pride, has clouded our perception of the creation story and the true nature of who we are once we are born into this world. In a society saturated with arrogance and political correctness, we have become quite reluctant to admit that we are anything but "good." We are obsessed with the idea that through the power of positive thinking, we can overcome this innate nature of subtlety and deception that abides in the human heart. But friend, it doesn't work. You cannot reform the serpentine nature that exists within our being. The Lord Himself ordained that this nature can only "eat dust" all the days of its life. That being said, it is imperative that this "life" must end in order for its nature to also end.

If my understanding of the passages above are correct, Paul describes for us the difference between "the first man Adam" and the "last Adam," who is Christ the Lord. Take a moment to think about this. Christ was the "last Adam," signifying the end of the first and the beginning of a "new creation" (II Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:15).

And right away, let me challenge the long-standing tradition that Adam and Eve were the parents of every living person on earth. No, they weren't, and the understanding of this is quite simple. Just as one policeman is representative of the entire police department, so too Adam (and Eve) is representative of the entire human race. Their story in Genesis is a symbolic presentation to you and me about how the Lord God formed the "natural man" in all of humankind. The proof is found in the Hebrew definitions of "man" and "Adam."

Genesis 1:26-27 (KJV)  
26 And God said, Let us make man in our image... So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

The transliteration of the word "man" in this passage is ʾādām and is defined as, "From <H119> ('adam); _ruddy_ , i.e. a _human being_ (an individual or the species, _mankind_ , etc.)." It is taken from the root word ʾādēm which means, "To _show blood_ (in the face), i.e. _flush_ or turn rosy." Our first definition is used nine times as "man" in Genesis until we arrive at Genesis 2:19, where it is then translated as "Adam." From there, it is used interchangeably as either "man" or "Adam." In other words, regardless of how it's used, it denotes an "individual or the species." To say it plainly, the story of Adam is an individual presentation of the collective creation of the first man which Paul clearly defines as the "natural" in I Corinthians 15:46.

1 Corinthians 2:12-14 (NKJV)  
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. 13 These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Here we have it, and let's not add or take from what Paul said. "The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." And what did Paul say came first? The natural. And who represents this? Adam. So would it be appropriate to say that the story of Adam and Eve is an illustration of how God created this natural man? I believe so.

"Now we have received, not the spirit of the world," Paul said, and then speaks of "man's wisdom." Does this not identify what is meant by "the natural man"? We are not speaking of the human form but the inward embodiment which consists of spirit and wisdom, of knowledge and understanding, of thought, emotion and will. All of these things are invisible elements contained within this human form and manifested outwardly through it. When we communicate with one another, do we not become animated, our "countenance" expressing those things which issue from our heart? (Gen. 4:5-6)

Now, let me back up a moment. Look carefully at our passages from I Corinthians. What is it that Paul is discussing when he speaks of the "glory" of the "celestial" (heavenly) and the "glory" of the "terrestrial" (earthly)? "So also is the resurrection of the dead." And why is this important? Because the resurrection of the dead is the focal point of scripture, the basis for the gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul makes this clear in the passages which precede the ones we started with.

1 Corinthians 15:1-21 (NKJV)  
1 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you--unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. 6 After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. 7 After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. 8 Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. 11 Therefore, whether it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed. 12 Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. 14 And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. 15 Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up--if in fact the dead do not rise. 16 For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. 17 And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! 18 Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. 20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead.

Clearly, Paul's discourse concerns the "gospel" of Christ and the fact that this gospel is based upon the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord, and "if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise."

Now, consider verse 21 where Paul writes, "For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead." What does this tell us? It tells us that God fully intended for death to enter this world through man in order for the resurrection of the dead to follow. Sound crazy? It isn't, for one of the most important principles which illustrates this fact is our principle of sowing and reaping.

John 12:23-25 (NKJV)  
23 But Jesus answered them, saying, "The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. 24 Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. 25 He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

Our word "resurrection" is anastasis and is defined as, "A _standing up_ again." It's taken from the word which means, "To stand up." And what happens to a seed once it "falls" into the ground? It dies! Ah, but then it stands up again, right? But not in the same "body" as what went into the ground! So what does Paul say about this?

1 Corinthians 15:36-38 (NKJV)  
36 Foolish one, what you sow is not made alive unless it dies. 37 And what you sow, you do not sow that body that shall be, but mere grain--perhaps wheat or some other grain. 38 But God gives it a body as He pleases, and to each seed its own body.

Oh my friend, do you see it? The "body" that dies is not the "body" that rises from death, so we must understand that death is a necessity; it is a requirement, essential to eternal life! No wonder Jesus said, "He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life."

Understand that the "first man" is the "natural man" and was ordained to die in order for a new creation to spring out of the ground of his death! "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" (II Cor. 5:17)! Our "first man," the "natural man," has been consigned to "eat dust" all the days of his life so his life must end in order for the "second man" to arise! Understand that our first man, the natural man, the man of dust, cannot be reformed and will never be able to receive the things of the Spirit of God. He must die in order for the second to arise and receive and manifest the eternal life of His Maker!

1 Corinthians 15:20-26 (NKJV)  
20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 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.

Should there be any doubt as to who the "natural man" is, these passages make it clear. "For as in Adam all die," Paul wrote. In other words, "just like" (as in) Adam, who is representative of all of us, we "die," no exceptions. All of us begin our journey on this earth as a "natural man." Ah, but the death of which he speaks is not the passing of this physical form. Rather, it is about what works within the recesses of our spirit and mind.

Romans 8:5-11 (NKJV)  
5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. 10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

Here we have the explanation and essence of the "natural man." It speaks of the "spirit of the world" and the mind "set" "on the things of the flesh," on this world of form in which we exist, appropriately called the "carnal" or fleshly mind, which is death, a state of thinking and thus being where we are at "enmity (hostility) against God" (and one another) due to our attachments to the things of this world (I John 2:15-17). What did Paul say? The natural man "does not receive the things of the Spirit of God." And what does Paul say in these passages? The "carnal mind" is "not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God."

# Chapter Thirteen

# DEEP SLEEP

Genesis 2:4-5 (KJV)  
4 These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens, 5 And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground.

We have learned that beneath the simplicity of the creation story are spiritual realities. Note in verse 4 of these passages that we have a mirror image. "These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens." First, heavens and earth, then earth and heavens. And when was the earth and the heavens made? "In the day" or "light" of the wisdom of God.

Psalms 104:24-26 (NKJV)  
24 O Lord, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all. The earth is full of Your possessions-- 25 This great and wide sea, in which are innumerable teeming things, living things both small and great. 26 There the ships sail about; there is that Leviathan which You have made to play there.

Psalms 136:5-9 (KJV)  
5 To him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endureth for ever. 6 To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for his mercy endureth for ever. 7 To him that made great lights: for his mercy endureth for ever: 8 The sun to rule by day: for his mercy endureth for ever: 9 The moon and stars to rule by night: for his mercy endureth for ever.

1 Corinthians 15:46 (KJV)  
46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.

For us, it is "that which is natural" first, the "earth and the heavens," a mirror image of "that which is spiritual," "the heavens" and "the earth." God is light but the earth is darkness, always in need of the light. Apart from His wisdom, we simply cannot survive.

Note the phrase "plant of the field" in Genesis 2:5. Our word "plant" is śîah and is defined as, "A _shoot_ (as if _uttered_ or put forth), i.e. (general) _shrubbery_." Simple enough, but look at the definition of the root of this word. It is śîaḥ and defined as, "To _ponder_ , i.e. (by implication) _converse_ (with oneself, and hence aloud) or (transitive) _utter_." First, that which is natural, a "shoot" or "shrubbery." Afterward, that which is spiritual, to "ponder," to "converse with oneself" or "utter."

Our word "herb" is "from an unused root meaning to glisten (or be green); grass (or any tender shoot)."

Psalms 37:1-2 (KJV)  
1 Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. 2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.

Psalms 103:13-16 (KJV)  
13 Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. 14 For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust. 15 As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. 16 For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.

1 Peter 1:24-25 (KJV)  
24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: 25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

Genesis 2:5-8 (NKJV)  
5... For the Lord God had not caused it to rain on the earth, and there was no man to till the ground; 6 but a mist went up from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground. 7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being (living soul; KJV). 8 The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed.

Following our understanding of the "plant of the field" and the "herb of the field," we read, "For the Lord God had not caused it to rain on the earth, and there was no man to till the ground." Our word "till" means, "To work (in any sense)." Our word "ground" is ʾadāmâ and is defined as, "From <H119> ('adam); _soil_ (from its general _redness_ )." Do you recognize the word this is derived from? It is our word ʾādēm which means, "To show blood (in the face), i.e. flush or turn rosy," the same word from which "man" or "Adam" is derived.

Once the Lord God had "formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life," we read, "The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed." First, "no man to till the ground," now, a man to "till the ground." This being the case, God "planted a garden." Now He could bring forth the plants and herbs of the field, both naturally and spiritually so.

What is the purpose of a garden? Is it not for planting seed in order to eventually harvest that which is planted? Of course, and this clearly refers to sowing and reaping (Gal. 6:7-10).

We are an astounding creation! Do we not understand that we are "fearfully and wonderfully made" (Psalms 139:14), our hearts "fertile ground" for the seeds of knowledge, understanding, and wisdom? Take an infant born of Asian descent and place him with American parents and what happens? English becomes his first language and he becomes an American in thought, word, and deed. The reverse is also true. Once knowledge takes root in our being, it soon becomes understanding as we "ponder" and "converse" within ourselves in order to perceive what we've seen and heard. Before too long, we express the "glory" of this human form in this world, a "glory" that is temporal at best and like the "flower of grass," destined to fade and soon fall away.

Genesis 2:18-25 (NKJV)  
18 And the Lord God said, "It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him." 19 Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name. 20 So Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him. 21 And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. 22 Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. 23 And Adam said: "This is now bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man." 24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. 25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

Most everyone is familiar with the story of how God created woman from the "rib" of Adam, but what most of us overlook is the phrase, "And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept." Did the Lord give anesthesia to Adam in order to perform surgery and remove the rib? Of course not! This being the case, what and why do we see this "deep sleep" placed upon Adam or man? Please consider.

Genesis 15:12 (ESV)  
12 As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. And behold, dreadful and great darkness fell upon him.

Isaiah 29:9-13 (ESV)  
9 Astonish yourselves and be astonished; blind yourselves and be blind! Be drunk, but not with wine; stagger, but not with strong drink! 10 For the Lord has poured out upon you a spirit of deep sleep, and has closed your eyes (the prophets), and covered your heads (the seers). 11 And the vision of all this has become to you like the words of a book that is sealed. When men give it to one who can read, saying, "Read this," he says, "I cannot, for it is sealed." 12 And when they give the book to one who cannot read, saying, "Read this," he says, "I cannot read." 13 And the Lord said: "Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men...

Matthew 15:7-9 (NKJV)  
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.' "

Our passages from Isaiah which were quoted by the Lord to the scribes and Pharisees make it clear (Matt. 15:1). There is a "spirit of deep sleep" which inhibits spiritual understanding, making us "blind" and "drunk, but not with wine" or "strong drink." Is this not an appropriate description of man when he walks after the mind of the flesh? Ah, but notice that Isaiah is speaking of the "prophets" and "seers," of those who should understand and Jesus confirms this as well, saying to those who embraced the law of God that "in vain" they worshiped God, "teaching as doctrines the commandments of men."

The "deep sleep" which God caused to fall upon Adam or man was divinely ordained; done so for a specific reason.

Romans 8:20-21 (NKJV)  
20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; 21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

Our word "creation" in these passages is "creature" in the King James. It's defined as, "Original formation," clearly referring to the "first man Adam" who was made a "living soul" (I Cor. 15:45; KJV). By means of this "deep sleep," Adam or man was "subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it," i.e. our Creator. And how would we describe this "futility"? "For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption" (Gal. 6:8).

Our word "futility" in the New King James is "vanity" in the King James. This word is only used three times in the New Testament (see also Ephesians 4:17 and II Peter 2:18). It is defined as, " _Inutility_ ; figurative _transientness_ ; moral _depravity_." It's taken from the word which means, " _Empty_ , i.e. (literal) _profitless_ , or (special) an _idol_."

There are many ways to describe this "deep sleep." As we found in Isaiah, Chapter 29, it speaks of our inability to perceive the things of the Spirit of God which again points to the "natural man" and the mind of the flesh and all of its worldly attachments. It is not just "sleep," but a "deep" sleep, indicative of a spiritual unconsciousness where we are very much alive, physically speaking, but very much "unaware," spiritually speaking. It can easily describe a religious but unspiritual condition where what we say does not align with what's in our heart. Remember, the "heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; Who can know it?" (Jer. 17:9)

Our phrase "deep sleep" is tardēmâ, defined as "A _lethargy_ or (by implication) _trance_." It comes from the root which means, "To _stun_ , i.e. _stupefy_ (with sleep or death)." It is used only seven times in the Old Testament and the word which it is taken from is also used just seven times. Note that our definition includes the idea of "death," and Paul made it clear, the carnal mind is death (Rom. 8:6).

Ephesians 4:17-19 (NIV)  
17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles (nations) do, in the futility (mataios) of their thinking. 18 They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. 19 Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.

Here we go. As believers, Paul said we must not "live as the Gentiles (nations) do, in the futility of their thinking." Why? Because "they are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts." For this reason, the nations are unable to perceive the knowledge and wisdom of the kingdom of God (see Matthew 13:13-15). This unconsciousness is so deep that like the scribes and Pharisees of old, they don't even know that their religious positions and posturing have nothing at all to do with His kingdom (Rev. 3:17).

"God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept." It was during this "deep sleep" that the woman was formed, for the decree was, "Let us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness... So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them" (Gen. 1:26-27). "He created them male and female, and blessed them and called them Mankind (Adam; KJV) in the day they were created" (Gen. 5:2). The "deep sleep" was not for the purpose of creating the woman. Rather, the woman was created after the deep sleep came upon Adam in order to be one with him in it.

First, man is alone and in need of a "helper." Then God causes a "deep sleep" to come on him and the woman is formed from him, brought to him, and Adam states, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh" (Gen. 2:23-24). "One flesh" my friend, not one spirit, indicating the natural state which we are considering. And what follows? "And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed" (Gen. 2:25). Our word "naked" is by no means literal.

2 Corinthians 5:1-5 (NIV)  
1 Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. 2 Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, 3 because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. 4 For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

What is "the earthly tent we live in" if not the soul, for it has never been about our human form but about what dwells within (Luke 17:21-22). And if this soul is "destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands" (John 12:25). Would this not be our spirit? So it is that "we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling," for "when we are clothed, we will not be found naked." You see my friend, God sees our "naked" (exposed) condition, our "mortal" and futile state, having "made us for this very purpose," that the temporal existence of our soul might be "swallowed up" by the eternal life of His Spirit. No wonder Jesus said, "He who finds his life (psychē; soul) will lose it, and he who loses his life (psychē; soul) for My sake will find it" (Matt. 10:39).

Hebrews 4:12-13 (KJV)  
12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

Who are we when we are among others? And who are we when we are alone? Where do our thoughts take us when there is no one else around? What is it we truly long for and desire above everything else? Do we wish for more of the things of this world or do we, as Paul did, long to be "clothed with our heavenly dwelling"? Consider what Paul wrote following our passages above from II Corinthians, Chapter 5.

2 Corinthians 5:6-10 (NIV)  
6 Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. 7 We live by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

Sowing and reaping is made evident in these passages, for each one of us receives what is due "for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad." Would we rather "be away from the body and at home with the Lord"? Are we willing to lose our lives for His sake (Matt. 10:39)?

When we understand that the chapters and verses of the Bible were put there by us then we can continue to read in the creation story as it was intended. Following the "deep sleep," the formation of the female and the "naked" or soulish state of Adam and Eve, we then read the following.

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'?"

"Now the serpent." Now? Yes. This is his first appearance, following all that has led up to it. This is our word nāḥāsh and means, "A snake (from its hiss)." It's derived from nāḥash which means, "To hiss, i.e. whisper a (magic) spell; generally to prognosticate." "Prognosticate" means "to foretell from signs or symptoms" and "to give an indication of in advance" (Merriam-Webster Dictionary online). And what was it that God was giving an indication of in advance? The natural man.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary goes on to say, "Prognosticate has been connected with things that give omens or warnings of events to come and with people who can prophesy or predict the future by such signs." For this reason, our word nāḥash is also translated as "divine" in the King James (See Gen. 44:15; Lev. 19:26; Deut. 18:10). That being said, consider the following.

Genesis 3:14-15 (KJV)  
14 And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: 15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Do you see it? In regard to what was to come, God told the serpent, "I will put enmity (hostility) between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." Would this not be indicative of "events to come"?

Remember Jacob and where our word "heel" takes us. According to what the Lord God said, the serpent's "head" was destined to be "bruised" (to gape, i.e. snap at; figurative to overwhelm) by the "seed" of the woman, but not before the serpent's "seed" succeeded at bruising "his heel" (See Rev. 1:15; Matt. 5:35; 22:44; Heb. 10:13). Note that the "seed" of the woman is defined as a "he." Compare this with verses 2, 4, and 5 found in Revelation, Chapter 12, for a better understanding (the male Child).

When we understand that the "Garden of Eden" is not literal but representative of the principle of sowing and reaping and of our need to "till the ground" of our heart (Prov. 4:23; Jer. 4:3; Hos. 10:12), then we can begin to lay aside the traditional view of the serpent which we have heard for so long.

"Thy seed and her seed." Literal? I think not. Inasmuch as Jesus taught the Parable of the Sower, stating that "the seed is the Word of God" (Luke 8:11), we can easily define the "seed" of the serpent as a "seed" of deception based upon the Word of God (Gen. 3:1). After all, isn't that what the serpent did? He deceived Eve about what God had said (see II Cor. 11:3)?

Haven't we found that names in scripture denote some characteristic or behavior as with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? As mentioned before, our word "serpent" is representative of a nature, a "cunning" and manipulative behavior that works within the recesses of our own being.

And what was the serpent? A "beast of the field." Haven't we found that this not only refers to the animal kingdom but also speaks of man himself? Ah, but not just any man, but that which Paul defined as the "first man," represented by Adam. This "first man" is "of the earth, made of dust," and "as was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust" (I Cor. 15:47-48). And what did Isaiah say was the "serpent's meat"? Dust (Isa. 65:25). Was he speaking literally? Of course not. Dust denotes form, and so it refers to the mind of form, the mind of the flesh and our appetite for the wisdom of this world. And what did Jeremiah say? Did he say that the serpent was deceitful above all things and desperately wicked? No, he did not. He said the "heart" is.

Look at verse 14 above where it reads, "And dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life." You mean the serpent has a life span which ends? If this is true, then the serpent could not be a fallen angel, for angels cannot die (Luke 20:36).

Our word "life" is the word ḥay, the same word translated "living" in "living soul" (Gen. 2:7). So is this what Jesus meant when He taught that the "soul" or "self" must die (Matt. 10:39; 16:25; Mark 8:35; Luke 9:24; 17:33)? Let's consider this a bit further.

In the King James New Testament, our word "soul" is psychē and is defined as, "From <G5594> (psucho); _breath_ , i.e. (by implication) _spirit_ , abstract or concrete (the _animal_ sentient principle only; thus distinguished on the one hand from <G4151> (pneuma), which is the rational and immortal _soul_ ; and on the other from <G2222> (zoe), which is mere _vitality_ , even of plants: these terms thus exactly correspond respectively to the Hebrew <H5315> (nephesh), <H7307> (ruwach) and <H2416> (chay))."

According to the definitions given, psychē in the New Testament corresponds with nepesh (nephesh) in the Old, while zoe in the New corresponds with ḥay (chay) in the Old. That being said, consider these passages once more from Genesis.

Genesis 1:20-21, 24, 30 (KJV)  
20 And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life (ḥay), and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. 21 And God created great whales, and every living (ḥay) creature (nepesh) that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good... 24 And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living (ḥay) creature (nepesh) after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast (ḥay) of the earth after his kind: and it was so... 30 And to every beast (ḥay) of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life (ḥay and nepesh), I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.

Genesis 2:7 (KJV)  
7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life (ḥay); and man became a living (ḥay) soul (nepesh).

What the New Testament calls the "soul" is our word nepesh in the Old Testament, translated as "creature," "life," and "soul" in our preceding passages. The New Testament translates zōē as "life" and corresponds with ḥay in the Old, also translated as "life," as well as "living," and "beast." Also note the phrase "after their kind." This is our word which means, "To portion out; a sort, i.e. species." Would this not clearly represent the nature of all that is mentioned?

So, Adam was made a "living soul" (Gen. 2:7; KJV). Then, because he took of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, he "died," or more specifically, he began dying. Please consider.

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."

Ezekiel 18:4 (KJV)  
4 Behold, all souls (nepesh) are mine; as the soul (nepesh) of the father, so also the soul (nepesh) of the son is mine: the soul (nepesh) that sinneth, it shall die.

Did Adam physically pass from this planet once he took of the tree of knowledge? No, he did not. Yet, the Lord God told him, "You shall surely die." Please consider the following from answersingenesis.org, Dr. Terry Mortenson, author (bolding mine).

The phrase "you shall surely die" can be literally translated from the Hebrew biblical text as "dying you shall die." In the Hebrew phrase we find the imperfect form of the Hebrew verb (you shall die) with the infinitive absolute form of the same verb (dying). This presence of the infinitive absolute intensifies the meaning of the imperfect verb (hence the usual translation of "you shall surely die"). This grammatical construction is quite common in the Old Testament, not just with this verb but others also, and does indicate (or intensify) the certainty of the action. The scholarly reference work by Bruce K. Waltke and M. O'Conner, An Introduction to Biblical Hebrew Syntax (Winona Lake: Eisenbrauns, 1990), gives many Biblical examples of this, and they say that "the precise nuance of intensification [of the verbal meaning] must be discovered from the broader context."

"Dying you shall die." This shows that "death," as defined by the Bible, is a process that begins then continues until it ends, agreeing with the fact that the serpent has a life span. For this reason, Paul defined it this way.

Ephesians 2:1-3 (NKJV)  
1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

Do you see it? Death is the state of being where we walk or conduct ourselves "according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience." This conduct is in accordance with "the lusts of our flesh" where we fulfill "the desires of the flesh and of the mind." Doesn't this agree with our understanding of the mind of the flesh, the carnal mind, which Paul clearly states "is death" (Rom. 8:6), again a state of being? Isn't this our state of being before we are drawn by the Father to Christ? It is!

Our word "prince" is defined as, "A _first_ (in rank or power), taken from the word which means, "To be first." Would this agree with our "first man Adam"? When would Satan have ever been first unless it speaks of Adam?

Luke 4:8 (KJV)  
8 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

Matthew 16:23 (KJV)  
23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

Mark 8:33 (KJV)  
33 But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.

In Luke 4:8, we see the temptation of Christ and Jesus saying, "Get thee behind me, Satan." We then find in Matthew and Mark the same phrase used by the Lord when speaking to his disciple Peter. "Behind me"? Yes. For you were first, but now you are last (Matt. 19:30; Mark 10:31). Was Christ rebuking the "natural" response of Peter's thinking in regard to the truth of the kingdom (Matt. 16:21-23)? I believe so, for again, the natural man cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God; they are foolishness to him. No doubt, Peter could not understand or receive that Jesus had to "suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day" (Matt. 16:21).

Our word "air" in Ephesians 2:2 reads, "From **aemi** (to _breathe_ unconsciously, i.e. _respire_ ; by analogy to _blow_ ); " _air_ " (as naturally _circumambient_ ) :- air. Compare <G5594> (psucho)." Note that Strong's tells us to compare G5594. This word is psychō which means, "To breathe (voluntarily but gently)." Our word psychē, meaning "soul," is derived from psychō. Do we give much thought to our breathing? Not unless we are deprived of air. Do we give much thought to our soulish conduct? Not unless we are challenged by something to do so.

Look at what Paul said in verse 3. When we walk in this state of being, we are "by nature" children of "wrath." Our word "nature" is defined as, " _Growth_ (by _germination_ or _expansion_ ), i.e. (by implication) natural _production_ (lineal _descent_ ); by extensive a _genus_ or _sort_ ; figurative native _disposition, constitution_ or _usage_." Doesn't this definition agree with our understanding of the "natural man" and show that every single person on this planet begins their earthly life in conformity with this world? That being said, I emphasize that you cannot reform a nature. Just as a serpent is always a serpent and cannot be anything else, so the natural man cannot be anything but natural. So it is that the message of the kingdom of God is not the reformation of the first or natural man, but the end thereof. That is why Paul called Christ "the last Adam" (I Cor. 15:45), His death on the cross signifying that we must die as well (Rom. 6:6; 8:13; Eph. 4:22).

So let me speak as plainly as I can concerning my theory. Once the Lord God caused a deep sleep to come upon Adam, and after He formed the woman from the rib of Adam, He now had "the first man," the "natural man," in accordance with what Paul wrote in I Corinthians, Chapter 15, verses 45 through 50. "The spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual."

Friend, as Paul taught, all of us bear the "image of the man of dust" and I am inclined to believe that this "image" is the serpent "nature," indicative of the "good and evil" which proceeds from the mind of dust, the mind of the flesh, which is "enmity against God" (Rom. 8:7). No, we do not "wrestle with flesh and blood," but we do wrestle with those things which proceed from the heart and mind on a continual basis. And never in the history of humankind has there been such a "flood" of confusion issuing from within as there is today. People are rising up in every part of the world, seeking to make their voices heard and blatantly standing against the righteous nature of their Creator. For this reason we see the "name of blasphemy" on the heads of the beast which rises out of the sea in Revelation, Chapter 13.

Understand too that the first appearance of the serpent in Genesis establishes the first characteristic of our natural man and that is the deceptiveness of our own heart in regard to the principles (Word) and nature of our Creator. The second characteristic of the serpentine nature quickly follows, manifested by Adam when the Lord reckoned with him after his disobedience. And what was this characteristic? Accusation, which just happens to be the meaning of the word "devil" (see Prov. 6:19). This accusation is recorded in Genesis 3:12 where Adam told the Lord, "The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate." As we can see, Adam accused both God and the woman.

Remember, our phrase "deep sleep" is tardēmâ, defined as "A _lethargy_ or (by implication) _trance_." It comes from the root which means, "To _stun_ , i.e. _stupefy_ (with sleep or death)." When the Lord caused this "deep sleep" to come on Adam, He subjected him to the futility or vanity of this earthly form. Would this not be what is meant by "natural"? The Lord then confined the natural man by the boundaries of His moral law, what Paul described as "the ministry of death" and "condemnation" (II Cor. 3:5-11), symbolized by the "tree of the knowledge of good and evil" (Gen. 2:9), for Paul wrote, "By the law is the knowledge of sin" (Rom. 3:20). Due to this deep sleep of spiritual unconsciousness, "through one man," the natural man, "sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned" (Rom. 5:12). "All sinned," my friend, "for as in (just like) Adam, all die" (I Cor. 15:22), due to our own "natural man" within.

But know too my friend that death is only an enemy when we fail to understand its divine purpose. Our time on earth is but for a moment, so it behooves us to embrace our dying in order that we might live. The fact that we essentially begin dying the moment we are born into this world tells us very plainly that this life, and the things in it, are not the priority (II Cor. 4:18). He that loses his life for His sake shall find it (Matt. 10:39). The seed of wheat must fall into the ground and die or it remains alone (John 12:23-24).

1 Corinthians 15:20-22 (KJV)  
20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

Our phrase, "of them that slept," is defined as, "From <G2749> (keimai); to _put to sleep_ , i.e. (passive or reflexive) to _slumber_ ; figurative to _decease_." G2749 reads, "Middle of a primary verb; to _lie_ outstretched (literal or figurative)." What happened to Adam once God caused the "deep sleep" to come on him? "He slept." Please consider.

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

Our word "lieth" is also G2749, i.e. "to lie outstretched." In other words, to be asleep is to be like the "first man Adam," dead to the righteousness of Christ as first exemplified by the tree of knowledge (the law). Understand that our phrase "of them that slept" speaks of all of us who, like Adam, are "dead (asleep) in trespasses and sins" (Eph. 2:1).

Friend, Christ was and is "the last Adam," having become the judgment for this world and everyone in it. Through His precious sacrifice which fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies as determined by the Father, He tasted "death for every man" (Heb. 2:9). Despite the traditional misunderstanding of salvation, the Lord has promised that "even so in Christ shall all be made alive." Understand that the death of God's Son as our judgment satisfied our heavenly Father fully and completely, therefore no one is left out, and I believe this was purposed before humankind was ever created.

2 Corinthians 3:12-16 (NIV)  
12 Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. 13 We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at it while the radiance was fading away. 14 But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. 15 Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. 16 But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

In Paul's day, it was the scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees who embraced the law of Moses (Old Covenant). But as most of us know, it was these religious leaders and their followers who resisted, persecuted, and eventually killed the Lord of glory. Why? Because "their minds were made dull" and a "veil" was over their hearts, a "deep sleep" which prevented them from understanding the true essence of the law and its prophetic components. And it is no different today. Few understand that "the law is spiritual" (Rom. 7:14). In regard to our natural man, it is rightfully called "the ministry of death" and "condemnation," for the righteous requirements of the law are necessary to expose our unrighteous behavior in order for us to recognize our need for His Spirit and be brought to Christ.

What this also tells us is that we need the true "ministry of the Spirit" and "righteousness" to arise in our midst; not one of pretense or guess work, but a living and vital demonstration of the Spirit and power of God as was known in the days of the New Testament Church.

Isaiah 2:1-4 (ESV)  
1 The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. 2 It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be lifted up above the hills; and all the nations shall flow to it, 3 and many peoples shall come, and say: "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths." For out of Zion shall go the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. 4 He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.

Isaiah 11:9 (ESV)  
9 They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.

Isaiah 25:6-9 (ESV)  
6 On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined. 7 And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. 8 He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken. 9 It will be said on that day, "Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation."

Friend, the time is coming when "He will swallow up on this mountain (Mount Zion; Isa. 2:2, 3; 11:9; 24:23; Rev. 14:1-6) the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death forever" by the life that He is.

Revelation 14:1, 5 (NKJV)  
1 Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father's name written on their foreheads. 2... 5 And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault before the throne of God.

# Chapter Fourteen

# FALLEN ANGELS

As I have mentioned before, I do not believe in fallen angels and haven't for some time. Perhaps the best example of deception concerning this topic is Hollywood. No doubt, there are a great number of movies and television shows which have been made which push this idea of good angels and bad. But understand my friend, the world does not know God (I John 5:19) and the natural man is unable to receive the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness to him; he cannot know them because they are spiritually discerned (I Cor. 2:14). What the natural man is quick to embrace for entertainment is surely condemned by the Lord.

The religious denominations and organizations of our time all had a beginning somewhere after the rise of the New Testament Church in the book of Acts. What began with the pure and unadulterated Word of God which had been given to the apostles through Christ soon became laced with the serpent's error, for that is the way of the natural man. Due to his pride and lust for the things of this world, he is never content to leave well enough alone, but must seek to possess even those things which God alone gives. The Lord, as well as all the apostles, knew this better than anyone and warned of what was to come.

We have fallen far from the glory of the New Testament Church, of this there can be no doubt. Say the word "church" to anyone in this country and it conjures up the idea of large crowds and famous ministers, buildings filled with all manner of religious icons, giant screen televisions, large stages, choirs, pews, crosses, stained-glass windows, and yes, a constant plea for money.

Due to our spiritual lack, we have turned to a variety of entertainment venues in order to fill our churches, offering games and dance halls, sports venues, programs and the like in order to attract any and everyone who is so inclined. But where is the righteousness in all of this? Who is growing in the Word of the kingdom? Who is truly denying the self as Jesus taught? Very few my friend, very few.

The doctrine of the devil as a fallen angel is easily disproved when one is willing to think outside the boundaries of traditional error. One such error is found in the book of Genesis.

Genesis 6:1-6 (KJV)  
1 And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, 2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. 3 And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. 4 There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown. 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. 6 And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.

There have been many who have guessed at these passages, going so far as to say that the "sons of God" are the angels which took human form in order to have sexual relations with human women. Ah, but consider the following.

Hebrews 1:5 (NKJV)  
5 For to which of the angels did He ever say: "You are My Son, today I have begotten You"? And again: "I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to Me a Son"?

Beloved, our questions above are rhetorical. To which of the angels did God ever say, "You are My Son"? The answer? He never did and He never will. Friend, all angels are "ministering spirits," not sons, "sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation" (Heb. 1:14), i.e. sons.

Christ Jesus is His Son, is He not? And Paul, along with John, made it clear that they too were "sons" (John 1:12; Rom. 8:14, 19; Php 2:15; I John 3:1-2). Would it surprise you to know that Adam was also called a "son of God"? (Luke 3:38) Collectively speaking God called the nation of Israel His son as well (Exod. 4:22).

Take another look at our passages from Genesis. The context is never about angels but about men. "My spirit shall not always strive with man," "mighty men," "men of renown," "the wickedness of man," and "it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth." Nowhere in these passages does it talk about angels.

As for the term "giants"? It is defined as, "A feller, i.e. a bully or tyrant," taken from the word which means, "To fall." Would this not suggest "fallen" sons and not fallen angels? And our word "giants" is further defined in the context as "mighty men" and "men of renown." No, these were not giants in the literal sense, but men of great charismatic presence and power, just like those today who are so well known among us.

In regard to the fact that the "sons of God" took "daughters of men" as "wives," consider what Jesus taught.

Luke 20:27-38 (NKJV)  
27 Then some of the Sadducees, who deny that there is a resurrection, came to Him and asked Him, 28 saying: "Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man's brother dies, having a wife, and he dies without children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother. 29 Now there were seven brothers. And the first took a wife, and died without children. 30 And the second took her as wife, and he died childless. 31 Then the third took her, and in like manner the seven also; and they left no children, and died. 32 Last of all the woman died also. 33 Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife does she become? For all seven had her as wife." 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."

There is much we could consider in these passages, but for the purpose of confirming our current thought, consider what Jesus said in regard to the "sons of God." It should be apparent by the context that Jesus is clearly speaking of men as evidenced by what the Sadducees presented and "the resurrection from the dead." Resurrection does not nor ever will apply to angels.

Now, what happens for those who are "counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead"? They, the sons of God, "neither marry nor are given in marriage; nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels." Doesn't this clearly show that angels do not marry? Of course it does. So who are we to believe, tradition, or the words of Christ?

So what was meant by the sons of God taking wives of the daughters of men? Perhaps this explains it.

2 Corinthians 6:14-18 (NKJV)  
14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? 15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people." 17 Therefore "Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you." 18 "I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the Lord Almighty."

When the sons "of God" took the daughters "of men" as wives, would this suggest that they became "unequally yoked together with unbelievers" instead of His "daughters"? I believe it would, just as was true of Israel in their time. Furthermore, there is more than one way to be "married." Most everyone today is "married" or joined and committed to various "collectives," to the spirit and message of both secular and religious gatherings of every kind, and many of these collectives are called "churches" that were never formed or established by the Lord but by prideful, carnal, and religious men whose only true intent is money and power (Jude 1:4). Now, consider the following.

Revelation 17:5 (NKJV)  
5 And on her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

In Revelation, we find that "Babylon the great" is "the mother of harlots." Is this literal? Not by any means. Could it possibly refer to the many collective gatherings we call "church," which is clearly defined as the Lord's "body" or "wife" in scripture (Eph. 5:23-32)? Would the fact that they are called "harlots" suggest unfaithfulness, where we choose the doctrines and commandments of men over the truth of the Lord (Rev. 2:4-5)? Isn't it also true that the religious denominations and organizations of our time have succeeded in producing a great number of men and women of "renown" to which thousands gather every week?

What happens when a "son of God" marries a "daughter" of man (religious collective formed by the natural man)? A mixture of truth and lie. Should you doubt the efficacy of what I am presenting, I would encourage you to read my study, "Studies in Revelation – The Beast of the Earth." What you will find is a clear presentation of the rise of the serpent in the church (Rev. 2:2, 9, 10, 13, 24).

I have no doubt that there have been many sincere men who entered the ministry with the right spirit and attitude. However, once these men were exalted by their followers and the money started pouring in, they strayed from the path of truth and righteousness that was their original intent. Paul made this clear in the following passages.

1 Timothy 6:9-12 (KJV)  
9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

I believe in fallen sons, but not fallen angels. As the Lord's own words declare, those "counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection."

Sons of God are equal to the angels. With this in mind, consider the following.

Jude 1:4-6 (NKJV)  
4 For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ. 5 But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. 6 And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day...

These passages are also used to prove the existence of fallen angels. However, look at how Jude begins—"For certain men have crept in unnoticed." To whom was Jude referring in verse 6? I believe it was our account from Genesis concerning the sons of God. Consider.

Jude 1:10-13 (NKJV)  
10 But these (certain men) speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves. 11 Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain... wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.

Note our phrase "wandering stars." In keeping with this, compare with Daniel 12:3 and "those who are wise," who "shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever" (see also Rev. 1:16, 20; 12:1). Bring this thought to Revelation, Chapters 2 and 3, where Jesus told John to write "to the angel" of each church. Was the Lord speaking to angels? I don't believe so, but He was speaking to the sons of God, to those whose hearts long for the righteousness of the kingdom of God in the earth. Sons of God are destined to be "equal to the angels," therefore they do not "marry" or join themselves to the "daughters of men."

Look at what Jesus said to the "angel" and church of Ephesus—"Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent."

Fallen angels? No. Fallen sons? Yes, and they are those who leave their "first love," their love for Christ and His truth. For this reason, they are "fallen," they "did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode," choosing reputation and money over the cross of Christ.

# Chapter Fifteen

# LUCIFER

Isaiah 14:12-17 (NKJV)  
12 "How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! 13 For you have said in your heart: 'I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.' 15 Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the Pit. 16 "Those who see you will gaze at you, and consider you, saying: 'Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms, 17 who made the world as a wilderness and destroyed its cities, who did not open the house of his prisoners?'

These are some of the passages used by many traditionalists to prove that Satan is a fallen angel. However, it doesn't take much consideration to see otherwise. Note that verse 16 and 17 clearly state, "Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms, who made the world as a wilderness and destroyed its cities, who did not open the house of his prisoners?" And to whom is this referring?

Isaiah 14:3-4 (NKJV)  
3 It shall come to pass in the day the Lord gives you rest from your sorrow, and from your fear and the hard bondage in which you were made to serve, 4 that you will take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say: "How the oppressor has ceased, the golden city ceased!

As we see, our passages in Isaiah 14 are a "proverb against the king of Babylon," not about the devil or Satan. So is it also speaking symbolically of someone other than the king of Babylon? I believe so. Remember, the king of Babylon is also called a "dragon" (Jer. 51:34).

Romans 5:12-14 (NKJV)  
12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned\-- 13 (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.

Luke 3:38 (KJV)  
38 Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.

How did sin enter the world? Not through the devil, but "through one man." How did death enter the world? Not through the devil, but "through sin." How did "death spread to all men"? "Because all sinned." How could this be if not by the fact that Adam represents the "natural man" in everyone? "Is this the man"? Look once more at Isaiah 14:12.

Isaiah 14:12 (NKJV)  
12 "How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations!

Our word "Lucifer" in this passage is the only time it is found in the King James Bible. If you will research this word, you will find that it is quite misleading. It is a Latin word which was placed there by Jerome in his Latin Vulgate, and Jerome himself confesses that the Hebrew phrase in which this word is contained should be rendered as, "Howl, son of the morning!" Consider the following from hermeneutics.stackexchange.com.

Noteworthy is the following passage:

_in Hebraico, ut verbum exprimamus ad verbum, legitur: Quomodo cecidisti de cælo,_ **ulula fili diluculi** _._

which translates into English as,

In Hebrew, so that we may express it word-for-word, it is read, "How have you fallen from heaven! Howl, son of the dawn!"

St. Jerome himself confesses that the Hebrew phrase הֵילֵל בֶּן שָׁחַר translates word-for-word ( _verbum ad verbum_ ) into Latin as _ulula fili diluculi_ , which itself translates into English as "Howl, son of the morning!" And, again, it was St. Jerome who wrote _lucifer_ in the Vulgate. But, he admits that _lucifer_ doesn't express the literal meaning of the Hebrew word הֵילֵל. _Ulula_ does.

Why did St. Jerome state that הֵילֵל translates into Latin literally as _ulula_? Most are not aware that the Hebrew word הֵילֵל is not actually a _hapax legomenon_ (i.e., a word that only occurs once in the Bible). It actually occurs twice elsewhere:

Zech. 11:2

**הֵילֵ֤ל** בְּרֹושׁ֙ כִּֽי־נָ֣פַל אֶ֔רֶז אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַדִּרִ֖ים שֻׁדָּ֑דוּ הֵילִ֨ילוּ֙ אַלֹּונֵ֣י בָשָׁ֔ן כִּ֥י יָרַ֖ד יַ֥עַר הַבָּצִיר **WLC**

**Howl** , fir tree; for the cedar is fallen; because the mighty are spoiled: howl, O ye oaks of Bashan; for the forest of the vintage is come down. **KJV, 1769**

_ulula_ _abies quia cecidit cedrus quoniam magnifici vastati sunt ululate quercus Basan quoniam succisus est saltus munitus_ **Vul**

Eze. 21:12 (21:17 Masoretic)

זְעַ֤ק **וְהֵילֵל֙** בֶּן־אָדָ֔ם כִּי־הִיא֙ הָיתָ֣ה בְעַמִּ֔י הִ֖יא בְּכָל־נְשִׂיאֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל מְגוּרֵ֤י אֶל־חֶ֨רֶב֙ הָי֣וּ אֶת־עַמִּ֔י לָכֵ֖ן סְפֹ֥ק אֶל־יָרֵֽךְ׃ **WLC**

Cry and **howl** , son of man: for it shall be upon my people, it shall be upon all the princes of Israel: terrors by reason of the sword shall be upon my people: smite therefore upon thy thigh. **KJV, 1769**

_clama et_ **ulula** _fili hominis quia hic factus est in populo meo hic in cunctis ducibus Israhel qui fugerant gladio traditi sunt cum populo meo idcirco plaude super femur_ **Vul**

Not only does the Hebrew word הֵילֵל occur in both verses, but St. Jerome also translated each occurrence into Latin by the imperative _ulula_ , meaning "Howl!" (from the lemma _ululo_ ). And, it was _ulula_ ("Howl!") that St. Jerome confessed was the literal translation of the Hebrew word הֵילֵל in his commentary on Isa. 14:12. What more needs to be said?

As we can see, the word "Lucifer" is inappropriate, having no reason to be in scripture. Nonetheless, millions have taken this phrase and the corresponding deception that goes with these passages as representing the devil and turned it into a doctrine that is embraced by almost all of Christendom. Just one word, yet massive deception! How could this be? Would you like another example of such massive deception? Allow me to share it with you... Christmas.

Doesn't most of Christendom celebrate this holiday? Yes they do. Was Jesus born on December 25th? No, He wasn't. In fact, no one knows the day of His birth, yet, millions embrace Christmas every year as the birth of Christ.

So think about this. If our Lord and Savior had wanted us to celebrate His birth, wouldn't He or His disciples have made it clear when He was born and wouldn't He or they have instituted this holiday, especially in light of the fact that God placed great importance on the three great Feasts of Israel (Passover, Pentecost, Tabernacles), instructing the nation of Israel to keep these feasts in a very precise manner?

Finally, John wrote, "No lie is of the truth" (I John 2:21). Think about that for a moment. "No lie is of the truth." If I hand you my house key and tell you to start my car with it, no amount of effort will ever get my car started. You can try but it just won't happen. Friend, we can seek to justify our religious holidays in many ways but "no lie is of the truth." And what did our Lord say? That we would know the truth and the truth would make us free (John 8:32).

"Son of the dawn." Interesting phrase. And what is the story of Adam and Eve if not the "dawn" of humankind? What does our passage from Luke say? "Adam, which was the son of God," a "son of the morning" (II Peter 1:19; Rev. 22:16). Could our reference to the "king of Babylon" also refer to Adam, indicative of the natural man within?

"Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms, who made the world as a wilderness and destroyed its cities, who did not open the house of his prisoners?" Doesn't this accurately describe our world as we know it today? Doesn't this perfectly describe the history of this planet from its beginning up to this present time?

What is within us that drives us to do what we do, to war and murder, to rape and steal, to control and manipulate and lie? Is it the outside influence of an invisible spiritual being flying around the air or is it simply the depraved condition of the human heart? Wouldn't you agree that human behavior is the most baffling and complex issue on the face of this planet?

Not surprisingly, our word "fallen" in verse 12 of Isaiah, Chapter 14, is the same word from which "giants" is derived in Genesis 6:4. This same word is translated "to fall" in regard to Adam and the deep sleep in Genesis 2:21 (See also Gen. 4:5; 15:12).

Jeremiah 51:34-37 (KJV)  
34 Nebuchadrezzar (Nebuchadnezzar) the king of Babylon hath devoured me, he hath crushed me, he hath made me an empty vessel, he hath swallowed me up like a dragon (tannîn), he hath filled his belly with my delicates, he hath cast me out. 35 The violence done to me and to my flesh be upon Babylon, shall the inhabitant of Zion say; and my blood upon the inhabitants of Chaldea, shall Jerusalem say. 36 Therefore thus saith the Lord; Behold, I will plead thy cause, and take vengeance for thee; and I will dry up her sea, and make her springs dry. 37 And Babylon shall become heaps, a dwellingplace for dragons (tannîn), an astonishment, and an hissing, without an inhabitant.

Remember our passages from Jeremiah and our word "tannîn," translated as "whales" in Genesis 1:21? Compare these with the following from Revelation.

Revelation 14:8 (NKJV)  
8 And another angel followed, saying, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication."

Revelation 18:7-8 (KJV)  
7 How much she (Babylon) hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. 8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.

Our phrase "is fallen, is fallen" is the Greek word which means, "To fall," agreeing with our Hebrew definition. As a matter of study, I would encourage you to read these passages from Jeremiah, Chapter 51, in conjunction with those found in Revelation, Chapter 18. As an example, consider the following.

Revelation 18:4-5 (KJV)  
4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. 5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.

Jeremiah 51:44-45 (KJV)  
44 And I will punish Bel (the Baal of the Babylonians) in Babylon, and I will bring forth out of his mouth that which he hath swallowed up: and the nations shall not flow together any more unto him: yea, the wall of Babylon shall fall. 45 My people, go ye out of the midst of her, and deliver ye every man his soul from the fierce anger of the Lord.

Do you see the correlation in these passages? Do you also see the use of "his," "he," and "him," followed by "her"? So we have both male (tower) and female (city) indicated (Gen. 11:4).

We should note that Babylon holds a very important position in both the Old and New Testaments, especially in the book of the Revelation. I believe this is reinforced by the story of its beginning in Genesis, Chapter 11, and especially by those things recorded in the book of Daniel in the first four chapters.

Those who are familiar with scripture will remember the dream which Nebuchadnezzar had as recorded in Daniel, Chapter 2, where Daniel makes it clear that Nebuchadnezzar is a "king of kings" and the "head of gold" in the dream. That being said, we should understand that nowhere else in scripture is such a thing recorded. Nebuchadnezzar alone is called a "head of gold" in this dream, making all other kingdoms represented by the other body parts of lesser importance (Dan. 2:31-33). Doesn't the head control the entire body?

Now, our passages from Revelation speak of Babylon as a "female" who says, "I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow." This being true, then where is the "king of Babylon" found in Revelation? In light of the passages in Jeremiah 51, I am inclined to go with the following.

Revelation 12:3 (KJV)  
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.

Would it be a reach to suggest that the "king of Babylon" is none other than the "dragon" seen in Revelation? If Babylon is the "queen" and represents the "great city" (Rev. 14:8), shouldn't there of necessity be the "king" somewhere in Revelation? Please consider.

Revelation 13:1-2 (NKJV)  
1 Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name. 2 Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority.

Once again we come to the "beast" which rises out of the sea "having seven heads and ten horns." Notice its description. "Like a leopard," "feet of a bear," and a "mouth like the mouth of a lion," all of these a "beast of the field" or world. Ah, but what gives this beast its "power," "throne," and "great authority"? The dragon. Doesn't this make the dragon the "head" of this beast just as Nebuchadnezzar was the "head of gold"? Furthermore, the Strong's Concordance tells us that our word "dragon" is "an alternate form of derkomai (to look); a fabulous kind of serpent (perhaps as supposed to fascinate)." You see my friend, the "serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field (lion, bear, leopard) which the Lord God had made" (Gen. 3:1). The Lord God MADE the serpent, the opponent (Satan) and accuser (Devil), and he was never anything but the serpent from the beginning. The use of the word "serpent" itself proves this fact, defining the nature and behavior of this entity from its beginning.

Is it simply coincidence that in Nebuchadnezzar's dreams are seen a total of four kingdoms (Dan. 2:36-40; see also Daniel 7, verses 1 through 14) and we have four features concerning our beast? And what does the spiritual meaning of four suggest? A foundation, more specifically the foundation of the world (Matt. 13:35; 25:34; Luke 11:50; John 17:24; Eph. 1:4; Heb. 4:3).

Revelation 12:3 (KJV)  
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.

Look once more at our passage from Revelation 12:3 which precedes our beast in Revelation 13. Understand that this is the first appearance of this entity and here it's called "a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns." In Revelation 13:1, it's a "beast" rising out of the sea with the same "seven heads and ten horns." So which is it? A great red dragon or a beast? Friend, it is both, but the first description is given in order to establish the fact that the "dragon" is the head and controlling factor of this beast (Rev. 13:2), indicative of the natural man's pride and his desire to ascend above even his own Creator (Isa. 14:13-14).

# Chapter Sixteen

# KINGS OF THE EARTH

Revelation 17:18 (KJV)  
18 And the woman (Babylon) which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.

The phrase "kings of the earth" is found nine times in the book of the Revelation. Are these literal kings? I don't think so, made evident by the fact that this entire vision consists of symbolic representations which are given to define its nature and behavior as we have considered.

It is clear by this passage that the "great city" of Babylon "reigneth over the kings of the earth." So we have both the king of Babylon, signified by the "dragon," along with his queen, which represents his "great city." In Revelation, Chapter 17, we find them together, the woman or female seated on the "scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns" (Rev. 17:3). There should be no doubt in our minds that this is the same seven-headed entity as seen in Revelation, Chapters 12 and 13. Our "kings of the earth" are represented by the seven heads described for us in the following passages.

Revelation 17:9-14 (ESV)  
9 This calls for a mind with wisdom: the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated; 10 they are also seven kings, five of whom have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come, and when he does come he must remain only a little while. 11 As for the beast that was and is not, it is an eighth but it belongs to the seven, and it goes to destruction. 12 And the ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received royal power, but they are to receive authority as kings for one hour, together with the beast. 13 These are of one mind and hand over their power and authority to the beast. 14 They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful."

First, seven kings, our number seven denoting the "fullness" (Bullinger) and thus the "fruit" or manifestation of this entity. As previously stated, I don't believe they represent literal kings but rather the nature and behavior of this beastly, carnal, and collective creature. Note carefully that "the seven heads are seven mountains" but "they are also seven kings." "Mountains" denote kingdoms (Rev. 14:1; Exod. 3:12; Dan. 2:34-35, 44-45; Psalms 48:2; 125:1) whereas "kings" refer to those who rule over them. Remember our description from Chapter 9? Here it is again.

Proverbs 6:16-19 (NKJV)  
16 These six things the Lord hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him: 17 A proud look (1), a lying tongue (2), hands that shed innocent blood (3), 18 a heart that devises wicked plans (4), feet that are swift in running to evil (5), 19 a false witness who speaks lies (6), and one who sows discord among brethren (7).

Understand beloved that the "kings of the earth" refer to those inward things within that stem from a "haughty spirit" (Prov. 16:18). When we are raw and honest about it, who of us hasn't wrestled with these attributes, especially when we take time to consider that there are a great number of ways to manifest them? And it doesn't take much discernment to know that these attributes are quite evident on a regular basis in the world at large.

In Proverbs 6, our number "six" is mentioned first, followed by "seven." Consider the following from Dr. Stephen E. Jones in regard to the spiritual meaning of six.

Six (vav)

Man

Vav is a nail or peg in Hebrew. It is also a conjunction ("and"), for it takes a nail to connect two things.

Six is the number of man, for man was created on the sixth day (Gen. 1:24-31). Man was also to labor for six days before entering into the Sabbath rest (Ex. 20:8-11), and the Hebrew slave was to serve for six years (Ex. 21:2).

Moses had to wait for six days before he was allowed to go up the mount to meet the Lord (Ex. 24:16-18). Even so, has man had to wait six thousand years to meet the Lord in the second coming of Christ.

Israel compassed the walls of Jericho for six days before the city fell on the seventh (Joshua 6:14, 15). This is a type of 6,000 years of labor in spiritual warfare before the world system falls.

In Daniel 3, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon erected an image of gold by which the gold standard was created. Verse 1 says that it was 60 cubits high and 6 cubits wide. The dimensions of this image are too thin to be the statue of a man. It was more likely something else with a gold object on the top or head. But it does speak of man's effort to establish a system of economic control by means of the worship of gold and money in general.

Hence, Paul writes in 1 Tim. 6:10 that "the love of money [greed] is the root of all evil." Also, the works of the flesh in Gal. 5:19-21 lists witchcraft as the sixth vice. Witchcraft is simply man's attempt to manipulate others against their will. For this reason, Saul's rebellion against God was "as the sin of witchcraft" (1 Sam. 15:23). What is not generally understood is that man's religion is largely a matter of doing rituals to manipulate one's god (or gods) into doing things that are beneficial to them.

Such a view proceeds from the assumption that God does not want to do what man thinks He ought to do. Thus, men set out to change His mind, either by bribery, appeasement, or even by going "on strike." Saul was a type of Pentecostal, being crowned on Pentecost, the day of wheat harvest (1 Sam. 12:17). Thus, he serves as a type of the leavened Church that often operates unknowingly by a spirit of witchcraft today.

Psalm 6 describes the voice of all the martyrs beginning with Abel. Yet the oppressed condition of the martyrs is only part of the general condition of all oppressed men in the earth. It is the condition of all men since Adam who labor six "days" in bondage to sin.

As we see, "six is the number of man" and there are "six things" the LORD hates, but the "seventh" or manifestation of such is an "abomination" to Him. When we consider our passages from Proverbs, here is what we find.

1. A proud look.

2. A lying tongue.

3. Hands that shed innocent blood.

4. Heart that devises wicked plans.

5. Feet that are swift in running to evil.

6. A false witness who speaks lies.

7. One who sows discord among brethren.

Note that the first five in our list define the attributes of man's arrogance, beginning with the head (a proud look) and ending with the feet (that are swift in running to evil). The sixth thing, our number of man, is what we are when these characteristics dominate our lives, i.e. "a false witness who speaks lies." Finally, the seventh or "abomination" is the fullness and manifestation of what we do (behavior) when we walk after the mind of the flesh (Rom. 8:6). With this in mind, consider what Jesus said to the Jews.

John 8:42-44 (NKJV)  
42 Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. 43 Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.

Tradition has long stated that the devil is an angel of darkness, a separate being from us who seeks to make us stray from the righteousness of God's kingdom. But let's rethink this a minute. Paul wrote, "Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived fell into transgression" (I Tim. 2:14). Adam was not deceived? No, he wasn't. So why did Adam take of the tree of knowledge knowing fully well the commandment of God? Would it have been out of pride and rebellion?

Paul also wrote, "Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin" (Rom. 5:12). "Through one man"? You mean Adam? Yes, but who does Adam represent? All men, for the "one man" of which Paul speaks is not Adam as an individual, but the "natural man" which we have considered throughout this study. This is the "one man" to whom Paul refers, so he follows with, "And thus death spread to all men, because all sinned." All of us sin due to the natural man within.

Our phrase "just as" in the New King James is "as by" in the King James, "as" defined by the Strong's Concordance as, "Just as, i.e. exactly like," and "by" defined as, "Denoting the channel of an act; through." Nowhere in our passages in Romans, Chapter 5, does Paul refer to the devil or Satan, but only to Adam. It was Adam who caused sin to enter and Adam who brought death in with it. Adam, the natural man, was (and is) the first "liar," therefore "the father of it" from the beginning. Adam, the natural man, was (and is) the first "murderer." More proof? Consider.

Genesis 4:1-2 (KJV)  
1 And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord. 2 And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.

Who fathered Cain? Adam. What did John write?

1 John 3:11-13 (NKJV)  
11 For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, 12 not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother's righteous. 13 Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you.

Cain was "of the wicked one." Who fathered Cain? Adam. Would this not make him the "wicked one"? And what does John follow with? "Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you." If who hates you? The world, not the devil. That being said, consider the following.

1 Corinthians 2:11-12 (NKJV)  
11 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.

In keeping with the context of these passages, I have no problem seeing that "the spirit of the man" which is in us is also called "the spirit of the world." In other words, our spirit, due to the "deep sleep" which God has placed on us, makes us subject to this world of form in which we enter very shortly after we enter it, "just like" Adam (Rom. 8:20). It is not because the devil comes to us as a child and entices us, but because it is the nature and behavior of the natural man within that causes us to do so! In confirmation, consider what Paul follows with.

1 Corinthians 2:13-14 (NKJV)  
13 These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

"Man's wisdom" has to do with the "natural man," and when all that we know is only man's wisdom, we are "natural," not spiritual, and the "things of the Spirit of God" seem foolish to us because we cannot spiritually discern them. And why can we not discern them? Because we are in a "deep sleep." Please consider.

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

Remember our word "lieth"? It's defined as, "To lie outstretched (literal or figurative)." Doesn't this accurately describe the "deep sleep" which God caused to fall upon Adam? (Gen. 2:21) Wouldn't this explain how the Lord subjected us to vanity, not willingly? (Rom. 8:20) How else would we explain it? You see my friend, the difference between the natural and spiritual man is a matter of being "awake" or spiritually conscious.

1 Thessalonians 5:5-8 (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. 8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

As "children of light," what are we to do? "Not sleep, as do others." "Night" refers to "darkness" (II Thess. 5:5) as well as "sleep" (II Thess. 5:6) and the corresponding works which proceed from this state of being.

Romans 13:10-11 (KJV)  
10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. 11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

"Now it is high time to awake out of sleep," Paul declares! Awake? Yes, for the world at large is "asleep" and as a result, lies outstretched in wickedness. What do we do when we're asleep? We close our eyes and ears! No wonder Jesus said that seeing, we don't see, and hearing, we don't hear (Matt. 13:13-15).

Beloved, Adam and Eve were placed in a "deep sleep" in order for the natural man to be brought forth first. Proof? Consider.

1 Corinthians 15:44-46 (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. 46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.

Can it be any plainer than this? "There is a natural body" which is the "natural man." And "there is a spiritual body" which is the "spiritual man." Adam, or "that which is natural," came first, but "afterward," Christ, the "last Adam" and "quickening spirit," came last! Let's not add or take from this. God's Word states it so leave it as it is!

"It is sown a natural body," Paul states. What does Paul mean by "it"? When we remove what is inserted by the translators, we find that "it" speaks of "the resurrection of the dead" (I Cor. 15:42), and the resurrection is the core of the gospel, defined by the principle of sowing and reaping.

1 Corinthians 15:34 (KJV)  
34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.

What does it mean to be "awake"? It means we walk as He walked and conduct ourselves in the righteousness of God's kingdom, which means we "sin not." And how do we accomplish this? When it becomes our nature, thus our behavior. We will not sin because we cannot sin.

1 John 3:9-19 (NKJV)  
9 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. 10 In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. 11 For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, 12 not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother's righteous. 13 Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. 15 Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. 16 By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? 18 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. 19 And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him.

In the same passages where John writes about Cain and the "wicked one," we find him making it clear for us what "murder" really is. "Whoever hates his brother is a murderer." Again, let us not add or take from this. The message is clear; hating our brother equates to murder. This simplistic understanding is easily proved on a daily basis.

Before we enter our next chapter, let's take a moment to consider the other "kings" in Revelation 17.

Revelation 17:9-14 (ESV)  
9 This calls for a mind with wisdom: the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated; 10 they are also seven kings, five of whom have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come, and when he does come he must remain only a little while. 11 As for the beast that was and is not, it is an eighth but it belongs to the seven, and it goes to destruction. 12 And the ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received royal power, but they are to receive authority as kings for one hour, together with the beast. 13 These are of one mind and hand over their power and authority to the beast. 14 They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful."

First we have seven heads or "kings," then we find "ten horns" or "kings" on the heads. But wait! We also have "an eighth" which "belongs to the seven" and "goes to destruction." Added together, that makes eighteen or three sixes (666). Coincidence? I don't think so. Here's Stephen Jones explanation of the spiritual meaning of eighteen.

Eighteen (yod-chet)

Oppression, Bondage

To write eighteen in Hebrew, they wrote two Hebrew letters: yod-chet. These signify the hand (outworking) of a fence (prison), which brings men into bondage or oppression.

Eighteen is the number of oppression or bondage. The 18th time Abram is mentioned is in Gen. 12:18, where his wife was in the house of Pharaoh (bondage). After Abraham is mentioned for the 18th time in Gen. 18:19, the Lord speaks of Sodom and Gomorrah who were in bondage to sin.

The 18th time Israel is mentioned is found in Gen. 46:8, at the beginning of their Egyptian bondage:

8 Now these are the names of the sons of Israel, Jacob and his sons, who went to Egypt...

The 18th time Jesus is mentioned in the gospel of Luke is in Luke 5:19, where a man oppressed by paralysis was trying to come to Jesus for healing. Luke 13:16 also says,

16 And this woman, a daughter of Abraham as she is, whom Satan has bound for eighteen long years, should she not have been released from this bond on the Sabbath day?

With our number eighteen in mind, consider the following.

Galatians 5:19-21 (NKJV)  
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery (1), fornication (2), uncleanness (3), lewdness (4), 20 idolatry (5), sorcery (6), hatred (7), contentions (8), jealousies (9), outbursts of wrath (10), selfish ambitions (11), dissensions (12), heresies (13), 21 envy (14), murders (15), drunkenness (16), revelries (17), and the like (18); of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

The "works of the flesh are evident," Paul wrote. As noted, we find eighteen, signifying the bondage of the natural and carnal mind and our "fear of death," the manifestation of that which flows from an unconscious spirit. A raw and honest look at the world today shows all of these attributes on a consistent basis. Ah, but there's more. Paul also wrote the following.

2 Timothy 3:1-5 (NKJV)  
1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves (1), lovers of money (2), boasters (3), proud (4), blasphemers (5), disobedient to parents (6), unthankful (7), unholy (8), 3 unloving (9), unforgiving (10), slanderers (11), without self-control (12), brutal (13), despisers of good (14), 4 traitors (15), headstrong (16), haughty (17), lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God (18), 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!

Would our descriptions in II Timothy agree with the "works of the flesh" in Galatians? Definitely! Ah, but here Paul states "having a form of godliness but denying its power." In other words, the spirit of the world can become quite religious but because it's based on the natural and not the spiritual, it can only bring forth the carnality of the unconscious mind and heart.

Horns are an extension of the head. Wikipedia tells us, "A horn is a permanent pointed projection on the head of various animals consisting of a covering of keratin and other proteins surrounding a core of live bone." Since horns simply extend from the head, they represent what the head represents. Our beast with seven heads has "ten" horns. Here's the spiritual meaning of ten from Stephen E. Jones.

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,

13 Then 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.

Here is Bullinger's explanation of our number ten (bolding mine).

It has been already pointed out that ten is one of the perfect numbers, and signifies the perfection of Divine order, commencing, as it does, an altogether new series of numbers. The first decade is the representative of the whole numeral system, and originates the system of calculation called "decimals," because the whole system of numeration consists of so many tens, of which the first is a type of the whole.

Completeness of order, marking the entire round of anything, is, therefore, the ever-present signification of the number ten. It implies that nothing is wanting; that the number and order are perfect; that the whole cycle is complete.

Careful consideration will show that Bullinger's explanation agrees with Jones's explanation, for we find in the "works of the law" that the divine "cycle is complete," that "nothing is wanting." No wonder the Psalmist wrote, "The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple" (Psalms 19:7; KJV).

Finally, we must not forget our "eighth beast." We find this entity in Revelation, Chapter 13, following the seven-headed beast of the sea. Not surprisingly, it agrees with our passages from II Timothy, Chapter 3.

Revelation 13:11 (NKJV)  
11 Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon.

John's vision of the "beast coming up out of the earth" shows "two horns like a lamb." Two is the number which defines a witness or testimony (Bullinger, Vallowe, Jones), so, our "two horns" speak of the witness of God's divine law in the earth first symbolized by the tree of the knowledge of good (1) and evil (2). The following passages reveal to us the nature and behavior of the beast of the earth and what it represents.

Revelation 16:13 (KJV)  
13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon (Revelation 12), and out of the mouth of the beast (of the sea; Revelation 13), and out of the mouth of the false prophet (beast of the earth; Revelation 13).

As indicated by what I've placed in parenthesis, our order is consistent, showing first the "dragon" of Revelation 12, followed by the beast which rises out of the sea in Revelation 13, and finally, the beast which comes up out of the earth, also in Revelation 13. The understanding is clear. The beast with "two horns like a lamb" that speaks like a "dragon," speaks of the "false prophet." Not an individual as some suppose, but like the beast of the sea, a collective entity.

Revelation 19:20 (KJV)  
20 And the beast (of the sea) was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.

Further confirmation is found in this passage when we compare it with our passages from Revelation, Chapter 13, verses 13 through 18.

Revelation 13:12 (ESV)  
12 It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence, and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed.

Here John tells us that the authority of the beast of the earth is the same authority as that of the beast of the sea. This authority speaks of the haughty and destructive spirit of the world. This is explained by the following.

1 John 4:1, 5-6 (NKJV)  
1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world... 5 They (false prophets) are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. 6 We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

Here we have it. False prophets "are of the world" (beast of the sea), that is, they are of the same spirit, a fallen spirit, therefore "they speak as of the world, and the world hears them." It is the same "spirit of error" which is first revealed in our Genesis parable illustrated by the serpent in the garden.

Revelation 17:18 (NKJV)  
18 And the woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth."

Our "woman" Babylon, "reigns over the kings of the earth," over the natural man of our being. Why is this? Let's consider this in the next chapter.

# Chapter Seventeen

# BABYLON THE GREAT

Revelation 17:18 (NKJV)  
18 And the woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth."

If we backtrack and consider the passages that lead up to the one above, we find that the "woman" or "great city" (collective) we are considering has a "name," i.e. a nature and behavior written on her forehead. John states that it is "Mystery, Babylon the great, the mother of harlots and of the abominations of the earth" (Rev. 17:5). In direct contrast, see Revelation 14:1.

Our word "forehead" is defined as, "The forehead (as opposite the countenance)." This definition reveals that the forehead denotes what goes on in our mind which then affects our countenance, i.e. in most cases, it can be clearly seen by our facial expression. Ever met someone who was extremely arrogant and notice this? Their pride is evident in their facial expression, and once engaged, it only takes a moment or two to hear it from their mouth.

There have been several theories advanced pertaining to Babylon and many books and articles written concerning what she represents. Some believe that it's the Catholic Church while others believe it is the world economic system. I don't believe in any of these theories, but do believe that the Word of God makes clear to us who Babylon represents.

In the book of the Revelation, there are only three "women" presented to us. First, Jezebel, in Revelation 2:20. We then encounter a "woman clothed with the sun" in Revelation 12:1. Last we find our "woman" called "Babylon" in Revelation, Chapter 17. No doubt, the last two women are quite prominent and deserve the most attention.

Our passages in Revelation, Chapter 12, make it quite clear that the "dragon" with seven heads and ten horns stands squarely against "the woman clothed with the sun." As a result we read, "Then the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days" (Rev. 12:6). The wilderness? Yes, indicative of the world at large (Isa. 14:17) and the spirit of the world which we have considered. Please consider what John wrote in Revelation 17.

Revelation 17:1-3 (NKJV)  
1 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, "Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, 2 with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication." 3 So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

First we find "the woman clothed with the sun" fleeing into the wilderness. Then later John is taken by the Spirit "into the wilderness" where he sees a "woman" sitting on our seven-headed entity. Is this the same woman? I believe so, as indicated by Revelation 12:6. A double witness is found in Revelation 12:14 where we read, "But the woman (clothed with the sun) was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness." The understanding of both women is described for us in Galatians, Chapter 4.

Galatians 4:21-26 (NKJV)  
21 Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman. 23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and he of the freewoman through promise, 24 which things are symbolic. For these are the two covenants: the one from Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar\-- 25 for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children\-- 26 but the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all.

Our passages from Galatians show two women, two wives of Abraham that brought forth "two sons." Hagar, the "bondwoman," brought forth Ishmael while Sarah, the "freewoman" brought forth Isaac. Who do these two women represent? One "city" but "two covenants." The "city" is Jerusalem but there is a distinct difference in their spiritual position. Hagar "is Mount Sinai," indicative of the law which Moses and Israel received and Sarah represents "Jerusalem above," the spiritual counterpart and essence of the first (Rom. 7:14). Hagar "corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children" but Sarah or "Jerusalem above is free." Therefore Hagar represents the Old Covenant while Sarah represents the New Covenant. "These are the two covenants."

With this in mind, and knowing that we have two prominent women found in Revelation, wouldn't it make sense that Hagar is "Babylon" while Sarah represents "the woman clothed with the sun," seen "above" or "in heaven"? (Rev. 12:1) And what makes the difference between the two? The difference is whether we are spiritually asleep (Babylon) or awake (Sarah), unconscious or conscious; walking in "bondage" to the "works of the law" or according to faith in the promise of the New Covenant (Rom. 9:32; Gal. 2:16).

Now, when I say "works of the law," the meaning is twofold. The first refers to those who, by ritual and rote, seek to justify themselves to God (Heb. 9:9) while the second refers to the following.

Matthew 5:17-19 (NKJV)  
17 "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. 19 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.

Jesus made it clear that He came to fulfill every single detail of the law until "all is fulfilled." Has He done this? No, He has not. Beloved, know that there are yet details of the law to be fulfilled so for this reason we find in Revelation the "seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is complete" (Rev. 15:1). Where is this "wrath" found? In Babylon (Rev. 16:19; 17:1). What defines the "wrath" of God? The law (Rom. 4:15). And what is the law? The Old Covenant, signified by Hagar. What is the "end of the law"? Christ (Rom. 10:4), represented by the "male child (son)" who is birthed by Sarah, the New Covenant, the "woman clothed with the sun" (Rev. 12:5). You see my friend, the law is our tutor to bring us to Him (Gal. 3:24-25) and remains necessary until we are truly brought to Him. Remember, "the law (Old Covenant) is spiritual (New Covenant)" (Rom. 7:14). So, when we consider the "works of the law," we must indicate whether we are speaking of human effort or the work of Christ Himself.

Brother and sister, there is a simple logic here and a pattern as well. How can the law become spiritual in you and me if we don't first have it? So it is that this pattern is given us in the Genesis parable and later confirmed in Abraham, the father of faith (Rom. 4:12), the man to whom the covenants were first declared.

Genesis 3:17 (KJV)  
17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life...

1 Timothy 2:13-14 (KJV)  
13 For Adam was first formed, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.

Genesis 16:2 (KJV)  
2 And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the Lord hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.

Do you see it? Adam and Abram (Abraham) both listened to their wives, Adam in regard to the tree of knowledge and Abram in regard to Hagar. When we understand that the tree of knowledge and Hagar both represent the Old Covenant or law of God, then this makes perfect sense. And who was born as a result of this? Two sons, Cain and Ishmael, both signifying our "natural man" who must remain under the "bondage" of the law due to our rebellious nature.

Now, let me challenge your understanding. Please consider.

Revelation 1:5 (KJV)  
5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth.

What do the "kings of the earth" signify? The attributes of the carnal, fleshly mind (Prov. 6:16-19) as evidenced by the "seven heads and ten horns." Who is "prince of the kings of the earth"? Jesus Christ.

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.

Who has the "keys of Death and Hades"? The Lord. "Death and Hades"? Yes! Remember, the Old Covenant or law is "the ministry of death" and "condemnation" (Hades), whereas the New Covenant speaks of "the ministry of the Spirit" and "righteousness" (II Cor. 3:6-11). These Two Covenants are forever linked because "the law" (Old Covenant) becomes "spiritual" (New Covenant) once placed into our minds and written within our hearts (Heb. 8:6-13). And who is fulfilling every "jot and tittle" of the law? Christ the Lord!

Revelation 6:7-8 (NKJV)  
7 When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, "Come and see." 8 So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth.

Again, who has the keys of Death and Hades? The Lord. And what do we find in the fourth seal? "A pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them." Who gave them this power? The Lord my friend. After all, He is "prince of the kings of the earth" and even now resides at the right hand of God, ruling over the nations (Rev. 2:26-27; 3:21).

When Daniel describes Nebuchadnezzar's dream in Daniel, Chapter 2, he speaks of four kingdoms, and a "fourth kingdom" which "shall be as strong as iron, inasmuch as iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything; and like iron that crushes, that kingdom will break in pieces and crush all the others" (Dan. 2:40). In Daniel's own dream in Daniel, Chapter 7, he describes this same kingdom as "a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns" (Dan. 7:7). No doubt, the descriptions in these chapters align perfectly with our beast with seven heads and ten horns in Revelation, Chapters 12, 13, and 17.

So what does this fourth horseman, kingdom, and beast signify? As stated, it is Death, and Hades follows with him. So to be more specific, the four horsemen signify "the ministry of death" as we have said, the work of the law of God which oversees and addresses all the unrighteousness of the natural and carnal man in this earth.

How does Jesus reign? With "a rod of iron" (Rev. 2:27; 12:5; 19:15), the "rod" denoting discipline and the "iron" indicative of "Death and Hades," or means of discipline. And what is the law? Again, the administration (ministry) of death and condemnation (Hades) (II Cor. 3:7, 9). The first four seals are the only seals which describe these horsemen, being unique from the last three which follow and symbolize the work of Christ by means of the fulfilling of the law. In agreement, the first four prophecies to the churches and the first four trumpets in Revelation are also unique from the last three (Revelation, Chapter 2 and Chapter 8, verses 7 through 13; note that the last three trumpets are called "woes").

What did Daniel tell Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon? "For the God of heaven has given you a kingdom, power, strength, and glory" (Dan. 2:37). Who gave him his kingdom? The Lord did!

Hebrews 2:14-15 (NKJV)  
14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself (Christ) likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

Do you see it? It is through "fear of death" that we are "subject to bondage" all of our lifetime. What does Hagar or the Old Covenant do? It "gives birth to bondage" (Gal. 4:24). Does this also correlate with Genesis 3:14, where the Lord told the serpent, "You shall eat dust all the days of your life"?

Now, what did Eve say to the serpent? "But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat of it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die'" (Gen. 3:3) (Author's note: See Exod. 19:11-13 in regard to "touch it"). And what was the lie that the serpent responded with? "You will not surely die." The Lord God said they would but the serpent said they wouldn't. Ah, but the point is, they were supposed to die, for the law of sin and death is not outward, but inward, found within our "members" (Rom. 7:7-25), reflected and confirmed by the tree of knowledge, Hagar, and Nebuchadnezzar's dream. Consider the simple logic in light of the Parable of the Sower. We are the "ground" in which the "seed" of His Word or covenants is sown, so it is within where all of this is working.

You see my friend, the secret to eternal life is to overcome our "fear of death," to understand that death is the means by which we find life! "Through death," and not any other way, Jesus destroyed him who had "the power of death, that is, the devil"!

Now, where did Jesus die? Most would answer, "On the cross," but allow me to give you an alternative view.

Matthew 3:13-17 (NKJV)  
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. 14 And John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?" 15 But Jesus answered and said to him, "Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he allowed Him. 16 When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. 17 And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

Little is said about the Lord until His baptism by John, however, there is a brief story about Jesus when He was twelve years old.

Luke 2:41-52 (NKJV)  
41 His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. 42 And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast. 43 When they had finished the days, as they returned, the Boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem. And Joseph and His mother did not know it; 44 but supposing Him to have been in the company, they went a day's journey, and sought Him among their relatives and acquaintances. 45 So when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him. 46 Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers. 48 So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, "Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously." 49 And He said to them, "Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father's business?" 50 But they did not understand the statement which He spoke to them. 51 Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but His mother kept all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

Remember, twelve "symbolizes God's perfect, divine accomplishment actively manifested. It shows a completeness of a growth or administration. Twelve marks governmental perfection" (Vallowe). And how does God govern His creation? By means of His divine law. So it's no coincidence that Jesus was twelve when He told His parents, "Why did you seek me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father's business?"

Luke then tells us following His baptism at the Jordan River, "And Jesus Himself began to be about thirty years of age" (Luke 3:23; KJV). That's eighteen years after our story in Luke, Chapter 2. As we know, eighteen is the number of "bondage," being three sixes and indicative of the mark of the beast (Rev. 13:18). Like us, Jesus was "born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons" (Gal. 4:4-5). Like us, Jesus "was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin" (Heb. 4:15). He too was "flesh and blood" (Heb. 2:14) and had to contend with its frailties and weaknesses. He did contend and He overcame and His final act of submission to the Father was His baptism at the Jordan River where "the heavens were opened to Him." Inasmuch as Jesus taught for us to deny ourselves, He did as well, and the self which Jesus knew for thirty years died at His baptism, allowing Him to ascend to the throne of His Father and walk in His Spirit without measure (John 3:34).

Understand that Jesus knew He would die on the cross long before He did (Matt. 16:21-23). Ah, but having died to self, He was able to fully and completely lay down His life in accordance with the will of His Father. He was free of the fear of death, having conquered the bondage that comes with this fear by fully understanding the necessity of death (John 12:24-25).

Revelation 17:18 (NKJV)  
18 And the woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth."

Our "woman," Babylon, illustrated by Hagar, speaks of the Old Covenant and the law of God. That being said, the whole world is held accountable by His divine law in the earth (Rom. 3:6, 19) which reigns over the natural man of our being whose attributes have been clearly defined in Proverbs, Chapter 6, verses 6 through 19, Galatians, Chapter 5, verses 19 through 21, and II Timothy, Chapter 3, verses 1 through 5. How foolish we truly are, not realizing, acknowledging, or believing that "there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account" (Heb. 4:13).

# Chapter Eighteen

# THE GREAT RED DRAGON

Revelation 12:3, 9 (NKJV)  
3 And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads... 9 So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

When we read these two passages, the first question in our minds should be, "What is this "great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns" doing "in heaven"? We'll come back to this.

Verse 9 clearly identifies this entity as "that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan." Right away, this description should awaken us to the fact that it is not speaking of an individual entity but a collective one, further described as a "beast rising out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns" in Revelation 13:1 and "a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns" in Revelation 17:3.

If our perspective is correct in regard to the "seven heads" representing the attributes of the natural and carnal mind, and of the nature and behavior of someone who is "asleep" in spirit, then why is it that we transfer this idea to a separate entity other than ourselves? The most obvious reason is the reference to "angels" in verse 9. There are many who use these passages to teach that Satan is a fallen angel and "his angels" are the demons or other fallen angels who follow him. But if you will, let's lay aside this Hollywood brand of thinking and consider an alternative.

Isaiah 27:1 (KJV)  
1 In that day the Lord with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent (nāḥāsh), even leviathan that crooked serpent (nāḥāsh); and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea.

Is the "great, fiery red dragon" of Revelation 12:9 the "leviathan" of Isaiah 27:1? I believe so. Our phrase "that serpent of old" refers to Genesis 3:1 where our word "serpent" is the same word, nāḥāsh, which is also used in Isaiah. Note that John stated that this "serpent of old" is "called" the Devil (a traducer) and Satan (an adversary; opponent). The fact that it is first seen as a "great red dragon" and then a "beast" rising out of the "sea" correlates with "the dragon that is in the sea." What does the "sea" represent? "Peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues" (Rev. 17:15). This agrees with John's assessment that the whole world lies in the evil one, clearly defining why it is collective. And where is this dragon? "In" the sea, not outside of it.

So is Satan, the devil, a spirit? Yes, he is. So is the entire world "demon-possessed" as some might call it? In a manner of speaking, yes, for as this study suggests, this entity known as the devil and Satan refers to the "spirit of the world" or "natural man," which Paul calls the "old man" in Romans 6:6, Ephesians 4:22, and Colossians 3:9, which agrees with our phrase, "serpent of old" (see also Rev. 20:2). It is the "spirit of error" of which John wrote in I John 4:6.

In the sense of spirit and knowledge, we are filled with demons. And we are reluctant to admit it since our pride wishes to see us as nothing but "good." Ah, but "no one is good but One, that is, God," so even Christ responded, "Why do you call Me good?" (Matt. 19:17; Rom. 3:10-18).

So again, follow the logic. Our passages from Revelation 12 have nothing to do with Satan falling from heaven before there was Adam and Eve. Long before John received this vision from the Lord however, Jesus declared, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven" (Luke 10:18). When did this take place? I believe it was at His baptism when the essence of His natural man was reckoned fully and completely "dead" in every sense of the word. So, our passages in Revelation 12 do reveal Satan's fall, but that "fall" was the Lord's own experience at the Jordan River.

Another reason for the confusion about these passages is found in the following.

Revelation 12:3-4 (KJV)  
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.

Consider the phrase, "the third part of the stars of heaven." Many have said that this is a third of the angels (stars) who fell along with Satan, however, remember the following.

Daniel 12:3 (KJV)  
3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

Those who are "wise" and "shine as the brightness of the firmament" are "as the stars for ever and ever." They are those who "turn many to righteousness." Would the apostles of Christ be considered as "stars"? No doubt, for they are the "garland of twelve stars" seen upon the "woman clothed with the sun"! After all, didn't Jesus teach, "You are the light of the world"? (Matt. 5:14) Didn't He also declare Himself as the "light of the world"? (John 8:12) So isn't it appropriate to say that we are speaking of flesh and blood human beings here? Yes, we are.

And what did Paul write in regard to those who are "led by the Spirit"? "They are the sons of God" (Rom. 8:14; see also Rom. 8:19; Matt. 5:9; Luke 20:36; Gal. 3:26). And I remind you, nowhere in scripture does God call angels "sons."

Matthew 24:29 (KJV)  
29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken...

Mark 13:24-25 (KJV)  
24 But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, 25 And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken.

Luke 21:25-26 (KJV)  
25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; 26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

Revelation 6:13 (KJV)  
13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.

Remember our passages concerning the "sons of God" in Genesis, Chapter 6? Is it just coincidence that these "sons of God" are mentioned right before we read, "Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD was sorry that He had made man," not angels, "on the earth," as opposed to heaven, "and He was grieved in His heart" (Gen. 6:5)? And what followed? The flood which came upon the earth.

In all of our passages above, it is apparent that "the stars shall fall from heaven" even "as a fig tree casteth her untimely (unripe) figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind." Fig tree? Yes, and would it surprise you to know that this is indicative of the tree of knowledge of good and evil? (See Gen. 3:6 and 7; see also Matthew 21, verses 18 through 22; the "fig tree" speaks of the law and those under it).

And how is it that they "fall"? The dragon's "tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth." What is meant by the "tail"?

Deuteronomy 28:13 (KJV)  
13 And the Lord shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the Lord thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them...

Isaiah 9:15 (KJV)  
15 The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail.

Here it is clear. The "tail" is "the prophet that teacheth lies," the one who is "beneath" and not "above," the one who embraces the natural and not the spiritual. Would this not be our collective "false prophet" described in Revelation 13, verses 11 through 18? Yes!

You see my friend, we are surrounded by many sons who have fallen, who have given in to the voice of their "wives," of those collectives (religious bodies; daughters of men) who clamour for acceptance of the darkness of the world at large (II Tim. 4:3-4). Preach true self-denial today and you will lose your audience.

2 Timothy 4:3-4 (KJV)  
3 For the time will come when they (most people) will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

Of a truth, these passages have long since been fulfilled. Many of our so-called spiritual leaders today have allowed their congregations to dictate to them what they wish to hear. Millions are flocking to great gatherings instigated by them, not realizing that the power and presence of God is not among them, that it is simply a reflection of the worldly style and entertainment that has inundated our society from every corner of the world. The truth of Christ has been sacrificed for monetary gain, popularity, and "political correctness." It has become as the Word has declared, the "stars" have "fallen," so much so that they stand against the Christ they claim to embrace. Yes, they speak His name, but the Spirit of the One they speak of does not dwell within their midst.

Satan in heaven? Yes, for the natural wars against the spiritual, the "flesh" against the "Spirit" (Gal. 5:17), until such time that we endure to the end of our process and through the Spirit of Christ, are able to "reckon" ourselves "dead indeed to sin" (Rom. 6:11).

# Chapter Nineteen

# BABEL

Genesis 11:1-9 (NKJV)  
1 Now the whole earth had one language and one speech. 2 And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they dwelt there. 3 Then they said to one another, "Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly." They had brick for stone, and they had asphalt for mortar. 4 And they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth." 5 But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. 6 And the Lord said, "Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them. 7 Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another's speech." 8 So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city. 9 Therefore its name is called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth; and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth.

We have discussed the "king" and "queen" of Babylon found in Revelation, symbolized by "the great red dragon" and the "great city" respectively (Rev. 12:3-4; 11:8; 14:8; 16:19; 17:18; 18:10; 18:16, 18, 19, 21). Since Babylon holds such a prominent position in the book of the Revelation, it is wise to go to the "point of origin" as described for us in the preceding passages.

Most of us have heard of the "tower" of Babel, overlooking the fact that it's both a "city" and a "tower." Our word "tower" is defined as, "From <H1431> (gadal); a _tower_ (from its size or height)." Notice that this word is taken from H1431. Look familiar? It should. We considered this definition in Chapter 11.

Remember our phrase "great whales" in Genesis 1:21? The word "great" is gādôl, defined as, "From <H1431> (gadal); _great_ (in any sense); hence _older_ ; also _insolent_." H1431 reads, "A primitive root; properly to _twist_ [compare <H1434> (gedil)], i.e. to _be_ (causative _make_ ) _large_ (in various senses, as in body, mind, estate or honor, also in pride)."

Great, older, insolent, to twist, to be or make large, pride. All of this within the meaning of "great" and from which our word "tower" is derived. What does this mean to us? Consider the phrase, "Let us make a name for ourselves" in regard to Babel. Our word "name" is the same Hebrew word from Chapter 10, defined as, "An _appellation_ , as a mark or memorial of individuality; by implication _honor, authority, character_." It is the same word translated as "renown" in Genesis 6:4. Coincidence, or can you see the pride in the statement, "Let us make a name for ourselves"?

So let's talk reality. At this present time, our nation is in utter turmoil. Since Donald Trump took office, there has been mass confusion on the streets of America. Republicans, Democrats, conservatives, liberals, the LGBTQ, the Women's March in D.C., Black Lives Matter, Planned Parenthood, Muslims, Christians, along with the issues of transgenderism, immigration, abortion, health care, the border wall, terrorism, Sharia law, and so much more has become a daily topic on all news channels and in Social Media. Thousands have risen up in our streets in protest about anything and everything. I personally cannot recall a time in my life when so much discord was taking place as it is today. And what is behind all of this? "Let us make a name for ourselves." Everyone wants to be seen and heard, their "cause" recognized and embraced, and as a result, Social Media has exploded and there is a huge wave of discontent from every corner of our nation and the world.

No longer do we simply wish to remove all moral boundaries from our society; instead, we push against everyone else for acceptance of these lack of boundaries, of all lifestyles, regardless of its effect on our families and our society.

We have succeeded in destroying the sanctity of marriage and we have turned on our children. Say what you will, but I cannot see it any other way. We are not content to live our lives in privacy or have gay marriage in our closets. Instead, we want to push this perversion on, not just our own children, but to everyone's children, so much so that I believe we are not far from pedophilia becoming the accepted "norm." Is that what we really want for our society?

Our word "Babel" means "confusion," taken from the word which means, "To overflow" and "to mix." And why confusion? Because that is the result of our arrogance my friend, and when I read, "To overflow," I immediately think of the Lord's reference to the "days of Noah" (Luke 17:26). Friend, we are drowning in our darkness and deception, falling further into a "bottomless pit" of insanity (Rev. 9:1-11).

The reference "to mix" also brings to mind the fall of the church as portrayed in the messages to the seven churches in Revelation, Chapters 2 and 3, further confirmed by the Lord's teaching on the Parable of the Tares and the Parable of the Sheep and Goats (Matt. 13:24-30; 36-43; 25:31-46). Friend, the truth of God's kingdom cannot be mixed with the pride and deception of the natural man. It leads to unfaithfulness and abomination (Rev. 17:5; Prov. 6:16-19).

Not surprisingly, we are told in Chapter 41 of the book of Job concerning Leviathan, "His rows of scales are his pride, shut up tightly as with a seal; One is so near another, they stick together and cannot be parted... He beholds every high thing; He is king," like Nebuchadnezzar, "over all the children of pride" (Job 41:15-17, 34). What an apt description of the spirit of error in our society today, for we have lost our ability to reason with one another, choosing to react out of hatred and anger when our cause is not fully accepted. From the highest levels of the elite to the man on the street, the collective power of the dragon has become clearly obvious, showing us how it is that "the great red dragon," that "serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan," has managed to deceive "the whole world" (Rev. 12:9; KJV). It has nothing to do with a fallen angel and everything to do with the collective spirit of the world, a spirit which resides in a deep sleep, unable to receive the things of the Spirit of God (I Cor. 2:11-16).

Psalms 10:1-4 (NIV)  
1 Why, O LORD, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble? 2 In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak, who are caught in the schemes he devises. 3 He boasts of the cravings of his heart; he blesses the greedy and reviles the LORD. 4 In his pride the wicked does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God.

Again, an apt description of our society and our world, and how taken we are by the very thing that is destroying us. Few of us question why our government and society is structured the way it is. And sadly, the same mindset exists within much of the realm of Christendom.

What great pride and acceptance we take in our president and congress, our musical and sports "legends," our Hollywood actors and actresses, our secular and religious leaders, and in all those who seem to be "above us" in intelligence, talent, and charisma. We have no problem with the fact that they are paid far more than they're worth and live better than they should, or that they are filled with all manner of corruption due to their riches. How quick we bless the "greedy" and embrace those whose thoughts are far from our Creator. Yes, even in the world, many of them mention "God" or "Jesus Christ" and that seems to be good enough for most. Ah, but do we not realize that the two cannot go hand in hand? Jesus Christ said it clearly. "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money" (Matt. 6:24; NIV).

We are proud of our country, our prosperity, our military might, our technology and abundance, yet in the midst of it we have the hungry, the sick, the homeless, the poor and destitute.

Like mindless puppets, we allow our food and water to be chemically altered, our health destroyed, as long as we have a pill to counteract the effects so that we can continue to consume and waste the massive amounts of unhealthy foods and drinks that line the shelves of our stores and pour from our restaurants for the sake of profit and convenience.

We clamor in the streets for better health care, choosing to pass the problem to our government instead of taking responsibility for our own health because we are addicted to fast food and snack food, soda, meals in a box, manufactured with chemicals which have no business being in our bodies.

Many of us work forty, fifty, sixty, even eighty hours a week to attain the "American Dream," the illusion of happiness that always seems to be just out of our reach. As a result, our stress levels and heart disease are through the roof, our healthcare facilities full to the max. Despite our abundance, we are one of the sickest countries on the planet.

While we fight each other over our secular and religious ideologies, we fail to see that our destruction is from within as we choose to ignore that the real problem lies in the heart, in each of us individually, and until there is a change of heart, we will never succeed in our efforts. No wonder Paul wrote, "Therefore, 'Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you'" (II Cor. 6:17), and again, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God" (Rom. 12:2).

Friend, if you are a believer in Christ, then you should understand that the world is enveloped in the dragon and the dragon in the world (I John 5:19), in the arrogant and deceitful machinations which lead us down a path of destruction that only appears right when we are ignorant of its devices (II Cor. 2:11). While so many of us are led to think that the serpent is outside of us, flying around as a winged angel, commanding his demons to do his bidding, he has been within us and among us in the form of a "deceitful" and "desperately wicked" heart (Jer. 17:9). Collectively and religiously speaking, he has managed to turn himself into an "angel of light" (II Cor. 11:14), a messenger of truth, but the truth is far from him. "He," the natural man, "was a murderer from the beginning" (John 8:44), from the moment he chose to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil in direct contradiction to God's command, choosing instead to listen to his deceived wife (bosom; heart; Gen. 16:5; Deut. 13:6; 28:54, 56; Ruth 4:16). He "does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it" (John 8:44). And are we not, from top to bottom, from government to media, from secular to religious, rich to poor, very, very comfortable with lying? Ah my friend, the natural man has succeeded in dressing himself up in the garb of every religious label to appear as righteous, but righteous he is not.

Satan is among us my friend, for he is within us. He is the essence of the natural, carnal man of our being, the "image of the man of dust" (I Cor. 15:49).

Ezekiel 28:11-19 (ESV)  
11 Moreover, the word of the Lord came to me: 12 "Son of man, raise a lamentation over the king of Tyre, and say to him, Thus says the Lord God: "You were the signet of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. 13 You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering, sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, emerald, and carbuncle; and crafted in gold were your settings and your engravings. On the day that you were created they were prepared. 14 You were an anointed guardian cherub. I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God; in the midst of the stones of fire you walked. 15 You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created, till unrighteousness was found in you. 16 In the abundance of your trade you were filled with violence in your midst, and you sinned; so I cast you as a profane thing from the mountain of God, and I destroyed you, O guardian cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. 17 Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I exposed you before kings, to feast their eyes on you. 18 By the multitude of your iniquities, in the unrighteousness of your trade you profaned your sanctuaries; so I brought fire out from your midst; it consumed you, and I turned you to ashes on the earth in the sight of all who saw you. 19 All who know you among the peoples are appalled at you; you have come to a dreadful end and shall be no more forever."

No doubt the description of the "king of Tyre" is elegant, and he is called the "anointed guardian cherub." This particular phrase, along with, "You were in Eden, the garden of God," has led many to think that it speaks of the devil as a fallen angel due to the misunderstanding of "anointed" and "cherub" or "cherubim" (Gen. 3:24), as well as the "garden of Eden" (Gen. 2:8).

Anointed? Yes, but consider that kings, like priests, were anointed by the Lord (I Sam. 10:1; 15:1; 16:3, 12-13; I Kings 1:34; 19:15-16). Also consider what Nebuchadnezzar said after he was judged by the Lord. "And at the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever: For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom is from generation to generation. All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand or say to Him, "What have You done?" At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my honor and splendor returned to me. My counselors and nobles resorted to me, I was restored to my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added to me. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down" (Dan. 4:34-37).

When we apply our understanding of "Leviathan" which also refers to our other kings, Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar (Ezek. 29:3; Jer. 51:34) we find that "the king of Tyre" is not an angel but a human being, a natural, carnal man and king who through the abundance of his trade became very wealthy, lifted up so much in his own heart that he saw himself as "god" (II Thess. 2:3-4). But he was just one of many, was he not?

Isn't this same arrogant spirit showboated daily on our news from all those who consider themselves smarter and more qualified to lead, to voice their opinions, to push their agendas on all those they consider "beneath" them? And are we not subject to them regardless of whether we agree or not? And how many of us are not only subject, but look to them as the answer to our problems, and this despite the fact that our problems have not been solved but have become increasingly worse?

I have no doubt in my heart that if we knew just half of what transpired behind the closed doors of the banking elite and the government powers, we would be sickened by what we see. No doubt, some of this deception and corruption has found its way into the media, but friend, we haven't even scratched the surface of the corruption that is spilling out of those in power. They have done very well to conceal it.

Psalms 10:5-11, 12-18 (NIV)  
5 His ways are always prosperous; he is haughty and your laws are far from him; he sneers at all his enemies. 6 He says to himself, "Nothing will shake me; I'll always be happy and never have trouble." 7 His mouth is full of curses and lies and threats; trouble and evil are under his tongue. 8 He lies in wait near the villages; from ambush he murders the innocent, watching in secret for his victims. 9 He lies in wait like a lion in cover; he lies in wait to catch the helpless; he catches the helpless and drags them off in his net. 10 His victims are crushed, they collapse; they fall under his strength. 11 He says to himself, "God has forgotten; he covers his face and never sees..." 12 Arise, LORD! Lift up your hand, O God. Do not forget the helpless. 13 Why does the wicked man revile God? Why does he say to himself, "He won't call me to account"? 14 But you, O God, do see trouble and grief; you consider it to take it in hand. The victim commits himself to you; you are the helper of the fatherless. 15 Break the arm of the wicked and evil man; call him to account for his wickedness that would not be found out. 16 The LORD is King for ever and ever; the nations will perish from his land. 17 You hear, O LORD, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry, 18 defending the fatherless and the oppressed, in order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more.

Look at the King James rendering of our last verse.

Psalms 10:18 (KJV)  
18 To judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more oppress.

"The man of the earth," the first man Adam, the natural man. Isn't he the oppressor?

Proverbs 11:2 (NKJV)  
2 When pride comes, then comes shame; But with the humble is wisdom.

Genesis 2:25; 3:7-10 (NKJV)  
25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed... 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. 8 And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, "Where are you?" 10 So he said, "I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself."

Do you see the correlation between Proverbs 11:2 and our passages in Genesis in regard to shame (see I Cor. 15:34)? And should there be any doubt as to whether we sin due to pride, consider what follows after.

Genesis 3:11-12 (NKJV)  
11 And He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?" 12 Then the man said, "The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate."

What other reason but pride would cause Adam to accuse both God and the woman for his own disobedience? This being the case, consider the following.

Revelation 12:9-10 (KJV)  
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.

What does Revelation call the "Devil, and Satan"? "The accuser of our brethren," i.e. "one who sows discord among brethren" (abomination; Prov. 6:19). No surprise, because the word "devil" means, "A traducer," taken from the word which means, "To traduce." The definition of "traduce" reads, "To make false or malicious statements about (someone) in order to cause humiliation or disgrace" (The Free Dictionary). No doubt accusation is a prominent side effect of arrogance and a very cunning way to avoid self-examination (I Cor. 11:31). When we point the finger at who we choose to blame for our ills, we do not have to consider the fact of our own shortcomings and what we have done to contribute to the problem. How truly cunning and deceitful we can be to ourselves and others!

And again, what about the king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar? Ah my friend, there is a God who knows and a God who hears! Even in the kingdoms of men He rules. Like the king of Tyre, Nebuchadnezzar became filled with self-importance, believing in the works of his own hands, unable to see that it was His Creator who allowed him his position as king.

The story of Babel is a story of the natural man's pride, of his desire to make a name for himself in all that he says and does (I John 2:16; NIV). He clings to this vessel of dust as though it will live forever, and he is doing all in his power to make it so.

We have discovered cloning, and through stem cell research, we are seeking to make human organs in animals to replace the ones that fail in us. We are striving more than ever to conquer our mortality and defeat the death of our physical passing. But we will always fail my friend for "no one has power over the spirit to retain the spirit, and no one has power in the day of death. There is no release from that war, and wickedness will not deliver those who are given to it" (Ecc. 8:8).

# Chapter Twenty

# THE TEMPTATION OF CHRIST

Matthew 4:1 (KJV)  
1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

Specificity, meaning "the quality or state of being specific" (Dictionary.com). As we have found, the Word of God is specific, and we often miss this fact because we don't pay close enough attention to what we read.

Look at our phrase "led up." This phrase is the Greek word transliterated as anagō and is defined as, "To lead up."

Up, as in "heaven"? Yes. After all, we are told that Jesus was "led up of the Spirit." So it follows that what we are about to consider takes place in the realm of Spirit and not in the realm of form. Instead of "led up," Luke records "was led," which is the word agō, meaning "To lead" and one of the two words from which anagō is derived. The point is, it was imperative after His baptism that the Lord was "led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil." With this in mind, reconsider our passages from Revelation, Chapter 12.

Revelation 12:3-5 (KJV)  
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.

First John sees the "woman clothed with the sun" in "heaven" (Rev. 12:1), indicative of the New Covenant Promise which is foreshadowed in the Genesis parable (Gen. 3:15; Gal. 4:26, 28). She is pregnant with child, "travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered" (Rev. 12:2). Following this, John sees another "wonder in heaven," the "great red dragon," the devil and Satan, standing ready "to devour her child as soon as it was born." Compare this with the following.

Galatians 4:29 (KJV)  
29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.

Cain and Abel, Ishmael and Isaac, Esau and Jacob, the Pharisees and Christ. The pattern is consistent. The one "born after the flesh," i.e. the natural man, always persecutes the one "born after the Spirit," the spiritual man. So in essence, the natural essence of the Lord's being rose up against the spiritual essence of His being, just as it is with you and me, for He "was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin" (Heb. 4:15; KJV).

Now, allow me to challenge your understanding. The upcoming passages in Luke, Chapter 4, concern the temptation of Christ, and as such, should be treated as a parable, just as the story of Adam and Eve. Yes, His temptation was very real, but the story is in parable form. The story of Adam and Eve is also very real but in parable form. Alongside the physical reality is found a spiritual reality when our eyes are opened to perceive it. How do I know this? When we read about the Lord's baptism and what followed after in John, Chapter 1, we will find that Jesus never went into a literal wilderness after His baptism. If this is the case, then the "wilderness" of which all four gospels speak refers to the spiritual state of the world at large, not a physical place. As believers, we should understand this, for once we are drawn by the Father to Christ, our "world" as we know it also becomes a place of desolation and our spiritual hunger and thirst cannot be satisfied by it. Furthermore, it is recorded that John the Baptist "came preaching in the wilderness of Judea" (Matt. 3:1) and that he was "baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sin" (Mark 1:4). If this were literal, who would have been there to hear him?

2 Timothy 2:15 (NKJV)  
15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Our phrase "rightly dividing" is a compound word which means, "To make a straight cut, i.e. (figurative) to dissect (expound) correctly (the divine message)." Could it be that Paul was referring to the idea of knowing when to separate that which is a parable from that which isn't? Consider what we read from Matthew.

Matthew 13:34-35 (NKJV)  
34 All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them, 35 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: "I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world."

Let's now consider the temptation of our Lord.

Luke 4:1-12 (NKJV)  
1 Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 2 being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry. 3 And the devil said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread." 4 But Jesus answered him, saying, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.' " 5 Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6 And the devil said to Him, "All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. 7 Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours." 8 And Jesus answered and said to him, "Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.' " 9 Then he brought Him to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here. 10 For it is written: 'He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you,' 11 "and, 'In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.' " 12 And Jesus answered and said to him, "It has been said, 'You shall not tempt the Lord your God.' "

As our passages show, our Lord was in the "wilderness, being tempted for forty days by the devil." Again, I believe this is a spiritual state and struggle within, for the natural man or self always abides in the "wilderness" of this world (Job 12:24; Psalms 29:8; 63:1; 72:9; 74:14; Isa. 14:17), and stands ready to "devour" our spiritual essence, to question the truth of God.

Here we have three temptations which align with the same three temptations recorded in Genesis, Chapter 3. First, "command this stone to become bread," which correlates with Genesis 3:6, where Eve "saw that the tree was good for food."

The second temptation was the offer of "all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time." This agrees with Genesis 3:6 where we read, "And that it (tree of knowledge) was pleasant to the eyes (KJV)."

The third and final temptation was "throw Yourself down from here. For it is written: 'He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you,' "and, 'In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.'" Again in Genesis 3:6, we read, "And a tree to be desired to make one wise." Not surprisingly, John defines these three temptations in his first letter.

1 John 2:14-17 (KJV)  
14 I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one. 15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

As we see, "all that is in the world" is summed up by John as "the lust of the flesh (good for food), and the lust of the eyes (all the kingdoms of the world), and the pride of life (throw Yourself down from here)." (Author's Note: The NIV version defines the "pride of life" as the boasting of what we have and do). Clearly, these things are "not of the Father, but is of the world."

Think about it brother and sister. "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." This is not a well-intentioned supposition but a fact which clearly demonstrates the difference between that which is natural and that which is spiritual. Didn't Jesus tell Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God," as in spiritual, "but the things of men," as in natural (Matt. 16:23)? And didn't Jesus declare this same thing in our passages above?

The temptation of Christ reflects His inward battle between the spirit of the world (natural man) and the Spirit of God (spiritual man) which dwelled within Him. Just as the serpent tempted Eve concerning the Word of God, so too Christ. But unlike Eve, Christ was not deceived and responded by the Spirit of truth against the spirit of error that sought to prevail over Him (I John 4:6). Consider the following treatment from Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament concerning I John 2:16.

All (πᾶν)

Not _all things_ severally, but _all that is in the world collectively_ , regarded as a unit.

The lust (ἡ ἐπιθυμία)

See on Mark 4:19.

Of the flesh

Sensual appetite. The desire which _resides in the flesh_ , not the desire _for_ the flesh. For this subjective usage of the genitive with _lust_ , see John 8:44; Romans 1:24; Revelation 18:14. Compare 1 Peter 2:11; Titus 2:12. The lust of the flesh involves the appropriation of the desired object. On _the flesh_ , see on John 1:14.

The lust of the eyes

This is included in the lust of the flesh, as a specific manifestation. All merely sensual desires belong to the economy which "is not of the Father." _The desire of the eyes_ does not involve appropriation. It is satisfied with _contemplating_. It represents a higher type of desire than _the desire of the flesh_ , in that it seeks _mental_ pleasure where the other seeks _physical_ gratification. There is thus a significant hint in this passage that even high artistic gratification may have no fellowship with God.

The pride of life (ἡ ἀλαζονεία τοῦ βίου)

Rev., _vainglory_. The word occurs only here and James 4:16, on which see note. It means, originally, _empty_ , _braggart talk_ or _display_ ; _swagger_ ; and thence an insolent and vain assurance in one's own resources, or in the stability of earthly things, which issues in a contempt of divine laws. The _vainglory of life_ is the vainglory which belongs to the present life. On βίος _life_ , as distinguished from ζωη. _life_ , see on John 1:4.

Now, consider our passages from the "God's Word" translation.

1 John 2:15-17 (GW)  
15 Don't love the world and what it offers. Those who love the world don't have the Father's love in them. 16 Not everything that the world offers—physical gratification, greed, and extravagant lifestyles—comes from the Father. It comes from the world, and 17 the world and its evil desires are passing away. But the person who does what God wants lives forever.

Here we have it, the true essence of our natural being that desires "physical gratification, greed, and extravagant lifestyles." I am not one who cares too much for this translation overall, but I must admit, it sums it up quite nicely, for when we take a raw and honest look at our society around us, it is quite obvious that this is the underlying motivation of the spirit of error. When we bring these three things together, it's easy enough to say that is speaks clearly of the love of money and our desire for fame or recognition, does it not?

The temptation of Adam and Eve and our Lord is directly tied to the Word of God. That being said, here's what I understand about their temptation.

In Adam and Eve, we see the desires of our natural man or being attached to the tree of knowledge which symbolizes the law of God. This shows us that God's intention was to form our natural being and then restrict its desires for physical gratification, greed, and extravagance (excess) by means of His divine law. These three attributes are clearly in reference to this natural realm in which we exist, so the essence of His Word "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" (Heb. 4:12).

Remember, the foundation of the law of God is the principle of sowing and reaping. God is not mocked my friend, for every single one of us reap what we sow, receiving the consequences of either living after the flesh or after the Spirit.

Jesus clearly taught self-denial, i.e. to deny the natural man's inclination for physical gratification, greed, and extravagance (overindulgence). There is certainly nothing evil about meeting the needs of our physical being, but again, it is about our "thoughts and intents" within. Thoughts are just that, i.e. what we think, but "intents" are the "root" of thought, the true motivation behind what we do. And His living Word is able to search out the deepest recesses of our heart in order to purge us of all the pride, rebellion, and unbelief that stands against His truth. Remember, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; Who can know it?" The Lord searches the heart (intents) and tests the mind (thoughts), "even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings" (Jer. 17:9-10). Isn't this unmistakably sowing and reaping?

The natural man is unable to receive the things of the Spirit of God. So it is that Eve and Adam "fell." Ah, but the spiritual man is able to receive, therefore Christ did not fall. Knowing fully well that the "flesh profits nothing" (John 6:63), Christ did not succumb to His natural being or self; rather, He overcame it in the "wilderness" of the world in which He walked (John 16:33). And how did He overcome? By the truth of the same Word which was used against Him, by "rightly dividing" that which He embraced. Whereas Adam and Eve doubted His Word, Christ did not. The Lord heard clearly and distinctly the Word of His Father and believed it without hesitation (I John 5:4).

"Has God indeed said"? The serpent asked of Eve. "If you are the Son of God" said the serpent to Christ. Yes, they were both sons of God, but one believed while the other doubted, and "whatsoever is not of faith is sin" (Rom. 14:23; KJV).

Here's the reality brother and sister. Our present generation is steeped in the unbelief of the natural man, yes, even in the churches of our nation. Few truly believe the Word of God, unable to rightly divide, because we have, like the Pharisees of Jesus' day, replaced His truth with the traditions and teachings of those who founded our denominations and organizations so many years ago. As the world around us moves forward in technology and thus increases in its conveniences, we have "fallen asleep," becoming hedonistic in every sense of the word. Billions are spent on pleasure every year in just this country alone. Our grocery and department stores are laden with every possible invention we can imagine to further the excesses of our appetites. No doubt, we would be appalled by how much is spent on needless and trivial things which are completely unnecessary for our lives. We have become completely self-absorbed and self-entitled, our government and streets filled with collectives clamoring for acceptance of our extravagances to the point of insanity. No wonder Jesus said, "When the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:8; KJV)

Friend, we no longer believe His Word. Rather, we believe the Pope, our pastor, the televangelist, the so-called "experts" in the Word who stand boldly before us in their wealth and excess, blithely following as lambs to the slaughter. While we wrangle among ourselves about our doctrines and stand opposed to one another due to our carnal minds, we fail to see that it is a product of our carnal minds. We are so busy declaring that we are spiritual that we fail to see that our proclamation says otherwise (Rev. 3:17).

In a recent conversation with a brother in Christ about many of these things, I found myself realizing why Jesus and His apostles taught about the severity of the end of the age and the difficulties we would encounter; in one word, excess. Understand my friend that technology has brought us to the point of such convenience that we have become quite lethargic in our lives, sedentary in our thinking, so much so that we cannot even work up an original thought. We are all thinking and doing alike, and living in so much fleshly indulgence that we are far from the righteousness of His kingdom due to our desire for more of the same. The whole world truly lies in wickedness, in the arrogant, self-absorbed spirit of error that prevents us from realizing and embracing the truth.

Ah, but there is hope, for even now there are many throughout the world who are not content with the status quo and our current way of thinking. Despite the obvious decline of the seven churches in Revelation, there is a call in each to overcome, and many are doing just that, overcoming the world in their hearts and minds and pressing toward the "goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 3:14).

Revelation 12:5-9 (NKJV)  
5 She bore a male Child (male son) who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up to God and His throne... 7 And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, 8 but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. 9 So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

Luke 10:17-20 (KJV)  
17 And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. 18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. 19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. 20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

What happened when Jesus was baptized by John? The "heavens were opened to Him" (Matt. 3:16). It was then that He was "caught up to God and His throne." What followed? "War broke out in heaven" between Michael (which means, "Who is like God") and his angels" and the "dragon" and "his angels." Ah, but "they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer." The Lord's natural being had "died" at the Jordan River and the "natural body" of the law was then raised by God's divine power to the "spiritual body" of the law (I Cor. 15:44). The natural man of the Lord's being was "cast to the earth," the dust, the place of its origin, returning to the dust from whence it came (Gen. 3:19; Job 4:19; 10:9; 34:15; Psalms 44:25; 103:14) and His eternal essence prevailed once and for all. This is why Jesus was able to say, "The prince of this world (Adam) cometh, and hath nothing in me" (John 14:30; KJV).

"I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven." In confirmation, we see Satan standing ready to "devour her child as soon as it was born" (Rev. 12:4; KJV). And let's take this as it stands. Jesus said He beheld this very thing in His day and time, so would it not have been during His temptation in the wilderness for forty days? And the visions of John in Revelation do not conflict, for He was told by the Lord to, "Write therefore the things that you have seen (past), those that are (present) and those that are to take place after this (future)" (Rev. 1:19; ESV). Hadn't John seen the Lord in His glory and power for over three years? Did he not know beyond any doubt that Jesus had power over all the power of the enemy? Yes, he did my friend, yes he did.

As I close this chapter, let's take a moment to consider Stephen E. Jones's explanation of the spiritual meaning of forty.

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 of 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.

"Forty can be seen as entering grace after a period of trial, as well as the beginning of something new." So it is that after His temptation in the wilderness we read, "Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region" (Luke 4:14), and, "For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ" (John 1:17).

Jesus "died" before He died, His baptism by John reflecting His complete submission to the will of His Father regarding His physical gratification, greed, and extravagance (excess). For this reason He could truthfully say, "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses" (Luke 12:15). Beloved, the "kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit" (Rom. 14:17). When we overcome the world we overcome the continual wanting of our natural being.

Psalms 23:1 (KJV)  
1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

# Chapter Twenty-One

# THE SPIRIT OF ERROR

As you should know by now, this study suggests that the devil or Satan does not refer to a fallen angel but to the fallen spirit of man, aptly described as the collective "spirit of the world" which incorporates the mind of form (Rom. 8:6; I Cor. 2:12). It is referred to as "collective" because it consists of all of us individually wherein is found the same "spirit of the man" which is in us (I Cor. 2:11).

Paul refers to this spirit in several ways, three times as the "old man" because it can be traced back to our Genesis parable and the first generation of humankind (Rom. 6:6; Eph. 4:22; Col. 3:9). And who else but this "old man" is Paul speaking of in I Corinthians 15 as "a natural body," the "first man Adam" (hence "old"), a "living being (soul)," the "natural," and "of the earth, made of dust"? We should see by these descriptions that each one reveals a different aspect of our state of being, illustrated by the "breath of life" which God breathed into Adam's nostrils in the beginning (Gen. 2:7).

In direct contrast to the "old man," Paul spoke of the "new man," that "which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness" (Eph. 4:24) and "renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him" (Col. 3:10). Our word "renewed" is again "renovate" or make new again, and is done "in knowledge," showing us the necessity of the tree of knowledge in our lives, i.e. the law of God within that becomes spiritual when we surrender ourselves to the will of the Father as Jesus did. And just like our Lord, this surrender becomes evident "in the wilderness" of this world as it did with Christ. After all, the world which we knew does not pass away once we are drawn by the Father to Christ, but the effects and influence of it must be eradicated from our heart, for it was all we knew before we were called by the Lord.

If it is true that our "old man" refers to the "first man Adam" or "natural man" of our being, then our Genesis parable makes it clear that in regard to the tree of knowledge, an obvious error was made concerning the Word which God had given to Adam. As we have learned, this "error" was a direct result of the "deep sleep" which God caused to come upon Adam and which was the necessary condition needed to create the natural man first as Paul emphasizes in I Corinthians 15, verse 46. I use the word "error" to make a point. Please consider.

1 John 4:6 (NKJV)  
6 We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

I was a bit surprised to learn that our phrase "spirit of error" is only found once in the New Testament in this passage. Our word "spirit" is the same Greek word used throughout the New Testament in regard to both the human or divine. Our word "error" is defined as, "Feminine of <G4108> (planos) (as abstract); object _fraudulence_ ; subject a _straying_ from orthodoxy or piety." G4108 reads, "Of uncertain affinity; _roving_ (as a _tramp_ ), i.e. (by implication) an _impostor_ or _misleader_." (I immediately see Cain in this definition; a fugitive and vagabond in the earth; Gen. 4:12, 14).

Our word "error" is used just ten times in the New Testament, but as always, how it is used is quite revealing. Seven times it's translated as "error," but the other three times it's translated as "to deceive" (Eph. 4:14), "deceit" (I Thess. 2:3), and "delusion" (II Thess. 2:11). That being said, consider the passage where it is rendered as "delusion."

2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 (NKJV)  
9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Our phrase "lawless one" is the Greek word which means, "Lawless, i.e. (negative) not subject to (the Jewish) law; (by implication a Gentile), or (positive) wicked." And who is this "lawless one"? Paul calls him the "man of sin" and the "son of perdition" in the passages preceding those above. The "man" of sin. Would this not be the "old man," the "first man"? What other "man" would it be?

The man of "sin," Paul said, our word "sin" defined as, "Sin," taken from the word which means, "Properly to miss the mark (and so not share in the prize), i.e. (figurative) to err, especially (moral) to sin." Now, perhaps I'm being a little OCD here, but note our definition reads, "To err." You mean as in "spirit of error"? Yes, definitely.

As a matter of study, the first use of the word "sin" in the Old Testament is found in Genesis 2:7 and Cain, Adam's son. This Hebrew word is defined as, "An offence (sometimes habitual sinfulness), and its penalty, occasion, sacrifice, or expiation; also (concrete) an offender." Like our Greek definition, it's taken from a root word which means, "Properly to miss; hence (figurative and general) to sin; by inference to forfeit, lack, expiate, repent, (causative) lead astray, condemn" (whew!). Is it just coincidence then that Paul spoke first of the "man of sin" and followed with the "son of perdition"? Was he referring to both Adam and Cain who perfectly reflect this spirit of error that we are considering?

So let's keep this simple. In our passages above, Paul makes it quite clear why God, not the devil or Satan, will send us "strong delusion." It is because we do "not receive the love of the truth" that we "might be saved." Immediately, the idea of love should indicate to you and me an attitude of commitment and devotion, of passion and desire. Bring this idea into our present reality and think about what it is we're truly committed to. For those who attend the various churches in our nation, we might approximate that, out of two or three services a week, we would give about 6 to 8 hours. Now, there are 168 hours in a week, so 8 hours equates to less than 4% of our time devoted to church, worship, sermons, and Bible study. Now, I don't say this to condemn anyone but merely to shed light on the idea of our priorities. If I give just 8 hours, what am I doing with the other 160? How much of that time is spent seeking the truth of His Word?

Proverbs 14:12 (KJV)  
12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

Proverbs 16:25 (KJV)  
25 There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

Twice in Proverbs, we find this recorded. We have seen our word "way" before, defined by the Strong's Concordance as, "A road (as trodden); figurative a course of life or mode of action."

We cannot consider a spirit of error without also considering the corresponding mindset that goes with it. If our spirit is in error, then our mindset is as well. It will be a mind focused on the realm of form, which Paul clearly defines "is death" (Rom. 8:6), agreeing with our passages from Proverbs. As we learned in the previous chapter, this mindset exhibits itself in the greed or excess of physical gratification. That being said, think about the present condition of our American society and tell me, does this not accurately describe where we are today? Has there ever been a time in history where so many want so much to satisfy every fleshly desire they can?

Now, just a few days ago I was pondering one of the most baffling passages in regard to the idea of fallen angels. While doing so, our passages from II Thessalonians concerning the "man of sin" and "son of perdition" came to mind and I felt that it was the answer to what I was thinking. We looked at this passage in Chapter 14, but allow me to do so again and emphasize its understanding.

Jude 1:6 (KJV)  
6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.

As one might suspect, this passage has been used to authenticate the idea of fallen angels, however, allow me to give you an alternative view. In light of our word "angels," consider the following.

Revelation 2:1-2 (KJV)  
1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write... 2 I know thy works...

Revelation 2:8-9 (KJV)  
8 And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write... 9 I know thy works...

Revelation 2:12-13 (KJV)  
12 And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write... 13 I know thy works...

Revelation 2:18-19 (KJV)  
18 And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write... 19 I know thy works...

Revelation 3:1 (KJV)  
1 And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write... I know thy works...

Revelation 3:7-8 (KJV)  
7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write... 8 I know thy works...

Revelation 3:14-15 (KJV)  
14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write... 15 I know thy works...

When we enter into the book of the Revelation John sees a vision of "one like unto the Son of man" (Rev. 1:13; KJV), which is clearly the Lord Jesus Christ, "and he had in his right hand seven stars" (Rev. 1:16; KJV). Following this, the Lord tells John to "write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter; the mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand" and "the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches" (Rev. 1:19-20; KJV). In keeping with this, the Lord then tells John to "write" to the "angel" of each church as shown above. So think about that for a moment. Why would John write to an "angel" and not to the people who make up the church? Our answer lies in the understanding of the "mystery of the seven stars" or "angels" of the seven churches. Please consider.

Luke 20:27-38 (NKJV)  
27 Then some of the Sadducees, who deny that there is a resurrection, came to Him and asked Him, 28 saying: "Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man's brother dies, having a wife, and he dies without children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother. 29 Now there were seven brothers. And the first took a wife, and died without children. 30 And the second took her as wife, and he died childless. 31 Then the third took her, and in like manner the seven also; and they left no children, and died. 32 Last of all the woman died also. 33 Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife does she become? For all seven had her as wife." 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."

No doubt, these are some of the most mysterious passages in the New Testament. When treated as a parable, this is what we have. First, "seven brothers" and one "wife." When compared with the messages to the seven churches, we have "seven angels" (brothers) and one "wife" (church; though there are seven churches, they are all but one church). Each brother "left no children," i.e. Christ was never fully formed by any of these churches. Why? Because it has been ordained by the Lord to happen at the "end of the age" and not before then (Matt. 13:37-43; 47-50).

Clearly, the "seven brothers" refer to the "sons of this age" as Jesus described, those who "marry and are given in marriage." Note that Jesus tells us that "in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be" (Matt. 24:38-39; see also Rev. 3:17). "Marrying and giving in marriage"? Yes, just as it was in Noah's day when the "sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose" (Gen. 6:2). Hasn't this been the reality since the days of Christ and the apostles? I believe so, as evidenced by the great number of religious denominations and organizations (daughters of men) which have risen since that time.

As for "eating and drinking," consider Romans 14:17 where Paul wrote, "For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." Would our phrase "eating and drinking" suggest the idea of "teaching for doctrines the commandments of men" (Mark 7:7)? I believe it would (See John 4:32-34; 7:37).

In direct contrast to the "sons of this age," the Lord speaks of "those who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead." Would this not be those, who like Noah, enter the ark while the rest "did not know until the flood came and took them all away"? And understand my friend, that the "flood" of our time is not "water" but deception, clarified by Revelation 12:15. Would this be why Jesus said, "But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be" (Matt. 24:37)?

He then states that they "neither marry nor are given in marriage; nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection." Ah my friend, "sons of God" who "neither marry nor are given in marriage," who cannot settle for the compromising and carnal interpretations which have plagued us for so long. Sons of God who will not give their commitment to any denomination or religious organization, knowing fully well that they have been compromised by the spirit of error. How do I know? Take a careful look at the prophecies to the seven churches and you'll see what I mean, for when we are willing to lay aside our religious self-righteousness, we will clearly see the rise of the serpent, devil, and Satan within the church (Rev. 2:2, 9, 13, 24; 3:1). What began as a true and shining light began to "fall" shortly after the advent of the New Testament Church in the book of Acts (Rev. 2:4-5). With this in mind, consider what Paul stated in our passages from II Thessalonians, Chapter 2, concerning the "man of sin."

2 Thessalonians 2:1-4 (NKJV)  
1 Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.

In regard to the "coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" which clearly marks the end of this age, Paul told the Thessalonians "not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit." What spirit? The spirit of error. And what else? That the "day of Christ" will not come "unless the falling away comes first." Does this mean that Paul understood what was yet to happen in the days ahead? I believe so. After all, he had been caught up to the "third heaven" where he heard "inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter" (II Cor. 12:4). If anyone had a spirit of revelation and understanding of the mysteries of the kingdom, it was Paul. So it is that much of what Paul wrote expresses his concerns about the end of the age. Our seven prophecies to the seven churches also align perfectly with Paul, and these, my friend, came straight from the mouth of the Lord Himself.

The sons of God are "equal to the angels." And when is this the case? When they have experienced the "resurrection from the dead" (as opposed to "of the dead"), having been truly awakened to righteousness in the fullest sense of the Word. I have no doubt believing that these "sons of God" are those in each of the seven churches to whom Jesus said, "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches" (Rev. 2:7; see also Rev. 2:11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22). They are also called those who "overcome" (Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 26-29; 3:4-6, 12-13, 21-22). What do they overcome? The world my friend, and the spirit of it, clearly found within the church, not outside of it. For this reason, the Lord said He would "gather out," not in, "of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness" (Matt. 13:41). Practice what? "Lawlessness," agreeing with our "lawless one" in II Thessalonians, Chapter 2.

So, with all of this said, we should now know why the Lord instructed John to write to the "angel" of each church. The prophecy or message to each church cannot rightfully be interpreted or discerned except by those who have ears to hear "what the Spirit says to the churches."

Finally, we must reconsider the idea of angels. The word for "angel" is angelos and means, "To bring tidings; a messenger." The writer of Hebrews tells us that they are "all ministering spirits" (Heb. 1:14). So within the idea of an angel is found both a spirit and a message, which when brought together, defines the "works" or deeds of those through whom this spirit and message proceeds. For this reason, Jesus quickly followed His injunction to the "angel" of each church with "I know your works."

As many of us have heard, we are not human beings going through a spiritual experience, but spiritual beings going through a human experience. I am inclined to go with this thought. After all, the greatest evolution of man is tied, not to his natural and physical being, but to his spiritual and inward. This, my beloved, is the true essence of the kingdom of God.

Fallen angels? No. Fallen sons? Yes. What did Jesus say about the "stars of heaven"? That they would "fall." Revelation 6:13 confirms this, stating, "And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely (unripe) figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind." When the "stars of heaven" fall my friend, you then have a collective lawlessness which forms out of it and becomes quite evident among us. Would this not be the manifestation of the "lawless one" of which Paul speaks, the manifestation of the "man of sin"? And verse 4 of II Thessalonians, Chapter 2, makes it very clear that it is due to our pride, which is the underlying essence of the spirit of error.

Jude 1:6 (KJV)  
6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.

In summary, the "angels which kept not their first estate" refers to our fallen sons. For this reason, Jesus clearly stated, "Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent" (Rev. 2:5), and again, "Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you" (Rev. 3:3).

Our word "watch" means, "To keep awake," taken from the word which means, "To waken (transitive or intransitive), i.e. rouse (literal from sleep, from sitting or lying, from disease, from death; or figurative from obscurity, inactivity, ruins, nonexistence)." Have we fallen asleep? Yes we have, but it is time to awaken.

Finally, our phrase "reserved in everlasting chains under darkness" speaks of the "strong delusion" which God would send to those who do not receive a love for the truth. This delusion would be so strong that we will "believe a lie" (II Thess. 2:11). What is the purpose of the lie?

2 Thessalonians 2:12 (NKJV)  
12... that they all may be condemned (judged) who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

When we bring this understanding of "angels" in Jude 1:6 to the "angels" of the seven churches in Revelation, it should be clear to us. Revelation 2:5 states, "Remember therefore from where you have fallen." Our phrase "you have fallen" is defined by Strong's as, "To drop away; specially be driven out of one's course; figurative to lose, become inefficient." When we compare this with the seventh and final church of Laodicea, we have confirmation. What began as a spiritual and powerful church in the beginning as defined by Ephesus, becomes the "lukewarm" and "wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked" church of Laodicea (remember, seven denotes "fullness" and "manifestation" and marks the end of the age; there is no other message or church after the seventh church). The prophetic "falling away" of which Paul wrote in II Thessalonians, Chapter 2, is fulfilled, just as the Lord Himself declared in the messages themselves. You see, my friend, God knows what we will do even before we do it. To think otherwise is to charge God with failing to be omniscient.

There is so much that you and I take for granted in our present generation, seldom giving thought to where many things originated from and how they became established in our time. And the current belief system of Christianity is no exception to this rule. Over the past two thousand years, and according to the Bible itself, the church's "fall" was inescapable. That being said, our understanding of Jude 1:6 and the fallen "angels" or "stars" or "sons" of the seven churches correlate with the following.

Revelation 18:2 (NKJV)  
2 And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, "Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird!

Remember our understanding of Babylon? She represents God's people under the auspices of His divine law while in her "wilderness" testing (Rev. 12:6, 14). For this reason, the writer of Hebrews wrote, "Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience" (Heb. 4:11). When the "sons" fail, the church fails, for they are the "firstfruits" unto God and the Lamb (Rev. 14:1-5).

# Chapter Twenty-Two

# MY WORDS ARE SPIRIT

We cannot address the serpent, devil, Satan, without addressing demons.

The King James being archaic, uses the word "devils" which other versions translate as "demons." The first mention of this word is found in Matthew 4:24.

Matthew 4:24 (NKJV)  
24 Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed (possessed with devils; KJV), epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them.

The next instance is found in Matthew 7:22.

Matthew 7:22 (NKJV)  
22 Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?'

The Strong's Concordance defines "demons" (devils) as, "Neuter of a derivative of <G1142> (daimon); a _dæmonic being_ ; by extensive a _deity_." G1142 reads, "From **daio** (to _distribute_ fortunes); a _dæmon_ or supernatural spirit (of a bad nature)." Here's the definition from Vine's Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words.

Demon

**Usage Number:** A-1

**Part Of Speech:** Noun

**Strong's Number:** <G1142>

**Original Word:** δαίμων, daimōn

**Usage Notes:** "a demon," signified, among pagan Greeks, an inferior deity, whether good or bad. In the NT it denotes "an evil spirit." It is used in Matt. 8:31, mistranslated "devils." Some would derive the word from a root da---, meaning "to distribute." More probably it is from a similar root da---, meaning "to know," and hence means "a knowing one."

Here's what the English Oxford Living Dictionary online states concerning the word origin of demon.

**Origin**

Middle English: from medieval Latin, from Latin daemon, from Greek daimōn 'deity, genius'; in demon (sense 1) also from Latin daemonium 'lesser or evil spirit', from Greek daemonion, diminutive of daimōn.

The Free Dictionary online tells us to see "dā-" in "Indo-European roots." It's extensive, but here's where the link took me.

dā- / Indo-European roots

Examples of words with the root dā-: daimon, demagogue, deme, demiurge, democracy, demography, demon, demonym, demos, demotic, endemic, epidemic, eventide, geodesy, pandemic, ted, tide, tidings, time, Yahrzeit, Zeitgeist.

dā-

To divide.

Oldest form *deh2-, colored to *dah2-, becoming *dā-.

* Derivatives include democracy, epidemic, demon, time.

I. Suffixed form *dā-mo-, perhaps "division of society" deme, demos, demotic; demagogue, demiurge, democracy, demography, endemic, epidemic, pandemic from Greek dēmos, people, land.

II. Variant *dai-, from extended form *daəi-, with zero-grade *dī- (< *diə-, metathesized from *dəi-).

1. Root form *dai-. geodesy from Greek daiesthai, to divide.

2. Suffixed form *dai-mon-, divider, provider. daimon, demon from Greek daimōn, divinity.

3. Suffixed variant form *dī-ti-. a. tide1; eventide from Old English tīd, time, season; b. tide2 from Old English denominative tīdan, to happen (< "to occur in time"); c. tidings from Old Norse tīdhr, occurring; d. Yahrzeit, zeitgeber, Zeitgeist from Old High German zīt, time. a-d all from Germanic *tīdiz, division of time.

4. Suffixed variant form *dī-mon-. time from Old English tīma, time, period, from Germanic *tīmōn-.

I don't believe I'm wrong in saying that the root of the word demon is a little bit complex, leaving us to determine our own understanding to a certain degree. First we are told that it means "to distribute fortunes," the root meaning "to distribute." Vine's states that it means "to know" and thus means "a knowing one." Finally, when we consider the origin of the root, we find the definition meaning "to divide." The idea of "spirit" or a "deity" is also apparent. Once again, I must ask you to leave behind the Hollywood influence of the many movies and television shows which glorify demonic entities and fallen angels for the sake of understanding. Remember, this study suggests that there is no such thing as fallen angels. That being said, then what are demons? Consider the following.

John 6:63 (ESV)  
63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is of no avail. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.

Take a moment to think about what Jesus said in this passage. "It is the Spirit who gives life." He was of course, speaking of the Spirit of God, however, we have learned that there is a spirit in all of us which, once departed, means that we have "passed away" (James 2:26); our physical life on earth is done.

As spiritual beings housed in a human form, we have this amazing power of speech, which most take for granted, yet Jesus said, "The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life." Consider.

Proverbs 18:21 (ESV)  
21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.

Note our word "power" in the preceding passage. The Strong's Concordance defines this word as, "A primitive word; a _hand_ (the _open_ one [indicating _power, means, direction_ , etc.], in distinction from <H3709> (kaph), the _closed_ one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great variety of applications, both literal and figurative, both proximate and remote." As we see, our word "power" is actually "a hand." This same word is found in the following passage.

Genesis 3:22 (KJV)  
22 And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever...

Following Adam's fall, we find the Lord declaring that "the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand," or power if you will, "and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever."

The "power" of the tongue is likened to the "hand," the "open one," indicating "power, means, direction." In light of Adam's temptation and fall, we also read "to know good and evil." What does Vine's tell us about the word demon? It means "a knowing one," taken from our root word which means, "To know." What were Adam and Eve tempted to do? Take of the tree of "knowledge."

Though our definitions leave us somewhat perplexed, I believe the contexts of what we are considering helps clarify what is meant by demons. It is tied to knowledge, to what we know, and what we know is tied to spirit. Let me give you this example which I've used in other studies.

Ever had an argument with someone? Did you notice what happened as the argument escalated? A physical sensation rises in your stomach area, your body temperature rises, and you become flushed in the face. A certain "feeling" takes over in both parties, causing the escalation, which in many cases, leads to violence. What is happening? How did this physical sensation get started? Is it not because of the words we say and the corresponding "feelings" or "spirit" behind those words? And hasn't it been proven time and again by the various wars and riots throughout our world that the power of our tongue is far reaching and greatly effective, again, even to the point of much violence? I believe this is what is meant by demons.

Here's another point to consider; the city and tower of Babel. As we've learned, it was pride that instigated the idea and it was pride that caused the Lord God to come down and "confuse their language, that they may not understand one another's speech" (Gen. 11:7). This being the case, have you ever dealt with someone who didn't know your language? Isn't it much more difficult to develop understanding? Now consider the following.

John 8:42-44 (NKJV)  
42 Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. 43 Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.

What did Jesus say to the Jews? "Why do you not understand My speech?" And what was His answer? "Because you are not able to listen to My word." Was Jesus speaking in a foreign tongue? Of course not, but due to the nature of how we both listen and learn, He might as well have been, for Jesus was speaking from another realm, another dimension, another Spirit, from out of the kingdom of God in which He dwelled. To the Jews, it was like He was speaking another language entirely. And that my friend, is just as true today. Know that there is a marked difference between religion and a true, spiritual state of being. One is derived from "the devil" while the other is derived from the Spirit of truth. One proceeds from our heavenly Father above while the other proceeds from the "father the devil." One is truth and life while the other is a lie and death. Death and life are in the power (hand) of the tongue, beloved, and what we know equates to what we say and do.

Proverbs 18:20-21 (ESV)  
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.

What is a demon? I believe it is formed from the "spirit" out of which we "speak," for a message is defined by the spirit in which it is delivered. If our spirit is asleep in darkness, then our words will not be words of life, but death, our mindset steeped in carnal things. No wonder Paul said that the mind set on the flesh is death (Rom. 8:5-6). When this is the case, then the knowledge and words which flow out of our being are essentially lifeless and in so, so many cases, harmful to our well-being!

"Those who love it," either death or life, "will eat its fruits." Just as it is necessary to eat in order to live, so too is it necessary to partake of knowledge in order to live. We are creatures of knowledge upon which our faith or belief is structured. This has always been the case since our creation.

Now when I say a demon is "formed," what I mean is this—it begins in "seed" form, for that is how knowledge starts. Once this knowledge is "sown" or "planted" within our mind, understanding takes place and it begins to form a structure of belief, regardless of whether it's true or not. Like a seed, a thought or thoughts have the capacity to establish "roots," strong attachments within that eventually change our thinking and thus our behavior in regard to that knowledge. It becomes part of the mindset out of which we operate. Once firmly established as part of our psyche, it becomes a "demon" (knowing one) and what we "know" determines our actions, thus the reason we are judged according to our deeds.

Matthew 3:7-10 (NKJV)  
7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, "Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, 9 and do not think to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. 10 And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

Do you see the parabolic inference here? In regard to the hypocritical Pharisees, John the Baptist used the metaphor of "fruits" and "trees," stating quite clearly that "even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees." In other words, their "intents," and so their thoughts, were being exposed by the power of the Spirit and the kingdom of God.

What did John say to the Pharisees? "Every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire." What did Jesus teach? "Then He will say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels'" (Matt. 25:41). Do you see the correlation? Do you recognize the fact that truth always exposes lies and therefore "burns" against them, causing "torment" for us when we embrace them?

When we consider our definitions of dā-, we find the following:

1. To distribute; to distribute fortunes.

2. To know; a knowing one.

3. Deity, genius.

4. To divide.

5. Division of society.

In regard to "distribute fortunes," think of how knowledge is propagated. In regard to "a knowing one," think of knowledge itself. In regard to "deity," think of the Lord's words in John 10:34, and of "genius," the subtlety of the serpent in Genesis 3:1. In regard to "to divide" and "division of society," think of the city and tower of Babel.

Genesis 3:5 (NKJV)  
5 For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."

Genesis 4:1 (NKJV)  
1 Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, "I have acquired a man from the Lord."

Our word "knowing" and "knew" are the same Hebrew word yādaʿ and is defined by Strong's as, "A primitive root; to _know_ (properly to ascertain by _seeing_ ); used in a great variety of senses, figurative, literal, euphemism and inference (including _observation, care, recognition_ ; and causative _instruction, designation, punishment_ , etc.)." It is used 941 times in the Old Testament and always in regard to knowledge and understanding.

Now, consider what Genesis 4:1 is really saying in regard to Adam knowing his wife Eve and her giving birth to Cain. Adam "knew" Eve in union, intimately, "and she conceived and bore Cain," the seed taking root, "and said, 'I have acquired a man from the Lord.'" A man? You mean a child? No, not just a child, but a "man," the "natural man" my friend!

1 John 3:12 (KJV)  
12 Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one...

So let me say it again. Adam "knew" Eve his wife, intimately, in union, and in the same way within we come to "know" good and evil. Like fruit on a tree, we consume knowledge, taking it within ourselves in order to form the foundation of belief out of which we function. It becomes one with our being and becomes the essence of our actions, the intent behind every thought, the motivation that moves us forward in all that we do.

Romans 7:6-14 (ESV)  
6 But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve not under the old written code but in the new life of the Spirit. 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. 14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin.

No doubt, these are some of the most enlightening words of scripture. Consider them carefully and think long and hard about what they are saying. When contrasting the law or "written code" with the "new life of the Spirit," Paul asked, "What shall we say? That the law is sin?" "By no means!" Paul declares, "Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin." Keep in mind that the tree of knowledge is symbolic of the law which Israel as a nation received at Mount Sinai through Moses.

Paul continues, "But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness." Where did this happen? "In" Paul, in us, not outside of us! What produced this "covetousness"? Sin did! Why? Because, like Adam, we too are in a deep sleep, a natural man, when we enter into this world (think of our nine months in the womb). However, we do not yet "know" good and evil. It must be "formed" within us over a period of time (Deut. 1:39).

Our word "covet" and "covetousness" are the same word, meaning, "A longing," taken from the root which means, "To set the heart upon, i.e. long for (rightfully or otherwise)." This agrees with our passages from I John 2, verses 15 through 17.

"I was alive apart from the law," i.e. before Adam took of the tree of knowledge and when we are infants, "but when the commandment came," to not "eat" of the tree of knowledge, "sin came alive and I died." What "came alive"? Sin did. "The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me." What seized an opportunity? Sin did. What deceived me? Sin did. What killed me? Sin did. May I say it? In our parable in Genesis, we find the serpent seizing the opportunity and deceiving Eve, yet Paul said "sin" did it. Is the serpent then also symbolic of sin? Yes, for he represents the "spirit of error (sin; to err)" which is in all of us and causes us to resist the divine essence of God's law.

"The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me." "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." Producing death where? "In me," so Paul writes, "But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members" (Rom. 7:23). Do you see in these statements that our Maker fully intended to subject us to vanity, not willingly, in order for us to begin our journey in this world as a natural being (Rom. 8:20-21)? Do you also see in this that our resistance to what is "good" is what produces "death" in us? Can we not also see the necessity of being delivered from this spirit of error which questions God's Holy Word in order for us to humbly submit ourselves to it? "So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good."

So think about this my friend. If the whole world "lieth in wickedness," laying outstretched as it were in sleep and darkness, then it is critical that we come of out the world as Paul declared (II Cor. 6:17). We will not find light in this world. We will not find our answers in the governments of this world nor in their collectives no matter how much we wish it to be true. The world is steeped in darkness, bound by the spirit of error which runs so deep that we cannot even begin to imagine the atrocities that are being committed on a daily basis. Even that which appears as "good" is not, for we are very comfortable with lying for the sake of profit in order that we might indulge our natural being, our excesses for the sake of instant gratification.

James 1:13-16 (ESV)  
13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God," for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.

The King James version renders verse 16 as, "Do not err (sin), my beloved brethren," and note how James describes our temptation. Each of us are tempted when we are "lured and enticed" by our own desires. When desire conceives, it "gives birth to sin." Ah, but there is more. When sin becomes "fully grown," it "brings forth death."

So again, just like a tree, it begins with thought, then the thought establishes "roots" within and forms a "tree." If left to grow and mature, it reaches the point of "fruit," the manifestation of our intent or desire which started the process. This my friend, is a demon, a "knowing one," and the subtlety of the serpent, of the deceptiveness of our own heart and mind, becomes apparent in our being as actions which bring forth death.

# Chapter Twenty-Three

# THE UNCLEAN SPIRIT

Matthew 12:43-45 (ESV)  
43 "When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. 44 Then it says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.' And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. 45 Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation."

The Strong's Concordance defines our word "unclean" as, "From <G1> (a) (as a negative particle) and a presumed derivative of <G2508> (kathairo) (meaning _cleansed_ ); _impure_ (ceremonial, moral [ _lewd_ ] or special [ _dæmonic_ ])." As we see, it's derived from two words, the first "as a negative particle," changing the second meaning "cleansed" to "impure" or essentially "not cleansed."

The logic here is simple and reflected in creation. In keeping with our understanding of the "waters above" and the "waters below" on the second day of creation, we have said that the "waters below" symbolize the thoughts and behavior (waters) which proceed from our spirit (air). No doubt, these thoughts and behaviors are polluted and in need of being cleansed, just as the oceans, lakes, rivers, and ponds which contain all types of sediment.

The first thing to consider concerning the Lord's teaching above is that He is not talking about a person. Rather, He is describing a "generation." This is confirmed by the passages which precede the ones above, beginning with verse 39 in Matthew, Chapter 12. In other words, He is addressing a personal yet collective state of being. In the sense of the collective, I immediately think of our "great, fiery red dragon" in Revelation 12:3 which is synonymous with our "evil generation."

When we consider the King James rendering of Matthew 12:45, we read, "And the last state of that man is worse than the first." Our word "state" has been inserted by the translators, so if we remove it we have, "The last of that man." Which man? Our "old man," the "man of sin." I cannot help but believe that this refers to the end of the age about which Jesus taught several times.

I cannot help but believe that the "unclean spirit" and the "seven other spirits more evil than itself" are defined by the "great, fiery red dragon" of Revelation 12 and "seven heads" of this entity. And of course, these correspond with our passages from Proverbs, Chapter 6, and the "six things the LORD hates," the seventh which is "an abomination to Him."

1. A proud look.

2. A lying tongue.

3. Hands that shed innocent blood.

4. A heart that devises wicked plans.

5. Feet that are swift in running to evil.

6. A false witness who speaks lies.

7. One who sows discord among brethren.

Remember, the sixth thing in our list is what we are while the seventh is what we do or manifest. Knowing this, it doesn't take much spiritual discernment to see the evidence of these passages in the world at large. From the highest positions of government to the common segments of society, "discord" prevails. Just a casual glance at the news confirms this.

In our passages from Matthew 12, we begin with an "unclean spirit." It then returns to its "house" with "seven other spirits more evil than itself." This makes a total of eight. Stephen Jones tells us that eight or chet "is a fence in Hebrew. It can also signify an inner room, even the heart itself. Eight is the number of new beginning." Vallowe writes, "The number eight always means a new beginning or a new order of things. As the series is complete in seven, eight signifies a new beginning, and thus stands for the new in contrast to the old. Observe the eighth day which is really the first day of a new week, or the eighth note of the musical scale which is the same as the first." So we could change our list to reflect the following.

The Unclean Spirit

1. A proud look.

2. A lying tongue.

3. Hands that shed innocent blood.

4. A heart that devises wicked plans.

5. Feet that are swift in running to evil.

6. A false witness who speaks lies.

7. One who sows discord among brethren.

8. A proud look (same as the first).

As we see, "a proud look" begins our series and then starts another. Our principle of sowing and reaping confirms it, for a seed can only bring forth "according to its kind" (Gen. 1:11), and it should be clear to us that we are speaking of the spirit and message of error which saturates the world; the planting, nurturing, and eventual manifestation of the "fruit" of a "tree." Since the world is steeped in darkness, it can only bring forth the carnal "fruits" of the "tree" of knowledge, the sin which is provoked by the essence of the divine law of sin and death within. In keeping with our understanding, consider what Jesus said to the Pharisees.

Matthew 23:15 (NIV)  
15 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are.

"Twice as much a son of hell as you are," that is, what begins with "a proud look" (1) begins anew in our converts (8). We succeed in convincing those we convert that we are right while everyone else is wrong, creating "discord" among us. Wasn't this the mindset of the teachers of the law and the Pharisees, who in their deep sleep crucified the Lord of glory?

Matthew 12:38-39 (ESV)  
38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, "Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you." 39 But he answered them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.

Should we doubt the meaning of our "great, fiery red dragon," we have further confirmation in our passages above. This is where our discourse about the "unclean spirit" begins. Note how the Lord starts with "an evil and adulterous generation," linking the evil spirit of the world with the adulterous spirit of Babylon in the book of the Revelation. Wouldn't this explain why John saw Babylon as "fallen"?

Revelation 18:2-3 (NKJV)  
2 And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, "Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird! 3 For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury."

Clearly, these passages confirm our perspective. "Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird!" When we understand the symbolism presented, we find that the people of God are "drunk" on the "wine of the wrath of her fornication" (see Matt. 24:49; Luke 12:45; I Thess. 5:7). What works "wrath"? The law. And where is Babylon seated? On our seven-headed and ten-horned entity, the collective dragon which is synonymous with the beast of the sea in Revelation 13 and the scarlet beast of Revelation 17.

Now, let's go one step further and revisit some passages from Revelation, Chapter 17.

Revelation 17:9-11 (ESV)  
9 This calls for a mind with wisdom: the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated; 10 they are also seven kings, five of whom have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come, and when he does come he must remain only a little while. 11 As for the beast that was and is not, it is an eighth but it belongs to the seven, and it goes to destruction.

Our "seven heads" are "seven kings" and our "seven kings" are defined for us in Proverbs, Chapter 6. Ah, but there is "an eighth" which "belongs to the seven" and correlates with our pattern of "the unclean spirit." This "eighth" beast is found in Revelation, Chapter 13.

Revelation 13:11-14 (ESV)  
11 Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon. 12 It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence, and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed. 13 It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people, 14 and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived.

There is much we could consider in these passages, but for now let me just point out what we need to understand. Because this beast which rises "out of the earth" follows our seven-headed and ten-horned entity, it is apparent that it's the "eighth" beast which the angel describes to John in Revelation 17, and corresponds with our eighth item on our list. "It had two horns like a lamb" but "it spoke like a dragon," a deceiver, so "it deceives those who dwell on earth (natural man)," defining our spirit of error (sin; disobedience). Further in Revelation, we are given its identity.

Revelation 16:13-14 (NKJV)  
13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon (Rev. 12:3), out of the mouth of the beast (Rev. 13:1), and out of the mouth of the false prophet (Rev. 13:11). 14 For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

Revelation 19:20 (NKJV)  
20 Then the beast (Rev. 13:1) was captured, and with him the false prophet (Rev. 13:11) who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.

Notice where I have inserted the passages defining each of our entities. This shows that the beast which rises out of the earth symbolizes "the false prophet," a collective entity, just like the beast of the sea. Our description of this beast of the earth shows that it incorporates the same spirit and mind, and comparison of our passages in Revelation 13, verses 11 through 18, correspond perfectly with Revelation 19:20 above. John defines and clarifies this spirit and mind in his first letter.

1 John 4:1, 5 (NKJV)  
1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world... 5 They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them.

Here we go. Our two-horned entity in Revelation 13:11 represents a collective "false prophet" consisting of "many false prophets." "They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them." So it is that John tells us "do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits."

What has Babylon become? "A dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird!" Our word "foul"? It's the same word used in Matthew 12:43 as "unclean."

Our "two horns" speak of our tree of knowledge of good (1) and evil (2), the aspects of the divine law of God which rule over the essence of our natural being. The fact that it speaks "like a dragon" clearly defines the deception propagated by this spirit as seen in our Genesis parable.

To emphasize, I believe our "unclean spirit" is due to "a proud look," and our present reality and scripture both prove this fact.

Proverbs 16:18 (NIV)  
18 Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.

Babylon is "fallen." Why? Due to a "haughty spirit," a spirit of pride. Why must we enter our "wilderness" testing? To humble us and teach us that man lives by every Word of God (Deut. 8:2-3). What are leviathan's scales? Pride, for "he is king over all the children of pride" (Job 41:34; KJV). Isn't leviathan just another perspective of our great, fiery red dragon? He is.

Psalms 10:1-4 (ESV)  
1 Why, O Lord, do you stand afar off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble? 2 In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the poor; let them be caught in the schemes that they have devised. 3 For the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul, and the one greedy for gain curses and renounces the Lord. 4 In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him; all his thoughts are, "There is no God."

Could it be any more evident to us by these passages that pride is truly the "unclean spirit"? Remember, Adam was not deceived and his pride was made evident when he accused both God and the woman (Gen. 3:12).

In the long history of humankind, it is evident that pride begets pride. From one generation to the next, we have unknowingly in our darkness sown massive deception, cycle after cycle, and are now approaching a state of "fullness" (7) unlike any other generation before us. As believers in Christ, we need to humble ourselves before God and enter into the "ark" of His presence, into the "secret place of the Most High" (Psalms 91:1), that we might be kept from the "flood" of delusion that is even now rising higher and higher around us. I sincerely believe that it is going to turn at the end of the age but not until this "fullness" continues for a short time (Rev. 17:10).

I truly believe that we are in the "days of Noah" which are defined by the third and final Feast of Israel known as the Feast of Tabernacles. These "days" if you will incorporate the "Day of Trumpets," the "Day of Atonement," and the "Feast of Tabernacles" proper. They are by no means literal, but spiritually prophetic of the work of Christ that is even now taking place among us. Once we pass through the "Day of Trumpets" and the "Day of Atonement," we will reach the end of the age as defined by the "Feast of Tabernacles." Great deliverance lies ahead, but much suffering precedes it.

# Chapter Twenty-Four

# THE REST OF GOD

Matthew 12:43 (ESV)  
43 "When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none.

"Waterless places." Would this not be our "wilderness"? Of course. See Psalms 63:1 and Jeremiah 2:6. Where does the "unclean spirit" go? "It passes through waterless places," clearly indicative of our "wilderness" testing that is necessary for our humbling. As for the "rest" we seek, please consider.

Hebrews 4:1-11 (NIV)  
1 Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. 2 For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith. 3 Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said, "So I declared on oath in my anger, 'They shall never enter my rest.'" And yet his work has been finished since the creation of the world. 4 For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: "And on the seventh day God rested from all his work." 5 And again in the passage above he says, "They shall never enter my rest." 6 It still remains that some will enter that rest, and those who formerly had the gospel preached to them did not go in, because of their disobedience. 7 Therefore God again set a certain day, calling it Today, when a long time later he spoke through David, as was said before: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts." 8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. 9 There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10 for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. 11 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.

The "rest" for the people of God is compared to "a Sabbath," i.e. the seventh day. Remember, the seventh is signified by the "fruit" of the tree, representing the manifestation of the spirit and mind, the thoughts and intents of the heart. It is the end of the week and thus declares the end of the age, for in Revelation, there are seven angels, seven churches, seven prophecies, a book sealed with seven seals, seven trumpets and seven bowls. All of these "sevens" reveal the "fullness" of God's work among us. Inasmuch as seven denotes this fullness, the same is true of the "six things" which the Lord hates and the "seventh" which is an abomination to Him, the completeness or totality of man's arrogance as evidenced by the beast of the sea (and earth).

The natural parallel of the "rest" of God is Canaan, the land of promise. As the scriptures show, the first generation of Israelites failed in the wilderness and did not go into the land to possess it. Why did they fail? "Disobedience," due to a lack of faith (Heb. 4:2).

Deuteronomy 12:8-10 (NKJV)  
8 You shall not at all do as we are doing here today--every man doing whatever is right in his own eyes-- 9 for as yet you have not come to the rest and the inheritance which the Lord your God is giving you. 10 But when you cross over the Jordan and dwell in the land which the Lord your God is giving you to inherit, and He gives you rest from all your enemies round about, so that you dwell in safety...

The "rest" of God for you and me is a rest from all our "enemies," and Paul makes it clear for us that "the last enemy that will be destroyed is death" (I Cor. 15:26). The destruction of "death" in our lives is accomplished through our wilderness testing and symbolized by the crossing of Jordan, this word meaning, "A descender" and taken from the word which means, "To _descend_ (literal to _go downwards_ ; or conventionally to a lower region, as the shore, a boundary, the enemy, etc.; or figurative to _fall_ ); causative to _bring down_ (in all the above applications)." Can you see in our definition the idea of our "fallen" state of being which precedes our entrance into rest?

Beloved, here's the reality. The world at large is continually boasting in their various positions of power and authority. Yet, while they do, it is evident to those who pay attention that we are in a state of chaos and carnage. Despite the obvious abundance of material things and our constant declaration of "freedom" in America, we are neither free nor happy. Contention is everywhere and our nation is in an interminable state of "unrest," including the majority of the people in our religious denominations and organizations that are scattered throughout our country.

The solution to our problems has never been outward but inward, never carnal but spiritual. If history shows us anything, war does not settle the issues we have, neither our so-called peace nor material wealth. America, as well as other countries like us, are indeed prosperous beyond imagination, but the decadence that has risen in every one proves what I am saying.

As Albert Einstein said, "We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them." Did he understand something we don't, or did he realize that an inward change was indeed necessary for our society to evolve?

Friend, the spirit of error is the unclean spirit of our own being, the "old man" or "man of sin" as scripture declares. It is a "haughty spirit" which, despite it's declarations of having the answers we seek, has kept all of us in a "fallen" condition where our own children are unsafe in the one place they shouldn't be; our own homes. Being raw and honest, our children don't stand a chance, being subjected to all manner of depravity within the confines of their caregivers as we push on them the "unclean" spirits and messages of a host of various collective mindsets, bringing such confusion in their hearts and minds that it is difficult to imagine where it is bringing us to.

It is painfully apparent that we have reached a place of no shame, for we have become more than willing to stand up on television and Social Media and declare our so-called "liberties" before our own children and others, not realizing that it is nothing more than bondage to the self-indulgent and arrogant spirit of a society that is plummeting to destruction. So much of what we believe and are continuing to believe is "good" for us and our children is being presented in thousands of "pleasant" and enticing ways, but the present condition of our minds and hearts, when viewed raw and honestly, reveal to us their devastating affects.

Khilal Gibran said, "Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself. They came through you but not from you and though they are with you yet they belong not to you." Nelson Mandela said, "There can be no keener revelation of a society's soul than the way it treats its children."

I will say it again... we have lost our children, but do not despair, for the Lord has determined by His living and immutable Word to affect a change in the days ahead, for the suffering we are enduring is humbling some and preparing them to speak the truth without guile (Rev. 14:5; KJV).

Revelation 14:9-11 (NKJV)  
9 Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, "If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name."

When we compare the "beast" in these passages with our beast of the earth in Revelation, Chapter 13, we find that they are synonymous as evidenced by the "image" and "mark." Those who "worship the beast and his image, and receives his mark" will "have no rest day or night," i.e. they will not receive their inheritance in Christ even as Israel did not enter the promised land and they will not find the release of the "last enemy," death. This speaks of those who confess Christ but yet adore the arrogant spirit and mindset of the world at large, the same spirit and mindset which the false prophets propagate. This was the error of Israel in the wilderness who, when tested by God, wished to return to Egypt and the bondage out of which they had been delivered. It was this disobedient and rebellious attitude which caused this "generation" to fall in their wilderness testing and fail to enter the "rest" of the promised land of Canaan. This agrees with our parable from Matthew 12, where we read, "Then it says, 'I will return to my house (Egypt) from which I came.'"

Revelation 14:12-13 (ESV)  
12 Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus. 13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on." "Blessed indeed," says the Spirit, "that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!"

Hebrews 4:9-10 (ESV)  
9 So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, 10 for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.

Brother and sister, there is a "rest" ahead of us in these wicked times, a place of peace and contentment and safety from our "enemies." But it requires endurance and faith. I cannot help but believe that we are fast approaching the end of the age as Jesus and the apostles declared, for we are indeed living in "perilous times" (II Tim. 3:1).

Luke 18:8 (NKJV)  
8... Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?"

# Chapter Twenty-Five

# TO AND FRO AND UP AND DOWN

Job 1:6-7 (KJV)  
6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them. 7 And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

It seems like almost everyone has heard a little bit about the story of Job in the Old Testament, but what most of us have never considered is that, just like so many other portions of scripture, it is in parable form.

The story of Job begins with a brief declaration of Job's character, family, and wealth, and his righteousness towards his Maker. It then follows with our passages above where we see the Lord having a conversation with Satan.

Now, this is one of the reasons I say that this story is written in parable form. The Lord is having a conversation with Satan? Really? And what does this have to do with the "sons of God" who "came to present themselves before the Lord" on a particular "day"? When we treat this as a parable, we will gain understanding.

It's apparent by the context that our story of Job centers on the "sons of God." Luke tells us that Adam was a son of God (Luke 3:38) and Exodus 4:22 tells us that the nation of Israel was also a "son of God" (collectively speaking). And of course, Jesus was the son of God. This being the case, consider the following.

Exodus 23:14-17 (NKJV)  
14 "Three times you shall keep a feast to Me in the year: 15 You shall keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread (you shall eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded you, at the time appointed in the month of Abib, for in it you came out of Egypt; none shall appear before Me empty); 16 and the Feast of Harvest, the firstfruits of your labors which you have sown in the field; and the Feast of Ingathering at the end of the year, when you have gathered in the fruit of your labors from the field. 17 Three times in the year all your males shall appear before the Lord God.

The "Feast of Unleavened Bread" denotes Passover and the exodus of Israel from Egypt. The "Feast of Harvest" is also known as the "Feast of Pentecost" while the "Feast of Ingathering" is also called the "Feast of Tabernacles." This shows our "three times in the year" when all the males (sons of God) were to appear before the Lord, connecting with our statement "when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord."

1. The Feast of Passover (Unleavened Bread)

2. The Feast of Pentecost (Harvest; Firstfruits)

3. The Feast of Tabernacles (Ingathering)

As we have learned in this study, there is a pattern that illustrates our journey from Egypt (the world) to the Promised Land (rest) by means of the wilderness. This pattern is confirmed by our "three times in the year," the three great Feasts of Israel. This journey begins with Passover, when we are first drawn by the Father to Christ, our Passover Lamb, who is the judgment for our sin. This is our justification from sin.

As reflected in Israel, we immediately enter the "wilderness" where we must be tested and tempted by Satan, our adversary, which in reality is the natural man of our being. Remember, we are called out of the world but then must have the "world" purged out of our heart and mind as we press toward our "rest." This is our sanctification (purification) from sin.

"Whence comest thou?" asked the Lord of Satan (adversary). And what was his reply? "From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it." "To and fro" and "up and down" where? In the earth, within the confines of our "earthy" nature (I Cor. 15:47-50), indicative of our "old man," the "man of sin." "To and fro" defines our actions, indicated by our left and right hands and feet (will and conduct), whereas "up and down" defines our thoughts and intents (heart to mind; mind to heart), what motivates our actions.

Exodus 19:1-6 (NKJV)  
1 In the third month after the children of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on the same day, they came to the Wilderness of Sinai. 2 For they had departed from Rephidim, had come to the Wilderness of Sinai, and camped in the wilderness. So Israel camped there before the mountain. 3 And Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, "Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: 4 'You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to Myself. 5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. 6 And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel."

As our pattern shows, the second time or "day" agrees with the Feast of Pentecost which reflects the giving of the law at Mount Sinai (see Job 2:1-2). And what did the Lord tell Moses to tell Israel? "You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to Myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation." Compare this to the following.

Revelation 1:5-6 (ESV)  
5... and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood 6 and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

As we see, God's declaration to Israel agrees with John's declaration in Revelation. Also note that God declared two things; obey His voice and keep His covenant.

The context of our passages show that the giving of the law at Mount Sinai took place while Israel was in the wilderness. This aligns with our understanding thus far and speaks of our need for sanctification (purification). And doesn't it make sense that if we are to be a "priest" to our God and Father then we must know and understand His law? Now, allow me to share a portion from Stephen E. Jones' book, The Laws of the Second Coming.

Even as the Feast of Passover marked the historic time of Israel's exodus from Egypt, so also the Feast of Pentecost marked the historic time that God spoke the Ten Commandments to the people from Mount Sinai.

Also from The Laws of the Second Coming.

It was a time when all the people heard the voice of God speaking in their own language out of the midst of fire (Deut. 4:12). However, the people of Israel were too fearful of God's voice to hear the rest of the law. We read in Exodus 20:19-21,

**19** **Then they said to Moses, "Speak to us yourself and we will listen; but** _let not God speak to us, lest we die_ **."** **20** **And Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid; for God has come in order to test you, and in order that the fear of Him may remain with you, so that you may not sin."** **21** **So** _the people stood at a distance_ **, while Moses approached the thick cloud where God** _was._

All the Israelites had enough faith to leave Egypt and thereby keep the Feast of Passover, but very few of them had the faith to experience Pentecost at Mount Sinai. Their fear prevented them from hearing more than just the Ten Commandments, and so they sent Moses up the mount to hear the rest of the law. Moses received it on stone tablets, whereas if the people had been willing to hear the voice of God, He would have written it on their hearts instead.

In Acts 2:1 we are told that the Holy Spirit was given to the Church on the day of Pentecost. It is described as a time when the Spirit came down as tongues of FIRE upon their heads. Even as God came down as fire upon the mount in the days of Moses, so now He came as fire upon the disciples. The main difference is that the fiery presence of God was no longer external upon a mountain, but now internalized in men. Furthermore, God did not accept the Pentecostal offering by fire in the temple. Instead, He accepted the disciples themselves and the offering on the altar of their hearts. This shows a change of temple that God would inhabit. He no longer inhabits temples of wood and stone, for we are now the temples of God (1 Cor. 3:16). Corporately speaking, God is building a new temple with Jesus Christ as the Chief Cornerstone, and the apostles and prophets as the foundation stones, and others as living stones (Ephesians 2:20-22).

The disciples on the day of Pentecost were filled with the Spirit and were doing and saying some strange things. A few bystanders thought that the disciples must be drunk. Peter answered them in Acts 2:15, " _these men are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only the third hour of the day._ " The third hour of the day was when the priest in the temple offered to God the Pentecostal offering of two loaves of wheat bread that had been baked with leaven (Lev. 23:17). The disciples no doubt would have wanted to receive the Holy Spirit earlier, but God made them wait to the appointed time--not just the right day, but even the precise hour of the day. This shows how important timing is to God Himself. It is another example of how the feast days were prophetic of events to come--not only WHAT was to come, but also WHEN.

If it is true that our three great Feasts of Israel align with the presentation of the sons of God in Job, then we will find that the third and final presentation is not until the end of the book. This would correlate with the Feast of Tabernacles.

At the beginning of the book of Job and after the second time that Satan appears, Job is smitten with "painful boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head" (Job 2:7). Following this, we find three of Job's friends who came to "mourn with him, and to comfort him" (Job 2:11). Their names were Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. A fourth friend then appears in Job, Chapter 32, and his name is Elihu. Is it just coincidence that we begin with "three" friends and end with "four"? Look once more at our description of the spiritual meaning of three from Stephen E. Jones.

Three (gimel)

Divine Fullness, Perfection

Gimel is a camel in Hebrew. It signifies to be lifted up. Pride is its negative side; being glorified or elevated to a position of authority is its positive side.

The number three is the number of divine fullness, completeness, or perfection. Whereas it takes two lines to fix a position by an x-y axis, it takes three to give shape and to enclose a geometric area—in this case, a triangle.

Because the law establishes truth on the basis of two or three witnesses (Deut. 19:15), the number three may be considered to be a complete witness. Two witnesses are enough to establish truth, but three brings completeness, clarity, and shape to it.

For this reason, there are three primary feast days in Israel: Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. It takes all three feasts to perfect a man with the fullness of the Spirit. Each feast is an aspect of salvation for man's three-fold nature: spirit, soul, and body (1 Thess. 5:23).

In Luke 13:32 Jesus said, "Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected."

Jesus was the Good Shepherd in death, for John 10:14, 15 says, "I am the good Shepherd... and I lay down My life for the sheep." Jesus was the Great Shepherd in resurrection, for we read in Heb. 13:20,

20 Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the Great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord.

Finally, Jesus is the Chief Shepherd in glory, for 1 Peter 5:4 says,

4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

So we see that three is the number indicating completeness and perfection.

Here again is Ed F. Vallowe's explanation of the spiritual meaning of three from Biblical Mathematics.

When a man found in his primitive home the divinest thing that life had to offer—a father's love, a mother's love and a child's love—he found God reflected in the interplay of love and kindness and affection in his own household and began to think of the number THREE as a symbol of the Divine. The divinest thing in life was "THREE" and the divine origin of life was THREE. Here in the ultimate world were father's love, mother's love and child's love. Here, too, were the glimpses of the great mysteries which we express in the terms of "Father," "Son," and "Holy Spirit." THREE came to carry the thought of the Divine. It means, "GOD IS IN IT". It is the number of DIVINE COMPLETENESS AND PERFECTION.

And again from Vallowe.

The relation of Jehovah to eternity is given in the THREE-FOLD expression, "Who is" (present), "Who was" (past), and "Who is to come" (future).

In reference to our Lord many things could be said.

1. THREE times a voice from heaven spoke to Him.

2. His great temptation in the wilderness came in a THREE-FOLD way (Luke 4:3, 6-7, 9-10) being repeated in the three later temptations of His life.

3. He is THE WAY, THE TRUTH, THE LIFE (John 14:6).

4. He raised THREE from the dead during His earthly ministry (The widow's son, Jairus's daughter, and Lazarus).

5. He was crucified at the THIRD HOUR.

6. There were THREE hours of darkness when He was on the cross.

7. He arose the THIRD DAY.

By far the most important spiritual significance of the number three is the concept of resurrection. Here's more from Vallowe's Biblical Mathematics.

The number THREE also stands for the RESURRECTION of the body. Jesus said, "As Jonah was THREE days and THREE nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be THREE days and THREE nights in the heart of the earth" (Matthew 12:40).

In John 2:19, He said to the Jews, "Destroy this temple, and in THREE days I will raise it up." In verse 21 Jesus says He was speaking of the temple of His body. By this Jesus taught that His body would be raised from the dead after being dead for THREE DAYS and THREE NIGHTS. Not only did Jesus teach that He would actually be raised from the dead after THREE days, but He also taught that the THREE days and THREE nights Jonah spent in the whale's belly was a type of His death, burial, and resurrection. The book of Matthew, the book of John, and the book of Jonah are in agreement on the number THREE being associated with the RESURRECTION of the body.

Three times a year all the males were to present themselves before the Lord. This corresponds to our three great Feasts of Israel and our ensuing resurrection, after we have been justified (Passover), sanctified (Pentecost), and declared righteous (Tabernacles) by the Lord Himself.

Now, let me share with you the following from J. Preston Eby's article called "The Secret of Job" (bolding mine).

I never paid much attention to Job. I knew that he was an overcomer. I knew that he was tested and tried and proven to the utmost extremity and I knew that he passed the test. So I praised God for Job. I eulogized his faith and patience, and that was about as far as it went. But some time ago the Spirit of God dropped a seed of revelation into my heart. The revelatory word came and suddenly I wasn't sure whether there ever was a man named Job. It is believed that the book of Job is the most ancient of the inspired writings we have come to know as the Bible. It predates the first five books of the Bible, the books of Moses, and its exact origin is a mystery. We do not know who wrote the book of Job: no information is given us on this point either in the book itself or elsewhere. The book of Job just appeared on the scene, it came out of antiquity, it emerged from the mists of obscurity, and has always been a part of human history. It was just there! It was there before Moses. It was there, perhaps, before Abraham. We cannot tell when Job lived. The scene of the book of Job is laid in Arabia in the remote Patriarchal period. The story begins simply: There was a man. Since a parable (II Sam. 12:1) and a history (I Sam. 25:2) begin with this same simple phrase, the style does not indicate whether Job was meant to be fact or allegory.

The book of Job is written in Hebrew in the style of a poetic drama, or stage play. The first two chapters, which constitute the introduction, are in prose. Beginning with the third chapter and continuing on through 42:6 the form is poetical. From 42:7 to the end of the book it is again prose, providing as an epilogue a few facts concerning Job's later life. What is so powerfully set forth in this book is not the unfolding of a drama full of action, event, or happening. Instead it is a poem in which several great issues that relate to the righteousness of God and the mystery of life are explored by means of conversations between Job and his friends. There is no "movement," except in the intensity of the feeling and thought expressed, until the poem comes to a crescendo with the voice of Yahweh speaking from a whirlwind.

The book of Job belongs to a type of literature known as Wisdom, common in the Near East, a special kind of writing based upon practical observations about the mystery of life — and how to live it. Its modern counterpart would be philosophy. But Hebrew Wisdom writing was often in the form of a fable, or a riddle, or a proverb — most often presented in the form of poetry or poetic drama. Poetry is the language of imagination, intuition, and revelation. Poetry penetrates to a depth in the human soul that facts, reason and logic can never reach. Our confidence in the veracity of the Holy Scriptures need not be shaken, however, whether the story of Job is the history of an actual man who lived or merely the fictitious main character in a drama or stage play, for the divine inspiration of the book is readily evident. Job is not mere literature. It is life, distilled. As Mark Toohey has so aptly stated: "Indeed, no other single writing speaks as loudly to those of the Father's calling and election in this hour as does the book of Job. In its forty-two chapters is embodied the entirety of God's dealings with those whom He has called His sons, revealing the depths of truth and reality inworked by His Spirit in those of His election. No wonder, then, that the book of Job should be surrounded by such ambiguity, having no definable human origin; for that which it unveils is wholly a supernatural work undertaken out of the counsel of God and wrought in men by His hand only. Job, it would seem, was written by the very finger of God!"

It really doesn't matter to me today whether there ever was a man named Job, because the Spirit of God has made known to me who Job is. I was startled, intrigued, and awed as the spirit of revelation unfolded the striking parallels between Job and the opening chapters of Genesis. "There was a man in the land of Uz" — that's where it starts. There was man. God made a man in the beginning. God has made and is making a new man in Christ Jesus. It is written: "The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven" (I Cor. 15:45,47). Can the natural mind ever fathom the depths of the eternal truth that there has never been in the history of the world but two men? There is a deep and hidden meaning in the words, "The first man Adam" and "the last Adam." The natural mind would conclude that, if there were two Adams coming four millenniums apart, the first of these being the first Adam, it would logically follow that the next Adam would be the second Adam. The Lord Jesus Christ is here called the last Adam. But he who is called the first Adam is also called the first man. And He who is called the last Adam is also called the second man. The first Adam is the first man, but the last Adam is the second man, and the second man is also the last man. These simple statements, which on the surface seem so insignificant and scarcely worth our notice, are in fact pregnant with meaning, and full of wisdom and understanding.

The first Adam is said to be the first man. The last Adam is declared to be the second man. If the second man is also the last Adam, He is also the last man. Now if the first Adam is the first man, it would of necessity follow that there were no men on earth before him, for he was the first. That certainly rules out any pre-Adamite races of men! And if the last Adam is the second man, then there were no men on earth between the first Adam and the last Adam, for the last Adam is the second man, and there can be no men between the first man and the second man. If there was even one other man between the first man and the second man, obviously the second man could not be the second man; he would be the third man, the one hundredth man, or the five billionth man. Since the second man is also the last man, there can not have been any men since Him, for if others have followed Him, He is not then the last man. So then, the first man was the first man, the second man was the second man, and the second man is the last man, so that there have been only TWO MEN who have ever lived upon this planet — Adam and Jesus Christ! There were none before Adam, none between Adam and Christ, and none since Jesus Christ. Only two men. No more. No less. These simple statements portray as nothing else can the great truth that all men who have ever lived ARE INCLUDED IN THESE TWO MEN. These two men are corporate men, many-membered men. And since all men are contained in these two men, what happens to these two men happens to us ALL. If there have been any men on earth outside of Adam and Jesus Christ, they did not fall in Adam nor are they redeemed in Jesus Christ. Let our minds grasp the significant truth that when the first man sinned we all sinned, for we were, each and every one of us, genetically, substantially, and experientially right there in him. The same death that passed upon him because of his sin passed likewise upon us all, even to the last man of Adam's race, for all have sinned.

Now God has declared that our Lord Jesus Christ, the second man, should be both the last Adam and the last man. I cannot explain how divine power can accomplish such wonders, but God has decreed that all men of all ages should be included in Him. God has gathered up all the members of Adam's sinful race out of all ages past, out of the present, and out of all ages yet to come and included them ALL in Christ, the last Adam. Therefore, by one divine and omnipotent stroke God has included all men in His Son, declaring Him to be the last Adam and the last man, the end of the old Adamic humanity. God, almighty and omnipotent, gathered up every tribe and tongue and people and race and nation and without either their knowledge or consent, included them in Christ, the last Adam, even as He included them in the first Adam. In Jesus Christ the old Adam passes away and there is an entirely new humanity.

As we can see by Eby's presentation, there is much to contemplate concerning the story of Job. Let's continue in the next chapter.

# Chapter Twenty-Six

# MORE ON JOB

Job 1:1-3 (KJV)  
1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil. 2 And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters. 3 His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.

In the first few verses, we find several things which enhance our understanding concerning the parable of Job. The first is our word "Uz," which the Strong's Concordance defines as, "Consultation," taken from the word which means, "To consult." The meaning of this word suggests the idea of intense and personal discussion, advice, information, and opinion, so it is no surprise that the majority of the passages in the book of Job are just that, a discussion between Job and his friends as well as Job and his Maker.

Now the name "Job" itself gives us pause. It means, "Hated (i.e. persecuted)." It's taken from a primitive root which means, "To hate (as one of an opposite tribe or party); hence to be hostile." Immediately, this aligns with the fact that we have both God and Satan (adversary) present in relation to the "sons of God," and if our perception is correct, it is not about hostility between Satan and God, but of the hatred and struggle between our "old man" of the first Adam and the "new man" of the second and "last" Adam (Rom. 7:15-25).

We then see "seven sons and three daughters." In regard to seven, Stephen Jones writes, "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' (II Cor. 10:4)." This agrees with the fact that Job, as well as every son of God undergoes intense conflict within.

Seven also speaks of "completion and spiritual perfection" (Jones, Bullinger, Vallowe). Being "seven sons," I cannot help but think of the seven angels of the seven churches to whom John was told to write. Might this agree? I think so, especially in light of where Jesus said, "But those who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection" (Luke 20:35-36). Doesn't our parable of Job concern the "sons of God"? Yes, and I emphasize the fact that being "equal to the angels" tells me that these are the ones John is addressing in the prophecies to the churches. They are the ones who are called to "overcome" in each of the churches, but only if they have ears to hear "what the Spirit says to the churches."

Now we have "three daughters." So is it coincidence that we have our pattern of three which defines our number of resurrection typified by our three great Feasts of Israel, and three prominent "women" if you will found in Revelation (Rev. 2:20; 12:1; 17:1)?

Seven added to three gives us ten, which signifies "the works of the law" (Jones; see Matt. 5:17) and that the "cycle is complete" (Bullinger). Remember, "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul" (Psalms 19:7).

We also see "five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses," five being the number of "grace" or "favor" (Jones) and one hundred being the number of "the children of promise" (Vallowe).

Last, but certainly not least, we read that Job was "the greatest of all the men of the east." Where did God plant His garden in Genesis? "Eastward in Eden" (Gen. 2:8). Where did the "wise men" come from in search of the Christ? "From the east" (Matt. 2:9). Where did they see the "star"? "In the east" (Matt. 2:2).

When brought together, we should be able to determine that the story of Job is the story of all "sons of God" and the fullness of the work of salvation in their lives. This, along with our spiritual meaning of three and the patterns it shows, gives us much more clarity in the book of the Revelation itself, for all that we have considered throughout this study is in keeping with the message of this book.

Revelation 17:14 (NKJV)  
14 These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called (1), chosen (2), and faithful (3)."

1. The Feast of Passover – Called [Death]

2. The Feast of Pentecost – Chosen [Burial]

3. The Feast of Tabernacles – Faithful [Resurrection]

We have considered the first two times of our "three times in a year," defining justification and sanctification, but as previously mentioned, there is a third and final time which correlates with the Feast of Tabernacles and resurrection life. Once again, consider the following from J. Preston Eby and "The Secret of Job" (bolding mine).

Can you not see how it is, my beloved, that when the sons of God present themselves before the Lord, Satan comes also among them? This very same experience happened to none other than our blessed Lord Jesus — the Pattern Son. Did you notice how strangely Matthew and Mark speak of Christ's temptation? "And immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness to be tempted of the Devil" (Mk. 1:2; Mat. 4:1). What a strange statement! Jesus had just presented Himself before the Father at Jordan, and the Father witnessed of Him before all: "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." Just as God declared Job to be a perfect man, so He declared His Son to be well pleasing to Him in every way. Then immediately the Holy Spirit of God drives the sinless Son of God into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan, the arch enemy of all righteousness, a murderer from the beginning, and the father of lies! Ah, but it was necessary for the Son of God to be proven, to be made strong, to overcome in these realms before proceeding on into His glorious ministry and the agony and death of the cross.

Do you suppose the Devil came to Jesus there as a weird looking creature, with little, evil looking horns protruding from his temple, and a pointed tail? How often with our childish and distorted understanding have we pictured Jesus confronted by that legendary figure in the red suit, with a pitchfork in his hands! This is naught but foolishness, for Satan is spirit, even that spirit which now works in the sons of disobedience (Eph. 2:2). How many times have you been tempted by the Devil? Can you count the times? How often has he spoken to you, enticing, suggesting, compelling? Have you ever seen him? Have you ever heard his audible voice? Certainly not! Yet — you have sensed his presence, you have heard his voice, you have felt his power! It was all in your MIND, in your EMOTIONS. Does not our Lord, the Spirit of Truth, speak to us in the same way? That still small voice, the inner urging, the inward knowing, the spiritual consciousness — all from a dimension beyond the natural senses. Because it is all in our mind and heart does not mean that it is imagination or hallucination! In the depths of my spirit I am absolutely certain that there was not some hideous personality materializing before the eyes of Jesus in that Judean wilderness. Remember — Jesus was not only the Son of God, He was the Son of man. Being both He was capable not only of hearing from God, but hearing those things that be of man. So when we speak of that ancient Serpent which is the Devil and Satan, we are not talking about some mighty fallen angel, but that mind that savors the things of man — the carnal mind. The apostle James put it this way: "But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust has conceived, it brings forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, brings forth death" (James 1:14-15). The Moffat Translation reads, "Everyone is tempted as he is beguiled and allured by his own desire; the Desire conceives and breeds sin, while Sin matures and gives birth to death." Everyone has desires of one kind or another, and that really can be quite natural. When we see the word "lust," most Christians think it is used exclusively in a negative, sensual, or sexual context. The word simply means desire, and a person's desires are not always evil. Even in the things of the spirit one must be keen to discern between his own desire and the desire of the Spirit. That is where the battle lies, and that is where sin is born.

The record states that after fasting for forty days, Jesus hungered. When you're hungry, what kind of desire do you have? You want to eat! In that crucial moment the Tempter came to Him. He began to feel the physiological pangs of hunger, and then the thought occurred to Him. Jesus dropped down from the high and holy thought of God, into the reasoning of the human mind. He descended in consciousness from the Son of God, to the Son of man. He said, "I know who I am; I can turn these stones into bread!" And in His natural mind the Voice cunningly suggested, "If you are the Son of God, go ahead and do it! Use your sonship to fill your belly! Use it to satisfy your own needs and desires!" Jesus quickly discerned that wily Devil and knew how to nip that idea in the bud before it had time to blossom. He got to it before it had time to conceive by entering into union with His will. When desire and will become one, sin is conceived — it makes a baby called sin! Jesus answered out of the depths of His spirit, "It is written — man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God" (Mat. 4:4). In other words — if my Father tells me to turn stones into bread I shall do so. But if the voice is any other than my Father's voice, I must do only those things which I hear from my Father. That ended the temptation! His will in union with His Father's desire conceived and brought forth the baby of righteousness. The battle lay not with some mythical personage outside of Himself. The conflict was within. The voice was an inner voice. The suggestion was in His mind, its power in His emotions and will. God speaks to us in our mind and spirit. Satan also speaks in our mind and heart. There is no monster without. There are three things in this vast world, and only three — the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life; briefly, appetite, avarice, and ambition. I do not think you will be able to avoid the conclusion that all the inventions, creations, and contrivances of man are in existence to cater to these three things. It was with these three things that Eve was tempted. She saw the tree was good for food (the lust of the eyes), a tree to be desired (the lust of the flesh), a tree to make one wise (the pride of life), and the temptation was not from without but from within. How remarkably the three temptations of Jesus in the wilderness parallel these three! Every temptation of the Devil comes to us through the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life. There are no others. Not for Adam and Eve, not for Jesus, and not for us.

As we see by Eby's explanation, there is another significant three of which we need to be aware. It is found in I John. We touched on this earlier in the study, but let's look at it again.

1 John 2:15-17 (NKJV)  
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life\--is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

In agreement with Eby, John tells us "all that is in the world" consists of "the lust (strong desires) of the flesh, the lust (strong desires) of the eyes, and the pride of life (the boasting of what he has and does; NIV)," and it was this which caused Adam and Israel to fall and which Jesus overcame in His wilderness testing. These desires and the underlying vanity of these desires sum up the essence of our natural man, of the heart and mind set on the flesh (Rom. 8:5-8), and as we have learned, are also defined by the "great, fiery red dragon" of Revelation. That being said, I found it quite interesting that the Lord spoke to Job in Chapter 41 about "Leviathan" whose "scales are his pride" (Job 41:15; KJV) and is "king over all the children of pride" (Job 41:34; KJV).

Allow me to share this final portion about Job from J. Preston Eby once again.

"And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends" (Job 42:10). While Job's friends were three, there was actually a fourth — Elihu. Elihu's speech fills chapters thirty-two through thirty-seven. Elihu has a far juster and more spiritual conception of the problem than Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar because he has an infinitely higher conception of God. God does not class him with Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar; but he is still a dogmatist, and his eloquent discourse is marred by self-assertiveness (soulishness). Yahweh's judgment of Elihu is that he darkened counsel by words (Job 38:2), the very charge that Elihu had brought against Job (Job 34:35; 35:16). Even Elihu's lofty discourse abounds with accusations against Job. Therefore, Job's antagonists are four in number. This is most meaningful.

When ancient man went outside of his home and looked about him, he had no conception of the modern world as we know it. No Copernicus had ever opened his eyes to the vast significance of the universe. To him the world was a great flat surface with four boundaries, east and west and north and south. There were four winds from the four sides of the earth. Thus, when he thought of the world he thought in terms of four. Four became the cosmic number. The world in which men lived and worked and died, was conveniently symbolized by four. There were four corners of the earth; four elements of earth, air, fire and water; four seasons, and four phases of the moon; the great "World Powers" as revealed to the prophet Daniel were four in number: Babylon, Media-Persia, Greece and Rome. Four is the number of all that is worldly, world-wide, or universal. Job's four antagonists represent all the intellect and wisdom of "this world." All of man's philosophy, psychology, learning, lecturing and judgment is but the wisdom of the carnal mind. God is raising up a people in this hour that literally and totally rejects the wisdom of this world, for it is foolishness with God. The foolishness of God is greater than the wisdom of man, says the Lord. But Job prayed for his friends. God is raising up a people who are kings and priests after the order of Melchizedek — redeemers, reconcilers, restorers. That is their heart and that is their nature. Jesus prayed for those who crucified Him, "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do." Just as Job prayed for his antagonists, and Jesus prayed for His murderers, so the sons of God shall pour forth grace and mercy and salvation unto all the ends of the earth.

"Then came unto Job all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house" (Job 42:11). Hallelujah! What a word! When the processings are all complete and the hour of the manifestation of the sons of God has fully come, then all our brethren and sisters and acquaintances from before — all the Baptists, all the Pentecostals, all the Catholics, all the Muslims, all the Buddhists, all our families, all our neighbors, and even our enemies shall come to partake of the Bread of Life at our table. How my spirit longs for that day! How I wait for it with holy expectation! Nor do they come empty-handed, each brings a piece of money and an earring of gold (Job 42:11). Obviously these gifts were not to relieve Job's poverty, for that no longer existed; he was richer than all. These are brought in homage. The gift of an earring was no small thing in the ancient world and functioned as a symbol of the solemn pledge, as when the golden earring was presented as the first gift to Rebecca, the ordained bride of Isaac. The ring in the ear of the bondslave bespoke of his willing and loving servitude to his master. Isaiah describes the wonderful scene when creation comes home to Father's house, his house of sons. "Arise, shine; for your light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon you, and His glory shall be seen upon you. And the Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. Lift up your eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they shall come to you: your sons shall come from far, and your daughters shall be nursed at your side. Then you shall see, and flow together, and your heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea (multitudes of peoples) shall be converted unto you, the forces of the Gentiles (nations) shall come unto you. Surely the isles shall wait for Me...to bring your sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the Lord your God, because He has glorified you. Therefore your gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day nor night; the sons also of them that afflicted you shall come bending unto you; and all they that despised you shall bow themselves down at the soles of your feet; and they shall call you, THE CITY OF THE LORD, THE ZION OF THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL. Whereas you have been forsaken and hated...I will make you an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations, you shall call your walls Salvation, and your gates Praise. The sun shall be no more your light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto you: but the Lord shall be unto you an everlasting light, and your God your glory, and the days of your mourning shall be ended. Your people shall be all righteous, a little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the Lord will hasten it in his time" (Isa. 60:1-22).

Just as God turned the captivity of Job and caused all to flow unto him, so shall God bring to an end the days of our testing, humiliation and travail, and through God's glorious house of sons the whole earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, all peoples shall flow unto the sons of the Kingdom, and all nations shall serve and obey Him. Press on, saints of God — we have received blessed promises of a mighty deliverance and overflowing glory which even now we begin to see fulfilled. Thank God, the time has come, yea, is nigh at hand when the sons of God shall be revealed. And there will be a glorious victory. THIS IS THE DAWNING OF THE NEW DAY!

Revelation 21:10, 22-26 (NKJV)  
10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God... 22 But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. 24 And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it. 25 Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there). 26 And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it.

# Chapter Twenty-Seven

# A DIVIDED KINGDOM

Mark 3:22-26 (ESV)  
22 And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, "He is possessed by Beelzebul," and "by the prince of demons he casts out the demons." 23 And he called them to him and said to them in parables, "How can Satan cast out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. 26 And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but is coming to an end.

Genesis 3:14 (NKJV)  
14 So the Lord God said to the serpent: "Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all cattle, and more than every beast of the field; On your belly you shall go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life.

Luke 20:36 (NKJV)  
36... nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.

"All the days of your life" implies a life span and "nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels," suggests no life span, so if the serpent, devil, Satan, were an angel in the fullest sense of the word, he would not be "coming to an end."

Is Satan's kingdom divided? Yes it is. Whether you entertain the idea of a fallen angel or the understanding of the natural man, either way, this is the case. Through the long history of the carnal activities of man, it is evident that the kingdom of darkness is a kingdom "divided against itself," separated by the very nature and behavior of what it is. The worldly mindset is a divided mindset, incapable of the true unity of the Spirit and truth. Let's revisit our passages from I John, Chapter 2, once more.

1 John 2:15-17 (NKJV)  
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world\--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life\--is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

As we have learned, there are three things which John wrote which sum up "all that is in the world." In regard to the spiritual meaning of three, remember that Stephen Jones wrote, "Gimel is a camel in Hebrew. It signifies to be lifted up. Pride is its negative side; being glorified or elevated to a position of authority is its positive side." This being the case, we find the following in John's summation.

1. The lust of the flesh.

2. The lust of the eyes.

3. The pride of life.

As we see, "the pride of life" is our third thing, agreeing with the "negative side" of three's spiritual meaning. Please consider.

Revelation 19:20 (NKJV)  
20 Then the beast (1) was captured, and with him the false prophet (2) who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.

Revelation 20:10 (NKJV)  
10 The devil (3), who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

Toward the end of Revelation, we find the "beast," the "false prophet," and the "devil" cast into the lake of fire. Not surprisingly, these three entities perfectly agree with John's summation.

1. The lust of the flesh – Beast.

2. The lust of the eyes – False prophet.

3. The pride of life – Devil.

As we have learned, the beast which rises out of the sea speaks of the collective and carnal mindset of the world, the mind set on the flesh (Rom. 8:5-6). This agrees with the "lusts (strong desires) of the flesh." We then see a beast who comes up out of the earth which is, as Revelation 19:20 shows, called a "false prophet." This correlates with the "lust of the eyes" because "eyes" denote understanding (Eph. 1:18; Matt. 13:11-19). And what would make a prophet "false" if not a lack of understanding the truth of the kingdom of God? Last but not least, we see the third and final essence of all that is in the world, the pride of life, which correlates with the devil, the spirit of error due to the pride in our heart.

Proverbs 16:18-19 (ESV)  
18 Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. 19 It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor than to divide the spoil with the proud.

Proverbs 16:18-19 (GW)  
18 Pride precedes a disaster, and an arrogant attitude precedes a fall. 19 Better to be humble with lowly people than to share stolen goods with arrogant people.

Matthew 23:1-12 (ESV)  
1 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, 2 "The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat, 3 so practice and observe whatever they tell you— but not what they do. For they preach, but do not practice. 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.

It doesn't take a great spiritual revelation to understand what Jesus was teaching in these passages. It is evident that the religious leaders of Jesus' day were filled with pride, so much so that they hated and persecuted Him every step of the way. This same arrogance is also evident in our time, is it not?

Friend, let's call it what it is. Christianity is greatly divided, and a kingdom divided against itself "cannot stand." Many may be boasting of their spiritual progress, but God alone knows them that are His and those who are enduring to the end of the age. Truly, many are called but few are chosen, for we have been taken by the same spirit of error and carnal mindset that permeates our society and our arrogance is evident. No wonder the church of Laodicea is "wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked" (Rev. 3:17). Babylon is fallen, therefore, "Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues" (Rev. 18:4).

The picture of the beast, false prophet, and devil being cast into the lake of fire is not some fantastical event worthy of a Hollywood movie, but simply an understanding of our spiritual journey through the wilderness of this world where we are purged from our pride and arrogance by the "fiery law" (lake of fire; Deut. 33:2) of His presence and power. It is our deliverance by Christ from that wicked spirit of error, the spirit of the world and all that it entails. Remember, beloved, that the "man of sin" "opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God" (II Thess. 2:4).

Revelation 9:1 (NKJV)  
1 Then the fifth angel sounded: And I saw a star fallen from heaven to the earth. To him was given the key to the bottomless pit... 11 And they had as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, but in Greek he has the name Apollyon.

Here we find the fifth angel and the fifth trumpet which correlate with the fifth prophecy to the church of Sardis. That being said, consider the following.

Revelation 3:1-3 (NKJV)  
1 "And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, 'These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: "I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. 2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. 3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.

The sounding of the trumpets in Revelation represent the unfolding or coming to pass of the words of prophecy which Christ spoke to each church (Rev. 1:10; 4:1). So it is that we find in the fifth church of Sardis "that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead." We are told to "remember therefore how you received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch (to keep awake), I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you."

Since the fifth trumpet is the unfolding of the fifth prophecy, then the opening of the bottomless pit is synonymous with the Lord's coming "as a thief." This also agrees with Paul's declaration further in II Thessalonians where we are told that God will send a "strong delusion" to those who do not receive a "love of the truth" (II Thess. 2:10-11).

Careful study will show that the "bottomless pit" coincides with the "sea" and the "beast" which rises out of it, indicative of the spirit and behavior (mindset) of the world. And what do we find as "king" over this bottomless pit? An "angel," a spirit and message (behavior) steeped in the pride of life, whose name is "Abaddon, but in Greek he has the name Apollyon."

Our word "Abaddon" is defined as, "Of Hebrew origin <H11> ('abaddown)]; a destroying angel." Our Hebrew definition (H11) tells us, "Intensive from <H6> ('abad); abstract a perishing; concrete Hades." Finally, H6 reads, "A primitive root; probably to _wander_ away, i.e. _lose_ oneself; by implication to _perish_ (causative _destroy_ )." Do we not see the affects of pride in these definitions as reflected in Cain, Adam's son, who was a "fugitive" (to waver) and "vagabond" (to nod, wander; Gen. 4:12), indicative of the "son of perdition" in II Thessalonians? Not surprisingly, our Hebrew word Abaddon is found in the following passages.

Job 26:6 (KJV)  
6 Hell is naked before him, and destruction (Abaddon) hath no covering.

Proverbs 15:11 (KJV)  
11 Hell and destruction (Abaddon) are before the Lord: how much more then the hearts of the children of men?

Proverbs 27:20 (KJV)  
20 Hell and destruction (Abaddon) are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.

As these passages indicate, the spirit of the bottomless pit speaks of "the eyes of man" which "are never satisfied," of the unceasing desires and wisdom of this world of form and all that it includes. And it truly is a bottomless pit my friend, for there is nothing in this world which will ever fill the longing in our hearts and minds and bring us into the rest and contentment that can only be found in the Spirit of Christ.

Is "hell" and "Abaddon" a literal place that we go to after we die? Not by any means. Rather, it is a state of being that describes the devastating affects of pride. The description of our bottomless pit confirms this. "Pride precedes a disaster, and an arrogant attitude precedes a fall. Better to be humble with lowly people than to share stolen goods with arrogant people."

Finally, the Greek word "Apollyon" agrees with "Abaddon," meaning, "A destroyer," taken from the word which means, "To destroy fully (reflexive to perish, or lose)."

Take a long and honest look around you brothers and sisters. Our world is in chaos. Despite the abundance and technology which has so incredibly changed our lives, we are drowning in death and despair, held captive to a mindset and behavior that we cannot overcome. One moment, we are at peace, then the next, we are at war. One moment, we are doing well, the next moment, we are crumbling beneath the suffocating affects of a government lost in its own confusion. We are overrun by so many problems we simply cannot address them effectively. And this chaos and confusion is not exclusive to the world but has found its way into the churches of this nation and abroad. We are not exempt.

# Chapter Twenty-Eight

# A ROARING LION

1 Peter 5:8 (KJV)  
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour...

Our word "sober" is defined as "To abstain from wine (keep sober), i.e. (figurative) be discreet." Our word "vigilant" is the same word used in Revelation 3:2 as "watchful" and 3:3 as "you will not watch," which means, "To keep awake, i.e. watch." I immediately think of the following.

1 Thessalonians 5:1-10 (KJV)  
1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. 2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. 4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. 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. 8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. 9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.

Our phrase "let us watch" is the same Greek word as "vigilant" in I Peter 5:8. Our phrase "be sober" in verses 6 and 8 are the same Greek word as "sober" in I Peter.

Remember the Lord's teaching concerning the "unclean spirit" where Jesus spoke of "an evil and adulterous generation"? "Evil" defines those who "sleep," i.e. the world at large, whereas "adulterous" defines those who are "drunken," lulled back into sleep by those who are, by the intoxicating spirit and message of the many collectives that exist in our time. No wonder Jesus said, "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:32). We must first come to know the truth before it will make us free. What we believe and embrace as truth must be purged of any and all error before it will truly give the liberty that is promised by it.

Our passages from I Thessalonians align with the message to Sardis, where the Lord made it clear, "Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you" (Rev. 3:3). To whom was He speaking? The church! In agreement, Paul wrote that "the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape." His coming "as a thief" is "sudden destruction," our word "sudden" meaning "non-apparent" and "unexpected" or "unaware." The same word is used in the following passage.

Luke 21:34 (KJV)  
34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged (burdened) with surfeiting (a headache (as a seizure of pain) from drunkenness), and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.

Our word for "vigilant" and "let us watch" is also used in the following.

Matthew 24:42-43 (NKJV)  
42 Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. 43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.

Mark 13:35-37 (NKJV)  
35 Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming--in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning-- 36 lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. 37 And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!"

Revelation 3:1-3 (NKJV)  
1 "And to the angel of the church in Sardis... 2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. 3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.

Revelation 16:15 (NKJV)  
15 "Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame."

It should be apparent by all of these passages that we are warned to "watch," to keep awake, and not be lulled back into a spiritual lethargy by the world around us. It should also be obvious that all of these injunctions to watch address the Lord's coming "as a thief." Would this agree with the "strong delusion" of II Thessalonians 2:11? I believe it would.

Friend, being "unaware" of something doesn't prevent that something from happening. It simply suggests that, while it happens, we are ignorant of it, therefore, we do not participate in it.

Now, really think about this. When Jesus came to this earth two thousand years ago, He came in perfect accordance with prophecy, yet the scribes, Pharisees, and religious leaders who embraced the scriptures which held those prophecies, failed to recognize His coming! He was in their midst, but they were asleep in the light, unable to perceive that the Son of God had truly risen among them as their own scriptures declared! While His twelve disciples participated in the glorious manifestation of the Christ in their midst, the largest part of the religious Jews missed it and continued on in their blindness, so much so that they persecuted the very thing that their sacred law declared!

Isn't it true that tradition has fabricated the idea that the end of the age will be marked by a rapture, by the Lord's return on a grand scale that will be apparent to everyone? Ah, but our passages above make it clear that this is not the case. To those who are asleep and drunk, His coming will be "as a thief" and they will not know. This thought brings me back to the trumpets in Revelation. These trumpets are never literal, nor do angels appear and blow them. What John saw and recorded in the book of the Revelation he saw "in Spirit" and by the Spirit (Rev. 1:10; 4:2). And each and every trumpet, including the "last trumpet" of I Thessalonians 4:16, must be "heard" or perceived "in Spirit" and by the Spirit as well! "To the angel," or Spirit, "of the church," "write," said the Lord! Spirit speaks to spirit, deep calls to deep (Psalms 42:7), to the depths of our heart in order to awaken us to His kingdom! "Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame" (I Cor. 15:34). Friend, we must "know" the truth to be made free by it. And to those who are watching for His appearing, it should be clear that the truth has been compromised by most for the traditions and teachings of men, for the sake of money, power, and fame (reputation)!

The devil, "as a roaring lion," seeks for whom he may devour, so it should come as no surprise that our beast in Revelation 13 has a "mouth like the mouth of a lion" (Rev. 13:2). Carnal man is neither withdrawn nor shy. He has no problem declaring his carnality, his uncleanness, his disobedience and rebelliousness through every form of communication available. The many collectives we experience daily stand up in their arrogance, demanding acceptance of their pernicious ways, not realizing the long-term affects of their own error. But it doesn't end there. If they cannot convert us to their way of thinking by means of arrogance and force, then they will come to us in "sheep's clothing," speaking soothing, cunning, and manipulative words designed to deceive and inebriate, making us incapable of proper conduct and judgment.

Friend, we are truly living in "perilous times" where we have a "form of godliness" but deny its power (II Tim. 3:5). We have turned our ears from the truth to "fables" (II Tim. 4:3-4), to fairy tales, choosing to twist or reject the inspired words of Paul and the other apostles as though they hold no real value. Like the Pharisees of old, we are blinded to the very scriptures we embrace and refuse to pay attention to the words of Christ that will judge us in the "last day" (John 12:48). Know that if there is a "last day," then there are other "days" as well, times of illumination that come to awaken us to our need for repentance. Ah, but are we aware? Have we, with humble hearts, kept awake, ready to hear what the Spirit has and is saying to the church today?

Let me speak plainly. "Christianity" as we know it today is greatly divided, so it will be as Jesus said. "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand" (Matt. 12:25; KJV). The division of Christianity should make it clear to all of us that it has been founded on the carnal inclinations and pride of man. We have reached the same "fullness" (7) as Jesus experienced with the Pharisees and sharply rebuked in Matthew, Chapter 23. Read this chapter openly and honestly and make no excuses. Accept the words of Christ Himself and see that the "woes" of which Jesus spoke are true in this hour in which we are living. And how did Jesus end this discourse with the Pharisees? In agreement with how He started, He said, "Behold, your house is left unto you desolate" (Matt. 23:38; KJV). Did the Pharisees and their religious posturing's end when the New Testament Church began? No, it did not. Rather, it continued in its desolate and blind condition, and they persecuted the apostles of Christ even as they had Jesus Himself. To the scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees, He had come "as a thief."

Luke 22:31-34 (ESV)  
31 "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, 32 but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers." 33 Peter said to him, "Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death." 34 Jesus said, "I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me."

It's quite interesting to know that the name "Simon" is of Hebrew origin (Simeon) and means, "Hearing." When compared to the Lord's teaching of the Parable of the Sower, I see more than just Jesus speaking to Peter; He is speaking to all of us.

"Three times" Peter denied the Lord, but it was because he couldn't yet hear, he wasn't yet converted (KJV; turned again), he hadn't yet received the baptism of the Spirit in the upper room (Acts 2:1-4). I must wonder if our "three times" speaks of our collective passing through the spiritual fulfillment of the three segments of the Feast of Tabernacles (Day of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, Day of Tabernacles proper; see my study, "Times and Seasons – An Alternative View of the Day of the Lord").

It is always the proclivity of the natural and carnal aspects of our being to desire "converts" if you will. A "convert" is simply someone who has been convinced to embrace the same mindset that we have, therefore a "collective" is simply a larger group of the same.

Whether we realize it or not, we are all members of various collectives, some of them quite evident, but many of them not. As mentioned, it is the mindset which makes up the collective. Ah, but there is one other component behind the mindset which is of utmost importance and that is the spirit of the collective.

"By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error," John wrote (I John 4:6). And how is this? "We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us." "Us," my friend, are His apostles, those who walked with Christ almost two thousand years ago and wrote the letters of the New Testament which we have today. So it is that we must pay very close attention to what they wrote, leaving nothing out, adding nothing in, and accepting it as it stands. Know that the spirit of error will seek to find a way around the words of Christ and His apostles by placing our so-called spiritual "opinions" with them, but this we cannot do.

The Spirit of truth is defined by Paul within the parameters of the "fruit" of the Spirit. This "fruit" consists of "love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control" (Gal. 5:22). Out of this alone will proceed His truth; it will not be otherwise.

Jesus did not come to the Jews with arrogance or force or selfish intent. And for this reason, He was greatly misunderstood, even by His own disciples. Many thought He came to do away with their captivity to the Roman Empire, not realizing that true freedom is found within, not without. But the world is in darkness my friend, so what do we expect from them but darkness? They will not have the answers we seek for they are only found in the kingdom of our Lord and in the wisdom of our heavenly Father. We should know with all certainty that we have been called to come out from the world, not so we become arrogant and accusatory, but changed in thought, word, and deed, from the carnal mindset that truly is death.

Regardless of where we live or whatever government we are subject to, we can determine to follow the Spirit of Christ and manifest His love on a daily basis. Our thoughts and intents can be made pure and righteous before our Maker even as we stand in the hellish chaos of a lost world.

The Lord is scourging His sons (Heb. 12:6), chastening those whom He has chosen (Matt. 20:1-16; John 15:16), preparing them for a time when they will declare the true gospel of Christ untainted by carnal man's devising. They are the "firstfruits" of Christ in whose mouth is "found no deceit" (Rev. 14:5). Understand that the corruption of truth is even itself evidence of truth. It simply needs to be corrected.

Know that there are those among us who are contending "for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 1:3; ESV). It was delivered "once for all," indicating that there is no other gospel and no other truth than that which Jesus gave to His apostles. Yes, it has been twisted, changed, manipulated, and corrupted by those who only desire reputation and wealth and seek to maintain their current religious stance, but the Lord knows them that are His (II Tim. 2:19). He has reserved for Himself "seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal" (Rom. 11:4). He has determined to have a "glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish" (Eph. 5:27). Despite how things may appear, the Lord has been working in our midst as the "life-giving Spirit" which He is (I Cor. 15:45) since He first ascended to the Father almost two thousand years ago. The Father's will shall be accomplished and the end of it is illustrated for us in Revelation, Chapters 20 through 22.

Are we approaching the end of the age? Of course we are, for each day that passes naturally brings us closer. Will it be sooner than later? Who am I to say, but I cannot imagine how much more we must endure. Ah, but endure we must (Matt. 24:13), for the sake of our Lord and for each other.

"The last of that man," that natural, carnal, deceptive, and corrupt Adam (Rev. 12:3), "is worse than the first (Gen. 3:1). Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation" (Matt. 12:45). Things are getting worse my friend, but there have and always will be those who overcome, who persevere, and are willing to lay down their lives for the brethren (I John 3:16). Desire truth, brother and sister, and accept it at any cost. In the end, it will be far more precious than anything this world has to offer.

"All the world is full of suffering. It is also full of overcoming." — Helen Keller.

# Chapter Twenty-Nine

# THE HEART

Romans 3:10-11 (NKJV)  
10 As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one; 11 there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God."

Jeremiah 17:9-10 (NKJV)  
9 "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? 10 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.

Our definition of "heart" reads, "The _heart_ ; also used (figurative) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the _centre_ of anything."

Look closely and consider what we read. "The heart is deceitful above... all... things." Nothing is more deceitful than the human heart. So if Satan were a fallen angel and other fallen angels were his demons, then our own heart is deceitful above even that. Consider what James wrote in his letter.

James 1:14-18 (ESV)  
14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. 18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

Friend, "there is none righteous, no, not one; there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God." That puts all of us on equal footing, does it not? Regardless of where we are born, how we are cultured, and what we believe, all of us are the same within and "each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire." This is the "first Adam" of scripture, the "old man," the "man of sin," the spirit of error that continually works in our midst. No wonder Paul declared that sin "deceived" him and sin "killed" him (Rom. 7:11). Jesus died to take "away the sin of the world" (John 1:29) that abides within in order to bring us to the "glorious liberty of the children of God" (Rom. 8:21).

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above," brother and sister. Only by and through the grace of God are we brought to His Son and our eyes opened to His righteousness and His kingdom. He alone seeks us out (John 4:23) and He alone can endue us with what is needed to persevere. If the grace of God is evident in your life, be thankful, truly thankful, for He has gifted you and it is a precious, precious thing.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. In our arrogance, we do not like to think of ourselves as anything but "good," but even Christ Himself declared, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments" (Matt. 19:17).

The single most important thing we can desire in this life is righteousness, a right spirit within where the intent of our heart is always pure. Regardless of what we do in any given day, if it proceeds out of righteousness, it will be good for all. It is this which Christ exemplified in His life on earth and it is this which His Spirit is working within us today.

Proverbs 4:20-27 (ESV)  
20 My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. 21 Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. 22 For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh. 23 Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. 24 Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you. 25 Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. 26 Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. 27 Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.

Matthew 5:8 (ESV)  
8 "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

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:

Jack Marshall was born in California in 1957, but raised in Oklahoma, where his experience with Christianity began at the age of 19. After several years of attending various denominational and non-denominational churches, his love for the Bible and desire to understand the scriptures became a vital part of his life. Ordained in his twenties, he spent several years ministering in homes, jails, and churches. Through in-depth study for the past 40 years, Jack has 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 2019 Study

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

Studies in Revelation – The Fullness of the Times

Studies in Revelation – Babylon the Great

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

Dead Men's Bones – A Case against Eternal Torment

Studies in Revelation – The Two Witnesses

Studies in Revelation – The Seven Trumpets – Part 1

Studies in Revelation – The Seven Trumpets – Part 2

Studies in Revelation – The Seven Trumpets – Part 3

Studies in Revelation – The Seven Trumpets – Part 4

The Unclean Spirit of a Man

Sons of God – A Treatise on Genesis 6

**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

The Laws of the Second Coming, Dr. Stephen E. Jones, Copyright, 1991

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

W.E. Vine (1873-1949), Vine's Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, First Published 1940

Reference (Online):

The Free Dictionary by Farlex, www.thefreedictionary.com

English Oxford Living Dictionaries, en.oxforddictionaries.com

Wikipedia, en.wikipedia.org

Simple English Wikipedia, simple.wikipedia.org

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

Dictionary.com, www.dictionary.com

Kingdom Bible Studies, Preston & Lorain Eby, www.kingdombiblestudies.org

Dying You Shall Die, answersingenesis.org, Dr. Terry Mortenson

StackExchange, hermeneutics.stackexchange.com

God's Kingdom Ministries, www.gods-kingdom-ministries.net

Home Science Tools – Inspired Learning, www.hometrainingtools.com/a/four-elements

The Great Plant Escape, University of Illinois Extension, extension.illinois.edu/gpe

National Fire Protection Association, www.nfpa.org

wiseGeek, www.wisegeek.com

Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, Qualitative Reasoning Group, www.qrg.northwestern.edu

Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility - Office of Science Education, education.jlab.org/qa/plasma_01.html, Brian Kross, Chief Detector Engineer

Met Office, www.metoffice.gov.uk

Windows to the Universe, www.windows2universe.org

Biology Teaching and Learning Resources, D. G. Mackean, www.biology-resources.com/plants-seeds-01.html

What Is Carbon? – Definition and Role in Living Organisms, David Wood, Study.com

Encyclopedia of Life, eol.org, What is a Bird? Mike Baird, eol.org/info/439

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

GW, God's Word to the Nations Bible Society, Copyright 1995

Quotes:

Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, French Jesuit Priest, Mystic Philosopher, Paleontologist (1881-1955)

Albert Einstein, Physicist, March 14, 1879 – April 18, 1955

Khalil Gibran, Lebanese Poet, January 6, 1883 – April 10, 1931

Nelson Mandela, South African Statesman, July 18, 1918 – December 5, 2013

Hellen Keller, American Author, June 27, 1880 – June 1, 1968
