Moses on The Great Tribulation and the End Time Call of God
We do not really know what Moses
preached to the Children of Israel when he spoke to the elders in Egypt, but in
Exodus 15 we find some interesting things written. The passage makes it clear that the Israelites knew:
1) That they had not only been
redeemed by their God but they had been purchased – that they had been the
slaves of Pharaoh and they were still not their own but God’s slaves.
2) That the fear of the Lord was
related not only to their deliverance but to their entering in to the promises
that God had given to his seed and we see this in this great fear manifested in
passage as: Praises of fear, Hearing
brings fear, Being amazed at God fearful signs and wonders, trembling shall take
hold of them, dread shall fall upon them,
3) We see the peoples who they are
to displace: The people of Palestinia, Edom, Moab, and the Canaanites.
4) We see that this calling of God
given to the seed of Abraham is first and foremost a call unto himself. And
that all leading, that all guiding and all protective passage that is given to
these people is only to bring them to himself, That they might go to dwell
forever in His Holy habitation, that they might go to His Holy Sanctuary, that
they might be planted in the Holy Mountain of His Inheritance, and of this
place it is written “Thy hands have established or created it”
5) We see that the gifts the calling
and the habitation to which we are all called is IN HIM and not in the church
or any group we can organize, arrange, or construct of earthly materials. It is
not any teaching or doctrine that we can organize, arrange or construct it is
of his hands alone and we might add it is yet the voice of God; the word that
proceedeth that leads guides and brings this people to himself.
For all that is of man leads to men
and their glory – and such is the way of death..
We want to kind of follow these
thoughts as being interwoven in the following passages we are going to look at
it this study.
Exodus 15:11-18 Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee,
glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? Thou stretchedst out thy right hand, the earth
swallowed them. Thou in thy mercy hast led
forth the people which thou hast redeemed:
thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation. The people shall hear, and be afraid: sorrow shall take hold on the
inhabitants of Palestinia. Then the dukes of Edom shall be amazed; the mighty men of Moab, trembling shall take hold upon them; all the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away. Fear and dread shall fall upon them; by the greatness of thine arm they shall be as still as a stone; (Frozen in fear) till thy people pass over, O
LORD, till the people pass over, which thou
hast purchased. Thou shalt bring them in, and
plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance, in the place, O LORD, which
thou hast made for thee to dwell in, in the Sanctuary, O LORD, which thy hands
have established. The LORD shall reign forever and ever.
As much as this
was the revealed plan of God for the Children of Israel, this same plan is the
revealed plan of God for the Ek-Klesia in the end time. As God opened this up to me last night and
laid out these passages to me I felt my spirit tremble. This has been occurring
over the last month or so, as God has spoken profound provocative and life
changing words concerning His people and the preparation of them for this
end-time.
Make no mistake, the
coming onslaught spoken of in Matthew 24, the Book of Daniel and the Book of
Revelation upon the whole of the Klesia and the Ek-Klesia is no less than what
Moses and Israel faced in the wilderness and upon their entering the Promised
Land. The fearsome people, and the giants of their day are the radical Muslims,
Mullahs Imam’s, and their hoards of terrorists of our day. The same which have
been prophesied shall be given “great power” and “shall devour and stamp and
break in pieces the residue” that would be the Klesia and the Ek-Klesia.
Exodus 19:4 Ye have seen what I did unto
the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto
myself.
What God is
referencing here is not the plagues signs and wonders that he did in Egypt, but
their deliverance from the greatest military of the day with full divisions of
chariot mounted archers and soldiers.
Understand that the weapons of Moses and Israel were not carnal as ours
are not to be. Estimates are that Moses
led abut 1,000,000 out of Egypt which consisted of Israelites and the mixt
multitude. They had carts, wagons laden
with their possessions as well as their flocks, all the people were on foot
including their women and their children – so their movement was slow and
limited. And the onslaught of the
Egyptian army was so swift that they would be upon them and engulf them in
minutes. Logistically even when God
divided the red sea or the gulf between Egypt and Saudi Arabia as so archeologists
now believe the ability for the Israelites to move all their people flicks and
wagons and carts across a muddy sea bed was impossible even if one takes into
account the statement in scripture that the ground became as dry land. What I
am suggesting here is that the carts and the wagons were every bit as heavy as
the chariots and that the muck and mire would have been enough for the sheep to
get stuck, and their children – so that God says they did not walk across the
red sea but they crossed it upon eagles wings – he carried them across, so as
Christ who was born by angles lest he dash his feet upon a rock walk on water
so all of Israel was mad to walk above the ground. And when the Egyptians came
with this vast army their chariots and horse sank and stuck in the mud but with
a sentence of death for failure they forced their way across until the wheels
of their chariots fell off and then the Lord has Moses close the sea upon them
and drown them all. So not by might not by power but by the spirit of the Lord
the Israelites and Moses had been victorious in their first battle. And of
these eagle wings what did God testify that he had brought them unto himself.
And of this Paul declares unto us:
Romans 8:38-40 For I am persuaded,
that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, (Pharoah) nor powers, (The
Armies of Egypt) nor things present, (Nor any present circumstances in your life, sickness
disease or any other limitations) nor things to come, (the coming great tribulation) Nor height, (Physical Mountains
that Christ declared could be moved) nor depth, (Physical seas that Christ walked on and God parted ) nor any other creature,
(Nor any other thing God has created) shall be able to separate us from the
love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
And that in that hour God Himself shall bear us upon eagle’s wings as he did
the children of Israel in order to bring us unto himself. And therefore by the
spirit we can see in these passages in Moses what has been termed the coming
end-time revival for the last few hundred years. Only the purpose and meaning
of it has been far beyond the carnal comprehension of carnal men. God in
scripture again and again has hidden his purposes until the hour of its be
revealing. Primarily to prevent men tampering it and corrupting it.
And
in this next passage the Lord has Moses out-line a “new covenant” for the
children of Israel. In making “this” new covenant, it did not invalidate the
previous covenant, instead this amended it leaving intact what was previously
covenanted forever by God and adding or amending some new material to the
former covenant .
Exodus 19:5-6 Now
therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto
me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And ye shall be unto me a
kingdom of priests, and an holy nation.
Once again we
see that the call is for all believers not a select priesthood to hear the
voice of God for themselves, to hear as Moses and Christ did The word that proceedeth from the mouth of
the Father. So are these kings and
priests unto God to hear also. In the
Greek Septuagint beginning in verse 5 and ending with verse 14 the words Laos and Laon are used 6 times and
it is translated as the word people but the word is the Greek is Laity or the common people So in verse 5 God
declares this promise and calling not onto a polished professional priesthood but
a peculiar laity. And while verse 7 the Lord calls the elders of the people
it is in verse 8 the laity whose response the Lord is desirous of. And
Lo in verse 9 He comes in a cloud for the Laity to hear and believe forever.
And it is the laity in verse 10 and 11 that Moses needs to sanctify (For these
know not what they need to do – so God has Moses help prepare them) And in
verse 12 during this sanctification the Lord advises the Laity to separate
themselves and make a vow, and not to Go near the mountain or touch it at that
time.
And we need to note
here that with hearing there comes responsibility. And that responsibility is
especially upon the one who purports to speak that which proceeds from the
mouth of the Father. The church of this
hour at large is deaf – and this deafness the Spirit has indicated is due to
fear. It is an irrational fear that if
one “hears the voice of God” they will instead of receiving bread, will receive
of the hand of the Father a serpent. It is an irrational fear that if one will
is to seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit that by God’s hand shall instead be
led off into grievous error. And this is an irrational fear that if one would
seek God with all their heart , soul mind and strength that they of the hand of
God would fall into the hands of the devil.
These things are taught in every quarter in all churches and denominations
and on many levels for that last thousand or so years. And any notion of a
believer discipling himself to Christ alone and any notion of the Holy Spirit
becoming one’s teacher or in an individual believers life taking the roll of
guiding them into all truth -- is
treated by all churches and denominations as utter heresy, the kiss of death –
and a spiritual suicide from which none return.
And who is presumed
to save us from all of that? An educated and polished clergy whose learning
comes from the great whore’s cup of abominations which contains 1800 years
worth of the filthy and corrupt doctrines and traditions of men. Not to mention
that all these learned souls very degrees and titles, are conferred upon them
by men -- and not God.
In fundamentalist
churches time and again I have heard the exhortation that people need not
become too spiritual. You don’t want to pray too much, you don’t
want to read the bible too much. All
of this we are told is about some kind of a “balance” in our lives. And I
now firmly believe that the unsaid implication in fundamentalist churches is if
you do those things too much you might turn Pentecostal. – and there is a vast body of evidence that
shows this to be so.
But now look, in
Pentecostal, Charismatic and Word of Faith circles there is this same
irrational fear that one does not want be too spiritual, one does not
want to pray too much that one does not want to read the word too
much and there is even a greater phobia (if it were possible) of people
hearing the voice of God, and Letting the Holy Spirit be their teacher,
and following the guidance of the Holy Spirit. And in these churches time and time again I would hear these
things preached against and exhorted against.
And I dare say that in my five years in Pinecrest, time and time again
faculty members in my hearing would teach preach and exhort students from
getting too spiritual, reading the bible too much, praying to much, doing
any fasting, hearing the word that proceedeth, having the Holy Spirit teach you
and following the guidance of the Spirit. And certain of these faculty
members openly ridiculed people who did so, and spoke of them as sources of
untold evil in the church; aka deception, confusion, and disunity all of which
is actually the Holy Spirit striving against men and stripping off their
religious cloak in which they sought to conceal their deafness blindness and
nakedness before God, and in which they have also hid that their doctrines and
teachings come not from Him but are of men. I now firmly see that all of these
Penecostal and Charismatic Preachers and teaches have a vested interest in
mediocrity. That is in their flocks ever remaining in the corrupt status quo
for fear that if someone might hear what the spirit is saying unto the church
that 1) They might be made to explain what they are saying and doing that is in
utter contempt of the word of God. 2) That they might be found being blind deaf
and naked before God and completely unworthy for any in their flock to obey and
follow in place of Christ. The result of which would be people walking away
from their churches and ministries.
And there is a vast
body of evidence that shows that for quite some time the Holy Ghost has been
leading many away from these churches and ministries. Not by the ones and the
twos as one might be led to believe, but by the thousands and tens of thousands
world wide. And these are walking out of churches denominations and fellowships
the world over and reading the word and praying and seeking God alone.
This is not a people
backsliding or a people falling away as preachers and teacher would say to
strike fear in the heart of their congregants. This is a great spiritual
advance where man and woman are becoming the priests of their households. And many of these also are also turning to
the tried and true method from the days of the Apostles on of leaderless house
meetings where all are brethren, and all speak what the Lord has given them,
and all are edified.
This is the Lord’s doing and it marvelous in our eyes!
Isaiah 8:7-13 Now therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters
of the river, strong and many, even the king of Assyria,(This is the Antichrist) and all his glory: and he shall come up over all his channels,
and go over all his banks: And he shall pass through Judah; he shall overflow
and go over, he shall reach even to the neck; and the stretching out of his
wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O
Immanuel. (This
spoken concerning the Church under
Christ not Israel) Associate yourselves, (This association is man-made
churches and denominations) O ye
people, and ye shall be broken in pieces;(This is what is prophesied in Daniel) and give ear, all ye of far countries: gird yourselves, (try to fight this by your
might and power, fight this with with political coalitions, fight this by the
invoking of law, fight this by marches and civil disobedience) and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, (This is repeated twice
because this girding ones self will be the cry of all the corrupt church and
denominational leaders – they shall cry out in unity there is strength, and by
our binding together in unity we can not be over thrown by any means and by
this shall the streets run with blood and ten thousands times ten thousands
shall be slaughtered) and ye shall be broken in
pieces. Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word,(call out scripture, invoke
the promises of God to protect you) and it shall not stand: for God is with us.(God has anointed the fourth
beast to destroy and cleanse and spare not – and this is also prophesied in
Ezekiel 9:1-6) For
the LORD spake thus to me (This is God’s instructions to
those that have an ear to hear) with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the
way of this people, saying, Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this
people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid. (In that day they will preach
hellfire and eternal damnation to all that will not join their Confederacy. Know that all of this flies in the face of God’s call unto us to be
a kingdom of priests unto Him alone.) Sanctify the
LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear,
and let him be your dread. (and so as in the days of Moses
God called out to those who have ears to hear to separate themselves unto Him
and to sanctify themselves against the third day of his coming so we are called
now.)
What is the Fear of the Lord? The Lord spoke in my ear that to
fear anyone of anything is to have respect of them above the Lord and that is
not the Fear of the Lord. The Fear of the Lord is to not fear anyone or
anything that He hath created and therefore it shall not have any power over
you.
This
departure of people from their meetings to their homes and house meetings in
turn has caused great alarm in the denominations, particularly in
Fundamentalist and Charismatic circles. Even the word of Faith Movement of
Kenneth Hagan has been plagued with this phenomenon. So much so, that they are
now openly preaching against any going to independent “unsanctioned” house
meetings – they are calling such activities as being “unscriptural” and “a
detriment” and “a contagion” to any believers that comes in contact with such
that do so.
What they fail to
see is that this in reality is the church going underground, as it was in
Russia during communism, as it is in China and that as we enter deeper into
this time when the Antichrist and the fourth beast of Daniel shall arise upon
the earth that all of the visible Klesia shall be swept away and that only that
which is underground shall remain.
And as we have
mentioned on this sight the sign of the Lord as to this shall be that Europe
shall be overthrown first my Muslimism.
And I shudder at all those saved and unsaved that shall be lost. It is
not a glorious thing; it is a fearful and terrible thing.
These people that
are heeding God’s call unto himself in this hour are seeking to enter into and
become that kingdom of priests unto God that was supposed to have been the
central issue upon which the reformation occurred. But as has been discussed
here in numerous articles – this is not at all what really occurred in the
1500’s under Luther Calvin and Simons. There was no real reformation, instead
what was handed out was three brands of Roman Catholic Lite that perpetuated
the darkness sin and error that had been taught for a millennia. Instead these reinvented Roman Catholicism
in its looks alone, it was a marketing and PR ploy to make it appear cute and
fuzzy so it would be more palatable to the coming generations
So in the book of Exodus at a point of time
about 100 days after the greatest revival that men had ever seen occurred to
the Israelites in Egypt, and the Lord brought these people supernaturally unto
himself, that neither the antichrist of the day, or his best military divisions
that were armed to the teeth could prevent. – The Lord now lays down His
demands or we might say the cost of “This Salvation”. And as we see His demands
are really not demands at all, but are in fact His desire to fellowship with
those that delight in Him as Adam did in the Garden. And for this child-like
love, delight and devotion of the man Adam, the Lord had redeemed this people.
To which the Lord declared if ye (individually) will obey my voice indeed
(truly – with all your heart soul mind and strength) and keep my covenant. . .
We need to pause
here for a moment and ask what covenant where they to obey? Realizing that the
covenant of Moses had not yet been given -- what covenant was God referring to
here? The Covenant of Abraham. – which as we have already mentioned was still
in full effect at the time
And what was this Covenant of Abraham? It is a Covenant where God could swear by no greater than himself. So God appeared as a fiery smoking furnace and walked between the blood and parts of the sacrificed animal to seal the covenant between Him and Abraham forever.
Genesis
17:14 And the uncircumcised man child
whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath
broken my covenant.
This was part of
the covenant with Abraham. It was a covenant that required the faith and
obedience of its adherents to the words that proceedeth from the mouth of the
father as well as an outward sign of circumcision. A covenant that promised
to make God a people that were no people, a nation that was no nation, a
kingdom that was no kingdom. It was a covenant that promised that one was to
come from Abraham’s bowels to bring redemption to the world. It was a covenant
that had NO priesthood but that all that were part of it were to be priests
unto God. It was a covenant in which ALL could build altars. It was a covenant
in which ALL could call upon the name of the Lord. It was a covenant in which
ALL could hear the word that proceedeth from the mouth of the Father. It was a
covenant in which ALL could have dreams. It was a covenant in which ALL could
have visions, and it was a covenant in which ALL could have personal
visitations from God.
It was a Covenant that Abraham, Isaac Jacob, Joseph and Job
entered in to a large degree and all of their households were blessed for these
men’s walk with God and faithfulness.
And from that covenants inception anyone without the outward sign
of circumcision was cut off from being the people of the covenant. And no sooner had God made this covenant
with Abraham what did he do? Did he
only circumcise himself since the promise was to him and his seed? No, Abraham
immediately went out and preached this message of circumcision from God and
circumcised all the gentiles that were in his household, his shepherds, his
laborers, his chamberlain that was head of all his business transactions and
even his slaves, and he preached won all their hearts to the Lord and then
circumcised them all, and all became a part of the household of faith and
eventually became part of the blood line of Israel. And from that time forth
all children that were born in the seed of faith were children of the
circumcision. Any child that was born not of the circumcision was not of the
seed of faith and all that had not the circumcision were cut off from the
promise and from God.
Now when Moses was born he was circumcised How do we know this,
because in Exodus 4:24-25 Moses himself was not
circumcised by Zipporah only his son was circumcised. And sometime while he was
being raised as the son of pharaoh’s daughter Moses came to realize that he was
not an Egyptian. I think we can safely say that Pharaoh’s daughter probably did
not teach Moses who his people were, it was probably the fact that he was
circumcised and none of her other sons or servants were. And when he sought the
meaning of this, he was told that he was a Hebrew and a son of Abraham and
probably told of the promises God made to Abraham concerning this people.
And by the fact that Zipporah knew exactly what to do when the
angel of the Lord came to kill Moses lends itself to a conclusion that Moses
had indeed attempted to have his son circumcised, and had described with some
detail how and what was to be done. But over Zipporah’s out spoken objections
he had relented.
Exodus
4:24-26 And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the (angel of) LORD met him, and sought to kill him. Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of
her son, and cast it at his (Moses’) feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband
art thou to me. So he (The angel of the Lord) let him (Moses) go: then she said, A bloody husband thou art, because of the
circumcision.
I have recently
received some light on this passage in regard to Zipporah’s actions and words.
While I was working on some translation work on several passages
containing the word “stones” which resulted in the 2 articles written on the
Greek word Ek-lektos on this site. During the course of that study I was struck
with the cryptic works of Christ in:
.
Matthew 21:44 And
whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall
fall, it will grind him to powder.
The word “Broken” in the Greek is not exactly broken. It is
more in the order of shattered and more specifically it is a layered
rock as in a slate or a flint being broken into shards.
Now this distinction may not seem like much but let me take you to
the next passage.
1 Peter 2:7-9 Unto
you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient,
the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the
corner, And a stone of stumbling (Pros-Kommatos), and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble (Pros-Kopto) at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
The word “stumbling” in the Greek is Pros-Koptos we
are told means: to dash against, or to beat upon (Lest thou dash thy foot against a
rock)
Pros means: “the side of” or “the outer
edge”
And Kommatos
is actually the word Koptos which means: to cut, to smite, to
punish, to vex, or to suffer anguish.
This is not a
sidewalk upheaval that one might trip over, or a stone along a dirt trail down
to the pond behind farmhouse on which one might stub their toe.
This is a
sharp stone shard that not only cuts the object that one cuts but it also cuts
the one that wields it to do the cutting.
Hebrews
4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than
any two-edged 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.
How is the word of God sharper than any two-edged sword? It is
that each word is a razor sharp glass-like stone shard that cuts nor only the
object to be cut but the one who wields the shard to cut with it as well. And
it cuts asunder soul and Spirit, joints and marrow and is a discerner or the
thoughts and intents of the hearts of the hearer and speaker alike.
Isaiah
8:14-15 And He (Christ) shall (Not only)
be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling (a sharp stone shard that not
only cuts the object that one cuts but it also cuts the one that wields it to
do the cutting.) and for a rock of offence to both the
houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And many among them shall stumble, (the great falling way) and fall, (perish) and be broken (utterly destroyed), and be snared, and be taken.(taken to prison and tortured and offered slavery
for worshipping the beast and his image and recanting Christ. This is also
prophesied in Daniel and Revelation) And this is all part of the
larger prophecy we already cited, concerning denominational confederations and
girding oneself.
Zechariah
12:2-4 Behold,
I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when
they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I
make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves
with it shall be cut in pieces, though all
the people of the earth be gathered together against it.
1 Peter 2:7-9 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling,(a sharp stone shard that not only cuts the object that one cuts but it also cuts the one that wields it to do the cutting.) and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble (are cut) at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
This cutting of which I have many things that I could say is also
called the washing of the water of the
word.
Exodus
4:24-26 And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the (angel of) LORD met him, and sought to kill him. Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of
her son, and cast it at his (Moses’) feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband
art thou to me. So he (The angel of the Lord) let him (Moses) go: then she said, A bloody husband thou art, because of the
circumcision.
I did a lot of translating of this passage in the Greek and Hebrew
which I will forego discussing now. And I did quite a bit of reading as well.
And suffice to say that according to Hebrew tradition Moses and Zipporah
walking by an inn when the Angel of the Lord appeared and the Angel put a sword
to Moses’ throat effectively pinning Moses as he pronounced his sin. So with Moses unable to save himself
Zipporah being filled with fear tossed her son onto a cloth on the ground tore
open his clothes and grabbed at some sharp stone shards or stone potshards one
the ground along the side of the inn and her hand was all sliced up as she
sliced off the foreskin of her son. Thoroughly infuriated and disgusted she
cast the bloody foreskin with her bloodied hand at the feet of Moses and the
angel and said (KJV) a bloody husband thou art
because of the circumcision.
It is interesting to note that Moses was not able to make this sin
right himself but he had to have someone else in his behalf perform it. So
Moses unbelieving wife had to perform the act. At the appearance of the angel
she moved with faith mixed with fear.
There is
so much that can be said from this passage but we will forego that for the
moment and press on to our subject of Moses speaking of the Great tribulation
and the end time.
Speaking now of the
covenant of Abraham we continue.
Hebrews 6:13 For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself,
Even though Abraham was called the friend of God, and even though Abram had been justified by faith, God did not find in Abraham one that was worthy to stand with him and make the covenant. So God did it by himself.
And likewise when Christ was on
earth, He found none worthy to covenant with. Not Peter, not James, not even
John the beloved of the Lord. So Christ
could swear by none greater than himself, So Christ did his act on the cross
and in the resurrection alone. The
truth of the New Covenant is that Christ covenanted with himself on the behalf
of us.
As Paul states our covenant with Christ is better the one God gave unto Moses
but this has been the source of quite a bit of confusion in the church of our
day. And men in themselves have imagined all sorts of meaning to this apart
from scripture and apart from the words of the Apostle. The New covenant is a better covenant in
that Christ once and for all became out peace offering, our burnt offering, our
sin offering, and our drink offering. So that we do not have to set up altars
and slay animals ourselves for our greater sins and hold evening and morning
sacrifices for our daily sins.
But it is much more
than that. For as Christ Himself gives
the Holy Ghost them that afar off and to as many as shall receive Him, So also
He is our yet our healer. He is yet our shepherd. He is yet deliverer. Which are all part and parcel of this new
and better covenant. But perhaps the greatest of all is the fact that each
believer can also partake directly of this covenant at Christ’s very hand as
they partake of communion. And this being done the need of professional Levites
and Priests to minister unto God was done away with once and for all in Christ.
– So that from the least unto the greatest we might all walk with him as kings
and priests. This is what Christ died
for and this is what the early church turned away from in favor of the
Levitical priesthood that in every church in every quarter to this day. – And this is the false earthly and corrupt
Klesia that God is about to strip away.
Exodus 19:9 And the LORD said unto
Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I
speak with thee, and believe thee for ever.
Again we see
once more that God attaches tremendous importance in each believer individually
hearing the voice of God for himself – that they might believe. Hearing the
voice of God is not a sign unto unbelievers as much as it is to believers.
Exodus 19:10-11 And the
LORD said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and
sanctify them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes, And be ready against the third day: for the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people upon
mount Sinai.
Two years ago
when the Lord opened my eyes to this verse I almost jumped out of my seat. I
had read the entire bible cover to cover two times and I had read this passage
on numerous other occasions but somehow my eyes were withholden and seeing I
saw not. And on numerous occasions I had heard this passage read but my ears
were holden and hearing I heard not.
Sanctification has
almost become a dirty word on the lips of believers in this hour among
Fundamentalists, Pentecostals, Charismatics, and even Word of Faith People.
Routinely I hear preachers of all denominations that have been 20,
30, and even 50 years in the way mock the notion of sanctification.
Calvinistic
Fundamentalists who teach that we are to wallow in our sin and corruption all
our day, never obtaining cleansing from the basic sins which scripture and Paul
declare over and over that none shall do such deeds shall enter the kingdom of
heaven, Instead these rely on the fable of eternal security
created by a 6th century Roman Catholic Monk named Augustine’s
redefinition of the word Ek-lectos and have staked their souls and all the
souls of those on one man’s say so on one single word in the face of all of
scripture and all of the words of Christ in the Gospels. And in so doing they
teach men that regardless of however sinful and corrupt they are, that Jesus
will wink at their sin and iniquity and let them slide. The basis for this
winking at blatant damning sin is they say that God calls or chooses whom he
will and once called all that they do is ordained of God – and to find fault
with them is to find fault with God –so that not even Christ much less God
Himself can condemn them. These teach that God can be bound, that God can be
rendered powerless and it is done by His spoken word, and His written word –
that God can be made and is subservient to that which He speaks and that which
is recorded in the bible. Next to the Prosperity Gospel, this is the single
most damning Gospel that men and demons have created.
Isaiah 40:12-14 Who hath
measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the
span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the
mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance? Who hath directed the Spirit
of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him? With whom took he
counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and
taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding?
Shall a man then
bind God? Shall a man trap the Almighty with His own words? Shall a man then
constrain God with scripture?
Isaiah 40:21-23 Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you
from the beginning? Have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth?
It is He that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof
are as grasshoppers; (It is He) that stretcheth out the
heavens as a curtain, and (It is He that) spreadeth
them out as a tent to dwell in: (It is He) That bringeth the princes to
nothing; (and
it is He that ) he maketh the judges of the
earth as vanity.
And actually this
notion of binding and trapping God with scripture is the kernel upon which the
entire prosperity Gospel and Word of Faith message is built. Remember when the
Scribes and Pharisees attempted to bind Christ with Scripture and they were
confounded this is all the more reason why those who have preached these things
have inherited the wind rather than the keys of the kingdom they boast
possession of.
Isaiah 5:20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
An example of what I
am speaking of was disclosed last summer by a visiting evangelist during a week
long “revival.” In those meetings this
evangelist included a lot of “shop talk” about her ministry, as well as inside
stuff on her working with Rodney Howard Brown.
Her purpose was fairly transparent, in that she wanted to wow her former
peers. He bragging rights were “Rural Alaskan girl makes good and becomes an
internationally renowned Ministry” to which she received her coveted portion
of “ohs” and “ahs.”
In about the third
meeting she told a tale that she had been sitting in Rodney Howard Brown’s
office, eluding that she was his most trusted subordinate and thus allowed to
sit in on private and personal teleconferences. She then proceeded to describe
one such event with the evangelist Benny Hinn who according to her “was having
big problems in his ministry” and in desperation he sought help and counsel
from Rodney Howard Brown. Hinn she began for years had built a ministry of
worship and people just sitting in his worship services and receiving healings.
And in the context of her message she was preaching that was completely wrong
for all Word of Faith students like her know you have to fight for your
healings you need to confess profess and demand of God what is yours and have a
get in your face attitude in fighting the devil. So by her account Hinn at
that time had all at once a half dozen to a dozen people all die, of those people
that testified they had been healed in his worship service, People that Hinn
and his staff had laid hands on, and I believe people that had been prophesied
that they were healed and by the sheer number of deaths,.She said that He and
his leader ship was shaken and that
there was some talk in the congregation. The answer they were of course given was a combo Haganism 101
Confession and fighting the devil to maintain that healing.
But there is a lot
more to the story of this evangelist and the Word of Faith Church that she was
preaching in. The Pastor of this Church and over half the members are bible
school graduates from Rhema (For those who many not know that would be Kenneth
Hagan’s Bible School). And this Church vigorously preaches the word of faith
message and the Prosperity Gospel. The Church is part of a network of Word of Faith
Churches and has ties with some of the big names.
The Story here
begins with their 5-6 year old grand daughter who attended a huge Hagan-esque
church in Texas Pastored by a brother Roberson. This grand daughter came down
with a horrible cancer – it was as if she had second head growing out of the
side of her head when I saw her she was all skin and bones and frail all her
hair was gone from chemo. It broke my heart to see a child like this and the
anguish her parents and the Pastor and his wife suffered over this – words can
not describe. The situation had gone one for maybe two years. She literally had
everyone lay hands on her that could lay hands on her, and she was flown at
church expense to revival meetings with evangelists. (It is hard to fault any
of this – the parents were desperate) they had her on special 24 hour prayer
chains, the parents had tithed and gave and gave and gave to get their little
girl a miracle – and this little girl was flown up to this meeting and she was
repeatedly prayed for. She had also been prophesied over a number of times and
declared that she would have certain ministries and not die. – I believe she
died about two months after this meeting. And understand that her parents and
the preachers and evangelists had done everything line by line from Kenneth
Hagan’s teachings. Believing the healing was owed to them, the parents and
their relatives in Texas and in this church in Alaska took it very hard, there
was much needless anguish. The family backslid, relatives fell away from Christ
– the assistant pastor cried in church he faith was failing and he wanted to
backslide. They spoke of these false prophecies and it seemed for a time they
might even toss out Hagan’s teaching
But unfortunately
this story is still far from over. For over the past year and a half that I
attended this place this Word of Faith pastor in my hearing repeated mocked the
notion of people seeking sanctification, he called waiting on the Lord
worthless, and lampooned those who would pray for hours at a time. All of which
was spoken when he was teaching other Haganite’s notes, books, and tapes. As
soon as I arrived in this church it was apparent that there was something
seriously wrong with this pastor’s wife. And prior to the evangelist showing up
that summer despite what we have already noted this man boasted in church on
multiple occasions in my hearing of his spending 8-10 hours at in a single shot
per night rebuking the devil and sickness in him and his wife. And I would say
that perhaps as much as 20% of his messages from these other peoples notes
books and tapes included talking about the devil, all his power all his might
all his sickness all his diseases and how we need to fight him every day every
hour and every minute. And all during this his wife got sicker and weaker. All the while over the ensuing months the
man refused to humble himself before God and seek His face. Despite what would
come out from his own lips as the Spirit of God would come upon him when he
preached. Instead he persisted in the manner of the corrupt teaching of Kenneth
Hagan praying instead to the devil for 8-10 hours a night.
Well the evangelist
also prayed for his wife repeatedly and she danced a victory dance and the
evangelist left – I was unable to attend all the meetings. But after ward the
Pastor continued with his Haganite methods and the wife got sicker and weaker
and sicker and weaker until she would only sit in church for the sermon.
And at that time God
spoke to me and told me that his wife had cancer and would surely die. And that He could not heal the woman because
it would be a testament that would be used to reinforce the false and corrupt
doctrines that they held above Him and His word. After I left church that day
the Lord spoke to me to tell several people at the time that they might bare
witness of what He spoke. – I to this day do not know the purpose for this but
I did so.
After the grand
daughter died I believe the pastor’s wife’s spirit was crushed and she no
longer came to meetings because she had become so sick – still there was no
word or hint what was ailing her. I believe she was in her late 60’s or early
70’s so it could have been any number of things. Within a month or so of the
grand daughter’s death She then had to be removed from this man’s house and to
the hospital, and she was given quite a few pints of blood. And at that time
they announced for the first time she had cancer. I also want to relate here that the pastor spoke of his wife on
more than one occasion telling him to stop rebuking the devil after several
hours and sending him to bed.
And during those
last few months they called all the big guns in the Word of Faith Movement and
had them prayed for her, she was put in their “Special” 24 hour pray chains one
of which we were told had this 100% success rate (I am sure that the family was
reliving the grand daughters death every day during this) And it seemed for
about a week that God was going to
intervene as she was greatly strengthened and able to sit up.
I do not want you to
think I was cold and heartless for I would have liked very much to have seen
her healed. But the Lord hand clearly spoken, and to be honest I wondered if
something had changed and possibly he or she had repented. (Hezekiah being an
example of this in scripture) – and once again there was some indication that
they were laying aside at least some of their doctrines. But all of that was
short lived and after a brief respite her health took a plunge and regardless
of the blood transfusions she received after that it was all down hill.
Desperate they
brought in several healing ministries from the Word of Faith denomination the
church is a member of. I guess about half a dozen flew up to Fairbanks, Alaska
to pray for this woman and they went in unto her they laid hands on her they
prophesied and cried out and I presume they all rebuked the devil like the
prophets of Baal they stayed up day and night with her. Church members that had
witnessed all of this then came into church and pronounced that she had been
healed. They pronounced that God has spoken that God said that: “she would not
die but live.” And they rejoiced and jumped around that Sunday – but within seven days of all of that she
perished in her sin and corruption according to the word of the Lord.
That was almost a
year ago and the members of the church are far from being over her death or the
granddaughter’s. And ever Sunday added now to the notes books and tapes the
pastor now preaches his dead wife. But even with all of this these people have
not repented, they still hold to their false teachings, the false prophesies
given while both people were yet alive, they do not take into account that all
the backsliding occurred because these people were founded on the sand of men’s
words instead of being founded on Christ alone. Sadly these people have not and
will not repented one iota, and if the truth be known today they adhere even
more steadfastly to these teachings and doctrines – and I can even say why.
They are now doing it for the memory of the dead grandchild and the dead
Pastor’s wife.
So why have I said
all this? Because in the books, the tapes, and on their televised meetings this
ugly, powerless, bankrupt side of the Word of Faith message and the Prosperity
Gospel that is never shown, much less spoken of. From Benny Hinn that is cited as the most successful healing
ministry of our day, to Kenneth Hagan Ministries, Kenneth Copeland, Rodney
Howard Brown, and all their clones the story is the same everywhere. Despite
all that is preached, confessed, professed, rebuked, and bought off with tithes
and offerings, their churches are filled with the sick, the weak, the poor, and
the death. And because of this preaching these are afraid to speak for fear of
being told they have not faith, they have yet not given enough tithes and
offerings, or disfellowshipped from the movement’s success oriented beautiful
people because they are losers.
Two days ago I was
speaking with a member of this church and he recounted the evangelist’s story
about Benny Hinn and all the deaths that had occurred in his ministry – and he
started reciting the Hagan-esque drivel she hat cited as the reason why and I
stopped this man mid-sentence as both he and I had sat in the same meeting and
we had both heard the identical testimony.
I will add that this man is not a Haganite. He was saved in the early
1970’s in a Pentecostal church before Hagan came into prominence and before the
prosperity Gospel was preached, and he also back in those days attended Christ
for the Nations Bible School with his wife
I said I hate to do
this, but I need to ask you a pointed question where in the gospels or the book
of Acts did Christ or the Apostles ever tell someone they had confess, profess
or rebuke the devil so the could hold their healings?
The man bristled and
halted and started and halted
I apologized once
more out of politeness and then began to speak the following:
It is commonly
taught today that we have all truth, and that we with all our tapes books and
commentaries are on equal footing with Christ and the Apostles, but you know
that that is not at all the case. So much of what we believe today was not
taught even 50 and 100 years ago and people were healed and touched by God back
then more so than they are today, and 50 and 100 years ago nobody worried about
keeping and holding their healings. What we now have in the church bears little
resemblance to what we read of in the Gospels and the book of Acts.
In the book of Acts
we come to a most amazing and revealing passage concerning Paul the Apostle
preaching to the Bereans. And of these people we are told that they were more
honorable than the rest that Paul had preached to, because when he spoke they
pulled out their Old Testaments and sought out his words to see if they were
so. And understand from this passage that these Bereans summarily rejected
anything that Paul said that could not be found and verified in the Old
Testament. And I repeat that this practice was called honorable. The question
then comes what ministry or preacher today would consider this practice
honorable in any way shape or form? Much less what preacher or teacher today
would preach or teach any doctrine of message based on the words of the Law and
the Prophets? I dare say that if I were to go in any church today and say
brother I’m going to review all you preach in the Old Testament and anything I
can’t find I’m going to reject. Far from commending me that preacher or teacher
would call me a heretic. That preacher or teacher would tell me I was being
divisive, and that teacher or preacher would then promptly shun me and throw me
out of their fellowship. So first off we have a notable problem in that we do
not use the bible of Paul the Apostle and Jesus Christ and we do not understand
the relationship between the so called Old Testament and the so called New
Testament.
Second off when we
read the Gospels we see that Christ Himself taught the 11 disciples for 3.5
years. And by any standards all these men’s teaching along with all they saw is
far superior to what we are taught. Now if these 11 men were taught by Christ himself under the “best possible circumstances,” and they not only
heard and saw but they also operated in some notable gifts of the Spirit as
well. How is it in their testimonies that they tell us over and over and over
that during that time they were filled with carnality and fleshly desires. How
is it that we are told that they were not yet “Converted”? And yet when we take a long hard look at the
practices and behaviors of our supposedly enlighted and highly spiritual church
of this hour it more closely resembles the carnal disciples of the first 3.5
years rather than the Apostles of the book of Acts?
But this is not the
only thing we have to examine in this regard in the word of God. We also have
the book of 1 Corinthians that describes in some detail the Church in Corinth
and their spiritual or rather they unflattering unspiritual state. Here we have
a church supposedly on-line for at least 10 years before Paul writes this
letter to them. All of who we can safely assume were saved, all of whom we can
safely assumed were baptized in water, all of whom we can safely assumed were
baptized in the Spirit, all of whom we are told excelled in all spiritual gifts
(and we no not.) – all of whom were taught by
the likes of Paul Apollos and Peter again under the best possible circumstances
(which if we can
be bluntly honest we do not have either) and yet in 1 Corinthians chapters 2 -3 Paul sternly rebukes them
as being earthly, carnal, Spiritually immature, and babes – in a negative sense
– in other words they are filled with corruption and darkness. He also tells
them because of their darkness being light, their love of the things of this
world ect. that they could not hear the word that proceedeth from the Father. And not only that but Paul
tells them because of this worldliness and corruption working in them body soul
and spirit they were unable to spiritually
discern the true meat of the word from scripture because they were have been
rendered blind deaf and naked. So that Seeing they see
not, hearing they hear not, lest at any time they be converted.
If you have
read much in these studies you will see with intimate detail and great clarity
that the Lord has revealed this same thing in the lives of the 12 disciples as
well –unto the day of their conversion.
But there is more in
I Corinthians that is far stronger in testimony to the Corinthians corrupted
state which at the time they seemed to show little evidence of coming out of.
And I will confess that I have read and heard this next passage hundreds of
times since I believed and have never understood the significance of it because
my eyes and ears were holden.
In the last few days
the Lord opened up 1 Corinthians 10. In most Protestant churches this is the
text they read regarding communion and they steadfastly do not believe the
words they read or else great fear would strike their hears when they partake.
Concerning these Corinthians in this case now taking communion nothing has
changed in their carnal corrupt and blind state. These men are all saved,
baptized in water, baptized in the Holy Ghost, excelling in all gifts. But due
to their state of filth, and darkness, and yet having a heart of stone, Paul
tells us that these people “Many of them were eating and
drinking damnation to themselves.” And for that reason Paul declares “Many of them were weak sick and dead in that church.” -- None of which can or
would change this in the Church of Corinth one iota by any amount of their
confession and profession of all the promises of God, or rebuking the devil. In
other words the Corinthians were perishing in the wilderness and not entering
into the promise and the bleached bones of their dead was a witness against
them of their sins and corruption. This is undeniable truth – it is not
debatable, or a matter of interpretation.
Look now at the words of Paul to
the Corinthians as he plainly tells the Corinthian Church that despite all
their self deluded confession, profession, and their Herculean exercise of
believing that they that they were walking in the light as He is in the light,
that they are not. And no amount of any of these things could cure their wound.
Paul bluntly tells them that in reality the entirety of the Corinthian Church
was walking in darkness following after the footsteps of the corrupt children
of Israel in the wilderness.(and the Lord has spoken in my ear that these
judgments all occurred while they yet walked in His blessing the manna yet
fell, the water yet flowed out of the rock, God was manifest with the could by
day and the pillar of fire at night, the 70 elders yet prophesied, there shoes
and clothes wore not out. And this has been a point of utter confusion for the
last 100 or so years. That if someone is seemingly “blessed” with a ministry of
Gift how could they possibly have such greivieous sin to then fall under the
“curse” or “judgment” of God?
Romans 11:21-23 For if God spared not the
natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not
thee. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them
which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his
goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. The meaning of these words are more than the “cutting off” This passage
warns that we as “New covenant” believers are as susceptible to all the
sicknesses and diseases and whatever else that allowed to fall upon the
children of Israel under the “Old Covenant” – and this is despite whatever you
have been taught about the “New Covenant” and so called “New Covenant teaching.”
This is also the lesson of the
shards of the Gospel cutting those that would handle them, Not only judging and
cutting those that are their hearers and lancing from their souls and bodies
sickness and disease. But these shards are sharper than any two-edged sword in
judging and cutting the sin in he who seek to speak or invoke them as well.
So I dare say that those who
confess and Profess all of these promised confess and profess to themselves
damnation and the judgments of God because of their unbelief and disobedience
to those commandments attached to those “promises” much in the same manner that
the Corinthians were eating and drinking damnation to themselves – resulting in
weakness sickness and death.
And Paul says that for this
cause the Corinthians were also partaking of the judgments of God that fell
upon the Children of Israel.
1 Corinthians 10:1-12 Moreover, brethren, I
would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the
cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all
baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; And did all eat the same
spiritual meat; And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of
that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. But with many
of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil
things, as they also lusted. Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as
it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.
Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one
day three and twenty thousand. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them
also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. Neither murmur ye, as some of
them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. Now all these things
happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon
whom the ends of the world are come. Wherefore
let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
By
definition the Word of Faith Movement is a movement that teaches our “Standing
in Christ” as its cornerstone. A standing that they know nothing of, nor do
they walk therein because they know Him not, nor do they walk with Him.
This standing in
Christ is not automatic as is taught in the Calvinistic doctrine of Hagan which
has leavened the whole loaf. But this standing in Christ is based fully upon
our relationship with Christ and Him alone. And as we enter into deep
repentance and become converted we thereby enter into this standing or as it is
called elsewhere the promise. And upon
entering in to this we have no need to confess or profess these things as we
are already walking in the light with Him.
This bears
repeating: the Corinthians self-induced blindness and deafness that was made
manifest in their not hearing the word that proceedeth, in their not
discerning their true spiritual meat in the law and the prophets also
caused them to be unable to spiritually discern the Lord’s body. – which
in turn has caused the wrath, anger, or judgment of God to fall upon this
Church in the manifestation of physical weakness physical sicknesses and
physical death among its membership.
All of which we
see in every quarter of the church today, and even in the churches of the Word
of Faith Movement despite the lies and propaganda that they publicly proclaim
to their own damnation and the damnation of all that would partake of their cup
and walk in their footsteps.
And I confess here
before God and men that in times past I believed and preached these same things
– and I would assume that had the prosperity Gospel been taught when I was a
child I would have preached and taught that as well. And I confess before God and men that from 1972 – 2004 I walked
in darkness as a believer that I was blind deaf and naked before God. And while I am not ready to tell you of my
conversion never the less what God has done for the last two years has been breath taking to put it
mildly.
And I will confess
that in many ways I have been and still am under the stroke of God. In physical
sickness and infirmities, in my wife abandoning me and my children, and then
divorcing us, and in my separation all that I once knew. But that is all
changing and in all of this I have found a delight in Him, a peace and a
knowing that I am firmly in His hands that I have never known. I have come to
the stark realization that these things have come upon me because of my sin and
my unrighteousness, and that because God is Holy and Just He must do so if I
ever might become Holy as He is Holy. So I myself am under the gun. I myself
die daily but not in the same sense that Paul spoke. My earthly house
crumbleeth. Yet in all this I clearly see the Goodness and the Love of God. And
if I perish, I perish. For I know that
all that has come upon me is the justice and the righteousness of God. And I know also that God owes me nothing, –
but if it pleases Him He will deliver me from the mouth of the lion and set me
upon The Rock. But if I go into corruption, I will die confessing that God is
true and just and all my love is due Him.
I repeat that we are
not on equal footing with the Apostles that heard and say Christ, nor are we on
equal footing with the Church at Corinth that were hand taught by Paul Peter
and Apollos. But what we see abundant evidence that the church today is on par
with the corrupt and carnal believers in church of Corinth. And looking up to
what was discussed in Benny Hinn, and those of the Word of Faith Moment if they
would stand still and admit what is festering among their most faithful and
ardent followers
I then said that
after the 3.5 years the Apostles all had a life-changing event. And in the
church of Corinth after 10 years in the best of all circumstances it appears that
none of these people had come into any such event in their lives and so they
were weak sick and dying.
There is not a
minister or preacher today in the church that has had this life changing
conversion of the Apostles come upon them. Not Benny Hinn, not Kenneth
Copeland, not Kenneth Hagan or any name that you can name. Not one of them have
ever spoken to a life altering experience in Christ 5,10 20 30 40 years into
their ministry.
1
Corinthians 11:31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be
judged.
Again, the meaning and import of these words were obscured by the
Calvinistic lens that has come upon the entire church long before Hagan began
to preach and teach. The meaning of Paul’s words was that judging ourselves and
entering into deep repentance so that we might be Holy as He is Holy will
prevent, end and remove these judgments and curses from falling upon us.
2
Corinthians 7:1 Having therefore these promises,
dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all
filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting (our) holiness in fear of God.
In the context of what has been
written I now see that in this passage beyond speaking of the power of the fear
of God is Paul acknowledging that the Corinthians came into great repentance
and at the very least lifted the wrath and judgments of God from their church
and there is a strong possibility that “many” in this church due to this prayer
repentance and entering into sanctification were able to enter into the
conversion experience of the Apostles. This will have to be prayed upon and
meditated on more to draw a conclusive answer but regardless this passage
refers directly to the charges and problems Paul laid out to the church at
Corinth in 1 Corinthians.. And by Paul’s exuberant words we can say that no
small thing was accomplished with their prayers, deep repentance and
sanctification.
2 Corinthians 7:9-11 Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but (I do greatly rejoice) that ye sorrowed to repentance.
For ye were made sorry after a Godly manner, that ye might receive damage by
us in nothing. 10For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be
repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. 11For behold (in) this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort,
what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what
indignation, yea, what fear yea, what vehement desire, yea, what
zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things, ye have approved yourselves to be clear
in this matter.
Look at this Paul is speaking about a prolonged period of repentance. A Godly sorrow, a Godly repentance – This period of repentance that was accomplished over weeks if not months accomplished great things in these people’s lives.
1) WHAT CAREFULNESS IT WROUGHT IN YOU.
I have seen growing among the
people of God a haughtiness, and a lightness, concerning the Lord and the
things of God. Today many things that are said in “jest” in meetings by
parishioners and preachers alike --
none dare spoke in the early 70’s. Everything today is laced with levity. We
joke of salvation, we joke of heaven, We joke of scripture, we joke of Christ
and the Father, and we joke of the Holy Ghost. The first symptoms of this was
carnal believers seeking to justify their worldly lifestyle by saying: I think
God has a sense of humor; therefore I can mock God, and the things of God, and
I can mock that which is Holy and treat it with contempt and scorn.
2) WHAT CLEARING OF YOURSELVES IT WROUGHT IN YOU,
Not too long ago, 100 years ago to
be more precise the fundamentalist church taught what they called “The Second
Definite work of Grace.” The first definite work being salvation, and the
second was called sanctification. So that after one repented and came to Christ
one would over time discover a lack and then they would begin to seek God with
great earnest, spending weeks if not months repenting and seeking inner
cleansing and then when this event would occur in the life of an individual no
one needed to say they had been touched by God, it was manifest to all around
them. The sad fact is that the salvation that is preached today does not clear
anyone of anything. The church is filled with believers that do every sin known
to man. Christ is put to an open shame every day of the week by preachers and
parishioners alike.
3) WHAT FEAR IT WROUGHT IN YOU
Paul is praising these believers
that through this prolonged repentance, and prolonged crying out to God for
forgiveness, for cleansing, for sanctification that a substantial change was
wrought in their beings. Paul is saying that though this repentance that the fear of God was awakened
in them. And Paul is really excited about this change of the addition of the
fear of God in their lives.