Podcasts about Balaam

1 Timothy 6 says that servants must honourably bare the responsibility of faithful service. The chapter next sounds a warning against false teachers and this is followed by one of the greatest, and possibly the hardest, lesson to learn – ie that godliness with contentment is the greatest profit a believer can have in life. We can take nothing with us when we die. All that is important is the legacy that the Almighty sees – a life of devotion to Him and service to others – a life rich in good works. To pursue any other course is a guarantee of frustration and sorrow (just as Balaam found out). Verse 10 tells us, “the love of money” (Greek “philaguros” – literally “lover of silver” which has in Greek the numeric value of 666) is ‘a root of all kinds of evil'. In verses 11-16 Timothy (and each believer) is urged to fight the fight of faith following the example of the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave a faithful witness before Pontius Pilate – costing our Lord Jesus his life. Jesus will, on his return to earth, set up the glorious kingdom of God demonstrating the power and honour of the King Invisible (God the Almighty Father) and the benefits that will come to those who live life by this guide. The letter concludes with a reminder to safeguard the deposit which had been committed to Timothy and a charge to the rich to avoid pride. The rich are counselled to use their God given resources to benefit others (the lesson being based on the life of Hezekiah cp2 Kings 20 verses 12-16). Let us learn godliness with contentment; richness in faith and loving works to others – pause and ponder.

Gloom and Glory | Isaiah 3:1-4:6 | Pastor Derek Balaam by GraceChurchNJ

The Time Is Late (2) (audio) David Eells 5/18/25   The Warnings Have Ended Michael Boldea Jr. - 08/14/2006 (David's notes in red) Rom.13:11-12 And this, knowing the season, that already it is time for you to awake out of sleep: for now is salvation nearer to us than when we first believed. 12 The night is far spent, and the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. My heart is heavy, my soul is burdened, and as so many who have been called, anointed, and charged to preach a message of warning and repentance to this nation, I am a weary man. Though the time is upon us, though undeniable events continue to come to pass, still most of Christendom suffers from a severe case of abject indifference. I often feel as though I am a man standing outside a building engulfed in flames, screaming at the top of my lungs for those inside to come out, to save themselves, to escape the fire, while all the while, those inside stand by the windows and wave merrily, coffee in one hand, donut in the other, unaware of the tragedy that is about the befall them. Seeing that they will not heed the warning, the only option left is to run into the burning building and drag as many out, by force if need be, and lead them to safety. This is the mindset that I have adopted over the years. Since early youth, when I served as my grandfather's translator, I realized that some would hear and heed, but most would not. There is no doubt God has been merciful to this nation, first having raised up men from within your own borders to speak a heavy but needed truth, men who were promptly dismissed or ridiculed as being instigators, those who would enjoy stirring up provocation, simply for the sake of being provocative. Though the message fell, in large part, on deaf ears, they labored, and wept, and labored some more, for it was their calling, their mission, their sovereign duty toward an omnipotent God, one they could not as readily dismiss, as the message itself had been by the masses. Then, in His infinite mercy, God called on faithful servants from half a world away, and placed the same message in their hearts, in some cases almost identical, and sent them in the hope that perhaps the nation might heed the message if spoken from new lips. These too, were promptly rejected, either for being too harsh, not having the right credentials, or not having graduated from a proper theological seminary. We have found a reason, and an excuse to reject every messenger that has come, that has spoken, and that has warned. In their hearts, some consider, that surely God is merciful enough to send yet another messenger, to give yet another warning, as though they were waiting for a bus, they think to themselves, “I'll catch the next one, I'll believe next one”, but I say to you this day, the warnings have ended. (Certainly, after this warning was given many lost their lives to foolishness that scripture surely corrected. Since history repeats when men take no heed this revelation is still true today.) To be clear in what I am trying to relay, for this is the core reason I write this article today, I will repeat myself: the warnings have ended. No new messengers are waiting in the wings, no new warnings are coming, but merely the visions and forewarnings of the specific judgments that are about to unfold. These words are not my own, and I write them with a heavy heart, but on three separate occasions while in prayer, I heard the same phrase repeated, over and over again: “The warnings have ended, the warnings have ended.” The time has come for the true servants of God to weep between the porch and the altar, to lament and cry out, to stand in the gap and be fearless for righteousness' sake. If you must stand alone, dear brother, then so stand, for you will be in good company, counted among such giants of the faith as Elijah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. They too stood alone in the face of overwhelming odds, with only the truth of God's Word on their side, but the truth proved to be more than enough. So I say this day, to you whom God has been urging to step up, to take up the charge, to be on the front lines of the battle that is raging, be fearless in unmasking deception, and propagating righteousness, for you are on the side of right. If our desire were to spread a false gospel, to deceive the sheep, to bring division to the house of God, then there would be reason for fear, for God Himself would be set against us, but since He stands with you, since He is the one urging you into battle, be bold, and brave and confident in Him and you will always be the majority. Recently I was rereading Foxe's Book of Martyrs, and weeping, and I thought to myself, where have all the valiant defenders of truth gone, those that even in the face of death would proclaim the name of Christ, and pour out their lives to their final breath for His sake, with a smile on their lips? Is their time past? Surely it cannot be, for this is the greatest time in the history of the Church, the time in which God needs warriors, faithful and true, fearless and uncompromising, to do battle against the forces of darkness. No, the time for the valiant, faithful soldier has not passed, but rather, many of those who have been called to this service are quick to bow out, finding either excuse or justification for their unwillingness to do battle. The time has come to blow the trumpet, while time still remains, for it is quickly running out, and the sheep that slumber are too many to number. It is incumbent upon all servants of righteousness to proclaim truth and defend it, if need be, with their very lives. Jude 20-23 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And on some have compassion, making a distinction; but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.     Removing Stumbling Blocks to the Kingdom Deborah Horton - 08/06/2013 (David's notes in red) In a dream, a small group of people, maybe 30-50, including myself, were walking up a mountain (seeking the Kingdom of God; Mount Zion). Some were ahead of the main group and about the same number were trailing at the rear. It was a stretched-out grouping. Now even though we were walking up a mountain, somehow the road was perfectly level (because straightened the way that leads to life), but the effort needed to walk was as if we were climbing. (We climb against the gravity and magnetism of the world and our flesh.) The road was also completely straight. David wasn't in the group but was encouraging us onward. He was also the only one who could (or was allowed to) go both up and down the entire mountain, which He did with ease many times. In a vision within the dream itself, I saw that sometimes he was with us and sometimes he was at the top of the mountain or possibly below us. (As we have seen in other revelations, the Davids will be on top of Zion in the presence of the Lord and they will be with the righteous on their journey up the mountain of God's Kingdom. They will do those things that they have seen of the Father.) Next, I was in an enclosed space of some kind off to the side of the road, but I can't call it a room. The lighting was subdued. David and a handful of other people were there. A Siamese cat was limping on its left front leg, as it was facing me, making this its right front leg, and I asked David if that was alright because I was concerned. He said, “Yes, it's supposed to be like that”. (Siamese cats seem to be some of the meanest cats out there. They represent rebellion and self-will. We know who this person is, but also this represents many. Their limping is by the hand of God. “Yes, it's supposed to be like that”. The limping right leg represents their inability to walk with God.) Then David somehow, I can't remember if he just lifted it up or there was a ladder or whatever, but it was a project for him to put the cat on the back of a horse, which is what David was there to do, allowing us to keep on walking up the mountain. (“It's supposed to be” that rebels are turned over to the strength of their own rebellious, beastly, flesh so that the rest may see this and continue to enter the Kingdom. There's an old saying that “Getting on a high horse” means being very prideful and arrogant, lifting yourself up in your own strength to be a stumbling block to others. One of the greatest signs that we are in the end times is that Jesus said to let the tares and the wheat grow together until the harvest, and He has been and continues to separate them by turning them over to demons. Mat.13:37 And he answered and said, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; 38 and the field is the world; and the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil [one]; 39 and the enemy that sowed them is the devil: and the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are angels. 40 As therefore the tares are gathered up and burned with fire; so shall it be in the end of the world. 41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that cause stumbling, and them that do iniquity, 42 and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. 43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He that hath ears, let him hear. (As to those who are stumbling blocks to others trying to enter the Kingdom, we hear of Jesus: Luk.11:52 Woe unto you lawyers! for ye took away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered. 13:24 Strive to enter in by the narrow door: for many, I say unto you, shall seek to enter in, and shall not be able. 18:17 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall in no wise enter therein.) End of dream. Siamese cats were specially bred in Tibet (Far East; the sun rises in the East) to be guardians of the temple treasures. They were cross-eyed (probably due to bad breeding or the product of a bad seed but they say it is) to scare off demons. They were big, too, and weighed approximately 25 pounds and had blue eyes. The monks (demon-possessed, foreign to the kingdom, religious leaders) trained them so that they would attack anyone who touched the gold, etc., that was in the temple. (In the natural, these people cannot be trusted with the temple gold, for they are thieves and take possession of what is not theirs, like Judas. On the spiritual side, anyone who possesses the spiritual attribute of gold in the temple of Jesus Christ will be attacked by the rebels and Pharisees.) Visitors could walk through and look at all the stuff, but if they touched anything, the cats would jump on their heads and blind them. (The rebels are out to blind anyone who goes for the spiritual gold.) I asked for a verse for the dream and received Act.2:36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know assuredly, that God hath made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom ye crucified. (They crucified the Man-child, who then ruled over them, just as it will be.)   Harvest Awaits While Laborers Play Debbi Rennier - 07/23/2006 (David's notes in red) Mat.9:36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion for them, because they were distressed and scattered, as sheep not having a shepherd. 37 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest indeed is plenteous, but the laborers are few. 38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he send forth laborers into his harvest. Over the last three nights, the Lord has given me the following dream: I saw the most beautiful, golden wheat field gently rippling in the breeze. This field was of gigantic proportions, as large as California and Texas combined. I seemed to be floating just above the field, and as I gazed downwards, I saw hands reaching up out of the wheat field. The hands were of all sizes and colors. They seemed to be trying to reach or grasp for something or someone. I then saw a few people, perhaps a half a dozen or so, go into the field and start to help those whose hands I saw grasping. Those whom they helped in the field also began helping others. This scene was really heartbreaking as there were so many who reached up and so few to help. Many more were missed and overlooked than were saved. I then looked at the edges of the enormous field and saw much frantic activity. Construction workers were busily building large churches and big houses. I saw businesspeople rushing to work and car dealerships selling expensive cars. They were all totally oblivious to the tragic scene in the wheat field. They rushed about as if nothing was wrong. I then woke up. The Lord led me to the 10th chapter of Hosea. Then HE spoke: “People keep building and laying up treasures here on earth. They will be destroyed. Seek that which is lost. Do not waste your time on the foolish things that will perish...”   Liquidate Luxuries S.L. - 02/27/2015 (David's notes in red) In this dream, I am driving a horse and carriage. (Representing the old scriptural ways.) The kind that you would see in New York Central Park. I see many people. I am driving around this narrow course that they have cordoned off. As I go, I'm stopping and picking up people and they ride for a while, and then they get off, and more people get on. (Many have ‘gotten off' “the narrow course” because of disobedience to the Scriptures, or falling into faction, and others have come to take their place.) Sometimes there are obstacles in the way that I have to avoid. But I can't veer off. I have to be very careful to stay on this path. The whole area is like a very large and busy city block. (Temptations to get off the narrow road.) Then the scene changes, and I am in a very large restaurant. It is very crowded and there are many tables with people eating and drinking. (I asked about the restaurant and at random got Psa.49:6 They that trust in their wealth, And boast themselves in the multitude of their riches.) (Large ministry serving unspiritual food.) I am sitting at a small table with a few friends, and a sister in Christ. Then I got up in search of a restroom. When I found the ladies' restroom, I noticed that it was very crowded. (Getting rid of waste from lives.) All of the women crowding around it are very financially wealthy, wearing richly made dresses and hats, and the restroom itself looks to be made of marble. It is too crowded to get in. (Many are getting rid of the luxuries of life, which is a weight and distraction.) My sister and I both had the same idea that we needed to find another restroom, so we left there and found one a few blocks away. This restroom is much humbler and one that not many people know about. (Some have already cast out the luxuries that slow our progress.) So, we are moving down the street pretty quickly. (Meaning, able to progress quickly without the distractions. We must get light and ready to move into the wilderness through liquidation.) I noticed that our pace had increased and we are both taking long strides. We come to what looks like the outskirts of town. I see a hill (a higher place in God) with several red brick apartment buildings on top. (Apartments are congregations of God's people built together into a holy temple in the Lord.) Closer towards us, I see there is an area that is being graded by a bulldozer. (What comes to mind is “earth mover”.) They are preparing the area for more buildings. (Dirt or flesh must be conformed in order to build the Kingdom.) I looked over just opposite this hill, and there's another hill, and on top of it, I saw white horses and white chariots. The horses have riders. They are milling about and exercising the horses. (This is Jesus in the Man-child ministries who are ready to begin the tribulation.) Next, my attention is drawn back to the bulldozer. It suddenly whirls around and moves out of the area very fast! I mean, like someone punched the fast-forward button. (The foundation is prepared; people must get out of the way for the building to start. This means the people who make up the buildings are coming.) We both follow him, going very fast. Now, keep in mind we are still on foot, but now it's like we are in racecars. We are going around curves, and I am trying to slow down. I hear the other sister who's with me say, “This is very scary”. Finally, we managed to slow down and stop. (There is much business that does not promote spirituality) Then I woke up. While meditating on this dream, the Lord brought this scripture to mind: Mat.24:37 And as were the days of Noah, so shall be the coming of the Son of man. 38 For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, 39 and they knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall be the coming of the Son of man. 40 Then shall two men be in the field; one is taken, and one is left: 41 two women shall be grinding at the mill; one is taken, and one is left. 42 Watch therefore: for ye know not on what day your Lord cometh. 43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what watch the thief was coming, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken through. 44 Therefore be ye also ready; for in an hour that ye think not the Son of man cometh. I also asked the Lord for another word concerning this dream, at random, and my finger came down on Amo.4:4 Come to Beth-el, and transgress; to Gilgal, and multiply transgression; and bring your sacrifices every morning, and your tithes every three days; 5 and offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving of that which is leavened, and proclaim freewill-offerings and publish them: for this pleaseth you, O ye children of Israel, saith the Lord Jehovah. 6 And I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and want of bread in all your places; yet have ye not returned unto me, saith Jehovah. 7 And I also have withholden the rain from you, when there were yet three months to the harvest; and I caused it to rain upon one city, and caused it not to rain upon another city: one piece was rained upon, and the piece whereupon it rained not withered. 8 So two or three cities wandered unto one city to drink water, and were not satisfied: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith Jehovah. 9 I have smitten you with blasting and mildew: the multitude of your gardens and your vineyards and your fig-trees and your olive-trees hath the palmer-worm devoured (A curse on the distractions): yet have ye not returned unto me, saith Jehovah. 10 I have sent among you the pestilence after the manner of Egypt: your young men have I slain with the sword, and have carried away your horses; and I have made the stench of your camp to come up even into your nostrils: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith Jehovah. 11 I have overthrown cities among you, as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and ye were as a brand plucked out of the burning: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith Jehovah. (Stop, repent, seek God) 12 Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel; and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.     Wait for the Director K.H.- 10/23/2011 (David's notes in red) The dream began with me walking to my seat in a band hall. As soon as I reached my seat, I was asked by a girl to bring some papers up front to the band director's desk, so that's what I did. As I turned around, I saw a couple of young girls come through the back door of the hall, giggling and sitting in the back row of chairs. Then, I went back to my seat. I began to warm up playing the flute, and after I was done warming up, I sat looking around the room. A few minutes later, more than half of the people began to play their instruments. The sound was deafening! There was so much discord because they were playing without the band director. (Instead of being in “one accord”, the whole group was in discord. Rom.15:5 Now the God of patience and of comfort grant you to be of the same mind one with another according to Christ Jesus: 6 that with one accord ye may with one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.)(The discord in Christianity because of denominationalism weakens us.) A small group of us, including me, remained ready to play but waiting for direction. (Listening and waiting on direction from God is the key to walking as He walked. Isa.30:21 thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it; when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.) I then realized that the band director wasn't there yet, and I was perplexed at why there were so many doing their own thing and not realizing that the band director was not there. A young man stood up and said, “Wait!” A few more people stopped playing and began to wait. (Some Christians are easily distracted and do things without waiting on the Lord.) I was grieved that some were still playing with complete disregard for what the man said. (Many Christians are not paying attention to what is going on around them and what the Lord is speaking to them.) Then, I woke up. (Saul did not wait for Samuel to sacrifice and bring the Word of the Lord and it cost him his kingdom. David waited for the sign in the mulberry trees and conquered his enemies.) The Lord impressed in my heart how important it is to seek His face, His direction, His truth, and walk in the steps He has ordered for me. Listening to the voice of the Lord is so important, especially in the days ahead. The world is getting darker and darker; the only way to be able to see clearly is through the Lord's eyes. Psa.27:14 Wait for Jehovah: Be strong, And let thy heart take courage; Yea, wait thou for Jehovah. Lam.3:26 It is good that a man should hope and quietly wait for the salvation of Jehovah. Mic.7:7 But as for me, I will look unto Jehovah; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me. Then I thought of Php.2:1-4 If there is therefore any exhortation in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any tender mercies and compassions, 2 make full my joy, that ye be of the same mind, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind; 3 doing nothing through faction or through vainglory, but in lowliness of mind each counting other better than himself; 4 not looking each of you to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others. The majority of the body of Christ is in much discord right now. The Lord reminded me of this passage in 1 Corinthians 12:12-26 about the body and how we all need one another. 1Co 12:12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of the body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ. 13 For in one Spirit were we all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free; and were all made to drink of one Spirit. 14 For the body is not one member, but many. 15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; it is not therefore not of the body. 16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; it is not therefore not of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? 18 But now hath God set the members each one of them in the body, even as it pleased him. 19 And if they were all one member, where were the body? 20 But now they are many members, but one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of thee: or again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. 22 Nay, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be more feeble are necessary: 23 and those parts of the body, which we think to be less honorable, upon these we bestow more abundant honor; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness; 24 whereas our comely parts have no need: but God tempered the body together, giving more abundant honor to that part which lacked; 25 that there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. 26 And whether one member suffereth, all the members suffer with it; or one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.   Covert Attack on Christians and Jews B.A. - 04/20/2015 (David's notes in red) I dreamed that I was in the Spirit and I was in a secret meeting room in the basement of the White House. There was a group of people sitting around a table, and each of them had an outline of a plan they were discussing concerning Christians and Jews. The only thing I was allowed to remember was that when a particular part of this plan/agenda is revealed, it will create a great uproar with apostate Christianity. (The recent leftist administrations raised up ISIS who rampaged through the middle east to kill Christians and Jews. Since the conservatives were behind President Trump to execute the lawless leftists, they are looking for their chance to strike back. The new age in their seances are talking to aliens who are masquerading demons that hate Christians. You see we have the perfect foundation to bring the mark of the beast to exterminate Christians who will break that law. Jesus said we would be hated of all nations for His name sake. As a result, many apostates will give in to their flesh and fight against the Beast and will lose, in a repetition of history. Dumitru Duduman received of the Lord that the communists in this country would start a civil war.) I asked the Lord for a verse concerning this dream and I received: Psa.112:7 He shall not be afraid of evil tidings; His heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord. Pro.1:7 The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of knowledge; But the foolish despise wisdom and instruction. According to the Lord, history always repeats: Ecc.1:9 That which hath been is that which shall be; and that which hath been done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. 10 Is there a thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been long ago, in the ages which were before us. Whenever God's people have turned from His Word to their own religious, self-seeking ways, He has always sent conquerors to bring them to their cross. From the lesser kingdoms around Israel to the world-ruling kingdoms of Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Media-Persia, Greece, Rome and the coming Dragon kingdom made up of the seed of all of the above seven heads, they all conquered God's people when they went astray from the Word. To a large extent, Christianity has become a harlot that must be crucified of evil and evil people. God has ordained and raised up Governmental Administrations to do this necessary work of returning His people to the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom. When I read this dream, this verse was spoken to me concerning it: Eze.21:31 And I will pour out mine indignation upon thee; I will blow upon thee with the fire of my wrath; and I will deliver thee into the hand of brutish men, skilful to destroy. This scripture is in the midst of many pages of judgment spoken against God's apostate people. God departs from all of this for a moment to address Ammon here, warning that brutish men would destroy them. It appears that this text is out of context until you see that Ammon means “My people”. They are sons of Lot through Ben-Ammi, which means “Son of My people”. Lot was called a righteous man, but his children became enemies of God's people, just like there are enemies among Christians who claim to be Christian today. In like manner, Abraham had seed who became enemies of God's people. The Harlot is that enemy in our midst who claims Christianity but does not follow God's Word, which is His only true seed. Lot had two daughters who represented God's people. On one level, the older daughter represents His Old Covenant people, whose offspring were called Moab, and the younger daughter represents His New Covenant people, whose offspring were called Ammon. These two daughters had what in the letter would be called an incestuous relationship with their father, Lot, although he knew it not. However, in the spirit of the Word, a different story is told. The relationship of these two daughters to their father was exactly like the relationship of Israel and the Church to their Father. Her Father was also her Husband. The Lord's Bride is also His children. Mother and child were born of the same Father. If you question Jesus being a spiritual Father, remember Isa.9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given (Jesus); and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. “Everlasting Father” can also be translated as “Father of eternity”. 7 Of the increase of his government and of peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of Jehovah of hosts will perform this. Jesus was the Sower who sowed His seed in our hearts, which brings forth His fruit in us. He is the Father of our eternal lives. Paul also called himself a father because he sowed the seed of the Word, which is Jesus' seed in the parable of the Sower in Matthew 13. 1Co.4:15 For though ye have ten thousand tutors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I begat you through the gospel. In two parables Jesus is our husband and our spiritual Father and we are all sons of The Father. Brutish men will bring the apostate Church to the cross but even then, some will not repent and will die in their sins, denying their Lord.   Hidden Manna: Urgent Call to the Apostate Church Deborah Horton - 10/07/2007 (Jan Albayalde | David ) In the dream, the first image I remember is several people coming to greet other people. Of two ladies who were coming my way, the one whom I thought I was supposed to greet stopped in front of someone else and they hugged, so the other lady came toward me and I thought, “Were we supposed to hug?” because it didn't seem like what we were supposed to do and she wasn't the person I thought was supposed to be for me to “greet” (or receive). This young woman was very elegantly and understatedly dressed. (In God's eyes, there are only two women -- the True Church and the Laodicean or harlot Church of Babylon.) (Jan went on to speak of all the scandals in the Church that turned people off.) I remember being surprised by that, too. All I remember was that she had on a very expensive beigey-colored sweater with darker minkish-colored cuffs, and it was stunning. But as I looked at the sweater, my eyes were drawn to a button (like a political button) that was on her left front side. It was white and in solid, thick black writing, there was the number “11”. As I focused on the button, it ended. (You were impressed by her beauty and wealth. The “11” on the woman could represent the coming destruction or persecution of the rich Laodicean church.) (Also the prosperity movement is clearly seen by the beast as a fleecing of the ignorant sheep. Also the political button could be speaking of the apostates being overly political rather than representing the Lord to ALL men.) Then I found myself reading the outside of a very thick, hardbound book. Apparently, I'd been reading for a while because I was coming to the end of a long, single-spaced list on the right-hand side of the cover. Each item in the list was just a short phrase (no more than four words) of some sort. They all must have been mundane, normal stuff, because none of them were outstanding. Then I got to the end, and I was stopped cold. The last three items in the list were “survival”, “hunger” and “fear”. Anything I remembered up to that point from the list was knocked out of my mind by those three words. Then I woke up. I almost never ever dream about anything with numbers. (I had the same thought as you -- that this is Hidden Manna that you have “been reading for a while.” You have read it so many times it's become “mundane” and that is why you were brought up cold, taken by surprise, by the last three words because the Lord was impressing you that this is His survival guide to the Laodicean Church; a call to overcome because hunger and fear are truly at the door. What is Hidden Manna? A guide to survive the coming persecution of the apostate church. If this is a dream from the Lord, maybe the Lord is saying the hour is late, persecution, the number “11” is coming to the apostate church and the Lord is encouraging the progression of the book into people's hands; hunger and fear are at the door, and they certainly are. You were to greet (receive) the wealthy, beautiful woman because she is the one who needs the survival manual -- you've been thinking Hidden Manna is for the True Church, those already right with God, hence your surprise.) It is then time to impart this labor of love (or a hug) to the apostate church to prepare them for “survival”, “hunger” and “fear”. The number 11 could indeed be a political button. The apostate church has been pushing politically as never before to press retaliation for the 9/11 loss of life issue. There could also be another “9/11” attack by the DS.   Plundering Egypt Jacob Patek - 09/01/2012 (David's notes in red) The dream has two parts. It started with a group of UBM brothers and I all walking together across a university campus (Which the Lord is giving us.) at what I would say was 12 noon, as the sun was directly overhead (noon being the time of day when the sun is at its highest and casting no shadow -- Jesus directly above our heads). (High noon was a 1952 Western American film: the time for a showdown with the enemy when victory was won back from them.) We were walking into what seemed like a bank and our thoughts were, we are going to take back all that the enemy has taken from us. (NESARA/GESARA is doing this in the natural realm. Also, Satan has plundered the people of God of their rightful and legal heritage. God has already put in our account every need, according to His riches. Phi.4:19 And my God shall supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.) As we walked in, there were two women sitting at the front desk. We simply told them we were here for all of our money. It ended up amounting to five million dollars. (5 is the number of grace, which has met all of our needs.) (When I first woke up, I thought we had robbed the bank, but as I meditated on the dream and the Word, I felt the money was already deposited into our accounts and we were making a withdrawal. [Our money will be in our QFS account]) As we withdrew the money, one of the secretaries sitting at the front desk called someone. (The Lord will provide all of our financial needs to build His Kingdom. The DS is being plundered and President Trump/Cyrus has recovered all the gold. We all have a QFS account and the money will be there, and the NESARA/GESARA is about to go into effect.) At this point in my dream, I could see she was talking to a man whose head was shaven (meaning he had no submission to God). He was very irate and filthy, and from the looks of it, a very strong man. (Jesus has plundered the strong man of his goods in this world and given them to us and we are to divide the spoils of the god of this world. Luk.11:20 But if I by the finger of God cast out demons, then is the kingdom of God come upon you. 21 When the strong [man] fully armed guardeth his own court, his goods are in peace: 22 but when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him (as Jesus did), he taketh from him his whole armor wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils. 23 He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth. If you are not chasing demons, you are running from them. Claim what is yours as sons of the living God. Plunder Egypt with your faith! Didn't He say in Mar.11:24 Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.???) The strong man said, “Don't they know who I am, and why don't they respect my authority? I am the leader of the most powerful gang”. (No, we don't respect his authority because it is no longer his; it is ours: Luk.10:19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall in any wise hurt you. Let us plunder his world.) This is when we all walked out of the bank and back across the campus. (This is the first of three university campuses the Lord is giving to the Man-child ministries to teach in.) Next, we stopped at a deli shop and ordered only a loaf of bread and sat down to eat (possibly meaning that we are partaking of the body of Christ and having fellowship one with another in the Spirit). End of the first part of this dream. The second part of my dream had only me and two other brothers in it. It started with two of us walking to the gas station. As we were walking, I was telling him that this was the gas station I used to walk to when I was a child. (In my dream, I told him of a story involving this gas station that actually happened when I was a child around the age of seven). I proceeded to tell him that when I was younger, I walked to this gas station with some of the neighborhood kids, and while we were getting our soft drinks, one of the kids stole a package of baseball cards. I asked him why he did that and if he knew that was wrong. His reply was, “It's only a pack of baseball cards”. (With the desperate economic situation about to hit our world, the immature in Christ will be tempted to steal and justify it in their minds. But God has a better answer in this dream. Live by faith!) As we approached the gas station, we saw an elderly woman restocking a newspaper stand. The brother wanted to buy the day's newspaper and was holding some money to pay for it. He asked the woman how much it was, and she replied, “I don't know”. We started searching for some sort of price tag and found a couple, but the prices were outrageous, somewhere in the range of $90. Then he said, “It's usually $3.49, but it used to be only 50 cents”. (In the natural and in the tribulation, inflation will to go through the roof and we will need to know the principles of our supernatural provision above to escape this.) We ended up not getting the newspaper. (Filling our minds with the bad news is costly to our lives. Better to refuse it and accept the Good News in the first part of the dream.) End of dream.   Antichrist School System Diana McIlroy - 11/21/2009 (Rex Veron's notes in red) Mat.19:14 But Jesus said, Suffer the little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for to such belongeth the kingdom of heaven. Joh.12:23 And Jesus answereth them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. 24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a grain of wheat fall into the earth and die, it abideth by itself alone; but if it die, it beareth much fruit. 1st Dream: Shane came home from school with a seed to plant. (Coming home with the seed [teaching] to plant in the midst of the home. Seeds bear fruit of a specific kind; error cannot birth truth, nor truth produce error. A mixture is still error. When Achan took the spoils of the people from Ai, he took that which he was commanded not to take. Not only did he take it but he hid it in the midst of his tent [his heart] among his family [Joshua 7]. We are commanded to “touch not the unclean thing” (Isa.52:11). What better way to propagate error than to start with the children in school? This is also true of the spiritual school, the Church.) We planted it outside and when it grew, it grew all over the farm property -- garden, fields, pastures. (A little leaven leavens the whole lump. 1Cor.5:6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Satan can use the school system to take over the world with his leaven.) It wasn't a bad plant to look at, but it was useless. We couldn't eat it and the animals couldn't eat it either, but it overgrew the existing crops that we could've eaten. What appeared good had no power to give life. 2Tim.3:5 holding a form of godliness, but having denied the power thereof: from these also turn away. Joh.6:63 It is the spirit that giveth life; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I have spoken unto you are spirit, are life. Mat.5:13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost its savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under foot of men. The goal is obvious to look like the church and to talk like the church but to be full of antichrist. Antichrist is not necessarily recognizable; deception is the plan. The plant looked harmless. 2nd Dream: I went to class with Claire. The class was being taught by Oprah Winfrey. (A type of the New Age teaching through the Jezebel spirit that is invading the schools -- physical and spiritual. 2Pet.2:1 But there arose false prophets also among the people, as among you also there shall be false teachers, who shall privily bring in destructive heresies, denying even the Master that bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many shall follow their lascivious doings; by reason of whom the way of the truth shall be evil spoken of. 3 And in covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose sentence now from of old lingereth not, and their destruction slumbereth not.) She proceeds to say, “Now we will watch the video.” The video showed a big animal that you could see through. Behind the bones of the rib cage, there were two children (so basically they were trapped in the belly of the beast). (Nothing is ever mentioned about the children being in “fear”. They are lulled into acceptance of the world beast's methods and belief systems.) Next in the video, they are saying to the kids that they shouldn't listen to their mother. (Antichrist schools are going far beyond their traditional educational role to impose their politics and spiritual understanding on the young minds. This is the seed that invades the house to bring division between the parents. And we have seen this escalate in these days, how they've let in LGBTQ+ and their sick sexual perversion, with transgenders teaching in the schools, purposefully confusing children about their sexuality and telling them to keep their “transgender identity” secret from their parents, and many other lies. The Trump administration has been making many changes to the U.S. Department of Education and cleaning it up.) Luk 12:52-53 for there shall be from henceforth five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. 53 They shall be divided, father against son, and son against father; mother against daughter, and daughter against her mother; mother in law against her daughter in law, and daughter in law against her mother in law. The DS has thrived on division because of their factious spirit. Father also is dividing His called from among this world. 2Pet 2:15 forsaking the right way, they went astray, having followed the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the hire of wrong-doing; 16 but he was rebuked for his own transgression: a dumb ass spake with man's voice and stayed the madness of the prophet. 17 These are springs without water, and mists driven by a storm; for whom the blackness of darkness hath been reserved. 18 For, uttering great swelling words of vanity, they entice in the lusts of the flesh, by lasciviousness, those who are just escaping from them that live in error; (the children) 19 promising them liberty, while they themselves are bondservants of corruption; for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he also brought into bondage.) In the video, the two kids inside start reaching through the bones and beating their mother with a stick. 2Ti.3:1-4 But know this, that in the last days grievous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, railers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 without natural affection, implacable, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, no lovers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, puffed up, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. Then the video says, “especially if she is a believer” -- then the two kids start stabbing her. So, then I get up and say, “That's it, we're out of here!” They would let me leave, but not allow my children to come with me. It seemed pretty clear that God was saying to get them out of the traditional school system. So we did. (This is true of the literal and spiritual school systems. This is a warning of that which is already here, regarding the apostate church and leadership. Children generally idolize their teachers. The use of Oprah is a type because of the idolization of such TV personalities, as well as sports figures. This also points children to the “get rich if you believe it my way” teachings. Like the “give to get”, “God doesn't want you poor and you can have everything you want” leadership in most churches of today. The entertainment industry is also a trap for child trafficking and prostitution.)   Jesus Rebukes Worldly, Patriotic Idolatry G.C.- 5/01/07 (David's notes in red) I dreamt I was walking around in a building. I kept seeing paintings and pictures of Jesus of all kinds. In every room there seemed to be a painting or wall mural of Him. This was upsetting because I do not like all the paintings of Jesus, because I know they are idols and pagan images. Then I walked into a classroom with about 30 other American Christians. I recall that most of them were women. They were in long dresses, wearing bonnets and/or veils. Jesus was in the front of the class by the teacher's desk. His face was fuzzy, and I could not make out his facial features. He was standing there talking to the people, and He was very angry with them. He was so upset with what these people had been doing. He was telling them to repent. One of the things I heard Him say was that He was upset that they were actually embracing George W. Bush as a Christian and exalting him as a good man. He was really upset that they could not discern that he was a wicked man. (We should not idolize any person in government or judge them as a ‘Christian' because we don't see as God does. We should not exalt Donald Trump, as well as many in his administration who proclaim Christianity. Christians want to make America a “Christian” nation, which, as we will see, it is not.) This really bothered Him and He was very wroth because of it. You should have seen the room. The women were weeping and wailing, crying out and begging for mercy. Most of them were on their knees and completely terrified and broken. I remember some other things the Lord said. He threatened a plague on them as well for their evils. I don't know if He was merely threatening them with it or if He said that it was absolute. I'm reminded of these scriptures in Eze 8:7-18 And he brought me to the door of the court; and when I looked, behold, a hole in the wall. 8 Then said he unto me, Son of man, dig now in the wall: and when I had digged in the wall, behold, a door. 9 And he said unto me, Go in, and see the wicked abominations that they do here. 10 So I went in and saw; and behold, every form of creeping things, and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, portrayed upon the wall round about. 11 And there stood before them seventy men of the elders of the house of Israel; and in the midst of them stood Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan, every man with his censer in his hand; and the odor of the cloud of incense went up. 12 Then said he unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen what the elders of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in his chambers of imagery? for they say, Jehovah seeth us not; Jehovah hath forsaken the land. 13 He said also unto me, Thou shalt again see yet other great abominations which they do. 14 Then he brought me to the door of the gate of Jehovah's house which was toward the north; and behold, there sat the women weeping for Tammuz. (The false virgin birthed son of God at Babel) 15 Then said he unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? thou shalt again see yet greater abominations than these. 16 And he brought me into the inner court of Jehovah's house; and behold, at the door of the temple of Jehovah, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of Jehovah, and their faces toward the east; and they were worshipping the sun (Baal, the false god) toward the east. 17 Then he said unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? for they have filled the land with violence, and have turned again to provoke me to anger: and, lo, they put the branch to their nose. (To please the sun god, Nimrod, Baal, false father of Tammuz from Babel, mothered by Semiramis the false virgin.) 18 Therefore will I also deal in wrath; mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity; and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them. The building is the church and the rooms are the different sects. The different images of Jesus represent the different ways they view Jesus -- Who He is and what He does and what He believes, etc.; they are idols and not the true Jesus. They are “another Jesus”, which Paul warned of. The women are the different sects of Christianity who bow down to these idols. Jesus' angry rebuke is a reflection of their need to turn back to the Word and away from their idolatrous religious sects. They are in bed with the beast by confusing the kingdom with worldly government. Their worldly patriotism has caused them to worship one like themselves, a professor but not a possessor of the life and nature of Christ. An honest person only has to read the Sermon on the Mount once to know this. The coming plague represents the coming tribulation, just as the judgments on Egypt were all called plagues. Their grief at Jesus' rebuke for their ignorance of Him and their lack of fruit is similar to these verses in Isaiah: Isa.32:9 Rise up, ye women that are at ease, [and] hear my voice; ye careless daughters, give ear unto my speech. 10 For days beyond a year shall ye be troubled, ye careless women; for the vintage shall fail, the ingathering shall not come. 11 Tremble, ye women that are at ease; be troubled, ye careless ones; strip you, and make you bare, and gird [sackcloth] upon your loins. 12 They shall smite upon the breasts for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine. 13 Upon the land of my people shall come up thorns and briers; yea, upon all the houses of joy in the joyous city. 14 For the palace shall be forsaken; the populous city shall be deserted; the hill and the watch-tower shall be for dens for ever, a joy of wild asses, a pasture of flocks; 15 until the Spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness become a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be esteemed as a forest. 16 Then justice shall dwell in the wilderness; and righteousness shall abide in the fruitful field.   Your House Is Left... Desolate Jarred Smith - 04/04/2008 (David's notes in red) In a dream, I saw a house. There did not appear to be any houses around it and it also seemed that it was elevated on a hill. (The original house of the Lord, His body, the temple.) I was standing, looking at it from a distance of about 30 feet away, so all of the detail of the front of the house was shown. It was beautiful, like a brand-new house that was built. Shiny windows, beautiful doors, new shingles, one-story, no garage and an open dining room with a nice-looking table you could see from the outside. (The Book of Acts Christianity, feeding on the pure unleavened bread of the Word.) THE walkway to the house was new, and the grass was so green you would think they were made of emeralds. (New Life born from above, God's Jewels walking in the WAY of life.) What really set off the grass was the clear and sunny sky above. (There was an open heaven; the SON was not obscured.) There was a sign out front. It was white (holy), newly painted with the words, “WELCOME ALL YE BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST”. (There were no denominational divisions, which Paul said was a work of the flesh; for “all ye are brethren”, as Jesus said: Matthew 23:1-12) In the next scene I was looking into the dining room at the nice table. It was a long table, longer than it was wide; it accommodated many people. These were people in everyday casual clothes. I could not overhear the conversation, but it was joyous with laughing and merrymaking. I could pick up on that they were talking about the things of God, possibly Jesus and all of them shared openly, without any form of a leader there or anyone who was running the show. (This is a beautiful picture of the early church gathering to eat the “Bread of Life” which was given for the sins of the whole world. 1Jn.2:2 and he is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the whole world. Much room to accommodate others. They are dressed casually, not in “church” attire, not in formal clergy outfits or fancy suits. They are joyful with the fruit of the Holy Spirit, and Christ is the Head; no man is running the show as with the Nicolaitan clergy of our day, for the five-fold ministry was used as God's vessel.) I saw this and was about to ask someone there a question about what they were talking about, but all of a sudden, the scene changed again. In the final scene, I was looking at the house from the original point of origin, as in the first scene. This time the house was a total wreck. It seems as if I was transported many years later, and no one was there to take care of the house. There was something different about the house this time. Other than the faded brownish-green yard, the scuffed-up ruined walkway, (the walkway is marred by the “walk” of unclean people) the broken windows, (eyes that cannot see), the dining room table (that was once so beautiful) now a wreck, warped, broken; (Their table is unfit to eat from. Psa.69:22 Let their table before them become a snare; And when they are in peace, [let it become] a trap. 23 Let their eyes be darkened, so that they cannot see; And make their loins continually to shake. 24 Pour out thine indignation upon them, And let the fierceness of thine anger overtake them. 25 Let their habitation be desolate; Let none dwell in their tents. 26 For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten; And they tell of the sorrow of those whom thou hast wounded. 27 Add iniquity unto their iniquity; And let them not come into thy righteousness. 28 Let them be blotted out of the book of life, And not be written with the righteous. Their table is the typical apostate church-service format: a few songs, announcements, offering, sermon; week after week.) the shingles were flapping in the wind and missing here and there; there was the sign out front. I looked at it, and nearly all of the white paint was gone and all that was there was bare wood. (Holiness and purity are gone; bare wood: 2Ti.2:20 Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some unto honor, and some unto dishonor.) Instead of reading, “WELCOME ALL YE BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST,” it read “WELCOME ALL YE CLERGY AND LAITY”. (The kingdom of God usurped by the NICO-“LAITAN” clergy system of hired professional preachers that God says He hates (Rev. 2:7,15). This is a priestly order between the people (laity) and God that Catholicism and later protestants adopted from the Pharisees.) As soon as I read this, my eyes were opened. This house once belonged to one group of people, and that group of people abandoned the house. (Because it was corrupted.) Now the house belonged to another group of people. (The sheep have left the folds of men, the apostate leaders usurped the house just as they did in Jesus' day.) I was thinking all of this in my head when I heard someone say, “This is the house they, (the first church), met in”. (Falsely proclaiming themselves to be the inheritors of the original faith.) I looked up and saw no one, but instead I saw many other signs around the house to try and cover up the broken windows. (Denominationalism dividing up the house, causing more blindness.) Some repair was made to the shingles, but the grass and the walkway remained the same. Also, it seemed as if the sky, once sunny and clear, was now darkened slightly by overcast clouds. (The church world attempts to substitute its patches of programs, money, entertainment, erroneous teachings like the pre-trib rapture, legalistic tithing, “once saved, always saved”, etc., and so the SON was obscured.) A person came up to me from behind and had a sketch pad and a pencil in his hand. He had asked me to sketch out what the original house looked like when I was there. For some strange reason, an artistic ability came over me and I was able to sketch out the house with precise detail, using just a regular pencil. (In these days God is sending reformers who are giving the revelation of what the original house looked like to the modern church. Ezekiel was a type of the Man-child who was caught up to the throne of God. He was commanded to show the original house to the house. Eze 43:10 Thou, son of man, show the house to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities; and let them measure the pattern. 11 And if they be ashamed of all that they have done, make known unto them the form of the house, and the fashion thereof, and the egresses thereof (What is leaving the house), and the entrances (What it is to enter the house) thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the laws thereof; and write it in their sight; that they may keep the whole form thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and do them. 12 This is the law of the house: upon the top of the mountain  (Mount Zion, the Bride) the whole limit (limits of conformity to the Bride) thereof round about shall be most holy. Behold, this is the law of the house. When it came to sketching the sign, I had come to leave it blank. (It is the individual's responsibility to put his name there, to make the original church their church. Jude 3 Beloved, while I was giving all diligence to write unto you of our common salvation, I was constrained to write unto you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered unto the saints. ... Isa.30:20 And though The Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be hidden anymore, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers; 21 and thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it; when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.) Why, I don't know, but I then began to sketch out a little girl standing next to and leaning on the sign. (Reformers are giving the revelation of the innocent, young, primitive Church to the modern church.) Once I was done, I was going to go back to the sign and fill in the letters “WELCOME ALL YE BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST”. My pencil broke, and something compelled me to put it down and look at the sign once more. I lowered the sketch pad, lifted my eyes and behold, the old house was in worse shape than ever before. (Jesus gave the revelation of the true house and they killed Him for they were unregenerate. All will not be welcome in the original house, only those who come out from among them. Rev.18:2 And he cried with a mighty voice, saying, Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, and is become a habitation of demons, and a hold of every unclean spirit, and a hold of every unclean and hateful bird. 3 For by the wine of the wrath of her fornication all the nations are fallen; and the kings of the earth committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth waxed rich by the power of her wantonness. This time, the sky was almost dark, and a haunting feeling rushed over me as if this were a haunted house. (The great falling away in tribulation of the demon-haunted house of death. Fallen, fallen is Babylon…) There was a mighty wind blowing that seemed to knock me off my feet (tribulation). This time, the house was showing some of the walls busted out, with the studs showing in some places. The grass was no longer there. There was nothing but dirt. (The house of fleshly corruption.) The walkway was torn to bits. There was hardly any trace of it. (“The Way” has been corrupted.) The signs in the windows that the second group had put up were all busted, revealing once again the broken windows. (The denominations joining together as the one-world harlot) The dining room had no table this time for it had deteriorated due to termites or something. (Table of corrupt spiritual food.) The roof was caved in on one side. Overall, the house had been deserted for some time, even after the second group left. I looked at the sign out front. This time the words “WELCOME ALL YE CLERGY AND LAITY” were scratched out to the point you could not even read them. Underneath this was written in big bold letters, in what looked like human blood dripping from them: “TOO LATE”. (Rev.18:24 And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all that have been slain upon the earth.) Those who do not forsake the corrupt house will be ruled by the wolves and will be reprobated and condemned to be destroyed by the beast of the world. Rev.17:15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the harlot sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. 16 And the ten horns which thou sawest, and the beast, these shall hate the harlot, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and shall burn her utterly with fire. 17 For God did put in their hearts to do his mind, and to come to one mind, and to give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God should be accomplished.) I looked at my sketch to see what was going on. The sketch looked like the house I was looking at right now; something had caused my original sketch of the original house to change to what my eyes were seeing before me now. (Given the truth, they turned it into a lie.) I saw the little girl standing next to the sign. The sign read “TOO LATE” in the sketch as well. The little girl's eyes had been darkened out. They were so dark. (Instead of the innocent girl of the primitive Church, there's an immature girl full of hate. 1Jn.2:11 But he that hateth his brother is in the darkness, and walketh in the darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because the darkness hath blinded his eyes.) I looked into those eyes and then heard a beastly, deep roar coming from in the midst. I looked up to see what it was and then I woke up... (The source of her hatred is the Satan-ruled beast that has invaded her. Mat.23:38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. But the saints shall say, “Look up, for your redemption draweth nigh”.)

There's never been a shortage of people who want to make a buck off of spiritual things. Discover where that dangerous path leads as we return to the Old Testament story of Balaam in the book of Numbers. Like every other religious racketeer, Balaam loved money and he would do anything to get it. Join us for more insight from the Word of God on how to navigate life and avoid the pitfalls of corruption.

Listen in as we continue the Corinthians series with 1 Corinthians 7:36-8:3. This holds some powerful connections between the journey of the Israelite's through the wilderness, Paul's encouragement to the Corinthians Church, and the battles we face as we walk forward toward's God's promises in our daily lives. www.realchurch.us

The Unchanging Word Bible Broadcast continues our study in Rev. chapter 2 verses 12 thru 16. Dr. Mitchell teaches about the church of Pergamum or Pergamus.This is the third of the seven churches which the Son of God addresses as the one who has the sharp two-edged sword. Dr. Mitchell gives us historical background surrounding this church which led it to be a worldly church. In this church, there were some who were holding to false doctrines. There were two specifically addressed. There was the teaching of Balaam. Also, the teaching of the Nicolaitans. That which had been deeds in Ephesus is now a doctrine in Pergamum. Dr. Mitchell elaborates on these in detail. The Lord would be coming to fight against these false teachings by the sword of His mouth, unless they repented. Let's join Dr. Mitchell in Rev. chapter 2 verse 12.

Balaam is considered a false prophet, but he did speak some truth. He looked ahead to a star we know as Jesus. Pastor Nate Wordell, Wisconsin Lutheran College, is here to explain. 

Deuteronomy 23 contains sundry laws. Verses 1-8 talk about those who have been excluded from the congregation of the LORD. The first excluded group was the eunuchs – either those who became so through accident, or through human agency. Verses 2-6 tell of the exclusion of the children to their tenth generation from forbidden unions, of Ammonites and Moabites. The hostility of the Ammonites and Moabites being the reason for their exclusion. In addition to coming against Israel in warfare, while the people of the LORD we're approaching the Promised Land the Moabites sought the services of Balaam the seer in an effort to curse the congregation of God. Edomites were excluded for two generations – their grandchildren were allowed to join in union with the Israelites. Verses 9-14 describe some causes of uncleanness and consequent prohibition of entry to the camp. These verses also speak of the removal of refuse from the camp of God in order to prevent both physical corruption and to ensure health and holiness. Verses 15-25 tell of sundry laws which cover care and kindness for the stranger; the morality of the nation's virgins; the forbidding of unconscionable interest being charged of the LORD's people – “usury” could be imposed upon foreigners (but again, in the spirit of the chapter, it is to be hoped that care and kindness will be shown to them). Vows were to be performed with faithfulness. The chapter concludes with the call for the people of the Almighty to allow their neighbours to satisfy immediate hunger, but not to take advantage of one another.

Find a PDF with six images from Kevin Chen's Wonders From Your Law: Nexus Passages and the Promise of an Exegetical Intertextual Old Testament Theology here. Find Kevin Chen's Wonders From Your Law: Nexus Passages and the Promise of an Exegetical Intertextual Old Testament Theology  here. Find The Messianic Vision of the Pentateuch here. For resources connected to biblical theology visit handstotheplow.org and jasonderouchie.com. Click here to support the work of Hands to the Plow. 

You're Way Off Course, But Let's Talk | Isaiah 1 | Pastor Derek Balaam by GraceChurchNJ

The Bible story that features a talking donkey in Numbers 22 is not a story about a donkey. It's a story about Jesus. Listen to Pastor Nate Wordell, campus pastor at Wisconsin Lutheran College, explain the details of this true story. 

Send us a textEvery angel created by God has been created for a purpose and that is to do His bidding. As stated before, sometimes it was to protect, bring messages or even open prison doors. But please be aware that there were also occasions when angels appeared where God was destroying and chastising. Remember when Balaam's donkey spoke? It was because he saw the angel waiting to strike his master so he stopped and wouldn't go forth. When Balaam began to beat his donkey the animal spoke. Also let's remember Revelations and what many of the angels will be doing during the time of the Great Tribulation. Therefore depending on our lifestyles we could easily have an angel that's been assigned to us as ministering spirits sent to benefit us or as one sent to chastise which, although it may not feel like it, that would also be to our benefit. Remember, those whom He loves He chastises and every painful or negative thing that occurs in our lives is not always a demon from the enemy. Believe me, there are many times that people have been rebuking demons but will find out in the judgment that it was actually an angel sent by God to chastise.  You want an angel? Pause and think about what you just read and then listen to the podcast for this week. Support the show

The letters to the seven churches in Revelation 2-3 are possibly some of the best known parts of the apocalypic book, mainly due to their accessibility compared to the rest of it. But how should we read these seven letters? Are they examples of the history or eras of the church? Are they addressed to different types of church today? Are they symbolic? And why all the Old Testament references?Join Alex, Chris & Jo as they discuss these significant chapters, give some good background information that help make sense of what John is writing, and then talk aboput how we might be able to bring some meaning to us today. For the one who has ears to hear...Resources"Revelation (NIV Application Commentary)" by Dr Craig Keener– A detailed analysis that bridges the historical-cultural context and application for today."The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament" by Dr Craig Keener – Offers essential historical and cultural insights on the New Testament, including Revelation."Discipleship on the Edge" by Darrell W. Johnson – A study on Revelation that considers its relevance for Christian discipleship."Reading Revelation Responsibly" by Michael J. Gorman – A user-friendly guide to understanding the apocalyptic message of Revelation without fear or misinterpretation.Big thanks to Tim Whittle for editing and extra production on this podcast. Get more info at Riverlife Church, and find us on Facebook and Instagram.Subscribe to Bible Streams on Apple, Spotify, Google, and Amazon.

Sunday Service (4/13/25) // Revelation 2: 12-17 // Visit our website: https://mbchicago.org Follow us to remain connected: Facebook:   / mbc.chicago   Instagram:   / mbc.chicago   TikTok:   / mbc.chicago   Podcasts: Listen on Apple, Spotify & others To support this ministry, you can donate via: Zelle to: info@mbchicago.org Web: https://mbchicago.org/give Venmo: https://venmo.com/mbchurch DAF Donations: https://every.org/mbc.chicago PayPal/Credit: https://paypal.com/donate/?hosted_but... Revelation 2: 12-17 (ESV) To the Church in Pergamum12 “And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: ‘The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword.13 “‘I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith[a] even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. 14 But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality. 15 So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth. 17 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.'Footnotesa. Revelation 2:13 Or your faith in me#DanielBatarseh #Revelation #BookofRevelation #BibleStudy #mbchicago #mbcchicago #Bible #versebyverse #sermon #sermons #sermononline #bookofrevelation #bookofrevelations #revelation #revelations #newtestament #scripture #verses #lessons #church #chicago #livechurch #churchlive #chicagochurch #chicagochurches #prophecy #prophetic #jesus #jesuschrist

Jueces 6:6 “De este modo empobrecía Israel en gran manera por causa de Madián; y los hijos de Israel clamaron a Jehová”Si estudiamos el significado de Madián, este nombre viene del original hebreo y significa: pleito, rencilla, contienda, pelea. Cuando hablamos del “espíritu de Madián” hablamos de un poder espiritual cuyo propósito es el de destruir, causar disensión, peleas, contiendas, temor. Cuando permitimos que este espíritu entre en nuestras vidas y en nuestras familias, viene pobreza y destrucción.Los madianitas eran una de las tribus del desierto, descendientes de Abraham y Cetura su segunda esposa, Génesis 25:2 “Abraham tomó otra mujer, cuyo nombre era Cetura, la cual le dio a luz a Zimram, Jocsán, Medán, Madián, Isbac y Súa”, por tanto medios hermanos de los israelitas.La Biblia narra como Madián se introdujo en la vida del pueblo de Dios para destruirlo en dos ocasiones: La primera ocurrió cuando los madianitas se habían unido a los moabitas para contratar a Balaam para que maldijese a Israel Números 22:5-6 “Por tanto, envió mensajeros a Balaam hijo de Beor, en Petor, que está junto al río en la tierra de los hijos de su pueblo, para que lo llamasen, diciendo: Un pueblo ha salido de Egipto, y he aquí cubre la faz de la tierra, y habita delante de mí. Ven pues, ahora, te ruego, maldíceme este pueblo, porque es más fuerte que yo; quizá yo pueda herirlo y echarlo de la tierra; pues yo sé que el que tú bendigas será bendito, y el que tú maldigas será maldito”, el Señor le dijo a Balaam que no maldijera al pueblo de Israel porque era un pueblo bendito, Números 22:12, luego, los Madianitas sedujeron al pueblo de Israel para que fornicara espiritualmente haciendo que adoraran sus dioses, Dios ordenó a Moisés a hostigar y herir a los madianitas, Números 25:16-18. Dios mandó a Moisés que saliese a luchar contra los madianitas, Moisés envió a doce mil hombres a la guerra, mil hombres de cada tribu, según las instrucciones recibidas, debían llevar los vasos del santuario y las trompetas (Shofares). Todo indica que esta era una guerra espiritual. Los reyes de Madián fueron muertos (5) a espada, y observamos aquí, la muerte de Balam el profeta. Los nombres de los reyes : Evi= “injusticia”; Requem= “De mil mascaras, Hipocresía”; Zur= “Acosador”; Hur= “Idolatría”; Reba= “Escasez”. (Estos son los espíritus inmundos que hay que derribar).La segunda ocurrió en el libro de Jueces 6 y 7, la cual muestra como Los Madianitas asediaban al pueblo de Israel hasta tal punto que se escondían en cuevas y cavernas, acampaban contra el pueblo de Dios y destruían los frutos de la tierra, los arruinaban, venían como langostas para devastar la tierra, traían para el pueblo temor y miseria y dice la palabra que el pueblo de Israel empobrecía Jueces 6:6. La desobediencia del pueblo, la adoración a los baales y las imágenes de Asera, fueron los motivos por los que Dios los entrego a los madianitas. Sobre el pueblo vino escasez, pobreza, miedo, temor, devastación, injusticia, opresión, peleas, iras, contiendas; son enemigos en las sombras que se levantan hoy en medio de nuestras vidas, hogares, familias.Dice la Palabra que los hijos de Israel clamaron al Señor… Aquí me voy a detener, en lo que llamamos “Clamor”, la clave para que se una el cielo con la tierra. Hoy es un día para clamar por libertad, por justicia, por bendición, por prosperidad, por conversión, por sanidad y por milagros.La Biblia registra muchos casos de clamor, de hecho Dios le enseñó a Jeremías 33:3 “Clama a mí, y yo te responderé, y te enseñaré cosas grandes y ocultas que tú no conoces”; pero el mas grande clamor ocurrió en un lugar llamado “Getsemaní”:El verdadero carácter y madurez de una persona se mide en la hora de la prueba. La forma cómo afrontamos el sufrimiento ciertamente revela las profundidades de nuestra mente y de nuestra alma. Getsemaní es el lugar donde podemos ver a Jesús alcanzar una de las cimas de su vida: sus actitudes, sus reacciones y su oración al Padre constituyen una guía para nosotros en la noche oscura de la prueba. Aquellas largas horas de agonía cargadas de gran intensidad emocional y espiritual. El acompañamiento fallido de los discípulos y la oración profunda de Jesús nos permiten apreciar una situación con la cual nos identificarnos todos. Hubo un solo Getsemaní en la historia, irrepetible; y cada uno de nosotros en algún momento de nuestra vida experimentará o hemos experimentado un “Getsemaní”, situaciones de prueba, tentación y peligro en las que se libran batallas decisivas para nuestra fe.Marcos 14;34 “Mi alma está muy triste, hasta la muerte”. Jesús tuvo que enfrentar en la máxima expresión de su humanidad, por un lado la muerte, por otro la responsabilidad de la misión que se le había encomendado. Lucas 22:44 “Y estando en agonía, oraba más intensamente; y era su sudor como grandes gotas de sangre que caían hasta la tierra”. La descripción que Jesús mismo hace de sus sentimientos es profundamente conmovedora: “Y tomó consigo a Pedro, a Jacobo y a Juan, y comenzó a entristecerse y a angustiarse. Y les dijo: Mi alma está muy triste, hasta la muerte; quedaos aquí y velad “, Marcos 14:33-34. El texto original nos revela una intensidad emocional creciente desde la ansiedad hasta la tristeza de muerte, Jesús sintió soledad extrema, abandono y desolación. La medicina nos explica que, en un estado de estrés muy intenso, la sangre puede salir de los pequeños vasos, los capilares, y producir micro hemorragias. El sudor de Jesús mezclado con sangre marca el clímax de aquella noche de gran clamor y lágrimas y nos revela con una crudeza conmovedora la intensidad de la lucha que estaba sosteniendo.Las grandes pruebas conllevan grandes lecciones porque Dios es especialista en transformar nuestras adversidades en oportunidades. Vemos dos lecciones que derivan de dos oraciones: la de los discípulos, una oración fracasada, y la de Jesús, un modelo de aceptación de la voluntad del Padre. Una oración fracasada: “Vino a sus discípulos y los halló durmiendo…”, Lucas 22:45, Jesús necesitaba mucho la oración en aquella larga noche; era arma vital en un contexto de lucha espiritual. Por ello busca el apoyo de tres discípulos amados, que ya le habían acompañado en otras situaciones especiales, y les ruega: “Quedaos aquí, y velad conmigo”, Mateo 26:38. Jesús como hombre, necesitaba sentir la cercanía y el apoyo de seres queridos en la hora de la prueba. Sin embargo, los discípulos, rendidos por el cansancio, se quedan dormidos y no una vez, sino tres veces, Mateo 26:44-45 “Y dejándolos, se fue de nuevo y oró por tercera vez, diciendo las mismas palabras.  Entonces vino a sus discípulos y les dijo: Dormid ya, y descansad. He aquí ha llegado la hora, y el Hijo del Hombre es entregado en manos de pecadores”. Los suyos han vuelto a fallarle; Judas le había entregado horas antes, Pedro iba a negarle pronto y entremedio otra experiencia de frustración y soledad en el momento más necesario y por parte de aquellos en los que más confiaba. Una oración modelo: “Se postró en tierra, y oró que si fuese posible, pasase de él aquella hora” Marcos 14:35,  Jesús nos deja otra lección memorable, un ejemplo de sumisión y aceptación de la voluntad del Padre. Es una oración modelo por su contenido y por su forma. Descubrimos en ella el reflejo de nuestras propias luchas espirituales y nos estimula a imitar al Maestro en nuestros “Getsemaní”. Jesús necesitaba llegar a la aceptación de todo lo que iba a suceder en Él. Aceptar sin embargo, no es algo inmediato; la aceptación genuina es un proceso costoso con varios pasos: ...

Balaam's Donkey - Strange Stories (Week 2) - Jason Frizzell by C*Road Church

04-15-25 Tues PM “Dealing with Balaam" Pastor Nathaniel Urshan2 Peter 2:1-3, 15; 2 Corinthians 11:12-15You can contact us at https://fpcdurham.org

We get into Old Testament chapter 43 from A Practical Commentary on Holy Scripture.Please support the Our Lady of Fatima Podcast:Buymeacoffee.com/TerenceMStantonLike, Subscribe and Share on YouTube:@OurLadyofFatimaPodcastFollow us on X:@FatimaPodcastThank you!

Jesse and Hunter look at the story of Balaam, the son of Beor and how he was hired to curse Israel. --contact@parableministries.comhttps://www.parableministries.comhttps://www.instagram.com/parable_ministries/--Music created by Chad HoffmanArtwork created by Anthony Kuenzi--Jesse Turkington is the executive director of Parable Ministries and has been a Bible teacher since 2014. When Jesse was just finishing high school, he started a little Bible study at his parent's house. Little did he know, this Bible study would change the direction of his life. He fell in love with the richness of the Bible and he wanted to pursue serious study. About 10 years later, Jesse still carries that passion for the Bible and from this passion was born Parable Ministries - a Bible teaching resource. -Hunter grew up in Montana and now serves the Church in Albany Oregon where he works as a youth and young adults pastor. He and his wife Ana stay busy with two kids. Hunter loves studying the Bible and communicating it in a way which encourages further exploration of others. Hunter enjoys listening and making podcasts for others to enjoy.

Hosts Pastor Robert Baltodano and Pastor Lloyd Pulley Question Timestamps: Linda, NJ (3:34) - What is the Q source for the gospels? Jennifer, email (6:51) - Why did God get mad at Balaam for going with the Moabite officials, when God told him to go the night before? Dave, email (8:54) - What Bible verses explain our time on Earth? Karen, UT (12:07) - What does the real God say about the interfaith day of prayer? Is there a scripture that says if you aren't praying to Him, He doesn't hear it? Is it good to go to these events and proclaim that Jesus is the only true God? Ricky, VA (19:54) - Am I an actual Christian when I still struggle with alcohol? Anonymous, email (25:55) - How much of mental illness is demonic? Lloyd, HI (33:41) - Why did Noah curse Cain after the flood? Kelly, MA (36:33) - Where did people go when they died before Jesus came? Thomas, email (40:28) - What are your thoughts on implementing “informed trauma care” into church ministries and overall ministry approach? John, MA (43:35) - Can you explain 1 Peter 3:19-22? Kie-Noah, HI (46:30) - What significance does a Labubu Doll have? Should I stop my son from buying it? Email (49:20) - Was Elihu correct in Job 32-37? Email (51:36) - My church keeps emphasizing the importance of prayer, but doesn't tell us how to pray. Are we just supposed to quote the Lord's Prayer? It feels wrong to just list off my requests consistently. Ask Your Question: 888-712-7434 Answers@bbtlive.org

Today's chapter in Numbers (31) tells us about the death of Balaam and of those who accepted his counsel that the only way to combat the Israelites – was not by force – but by seducing them into immorality.  They took his advice and put it into practice and it had worked!  But now God acted!Our chapter starts, “The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Avenge the people of Israel….” Leading Moses to say, ‘Arm men from among you for war, that they may go against Midian to execute the LORD's vengeance” [v.1-3] The result is the kings of Midian are slain “and they also killed Balaam the son of Beor with the sword”We then read that it was “on Balaam's advice” [v.16] that the Midianites had sent in women that “caused the people of Israel to act treacherously against the LORD … and so the plague came among the congregation …”   So Balaam is killed and all those immoral leaders as Moses acted to “execute the Lord's vengeance.”This “vengeance” is seen many times in the Old Testament both against Israel's enemies and against Israel itself when they themselves lapsed into immorality.   The same applies to spiritual Israel. that is, those who claim to follow Christ but whose way of life brings dishonour to Christ's name, just as unfaithfulness by natural Israel brought dishonour to the LORD's name.How easy it seems to be for both Jews and Christians to deceive themselves into thinking God will not deal with them when they slip into immoral ways of living.  Balaam of all people, who had had such contact with God, as we read in chapters 22 to 24 should have had a fear of God!  But ‘No'!Sadly the history of Christianity shows too many examples of similar failures. Look back at some blunt words of Paul we read last week in Galatians!  “Do not be deceived God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.  For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.   And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” [6 v7-9]Balaam sowed the seeds of his own destruction although he had had so much contact with the true God.  A lesson to us – what are we sowing?  What will we reap?

“So the next morning Balaam got up, saddled his donkey, and started off with the Moabite officials. But God was angry that Balaam was going, so he sent the angel of the Lord to stand in the road to block his way. As Balaam and two servants were riding along, Balaam's donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand. The donkey bolted off the road into a field, but Balaam beat it and turned it back onto the road. Then the angel of the Lord stood at a place where the road narrowed between two vineyard walls. When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, it tried to squeeze by and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall. So Balaam beat the donkey again. Then the angel of the Lord moved farther down the road and stood in a place too narrow for the donkey to get by at all. This time when the donkey saw the angel, it lay down under Balaam. In a fit of rage Balaam beat the animal again with his staff. Then the Lord gave the donkey the ability to speak. “What have I done to you that deserves your beating me three times?” it asked Balaam. “You have made me look like a fool!” Balaam shouted. “If I had a sword with me, I would kill you!” “But I am the same donkey you have ridden all your life,” the donkey answered. “Have I ever done anything like this before?” “No,” Balaam admitted. Then the Lord opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the roadway with a drawn sword in his hand. Balaam bowed his head and fell face down on the ground before him. “Why did you beat your donkey those three times?” the angel of the Lord demanded. “Look, I have come to block your way because you are stubbornly resisting me. Three times the donkey saw me and shied away; otherwise, I would certainly have killed you by now and spared the donkey.” Then Balaam confessed to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned. I didn't realize you were standing in the road to block my way. I will return home if you are against my going.” But the angel of the Lord told Balaam, “Go with these men, but say only what I tell you to say.” So Balaam went on with Balak's officials.” - ‭‭Numbers‬ ‭22‬:‭21‬-‭35‬ ‭NLT‬‬

We will continue our series to see what we can learn from the diviner Balaam in the bible.

Balaam-like, Satan can't curse God's people, but he can turn the blessing of marriage into a battlefield.

Sporting JAX has a new head coach as a part of their programThe USL Super League franchise now has Stacey Balaam coming in from Vanderbilt to take over in the build...We talk about the why and the expectations for the franchise in year one

Today's Talmud page, Sanhedrin 106, dive deep into the story of Balaam, the wicked prophet who set out to curse the Jews and ended up blessing them instead. Courtney Hazlett, Rabbi Diana Fersko, and Josh Kross, the hosts of Tablet's How to Be a Jew podcast, are joined by Jordan Rosenblum, the author of the award-winning book Forbidden: A 3000-Year History of Jews and the Pig, to discuss about how this animal became such a strong and problematic part of Jewish identity. Why is it that sometimes it's the things that are least like us that define us? Listen and find out.

"Better are the wounds from a friend than the kisses of an enemy" (Proverbs 27:6). An example of this is Achiya the Shiloni and Balaam's prophecies. The Gemara continues to analyze Balaam's words about the Jewish people and other nations. When Balaam was unsuccessful in cursing the Jews. he devised a plan, and advised Balak how to entice the Jews to sin in order to get God to punish them. The next character mentioned in the Mishna is Doeg HaEdomi. Why did he lose his share in the World-to-Come? Being that he was a great Torah scholar, the sages explain what was wrong about the Torah he learned that enabled him to speak lashon hara about David, which ultimately caused the death of the inhabitants of Nov.

More on Balaam, and how was truly just so wicked, at least in the rabbinic literature. How bad was he in the Torah? Plus, he was a true prophet, regardless of the fact that he was wicked. The Gemara than describes just how wicked Balaam was, according to his ideas to entrap Jews and turn them from worship of God -- into the defecation worship of the Baal-Peor. Plus, how young Balaam was at his death, and why. Also, shifting focus to Do'eg Ha-Edomi, from the book of Samuel - a bit of an enemy of King David. Where God seems more willing to let Do'eg have a future and moments of not-wickedness than David himself. He seems to have known some Torah, in any case. But what he did that was so bad seems to be worked into the biblical narrative about him.

The fishhook on Balaam

"Better are the wounds from a friend than the kisses of an enemy" (Proverbs 27:6). An example of this is Achiya the Shiloni and Balaam's prophecies. The Gemara continues to analyze Balaam's words about the Jewish people and other nations. When Balaam was unsuccessful in cursing the Jews. he devised a plan, and advised Balak how to entice the Jews to sin in order to get God to punish them. The next character mentioned in the Mishna is Doeg HaEdomi. Why did he lose his share in the World-to-Come? Being that he was a great Torah scholar, the sages explain what was wrong about the Torah he learned that enabled him to speak lashon hara about David, which ultimately caused the death of the inhabitants of Nov.

Today's daf is sponsored by Pnina Lipskier in memory of Yoav Har Shoshanim. A verse is brought that is explained in a way that the Jews in the time leading up to the destruction thought that they had a winning answer to counter God and his prophets when they told the people to repent. There are three possible explanations of what was this "winning answer." Balaam in on the list of those who have no portion in the World-to-Come. What did he do wrong? How did he succeed in convincing God to let him go? What was the nature of the conversation he had with his donkey? Why did he get his own donkey ready instead of letting his servants do it? How did he think he would succeed in cursing the Jewish people?  And finally, did he really not succeed in cursing them?

God is giving Moses final instructions to hand down to the Israelites because Moses is about to die at the Lord's hand. Our reading opens with instructions on three festivals which are to be held in the seventh month. This is followed by instructions on how one should consider the validity of vows made to the Lord under different conditions. Finally, God instructs Moses to go to war with Midianites as retribution for the Peor incident, when the women incited the men of Israel to sleep with them in worship to their fertility god, Baal. Turns out that was led by Balaam, the same Balaam who spoke oracles from the Lord against Moab. Balaam is slaughtered along with the Midianites, and after defeating Midian, Israel begins to divide the spoils of war. :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.facebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

Today's daf is sponsored by Pnina Lipskier in memory of Yoav Har Shoshanim. A verse is brought that is explained in a way that the Jews in the time leading up to the destruction thought that they had a winning answer to counter God and his prophets when they told the people to repent. There are three possible explanations of what was this "winning answer." Balaam in on the list of those who have no portion in the World-to-Come. What did he do wrong? How did he succeed in convincing God to let him go? What was the nature of the conversation he had with his donkey? Why did he get his own donkey ready instead of letting his servants do it? How did he think he would succeed in cursing the Jewish people?  And finally, did he really not succeed in cursing them?

Jesus Is The Way - Humility To Glory (5)  (audio)  David Eells – 3/30/25  I'm going to continue with our study on Jesus is the Way – Humility to Glory and talk with you today about who and what is blessed of God and what it truly means to be blessed.   Father, in the Name of Jesus, we ask that You open our understanding. Help us, Lord, to retain the things that You say to us. We need the Holy Spirit to bring to our remembrance everything, Lord, to protect us, to guide us, and to give us wisdom in the days to come. We hold fast to that promise because we need so much, Lord, that Your Spirit will bring these things to our remembrance again. Thank You, Lord, for blessing our minds. We know that our minds were created to be much more useful than they have been under the curse. We also know that according to Galatians 3:13, Jesus bore the curse for us and, therefore, Lord, we know that You're working to restore our minds today. We thank You for that, Lord. Father, we want to understand what Jesus did for us. We want to be able to exercise faith in Your Will. And in order to know Your Will, we need to have knowledge, Lord, so we ask You to open our knowledge and give us understanding, in Jesus' Name. Thank You, Father! Praise You, God!   Now some people may be wondering, “David, what does that word ‘blessed' actually mean? What is it to be ‘blessed?'” So let's go first to Deuteronomy 28 because the first 14 verses speak of that, and we can translate these into what they mean for us in our day.   (Deu.28:1) And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God (“Hearken” there is the Hebrew shama meaning “to hear and obey.” Not just be hearers of the Word but be doers of the Word {James 1:22}.), to observe to do all his commandments which I command thee this day (We know that the Lord has given us commandments in our Covenant, too. We need to be diligent to study them and obey them, and we know that by faith, God's Grace gives us power to do just that.), that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all the nations of the earth. This not talking about our physical nation where we live; this is talking about our spiritual nation. We are the nation of Israel. We who have been born again and believe in the sacrifice of Christ, according to Romans 11, have been grafted into the olive tree called “all Israel.” So we are Israel, not physical Israel, but spiritual Israel.     (Deu.28:2) And all these blessings shall come upon thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God. (3) Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field. (4) Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy beasts, the increase of thy cattle, and the young of thy flock. (5) Blessed shall be thy basket and thy kneading-trough. That was very important to them in those days, and this could translate into a few different things for us today, but basically, this was their livelihood and their food.    (Deu.28:6) Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out. (So whether you're coming or whether you're going, meaning just about everywhere you are, you're going to be blessed.) (7) The Lord will cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thee… Now, we know that our enemies are both natural and spiritual, and Paul tells us this in (Eph.6:12) For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual [hosts] of wickedness in the heavenly [places]. The Lord has promised us victory if we will “hearken” diligently unto His Voice, meaning if we will keep His commandments.     (Deu.28:7) The Lord will cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thee: they shall come out against thee one way, and shall flee before thee seven ways. In the midst of the trial, “hearken” unto the Word. Accept the good report, and the devil won't know what to do with you, and neither will your physical enemies (Numbers 13:30). Our physical enemies come against us as persecutions and a matter of crucifixion, so the best thing to do is lay down your life. Stop trying to save yourself by man's methods. Put your trust in the Lord and “hearken diligently” unto His Word.    (Deu.28:8) The Lord will command the blessing upon thee in thy barns, and in all that thou puttest thy hand unto; and he will bless thee in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. (9) The Lord will establish thee for a holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee; if thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, and walk in his ways. (10) And all the peoples of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the Lord; and they shall be afraid of thee. Wow! That certainly doesn't sound anything like Psalm 2, where we are told all the nations are going to come against God and against His people. Let's look at that.     (Psa.2:1) Why do the nations rage, And the peoples meditate a vain thing? (2) The kings of the earth set themselves, And the rulers take counsel together, Against the Lord, and against his anointed, [saying,] (3) Let us break their bonds asunder, And cast away their cords from us. And it's a far cry from what Jesus said in (Mat.24:9) Then shall they deliver you up unto tribulation, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all the nations for my name's sake. Instead, the Lord says the nations will fear you if you hearken unto His Voice.     (Deu.28:11) And the Lord will make thee plenteous for good, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers to give thee. (12) The Lord will open unto thee his good treasure the heavens, to give the rain of thy land in its season, and to bless all the work of thy hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow. That's certainly contrary to what a majority of people believe about the Will of the Lord nowadays: “thou shalt not borrow.” The Lord says you'll lend, but you won't borrow, and that's part of the blessing, saints. If you hearken unto His Voice and believe what He says, He will provide your needs.     (Deu.28:13) And the Lord will make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if thou shalt hearken unto the commandments of the Lord thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do [them,] (14) and shalt not turn aside from any of the words which I command you this day, to the right hand, or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them. “Other gods” there is the word elohim, and many, many people today choose to follow another “Jesus” of their own making.  Paul complained about that even back in his day, didn't he? (2Co.11:3) But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve in his craftiness, your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity and the purity that is toward Christ. (4) For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we did not preach, [or] if ye receive a different spirit, which ye did not receive, or a different gospel, which ye did not accept, ye do well to bear with [him]. And if we follow after something other than the commands of God, He's not making any promises about blessing here. The blessing comes from our finding the Will of God in the Word and then walking in it through faith.    So who is it that receives the blessing of God? Let me remind you of the text we were studying last time in Matthew 5. (Mat.5:1) And seeing the multitudes, he went up into the mountain: and when he had sat down, his disciples came unto him: (2) and he opened his mouth and taught them, saying … (4) Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Evidently, the people who are obedient “to the Lord thy God,” who do His Will, and seek to be submissive to His commandments, are a people that mourn. Now how could that be? In what way is mourning righteous and just? The thought that comes to my mind is that the first thing we need to mourn about is our own life. As David said, “I will not be satisfied until I awake in thy likeness” (Psalm 17:15). The first thing we have to mourn about is not manifesting the Life of Christ.   James also speaks about this. (Jas.4:6) But he giveth more grace. Wherefore [the scripture] saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble. Grace is all we need to walk with the Lord. We've learned that grace is His favor in our life; His favor makes us able. He's putting in us the desires that we need and giving us the power that we need. Grace is all we need, and God says He gives it to the humble.     (Jas.4:7) Be subject therefore unto God; but resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (8) Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye doubleminded. (9) Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. (10) Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall exalt you. In whatever ways the Lord reveals to us that we're walking contrary to His commandments, that we're not hearkening unto His Voice, that we're not representing Jesus Christ to the world as true Christians, we have something to mourn about. And it should be grievous to us to not walk in His Steps because that's what it is to “abide in Christ” (1 John 2:27- 28; 2 John 1:9; etc.). It should be grievous to us to be anything contrary to the Will of God.    Of course, repentance always precedes faith. Faith alone won't overcome our own lack of repentance, and repentance is what mourning is all about. However, after we mourn what the Lord shows us about ourselves, we need to be careful not to spend too much time in condemnation. We confess our sin to the Lord, He forgives us, and then He cleanses us from it. (1 John 1:9) We need to go from there to faith. We need to reckon ourselves to be dead unto sin but alive unto God (Romans 6:11). So you repent and you mourn because of what the Lord shows you in your life, but He doesn't reveal everything all at once, or He would overwhelm us with grief. Thank God, it's “line upon line; here a little, there a little” (Isaiah 28:10). Otherwise, we probably would never come to faith because we would be overcome with condemnation. So He's very merciful. He leads us through our promised land to conquer one enemy at a time.     This reminds me of a vision my wife received in which she and her sister were standing underneath an apple tree, and worms were hanging out of the apples, just eating away at them. So my sister-in-law got a can of pesticide spray and started broadcasting it over the whole tree, but my wife said, “No, that won't work.” She took the can from her sister and told her, “This is how you do it.” She sprayed each one of those worms in the mouth, and as she did that, she realized that they were all little serpents, not worms. And, of course, that's what we have to do. We attack these things one at a time as the Lord shows them to us, and the first thing we have to change is our mouth as we're told in (Rom.10:10) for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. We have to put that wickedness to death. We have to use the Sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Ephesians 6:17).    And what does God promise us if we humble ourselves in His sight, if we cleanse our hands and are afflicted and mourn concerning this problem, and turn our laughter into mourning? He says that He will exalt you. Humbling ourselves is the first step. Yes, we can be grieved over other people's sins, and there's a place for that, but first, we need to get the board out of our own eye, so we can see clearly to get the mote out of our brother's eye (Matthew 7:3-5; Luke 6:41-42). Certainly, we can cry out to the Lord to give us the grace to humble ourselves, because working in us to will and to do of His good pleasure is something that comes from Him, too (Philippians 2:13). It's not a case of picking ourselves up by our bootstraps. We're not deceiving God by mourning over something that we don't feel. He knows if our repentance is sincere or not. The Lord wants to give us a conviction of sin. He wants to put that mourning in our hearts concerning sin. He wants us to hate sin as He hates sin (Psalms 1:5,5:5-6; Romans 1:29- 32; etc.)     Needless to say, there is a place of mourning because of the persecutions and the tribulations that come upon us through the wicked people around us. Jesus told us in (Luk.6:21) Blessed [are] ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed [are] ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh. (22) Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you [from their company,] and reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. We don't see that as a blessing, but it's listed here as one of God's blessings because when we're hated of the world, that means we're loved of God. If we weep because of what we're giving up in the natural, because of persecutions that we're suffering and enduring for Christ's sake, persecutions that we endure because of the crucified life, this is good.  The Lord is going to bless us for this.   Going on, He says (Luk.6:23) Rejoice in that day, and leap [for joy]: for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for in the same manner did their fathers unto the prophets. (Luk.6:24) But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation. (25) Woe unto you, ye that are full now! for ye shall hunger. Woe [unto you,] ye that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep. It's better to weep and mourn now, while the world is rejoicing, while the world's been given the high hand, so to speak.     We're heading into a time when, other than the judgments that are falling upon them, the world is going to think they have everything going their way. They will be given authority over the saints to bring them to their crosses. You and I are going to be hated; we're going to be ostracized. They will cast out our names as evil, and God says we can certainly mourn over that, but He also says to rejoice because your names are written in the Lamb's book of life (Luke 10:20; Revelation 20:12,15; etc.) and your reward is great in the Kingdom of Heaven. Hallelujah!    (Luk.6:26) Woe [unto you,] when all men shall speak well of you! for in the same manner did their fathers to the false prophets. There is a time coming of much weeping and mourning, but He also commanded us in the midst of that to rejoice and leap for joy because, when the world hates you, that means God loves you. You're on His side, and you're on your way to His Kingdom. When we're loved of the world, and we love the world, then we're departing from God.     Let's look at another good example of what God considers to be righteous mourning. (2Pe.2:6) And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, having made them an example unto those that should live ungodly (God's judgment is coming upon the wicked, but, at the same time, He will save those who are His.); (7) and delivered righteous Lot, sore distressed by the lascivious life of the wicked… If we're not grieved by and mourning over the wicked life of the people around us, it's because we don't have the conviction of God in our hearts. The Lord Jesus wept over Jerusalem. (Luk.19:41) And when he drew nigh, he saw the city and wept over it, (42) saying, If thou hadst known in this day, even thou, the things which belong unto peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. He was grieved at the hardness of heart in the people to not receive His Words from the Father.     It's right for us to be grieved because of the people around us who won't listen, won't submit to God, and who won't be convicted of sin, just as Lot was “sore distressed by the lascivious life of the wicked.” “Lasciviousness” is their license to “unbridled sensuality and excess.” Basically, it's their license to do what they want to do, and even among Christians, this is common. Their doctrines that promote lasciviousness and permit a person to live any way they want to live while still thinking that they are a disciple of Christ and are going to heaven are common. This is a strong delusion among major portions of Christianity, and it's just not the Truth. It's a deception that comes to people who are living after their own lusts and being bribed by self-will to please their flesh. Lot was sore distressed seeing this in the people around him, and we should be grieved today over people who call themselves “Christians” yet who walk in this way with the Lord.    (2Pe.2:7) And delivered righteous Lot, sore distressed by the lascivious life of the wicked (8) (for that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed [his] righteous soul from day to day with [their] lawless deeds): (9) the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment unto the day of judgment… That is so true! People wonder why they're living under a curse, and it's because they have turned the grace of God into lasciviousness (Jude 1:4).     They're living the way they want to live, and they're paying the penalty for their unrighteousness because the blessings come upon the people that “hearken to,” that “hear and obey,” the “voice of the Lord thy God.” The blessings come upon the people who are diligent to keep His commandments. This should be highly motivating for us to get into the Word to find out what the Will of God is and come out from under the curse. Yet, sadly, multitudes of people have insulated themselves with lascivious doctrines that permit them to live the way they want.    We know that Jesus wasn't talking about what we loosely call “Christians”; He was talking about “disciples,” which means “learners and followers.” We need to lead people into discipleship, but if they desire to live in the lusts of their flesh, they will believe and promote these flesh-pleasing doctrines. And I tell you, the “Lots” in this world will be grieved. They will mourn. They will be distressed over these kinds of things. The text says that it “vexed [his] righteous soul,” but the Greek basanizó translated as “vexed” is actually “tormented, tortured.” It tormented Lot's soul to see the “lascivious life of the wicked.”     The lasciviousness being spoken about here is not referring to the wicked because we know that's how the wicked live. It's talking about those who are promoting the lifestyle among Christians, and the rest of the text agrees with that. (2Pe.2:9) The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment unto the day of judgment; (10) but chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of defilement, and despise dominion… The Numeric Bible states the word here for “dominion” is “lordship.” These people “that walk after the flesh” despise anybody ruling over their lives. They just want to do what they want to do, which is why they despise dominion, whether it be the dominion of those whom God has sent to be leaders or the dominion of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. They would rather make up their own mind about what the Scripture says and their own “Jesus” that smiles upon their lifestyle.    (2Pe.2:10) But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of defilement, and despise dominion. Daring, self-willed, they tremble not to rail at dignities: (11) whereas angels, though greater in might and power, bring not a railing judgment against them before the Lord. These self-righteous people, here, are the ones that are going to persecute the saints. They're self-righteous in their religion, and they rail at people who are dignities. The Greek word dóksa, translated there as “dignities,” actually means “glories; majesties; brightness.”     And who are the glories being spoken of here? (2Co.3:18) But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit. As we manifest Christ to a greater and greater degree, we grow from glory to glory: from star glory to moon glory, to sun glory. Paul pointed out the three different bodies that are given to the people who manifest the different glories (1 Corinthians 15:35-49). We grow into these glories, and the closer you get to Christ and manifest His life, the more that religious people will rail at you and come against you. But remember this: the fact that some people hate you is a good sign, and the Lord says to “leap for joy.”     (2Pe.2:12) But these, as creatures without reason, born mere animals to be taken and destroyed, railing in matters whereof they are ignorant, shall in their destroying surely be destroyed, (13) suffering wrong as the hire of wrong-doing; [men] that count it pleasure to revel in the day-time, spots and blemishes, revelling in their deceivings while they feast with you… Some people are actually trying to deceive us. They're “pretend Christians.” They live in the world because they love the world, but they like to “talk the talk” when they're among Christians. They're sons of perdition hidden in the midst (John 17:12; 2 Thessalonians 2:3) whom the Lord is going to reveal for what they truly are.     And they love the hire of wrong-doing because they've been bribed by their flesh, which they love to please. (2Pe.2:13) Suffering wrong as the hire of wrong-doing; [men] that count it pleasure to revel in the day-time, spots and blemishes, revelling in their deceivings while they feast with you; (14) having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; enticing unstedfast souls; having a heart exercised in covetousness; children of cursing; (15) forsaking the right way (We can see here that he's talking about people who profess Christianity.), they went astray, having followed the way of Balaam the [son] of Beor, who loved the hire of wrong-doing… Yes, just as Balaam did, these people love the pay, love the advantage gained by wrong-doing.    So, whom did Jesus cry over? It was God's people because they wouldn't come to Him (Luke 19:41). He grieved over them, saying, (Luk.13:34) O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that killeth the prophets, and stoneth them that are sent unto her! how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen [gathereth] her own brood under her wings, and ye would not! Much of our grief, too, is for Christians. It's for lost loved ones that we've prayed for to come into the Kingdom. It's like the grief that Lot felt about the people being led astray around him. If we have a holy heart and we are seeking to be pleasing unto the Lord, then we will be convicted by the Word of God, and we will feel the same thing.     (2Pe.2:15) Forsaking the right way they went astray, having followed the way of Balaam the [son] of Beor, who loved the hire of wrong-doing; (16) but he was rebuked for his own transgression: a dumb ass spake with man's voice and stayed the madness of the prophet. (17) These are springs without water, and mists driven by a storm; for whom the blackness of darkness hath been reserved. (18) For, uttering great swelling [words] of vanity, they entice in the lusts of the flesh, by lasciviousness, those who are just escaping from them that live in error… That's very true. Many so-called “pastors” preach wonderful words, but they're enticing people with lascivious doctrines. They're full of greed for tithes and offerings, but they're just filling churches with tares, as Peter says. (2Pe.2:3) And in covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose sentence now from of old lingereth not, and their destruction slumbereth not.    We've studied and taught a lot about sanctification. We've been given warnings that there is a great falling away coming for those who are enticed away by lasciviousness (2 Thessalonians 2:3; 1 Timothy 4:1). Nothing will be able to stand above the water in the flood that's coming except for those that are righteous. They are walking with the Lord, and they have grace and faith. Nothing else is going to preserve God's people in the days to come.    (2Pe.2:18) For, uttering great swelling [words] of vanity, they entice in the lusts of the flesh, by lasciviousness, those who are just escaping from them that live in error; (19) promising them liberty, while they themselves are bondservants of corruption; for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he also brought into bondage. Multitudes of Christians are in bondage in Babylon! They may think that, through their knowledge of Christ, they've come out of the world and they've escaped the corruption in the world, but in reality, they've just been brought into bondage again with something that is not Christianity.     (2Pe.2:20) For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein and overcome, the last state is become worse with them than the first. When people come back into bondage and they stay there, they become worse than the people in the world. They still walk in wickedness, yet they justify themselves because now they're self-righteous. They have knowledge but they're rejecting that knowledge. They're worse in God's eyes than the people in the world, and they're going to suffer greatly.     (2Pe.2:21) For it were better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after knowing it (So these people have knowledge.), to turn back from the holy commandment delivered unto them. When somebody has knowledge and yet they continue to do the things that are contrary to that knowledge, they're a deceiver. We just read, “their deceivings while they feast with you” (2 Peter 2:12). These people are deceivers, and the Bible says, (Jas.4:17) To him therefore that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.    (2Pe.2:22) It has happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog turning to his own vomit again, and the sow that had washed to wallowing in the mire. This is heartbreaking! Great judgments are coming to the nations soon, and it's going to take away multitudes of people who consider themselves to be Christian. And because they don't have the mark of God, multitudes of Christians are going to take the mark of the beast.     (Rev.13:16) And he causeth all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free and the bond, that there be given them a mark on their right hand, or upon their forehead; (17) and that no man should be able to buy or to sell, save he that hath the mark, [even] the name of the beast or the number of his name. (18) Here is wisdom. He that hath understanding, let him count the number of the beast; for it is the number of a man: and his number is Six hundred and sixty and six. However, we also see the people that have the mark of God in (Rev.14:1) And I saw, and behold, the Lamb standing on the mount Zion, and with him a hundred and forty and four thousand, having his name, and the name of his Father, written on their foreheads.     Ezekiel also talks about God judging who is righteous and who is not righteous, based on whether they mourned and were grieved over the ungodliness that they saw around them. Let's look at that text first. (Eze.9:4) And the Lord said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry over all the abominations that are done in the midst thereof. Again, we see this is not talking about the sin in the world, but the sin in the church. And the people that are marked in the forehead because they “sigh and cry over all the abominations,” are the people that are going to escape the wrath of God, the judgment of God, that's coming.     Chapters 5, 6, 7, and 8 repeatedly mention the “abomination” and the “desolation,” all leading up to chapter 9 and the mark of God. In chapter 8, we even see the image of the beast. And notice, when we read these chapters, how we don't find the theology that we hear in Christianity nowadays. In every case, the “abomination of desolation” described is God's people walking in the flesh in the Temple. They are the flesh man, and they are the beast ruling in the Temple of God. This is what God calls an “abomination.” And what does He give them for that? Desolation. The holy people of God grieve for them; they grieve for these people who walk abominably before the Lord.    (Eze.8:1) And it came to pass in the sixth year, in the sixth [month]… Notice that these chapters are leading up to a time that's identified with six-six, and in the next chapter, six men come with their slaughter weapons in hand. That's six-six-six. And what does this identify? It identifies the end time, the time of the beast, the time of the abomination of desolation (Daniel 9:27; Matthew 24:15; Mark 13:14). Now remember, in the New Testament there is no temple made with hands that God is interested in or concerned about being holy (Job 4:19; Matthew 26:61; Mark 14:58; etc.) It's the Temple “made without hands” that God requires and expects to be holy (Acts 7:48; 2 Corinthians 5:1; Hebrews 9:11; etc.), and this is the only temple that can have an abomination of desolation.   Only the Temple of the Body of Christ can have an abomination that “maketh desolate,” because every other temple out there is desolate. God has departed from them. He will never again dwell in temples made with hands, and so they are desolate (Acts 17:24). But we are the New Testament temple; we can become desolate, “twice dead, plucked up by the roots” (Jude 1:12). That's the temple we need to be concerned about.     Paul told us, (Php.2:12) So then, my beloved, even as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; (13) for it is God who worketh in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure. And Peter exhorted, (2Pe.1:10) Wherefore, brethren, give the more diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never stumble: (11) for thus shall be richly supplied unto you the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. It should be the Lord Jesus Christ Who lives in us and Who manifests His holy Life in us.     Returning to our text in Ezekiel, God asks him (Eze.8:6) … Son of man, seest thou what they do? (All throughout these texts, it's always “what they do” and that's the abomination.) even the great abominations that the house of Israel do commit here (So the “beast” in the Temple is the corporate body of these people that walk in the flesh and are in rebellion against God.), that I should go far off from my sanctuary? (Or, in other words, “leave it desolate.”) but thou shalt again see yet other great abominations. (7) And he brought me to the door of the court; and when I looked, behold, a hole in the wall.     (8) Then said he unto me, Son of man, dig now in the wall: and when I had digged in the wall, behold, a door. (9) And he said unto me, Go in, and see the wicked abominations that they do here. (10) So I went in and saw; and behold, every form of creeping things, and abominable beasts… This is just as Solomon said in (Ecc.3:18) … It is because of the sons of men, that God may prove them, and that they may see that they themselves are but as beasts.    Peter was given the same revelation. (Acts 10:11) And he (This is Peter.) beholdeth the heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending, as it were a great sheet, let down by four corners upon the earth: (12) wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts and creeping things of the earth and birds of the heaven. (13) And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill and eat. (14) But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common and unclean. (15) And a voice [came] unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, make not thou common. Then Peter was given the understanding that God was speaking to him of the Gentiles, because all lost people are beasts, and so he preached the Gospel to Cornelius and his family (Acts 10:34-48). So we can see clearly from these texts that the “abominable beasts” in the Temple of God are these people who walk in the flesh.    Back to (Eze.8:10) So I went in and saw; and behold, every form of creeping things, and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, portrayed upon the wall round about. (11) And there stood before them seventy men of the elders of the house of Israel; and in the midst of them stood Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan, every man with his censer in his hand… Those 70 men are the Sanhedrin. They were the corporate body of the false prophet that ruled over the people of God in Jesus' day, and God calls this the “abomination.” (12) Then said he unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen what the elders of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in his chambers of imagery? (There's the image of the beast in the Temple.) for they say, the Lord seeth us not; the Lord hath forsaken the land. (13) He said also unto me, Thou shalt again see yet other great abominations which they do. Again, notice there is no individual man.     There is a corporate body committing these abominations that make desolate, and that body is not only the priests; it's also the people. (Eze.8:14) Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the Lord's house which was toward the north; and behold, there sat the women weeping for Tammuz. (Tammuz was a false “Jesus” worshiped by Babylon. God is saying that in the midst of the Temple are those who worship “another Jesus” {2 Corinthians 11:4; Galatians 1:6}.) (15) Then said he unto me, Hast thou seen [this,] O son of man? thou shalt again see yet greater abominations than these. Well, this chapter goes on to speak of abomination after abomination, all committed by the people of God in rebellion against the worship of the true God. In their idolatry, they were creating gods after their own liking and in their own image.    (Eze.9:1) Then he cried in mine ears with a loud voice, saying, Cause ye them that have charge over the city to draw near, every man with his destroying weapon in his hand. (2) And behold, six men… That's the third six. This represents the beast, and all throughout history, the Lord has given the beast charge over God's people when they were in rebellion. Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Media-Persia, Greece, and Rome each had authority over God's people in their day. Today we have a revival of Rome and, just as the Lord gave those earlier beasts authority over His people, He is going to do that again because the beast is in the Temple and there has to come a desolation.   In 70A.D. God brought the Roman armies into Jerusalem to slaughter those who hadn't already slaughtered each other. Multitudes of the Jews were so full of the beast that they were killing each other off, and when the Romans came into Jerusalem, they just finished the job. [Editor's Note: Referenced from The Works of Josephus, translated by William Whiston, Hendrickson Publishers, 1987.] But, once again, it was the corporate body of the wicked in the Temple that was an abomination to God, and so He destroyed both them and their Temple.    (Eze.9:2) And behold, six men came from the way of the upper gate, which lieth toward the north, every man with his slaughter weapon in his hand… The Hebrew word for “slaughter weapon” is also translated “battle-ax,” and who does God call His “battle-ax”? Let's look at that. (Isa.10:5) Ho Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, the staff in whose hand is mine indignation! (6) I will send him against a profane nation (This is Israel.), and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. (7) Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy, and to cut off nations not a few… (Well, the Assyrian beast thought this was their great idea to plunder Israel, but God says, “No, no, I put it in their hearts,” and He called these people His “ax.”) (15) Shall the axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith?… The Assyrians thought it was by their own might, but God says, “No, I gave you the strength to do this, and I sent you against these vain, abominable people, to judge them and bring them to their cross and, hopefully, to repentance.”     Truly, we're going to see a repetition of history come upon us in our day, although people with their lascivious doctrines teach that this is something which is only going to happen to little Israel far away from them. They refuse to understand that Christians are New Testament spiritual Israel. They are blind to the corporate beast body coming upon Christianity.     (Eze.9:2) And behold, six men; and one man in the midst of them clothed in linen… I believe this is Jesus in the Man-child. Revelation 12 tells us the man-child ministry is coming in the end times, and it's coming again like Moses, like Jesus, to show God's people the correct way. What the Man-child teaches is going to separate the sheep from the goats. It's going to define who is going to be judged and who is not going to be judged.     (Eze.9:2) And behold, six men; and one man in the midst of them clothed in linen, with a writer's inkhorn by his side. And they went in, and stood beside the brazen altar. (3) And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon it was, to the threshold of the house: and he called to the man clothed in linen, who had the writer's inkhorn by his side. (4) And the Lord said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem (So notice that He is not bringing judgment upon the world. He's bringing judgment upon God's house, upon those who profess to be His people.), and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry over all the abominations that are done in the midst thereof. Does it grieve you that God's people have been so led astray, so deceived by their leadership, and so lured into sin by their own self-will? Now listen, nobody can be deceived by another man if they don't first have a lust to live in that way and accept these false and lascivious doctrines.    People are going to be self-deluded and self-deceived because, just like Balaam, they love the hire of wrong-doing. They love to please their old flesh. And they're being bribed by the flesh to accept a doctrine, a teaching, a lifestyle that is permitting the old man to live. Saints, we're here to live the crucified life (Matthew 10:38; Mark 8:34; Luke 14:27; Hebrews 13:13), and if we don't lose our life, we won't gain our life (Matthew 16:26; Luke 9:25).    (Eze.9:5) And to the others he said in my hearing, Go ye through the city after him, and smite… He is speaking to the beast here, the six men. Six is the number of the beast, and six is the number of man. In fact, the sixth chapter of the sixth verse of the sixth book in the New Testament talks about the old man. (Rom.6:6) Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with [him,] that the body of sin might be done away, that so we should no longer be in bondage to sin.    (Eze.9:5) And to the others he said in my hearing, Go ye through the city after him, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity; (6) slay utterly the old man, the young man and the virgin, and little children and women; but come not near any man upon whom is the mark … Now the mark being spoken of here is the mark of the Lord, and it identifies those who are members of the body of Christ, just as the mark of the Beast identifies those who are members of the body of the Beast. Jesus said there are only two men in the earth, Christ and anti-Christ (Matthew 24:40; Luke 17:36). The truth is that people love to identify themselves as “Christian”, but these marks will prove in the coming days who really are Christians and who are not.     (Eze.9:6) Slay utterly the old man, the young man and the virgin, and little children and women; but come not near any man upon whom is the mark: and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the old men that were before the house. (In other words, they've lived longer, and they know more, so they're more guilty than anyone else.) (Eze.9:7) And he said unto them, Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain: go ye forth. Great destruction is coming against Christianity because it doesn't reflect what was given to us through Jesus Christ. We are to (Jud.1:3) … contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered unto the saints. The faith of our day won't count because religion has turned people away, through their own lustful desires, from true discipleship. (1Jn.2:6) He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk even as he walked. “Discipleship” is walking in the Master's Steps, and that means a disciple studies their Master to walk as He walked.    (Eze.9:7) And he said unto them, Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain: go ye forth. And they went forth, and smote in the city. (Eze.9:8) And it came to pass, while they were smiting, and I was left, that I fell upon my face, and cried, and said, Ah Lord God! wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel in thy pouring out of thy wrath upon Jerusalem? Well, we know this is coming again because it says in (Ecc.1:9) That which hath been is that which shall be; and that which hath been done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. The Israelites were types and shadows of the end time, and a great falling away will happen just as the Bible says (2 Thessalonians 2). And notice this is old Jerusalem receiving judgment. This is the old city and the people that belonged to it. This is not born-again Jerusalem.    Then in (Eze.10:2) And he spake unto the man clothed in linen, and said, Go in between the whirling [wheels], even under the cherub, and fill both thy hands with coals of fire from between the cherubim, and scatter them over the city… In other words, he brings judgment. The Man-child ministry is coming to bring judgment upon the city of God. These judgments are going to cleanse it of the goats and cleanse it of the tares. The Lord Jesus Himself spoke words that separated the goats from the sheep, separated the wheat from the tares. His Words brought judgment in His day, and the ministry of the Manchild will do the same in these days, but the people that will escape are the people who have been, and are going to mourn. They are the ones that are blessed, according to Jesus. While the world is rejoicing, they will mourn because of the great wrath and the judgment of God upon the people that call themselves “Christians.” They will mourn because of the great falling away of the people who had no faith.     We need to see and understand that the judgment that's coming is going to prove who has faith and who does not have faith. The judgment that's coming is going to prove who is a believer and who is not a believer. The wilderness tribulation for Israel was to prove whether they had faith or not. And, of course, Joshua and Caleb, who had faith, went to the Promised Land (Numbers 32:12). They didn't have to die in the wilderness because they had faith. They believed in the Lord. They spoke His Word, and they didn't die like the men who spoke the bad report, they spoke against the Lord and died in the wilderness (Numbers 26:65). Once again, today we are coming to a “wilderness” that God is going to use to prove who is truly of Him and who is not. The Word of God is going to separate the sheep from the goats. We need to put the Word in our hearts so that we have the conviction of Jesus Christ, so that sin is sinful to us, so that the rebellion of rebellious people grieves us.     Father, in the Name of Jesus, we're asking You, Lord, that You convict those “Christians” who have created a religion and a doctrine that pleases them because they don't have to give up anything. They don't believe they have to live a sacrificial life; they don't have to deny themselves; they don't have to take up their cross. Lord, we ask that You convict them mightily and that You bring them to You, Father, in the Name of Jesus. Thank You so much, Lord. Amen.  Now, I'd like to share some other scriptures about the blessings that will come from the Lord for those who have mourned, as we've been discussing. When the Man-child ministry begins, Jesus is coming with His reward!  Zion, the Bride, has gone through their time of mourning and warfare to get rid of their sins and their enemies within. To get rid of the leaven. Jer.9:17 Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, Consider ye, and call for the mourning women, that they may come; and send for the skilful women, that they may come: 18 and let them make haste, and take up a wailing for us, that our eyes may run down with tears, and our eyelids gush out with waters. 19 For a voice of wailing is heard out of Zion, How are we ruined! we are greatly confounded, because we have forsaken the land, because they have cast down our dwellings. 20 Yet hear the word of Jehovah, O ye women, and let your ear receive the word of his mouth; and teach your daughters wailing, and every one her neighbor lamentation. 21 For death is come up into our windows, it is entered into our palaces; to cut off the children from without, and the young men from the streets. 22 Speak, Thus saith Jehovah, The dead bodies of men shall fall as dung upon the open field, and as the handful after the harvestman; and none shall gather them.     23 Thus saith Jehovah, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches; 24 but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he hath understanding, and knoweth me, that I am Jehovah who exerciseth lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith Jehovah. 25 Behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, that I will punish all them that are circumcised in their uncircumcision: 26 Egypt, and Judah, and Edom, and the children of Ammon, and Moab, (All of the faction) and all that have the corners of their hair cut off, that dwell in the wilderness; for all the nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in heart.    Zec.12:10-11 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplication; and they shall look unto me whom they have pierced; and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his first-born. 11 In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon.  Psa.35:11-17 Unrighteous witnesses rise up; They ask me of things that I know not. 12 They reward me evil for good, To the bereaving of my soul. 13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I afflicted my soul with fasting; And my prayer returned into mine own bosom. 14 I behaved myself as though it had been my friend or my brother: I bowed down mourning, as one that bewaileth his mother. 15 But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: The abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; They did tear me, and ceased not: 16 Like the profane mockers in feasts, They gnashed upon me with their teeth. 17 Lord, how long wilt thou look on? Rescue my soul from their destructions, My darling from the lions.  The sorrow of persecution and crucifixion is now turning into joy for those of the remnant Bride. Est.4:1-3 Now when Mordecai knew all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry; 2 and he came even before the king's gate: for none might enter within the king's gate clothed with sackcloth. 3 And in every province, whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.   Est.9:20 And Mordecai wrote these things, and sent letters unto all the Jews that were in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, both nigh and far, 21 to enjoin them that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day of the same, yearly, 22 as the days wherein the Jews had rest from their enemies, and the month which was turned unto them from sorrow to gladness, and from mourning into a good day; that they should make them days of feasting and gladness, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor. (Down goes the DS and religious factions.) Isa.40:1 Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. 2 Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem; and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she hath received of Jehovah's hand double for all her sins.    Psa 30:2 O Jehovah my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me. 3 O Jehovah, thou hast brought up my soul from Sheol; Thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit. (Like Joseph, who came out of prison to the lies that were told about him by the harlot, to rule and preserve the people through the tribulation famine.)    4 Sing praise unto Jehovah, O ye saints of his, And give thanks to his holy memorial name. 5 For his anger is but for a moment; His favor is for a life-time: Weeping may tarry for the night, But joy cometh in the morning. (Here is the joyful saints again) 6 As for me, I said in my prosperity, I shall never be moved. (But through much tribulation shall we enter the Kingdom) 7 Thou, Jehovah, of thy favor hadst made my mountain to stand strong: Thou didst hide thy face (As in the crucifixion of Jesus the Man-child type.); I was troubled. 8 I cried to thee, O Jehovah; And unto Jehovah I made supplication: 9 What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth? 10 Hear, O Jehovah, and have mercy upon me: Jehovah, be thou my helper. (Been there)    11 Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing; Thou hast loosed my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness; 12 To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O Jehovah my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever. (Joy of the David's and the Bride.)    Joh.16:20-24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, that ye shall weep and lament (Because Jesus was crucified), but the world shall rejoice: ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. (Because He is coming again in the Man-child reformers.) 21 A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow (This is the Woman Church in Revelation 12 in our day.), because her hour is come: but when she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for the joy that a man is born into the world. 22 And ye therefore now have sorrow: but I will see you again (in the Man-child reformers of Rev.12), and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no one taketh away from you. 23 And in that day ye shall ask me no question. Verily, verily, I say unto you, if ye shall ask anything of the Father, he will give it you in my name. 24 Hitherto (Meaning until this time) have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be made full.    Psa.30:1-12 A Psalm; a Song at the Dedication of the House. (Representing the true house of God, not that of Babylonish captivity) A Psalm of David. I will extol thee, O Jehovah; for thou hast raised me up, And hast not made my foes to rejoice over me. (This is the David Man-child but also Joseph the Man-child was resurrected from prison, like Jesus the Man-child was, to rule those who lied about him.)  Isa.61:1 The Spirit of the Lord Jehovah is upon me; because Jehovah hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; 2 to proclaim the year of Jehovah's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; 3 to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them a garland for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of Jehovah, that he may be glorified…  6 But ye shall be named the priests of Jehovah; men shall call you the ministers of our God: ye shall eat the wealth of the nations, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves. 7 Instead of your shame ye shall have double; and instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess double; everlasting joy shall be unto them. 8 For I, Jehovah, love justice, I hate robbery with iniquity; and I will give them their recompense in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them. 9 And their seed shall be known among the nations, and their offspring among the peoples; all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which Jehovah hath blessed.  10 I will greatly rejoice in Jehovah, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with a garland, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. 11 For as the earth bringeth forth its bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord Jehovah will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.     Isa.51:3 For Jehovah hath comforted Zion; he hath comforted all her waste places, and hath made her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of Jehovah; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.  Isa 51:11 And the ransomed of Jehovah shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. 12 I, even I, am he that comforteth you: …    Isa.57:15-18 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite. 16 For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth; for the spirit would faint before me, and the souls that I have made. 17 For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him; I hid my face and was wroth; and he went on backsliding in the way of his heart. 18 I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners.      Isa.66:10-14 Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn over her; 11 that ye may suck and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory. 12 For thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream: and ye shall suck thereof; ye shall be borne upon the side, and shall be dandled upon the knees. 13 As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem. 14 And ye shall see it, and your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like the tender grass: and the hand of Jehovah shall be known toward his servants; and he will have indignation against his enemies.    Isa.12:1-6 And in that day thou shalt say, I will give thanks unto thee, O Jehovah; for though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away and thou comfortest me. 2 Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for Jehovah, even Jehovah, is my strength and song; and he is become my salvation. 3 Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. 4 And in that day shall ye say, Give thanks unto Jehovah, call upon his name, declare his doings among the peoples, make mention that his name is exalted. 5 Sing unto Jehovah; for he hath done excellent things: let this be known in all the earth. 6 Cry aloud and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion; for great in the midst of thee is the Holy One of Israel.    Rev.21:2-4 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a great voice out of the throne saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he shall dwell with them, and they shall be his peoples, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God: 4 and he shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more; neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more: the first things are passed away. 

Sunday Service (3/23/25) // Revelation 2-3 // Visit our website: ⁠⁠⁠https://mbchicago.org⁠⁠⁠Follow us to remain connected: Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠  / mbc.chicago  ⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠  / mbc.chicago  ⁠⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠  / mbc.chicago  ⁠⁠⁠ Podcasts: Listen on Apple, Spotify & othersTo support this ministry, you can donate via: Zelle to: info@mbchicago.org Web: ⁠⁠⁠https://mbchicago.org/give⁠⁠⁠ Venmo: ⁠⁠⁠https://venmo.com/mbchurch⁠⁠⁠ PayPal/Credit: ⁠⁠⁠https://paypal.com/donate/?hosted_but...⁠⁠⁠DAF Donations: ⁠⁠https://every.org/mbc.chicago⁠⁠Revelation 2-3 (ESV) To the Church in Ephesus2 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands.2 “‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. 3 I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary. 4 But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. 6 Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.'To the Church in Smyrna8 “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ‘The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life.9 “‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander[a] of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. 11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.'To the Church in Pergamum12 “And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: ‘The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword.13 “‘I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith[b] even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. 14 But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality. 15 So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth. 17 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.'To the Church in Thyatira18 “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: ‘The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze.To the Church in Sardis3 “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: ‘The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars.To the Church in Philadelphia7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: ‘The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens.To the Church in Laodicea14 “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation.

In our last reading King Balak of Moab had hired Balaam, the professional soothsayer and prophet for hire, to come and put a curse on Israel. The king had heard about how Israel had plowed through the Amorites when that nation refused to let Israel pass through, and he was scared. After two attempts, Balaam finds himself unable to curse Israel, because the God of Israel is so powerful that Balaam must do as the Lord says. Our reading today begins with Balaam's third and final attempt to curse Israel, but instead, when proclaiming a fourth oracle, he prophesies the coming of the Christ. Many scholars believe that this prophecy of the star that comes from Jacob was passed down to the Magi of the gospels, who see the star and travel to see the Christ child.Numbers 24 - 1:05 . Numbers 25 - 6:26 . Numbers 26 - 9:20 . Psalm 56 - 15:55 .  :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.facebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

Our reading opens with another instance of Israelite rebellion, and this time, the Lord punishes them by sending poisonous snakes into their camp. In order to be healed, they must lift their eyes upward to look at a bronze snake mounted to a pole. You've probably seen an image of this on the side of an ambulance as a symbol of healing. By acknowledging their need for salvation and looking upon that their curse, they would be saved. We'll also begin the side story of Balaam the professional soothsayer. King Balak hires him to curse Israel, but the Lord opens the mouth of his donkey to warn him of an angelic assassin. This serves as a parallel to Balaam and Balak; if the Lord can speak to a man through a donkey, surely he can speak to a king through a pagan like Balaam.Numbers 21 - 1:01 . Numbers 22 - 7:29 . Numbers 23 - 14:43 .  :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.facebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

Revelation 2:1-17   2:1 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands, says this: 2 ‘I know your deeds and your labor and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil people, and you have put those who call themselves apostles to the test, and they are not, and you found them to be false; 3 and you have perseverance and have endured on account of My name, and have not become weary. 4 But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5 Therefore, remember from where you have fallen, and repent, and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and I will remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent. 6 But you have this, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who overcomes, I will grant to eat from the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God.' 8 “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life, says this: 9 ‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the slander by those who say they are Jews, and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. 11 The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.' 12 “And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: The One who has the sharp two-edged sword says this: 13 ‘I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is; and you hold firmly to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days of Antipas, My witness, My faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. 14 But I have a few things against you, because you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit sexual immorality. 15 So you too, have some who in the same way hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 Therefore repent; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will wage war against them with the sword of My mouth. 17 The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows except the one who receives it.'     BIBLE READING GUIDE - FREE EBOOK - Get the free eBook, Bible in Life, to help you learn how to read and apply the Bible well: https://www.listenerscommentary.com     GIVE -  The Listener's Commentary is a listener supported Bible teaching ministry made possible by the generosity of people like you. Thank you! Give here:  https://www.listenerscommentary.com/give     STUDY HUB - Want more than the audio? Join the study hub to access articles, maps, charts, pictures, and links to other resources to help you study the Bible for yourself. https://www.listenerscommentary.com/members-sign-up   MORE TEACHING - For more resources and Bible teaching from John visit https://www.johnwhittaker.net

How does the Torah portion "Balak" and its parallels reflect a deeper messianic message? What does the "star" prophecy from Balaam reveal about the Messiah's role? Listen and share this episode with Dr. Seth Postell and Dr. Golan Broshi as they explore the connection between Numbers, Micah, and Genesis and see how these prophecies find fulfillment in Yeshua. Want to go deeper? Check out more resources below: https://www.oneforisrael.org/answers/ Help us bring the Gospel back to Israel again. https://www.oneforisrael.org/arise-online/ https://www.facebook.com/oneforIsrael/ https://www.instagram.com/iamoneforisrael/ https://www.pinterest.com/oneforisrael/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/oneforisrael/ https://twitter.com/oneforisrael/ https://www.tiktok.com/@one_for_israel

Remember the Peor incident, where the men of Israel prostituted themselves to Baal along with the women of Moab? Turns out that was led by Balaam, the same Balaam who spoke oracles from the Lord against Moab. After defeating Midian, they begin to divide the spoils of war. When the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manassah, see that this land is good for cattle, they ask if they can settle there. Moses assumes that they are trying to avoid going to war with their brothers. By the end of the conversation, they cut a deal with Moses, assuring him that they, too, will go to war with the rest of Israel before coming back to settle in the land. Numbers 30 - 1:12 . Numbers 31 - 4:02 . Numbers 32 - 11:48 . Numbers 33 - 18:30 . Psalm 37 - 24:04 .  :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by Bobby Brown, Katelyn Pridgen, Eric Williamson & the Christian Standard Biblefacebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

The fate of false teachers- Peter says that false teachers "have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam." What is the way of Balaam? What final lessons can we learn from this passage on identifying false teachers in the church?

Sometimes when you're watching a serial drama on Netflix they'll take an episode to tell a back-story or a spin-off from the main story to give context to the overall narrative. That's exactly what's happening in today's passage. The king of Moab, whose name is Balak, hires a man named Balaam who is some kind of diviner or priest, to put a curse on Israel. As Balaam goes to visit king Balak, the Lord speaks to Balaam using a donkey, and if the Lord can use a donkey to speak to a man, he can certainly use Balaam to prophesy to the king. Though not from the nation of Israel, Balaam faithfully proclaims the Lord's message three times, disregarding the king and his reward. Sadly, by contrast, Israel rushes into idolatry as soon as they can.Numbers 22 – 1:14 . Numbers 23 – 9:24 . Numbers 24 – 14:53 . Numbers 25 – 20:31 . Psalm 35 – 23:36 .  :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by Bobby Brown, Katelyn Pridgen, Eric Williamson & the Christian Standard Biblefacebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

Fr. Mike describes the sinful events of Israel in Moab, and why God chooses to bless the Israelites through Balaam in spite of their sin. Today's readings are Numbers 24-25, Deuteronomy 26, and Psalm 107. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Fr. Mike shares more details surrounding the Old Testament laws, including why God would give us these laws in the first place. Today's readings are Numbers 23, Deuteronomy 24-25, and Psalm 106. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Fr. Mike dives into the character of Balaam, and why his offense was so treacherous towards his relationship with God. Today's readings are Numbers 22, Deuteronomy 23, and Psalm 105. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

In this Bible Story, Balaam is unable to curse Israel but instead blesses them three times. He prophesied from God and spoke blessings and truth over them. Finally, telling of an All-Powerful One that would come from Israel. This story is inspired by Numbers 22:36-25:18 & 31:7-16. Go to BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year.Today's Bible verse is Numbers 23:19 from the King James Version.Episode 49: Balaam finally arrives on the cliff where Balak is, and as he looks over at the mass of people below, he begins to understand Balak's fear. Nevertheless, he has Balak and his men build seven altars and offer sacrifices to the God Most High. Balaam does this three times, but each time God causes Balaam to bless the people of Israel instead of curse them. Balak's anger and consternation became great, but he could do nothing to thwart the plans of God.Hear the Bible come to life as Pastor Jack Graham leads you through the official BibleinaYear.com podcast. This Biblical Audio Experience will help you master wisdom from the world's greatest book. In each episode, you will learn to apply Biblical principles to everyday life. Now understanding the Bible is easier than ever before; enjoy a cinematic audio experience full of inspirational storytelling, orchestral music, and profound commentary from world-renowned Pastor Jack Graham.Also, you can download the Pray.com app for more Christian content, including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Visit JackGraham.org for more resources on how to tap into God's power for successful Christian living.This episode is sponsored by Medi-Share, an innovative health care solution for Christians to save money without sacrificing quality.Pray.com is the digital destination of faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.Executive Producers: Steve Gatena & Max BardProducer: Ben GammonHosted by: Pastor Jack GrahamMusic by: Andrew Morgan SmithBible Story narration by: Todd HaberkornSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this Bible Story, Balak, king of Moab, is threatened by the vast number of Israel and sends for Balaam to curse Israel. As Balaam is on the road to meet Balak, God causes Balaam's donkey to speak. This story is inspired by Numbers 22:1-35. Go to BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year.Today's Bible verse is Numbers 22:28 from the King James Version.Episode 48: Israel finally finds some sense of rest in the plains of Moab. But Balak, the king of Moab, feels threatened when he looks out and sees his plains covered by Israel. So he sends for a diviner by the name of Balaam to curse these people. But God also visits Balaam, and makes it clear that he is not to curse Israel, but bless them.Hear the Bible come to life as Pastor Jack Graham leads you through the official BibleinaYear.com podcast. This Biblical Audio Experience will help you master wisdom from the world's greatest book. In each episode, you will learn to apply Biblical principles to everyday life. Now understanding the Bible is easier than ever before; enjoy a cinematic audio experience full of inspirational storytelling, orchestral music, and profound commentary from world-renowned Pastor Jack Graham.Also, you can download the Pray.com app for more Christian content, including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Visit JackGraham.org for more resources on how to tap into God's power for successful Christian living.This episode is sponsored by Medi-Share, an innovative health care solution for Christians to save money without sacrificing quality.Pray.com is the digital destination of faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.Executive Producers: Steve Gatena & Max BardProducer: Ben GammonHosted by: Pastor Jack GrahamMusic by: Andrew Morgan SmithBible Story narration by: Todd HaberkornSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.